THROUGH SHADES OF GRAY

Hi, All,

Today I am honored to be featured at my good friend, Renee’s blog. This past year has been a whirlwind with rehabbing my new loft, moving, and now a new four-month-old puppy. Life certainly is hectic, but I am finally back on track with focusing more on writing and editing. Two things I actually LOVE to do.

Last month I was asked to submit a short story to an amazing anthology published by Stay Classy publications. 

THE THING THAT TURNED ME. 

I am honored to be included in this prestigious publication. Many of my blogger friends will also be featured. Such talent! The lineup is star-studded!

Authors, S.K. Anthony, Imani Allen, Michelle Athy, Madalyn Beck, Diane Carlisle, Alex J. Cavanaugh, Crystal Collier, Cathrina Constantine, Tonja Drecker, Deanie Humphys-Dunne, Sherry Ellis, Elise Fallson, Heather Gardner Samantha Geary, Misha Gerrick, Krystal Hillman, Celeste Holoway, Harper L. Jameson, Randi Lee, Terrance Dwane Mack, K.D. Martin, Tyrean Mathinson, Melissa Maygrove, Nana Prah, Christine Rains, Melanie Shultz, Elizabeth Seckman, Tara Tyler, Michelle Wallace, L. Diane Wolfe, and Roland Yeomans…

Imagine all this talent in ONE anthology… The cover is stunning, the trailer amazing, and the writing off the charts!

A few years ago, I started my business, Michael Di Gesú Presents for the purpose of creative editing. I've created blurbs and taglines for such amazing writers as Yolanda Renée, Denise Covey, Julie Flanders, and Michelle Wallace, just to name a few,  and now, my story, THROUGH SHADES OF GRAY will be published. Words can’t describe how incredibly happy I am to be featured in such a wonderful debut. The title says it all!

What turned you?

In life, there is always that ONE EVENT that changes your life. It could be anything and it is something every human being experiences. Even though my story is a work of fiction, it is loosely based on one of my own experiences. If I may, I’d like to share the first page from THROUGH SHADES OF GRAY. As most of you know, I'm hired for my atmospheric description and how to incorporate it into your works.

This story certainly features my signature trademark of setting the scene… I hope you enjoy it.

Charcoal skies face me on yet another frigid morning. Haunting, like a shroud suffocating the dormant sunrise. Amber street lights reflect in the crystalline sheath, entombing my buried car.

A high pitched bleep breaks the deafening silence.

As I pry the door open, the fragile layer cracks with a loud snap and the surface creates an intricate web of golden threads. My stiff body folds behind the steering wheel and a moment later, the engine roars to life.

I drive down the skeletal tree-lined street, edging Lincoln Park. The brittle, elongated fingers of barren trees seem to wave an eerie goodbye. The road is slick, but I’m ready for my escape back to light.

How could I have let those brightly lit days set without one note of appreciation for so many years. Heather skies, cotton-balled clouds, and mild trade winds caressed the tranquil sea. But without her, the sunshine dimmed, and it was time to move on.

Little did I know how much the north had changed. No longer did the bright summer days last forever. Overcast skies now dominated the plains and what little light present struggled to break through the mass of clouds.

Mood plays a huge part in this particular story. Here, the city represents the feelings of the MC as he escapes the frozen north. Many of us can relate to this especially this time of year!

The anthology will be released sometime in mid year. I will keep you all posted.

 ******

Thank you, Renee for featuring me today. It was a real pleasure! 

After fifteen years of modeling in New York, I spent the past eleven years as an interior designer in Chicago. I decided to take my creative talents and write/illustrate my first m/g novel, Amber and the Whispering Willows. A year later, I wrote The Blinded Gardener, an edgy y/a contemporary. I never knew how wonderful it could be to write novels ... I'm addicted!

Thank you, Michael!

Congratulations on the Anthology, The Thing That Turned Me, and your story, Through Shades of Gray. 

Michael barely mentioned his business Writing Art & Design. He does an amazing job with taglines, blurbs, and introducing your novel to the world. But he also does an even more astounding job designing covers. Here are just two.

Need help with design or writing those short taglines and blurbs? 
Need to come up with a design or logo for that new business?
Consider giving Michael a call. 
He truly is a magic man! 
Learn more by following these links:

Michael Di Gesu Presents
Writing Art & Design