MicroFlashFiction - Steve Coel

Tin Collector [ An 11.59 Publication ] - update

Tin Collector [ An 11.59 Publication ]

Steve Coel

update

Tin Collector [ An 11.59 Publication ] by Steve Coel, will be available from mid November 2015.

10 microflashfictions plus selected illustrations, photographs, interviews, reviews and extras will make up this collection.

Also included will be draft extracts from Wolf Within [ 2016 ], by Steve Coel.

Other An 11.59 Publication titles -

Stubborn Lines [ 2013 ], Mr Flash [ 2012 ], Saving Spoons [ 2011 ],
Mud on a Plate [ 2010 ]

An 11.59 Publication

ANNOUNCEMENT:

Tin Collector [ An 11.59 Publication ] will not be available until 2016.

Eight Rooms [ the confession trade ]

Eight Rooms

[ the confession trade ]

steve coel

'...get good at anything and you will create your own enemies.'

[ bukowski ]

****

extracts.

Thing you learns, my uncle told me, is that most folk will tell you the things you needs to know.
Trick is to know how to get the right information quickly.
Uncle who taught us said that it's just a simple matter of gentle persuasion.
Rely on your rooms having just the right decorations, to get the right results, he said.

...this morning only needed a plank of wood with a couple of nails and a clasp knife, and it's funny how fishing line, carefully knotted, works too. Eight rooms minimum is the best number in this line of business. We knows that. Used to be a trade secret.

Trusted we are. So we gets plenty of work passed on to us.
Want to find out who's been busy lately?
Bottle of whisky, a betting shop pen and padlock usually does the trick. First time round.
Where's the money going?
Cosy sofa, glass coffee table, bit of fake blood on the carpet, garden fork leaning on a chair...trust me.

See reputation is everything in this room game.

If you hears someone's gone missing or someone's gone back home, just spread the word, only, hint at a different reason. And make it a bad one. Job done. Easy.

Things can get difficult, it's a lie if you hear different because sometimes people try it on, but that's how you learn to select the right room...All you needs really to succeed in this game is
a fucking good sense of fen shui and an ability to disguise yourself like.

Stands to reason pays good.
Although hours can be pretty shit.
But if you continues to get results they say you can retire young, move on, go live in Ibiza, Canaries or some place.

It's my family business at the moment, just a job really.

Eight Rooms [ the confession trade ], [ draft ], from Tin Collector [ A Series of Micro
Flash Fiction stories ] by steve coel, 2015.

An 11.59 Publication

small country

small country

steve coel

me? i like to walk.

i like listening to places.

steve coel

[ interview: American Audio Prose Library, missouri, 1985 ]

2 extracts.

1]

12 months ago.

wave goodbye to the good times

...she noticed the writing when quickly dropping from view to hide from her minder. he was busy looking for her and she didn't fancy getting beaten up again so soon after the last time.

evil man, evil temper, bad habits.

but not even street minders come in this place.

not here.

owner, seeing it all, simply placed her own drink on the table.

...watching her calmly go outside for a couple of minutes and have a quiet word with her minder, she could straight away tell who was more powerful.

she watched them shake hands, a gangsters agreement reached...

2]

tonight.

...she looked out to the empty dark street and once more at the words, by the door, written in her own language.

small country [ draft ], from Tin Collector [ A Series of Micro Flash Fictions ] by Steve Coel, 2015

Arfordir Byw

steve coel

An 11.59 Publication, Birmingham

an 11.59 publication - tin collector

tin collector

steve coel

tin collector: a story in four parts -

nice breakfast

free time

teamwork

heavenly session

nice breakfast

nice breakfast is about a female door person.

a threat, last heard in prison, has been directed at her.

she needs to find out if the threat is a real one and deal with it quickly before things turn really really nasty.

extract 1.

makes a nice breakfast me

when i's got the time

keep it simple

i says

works for me every time

breakfast

pretty much

sums up the way

i approaches

most things in life

but i's still thinking

thinking hard about

where i was

made the mistake

that might just prove

to be the game changer

extract 2.

see

time inside

can be time

well spent

for some

but first

you got to adapt

and get used to

different ways

of doing things

and

getting things done

there is

for example

a particular noise

which you either

get used to

you don't

extract 3.

if you's been in

you knows

exactly

what i's been talking about

like a quiet scream

is what it sounds like

like a huge cry

for mercy

is what it really is

only mercy

don't come

until

it's all over

free time

free time is about institutions and their quests for uniformity in everything they represent and do.

different individuals in free time stand out for many different reasons.

extract.

...so this last time in the bank, spooked i was. uniforms see, everyones in uniform, everyone. had some cash, needed an account, to open one like, but i caught someones eye.

wrong someone.

asked to leave i was, exchanged a few words was all, honest. so i loses me cash and a bit more of my free time...

teamwork

this story is about the neighbourhoods we've either lived in, driven through or read about.

they are what they are, like anywhere; different things to different people.

extract 1.

like i says

when they leaves their mark

people learns about it

real quick like

got to

if they wants to survive

in this game

they like nice things

pretty girls

you know the story

we all know how that one goes

they's still young

keeping it all legit

is the hard part

and truth be

they got that covered

real good

has the gift

they has

is why they'll stay

top of the pile for a long time

round here at least.

extract 2.

still

someone is going to have a quiet word

straighten things out

cos theres always a someone involved

somewhere along the line

always

this ain't normal

but you tell me

what is

take that drink now i will

heavenly session

about four characters and their responses to the same threat.

extract 1.

...old guy in the corner doghead we calls him and doghead is what he likes to be called main reason being he's always on about times either had dogs or raced them something like that anyways was coming here before i took over like so could be different reason anyway always in the corner spot always drinks steady like for an old timer not a problem...

extract 2.

...watching it all go down not seen it this bad before somebody's going to win somebody always does but if you has winners you has losers too just natural like i ain't a loser.

will always win me always...

tin collector [ Draft ], from Tin Collector [ A Series of Micro Flash Fictions ] by Steve Coel, 2015.

An 11.59 Publication

cais archif. An 11.59 Publication

Chiselled Anthems [ part 1 ]

steve coel

extract[s]

...the discordant noise, a parody of pop consumerism played by a

second tide of anorak clad shamblers. tantalisingly embryonic

they are initially beguiling and ultimately quite engaging.

it's a wall of clipped chunky guitar noise singing mischievously

of bed sit drama with a comic edge and serious interior... [ side

1 - page 54 ]

...clearly front page glamour and risking a sense of magnetic

sexuality her painstakingly spidery hand reveals the reflection

of women breaching the pinking surface of a puddle with her

stride... [ side 1 - page 56 ]

...its a corrupted eden of hot blood with tragic figures proud

and petulant beside dribbling junkies laboriously patient as

icebergs... [ side 4 - page page 57 ]

...voyeurs at slaughter houses creating potentially revolutionary

development of tales of dark dislocation and resentment spilled

into sour language... [ side 4 - page 62 ]

previously published:

chiselled anthems [ part 1 ] from mud on a plate [ 2010 ],

steve coel. An 11.59 Publication

An 11.59 Publication

promise is a promise

promise is a promise

steve coel

today.

doorway.

long corridor.

place used to be arcade.

not now.

shops are long gone, roof caved in, steel mesh windows ripped out by scrappies, walls decorated courtesy of local youth.

no charge.

nice touch that.

so you could say it's quiet round this way now there's nothing left to nick.

council says places like this is going to be developed.

we'll see.

meantime, it's where i comes to spend my days, to finish jobs i been doing during the night.

i'll have finished in about six months anyways.

do what the fuck they wants then.

all of them.

and if they ever finds what i been hidin' round here won't be any come back.

10]

promise is a promise.

promise is a promise [ Draft ], from Tin Collector [ A Series of Micro Flash Fictions ] by Steve Coel, 2015.

Arfordir Byw

steve coel

An 11.59 Publication, Birmingham

carry on waiting. An 11.59 Publication

carry on waiting

steve coel.

part 1: outside Like.

story starts on the street i suppose.
my street.
outside like.
always a good place to start a story i reckons.
begins with police searching a car.
wrong car as it happens.
other footies are holding some guy against a wall while others check his jacket in doorway of the adult store.
i understands they won't find nothing.

part 2: busy day.

sunny day.
busy day.
bad atmosphere.
looks passed between people trying hard not to know each other, failing badly it would seem.
should do better.
so what's the story then.
bit of back story always useful right?

part 3: early for some.

morning.
early for some.
late for others.
someone, it seems, is clearly not quite making it through the day, is getting desperate and is needing some action pretty quick.
like right away is about what it's about.
so.
quick snatch job is all.
bad call is what it is.
being watched see.
being watched quite closely as it happens.
decision time.
do i?
let it go and carry on waiting.
or move in...blow cover?
luckily for all involved uniformed footie steps in.
very lucky.

part 4: laugh that.

footies seen everything, and nothing, as usual.
bit of a chase.
laugh that.
likes a good chase.
who doesn't?
security joined in too.
laugh that too.
twats they are for joining in though cos peoples quick round here when opportunity arises.
so it is.
quick in and out, even though they knows cameras sees them all.
and they knows security'll speak to them later.
poor bastards.
but hey, what you going to do?
i'll have word with them prior like, it's what i do, my job.
like i told you, my street.
so that's the back story.
reckons you knows the rest...

carry on waiting [ Draft ], from Tin Collector [ A Series of Micro Flash Fictions ] by Steve Coel, 2015.

An 11.59 Publication

Outside in - Your Town An 11.59 Publication

Outside In - Your Town, Any Town

Steve Coel

Like looking out through our window I do.

Looking out I sometimes wonder to myself what it must be like negotiating your way through all the stuff on the sidewalk.
Bit of an adventure I suspects.

There's been all sorts of complaints I'm telling you. Bruised knees is popular.
Letters from council have stopped, don't know why.

Owner will be pleased when I sees him.

Still; we hardly have any customers come in anymore, so looking out the window gives me something to do while I wait to answer the phone and pass on the message.

Owner won't ever let me listen to my i-pad, even though he knows I can't read.

Didn't tell me why either.

Doesn't really explain why we have all the stuff outside the shop on the sidewalk though does it?

I can't help wondering where it all comes from to be honest.

Outside in - Your Town, Any Town [ Draft ], from Tin Collector [ A Series of Micro Flash Fictions ] by Steve Coel, 2015.

An 11.59 Publication