The Memory Eater

Subject:  "Please support my writing on Kickstarter!"  

 Hello All!

I'm excited to share with you the news of a creative project I'm involved with—a fiction anthology called The Memory Eater: Stories that Erase the Past to Save the Future, created and edited by Matthew Hance.  The science fiction-inspired anthology consists of 27 uniquely written and illustrated stories based on a futuristic device with the ability to locate and destroy any memory in the human mind.  The concept—that everybody wants to forget something, don't they?—is intriguing, as is the format.  Each of 27 authors wrote an original story around the concept, and 27 artists contributed a companion original piece of art for the stories. My story, "Paint" was accepted for inclusion in the anthology.

The anthology was pitched to select publishers with positive feedback, but ultimately, Matt decided to take advantage of the evolving book publishing landscape and retain control over the book publication and distribution by raising the funds to self-publish.  Today marks the launch of the Kickstarter.com fundraising campaign to raise funds to publish The Memory Eater, which is ready to print right now!

Kickstarter is a unique Internet funding platform for creative projects by writers, musicians, artists, designers, filmmakers and visionaries of all kinds.  Artists post an in-depth profile of their creative work and ask interested people to pledge a donation over a short period to reach a funding goal.  If the goal is reached, the pledges are funded, and the artist can help bring their creative project to life. 

Please visit The Memory Eater fundraising campaign at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/875080901/the-memory-eater-anthology and support my story. The page includes a project introduction video, story and art samples and links to several contributor web sites.  The platform offers several pledge levels ranging from $1-$300 with rewards attached to each donation.  Rewards run the gamut from written acknowledgement in the anthology, to free books, to bookmarks and T-shirts, to custom created, artist-signed The Memory Eater artwork on canvas.  Pledges are not collected (via PayPal or credit card) unless and until the project goal of $4,250 is reached in the 40-day campaign period.

The Memory Eater's Kickstarter campaign runs through May 12, 2012.  For further information about The Memory Eater anthology, visit Hance's blog at www.anthologies2011.blogspot.com; http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Memory-Eater-Anthology; and Twitter at @TheMemoryEater.

Thank you for checking out the campaign and for your support of my work!

j l mo

Kickstarter is live!

This will be my first publication. My small contribution to the anthology is entitled "Paint", and I'm very proud that it is one of the few pieces labeled 'Humor'.

Please, gather the change in your bowl and pledge! You can go from $1 to $300. Check out the link below and enjoy.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/875080901/the-memory-eater-anthology

And thank you, very much!
~j l mo

Trayvon Martin v George Zimmerman

A summation from Dart Morales...

A dumb wanna-be cop and a dumb wanna-be thug meet in the dark to exchange bad decisions.

I Rank at Number 2!

As most of you know, I’m working on a novel titled “Tierra Tree”. "Tierra" is one of the reasons I haven't been posting short stories here. Although I will be soon! Stay tuned!

Anyway, the book is being work shopped on a writers website and today my little story just hit Number Two on the daily rankings! Woo-Hoo! I am almost finished and will be submitting it to a publisher soon. I've got one I really like, DAW, but I've got to get it finished first. Keep me in your prayers! And thanks so much for the support.

~j l mo

Funny Family Politics

Not everyone will appreciate the humor. Honestly, I don't think everyone will understand the humor. But this is for those that do. Hope it brings a smile. 

Funny Family Politics

My husband, Dart, is a Republican.

My son, Dan, is a Democrat.

I am an Independent.

The one thing we have in common, the one thing truly uniting us, is our sense of humor.

I was involved in an amusing conversation with the two of them, which started out having nothing at all to do with politics, but revealed the silliness of each of the participant’s parties.

This episode started by my telling about the results of the local newspapers contest called the ‘Foodie Awards’. Each year the Orlando Sentinel holds this contest in which restaurants are chosen, by the peoples vote, the best in various categories. The contest is very popular here in Orlando.

The top Foodie BBQ award this year went to a ‘Texas style’ newcomer called 4 Rivers. I had been to the restaurant a few times and was impressed with each item I had sampled on their menu, but the brisket is to die for!

I told my son about the results and he responded by sticking out his tongue and saying “Blah”, much to my amazement.

“You don’t like 4R?”

“Well. They’re OK I mean, the brisket doesn’t suck.”

“Do you know their story?”

“Um. No?”

“The founder is from Florida, and became a big-time CEO. Then he went to Texas.”

“So, he’s a 1-percenter?”

“Well, I guess. Anyway, when he came back to Florida, through a series of events, he retired from his post and began making his special Texas BBQ recipe out of his garage for local charities fund-raises.”

To which my husband commented, “Bay Hill Golf Community garages aren’t like a ‘normal’ garage. It was probably a five-car storage facility and he used the last bay as a kitchen.”

“I didn’t say he lived in Bay Hill. Besides, that doesn’t matter...”

“Sure it does,” quips my son, “he had the money to start with, and now he’s making even more with this overrated bar-b-que.”

“So, what are you saying?” asked my husband with a grin, “he should give away all of his product?”

Picking up on the sarcasm, Dan answered with a smirk, “I’m saying his BBQ should be regulated!”

This is when the laughter started. The three of us took off on the most ridiculous representation of our political affiliations with the poor 4R restaurant as an example.

“What about all the fund-raisers?” I asked as an innocent Independent. “Does that qualify him for an exemption?”

“Perhaps.” sneered my son in the most demeaning of ways. “Only if he matches the exact amount next year he donated this year.”

“Ridiculous,” replied the Republican. “The tax code should be re-written for just such contingencies. If he falls short on next year’s profits, we will refund him all expenses until it’s matched.”

“No way!” exclaimed the Democrat. “We will regulate his specific style of BBQ to pay for all of the obese people’s medical needs who solicit his dining establishment.”

“Wait!” shouted the Independent. “What about all the charities he already helps? What about all the people who genuinely enjoy his food? What about his brisket!?”

“OK,” said the two opposing parties in unison, surprising all.

The Democrat spoke first. “We’ll grant an exemption for the brisket. Only if there is no sauce applied. After all, it’s lean.”

“Agreed,” answered the Republican. “Except for the sauce part.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“The sauce stays, sir!”

“The sauce shall be removed!”

“I’m not getting involved,” sighed the Independent.

Aspirin and A Glass of White

I'm from Florida

home to Walt Disney World

and beaches

exotic fruit

good food

flat land

and then...

Went to Hawaii

Polynesian Culture

and North Shore

exotic fruit

good food

Diamond Head

but now...

feet hurt

calves cramped

thighs burn

hips ache

back sore

shoulders tight

I need...

Two aspirins and a

glass of white

I would

not have

missed this

for the world.

She's Gone

Dedicated to those who still have the opportunity to reach out and hug your mom. Some of us never can again.

A random sight
a flash of pain
stops me cold
reminds me
she’s gone

A child reaches
grasps its mothers hand
Both laugh, something between them
The sting of loss
Pierces my heart

Breath stolen
for a moment
I fight the tears
always hidden
Why now?

A mask, my brave expression
I have children of my own
never again my mother’s touch
I had it once
some never did

It’s hard to walk
harder to breathe
swallowing hard
smile at them
Don’t cry

Mother died, long ago
decades passed,
longer spaces between random waves
that returns me
to my mothers side

Knees find strength
I carry on
her final words
“You will be fine”


She’s gone