“Karṇa walks, his back is straight, he is lit up by his divine earings; yet his feet drag. He turns into an alley. His head droops and falls to his chest. He stops. Mist swirls around him, becomes motionless, parts. From between his ribs steps a young woman. Her eyes and face and tongue are brown like old blood and she is decked in old things and she wears upon her wrists two burnt black bracelets. She places the point of a knife under Karṇa’s chest plate and cuts, a gentle sawing motion, the blade moving beneath the skin, a slicing of the quick: nerves, blood vessels, sinews. I feel his pain; not a stab; it is insistent, enduring, but sharp nonetheless, as with any loss.”
― Karna's Wheel
― Karna's Wheel
“As Vice President of Acquisitions, Mr. Lang,” she asked. “Just what is it you are supposing to acquire?” At the very most, are you seeking a compliment in return? Of course, you are! Men are always hoping for what they seldom get.” With that, she reached up to kiss him on the cheek—the freight train of doom had passed him by on a parallel track. Doubt is good. It keeps the doors open to proof of promise. Is that why she had changed into that incredibly tantalizing little blue-black dress driving the Whaler bar crowd toward a frenzy?”
― Macom Farm
― Macom Farm
“Outside, beyond the vast red bricked labyrinth of Kremlin walls, a humid night ensnarled the Soviet capital in its spell. Yet here in the womb-like private cinema Josef Stalin sat, eyes transfixed on the screen, as Johnny Weissmuller arced through a canopy of trees boldly screaming his signature jungle call.”
― Who Has Buried the Dead?: From Stalin to Putin … The last great secret of World War Two
― Who Has Buried the Dead?: From Stalin to Putin … The last great secret of World War Two
“Soul power ripples outward in all directions, affecting everything— physical health, emotional well-being, relationships, families, work, and destiny.”
― Soul Cure: How to Heal Your Pain and Discover Your Purpose
― Soul Cure: How to Heal Your Pain and Discover Your Purpose
“She likes me. I can tell. Problem is, she won’t admit that to the boyfriends she brings over.”
― The Odd and the Strange: A Collection of Very Short Fiction
― The Odd and the Strange: A Collection of Very Short Fiction
Rupert’s 2023 Year in Books
Take a look at Rupert’s Year in Books. The good, the bad, the long, the short—it’s all here.
Favorite Genres
Cookbooks and Psychology
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