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Wednesday, August 03, 2011

FF–Three Little Pigs by Justin Gustainis

**Visit Dark Faerie Tales today to read Kelly Meding’s take on the Rapunzel Fable and a chance to win a copy of Another Kind of Dead**

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Who would build a house with straw? I mean seriously? Well apparently pigs would, and they would pay the high price for it! Ready to find out what happends when the Big Bad Wolf battle against Quincey Morris? Make sure you read until the end for your chance to win Justin Gustainis’ latest release!

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Big, Bad Wolf
A Morris & Chastain Mini-Investigation
by
Justin Gustainis

“B-b-both of my b-brothers have been bu-bu-bu-bu -- killed and eaten,” the pig said.

   “I’m very sorry to hear that,” Quincey Morris told him.  “But what leads you to believe that these tragic events call for someone in my field?”

   “You mean the s-s-s – ”

    “Supernatural.  Yes, exactly.”

   Under most other circumstances, Morris would have lowered his voice when discussing this kind of thing in public.  But traffic through Toledo Express Airport was sparse in early afternoon.  Morris and his porcine companion had easily found a table in the airport bar that was a comfortable distance from potential eavesdroppers.

    “It’s b-because of the way it was d-done,” Porky Pig told him.  “In b-both cases, their houses were smashed flat by a windstorm that nobody else in the neighborhood even n-noticed.”

   Morris’s eyebrows drew together.  “You mean like a tornado that touched down, wrecked one house, then went back into the sky?  I’ve heard that happens, occasionally.”

    The pig gave him a look.  “You ever hear of it happening t-twice in the s-s-same town?  Within two months?”

    “Yeah, that would be pretty damn unusual.”

    “So unusual that the N-national Weather service has no r-r-record of it happening – anyplace.”

    “Except for your town, Bowling Green.”

    “N-not even then,” the pig said grimly.  “There’s no record of any tornado activity, either time.  Nothing showed up on their r-r-radar.”

    “So you’ve got two localized tornadoes that flattened a couple of houses, and the NWS says it didn’t happen?”

    “You got it.”  The pig reached into an inside pocket and an iPhone.  “But I’ve got the p-pictures to prove it.” He pushed some buttons then handed the phone to Morris.  “This is the first one, my b-brother Timmy’s place.”

    Morris studied the photo closely. 

    “There’s m-more,” the pig said.  “Just use your finger to scroll down.”

    Morris did, and saw other views of the wreckage.  Then he peered closer.  “What was your brother’s house made of?  I can’t quite –”

    “Straw,” the pig said, and had the good grace to look embarrassed.

    “Straw?  In Northern Ohio?  Doesn’t it get a little cold around these parts in winter?”

    The pig nodded slowly.  “Yeah, it sure d-does.”  He shrugged.  “My b-brother Timmy wasn’t exactly the b-b-bright light of the family.”

    “I reckon not,” Morris said, “meaning no offense to the dead.  When did this happen?”

    “Two months ago – May 12th.  Two in the morning.  Poor g-guy never had a chance.”

    “You said he was killed and eaten?”

    The pig nodded sadly.  “Almost completely d-devoured.  The cops had to identify him b-b-by his hoof prints.”

    Morris reached into his jacket pocket and produced a small leather-bound date book.  He flipped through the pages for a few seconds, then stopped.  He had apparently found the page he wanted, but what he found there didn’t seem to cheer him.

    “What are you l-looking up?” the pig asked.

    “Before I tell you, give me the date of the second tornado, or whatever you want to call it.”

    “Just over three weeks ago.  My brother Petey died on the thirteenth.”

    Morris flipped pages again, stopped.  After a moment, he nodded to himself and put the book away.

    “What were you looking up?” the pig asked again.

    “My date book gives the phases of the moon for each day.  May 12th and June 13th have an interesting thing in common.  They both fell during the time of the full moon.”

    “You think that’s sig-sig-sig – important?”

    “Remains to be seen,” Morris told him.  “Your other brother’s house – was that made of straw, too?”

    “No, P-petey built his from sticks.”

    “Sticks?”

    Porky pig made a face.  “He wasn’t the g-genius of the litter, either.”

    “You’ve got pictures of that wreckage, too?”

     “Of c-course I do.”

    “Show me.”

#

    When the woman’s voice in his ear said “Hello?”  Morris said, “Mrs. Peel, we’re needed.”

    “I remember that show – one of the cable channels was showing the reruns last year.  Diana Rigg sure was hot in those days, wasn’t she?”

    “I think it was all the black leather,” Morris said.  “But I do have a job for you, if you’re free.”

    “For you, I’ll rearrange my appointments,” Libby Chastain said.  “Where’s the gig?”

    “A little place called Bowling Green, Ohio.”

    “I thought that was in Kentucky,” Libby said.

    “They have one there, too.  But the Bowling Green in Ohio has been experiencing some very strange weather, lately.”  Morris told her what he’d learned from his new client.

    When he was done, Libby said, “A black magician could conjure up wind strong enough to blow a house down, especially one made or straw of sticks.  But the butchery afterward is puzzling.”

    “Remember the dates,” Morris said.  “May 12th, and June 13th.”

    Libby was silent for a moment, then said, “Full moon, both times.”  Witches, both white and black, keep track of the moon’s phases.

    “Exactly.  I thought that might have something to do with the fact that both pigs were devoured, almost completely.”

    “You’re thinking … werewolf?  Seriously?”

    “Could be,” Morris said.

    “Then where does the black magic come in?  Lycanthropy and sorcery have nothing to do with each other, far as I know.”

    “I’ve got an idea about that,” Morris said.  “But I’ll tell you when you get here.  You are coming out, aren’t you?”

    “Cowboy, I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

#

    Porky Pig’s red brick house was at the end of a cul-de-sac, and it was there, three nights later, that he and Libby Chastain awaited the rise of the full moon.

    Libby had asked permission to use the dining room table, and had carefully laid out there the equipment she’d brought.  This included bowls, small bottles, a brazier, and a foot-long metal rod that Libby had said was her wand.

    “I never knew that black magic was so com-com- hard,” the pig said.

    “I explained this to you before, Mister Pig,” Libby said with a touch of impatience.  This is white magic, not black.  As Quincey told you when he introduced us, I am a practitioner of white magic.”

    “What’s the d-difference?” the pig asked.

    “The differences are many and profound.  But one important distinction is that black magic is used to hurt people – some would say that’s its primary purpose.  White magic can’t be used to inflict harm on others, and as a practitioner I’m not even allowed to try.”

    “Sounds like the g-guys in b-b-black have all the advantages.”

    “Not at all.  White magic can be a very effective defense against black – and sometimes even turn it back on the practitioner, as I hope to demonstrate tonight.”

    “I sure hope so,” the pig said.  He pointed to a small rectangle of gray plastic that lay to the side of the other implements. “What’s t-that do?”

    “This?”  Libby picked it up.  “Magic of a more mundane sort.”  She smiled at the pig.  “It’s my cell phone.  And it may prove to be the most useful implement I brought with me.  We’ll see soon enough.”  Libby looked at her watch.  “Moonrise in about fifteen minutes.”

#

    Quincey Morris was two blocks away, standing in the doorway of a drugstore that had closed for the night.  He held a pair of binoculars to his eyes, the lenses focused on the area in front of the pig’s house.  It was a fairly affluent neighborhood, and there were plenty of street lights.  He had been scanning the area for twenty minutes when he suddenly stopped moving the lenses and held them steady.  Then he reached for his cell phone, and pressed a single button.

    Libby answered almost at once.  “Hi.  What’s happening?”

    “What’s happening is Mister Pig has a visitor,” Morris said.  “A man, alone, dressed all in black.  He’s carrying a good-sized book.  I can’t get a good look at it in this light, but I’m betting it’s not the new Danielle Steele.”

    “Pity,” Libby said.  “I’ve been wanting to read that.”

    “You all set up?”

    “Yup.  Ready for any contingency, more or less.”

    “How’s Mister Pig doing?”

    “To mix a metaphor, he looks ready to have a cow.”

    “Maybe he’ll feel better soon,” Morris said.  “Okay, the fella in black is standing in the street, facing the house.  He’s got the book open, and it looks like he’s reading aloud from it.  He’s starting to wave one arm around now.  Yeah, there’s some conjuring going on, Libby.”

    “I’d better get busy, then.  I’ll put the phone on speaker, so I can still hear you.”

    It was almost a full minute before Morris spoke again.  “Something’s happening.  The darkness between the guy and the house is starting to get a whole lot thicker, and it looks like the wind’s picked up.”

    There was no response from Libby Chastain, but Morris wasn’t expecting one.  A little later he said, “Some kind of funnel cloud is forming.  Nothing like full size – this thing looks about twenty feet tall.  The breeze is really strong now – I can feel it way back here.”

    A few seconds later Morris said, “Okay, he’s pointing at the house, and the funnel cloud is obeying him.  You’ve got a mini-twister headed right at you, Libby.”

    The miniature tornado moved in a slow, straight line.  It would be on top of the pig’s house in a minute or less, Morris estimated.

    “Okay, Libby, he’s transforming – taking on wolf shape.  We were right: the wizard is also a werewolf.  The man uses black magic to destroy the house, then the wolf eats the occupants.  But you’re not gonna let that happen this time, right?”

    The words were barely out of Morris’s mouth when they proved prophetic.  The tornado’s forward progress stopped, as if it had come against an invisible barrier of immense strength – which was exactly what was happening.

    The tornado spun in place impotently for a few seconds – then it began to reverse course.  It was heading, at the same deliberate pace, right back where it had started, which meant it was aimed right at the werewolf standing in the middle of the street.

    Quincey Morris dropped the binoculars, left the protection of his doorway, and started running toward the pig’s house and what waited for him outside it.

    Morris was in good shape and covered ground quickly.  The werewolf was running now, too, and the geography of the neighborhood meant that it had only one direction to go – straight toward Morris.

    Morris stopped running about a hundred yards from the pig’s house.  Chest heaving, he stood in the middle of the street, feet apart, and waited.  His left hand held the phone near his mouth.  The right arm dangled by his side, the fingers twitching slightly.

    The werewolf had seen Morris now.  The half-animal brain realized that Morris was the only obstacle between the werewolf and safety.  It ran right at Morris, growling, carnivore’s teeth bared.

    Morris waited.  The creature was about fifty yards away, and closing.

    Forty yards.

    Thirty.

    Morris said into the phone, “Kill it, Libby!  Now!”

    At once, the black tornadic spiral began to dissipate.  The werewolf, either not knowing the danger was gone or not caring, kept coming.

    Twenty yards.  Morris could hear the animal sounds the thing was making.

    The werewolf was twelve yards away when Quincey Morris drew the Colt .38 Special from the holster on his right hip and put a silver bullet right between its red, crazed eyes.  Momentum kept the corpse traveling forward a little longer, until the dead thing came to a stop less than an arm’s length from the man who had killed it.

    Inside the brick house, Porky Pig started at the sound of the shot.

    “What the hell was that?”

    Libby Chastain looked at him, a wide grin splitting her face as she said “Th-th-th-that’s all, folks!”

 

END

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giveaway

To celebrate the release of the third book in the Morris & Chastain Investigation series, Sympathy for the Devil (released July 26th, 2011), Justin would like to offer a signed copy to one of you! 

Senator Howard Stark wants to be President of the United States. So does the demon inside him. With the competing candidates dropping out due to scandal, blackmail, and ‘accidental’ death, Stark looks like a good bet to go all the way to the White House. And if he gets there, Hell on Earth will follow.

Occult investigator Quincey Morris and white witch Libby Chastain are determined to stop this evil conspiracy. But between them and Stark stand the dedicated agents of the US Secret Service – as well as the very forces of Hell itself. Quincey and Libby will risk everything to exorcise the demon possessing Stark. If they fail, ‘Hail to the Chief’ will become a funeral march – for all of us.


Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Interested in winning this book?

  • This giveaway is open to Internationally

  • To enter, just leave a comment letting me know your favorite moment of this story?

You can to earn an extra entry (1) by spreading the word, please provide link in a second comment

Tweet: #FantasticFables Justin Gustainis' take on The 3 Little Pigs | Win : Symthapy for the Devil | http://www.tyngasreviews.com/2011/08/ffthree-little-pigs-by-justin-gustainis.html | #giveaway PLZ RT

Ends September 7th, 2011.

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Mr. Gustainis currently lives in Plattsburgh, New York. He is a Professor of Communication at Plattsburgh State University, where he earned the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2002.

His academic publications include the book American Rhetoric and the Vietnam War, published in 1993, and a number of scholarly articles that hardly anybody has ever read.

In the Summer of 2008, he attended the Odyssey Writing Workshop.

Visit Justin

 

More Books by Justin Gustainis

Hard Spell book Those Who Fight Monsters book Evil Ways book Black Magic Woman book The Hades Project book

tyngasig

Tynga is a 32 years old mom of two, from Montreal, working as a lab technician in an hospital specialized in heart disease. In her free time, she enjoys reading all things Paranormal and photography.

Follow Tynga on: Facebook | Twitter

44 People left their mark' :

  1. ooo that was so good. I don't think I can pick just one moment of the story I liked because I love werewolves and have always loved this story and to read it done this way was great.

    miztik_rose@yahoo.com

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  2. I liked Quincy shooting the werewolf.

    sgiden at verizon.net

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  3. My favorite part? Turning this fairytale into a mystery story. I loved it!

    catarina_romeira at hotmail dot com

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  4. I liked Libby's final comment “Th-th-th-that’s all, folks!” I was a big cartoon watcher as a kid :).

    http://twitter.com/#!/Jovial_1/status/98818727071588352

    vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com

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  5. I liked the beginning of the story,when Porky Pig tried to explain the situation to Quincey.It was so funny.I always loved Porky Pig :).

    yvetto94@gmail.com

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  6. This was FUN. I always loved Porky Pig cartoons. My favorite section was the beginning explaining why he needed Quincey especially this: “So you’ve got two localized tornadoes that flattened a couple of houses, and the NWS says it didn’t happen?”
    “You got it.” The pig reached into an inside pocket and an iPhone. “But I’ve got the p-pictures to prove it.” He pushed some buttons then handed the phone to Morris.
    Cartoons and fairy tales in today's world. What's not to like?!

    glittergirl54(at)ymail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I adored this entire story. Such a wonderful take on a fairy tale and turning it into a mystery story was awesome. I personally was a fan of the ending.

    twiztidsharkie@aol.com

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  8. The straw in Ohio comment made me giggle!!


    moiraethefates(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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  9. What a great story. My favorite part was when Quincey Morris put a silver bullet right between the werewolf's eyes. That was great.

    Barbed1951 at aol dot com

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  10. I love that this story took place near my hometown! I grew up about an hour south of Toledo!

    meredithfl at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Tweeted

    https://twitter.com/#!/tessaa99/status/98919956825124864

    meredithfl at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  12. I had the most fun actually hearing, in my mind, Porky Pig saying his lines!

    I am reading EVIL WAYS as my current purse book and loving it.

    VWinship at aol dot com

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  13. I did like Libby's closing remarks best. Reminded me of watching Porky as a kids and made her seem like a wise-cracking, fun character. Nice!

    mljfoland AT hotmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  14. Lol, a funny and cute moment for me was when the pig's brother Timmy was found eaten alive and identified only by hoof prints.

    Cambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  15. I loved the part where we find out that Petey "wasn’t the g-genius of the litter" for building his house with sticks. Like HELLO!!!

    Great fun reading.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

    ReplyDelete
  16. This series sounds pretty interesting. Gotta love supernatural PI stories :)
    juliecookies(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. OMG! That was an awesome story! I'm definitely going to want more!

    Thanks for the awesome giveaway! Going to go put his entire backlist on my amazon wishlist!

    efender1@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  18. The thought of Porky having an iphone and wondering how he used it with his trotters.

    acm05atjuno.com

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  19. I loved everything about the Porky Pig parts! I love Porky Pig, and sounding it out in my head as he was explaining to Quincey was hilarious!
    Thanks for a great giveaway:)
    jwitt33 at live dot com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Awesome post! I loooove Porky Pig hehe! Great twist on the three little Pigs!!! Thank you for sharing!

    *don't include me for giveaway* :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. this series sounds great!i loved the entire interaction between porky and Morris and Chastain:)
    i'm looking forward to reading about them!

    GFC-Janhvi Jagtap

    justjanhvi at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  22. my favorite part is “What’s happening is Mister Pig has a visitor,” Morris said. “A man, alone, dressed all in black. He’s carrying a good-sized book. I can’t get a good look at it in this light, but I’m betting it’s not the new Danielle Steele.”

    “Pity,” Libby said. “I’ve been wanting to read that.”

    vampiremistress2010(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  23. I loved how the tale was turned into a mystery. My favorite part was the end when Porky Pig asked what the sound was an Libby said "th-th-th-that's all folks!". That was great.

    rachaelmccully@yahoo.com

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  24. Great story - I love the idea that Porky Pig is being chased by a werewolf! :)

    notanotherbookblog(at)hotmail(dot)co(dot)uk

    ReplyDelete
  25. My favorite was the part where you mentioned Toledo Express Airport as that I really close to my hometown.
    Everything else was great too.

    Would love to win this book.
    Heather Powers
    earthsbooknook at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  26. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  27. As I'm from Ohio, I like that part. Bowling Green, OH is much better than the KY version.

    brittanynoelle at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  28. I liked the whole thing that was great.

    Chllybrd(at)gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  29. Thanks for the story, i really like it ! It was funny to see the story in a different way. I really like when pig tells about his brother's house in straw and sticks.

    thanks for the giveaway !

    ellana_(at)hotmail(dot)fr

    ReplyDelete
  30. I liked the beginning when Porkey was trying to explain the situation because that was quite funny and I was pleasantly surprised when the wizard turned into a werewolf.

    I tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/SweetNSensible/status/102312909731938304

    Sarah
    sarah.setar@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  31. I liked it. It was an interesting take on the 3 little pigs story.

    truebloodfan AT rock.com

    ReplyDelete
  32. Tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/Vamper_Fan/status/102537358351663105

    truebloodfan AT rock.com

    ReplyDelete
  33. I loved when Porky said “He wasn’t the g-genius of the litter, either.” It made me lol.

    sarie101 at webmail dot co dot za

    ReplyDelete
  34. I liked the that's all for now, folks at the end :)

    ArcadiaWearsPrada[at]yahoo[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  35. Its hard to pick one favorite moment. I really enjoyed the story.

    sab5723 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  36. I read just the first book and I can´t decided what was my favourite moment... I really like Quincey/Libby moments :)
    tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/JanaRathouska/status/104471198930444288
    Thank you for the chance to win♥
    Rathouska)dot)jana(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  37. i dont know what my favorite moment would be as i have not read this book yet but i would love to read it and review it
    thanks for the giveaway
    jenny

    madsheepno1@yahoo.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  38. When Quincey shot the werewolf :D I do love my blood lust.

    lesly7ch(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  39. Fun story! I liked the end lol - can easily picture the big grin on Libby's face.

    pams00 @ aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  40. tweeted -

    https://twitter.com/#!/pams00/status/107650966899277825

    pams00 @ aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  41. My favourite moment would be the ending!

    chibipooh(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  42. LOL! My favorite was:

    “How’s Mister Pig doing?”

    “To mix a metaphor, he looks ready to have a cow.”

    little lamb lst at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  43. The ending made me laugh.

    Great story. Love this series.

    bacchus76 at myself dot com

    ReplyDelete
  44. tweet - http://twitter.com/#!/DonnaS1/status/110207161518399488

    bacchus76 at myself dot com

    ReplyDelete