Birthdays

My brother, Mike, would have been 40 today. My birthday present to him is to finish Wintersland. The story is dedicated to him. Happy Birthday, Mike. I know you're in a place where age holds no meaning. One day I'll see you there.

My Husband is Still My Valentine

Happy Valentine's Day, sweetheart!

I Love and I Hate This Time of Year....

I love Christmas-time, but I hate writing this time of year. Too many demands on your time, too much stress, too much food, too little exercise...

But spending time with family is great. That has to come first.

Brief snippet: First draft, please don't quote or repost.

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The wind sprang from nowhere, gale-force, flinging snow in faces and tangling Katie’s hair. She heard people cry out. The wind circled the Wishing Tree, which remained untouched.

Snow whirled, coalesced into a visible shape. As Katie watched, Mel looked back at her, an agonized expression on her face.

Katie reached out.

“Don’t!” someone said.

Katie hesitated. The girl was again at her side, hanging on to her sleeve.

“She is a Yule Ghost! Touch her, and you will share her agony!”

“How can I help her?” Katie asked in a trembling voice. Her sister’s visibly tortured features shredded her insides.

“I—I don’t know,” the girl admitted.

The wind slowed, subsided to a sigh. Mel lost form and being, dissipating on the last breeze.

“Mel!” Katie whispered.

Leave me, Katie. Save yourself.

From somewhere the anger boiled to the surface, and Katie screamed at her sister. “How dare you leave me!”

Saturday, June 28, 2008

I'm building a deck. Whoohee. I should say my husband and I are building a deck--mostly my husband. Very busy.

I deleted the last half of the short story I posted a couple of weeks ago. I'm reading a very long rant on Forward Motion about publication or lack thereof, and what constitutes publication, and I decided to delete the post. While it's true that my blog might be read by the sum total of around ten people, it is an public site and I don't want to blow my First Publication Rights by being stupid.

Hope to post more of the short story I started last week, but right now, construction calls.

Friday Snippets, November 30, 2007

My baby brother Mike would have been 38 today. I wanted to give him a birthday present, so I wrote this poem for him, and that's my Friday snippet.

Please do not repost or quote anywhere. Thanks!

FAITH'S BUDDING FLOWER

The wandering year comes 'round
to loss keenly felt
As if no time had passed.

Do you care? Are you aware
of the pain of absence?

Stark branches claw the sky
In mute supplication;
Life lays cold in the ground.

Do you see tears? Feel the fears
that on these days abound?

Winter shakes the grasp
on fragile, seedling hope--
A quick lift of prayer.

Do you know? Will you show
us faith's budding flower?

A Time To Remember...

Found this on Holly Lisle's blog. I think it's beautiful.