Made More Waves Than The Ocean

1911, Canton. It is the eve of the historic Hsinsai Revolution, when China shifted from the Qing Dynasty to the short-lived Republic. Asia is overrun with foreign businessmen of questionable character. Political upheaval is on everyone's mind. The country’s economic future is uncertain.

And there was a girl who witnessed it all.

She had many names, Ling Yoo, Ling Ling, Little Sister, and Alice. She was a girl from a simple background, toiling away in the world's oldest profession, but ambitious, and she worked hard to educate herself. A little person stumbling through history, observing from the sidelines. Her story should have been lost forever.

Torn between love for her homeland and the love of a wealthy British merchant, how can she remain true to herself and find her destiny?

And there is a ghost. A shadow of a figure follows her and her decisions, questioning her every step. Is it a warning…or a vision?

THE GHOST OF LOTUS MOUNTAIN BROTHEL by Ray Hecht is best described as a coming of age story with the deepest twist I've ever read. I've read a few short stories by Hecht last year, but I had no idea he was capable of writing something with this much emotion and personal insight. Although this story is not as polished as Memoirs of a Geisha, the raw storytelling is so much more engaging, especially with the way Ling Ling interacts with the various people in her life.

While heavily based in Chinese history, Ling Ling's struggles are relatable in any culture. Who hasn't grappled with self-identity and working to achieve life goals? I appreciate the way Hecht focuses on the main character's mission to educate herself, rather than get mired in the details of her profession.

When the author finally unveils the mystery of the ghost who visits Ling Ling, Hecht reveals his talent for transforming historical politics into a spiritual awakening, which transcends space and time.

If you enjoy novels by Lisa See or Tracy Chevalier, I think you'll enjoy this novella.

As always,
AstraDaemon

On The Line

There used to be a time when people called 411 for information. But on the other side of that dial tone there may be a place of madness. A tale of revenge and the secret power of media. Be careful out there, one never knows what kind of hidden messages are leaking through the frequency. 

Jacob was a simple 411 operator (back in the day, when that was a thing). A bit anxious, a bit awkward, but not dangerous. Yet when his love is spurned he decides to take matters into his own hands and discovers he has the power to change the world. Its time for revenge.

The secret underworld of 411 operators will be revealed. Note the references of William S. Burroughs and the cutup technology, albeit in audio format. Disturbing, cynical, well-researched, and maybe some mindless shock value. The point is, get ready to learn about untold depths of the 411 scene.

Telephone service jobs, don't you miss them?

411 by Ray Hecht is told from the POV of Jacob, a person with such disturbing and sick thoughts, the character sucks in readers like a literary sinkhole. I thought this would be a tale about stalking and/or murder by an operator, but it's much more diabolical. The metaphysical aspects of Jacob's destructive plan is unexpected and brilliant writing on the part of Hecht.

I've never read anything like this...I highly recommend this short story to all horror fans.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Comic Strip Autobiography

Told in simple lines and crude forms, Ray’s graphic memoir Always Goodbye rushes through the milestones of a person’s life with harsh sincerity. Follow along these memories of a man’s travels across the globe as he tries to find himself, always saying goodbye but then reconnecting all over again, as many times as it takes...

ALWAYS GOODBYE by Ray Hecht is a very creative way to share one's life story, and offers a new perspective on growing up as a Millennial (as opposed to the countless memes). Fans of the author are sure to enjoy this comic, but I think a lot of people will be able to relate to the author's personal experiences spanning across four decades.

As always,
AstraDaemon

Uneventful Time Travel

Saturnine has regrets.

Sometimes, she wishes she could go back and do things differently. Don’t we all?

She just found out that she can.

Thanks to the good people at Kronotastic Inner Journeys, Saturnine is about to “retrexperience” the unresolved circumstances of her last relationship. Hopefully, as she regresses into the past within her own chronological perception, she’ll be able to figure out what went wrong and finally get over it.

However, time paradoxes and probability theory can really get in the way of closure.

Whether in the past, present, or future, life never does turn out as planned...

Saturnine, In Her Head, Out of Time by Ray Hecht is a science fiction short story exploring the paradox of time travel. Saturnine is trying to figure out why her boyfriend ghosted her and most of his friends. The lack of closure has been messing with her head and her relationships for two years. Unfortunately, the process doesn't allow changes, in order to preserve the timeline.

The ending is quite a surprise. I'm glad the readers are given closure, but the story seems so vanilla. No real action, nothing dramatic...just a troubled young woman reliving one night from her past.

As always,
AstraDaemon