Author Journey: October 28, 2022 - What a Kerfuffle of a Week!

 Yep. Kerfuffle. Of a week. It's only Tuesday (as of the time I'm prepping this post) and I feel like I've lived three lifetimes. Do any of you ever feel like that? It's exhausting. So to keep from feeling like ol' Atlas with the weight of the world on his shoulders, I'm going to get right to the heart of this blog post. 

Author Journey: How's the Writing Going? 

Mostly, it's going great with the blog. Otherwise, anytime I have a moment to just sit for a few, when I could be writing, I'm so tired I can barely even think, so what do I do? Play a few rounds of Mahjonng, of course. 

But I am looking forward to Nanowrimo next month. Having that dedicated time and a nice solid goal-line to follow should help me move along. I may do a word-prompt short story collection. 

Writer's Life: Feline Friends Update

It is with the heaviest of hearts I must tell you we've lost Memsahib Dusk. We were treating her for what seemed a simple puncture wound, but she started to get weaker, even though the wound seemed to be improving. 

Before we were able to get her to the vet, she passed away. We think she probably found a poisonous spider somehow, perhaps in one of our windows. We've been keeping open because the weather's been so nice and it helps lower the electricity bill. Whatever the case, my heart is so heavy and I'm really going to miss her.  

I'm happy was able to be with her at the end, though. At least she wasn't alone. And Spartacus was able to say goodbye with a final lick to her paw. He's sticking close to us today, sitting near us or in a welcoming lap. How cats seem to sense things, or any animal, really, is pretty amazing, isn't it? God is good! 

And while I mourn, I will try to stay busy so the sorrow isn't so overwhelming. Your prayers are appreciated.

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 (ie. 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.

Photo by Sean Valentine

This week's photos have been courtesy of Sean Valentine at Pexels.com. Why not click here to check out Sean's awesome gallery?

Just Keep Writing: Knock, Breathe, Shine

Chapter 9 - Drowning in Uncertainty

One by one, Merili helped Eerk drag the invaders out of her home and string them up. It wouldn’t take too many hesps before someone found them and set them free. They’d raise the alarm far too soon to Merili’s thinking. How she would avoid the same fate, she hadn’t figured out yet. 

Unless… But no, he’d never agree. Rightly so. A man and woman didn’t travel together alone unless they were life-mates. For a Child of Y’Dahnndrya, it would never do. And she wouldn’t force him into such an intimate joining with a person he’d only just spoken to this dusking. Besides that, Merili wasn’t the best traveler. She’d be more of a hindrance than anything else, more than aware of her limitations. 

“Merili?” Eerk’s question shook her out of her reverie and she glanced up at him.

“Yes?” She frowned at how their activity had winded her. She sounded like those breathless, lovesick fools she often encountered at the center of the village.

Some emotion she couldn’t identify flickered to life in his eyes and was gone just as quickly. “Mar’l’s tied well. I added two extra ropes and the others are tied far enough apart that it should take some time to release them. I’ll leave you here. Thank you for your help.” 

Dread seized Merili, leaving her stomach full of ice shards. Her face must’ve shown her dismay because he raised a hand toward her, then froze. His eyes never left her face as he said, “I can’t stay here. Never overstay one’s welcome. That’s how I’ve kept ahead of them.” Slowly, his hand sank to his side. 

Merili grabbed for it with both of hers. “I understand,” she murmured, keeping her gaze fixed on the large, calloused, capable hand she held. “You have the salves I gave you?”

He nodded. “Thank you, Merili.” The gentleness of his tone raised her eyes to meet his. “I have never met anyone like you, and I never will again. If Kai’yanga allows, I’ll be back.”

She shook her head. “I won’t be here.” The words were hard-edged in her effort to hold tears back. “I’ve decided I’m leaving, too. I’ll go to the Guardian. I have the project to give him, anyway.” She shrugged one shoulder. “He won’t appreciate that part of it must be redone, mayhap, but I’ll explain. We know each other well.” 

Neither of them moved. The sound of a chiriki shrilled nearby and Merili blinked, breaking the tension between them. “I’ll wait here for you to gather your things.” 

Merili shook her head and let go of his hand. “You know we can’t travel alone.”

“There’s no other way. I can’t leave you without protection, not after I’ve put you in this position.” 

His eyes showed no sign of distress about such a thing. She felt duty-bound to remind him. “You are a messenger of the Holy Breath and you suggest such a traveling arrangement?” She planted her hands on her hips. 

He grinned and nodded. “It’s my fault you have to leave your home. The Creator is wise and has provided a willing escort for you. Would you spurn the provision of the Holy Breath?”

Merili took her time answering and finally gave in. “You’ve made your point. Will you help me gather the things I’ll need to take? And I have a small cart I use when transporting projects. We can take it and make better time.” 

Though as she spoke, she knew it wouldn’t be the most comfortable mode of transportation. The cart sat two women comfortably, but the builder didn’t account for a D’Koruyi’s impressive height. Shaking her head, she hurried back inside. Thankfully, the crates she’d had the frames packed in were ready to receive their precious cargo and the job sped along. 

The suns were only just allowing a little light past the horizon when they pulled away from her cottage. She might never see it again. Her hands gripped the reins tighter and she gritted her teeth, but the tears still overflowed. Sudden warmth covering the hand nearest her passenger startled her and she sniffed. With her free hand, she released the reins and swiped angrily at the wayward emotion spilling from her eyes. 

“My sincerest apologies, Merili.” Regret weighted Eerk’s words. “I hoped to be gone before they came. It was my intent.”

She shrugged, “I know. You tried to leave. I pressed you to stay. Don’t let this keep you from fulfilling your purpose. I won’t let it keep me from fulfilling mine.” She looked at him then, and pasted a brave, but wobbly smile on her face. He could probably tell she was the exact opposite of brave and sure. Would she ever have a home again?

Definitions:

• hesp - a hand-span, used to measure time and length
• Kai'yanga and Tugansol are both names (D'Koruyi & Shinnoahn, respectively) for the creator deity in my book world. 

Thank y'all so much for your support and encouragment. Prayers would be appreciated as we mourn for Dusk. 

I'll have more posts for you next week, so please do come back and check them out. 

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