Pain/Rain

Can't get my section on poetry open, so here's a new poem.

Pain is never easy like the rain - it is only harsh and causes strain.
It would be nice if it were like the rain in Spain that stays mainly on the plain - but pain always fills the brain - so it never seems like rain.

A life of woes, problems, accomplishments and joys

Life as usual goes on with all the problems, woes, accomplishments and joys that we all deal with. I've spent a lot of this year dealing with complications from a serious bout of bronchitis last winter. I'm feeling a lot better now and look forward to spending more time writing instead of coughing and feeling like I'm going to cough up my lungs.

We (husband Bill and daughter Katie) went to Spokane in June to be there when my great-niece, Regan graduated from high school. Congratulations to her mom, Christi, for helping her accomplish that and to Regan for doing so while never missing one day of school from the first day of Kindergarten. Regan plans to attend Spokane Community College in just a few short weeks. We're so proud of her.

Katie & Ryan (daughter & son-in-law) just celebrated their 1st year wedding anniversary. They are doing well. Working opposing shifts in their jobs, but that happens to a lot of us.

Bayley (grandson) attended summer school for five weeks this summer (I'm so glad as he's so bored now), and really enjoyed it. He's looking forward to First grade beginning next week. His dad (my son Kenny) is looking for work - we hope he finds a job soon - he'll be so much happier.

Had a loss this summer - my dear Aunt Peggy passed away. She will be missed by so very many people - but, we'll see her again some day when it's our turn to go to heaven.

A great big CONGRATULATIONS to my friend Shari Whyte for the publication and release of her first novel "Stelladuar: Finding Tir-Na-Nog". Which happens to be the first in a series of five. Pick it up at your local book store as it is well worth reading (even though it's a Young Adult novel) whether you're old, young or any where in between.

I'm still working on my novel "Devil Wind" although most of the work lately has been lateral instead of progressive, at least the story is continuing to evolve. I've also written a couple of short stories, the latest of which my writer's group (SFWC) will critique tonight, plus a couple of poems. So, the writing does go on whether it's in journal form or in the form of a story.

That's all for now - hope to see you here again soon.

An excerpt of my novel

Hi, well the following is an excerpt from my novel in process "Devil Wind" (working title):

Opening the truck door, Shane reaches in and grabs his rifle, setting the kitten on the seat, while Henry opens the glove box and takes out the six-shooter that Shane has kept there just like his daddy used to.

"Man-oh-man. That don't sound human. I hope to God it wasn't Ralph!" Both men take off at a run, slowing down as they approach the open barn door.

Whispering to Henry, Shane tells him - "Step just inside the door and to the side - keep your eyes closed for 30 seconds then I'll come in and do the same. We'll check the right side first since that's the side with the stalls." So, suiting actions to words within a minute both men were in the barn their eyes adjusted to the stygian darkness that seems to fill the barn.

Walking carefully with rifle shouldered Shane looks in the first stall he comes to. It's empty, there's nothing in it, not even a bit of hay or manure on the floor. He motions Henry ahead to the next stall, leap-frogging each other until they come to the back of the barn.

"Nothing. Damn, now we've gotta open each of the doors on the other side or maybe not, maybe we could just go right up to the loft." Henry whispers to Shane.

"Sorry Henry, you watch my back and I'll check each of the doors on this side. Then, you can lead the way up the loft ladder." So saying, Shane cautiously tries one door after another - some padlocked - the rest had doors that opened whisper smooth onto tack room, a groom's room and the vet room - where he knew that Ned's veterinarian daughter treated their animals. "Nothing. Guess you're up, Henry." He nods toward the ladder attached to the outside wall of the vet room.

Halfway up the ladder something comes careening down out of the loft, right into Henry's right shoulder nearly knocking him off the ladder. "Sheeit. What in blazes is that?" He yells, almost tumbling off the last three rungs, trying to come down using only one hand.

Cautiously, Shane approaches the somethings that had hit Henry. He looks at it, his mind veering away from what he's seeing. Brown fur/hair is all he can see from this side, so he warily steps around - trying for a better look. All the while Henry hasn't shut-up, his voice beginning to take on the tones of hysteria.

"Henry! Will you shut up and let me figure out what this things is?" Shane yells. His mind once again almost giving him a name for what's on the ground in front of him. Using the butt of his rifle, he  pokes the object - checking to see if it's dead or unconscious. It moves, rolling just enough to give them both a clear look at the underside. Henry clutches his heart with his one good arm, unable to believe that he staring into Ralph's face, an exact replica of his own.###

Well, let me know what you think - it still needs work, but that will come when the entire story is written.

Hi - it's been a long time

It's been so long since I last visited my blog that I had to reset my password. This last year and a half has been way to long, but hopefully things are getting better.

I didn't finish the novel I started at NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) last year, but I've given the story a lot of thought and figured out a lot of the problems I was having; mainly figuring out how the magic should work and who can use it. Now that I've got that all figured out, I hope to try again this November and actually get it finished (let's keep our fingers crossed). Will try to get an excerpt included in my next blog.

My writing group, Speculative Fiction Writing Cooperative (SFWC) is still going strong - Frank and I've been working on putting together a critiquing format that not only can we all follow, but that will give each author the best help in fixing the weak points in their story. The publishing arm of the group Tuesday Night Publishing (TNP) put out another anthology "Penumbra: Speculative Fiction from the Pacific Northwest) last November and it was met with some success (still have to figure out a new marketing plan so we can get more books sold).

The story I submitted for that publication wasn't accepted - which upset me a great deal and since life at that time was so bad the rejection was almost more than I could take. But, I'm still here so I guess that I since I survived, it's time to try and get the story rewritten and see if I can get it published elsewhere - especially since everyone who read it said that it was a very good story and should have been accepted. Try, try and try again, I guess.

This past August our daughter, Katie, got married to her soul mate, Ryan. They are very happy and saving money so they can move into a bigger place (a studio apartment isn't quite big enough for two) and get their stuff out of storage. Katie was absolutely beautiful and Ryan was quite handsome although how Katie didn't melt in her wedding dress is beyond me (the temp that day was 85 degrees). They went camping at Westport for their honeymoon and hope to someday take one in Italy.

Our son, Kenny, is still living with us while he recovers and gets back on his feet. We also have his little guy, Bayley still with us also. He's a funny little boy and is finally beginning to adjust to Kindergarten - he had a real rough first two weeks. Which should be expected since he's never had to follow strict rules about being quiet and staying still and follow instructions.

Guess that's all for now - think that I'll go make another cup of tea.

Creative Writing

I just started a Creative Writing class at Olympic College - I was real worried about being 60 and going back to college, but so far it's been a good experience. The teacher is a great guy and has an incredible love of words and language. Which is a good thing in someone teaching creative writing. So far there has been lots of reading and writing which are fairly easy for me. My hardest challenge so far is keeping my word count at whatever the lesson is designated to have. As we all know, I get real wordy - when I'm talking or writing. LOL.

We just get our first assignment back today. He said that my opening sentence was very powerful. The assignment was to write a paragraph of a challenging event in our lives (real or imagined) then after that was done we were to open the page and finish the assignment. Rewrite the same paragraph using only one syllable words. Now that was challenging. But he marked on the rewrite "good job" "very powerful rewrite". That made me feel pretty good.

Maybe I'll be able to get back to writing or working on re-writes of my stories. One of my writer friends has told me that as soon as I get it re written, he has found a couple of markets I can send it to. So, I don't want to take too long to get it polished and ready to mail.

In case you're curious, the story is called "Slippage" and it's about a young woman who has finally broken up with an abusive boyfriend, but not before he sends her on a "Virtual Vacation". She enjoyed the vacation and was able to see the ocean, mountains, desert and a big city all in the hour she was hooked up to the machine. The problems begin after she throws "Edward" out of her house. She 'slips' physically, back into the virtual world where everything seems to be dead. This happens enough times that she begins to think that she is going crazy, except that her dad and brothers - even Edward when he shows up at her office - see here disappear. Anyway, each time she goes to the virtual world it is different and she finds or is given talismans of one sort or another (a feather, dust are just a couple). Each time she is back in her real world, she is a stronger person and more able to deal with Edward causing havoc in her life. I won't tell you how it turns out, because I hope to have it published and then you can read it in a book or magazine. Wouldn't that be so cool?

I'm planning to do NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) again this November - I hope to finish the novel I started last November. I'll let you know how that works out.

My tea kettle is whistling for me, so I've got to go. I'll try not to stay away so long before posting something again. Bye

Changes - Large and Small

Funny how life changes not just from year to year, but the smaller changes that happen on a day to day or even minute by minute basis. My whole life I've written stories of one sort or another - mostly sci-fi with a horror twist. But, I've also written stories with certain themes or beliefs within them. I always felt that my family both immediate and extended humored me by telling me that (what ever I had given them to read) it was a nice story. With that type of response (real or my perception) I had very little confidence in my ability to actually write well.

For the last twelve years I've been a member of the Speculative Fiction Writer's Cooperative (formerly the Sci-fi Writer's Cooperative) and not only have I gotten a better grasp on the mechanics of writing, I have gained more self-confidence in my writing. While I know that I still have a lot to learn in the craft, I no longer feel like someone who is being humored by the people who love me. There are actually people in the group who (while they may not like my subject matter - yes, you Chuck) they believe in me and the fact that I can tell a story well. Gives a person reasons to keep writing - well that and the fact that I still have characters showing up in my head wanting their story told. As long as they keep coming, I'll keep writing them down. I'll also always keep writing in my journal - which I've kept since I turned eight.

Changes on a smaller scale that have occurred in the past few months; our daughter, Katie is now engaged to a very nice man (Ryan). Our son, Kenny moved out last fall and my husband, Bill is now retired. All this change has left me feeling somewhat adrift and not sure where life will be going. But, all the upheaval and change is recorded in my journals for no one to ever read. Well, who knows, maybe when I'm gone someone will dig them up and decide that they make good reading. All that angst, sorrow, joy, frustration and anger has to end up somewhere.

Smaller changes still come from discovering that I still have muscles - the new water aerobics teachers at the YMCA know how to make you work every muscle in your body. By the end of each week, I feel stronger and even have better balance. So, even though changes take time, some years and some come with every move, change is a good thing and something to be embraced.

Snow - Writing - Changes

Had an SFWC (Speculative Fiction Writer's Co-op) meeting tonight - it took us almost an hour to get home due to the snow. Do you realize that snow makes no sound when it falls and once on the ground it muffles all sound to bring on a quietness that surpasses all other quiet times. I love to be out in that quiet and see the pure white that makes everything sparkle and glisten - a truly magic environment.

At Writer's Group, we discussed when we knew we were writers and what lead us to write in the genera we each write in. My reason for writing the sort of stories that I do is because I want to scare people (send a shiver down their back or cause them to look over their shoulder). Most of my places in my stories are from dreams (nightmares) I've had. I've been fortunate that I can hold whatever it was that scared me in my mind until I can write it down. Most of the time that means right away, as I can't go back to sleep without slipping back into the nightmare unless I write it down. Kind of weird, but I guess that's me, kind of weird.

I know that for me writing is a many layered objective. I write in my journal to put my hurts and thoughts in a form where I can leave them. I write short stories because they are fun and I never know where a story will take me once I begin it. There are many writers out there who do detailed out lines before they begin a story, there are others who start with an idea and let it form in their mind before they begin a story and there are some like me who start a story because a character or situation beckons and then we find out the story as it unfolds. I've learned some surprising things this way and sometimes I find that the story is going someplace I hadn't thought of taking it. But, by listening to my characters I follow the story they want to tell me.

Life, like my stories often goes in directions I never expected or even wanted to explore. My son moved out on his own last fall - although I still him a lot (especially just before he gets paid) and feed him, but it isn't like I can see him every day. It's hard to let go - sometimes - but that is what every parent eventually has to do. Other changes my daughter got engaged to a real nice young man just before Christmas. I'm so happy for her and wish her all the best that life has to offer. The last change that has taken place is that my husband has retired. I know some people were doubting that he ever would but he has. Now the hard part for him is going to be not seeing all the people he saw every day at work. Plus, I've found I don't talk as much as I used to since usually my only companions are the dog and cat. Friends have assured me that once the adjustment period is over, we will both enjoy his retirement.