JeremyBursey

What is the price of making dreams come true? Can they be bought with money, or do they require something else? Greg wants to see his dreams come true -- to furnish his apartment with nice things, find the perfect girl to share it with, and ultimately become a bigger success than his father had been -- but life keeps finding ways to alter his plans. Can Greg adapt to life's little wrenches and overcome impoverishing events to bring his dreams to reality? Or will he succumb to the hardships of being twentysomething and accept the life he's been given?"Shell Out" is a story I first wrote in 2006 and was inspired by a man crank-calling a local radio station about the stupid things he had sold on eBay. At some point, it will become the first story in a new collection of works called "Tales of Economic Survival," which share a common theme of people working crappy jobs to make ends meet. It's a comedy.…

JeremyBursey

Every Christmas, we must tell a good story, one that we may learn from, or share, or use to make for a better existence. This story could be about truth, or justice, or the origin of Santa Claus. Maybe that story could be about the uncovering of truth in a restaurant full of liars, or perhaps about a game where the winner wins a million dollars and the losers rot in their cells for Christmas, or maybe that story could even tell us how Santa really got his start. Maybe it can be about all three. Maybe "The Fountain of Truth" is all three.Yes, "The Fountain of Truth" is all three.It is a compilation of three short fables, beginning with "The Fountain of Truth," the flash story the collection is named after, about families who discover shocking truths and the person responsible for getting those truths out into the open, "Christmas Log," the story of four guys who compete in a puzzling radio contest for a million dollars on Christmas Day and the consequences they encounter when losing, and "St. Nick's Gym," the "real" story of how Santa Claus's private gym went from a fitness center to a toy-making factory, and how he went from a buff curmudgeon to the jolly fat guy we know of today, and, essentially, how he went from being a nobody to becoming Santa Claus. Each fable is meticulously crafted to have a message while also inserting itself into the growing body of Christmas stories worth telling year after year, generation after generation. Each entry into "The Fountain of Truth" super collection ("super" in importance, if not in size) strives to do one thing and one thing only: To give you a Christmas story unlike anything you've read before.If you want to read a Christmas story unlike any other, then check out "The Fountain of Truth," even if you've already read something similar just a few minutes ago.…

JeremyBursey

What kind of fan would a nip-cat trap if a nip-cat kidnapped man?I know what you're thinking: "Who's the nip-cat? Who's the man?"The man is Sammy McGuinness, a professional businessman who prefers suits to shorts and ties to lies. I'm sure you know the type: He's the guy who makes your boss sweat because his efficiency is more boss than your actual boss. He's the mannequin who goes in to work Monday morning with a smirk on his face because work is more fun than having actual fun. He's the jerk who makes you look like a time thief because you stopped by the watercooler for a minute.Yeah, you know Sammy. You've probably dealt with Sammy. Maybe you hate Sammy. But, perhaps, Sammy also hates Sammy because Sammy has a secret that he cannot shake, one that makes him very angry, very angry indeed.Question is: Can the happiest place in all the land make him happy again?The nip-cat, meanwhile, is Nippy the Cat, the world-famous animated cat who stars in his own "Wacky Fuzzies" universe and is mascot to the happiest place in all the land, the amusement park called Happy Fun Land.Yep, you know him, too: Nippy is wacky; Nippy is fuzzy. And Nippy is about to kidnap the world's unhappiest businessman.But how? And why? And what will happen when the world's most professional businessman realizes that he's been taken by a fool? Is it possible that Nippy the Cat is hiding a secret of his own? Will the world's most jaded businessman figure it out? And, will it change everything the world knows about Happy Fun Land?"Amusement" is the story of lies and justice, of cats and men, and of class battles at their most absurd. In a world where one powerful theme park rules the people and knock-off brand names demand their unquestionable trust, just remember, no matter who you are, or why you're there, nothing at this park is ever free, and no matter what you do to resist it, Happy Fun Land will always find a way to make you pay.…

JeremyBursey

(short description)Richard and Rachel stopped getting along months ago, but they continue to go out together to satisfy the one recreational interest they share. However, when misfortune steals that link away and leaves them stranded on the side of the road eleven miles from home, they must not only figure out what went wrong in their relationship but decide whether it's even worth saving.(longer description)What happens when two people who used to date but can no longer stand each other are stuck together on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere? Will they find reconciliation and rekindle their lost love? Or will they discover that they truly have no business being togother and call it quits forever?Richard and Rachel used to date, a lot, not out of malice but because they genuinely liked each other. However, life has taken a turn for the mundane, and the spark they once shared has long since turned to smoke. They continue to meet once a week to satisfy the one activity they still enjoy together: jet-skiing. However, thanks to a miscalculation in judgment, the link they keep is stolen, and, as they wait for the means to return to civilization, they are forced to confront the question of whether they can save whatever it is they have left."Eleven Miles from Home" is an unflinching story about perception, realization, and the truth behind those relationships we once thought were so great. It's the story of two people who are forced to confront the harsh reality that they've missed the mark, who bare their souls over what they discover about each other and themselves and question whether their choices are sound. It's a story that forces us to think about our relational decisions and the reasons we stay together.Read "Eleven Miles from Home" and hopefully feel better about your relationship choices today.…

JeremyBursey

Which relationships would you destroy to meet the girl of your dreams? Avery Ward is about to find out that question for himself.…

JeremyBursey

How do wars begin? From innocent actions that go misunderstood by the offended party? Yes, do not be mistaken. It can start from something as simple as getting a haircut. One wrong fashion move can spark the battle between good and evil, between right and wrong, between man and mullet. But who can win this battle? Can one coexist without the other? Do we put too much hate into things we don't understand?"My First Mullet" explores the impending madness of a man who simply wants a haircut, but walks away with something far worse.The story is told in many parts, with a large chunk of it told in poetry. It's also not to be taken too seriously. Basically, it's perfect for anyone who appreciates poetry, as well as for anyone who hates it or doesn't understand it.…