These stories are supposed to be flash fiction. But sometimes when you’re digging up a fossil and expecting to find a shell or maybe even a trilobite, you’re delighted to discover that what you’ve actually stumbled upon is much bigger. That’s what happened with this story.
The idea for this one started several years back when the kids and I were joking around about my trips to New Jersey and what I might really be doing out in the Garden State. One thing led to another and Uncle Guido jumped out with his magic pipe. The kids and I had a few laughs, but I didn’t really do much with him at the time.
I knew last week while writing Dearly Departed that Uncle Guido was going to make an appearance this week. It wasn’t until I started drafting him that the ending came to me, and once it did, the story almost wrote itself and turned out much larger than I had anticipated. In terms of fossils, it’s not up there with the T Rex or the Brachiosaurus, but maybe a baby Sarcosuchus. Definitely something with legs, and even a few rows of teeth.
It turned out to be one of my favorites, with one of the best endings I’ve ever come up with. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to read it here because I’m sending it out for publication. But I hope to share it with you soon!
Title: Uncle Guido’s Magic Pipe
Word Count: 3,900
Synopsis: Uncle Guido is quite a performer and uses magic to make money appear out of thin air. But it seems he’s not the only one with special abilities.
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Completed: Week ending October 21, 2018