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ICYMI: Our First Book Festival

For those who did not see this yesterday, we wanted to send out the community story we wrote with attendees of the Las Vegas Book Festival. (We also fixed a typo.) It was an amazing day filled with incredible writers and wonderful readers from all over. If only we could do this here more than once a year.

We started the community story with one line and encouraged people who came to our booth to continue the story. What transpired is just as off-the-rails as you might expect. Enjoy!

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The Las Vegas Book Festival 2024 Community Story

Godspeed You! Black Emperor blared over the record player’s speakers. The boy ran his hand across the upholstery of his grandma’s sturdy old couch. He wanted to feel something comforting. He felt something dreadful instead. (Andrew D.)

Waiting, he decided, was the worst thing ever. Waiting for the microwave to finish was just as bad as waiting for his parents to call and tell him they were alright. Or worse, the call where he was told they hadn’t made it. (Jesse Q.)

They had never gone this long without communicating. When they landed and grabbed their luggage, the phone call would arrive within 20 minutes max. Not this time. He had texted over an ago. It was still unread. Within the dread edging up his body, it began to change. Certainty overtook his thoughts. (Kate S.)

In times like this, he often recalled a poem, one his parents had first shown him at a young age:

”a distance is only as far
as you make it
my heart beats in your hands
no matter how long I take
to reach you”
(Ginny L.)

The start of something new always feels like the end of everything I know. The journey is now vast. I will defeat his kingdom, and he will know true devastation… (Francis D.)

His mind frantically thought with such sudden and intensely random interjection. Much like the staccato traumas of yesteryear, his mind raced from the well-intentioned guidance of his parents to ill-intentioned insecurities of self. He stood as still as he possibly could, waiting… waiting for an absolution that would never come. (Elenis W.)

For he was alone. Always and forever alone. He had tried to erase his past and move forward, but it was useless. Donning his wide straw hat, he grabbed his coat and left the building… (Judy L.)

To bask in the sunset. A molten ball of flame that feeds the world. He thought about his plants and how the sun brought them to life with its rays. He thought of his depression and how the sun lifted his spirits. As his car turned the corner at the Spring’s Preserve… (Vicky S.)

The warmth of the rays began to tingle as they spread through his nerves. By the time he walked out of the lot onto the walking path, the breeze filled his lungs with something odd. Hope. It felt strange to so suddenly feel hope that his external light could be embodied in his mood. (Kelley B.)

Telling your story will be one of the boldest actions you can do for yourself. You will be shy, you will be a little hesitant, but most importantly liberated. Cheers to you for grabbing the pen! Tell it like it is and leave no ink… (Angie T.)

He thought as he walked below the branches of the old oak tree. Even if he was going to be late to class, he was always going to loiter here on his way by. It just held so many memories. (Jenna G.)

Peri looked around and sipped at the coffee from the food truck. Their mark stood across the way, checking out the horror authors’ table. 

“Figures,” he thought. “A murder suspect interested in horror novels… What could be more stereotypical.” Roxie stepped up beside him. 

“Breathe, Peri. You’re starting to give off creepy, vampire vibes.” 

“Well,” he started—

“I know,” she interrupted, “but they don’t need to know.” (Mary B.)

Peri watched the mark scan the crowd. This is it. Peri got his camera ready to capture the money shot and snapped a picture just as the mark picked their nose.

”Wow,” Roxie said, “he sure can get that finger way up in there.” (Unknown)

“Look at this shot I just got,” Peri said to Roxie. “What a beautiful day for this type of photo!” I wonder what else we can get a photo of today. Maybe some trees and sunsets? (Danielle & Kim)

Roxie thought to herself; she wanted a once-in-a-lifetime shot. “We should head to the beach and get something that you don’t usually see?” Peri broke out into a giant grin.

”You know, that doesn’t sound half-bad.” (Brianna)

That soft rays fell onto Roxie’s skin, illuminating it into a radiant red glow. Peri ushered Roxie to come in the space filled with the beautiful melody of the sea. (Raul)

Peri smiled softly, taking in the perfect view of Roxie settling herself down — fixing her hair as the wind whipped around her. The view beyond her was lovely, but Peri had a better idea. Peri lifted the camera while Roxie was distracted, catching the perfect candid shot. (Anna)

Little did Peri know that Roxie was a lesbian. She was only here because her mother was bribing her. Nothing Roxie loved more than attention and money, so she was fine with pretending. (Maris)

Peri wished Roxie wore something a bit more alluring today. The wind was strong this morning, and there was overcast on the weather app. The weather, as always, is unreliable when you least expect it to be. Nonetheless, Peri made the best of the situation with Roxie. (Edward R.)

Her heart beat like a metal band’s drummer as she opened her phone’s contacts app. She inhaled deeply, selected Roxie’s name, and pressed the call button. (Unknown)

She couldn’t help but think, would the clonazepam settle their beating heart? (Janine)

”Hello? You’ve reached Roxie!” I always forget that Roxie answers the phone like you’re listening to a voicemail while simultaneously being welcomed. This did not matter all that much because hearing Roxie’s voice promptly made Peri forget theirs. (Chikas A.)

”Hey.” (Alexis S.)

”Roxie! It’s been a while. Sometimes, I can’t help but wonder and think back to when we were young. So much has changed. It’s almost surreal…” She paused for a moment to take a deep breath. (CM)

”Yeah, it has been a while…” Roxie thought long and hard about collecting her thoughts before responding. (Unknown)

With a jump, Roxie was woken by the phone alert. She knew what those dreams always meant but did not know how to process them after so much time had passed. She thought those wounds had healed long ago. (J. Light)

Roxie lay down and stared at the ceiling, taking a deep breath. (Ariel D.)

She would rather forget what happened that year. (Anna Z.)

Her real frustration was technology — stressed when she could not download stories. (Andy)

Glancing at her phone alert, she noticed the time. “Fuck, fuck, fuck! I’m going to be late!” She shouted to herself as she jerked up in bed. (David B.)

She reached for her keys from the table. Her hand gripped only its beveled edge — and a note poorly written. (Unknown)

And they parked in the very first spot they found. Next to the graffitied dumpsters and the featherless pigeon. It cost $4. (Mitchell)

Then, the featherless pigeon suddenly grew to a massive size. A third eye grew from its rough-skinned head. God was present in the parking lot. (Bianca C.)

They woke up from a long nap and went to the kitchen to make coffee and waffles. They got a text that said, “Want to play soccer at the park at 3 pm today?” I am too hungover to play. Catch up with them next week. (Ziggy)

Then, suddenly, out of nowhere, the giant featherless pigeon appeared in the kitchen window. It’s a massive eye staring at them like glass. They were frozen with fear, breathless, their heart pumping with adrenaline. The pigeon turned to me and… (Michael N.)

“You’re going to be late, Roxie…” the pigeon cooed, rocking her home.

“Can I just have some privacy? I already know I’m late.”

“Okay, but there isn’t much time… You must be ready to go.” (Nyxi F.)

Ready to go or glow? Believe me, no you don’t have to, but you’re glow indicates how controlling you are. Oops — or it tends to be oops — actually, it’s the “must go” that rubs me wrong. Oh gosh, I’m the controller as I reflect. Okay, I’ll go, but not because I must but because I want to. You must chuckle. (Carla B.)

Roxie was clearly going through something. (Andrew D.)

There I go, stuck talking to myself again. Get it together, Roxie!

“You’re going to be late,” the pigeon said again; their eyes studied Roxie as she stood frozen in indecision.

“I know,” Roxie said as calmly as possible, trying to remember where she was going.

The pigeon inched closer, its taloned toes clacking on the her countertop, ticking down the seconds.

“Okay, let’s go,” Roxie responded firmly. This is the moment, now or never. The pigeon cooed in approval and flew toward the door.

“Follow me, Roxie,” he said gleefully. Roxie grabbed her keys and closed the door behind her.

“We’re going.” (Jennilyn)

The pigeon, featherless and visibly disheveled, hurried out the door, screeching for Roxie to follow.

Roxie yelled, “Oh my God, just chill!”

It did not chill. If anything, it became more frantic. Its ruby red eye on its forehead began to flash gold as it stared at Roxie head-on and began to unhinge its beak to display multiple rows of jagged teeth and six long tongues. (Ericka G.)

“Fucking chill! We won’t be late. And don’t even start with that fucking attitude!”

The pigeon growled again before coming over to Roxie and pecking on her bedazzled ponytail. (Phoenix A.)

The ground beneath them began to shake. The pigeon wrapped its talons around Roxie’s arms and lifted her in the air. They flew out the door and into the sky. The apartment complex and Roxie’s entire past sunk into the earth, but she also wondered…

Was Peri okay? Did Peri even exist? Was that record player still spinning Godspeed? (Andrew D.)

THE END.

Thanks again!

To all of our community story authors, Sandra and the team at the Las Vegas Book Festival, as well as writers and readers like Mia, Meka, Dee, Joe, Wolff, and more, thanks for the incredible experience. See you next year, though hopefully sooner.