Author Journey: September 8, 2023 - Stormy Weather & Calm

 Welcome to the scenic route! I'm happy to report we got some more rain last night after the sun went down. At this rate, maybe our grass will start growing again. Last night's storm was pretty impressing as thunderstorms go. My husband got some pretty lightning pictures, but his friend offshore got some really impressive ones as he was closer to the action. Someone else got a picture of a water tower in a nearby town which must've gotten hit by lightning as it was shedding the water in the top. Please pray for the people in that town as they're likely to be without water for a while. 

Author Journey: Stormy Weather & Calm

The weather has been both stormy and calm in our area, strangely mimicking our lives lately. Though where my writing is concerned, it's been mostly calm. The only frustration has been about getting The Tale of Outh'n Durr into print, as well as getting Ripples back into print. Still no progress there. 

I did get back to work on the cover for Over Land & Under Stone, but it's a long way from finished. I know I want rich colors, so I think I'm going to have to change it up a bit when it comes to the framed background. The frame, I want to keep, but the background colors need to change. I'm not sure how it's going to come together, but that's one of the perks. In the case of such a project, I love trying different things to see what each one looks like. 

I've been sharing chapters of Surge with one of the writing groups I'm in, but as of yet, there's not been any hint that they're reading it. I know they're all busy with their own projects, but it's still a little discouraging. 

Writer's Life: From Stormy to Calm And...

I'm happy to say my mom is gaining in strength. We've been working with her doctor to get her diet sorted in order to help her with that. She's more animated now than she was at the beginning of the week, for certain. 

Our oldest daughter returned from a vacation to Orlando earlier this week. We're praying for her continued good health, and also her boyfriend's healing. Apparently, they got rained on and alternately went from hot to cold too often. 

Right now, I'm fighting a case of the nefarious idontwannas. I'm hoping to kick that to curb and get some stuff done around my house later today. 

I've never been more happy to have removed myself from social media. Just hearing the things I do through my light connections on YouTube is far too distressing. I don't like the way the mob-mentality robs people of their contentedness and at the same time pits neighbor against neighbor and family against family. It's not only disheartening, but disgusting. It makes me so angry...

In other news, I prayed for God to help me complain less. He's answering, y'all. Every day, I find myself in situations which it's far too easy to fall back into complaining. I have to repent and try again. This is a difficult thing for me to gain the victory over and I certainly couldn't do it without the help of the Holy Spirit working in my life. I know He'll help me conquer it. 

Spartacus is such a happy chonk these days. It's only when we have to be away that he gets sad. I feel like we are so blessed to have him. He makes us smile when smiling isn't so easy. 

Just Keep Writing: Friday Fascicles

If this is your first time participating in this kind of writing exercise, you're in for a treat. If you've done this with me before, just keep scrolling for the prompt.

Rules:

1. You can use any/all of the words and/or the photo in the prompt below to create a unique written work. Fiction or nonfiction, poetry or prose, even lyrics are acceptable.  
2. Please keep the material you write clean (i.e. nothing R-rated or worse) if you wish to share the link to your work here, as well as if you link back to my site. I strive to keep my site free of such things. My readers know and expect this. I respect your right to write whatever you feel you need to write. And you're free to use my prompts. But if your material is graphic, I'd rather not view it, and most of my readers will not wish to. 
3. Have fun! This type of exercise is perfect for growing in the writing craft, or for helping through a rough patch in your current WIP. If you're looking to push your author limits and you normally write in nonfiction prose, try a whimsical collection of lyrics. If you normally write poems about real life events, try your hand at a fanfic. Give yourself some room to explore.

Don't forget to leave a link to your creation (unless you're writing graphic material) so my readers and I can check out your work. I'd appreciate a link back to this post to help me reach more readers, but it's not required. 

What do you think? Are these words helpful? Sparking ideas? Let me know in the comments!

Story Snippets: Surge (Children of Y'Dahnndrya, book 2) 

Chapter 3

The Watchers

“She comes.” The voice of Edrea pushed gently through the thoughts hovering in the Serafin’s mind. The sound reminded the her of the way wind pushed through leaves in the canopy.

“I know. I see her, too,” her flat mezzo-soprano replied.

“What do you think of my choice?”

She paused a long time, releasing her thoughts with a sigh. “She will either show Kol to be worthy of the Ammyr position, or be his undoing.” The shiny black hair with seven silver streaks had been confined in that number intricate braids. They swayed as the woman slowly shook her head.

“All will be well. You will see. In time, all things are well.”

Edrea’s patience chaffed. “But we are humans. We do not have as much time as you.” Serafin took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She bowed her head, regretting her outburst. “I am sorry, Edrea. My thoughts are clouded concerning the Serafin’an. Look at her! Her pace is more like the crawl of an infant. I worry in spite of what you say, though the truth cannot be denied. I want to see things ‘becoming well’ rather than know they will be one dawning, even if I am not alive to witness it.”

“Patience, my greiftling. Patience. All will be well. The Creator’s timing is best.”

The Serafin sighed again, wondering how long it had been since she’d dropped the D’Koruyin stoicism. “I know.” Edrea’s repetition didn’t change anything. It just compounded her annoyance.

Rain whispered in the distance. A shower pushed its way through Yacan to cleanse the serafin’an’s new realm outwardly as her training would cleanse her own inner being, freeing her from anything which might hinder her progress and service. They watched as she slipped and caught herself once again. 

Kol was attentive, ready to catch the youngling if the need arose. She could read his tension even from this distance. Perhaps there was hope for this partnership. Only the Creator knew all things for certain. And after all, it would be boring if every secret was known. 

A rare smiled blossomed on her face. She couldn’t be much younger than… The Serafin slammed the mind-door which led down a deadly path and the smile fled her face like a child whose finger had been caught in the grinding bowl.

“I am sorry.”

“There is no need for apology Edrea. I knew what I was doing when I chose this path. I did what was necessary for him, for them, for all my people. They will be fine without me. Through my connection with you and Y’Dahnndrya, and having borne witness with my own eyes, I know they must be doing well. It was hard, though. Seeing him again.” She shook her head once more, this time roughly, sending the braids flying. “Enough of that. I will focus on what must be done this dawning.”

They were close now, close enough that Mi’yat could smell the scent of auzi’ide. The breeze was rife with it. She wrinkled her nose. The unmistakable hint of leather and wood hovered under the stronger scent of foreign herbs and wildflowers. 

She shook her head, a wry grin cutting through her resolve to remain emotionless. “My thanks to you for supplying a mentor. Her connections would make things,” she paused, searching for the best word, “difficult between us.” How inadequate! The Serafin scoffed at her own weakness. “I thought I could do this, that I had overcome all the memories. Seeing him again shattered all my effort like a booted foot on dry and brittle bone.” She couldn’t help the crack in her voice and scowled.

“Peace, my greiftling. All will be well.”

“So you say. And I do believe you. It is sometimes more than I can bear, though.”

“This is why we carry the load together.”

The Serafin nodded. Turning her focus back to the two traveling toward them, she chuckled, though it wasn’t a merry sound. “What a chatty little thing! She reminds me of kiklis in the plains. As soon as the suns rise, they call out their songs incessantly until the suns set once again. Such a noise!”

Edrea’s responded with a joyful chuckle. “I think it is refreshing. She will bring a lightness to the colony. The people need it now, especially with the recent troubles.”

“Indeed.” The Serafin’s stiff nod betrayed only a little of the sting she felt in the innocent observation. “I offer apology for that, Edrea. Another reason I should not have waited. The longer one lives, the more one observes and experiences, the more difficult it becomes to see Creator’s hand guiding one toward goodness.”

“Do you doubt Creator’s plan?”

A deep, steady inhale and exhale helped the Serafin settle her stormy emotions. “No, Edrea. Kwikrei’ya is good and the plan which has been set in motion must therefore be good. I know Creator is trustworthy.”

“Then why do these worries and fears plague you?”

“I cannot answer that question, Edrea. I only know that when I am tired, they return to haunt me. And I am exhausted. When Kwikrei’ya calls me to my rest, I will be ready.”

She felt Edrea’s acceptance and agreement as clearly as if she saw the ancient Iia nod.

“They are close now,” she murmured, hoping this discussion was at an end. There was no time for regret. Worry and fear must be pushed to the back of her mind. Moving forward was the only option and she was more than ready to do so.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that it makes you want to read more. I'll try to share another chapter next Friday and continue through this month. After that, you'll need to grab a copy of the book once it's published. I hope you'll be fired up to read more later. Let me know what you think so far in the comments. I'd love to hear from you!

Thank you so much for hanging out on the scenic route today. Please visit again soon and bring your creative friends with you! Next week, I'll have more prompts, book reviews, and writer-y things to share with you. 

Until next time,
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