The Wayward Child

 

"The Wayward Child" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

Return of the Spirit Chapter 2

Read the whole story here 

The art gallery was dark, with rhythmic music thumping in the background. The crowd murmured as they sauntered from one painting to the next. "Another amazing piece," one person was heard to say. "How does she do it?" was heard from another.

The artist strolled through the room. She feigned interest in their well-wishes, but her Gothic indifference shone through. She sipped her Absenthe Bordeaux, languishing in the memories behind the works on the walls.

"Madam," squeaked a little woman running up from behind. "There is someone here asking for you. She's not like the rest of the crowd, she's...normal." 

"I told you I didn't want an audience tonight. I'll speak to the few in the room, but I'm not doing a private convo with anyone. Send them away." With that, the artist flicked her wrist and moved deeper into the crowd.

Darque D'Sire had built her brand around her Gothic, brooding demeanor. Her artwork had been sold all around the world, with pieces being housed in museums in France, Italy, Japan, and even Russia. It seemed she had a knack for creating pieces that spoke to buyers on a deeper level. 

"Madam," the squeaky little woman continued, chasing after her mistress. "She has one of your private invitations. I asked for her name, but she only said to tell Dessie she'd be in the foyer. Who's Dessie?"

Mistress D'Sire stopped in her tracks. She slowly turned and faced the doorway. "She came," she said in an almost childlike tone. With that, she brushed past her assistant and quickly made her way to the door. 

As she stepped into the foyer, the woman turned around. "You actually came," Darque whispered once again.

"How could I pass up such a beautiful invitation?" Demeter smiled as she looked into the eyes of her eldest child. "Hello, Dessie. It's been too long."

"Hi, Mom," Darque replied. "I didn't think you'd come."

"Well,..." Demeter's voice trailed off.

"Let me guess," Dessie said with obvious disappointment in her tone, "Auntie Cate made you come, didn't she?"

"She didn't make me," Demeter shot back, "but, yes, she is the main reason I'm here."

The two women faced off, though they tried not to stare directly at each other. 

"Look, Mom," Dessie finally quipped, "you don't have to stick around. I know you don't want to be here; it's not your kind of crowd. I get it. Maybe we can meet up for lunch before you leave tomorrow."

Demeter's face softened. "No, it's not my kind of crowd, but it is yours, and I'm not going anywhere. I came to see your latest works and maybe buy one or two."

Dessie tried to keep her hard, Gothic demeanor, but a slight smile peeked from the corners of her mouth. "Suit yourself. Come on, I'll show you around."

The two women went into the gallery, and Dessie pointed out several pieces to her mother, asking her if she remembered the stories behind each one. They shared a few giggles and a couple of quiet moments in the process. Many of Dessie's other guests began to comment about the woman taking up so much of the artist's time. 

Demeter took her daughter's hand. "Sweetheart, I should let you get back to your friends. I don't think they like me much."

"Tough shit," Dessie replied. "These people are not my friends. The only reason they're pissed is that they each think if they can get closer to me, they'll end up famous or some shit. Here, hang on..."

Dessie turned to the crowd, still holding her mother's hand. "Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention, please."

Dessie's little assistant came running, thinking she had forgotten to do something. "Mistress, I'm sorry if I..."

"Stop, Vivian," Dessie hushed. "You're fine."

As soon as the crowd fell silent, Dessie began her speech. "First of all, I want to thank all of you for coming out this evening. I worked very hard putting this show together, and I couldn't have done it without the help of my lovely assistant, Vivian." The little woman blushed as a smile crept across her face.

"Furthermore, I'd like you all to meet Ms. Deedra Masterson. She's an attorney helping to secure a deal between myself and an art historian in Germany who's shown interest in some of my work. I'm hoping that by the end of the week, a few of the pieces before you will be hanging on the walls of a German castle."

The crowd gasped, then applauded with joy. 

"But for now," she continued with a wave of her arm, "I invite you to enjoy your evening. If you're interested in any of my paintings, please let me know by the end of the night so Ms. Masterson can catalogue whatever's left. Thank you all for your patronage. I am forever in your debt."

The crowd cheered once again before scrutinizing each piece.

"Well, that was entertaining," Demeter said, trying to hide the smile on her face.

"Oh, trust me," Dessie remarked with disdain, "by this time tomorrow, everyone in this room will be trying to figure out who you are and how they can get into contact with you. You might think about adding art broker to your resume."

The little assistant stepped closer. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Masterson. I'm Mistress D'Sire's assistant, Vivian. If there's anything I can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you, Vivian. I will." Demeter smiled at the little woman with a bow of her head. 

"Actually, Vivian," Dessie interjected, "there is something you can do for Ms. Masterson. Work your magic and get her a room at the Waldorf. Have a limo sent over to pick up her and her...wait. Where are your things?" Dessie suddenly realized that her mother's luggage wasn't with her.

"It's fine, Dessie. I got a room at The Bowery. And I don't need a limo, but I will need a ride. Miss Vivian, would you be able to make that happen?"

Vivian gleamed. "Yes, Ms. Masterson. Just let me know when, and I'll make the call."

"Go ahead and make your call. It was a long flight here, and I'm ready to unwind." Demeter smiled once again at the little woman, then turned to her daughter. "Dessie, I am so proud of you and all you've accomplished. I know I don't tell you that enough, but it's true. Enjoy the rest of your evening, and we'll get together tomorrow." Demeter hugged Dessie, then turned to Vivian, who was on the phone with the driver's service.

At the end of the night, the crowd began to disperse. They purchased fourteen of the twenty-six paintings Dessie had exhibited between them. As the last patron left the gallery, Dessie locked the door behind them and let out a sigh of relief.

"Mistress," Vivian cautiously murmured to Dessie, "can I ask a question?"

"Of course," she replied.

"The woman who was here earlier, Ms. Masterson. Why did she refer to you as Dessie?"

Dessie giggled at the utterly confused look on her assistant's face. "You looked her up online already, haven't you?"

Vivian blushed. "Yes, Ma'am. There's just something about her that doesn't sit well with me. I had to make sure she was who she claimed to be. My gut's telling me that you need to be careful in any dealings with that woman. I don't trust her."

This time, Dessie let out a full belly laugh. "My God, Vivian. She's an attorney, not a vampire. Although if she were a vampire, I'd probably spend more time with her." Dessie put her hand on Vivian's shoulder. "I promise, it's fine."

Vivian huffed a bit, then snapped at Dessie. "How well do you really know this woman? How do you know you can trust her? Do you trust her? Do you fully believe that you can rely on her?" Dessie could feel the emotion in Vivian's words.

"Trust her? Yes. I know I can fully trust her. I've known her a long time, and she's never gone back on her word. However, rely on her? Hell no. She's the one person in this world I know damn well I can't rely on. But yes, I trust her."

Dessie's answer confused Vivian even more. "Mistress, how can you trust someone you can't rely on? That makes no sense. If you can't rely on her, how can you trust her?" Vivian's words were more of a plea than a question.

"Easy," Dessie said with a twinkle in her eye. "She's my mother."

~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~

The Stone Beast

 

"The Stone Beast" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

Madison had lived in the oldest part of the city since she was a kid. She’d managed to find her own place, but it wasn’t much. A studio apartment at the top of one of the oldest buildings in town. One of the first, to be exact. She loved the old architecture, but was always afraid that pieces would start crumbling away at any moment. 

She worked in a bakery, so she was always up before the sun. She needed to be at work by 5 a.m., so she was usually up by 3. It was still dark, still quiet, the calm before the city came to life. It was her favorite time of day. 

As usual, Madison poured herself a cup of coffee and went to her Eastern window. It opened out onto a small balcony. It was a breathtaking view and her only luxury in life. Sitting to the right of her window was one of the original gargoyles put in place all those years ago. It had become her morning companion and confidant. 

She stood at the railing and took in a deep breath of morning air. “Aw, Sydney,” she said with a coo in her tone, “if only I could find someone like you. Stoic, brave, a good listener, and handsome. What do I have to do to find someone like you in my life?” 

She took a sip of her coffee, eyes half closed, then heard, “Well, you might offer me some of that coffee.” 

Madison froze in place for a moment, then screamed at the top of her lungs. The cup fell over the railing as she frantically tried to get back into the apartment. Once inside, she ran to the other side of the couch, then hid. 

Who had said that? Was there someone out there? Was there someone in her apartment? Terror gripped her soul. 

She calmed down a bit and looked around her room. Nothing. She didn’t see anyone in her apartment, and there weren’t many places to hide. She looked at the windows, and there was nobody out there. She was eighteen stories up and knew nobody could have climbed up that high. So who had talked to her? 

She slowly walked back to the window, looking out to only see the gargoyle who’d sat outside her window since day one. 

She opened the window and slowly stepped outside. “Okay, Sydney. Unless it was you talking to me, I think I’m losing my mind.” 

“It was me,” she heard replied. 

She shot a look at the gargoyle, which was sitting there staring back at her. Her fear gripped her to the point she couldn’t move or scream. 

“Please, don’t scream,” the gargoyle continued. “I won’t hurt you. I’m sorry if I scared you, but you’re the first person to talk to me in almost five hundred years.” 

“You…you can talk?” Madison still couldn’t move, but her fear was beginning to subside. 

“Yeah, we all can,” the gargoyle noted with a gesturing hand. “We just choose not to do so. But, I like it when you talk to me, so I…” His voice trailed off. 

Madison’s fear had vanished, and her curiosity had been piqued. “So, does that mean you can get up and fly?” 

“No,” the gargoyle replied with his head down. “We can get up and stretch throughout the night, and wander around the roof, but we can’t leave…ever. It’s our job to protect the tower.” 

Madison nervously laughed, “Protect it from what?” 

The stone beast turned his face toward the rising sun. “Pray you never have to find out.” With that, he became as stone again. 

Madison felt a shiver run up her spine. She looked at her watch and realized she needed to get to work. As she made her way through the window once again, she lost her footing and fell headlong into one of her end tables. 

She tried to get up off the floor, but to no avail. The room began to spin, and soon, all went black.

 ~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~ 

“Madison?” a strange voice bellowed. “Madison, can you hear me?” 

As she came to, Madison heard a cacophony of voices and sounds around her. Her eyes fluttered as she tried to make out the situation, finally focusing on an older woman in a uniform jacket. 

“There you are,” the lady said with a smile. “Do you remember what happened?” 

“Who are you?” Madison mumbled. “My name is Melissa, and I’m an EMT. Your friend, Carlie, called us. You’ve got a pretty nasty bump on your head and lost quite a bit of blood. We’re going to take you to the hospital.” 

As they lifted Madison onto the gurney, she glanced out the window, seeing the old gargoyle sitting on his ledge. Had she really had a conversation with him, or had it all been a hallucination? She thought she noticed the stone beast glance at her out of the corner of his eye, but she couldn’t be sure. Then she had another thought. 

What were they protecting the building from?

The Days of Old

 

"Days of Old" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~

As the morning sun crept up through the hills, Dee made her way to the patio, sitting down at the little table that had been there for years. 

“What, you can’t help bring anything out with you?”, Dee heard from the house. As she turned around, her cousin, Cate, stepped through the door with a large tray, filled with pastries, two teacups, and a teapot. She set the tray down and poured them both a cup. 

“I don’t know, Catie, something just doesn’t feel right. I can’t put my finger on it just yet, but something just feels off”. Dee took a sip of her tea, staring off into the horizon. 

“Yes,” Cate replied, “I feel it too. There is something brewing in the air, something dark. Speaking of dark, I see you got a letter from your oldest daughter. I hope she is well.” 

Dee gave a side-eyed glance at her cousin. “Going through my mail now?” She giggled at her own joke. “Yea, she just wrote to let me know that some of her artwork will be on display at some gallery in New York and invited me to the opening night.” 

“And you’re going, right?” Cate’s response was more a demand than a question. 

“I don’t know. You know I don’t like big cities. Too many people, not enough trees. No, I’ll probably stay right here and get some work done.” 

Cate shook her head. “It’s no wonder you and your daughter have such a strained relationship. Go, see her work, and tell her how proud you are of her. Remind her that you love her just as much as you do her sister.” 

Though she didn’t want to admit it, Dee knew that Cate was right. 

Dee Masterson had lived a long, illustrious life. She was a widowed mother of four children, an amazing horticulturist, and one of the best attorneys in the world. Though she no longer practiced in a courtroom, she still took on cases and helped people through the Internet. 

Her cousin, Cate Marinatos, was an old-school, Greek matron who was more like a mother to Dee than her own had ever been. As a child, Cate took Dee in after her parents had another one of their physical altercations. This time, however, Dee’s father nearly killed her and all of her siblings. Because of this, all of the children went to live with other family members, and Dee never saw her parents again. It was because of this event that she went on to become an attorney. 

As the years wore by, Dee and Cate became more like sisters than cousins. Though she’d see her siblings ever now and again, Dee chose to live a quiet life alone. Cate would come and go as she pleased, but claimed residency in an old German castle. She was one of the world’s most renowned book collectors and had a collection that would rival any modern library. 

Dee had four children, two girls and two boys. Her eldest child was her daughter, Dessie. She was a highly paid artist, but lived a very dark lifestyle. Most of Dessie’s life was a mystery, but her mother knew she was strong enough to handle anything her daughter got herself into.

Next, Dee gave birth to twin boys who turned out to be as different as day and night. The eldest of the two, PT, was just a beautiful child. He had bright blue eyes, pink little cheeks, and everyone always seemed to want to be around him. His twin, Philly, had a darker complexion with dark eyes and a quiet manner. They were complete opposites, and as they grew older, this became much more obvious.

Finally, Dee gave birth to her youngest daughter, Daisy. Dee coddled her new baby, causing a lot of jealousy in her other children. Daisy was the light of Dee’s life, so when her baby grew up and ran off with an older man, it broke Dee’s heart to the core. It took months for Dee to come out of her depression, but with Cate’s help, she finally managed. 

“Hello? Earth to DeeDee. Are you still with me?” Cate’s chiding brought Dee out of her deep thoughts. 

“I’m sorry. I was just thinking about the kids. I still worry about them. Dessie’s in New York, PT just bought another hotel in Dubai, Philly’s still running around the world digging up the past, and Daisy…” Her thoughts dropped off. 

“You need to let that go, my dear. They’ve been married for a very long time now, and he’s never been mean to her or hurt her in any way. Whether you like it or not, he loves her, and she loves him.” 

“I know”, Dee quipped with a snap, “but that doesn’t make it any easier. He took advantage of my baby, and I’ll never forgive him for it.” 

“Bullshit”, Cate snapped back. “You’re mad because you were wrong. It’s time to let it go. Now, come. Help me get this cleaned up. I want to get some of those herbs in your garden up to dry before I have to leave tomorrow. I have some new books arriving in a few days, and I want to be there when they come in. There might even be a couple in there you’ll appreciate.” 

The ladies finished off their tea and cleaned up the mess. They went out to the garden, pruned a few of the herbs, and hung them up in the shed. They spent the rest of the day puttering around the house and yard, giggling and talking like schoolgirls. Dee was in her element. As evening came around, Cate made them a little dinner and poured them each a glass of wine. They sat across the table from each other, neither saying a word. Finally, Dee looked up at Cate and smiled. 

“What?” Cate asked with a smirk. 

“It’s amazing to me that after all these years, you still know how to help me get my mind off my troubles.” 

Cate blushed a little as she giggled. “Well, I’ve had plenty of practice over the years, my dear. But it’s high time you remember who you are. Not who the world thinks you are, but who you truly are.” 

Dee blushed and turned her head away. “That’s not me anymore.” 

“Oh, but it is. It is who you are and who you will always be. You said it yourself this morning. There’s something in the air, and it feels wrong. Maybe it’s time for you to break out of your self-imposed prison and do something about it.” 

“You know what’s going on, don’t you?” Dee glared at Cate, a feeling of dread coming over her. 

“Of course I do. Well, I know something’s coming, and I have a feeling you and I will be right in the middle of it.” 

“Is this going to involve my brothers and sisters? My children? You need to tell me what’s going on.” 

Cate just laughed. “Why must you always be so serious? Yes, this is going to involve our entire family, which is why you and I need to be at the top of our game. I’m leaving for Germany tomorrow, but I’ll be back in a few weeks with the books I was telling you about.” 

“What if the world isn’t ready for us? You know they’re all going to either mock us or try to destroy us. I’ve worked very hard to keep my children safe. The world doesn’t want us anymore.” 

“Rubbish,” squeaked Cate. “The world has never stopped loving you. Even in these modern times, the world still loves you. They may not know you, but they know what this world would be without you. You are the goddess Demeter, Mother Earth, the spirit of the land itself. It’s time to take your place once again.” 

Dee took her cousin by the hands and kissed them gently. “Thank you, Hecate, for always being by my side. I hope that whatever’s coming our way knows what it’s getting into. Let’s bring back the world we once knew and make it whole again.” 

The two goddesses embraced, releasing a soft, cosmic glow that called to all the members of their family, from the Primordials to the other Olympians and beyond. It was time to come out of hiding. It was time to return to the days of old.

~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~

This is part 1 of a new serial I'm putting together called Return of the Spirit. As I post each episode, I'll add a link to the full series. I hope you'll come along and join Demeter and Hecate as they work to bring order back to an unruly world.

It's Time for an Upgrade

 

Hello, my darlings. Remember me? I created this blog many, many years ago. I was just a young lass, full of hopes and dreams, looking for my own place in the Universal expanse we call the Internet. 

Okay, that's a load of bull. Hi, I'm Christine Graves, and yes, I did start this blog back in 2013, but I never did much with it. I was looking for a way to get back into online writing after a 2-year hiatus. When I started this blog, my last name was Senter. I've since remarried...and redivorced. Is that a word? I think it should be a word.

Anyway, I was doing a little digging online to see if I could find any of the old things I posted online before my first divorce, when my last name was still Senter. It took me a little time, and a little help from Gemini AI, but I did it. I found stuff I'd posted clear back to 2001.

I was pretty excited when I found this place. When I first created it, I called it "Must Write Again" (hence the weird web address). Mentally, I was a mess. I really didn't have a plan for the site; I just knew that the only way I was going to find myself again, and get back into the writing game. Turns out, that was a little harder than I thought it would be.

I actually posted more in 2013 than I thought I did. Looking back, I see a lot of writing prompts I'd posted that I had totally forgotten about. I've always created writing prompts; it's one of the first things I did as an online writer in the late 90s and early 2000s.

I'll be going back through those and bringing them back to life. You watch. I'll do it. 

I didn't post nearly as much in 2014, but there's a few things in there I need to take a look at. I honestly don't remember writing any of them. I can't wait to see what's in there. 

I didn't post again until 2018, but it wasn't anything spectacular. It was just some drivel I'd thrown in to try and force myself to write. I knew better. If it has to be forced, it's not worth writing.

And then, honestly, I forgot all about this place. I started writing on a site called Medium.com, and I took off. I found my voice again and started writing all kinds of things. I did fiction, non-fiction, writing prompts, poetry...I was having a blast.

I worked on keeping all my other blogs going as well. I have a bunch of them, and no, I don't keep them going at a constant rate either. Some are pretty hit and miss. But a few of them are still going strong. I have one blog, Priestess of Words, that I've maintained fairly regularly since 2010. There are some missing time pieces in there, but I still keep it going.

I'm no longer writing on Medium. The site got away from embracing fiction writers and is now geared more toward robotic, informational pieces. I don't mind writing such stuff, but I would rather write fiction, or poetry, or whatever the hell I want. And that's why I'm here.

Since finding this little space once again, I've decided to make this my home for my fiction, poetry, and whatever else comes to mind. My space to write my way. If I feel like writing a dark mystery, cool. If I decided I want to do a poem, so be it. If I get the urge to do some writing prompts,  far out. I'm a happy little camper.

I know it's going to take some time for this little space to be seen by the masses, and that's okay. I have a lot of decorating to do, need to put up some new curtains, maybe a throw rug or two, but I'll get there. One of my favorite parts of putting together a new blog is making it pretty. Well, pretty to me anyway. 

I invite you to come along and see what's going on. I'm not sure where this place will end up, but it's going to be a blast getting there. 

Until next time,
Miss Chris!!!!!

Taking a Leap of Faith

Photo by Denys Nevozhai on Unsplash

The one thing I try to remember is that every aspect of my writing is a leap of faith. Honestly, every time I get ready to hit the publish key, my insides turn to Jello. I know there's no one out there who's really going to criticize what I write, but there's always that chance.

I've gone and done something that I'm already starting to regret, but I had to do it for my own piece of mind. Over at Medium.com, I've created a newsletter entitled Promptly Inspired. It's a weekly newsletter of writing prompts for fiction and non-fiction writers alike. I don't know how well it will be received, but I've got to try something to keep myself going.

I almost didn't do the writing prompt thing over there as there are a lot of well-established publications on the site that offer up writing prompts to their subscribers, and they're very good. Even though I used to publish writing prompts to hundreds of subscribers myself, I now felt like I was doing something wrong. Like I was stepping on someone else's toes. But one of the writers on the site told me to go for it and I did.

I just have to keep pushing myself. It's no longer a want to do this, it's now a need. I need to get back into the writing game. I need to keep myself moving in a forward motion. I need to do this and quit coming up with excuses. I need to take this leap of faith.

Finding My Way Back Home

Photo by Sašo Tušar on Unsplash

Can you believe it's been 4 years ago TODAY that this blog last got any attention? That's awful. I'm a horrible blog mommy. Well, let's fix that right now. It's time to bring some love back to this poor little blog.

I originally created this little spot to help me get back into the whole writing thing. It's taken me a very long time to find my voice, but it's slowly starting to come back. I've joined writing groups, but that just made me realize how old I was as most of the other members were basically kids.

I tried starting up a few other blogs in particular niche fields, but that's going slower than even I expected. Like going nowhere fast. I created a Tumblr account to give me a place to practice, but again, I feel like a little old lady hanging out at the playground after school.

I'm not sure what I'm going to start doing here, but I have to do something. I have found a creative outlet for my writing at Medium.com. I love that site. I've done more writing in the past month on that site than I have in the past, well, 4 years. It's been mindblowing. I feel like I'm getting my mojo back. 

This might just end up being a site where I can post my opinions, do some blog giveaway stuff, or that kind of thing. It's not going to make me a millionaire, but it might keep me moving in the "write" direction. I'm enjoying myself again and I can't let that go. Here's to my happy writing life. Cheers.

On Blogs, Vlogs, and Shameless Plugs

I realize not only that it's been a while since I posted but that I've only ever posted maybe once or twice - and for both of these things, as well as a host of others, I'd like to apologize. The truth is that I fell on some pretty hard times physically which sent me back to physical therapy and landed me back on meds. The PT worked wonders where the medication did not. Needless to say, I lost a lot of time and work during that period and am just now getting back around to doing the things I was plotting when this calamity befell me.

One of those things is writing more, and more often. But I have to say that I have moved on from blogging - not altogether, mind you (obviously) - I just feel that it has served its purpose and, despite what some may claim, the point was never money nor fame nor any such thing; for me, blogging was about learning to let go - to stop trying to craft every sentence so perfectly, to stop worrying if every single word was as singularly specific as it could be, if every thought or idea advanced the plot or added depth to the character or story. The point, for me, was learning to write - to write well, to write succinctly (or verbosely, as I was so inclined), and to write quickly.

I've certainly never been one for deadlines.

So it is that I wanted to stop by and say that while I'll still be dropping by from time to time, both to comment as well as enter the errant post, the technology has finally advanced to the point that I feel a different mode of communications is calling. Some call it "vlogging" (idio... Internet slang for "video blogging"), others call it "podcasting," still others call it any number of things. We've no format at this point, no real talking points, nor any plan - much the way I started blogging back in the late '90s when it was called "weblogging" and was used specifically by webmasters to inform visitors as to what we were working on, the techniques and programs we were using, and so forth.

We also do a comedy show on the weekends wherein we "riff" a movie - that is, mock and comment on it as we watch it IRT - specifically in the vein of the classic TV show, Mystery Science Theater 3000. The movies are not screened before we sit down to rip them apart, although we've often seen them and even riffed them previously (as we've been idiots for far longer than almost anyone would imagine), and the entire show is performed live and unscripted before your very eyes. If you miss it (well, I don't know that "miss" is the best choice of words but remember what I said regarding singularity and specificity of language and how blogging helped me learn not to give a shit about it and we'll move right along), the recording is available the following day on The Weirding YouTube Channel.

I love writing and always have; I vividly recall the first "real" story I wrote, as well as the second. By the fifth grade, I wrote a story every week featuring my unmarried, former nun, teacher and her beau. The entire class had to write these stories, employing that week's vocabulary list, and I never failed to dazzle, baffle, and amuse. I was hooked. I wrote and performed plays in highschool, and had already been published twice by the time I was a highschool Freshman.

Writing is what I do and always will be.

But I am excited by this new frontier and the opportunities it presents - which includes the option of scripting material, both to be delivered as well as performed. And I'd really love for some of you to follow along, or at least check it out from time to time (we'll get better eventually, I promi... inevitably - I mean, we have to, right? Right!?). In return, I'll drop by from time to time and give you a written... whatever - update, report, look behind the scenes.  Who knows, maybe we will even end up collaborating on something at some point.

Meanwhile, keep writing and keep reading! I met Christine some five years or more ago on a blogging site and she hasn't given up yet, so I don't think she's going to anytime soon. Take a page from her book, as corny as that sounds, and do the same.

Also, come check us out. We have big things planned. We are not very likely to actually do these Big Things but they are planned. Well, we have discussed setting aside some time in the future for planning. So. You do not want to miss that!

- C Harris Lynn, 2014
www.theweirding.net

Miss Mabel's School for Girls by Katie Cross

Never underestimate the power of a determined witch.

Letum Wood is a forest of fog and deadfall, home to the quietly famous Miss Mabel’s School for Girls, a place where young witches learn the art of magic.

Sixteen-year-old Bianca Monroe has inherited a deadly curse. Determined to break free before it kills her, she enrolls in the respected school to confront the cunning witch who cast the curse: Miss Mabel.

Bianca finds herself faced with dark magic she didn’t expect, with lessons more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. Will Bianca have the courage to save herself from the curse, or will Miss Mabel’s sinister plan be too powerful?

Miss Mabel’s School for Girls is the first novel in The Network Series, an exciting new fantasy collection. A gripping tale about the struggle to survive, it will take you to a new place and time, one you’ll never want to leave.

I love a good book. One you can crawl into and get lost in and this is one of those books.  Introducing Miss Mabel's School for Girls by my little friend, Katie Cross. 

I fell in love with the characters as soon as I started reading.  You've got all the elements of a spellbinding story here.  Like any high school, you've got your popular girls and your book worms, but these girls all have a little something else. You've got teachers who make the learning process fun and those who make the students cringe at the thought of being called upon.  Oh, did I mention the creepy forest surrounding the school?  

You'll notice that I'm not giving anything away with this book because I firmly believe you've got to read this one.  I will tell you that it's got everything you could ever want in a magical YA book.  And it's done in a way that is actually believable.  I've read a lot of books of this nature that were just so far out there that it could never happen in real life.  But MMSFG is different in the fact that you think that there could actually be a school out there where high-school aged girls are learning the mystical arts.  

As a first novel, I really think Katie did an awesome job.  And one of my favorite things about it is that it's a great read for book lovers of any age.  I can't wait to see what she comes up with for the next installment.

Want to keep up with everything going on with this book and the others coming up?  Check out Katie's fanpage on Facebook or the Miss Mabel's site.  

Writing About Online Deals and Sales

So, as anyone who's actually read this blog knows, I'm working diligently on finding ways of getting back into the writing game.  I'm looking for all kinds of things to write about, no matter how silly they may seem.  I've even thought about getting into an area I'm not too proud of...writing erotica.  Don't laugh, I didn't do it and I'm not so sure I could even if I did decide to do so.  My father would turn over in his grave.

A couple weeks ago I finally found a flash drive I'd thought I'd lost that had almost 10 years worth of my writings on it.  I grabbed that drive yesterday and started going through some of the things I'd written.  I'd forgotten just how much was really on that drive until yesterday.  I opened one of the folders to find it filled with several other folders, which had even more folders in them.  I just sat there kind of shocked.  But, one of the folders I'd found struck me like a lightening bolt. 

I used to write for a guy who became a really good friend of mine, Garry Conn.  He taught me a lot about writing online and how to make money blogging.  If it wasn't for Garry, I'd never had gained as much as I did back in the day.

Anyway, some of the posts I'd written, had to do with writing about online deals, online sales, and that type of thing.  It was pretty easy work and once I got the hang of it, I was pumping out regular articles for like 3 different blogs each week.  So, what does a girl who's looking to get back into the game do when she's backed up against the proverbial writer's blocked wall?  She starts another blog and calls it Online Deals and Sales. 

I've created this blog for two different reasons.  First and foremost, to see if I can start making money blogging again.  I mean, after all, isn't that part of the reason we write online.  Not the only reason, but one of the reasons.  The other reason I started this blog was to get back into writing and making myself practice.  If I can get back into a regular blogging ritual again, it won't be long before I'm finding myself as a real force in this world once again.  Okay, maybe it will be a force of one, but a force none-the-less.

I do have another blog out there that I'd planned on doing the same thing with, and if I can make this work, I might just get it going again.  It has to do with the world of collecting and the things we all collect.  No, not dust bunnies.  I have some cool ideas for that site, but I'm just now getting to the point where the thought of writing doesn't cause me to freeze up and curl up into the fetal position anymore.

The new site still has a ton of work to be done to it, but I'm pretty excited about it.  I've spent a lot of years following all the mommy bloggers, deal bloggers, and online sale sites out there for my own personal use.  Now it's time to put that to good use.  Wish me luck, kids.  I'm going to need it. 

Happy writing my babies.  :)

Keep An Open Writing Mind

As I work toward my goal of writing for a living once again, I'm finding that there are a lot of things I need to remind myself.  The main one right now is that I have to keep an open mind in my writing opportunities.  I love writing in fiction, but I spent years writing articles to make ends meet.  So, if I work it just right, I could have a ton of opportunities at my disposal.

As a fiction writer, there are a lot of ways I can get my writing out there.  Writing a full-length novel is usually the first thing that comes to mind, but it's not the only way to go.  There are a lot of smaller lit magazines out there that pay for short stories and I have to admit that I'm a lot better at writing those than I am at writing novels.  I love a good short story.  Something you can sit down with, fall in love with the characters, and get to the ending in time to do a few other things in your life.

I've been doing some research into a few of the sites online that accept short story submissions and am finding quite a few of them.  I was pretty amazed, now just have to get some of mine put together and get them out there.  I've found that most of the sites I've visited have to do with the paranormal and/or horror genres and those are NOT my strong suits, but doesn't mean I won't give it a try.

As far as non-fic goes, I'm going to try and start doing short e-book pieces via Amazon.com.  I read a pretty cool little e-book about doing just this thing.  It's called Full Time Writer and Single Mom by Samantha Fegely.  It's a very quick read and she gives her readers ideas on how to go about making a full time living writing non-fiction for Kindle.  I figure what the heck, I'll give it a shot.  I've come up with some pretty cool ideas, but we'll see how it goes. 

I've also got a couple other ideas in the works, but those are just thoughts at the moment and I'm not sure how far they're going to go.  You know, those odd little thoughts that come along at 3 in the morning when you're kind of asleep and kind of not.  Ya, so we'll just stew on those for now.

So hopefully, I'm on my way back to getting paid to be a writer.  It's been a scary ride since I made the full decision to do this, but it's something I have to do for myself.  I can do this, I know I can. 

Relearning SEO

They say the older we get, the faster life goes by.  Now that I'm in my 40's, I'm finding out it's true.  However, life online goes by much faster.  The things that were the norm just a couple years ago, seem to be a thing of the past now.  That means someone like me needs to go back and relearn how to write SEO.

I understand the need for specific keywords and having just the right number of them throughout the article to make it look good to the reader and to the SERPs.  Most of the posts I've read on the matter, however, were written 3 to 5 years ago.  I'd think most of the points made in these posts still hold up, but as fast as things change, you can never be sure.

So, here are a few of the things I'm doing to get back into the game.

1.) Read, read, read
I'm reading everything I can about writing for SEO.  There's a lot of information out there, but as I said, a lot of it was written several years ago.  Some of that information is still relevant, but you'll still want to find newer articles that give you an up-to-date idea on what's going on.  Sites such as BlogEngage are a good place to find this kind of information. 

2.) Find some keywords
I think my biggest issue is in finding something to write about that is SEO compatible.  As a way to help myself find some interesting ideas, I signed up with Wordtracker and use their free keyword search page.  I think of something to write about, add it to the search column, and hit search.  It gives me like 50 ideas on how to find what I'm looking for and even some other ideas on the same idea that might be turned into future articles.

3.) Meet other SEO writers
This is the hardest one for me as I'm not good at asking for help.  But there are a ton of sites out there where other like-minded SEO writers hang out and offer their expertise in the field.  One of my favorites is Guest Crew.  They are a blogging forum designed specifically for those who write guest posts for other peoples sites.  If you want information, this is the place to go.

4.) Just Write
No matter how much information you might have, it doesn't mean anything if you don't dig in and write.  Even if it's not exactly done correctly at first, you still need to write.  It will get easier as you go along, but you have to take that first step.

5.) Believe in yourself
This is the one I have to keep telling myself.  The problem with being a writer of any kind is that you have an inner critic who will do everything it can to keep you from being the most you can be.  Rather than letting that inner critic derail you, let it guide you.  You can't expect anyone else to believe in you, if you don't believe in yourself.

Writing SEO is a tricky business, but it can be done.  No matter how old you are, it is possible to relearn SEO.  As in any endeavor, the first step is always the hardest.

Can You Get Paid To Comment on Blogs?

So I ran across an article that mentioned  site where you can go and get paid to leave comments on posts, or so it sounds like it.  But, I don't know if that's exactly how it works or not.  I just signed up with Kingged.com to see if this is really what's up.

I've only been a member for a couple of days, so I won't pretend to know all the ins and outs yet, but it seems there is a way to make a few extra bucks on the site if you know how to work it.  The trick isn't in the comments, but in how much  activity you put into the site.

Basically, Kingged.com is a blogging community where you can show off your own blog posts for others to read.  As you read the posts of others, you either up vote them or down vote them, depending on how good or not so good you think they are.  You also leave comments on the post blurbs on the site.  Each time you do anything on the site, you get King points.  With these points, you can get discounts on various marketing products.  Not sure what those are, but hopefully I'll earn enough points to find out.

The making money part comes in with the person who leaves the most relevant comments each day or someone who's chosen as their random commenter of the day.  However, the comments have to be real comments and not just a one-liner or just a "thanks for posting" type thing.  They have to be real comments on the post at hand.

I'm still learning the ropes over there, but it could be a cool idea.  I'll give it a real shot and keep ya'll updated.  And if I do happen to make any money, I'll be sure to pass that along as well.  Would really love to let you all know that one of my posts got on the site and I got Kingged.  LOL

A Love/Hate Relationship with My Kindle

I am having a love/hate relationship with my Kindle.  I love my Kindle Fire.  I really do, but when it comes to posting to my blog or doing anything that requires writing, it sucks.  Plus, there are a lot of tablet apps I can't get because it's a Kindle and not your run-of-the-mill tablet. 

So, I've jacked the husband's puter to do a quickie post.  It's so much easier to write on this.  And I'm a happy camper because I found something very dear to me that I thought was lost forever. 

Back when I was writing for a living, I had everything I'd written on a flash drive. When I moved, I couldn't find it and I thought it was gone forever.  But I found it a couple days ago while looking for something else.  Ten years worth of stories, poems, and articles are on that drive.  I spent one whole night just going through it and re-reading some of the things I'd written in the past.  It was just what I needed.  It's another reason I'm on the computer instead of the Kindle, I can't put the drive in the Kindle.  But that's okay.

In my last post, I'd mentioned that I was working on opening a new online store.  I'm still working on that but don't have enough inventory to get it going yet.  Well, I probably do, but don't have all the info needed to post the pictures yet.  I've been making keychains that are pretty cool.  My mom's been making brooches and a few other little things for the store, plus she's got a lot of gently loved items we're going to add.  I just need to get the specs for them in order to get them up for sale.  I wanted to have this store open by now, but I also want it to be a nice site and not just a junk shop.  LOL

So stay tuned.  I see some wonderful things in my future and I really hope you'll come along for the ride with me.  Plus, if I fall, you'll get a good laugh out of it and that's okay too.  I've always said that if I can make at least one person smile each day---or pee just a little---my day's been a success.  :) 

Helping Out

Okay so it seems that I'll be starting an online store. Not because I have nothing better to do, but because I gotta do something to help my mom. She lost her job and is still a year away from being able to fully retire. So, rather than let her sit around and feel sorry for herself, I came up with an idea.

My mom, my Aunt Lora, and I are all crafters and have tons of stuff around our homes we don't use. So we're going to try and sell it online. I used to have my own store online and have this blog plus a couple others, and am on most of the social media sites, so I have that covered. My aunt is a killer seamstress and makes dream catchers and that kind of thing. And Mom makes brooches and paints on flower pots.

We'll never get rich doing this but it's a good way for the three of us to help each other out and do some serious bonding. The store's not open yet but will be by this weekend. As soon as it is, I'll let ya'll know. Wish us luck!

Write What I Know?

They say that in order to write, the best place to start is by writing what you know. So let's think about this one. That's the thing, I know more about the ancient world and mythologies than I do about anything that happened in the past 200 years. How sad is that? But let's go with it.

 The Greek Gods
I'm not a huge fan of the Roman gods merely because the Romans were a roving band of thugs who basically stole the identities of the Greek gods and gave the new names. I know about the ancient Egyptians because her stories seemed to dominate the genre. When you go in search of any information on the ancient world, they still need to be seen as they did all those years ago.

 And I know a little about the ancient Celts, but only what the Romans said about them and a few things that the archaeologists are slowly learning about them. This is my real love. I wish there was more known about the ancient Celts, but unfortunately they didn't leave any written record. The archaeologists are slowly learning more about them as time goes on, but this is a slow process.

 I'm also one of those geeks that likes to watch Ancient Aliens. No, I don't believe most of the stuff that they put out there about them, but some of the stuff is at least plausible. Most of it is just a bunch of crap. Okay, I'll admit it. I watch to see Giorgio Tsokalous and his seriously jacked up hair. Sometimes I think I was born into the wrong frame of time.

 What else do I know?
I know how to garden. I love flowers and plants. I love being a able to grow my own food and get my hands dirty. It's very therapeutic for me. And sadly, that's about it. Anyway, that's the only things that I enjoy learning more about. Well, that's not exactly true. There are a lot of things I'd love to learn but that's a post for another day.

One Step At A Time

I'm finding it hard to get back into the swing of writing so I'm going to try something I did a few years back. I'm going to free write. It's just a way of getting myself back into the rhythm of putting words to paper.  I used to do daily free writes but got out of the habit when I started writing online for money. I didn't need to practice everyday as I was writing anyway.

I felt rather euphoric after yesterday's post. Even though it more of a "poor me" post, I still felt like I'd accomplished something. I haven't felt like that in quite some time. I was beginning to think I just didn't have anything left in me as a writer.  Then, after my burst of inspiration the other night, I'm finding that this urge is getting stronger in me. I'm glad cause it means I'm not totally dead inside.

Then something else cool happened to me. I learned how to copy and paste on my Kindle. That might not seem like much but it meant loads to me. Now I can write stuff out on my little puter and post it like I did on my big computer and laptop. Score one more for me.

I still don't know which direction I'm going but I will take my husband's advice and not put the horse before the cart. One step at a time, Chris. Let's get out writer's mind moving again then see where we go from there.

Feeling The Need

So here's the thing. I'm really starting feel the need to get back into writing online.  The problem is that I'm not really sure where to start. I was going through my huge backlog of unread e-mails and started rummaging through some of those from the many online writing sites where I'm still a member. I soon found myself missing that world.

I know I can do it. I did it for several years without much worry. But I don't have much confidence in my abilities anymore. A lot has changed since I left the online writing world. And a lot of new writers are out there making a path for themselves. Young writers with lots of new ideas. I'm just some old broad who's not to sure of herself anymore. How do I get started again?

I know this sounds like a big ole' pity party and it kinda is but I need to get this off my chest. I really do miss writing but honestly, I'm really scared.

When Inspiration Strikes

So the coolest thing happened to me the other night. I was struck with a bolt of inspiration for a new story. I have a serious love of ancient history and legends, especially old Celtic legends. So, I've been spending a lot of time on YouTube. I can watch all kinds of documentaries about my favorite and it finally sparked something in the recesses of my brain.

You would think this would be a good thing, and it is, but putting the idea down in writing not so much. Since getting my Kindle Fire, I'm finding out that this whole typing thing kinda sucks. I'm used to sitting down at the laptop and banging out a bunch of words in a short amount of time. I learned to type on an old manual typewriter and could do about 70 to 80 words a minute. I'm having to learn to do this all over again. I'm too old for this.

So I did the next best thing. I did something I haven't done in a long time. I wrote out my whole idea with pen on paper. Been forever since I wrote that much out long hand. Had a cramp in my fingers that I thought would never go away, but it was worth it.

Not sure where the story will go from here, but when inspiration strikes, I have to answer the call.

Surprise! I'm Back!

Okay so it's been forever since I was on here but I'm going to try and get a whole post out before I'm done.

Since my last post a lot has happened in my life. Most significantly is that I got married to my high school sweetheart on the 12th of December. Only took me 30 years to finally get there but good things come to those who stay friends for ever. Lol

The other thing is that I'm about to move out to his farm. He owns a nice little chunk of land and we've been remodeling the house so we can live out there. I'm excited because I'll have all kinds of room to put in a garden and can build stuff and do all the little DIY things I've been reading about. Way cool.

As far as writing goes, I'm thinking I might be all washed up. I'm going to try and start posting about some of the blog giveaways out there and maybe talk about some of the projects I work on but my brain has switched to new endeavours. I've been doing a lot of sewing and crocheting the past couple months and have loved it. It's just the creative outlet I've been looking for.

So we'll see what the future holds. I'm excited for starting the new year with an old love and can't wait to get out there on the farm and start playing. It's a dream come true!

Holy Time Change, Batman

So, did everyone remember to change their clocks back?  I didn't have to as most of the clocks in my house do it automatically.  Okay, so that means the cable box on my TV and my cell phone.  Less thinking, more looking like a genius.  No?  Okay, so it just goes to show that I'm into the whole "do it for me" thing.

I'm still on track as far as the Nano thing is concerned.  Kinda loving the story that's coming around.  I just have to get myself to a point where I worry less about the word count, but it makes me work a little harder.  I do have to admit that my main character is now seeing a therapist, poor thing.  LOL.  But at least he's trying to help her with her issues.  Nice guy.

I can't believe I'm so getting into this.  I think I'm finally finding my writing groove again.  I still have some issues to work on, but it's getting there.  I have to get myself out of that rigid article writing mind set.  I spent so much time doing those before walking away, that I still find it hard to do anything else.  Like this blog for instance.  It's hard for me to just do posts like this one.  I feel like I have to have a structured technique, but I really don't.  If you read me, cool.  If not, life goes on.  It's that simple. 

I'm finding that now that I'm doing the Nano thing, I'm having fun writing again.  And that's what it's all about, right?  To have fun with what you do?  And the really cool thing is that I'm starting to get ideas for stories again.  Not just the one I'm working on, but others for the future.  It's not feeling so forced anymore.  I still have a few road blocks, but not nearly as many as before.  It's a great feeling.  Maybe now that I'm starting to get my groove back, I'll be able to post more often here.  I like having an outlet for all the weirdness that is in my head. 

Okay, so I'm done boring you with all my stuff.  Keep on keeping on my friends.  And as always, happy writing.