HOW I CAME TO WRITE THIS STORY: Cath Bore and Thomas Pluck

"Killing For Company" - by Cath Bore

This story is inspired by "Be My Baby" by 1960s US girl group, The Ronettes.

I've always loved the girl vocal groups from that period. On the surface the music is very sweet, innocent and romantic but if one listens carefully and soaks up the atmosphere you can detect elements more knowing and subversive than a superficial appreciation provides.

My killer in Killing For Company has two every distinct sides - one as a professional upstanding member of society and the other - well, you can guess.
The title of the song itself gives some hint to why the murder of a young boy happens, but I'll let you work that one out for yourself!

Free Bird, Thomas Pluck

My story for Off the Record is "Free Bird." The original title was"Freedom Bird," and it's an idea I had for a long time, ever since I heard that soldiers in Vietnam called the transport plane that headed home "the freedom bird." A friend in high school drove a '79 Firebird Trans Am with the golden phoenix emblazoned on the hood, and the two images merged in my mind. I thought about a vet tortured by what he'd done, who wanted his son to do the right things with his life. From the son's point of view he's overbearing, so the boy dreams ofescaping in his Pop's Trans Am one day. It's the kind of story that simmered in my mind for many years before Luca's invitation set the pen into motion, and I hope that like a good gumbo, the flavors have
mellowed and made for a satisfying story that you'll remember for some time.

Luca had a great idea and put in a lot of work to gather 40 writers to write stories and two forewords for this book, and I can't imagine a better e-book bargain at the moment. He's supporting two charities that improve children's literacy, and what better gift can you give
than the power to read? It's a great project and I'm proud to be a part of it.