Blaze Holland
Bio
Hello! I am a yet-to-be published novel writer. You can find some of my rough pieces posted here as well as a series of articles on writing advice. If you want to get in touch with me, you can reach me at @B_M_Valdez on Twitter.
Stories (29/0)
7. Rookie Bookie
Chapter Seven Mercedes, Number One Roanoke City, Strike County I can’t be as dangerous as a cannibal and a mob boss, Mercedes thought, puffing smoke through his lips as he sped through Roanoke City. He didn’t know much about Mullins and Marchesi but he did know that a New York mob boss and a cannibal had to have a much bigger death toll than himself. The thought made him shudder. The only bright spot in Pop’s news had to be the fact that they had listed him only by his street name. That had to mean that even the FBI didn’t know what his legal name was.
By Blaze Holland3 years ago in Fiction
11.1. An Unexpected Delay
Chapter Eleven Wolfie, Number Two Skelemere, Lupine County The sunlight was fading as Wolfie switched the engine off of the car of him and climbed out into a dank alleyway in Morticfield. He closed the car door and began towards the street without locking it. The eyes of Wolfie scanned his surroundings from behind a pair of shades, roving and always moving. The sidewalk was empty and the street was silent as he stepped up to the edge of it. Looking first one way and then the other, Wolfie crossed the street to a large vacant parking lot. Just beyond that, was another empty, narrow street bathed in the sizzling glow of neon signs.
By Blaze Holland3 years ago in Fiction
9. The Roadblock
Chapter Nine Mercedes, Number One Roanoke City, Strike County The next step for Mercedes to do was to notify the Numbers. The other six county leads could make their own decisions about new racers challenging their czars. After all, they weren’t on the list. Although, with the way Wolfie drove, it was still a surprise to Mercedes that he hadn’t at least made the list as well.
By Blaze Holland3 years ago in Fiction
11.2. Escape Artist
Chapter Eleven, Part 2 Wolfie, Number Two Skelemere, Lupine County Wolfie writhed in pain. His body scraped against the cold hard floor. It was dark but Wolfie had his eyes squeezed shut, protecting them from view without the aid of his sunglasses. He could hear the man on duty snoring away. Wolfie called this one Sleepy. He always worked the night shift every time Wolfie was caught in Morticfield. He always turned down the lights and he always fell asleep.
By Blaze Holland3 years ago in Fiction
8. Walkie Talkie
Chapter Eight Mercedes, Number One Roanoke City, Strike County The black triangle that represented Mercedes was a full four blocks ahead of the rest of the pack as he skirted the outside of Roanoke City. The volume on his police scanner was low but not muted. He knew that, as the race’s bookie, Buster would be listening to a scanner in order to warn the participants, but Mercedes wasn’t keen on trusting a new bookie to watch his back. He hadn’t made it this far by doing so. The headset hung around his neck.
By Blaze Holland3 years ago in Fiction
4. Gary's Beach
Chapter Four Mercedes, Number One Roanoke City, Strike County The beach was dark as Mercedes sat in the sand, back pressed against the tire of his Corvette. Waves lapped gently against the shore a few feet away from where Mercedes’ outstretched feet rested in a heap of sand. Smoke curled lazily above his head towards the sky, undisturbed by the wind due to the Corvette’s shield. The beach was right outside Roanoke City. It was one of his favorite places to go when his lungs would not stop burning for a cigarette.
By Blaze Holland3 years ago in Fiction
5. A Political Race
Chapter Five Ranger, Number Three Waspwood, Locksley County “Hey, Range, look what I found.” Ranger turned around at the sound of his friend’s voice. He straightened and held the pool cue suspended in the air in front of himself. “What is it, Cobra? You’re wrecking my shot.”
By Blaze Holland3 years ago in Fiction
3. Corey Curse
Chapter Three Mercedes, Number One Roanoke City, Strike County A beat was thumping as Mercedes entered the club from the back door, cigarette hanging from his lips. The interior was dark and filled with strobe lights, neon lights, and every other exotic type of light imaginable. Mercedes navigated through the crush of bodies in the back room to the bar and dance floor. The center was dominated by a large stegosaurus statue. People climbed all over the thing, cowboy riding at the shoulders, sliding down the tail, gyrating against each other on its back.
By Blaze Holland3 years ago in Fiction
1. Engines Roaring
Chapter One Stefanie Souther Lonephalt, Tenth County Seven Months Ago The nursery was decorated in white, with elegant accents of silver and light blue. It didn’t feel surgical at all. In fact, Stefanie felt quite warm when she was in there. Racers from all over Tenth County and even other parts of the state gifted Bronze, ranked Number Three, with boxes to help out. It wasn’t as though Bronze couldn’t afford to support Stefanie and their child.
By Blaze Holland3 years ago in Fiction
To the Marshal's Surprise
The jail door clattered closed behind Doc as he followed Wyatt into the dusky streets. They surveyed the surroundings then ambled up the street toward a nearby saloon. The hammering of Doc’s heartbeat began to ease as the adrenaline seeped out of his limbs. Exhaustion tugged heavily on his eyelids. He was grateful for it. Sleep would welcome itself in as soon as he lay down.
By Blaze Holland3 years ago in Fiction
A Jay Gatsby Dream
The printed word has flowed through my blood since I first understood its meaning. I would read them; I would write them. Then, during an eleventh grade honors English course, I stumbled over a project that would provide years of self-care. Though there were many reasons to be enamored by The Great Gatsby, the encounter with a certain owl-eyed man was one that inspired my own journey of building a library. Since I was first exposed to this scene, the owl-eyed man’s proclamations regarding the books’ authenticity has remained in my mind always.
By Blaze Holland3 years ago in Journal