Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Brusselpop short story!

The Boy with the Unicorn Horn
By T. E. Antonino

“Grandma, tell me about the time when all the children had a unicorn horn like mine,” Brusselpop said.
 “So, my little Brusselpop, you want to hear the story once again,” Grandma smiled. “Remember to listen closely this time, and don’t forget a word of the story.”
The years weighed heavy on the grandma, and the story she was about to tell held the beauty of the ages.
The old grandma straightened up in her rocking chair and began to speak. “There was a time when all the children of the town painted pictures with watercolors and made all kinds of everything with every color making invention you could think of. They would dance and prance like no horse could ever do. It was pure delight in the children’s eyes to pretend to be knights, princesses, scary dragons, and all manner of fairytale fair. Children made music on their clang-bang-tooters and their drum-a-boomers. Fairytales popped in and out of children’s imaginations like popcorn in a hot kettle. It was a time when books flowed free. The townspeople watched the children’s creative delights from morning till night, and happiness fell on the people like leaves on a windy autumn day. The beauty of all this creating could be felt even in the deeper part of one’s soul. But that all changed on the day the hinge maker rolled into town. He talked about putting hinges on doors, hinges on boxes, hinges on suitcases, hinges on cabinets, and hinges on anything hinge-able. ‘Hinges are the future,’ he explained to the townspeople.”
“Grandma, is this when the townspeople stopped buying dancing shoes, and paintbrushes, and noise makers, and fairytale books, and acting costumes for the children?” Brusselpop’s face grew long. “This is the sad part of the story, isn’t it Grandma? It’s when the children’s unicorn horns all disappeared.”
“I’m afraid so, Brusselpop,” the grandma said. “The hinge maker declared that any money spent on creativity only creates foolishness and leaves your pockets penniless. The townspeople listened to the hinge maker. They began to spend their time and money only on making hinges both day and night. Soon the gates to creativity came to a close. My little Brusselpop, all children are born with a unicorn horn so that even the very old won’t forget the days of magic past. Remember, Brusselpop, life is more than living.”
 Those were the last words that Brusselpop would hear from his grandma. For that very night, she took her place among the stars. Brusselpop favored his unicorn horn and made certain it wouldn’t fade away. He spoke in song, but rarely talked. Brusselpop danced through the years and grew more creative all the time, but the boy’s creativity didn’t go unnoticed. The pictures that he painted on sidewalks, barn buildings, and concrete walls inspired the townspeople in ways they would never have thought possible. Many of the townspeople agreed that the music   Brusselpop played on his pieced together string-ama-strummers took them to places far away from the glut of hinge making they all knew so well, while others said that Brusselpop’s street corner acting made them see things in a different light. Like catching teardrops from the stars, Brusselpop subdued wonder and revealed it to all those who could see beyond the hinge.
 The hinge maker was furious over Brusselpop’s uncommon behavior and called a town meeting. As the hinge maker stood behind the podium, he lashed out at all the foolish Brusselpop talk.
“We can’t let anything distract us from our hinge making, for it is our future,” the hinge maker said. “This Brusselpop character is a distraction. He produces nothing but fanciful dreams that end with an empty belly.”
 Some of the townspeople agreed with the hinge maker, but others disagreed with the hinge maker for the first time in a long time. The hinge maker ranted and raved behind his podium as he spoke of the expendability of creativity. Brusselpop, with his magnificent unicorn horn in full bloom, swung open the doors to the town hall. Brusselpop marched right up to the hinge maker, who was still standing behind his podium. The townspeople watched closely with much wonder and curiosity over the unusual character that Brusselpop truly was without a doubt.
 Brusselpop looked the hinge maker in the eye and said, “Life is more than living.”
 Leaving the now speechless hinge maker, Brusselpop walked back towards the doors.
 “Where are you going?” the townspeople asked Brusselpop.
“I’m off to embrace the magic of the stars, to feel the Earth beneath my feet, to be carried away to wherever the song leads me, to paint a picture of all that I will see, and to live a story to be told. For life is more than living.” With those words, Brusselpop left, and the townspeople thought, and they thought, and thought, and thought…
Fund the arts and save the unicorns!


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Friday, April 8, 2016

Librarycon is coming up! New book getting closer!

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Librarycon and book update.

I just received my book Fritz Fombie and the Frightful Feats of Courage from my novelist friend. I’m working through her well thought out suggestions. I’ve also begun work on the inside illustrations. I’ve put down another book I’ve been working on titled Kooky Forelong for now, but will pick it up as soon as this second Fritz Fombie book goes into the production phase. I think a timeline of 3 months or less to bring Fritz Fombie and the Frightful Feats of Courage to market is realistic. I will have another short story published in the Waynesville public library newsletter in the next couple of months. I will also be a guest at their Librarycon. I will be giving a super hero manga art lesson. My books will be available for purchase at the event. Best wishes. T. E. Antonino

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Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Two new books coming!

The new Fritz Fombie book titled Fritz Fombie and the Frightful Feats of Courage is almost ready. I’ve finished drawing the front cover. It’s my most ambitious drawing to date. I drew eleven images on the cover, which means there’s a lot going on. I believe kids will really have fun studying the cover. A writing friend of mine is going over my manuscript for the last time. Since I have some time on my hands while she looks at it, I’ve started working on another book called Kooky Forelong. I plan to put that book up on Kindle Scout once it’s finished. Kindle Scout is run by Amazon. Readers get to read part of your book, and if they like it, they nominate it. The more nominations you have the more likely Kindle Scout will consider your book for publication. So I have been keeping busy while my writing friend finishes up looking at Fritz Fombie and the Frightful Feats of Courage. Fritz Fombie and the Frightful Feats of Courage will be a self-published book and made available to readers in less than three months. That’s the timeline I’m shooting for. Take care and best wishes.

To check out my first Fritz Fombie book click the link below.

Monday, February 15, 2016

Fritz Fombie and Frightful Feats of Courage!

My appearance at the Hazelwood Elementary School annual reading night went great. I enjoyed reading from my book. I gave away a Frtiz Fombie crochet hat, which went over really well with the kids. Lisa Hartzell, the Waynesville public library's children’s librarian, was also there, and she did a great job reading from a picture book as did the teachers from the school. Two children also read from books, which I thought was awesome. It couldn’t have been a better night. I’m working on the illustrations for my new Fritz Fombie book titled Fritz Fombie and the Frightful Feats of Courage. I’m also finishing another book titled The Willy Nilly Forest. I co-authoredThe Willy Nilly Forest with my editor Hannah Krieger.

Check out my book by clinking the link below!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/150848192x

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Appearance and My New Book!

I’m very happy to say that I will be a part of the 6th annual winter family reading night at the Hazelwood elementary school. It’s scheduled for February 11th at 6:00 p.m. I’ve had the honor of being asked to read from my book Fritz Fombie Have No Fear.
I will be leaving for Louisville, KY in a week where I will meet with my niece and editor Hannah Krieger. We'll be working on the next Fritz Fombie book that I’m finishing up. The book is titled Fritz Fombie and the Frightful Feats of Courage. It will be a wide open fantasy and adventure story bursting at the seams with creative fun. This book is like the first Fritz Fombie book, but also has a societal benefit. The book will help children to see that they can be brave and overcome any obstacle in their way. I’m very excited to see how others will experience this fanciful story that I wrote with a grin on my face. Take care and stay warm. 


Check out my book by clicking the link below!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/150848192x

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Finish line coming up!

I leave to see my editor in less than three weeks. I’ll spend about two weeks working with my editor then the book will be completed. As soon as the book is complete, I’ll start working on the cover and chapter Illustrations. The book now stands at 42,000 words, so it will be a longer read than Fritz Fombie Have No Fear. I’m working hard right now trying to pull all the loose ends together. I’m looking for any illogicality and trying to bring as much fun as I can to the story. Actually, this is the most fun time for me as an author because the story is completely there, I’m just tweaking some things so the story will sing as loud as it can. I will soon be putting on my artist hat and start on the illustrations. Drawing illustrations has a way of relaxing me. That might be because I know I have completed the hard months of putting a book together and the finish line is coming up quickly. I hope you will enjoy Fritz Fombie and the Frightful Feats of Courage as much as you enjoyed the first book. Take care. 

Check out my book by clicking the link below!