The Storm That Broke

Note: This story is available in Black Cat Weekly #222

Well before I could read, I used to look at pictures and try to imagine the stories they told. Sometimes it was comic books or photographs, but what facinated me the most were paintings. My mother had a painting of a herd of wild mustangs that hung in her bedroom. I would stare at it for hours and hours coming up with personalites and backstories for each of the horses. It was better than network TV.

When Black Cat Weekly ran their very first writing contest, I knew I wanted to enter. It's a great magazine, and I've been proud to have several stories published there. When I learned that the contest was to write a story based on a painting, I thought I had it in the bag; I'm been practicing my whole life. I ended up not winning, but the story was good enough that they published it anyway. I am proud of it, but more importantly, it was a joy to write. I hope you'll enjoy it, too.

Privateers and magic and mythical curses? What's not to love? If you're in the mood for a quick fantasy/horror set on a pirate ship, this one is for you.