Sunday, October 16, 2011

Introducing "The Monarchs"

Summer's over! But that just means that I'm one step closer to finally completing my collection of dystopian science fiction stories, "In-Futura". I'm now on to the final five stories in Part III: Meaning. The fourth story in this series explores the meaning of charity - especially in the context of intense competition - in "The Monarchs".


"The Monarchs" is the kind of short story that had a very simple idea and an intriguing premise, but became increasingly difficult for me to turn into an actual story. As such, it is actually the last of the fifteen stories in In-Futura that I wrote - which is funny because I've sat on the idea for so long. The idea in question is that of charity, and what it would look like if charitable deeds were taken to the extreme. Take Brangelina and their growing family of adopted children, combine it with Sean Penn's dedication to disaster relief on the island of Haiti, and you've got the premise for "The Monarchs" - celebrity benefactors who rule their own islands. And although finding the right story to place in this setting was difficult, once found, the result was well worth the wait...

Here is the synopsis:

In the future... the world's most powerful celebrity benefactors rule tiny populations on tropical islands as their all-encompassing providers. When a contest spurs them to compete with one another to demonstrate the ultimate form of charity, Meryl Alexander, a shy American actress, wonders if she even stands a chance. But as her competitors' charitable deeds begin to escalate to unbelievable proportions, she comes to realize how these "Monarchs" can truly make a difference.

Status: PUBLISHED on AuroraWolf.com! Click here to read the story.

Check out my new cover art for "The Monarchs" below, and read the introduction to it here.

"The Monarchs" IN-FUTURA Cover Art by John Krissilas