Sunday, September 23, 2012

Excerpt from "The Andre Peterson Conspiracy" from the Circle 8 Writers Anthology 'If'

The Circle 8 Writers group consists of some of my online writing friends. They have numerous collections of short stories available for purchase. The excerpt being featured today comes from Robert Arend's story "The Andre Peterson Conspiracy" from the book If.

Book Blurb:

The stories of If:

Amy Browne: "And So It Begins: the Birth of Paisley" Short (Paisley)story: The kingdom rejoices at the birth of a new princess. If only grandma had been more careful, the baby would not have floated up, up and away.

Andi Caldwell: "Saint Theresa" Short Story: Theresa had something in common with her namesake Saint Theresa: seeking terrible vengeance on those closest to her. If only she had known then what she knows now--that the saint was no saint in her young life, either.

Angel Sharum: "As If You Cared" Short story: If Robert hadn’t been so alienated by his wife’s manic depression, maybe the cure wouldn’t have proved so deadly.

"If You’d Only Listened" Short story: Nobody ever listened to Will, not his mother, not even his best friend Dale—NOBODY! If they had, maybe Will wouldn’t have decided it’s time for Judgement Day.

"I’m Sorry" Flash story: Sorry, Charlie.

"I Want You Back" Flash fiction: If only Nathan would’ve washed his own dirty shirts.

LL Darroch: "Artemis Unbound" Short story: A scarlet ribbon always around her neck. Oh, dear, if poor Henry had only known or had guessed why his beloved never took it off.

"The Bracelet" Short story: If Mattie can only conjure up fake spirits, how can one that keeps taunting her with a bracelet prove to be too real.

"UserError" Flash fiction: If you’re going to use a computer to cheat, don’t drink coffee.

“Green Cheese” Flash Fiction: Green Cheese: What if the moon really was made of green cheese?

"Fortress" Poetry: If the past is a dead thing, should a tombstone marks its grave?

Brittany Joy Chadwick "IF" Short story: If Frank could only believe in his Imaginary Friend.

Robert L. Arend "Snow Globe Short story: If only Ralph hadn’t been so ambitious, greedy and selfish, he and his family might not be homeless and struggling to survive the harsh Philadelphia winter. If only he could change their present by changing his past.

"The Andre Peterson Conspiracy" Short Story: If Sirhan Sirhan didn’t kill Robert F. Kennedy, who did? Time will tell.

Read an excerpt from "The Andre Peterson Conspiracy"
“Lieutenant McQuaid, you have impressed me with your willingness to take on our most dangerous missions,” Peterson said, reverting to his natural Texas drawl. “You’ve never failed to accomplish whatever we asked you to do. Your willingness to take risks with your own survival in pursuit of our objectives has been truly remarkable.”

McQuaid nodded. “I believe in the cause, sir.”

“And what cause is that, Lieutenant?” Peterson asked. Sometimes he wasn’t sure himself what his original purpose was for founding Centurion in 1979.

“To promote a peaceful world for Capitalism and remove any obstacles to that, sir.”
Peterson pretended to examine the contents of McQuaid personnel folder.

“Centurion’s mission is to support global power in the hands of a very few extraordinarily competent individuals, Mr. McQuaid. Democracies are inefficient and dangerously prone to encouraging the anarchy of the masses at the expense of good governance. Mr. Kissinger is reviled for declaring, years ago, that the population of useless eaters must be thinned, but he was right. It was what Hitler so incompetently tried to do; yet it is Hitler’s vision, stripped of foolish anti-Semitism, we are dedicated to more patiently, more methodically, fulfill.”

“Yes, sir. One World Government,” McQuaid said dispassionately. “How’s that going, sir?”

The question took Peterson by surprise. He stammered a bit with his response. “Slow, slow, Mr. McQuaid.  
Buy links: Kindle | Paperback

Robert L. Arend is one of the Circle 8 Writers who contributed to this short story anthology.

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