Chuck Rothman

I prefer something in between. Some problems are solved; others persist.

#awesomeCharacters

The story can be found here:

www.zombiesneedbrains.com/kickstarter/...

The story can be found here:

www.zombiesneedbrains.com/kickstarter/...

There was a short silence before Homer spoke, his voice soft and gentle. "Do you still love her?" The question was serious. Homer clearly knew Hawthorn's heart. "It's been such a very long time," he said. "What she did was inexcusable. It took me ages to get free, and so many things were destroyed during that time. She's headstrong and manipulative, and betrayed me so terribly that I should be planning to come back with her head in a basket, like the French do." Homer was quiet for a moment, then said, "You didn't answer me." "Damn it, yes! It makes no sense, but yes!" Homer gave a knowing look. "Sometimes the heart doesn't make sense." "How would you know? You don't have one."

The #WIPSnips word for March 5th is "destroy"

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From "The Cadaver Princess."

chuckrothman.com/the-cadaver-princess

I once decided to scrap a father in a story. I made the protagonist a single mother and added a second son to the story and gave him the father's lines.

One ran a store. The other was a dentist.

He spotted Victoria disappearing into the door of the pawnshop. He joined her inside, wondering what she had in mind. "Hey, you, Pompey!" It was the pawnbroker. He was at the side of the shop near the selection of coats. A customer was with him. "Keep your hands in your pockets." "Do you ignore me for everyone who drops in?" asked the customer, one of the men who were there when Bishop had pawned the ring. "Beg pardon, sir," said the pawnbroker, giving a slight bow. "But you see his type ain't trustworthy. Havers his age would as soon as steal as earn an honest wage." Pablo spotted Victoria standing by the back counter. She looked back at him and grinned. The ring was in her hand. "Beg pardon, sir," said Pablo, who understood his role was to keep the pawnbroker looking at him. "Have you seen my dog?" "No, I ain't seen your dog. Now get out of my shop or I'll call the peelers and have you pulled." "I'm leaving," said Pablo. He backed out of the shop. Jacob was waiting for him outside. He was lying in the muddy street, his eyes glued to the tavern where Bishop was. In a moment, Victoria emerged. She spotted Pablo and walked to him. She handed the ring to Pablo, who put it in his pocket. "I do not think he saw me." She had a big grin on her face. "I have been good all my life. This is the first time I have done something bad." She stood up. "I have committed a crime, have I not?" Pablo nodded. "It was exhilarating," said Victoria. Then her face fell. "But it was terribly wrong. I shall send the man twenty pounds when I am Queen. Do you think that is enough?" "More than enough," said Pablo, aware of the precariousness of their position.

The #WIPSnips word for March 3rd is "counter"

From "The Cadaver Princess."

chuckrothman.com/the-cadaver-princess

#WriteSky #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity

They're only following orders. 😥

You know, I get DMs from people offering to market my novel. But I find it especially hard to trust someone whose Facebook handle is that of a company that sells solar panels. 😏

#bookSky #writingCommunity #writersLife #amwriting

The bust of Homer spoke. "What are you so thoughtful about?" He didn't look up. Homer always knew what he was thinking. "Magic," he said. "So you are planning to do something about it," said Homer. It was spoken flatly, as though he knew the words were the truth. Old habits die hard, and his were far older than most. You can't avoid them, even if they caused nothing but trouble. Hawthorn had tried to live life in the shadows. This new world of science and steam had no place for his skills. But magic was his milieu. "I'm not sure I can even do anything," he said. "This all smells of fate. You only get in trouble challenging fate." "You know you don't believe in fate," said Homer. Hawthorn didn't reply. Homer always knew him better than he knew himself. It was why he kept him: someone to remind him when he was giving in to folly or despair. It was too bad that sometimes folly was the right thing to do.

The word for March 2nd is "most" #WIPSnips

From "The Cadaver Princess"

is.gd/BOOQ1L

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

Thanks!

Libby requires that the library ask for the book and pay up front.

Hoopla lists all its books and charges the library when it's borrowed.

Pick up a copy. ☺️

If your library offers Hoopla, you can borrow it for free.

"Mr. Sheppard says I am already dead," said Victoria. "Only I do not think so. If I were dead, would I not be in heaven or . . . the other place? Yet this seems to be London." "It is London," said Mrs. Lake. "I have not had much chance to see too many other people," said Victoria, "but I assumed that the dead don't usually walk and talk." She smiled, just slightly. "They don't," Mrs. Lake agreed. "I do so want things to be set right," said Victoria. "I want to be a princess again. Can you help?" "I will see what I can do," said Mrs. Lake.

The #WIPSnips word for February 28th is "walk"

From "The Cadaver Princess"

chuckrothman.com/the-cadaver-princess

#WriteSky #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity

May shrugged. "So they was generous." "But why? The dress ain't all that much, and that silly bit of tin even less. Yet they acted like they was valuable." "It ain't our problem," said May. "That's what's wrong with you, Jimmy. You ain't got ambition. If it ain't for me, you'd still be cutting up sheep. No, there's something awfully queer going on." "None of our business," said Williams. "Besides, it ain't smart to make waves. We got a good thing going here. We wouldn't want anyone to catch on. Then it'd be the wooden mare for us." "Bah," said May. "Only if they catch us. And the rozzers couldn't catch a cold on a rainy day."

The #WIPSnips word for February 27th is “thing”

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From "The Cadaver Princess."

chuckrothman.com/the-cadaver-princess

Still not at the level of the President of American University who was making obscene phone calls on his office phone.

The Cadaver Princess by Chuck Rothman (art by Ron Miller)

The Cadaver Princess

DICKENS + POE

In 1831, a corpse sits up on the slab and claims to be princess Victoria, heir to the throne. A novel of body snatchers, ancient gods, and Arthurian legends. And rats. Lots of rats.

amazingstories.com/cadaver-prin...

#P #WpsPitPublished #F #HI #H #wsPit

The corpse was suspiciously fresh. Pablo had been working for Mr. Sheppard for almost two years and had seen many a body showing up in the middle of the night. But this one looked almost like it was still alive. Mr. Bishop had said it was a distant cousin who had expressed an interest on her deathbed to leave her remains to medical science, but Pablo didn't believe a word of it. Bishop had been here before, and seemed to have a lot of cousins with similar public spirit. Still, it wasn't Pablo's place to say anything. Assisting Mr. Sheppard let him earn his keep, spending his nights in the room, lit by smoking oil lamps, with its soot-stained walls covered with medical instruments. The odor of death was in the air, as the resurrection men brought their trade. It was unpleasant, but a far sight better than begging in the streets. The body parts sitting in jars in cabinets and on shelves no longer bothered him.

#WIPSnips. The word for February 23rd is "science"

From "The Cadaver Princess."

chuckrothman.com/the-cadaver-princess

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

Five Authors who I've read at least five of their books.

Terry Pratchett
John Barth
Samuel R. Delany
A. Lee Martinez
Christopher Moore

Charlotte rose to her feet. The corridor was dark, but she could barely make out the figure of what had to be the other girl. She approached. Her foot kicked something made of metal. Looking down, she spotted the lantern Pablo had been carrying. The candle in it had gone out. She could sense the faint smell of rotted meat, then then the sound of a belch. Victoria lay on her side, curled into a ball, a shadow among the other shadows. "They're gone," said Charlotte. "I think we're safe." "Something bit me," said Victoria. Charlotte peered at Victoria's arm. It was difficult to see in the dim light, but there was clearly a chunk of flesh bitten out of her wrist. No blood, though. "They wanted to eat my face!" said Victoria. "Yes," said Charlotte. "Rats do that to corpses." She held out a hand. "Let me lift you up."

The #WIPSnips word for February 22nd is "metal"

From "The Cadaver Princess"

#WriteSky #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity

chuckrothman.com/the-cadaver-princess

The Cadaver Princess by Chuck Rothman (art by Ron Miller)

Just the type of day that makes you want to curl up with a good book.

The Cadaver Princess, for example.

Chuckrothman.com/the-cadaver-princess

Available from your favorite online bookseller and with Hoopla from your local library.

#writesky #writingCommunity #booksky #fantasy #amwriting

Mrs. Lake stopped. For a moment, Pablo thought she was about to faint, but steadied herself by holding onto the chair by the desk. Then her eyes widened as though she were frightened by something horrible. Pablo looked where she was looking. A small rat had poked its head from under the door. Mrs. Lake stood up, clearly disturbed. That was strange. One cannot live in London without seeing rats, but the sight had clearly shaken her, as though this wasn't the usual rat. Then Pablo noticed something more. The rat had the face of a human. As Pablo gaped, it vanished into a dark corner.

The #WIPSnips word for February 20th is "corner"

From "The Cadaver Princess"

chuckrothman.com/the-cadaver-...

#WriteSky #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity

Command. Sir John thought about the word. It meant a peer. Definitely Earl Grey. "I will be right down." He checked the look of his coat and cravat. The dark purple was perfect for the occasion, dignified but not ostentatious, with the subtle hint of royalty. He slowly paraded down the stairs to the drawing room. There were three figures in the room. Lehzen, who greeted him with an expression of utter contempt, the African, and . . . "Close your mouth," said William IV. "You look like a fish." Sir John somehow managed to blurt out, "Your Majesty?" "You seem surprised to see me," said the King. "I was not informed of your presence," Sir John said. He focused on the Baroness Lehzen. "I told you -- " Sir John began. "I order you . . . " began the King. "No, we order you to keep her on as the princess's governess." That discomfited him even more. "Your Majesty! She took the Princess from the palace without an entourage!" "I often go abroad without an entourage," said the King. "Yes, but -- " "And you claimed I would be dead today." "Your Majesty! I . . . I . . . "

The #WIPSnips word for February 19th is "subtle"

From "The Cadaver Princess"

#WriteSky #WritingPrompts #WritingCommunity

is.gd/BOOQ1L

The Cadaver Princess by Chuck Rothman (art by Ron Miller)

Historical action! Victorian London! Fantasy! Body snatchers! Rats!

Find them all in "The Cadaver Princess."

"Like Dickens crossed with Poe" - Allen Steele

is.gd/BOOQ1L

#WritingCommunity #amWriting #amWritingfantasy #novels #writersLife

Wow! Just came up with a monster plot twist.

I love pantsing.

#amwriting #writingCommunity #writersLife #WIP
#novel

The Cadaver Princess by Chuck Rothman (art by Ron Miller)

Just a reminder: my novel, "The Cadaver Princess," is eligible for the Hugo Award. See the Amazing Stories eligibility post to see other books and stories published by the magazine that created the term "science fiction."

amazingstories.com/2026/02/the-...

Agree. Without knowing the characters, an action scene is very confusing.

There was a short silence before Homer spoke, his voice soft and gentle. "Do you still love her?" The question was serious. Homer clearly knew Hawthorn's heart. "It's been such a very long time," he said. "What she did was inexcusable. It took me ages to get free, and so many things were destroyed during that time. She's headstrong and manipulative, and betrayed me so terribly that I should be planning to come back with her head in a basket, like the French do." Homer was quiet for a moment, then said, "You didn't answer me." "Damn it, yes! It makes no sense, but yes!" Homer gave a knowing look. "Sometimes the heart doesn't make sense." "How would you know? You don't have one." "Do you really want to continue in that vein?" "No," Hawthorn said. "But I do want to see her. I'll figure out why when I do."

The #WIPSnips word for February 13th is "serious"

From "The Cadaver Princess."

is.gd/BOOQ1L

#WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

As I write them. Each line of dialog defines their personality, and by the end of their first appearance their personality is developed.

#AwesomeCharacters #WriteSky #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts

is.gd/BOOQ1L

Spectrum Cable in the US has been doing this for months.