sneak peek: lower myths by eliza victoria

I am proud and happy to announce that my two-novelette collection, Lower Myths, which won in the 2009 Pinoy Story Writing Contest for the Horror & Crime/Suspense category, will (very) soon be published as an ebook by Flipreads under Flipside Publishing Services.

Many thanks to Flipside VP and General Manager Honey de Peralta for approaching me about the possibility of partnering with them, Acquisitions Editor Kristine Reynaldo and Online Marketing Specialist Charles Tan for their invaluable comments on the manuscript, and Production Editor Adam David and his team for their work on the beautiful cover and interior art.

Let’s have some excerpts, shall we?

From “Trust Fund Babies”

“Why did you kill them, anyway?” Miguel asked.

“Officially, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Beatrice said. Cigarette smoke blurred her face. “Unofficially, oh you know,” she shrugged, “the usual. Company shares. Reserved parking. Power. You’ll learn in due time.”

“Beatrice,” Isaiah said. Beatrice glanced at Miguel, who quickly pocketed the gun. “We’ll be late. Now what are you two talking about?” Isaiah placed his arm around Miguel’s shoulders and shook him lightly.

“I was just about to tell our little brother here that we act on the order of moms and pops,” Beatrice said. “We’re just drones here, Miguelito, until we become head of the family and inherit power.”

Isaiah looked amused. “And what would you do, dear sister, when you become head of the family?”

“Go to the Bahamas and screw everybody telepathically.”

“Ah. Of course.”

“I haven’t done that. Telepathic screwing. Could be interesting. Don’t you think, Miguelito?”

“You won’t be head of the family,” Miguel said. “Isaiah comes first.”

Beatrice looked at him and smirked.

From “The Very Last Case of Messrs. Aristotel and Arkimedes Magtanggol, Attorneys-at-Law”

“How very nice to see you, Mister Goldenbar!” Arkimedes exclaimed. “I hope the waves did not put you at such a dis…ad…van…tage…”

Arkimedes’ voice, which was at full force the moment he opened his mouth, started to fade as he looked from the top of young Madame Goldenbar’s head to the tips of her black boots.

“Hm,” Arkimedes said, forcing a broader smile on his face and leaning his head toward his brother. “Why one thinks that the aristocrat would bother to put on a nice gown or a fragrant coat is truly beyond my –”

“Good afternoon, Mister Goldenbar,” his brother said. Aristotel, who clearly disapproved of whispering mockery in front of potential clients, stuck out his hand and shook Neil’s. “And Madame –”

Francesca tilted her head and said, “Don’t you have alcohol in this house?”

Aristotel froze, his glasses glinting, and straightened up graciously. Arkimedes, to the rescue, took a deep breath and said, “Certainly, Madame. I assure you that at dinner we could all sit down and have a glass of –”

Suddenly a hand slithered in between Aristotel’s left shoulder and Arkimedes’ right, carrying a tray filled with glasses of champagne.

“Tsampan,” said a booming voice in a strange accent, “for the beautiful binibini.”

“Charming, Butler,” Arkimedes said, and the two moved apart to reveal a stout man in a white apron, “but I do wish you wouldn’t just barge in and materialize like a –”

“Perhaps a tour of the house is in question?” Aristotel said, scooping up a glass. He also disapproved of berating the help in front of clients. “Yes?”

You can wait for the book on Flipreads’ official website and other downloading platforms like Amazon and the Apple iBookstore, or simply wait for further announcements here.

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P.S.

A lot of people have been asking me why I haven’t published my stories yet in one anthology so let me say here that yes, I am also coming out with a short story collection (in print, via another publisher). Stay tuned for more details.

2012’s shaping up to be a scary, exciting year. :)