IWSG Wednesday

The first Wednesday of every month is officially IWSG day. Members post about their doubts and fears, discuss struggles and triumphs, and offer words of encouragement to others who are struggling.

Thanks, as always, to Alex Cavanaugh, founder and Ninja Captain extraordinaire and our awesome co-hosts.

The IWSG monthly question can be found under the IWSG Sign-up tab on the Insecure Writer's Support Group Blog.

AND…

The first Wednesday of every month is officially IWSG day. Members post about their doubts and fears, discuss struggles and triumphs, and offer words of encouragement to others who are struggling.

Thanks, as always, to Alex Cavanaugh, founder and Ninja Captain extraordinaire and our awesome co-hosts.

The IWSG monthly question can be found under the IWSG Sign-up tab on the Insecure Writer's Support Group Blog.

June 3 question- Writers have secrets! What are one or two of yours, something readers would never know from your work?

Hmm. Well all that I can say to that question is that if I did have secrets mind you, they would no longer be secrets if they were shared😊 

I can tell you my routine. I try to keep three works in the hopper. I work on one story for a month then switch to another.  I try, and I emphasize try, to write every day, so by the second or third week, I’m starting to get ansy, my mind  and muse both wandering. By the end of the month I’m ready for a break and switch to another story. The following month I switch to the third story, then the next month come back to story number one.

AND…May’s reviews.

HOWLING AT THE MOON by Wolf Pack Authors

A diverse group of short stories from sci-fi to mystery to fantasy to children's stories. This anthology is packed with fascinating reads. Best of all:  the proceeds go to the relief efforts in Australia for the floods and fires.

THIS LAST CHANCE By D. L. Finn

A suspenseful paranormal about the fight of good and evil.

This story takes place on two levels, human and paranormal and makes for an intriguing subplot. Reporter Amber Dodges is determined to get to the bottom of her twin sister’s murder, unaware she is about to play a role in the survival of the country. Nor does she know that the death of her sister was caused by powerful evildwels, evil beings that use humans for hosts. As the story builds, it also chills and will have the reader looking over his/her shoulder. A suspenseful paranormal about the fight of good and evil.

THE THIRD FACTOR: THESTONEHENGE CHRONICLES By S.P. Brown

This is the second book in the Stonehenge Chronicles. Reading the books in order is recommended. The story centers on a woman who can decipher a set of special runes and her triplet teenage daughters who possess magical powers. The girls are on a quest to find their mother who appears to have been captured by enemies. Their mode of transportation: tunnels they create with their mind.

Definitely a magical read.

AND...

The Poem We Have Not Written

Michael Cox

 

It’s out there somewhere.

Hints of it are everywhere:

The mysterious eye

Glimpsed through a thicket,

A gaunt child turning a corner

And disappearing,

A seductive cord heard briefly,

Triggering an incomplete memory.

 

It’s out there wanting to live,

To mirror the heat of the sun,

Gather the cool of the evening,

To dance in glorious colors,

Matchless tempo,

Sublime footwork.

 

Come muse,

Call us out

From the darkness.

 AND...A writer bud has published her first audible, a romantic suspense, and is looking for reviews. If you listen to audibles and are interested in a freebie in exchange for a review, please shoot me an email.

Tuesday

In the backyard:

Wild strawberries are interspersed in the grass.

The daylilies are blooming.

And the brown-eyed Susans

The monarda (bad hair day flowers:)

 The Asiatic jasmine

And the sedum.

This little hydrangea is having a problem deciding what color he prefers his blooms to be.

Unfortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Cardinal were quite insistent on building in the butterfly bush. Can you see the nest?

I'm afraid Frank will have to be under house arrest in a few weeks, for a few weeks:)

Addendum: Since I wrote this post, Cool Hand Frank turned his attention from outsmarting the warden (the HH) and making a break for it to the bird's nest, which he's effectively destroyed. I'm both saddened and relieved. Relieved that cat insurance was not necessary and no lives were lost. Mr. Cardinal is not taking it at all well. Hanging on the fence above his nest and complaining. I suspect that the Mrs. left him for (in her mind) a better provider and that this is the source of his complaints. Fickle, I know, but Mrs. Cardinal had to do, what Mrs. Cardinal had to do. Hopefully, Mr. Cardinal will find a better and safer neighborhood. 

Addendum to the Addendum: The little guy hung around all day and into the evening. He looked pretty lost. I've heard they mate for life or until something happens to their mate.  I haven't seen him today so I'm going on the assumption he found the missus or is online (phone line perhaps) looking for a new mate.

My Mother's Day gifts from my son and his family arrived last week. A coffee cup with a picture of my sweet Belle on it, which I treasure.

AND...While I loved getting this, I did get a chuckle out of it. Just what every mom needs during COVID-19.

AND

How was your weekend and your Monday? What's growing in your garden? Got birds nests? Got toilet paper?

Happy Birthday

AND...

A huge thanks to Rockin Ro  for a lovely post that's helping me get the word out on Mateo.

Friday's Great Read

I’m so pleased to have the opportunity to help get the word out on D.L. Finn’s new release THIS LAST CHANCE and share some ‘behind the scenes’ information regarding her new book that I enjoyed and think you will too.

Thank you for having me here today, Sandra, and sharing the new release of This Last Chance 😊

Behind This Last Chance

Bears make an appearance more than once in This Last Chance, which is why one is on the cover. The picture used was when a young bear came out of a storm to snack on some dog food in the garage while taking part in my impromptu photo session.

I live in a forest surrounded by wildlife, which includes bears. I’m not afraid of bears; I feel a connection to them. Yet the word ‘pest’ has been used more than once by my husband when he cleans up the mess bears leave behind on garbage pickup day. Then there was the time one tore the door off our chicken coop, but no chickens were harmed.

A bear experience that stands out was when I returned home from taking the kids to the bus stop early one morning. A huge bear was standing motionless in the middle of the street by our driveway. Intrigued, I stopped my car and watched her, watching me. I guess she decided I was okay when she allowed her two hidden cubs to race from one side of the street to the other. Mama bear threw one more look at me and galloped after her babies.

So, when I needed an animal to let Amber know she was not alone, a bear was the first thing that came to mind. Her spirit animal and perhaps mine, too.

Blurb:

Six months after Amber’s sister is brutally murdered, she’s still looking for answers, and now someone is stalking her and no one believes her. Home alone with a powerful snowstorm approaching, Amber is determined to take control of the investigation by hiring a private detective, but her plans are disrupted when she finds herself snowed in with people she may not be able to trust. Meanwhile, Nester the evildwel, whose entire existence has been feeding on fear and pain, is seeking help from the angel who’s protecting Amber. Nester and Amber need answers. Can Amber figure out what’s going on with some subtle help from an angel? Will Nester find what he needs from his enemies? The worlds of good and evil clash, and the outcome will determine not only Amber’s and Nester’s fate but life as they know it.

 

FUN FINN FACTS:

1.      Five cats, one dog, and a goldfish live with me, along with my husband of almost thirty-seven years.

2.      My favorite games as a child were Yahtzee, Monopoly, and Crazy Eights.

3.      I love to stargaze and watch meteor showers.

 

 

 

Excerpt from This Last Chance.

Chapter 1

“My name is Nester. I’ve been around a long time, way before humans invented their first stone tool. My kind migrated from a distant planet that couldn’t sustain us anymore, in case you’ve been wondering where we came from. Although I doubt you winged ones—that’s what we call you angels—give evildwel history much thought. Your attention goes to the humans, including this young woman, Amber. You hardly leave her side. It’s an unsettling thought, but I can almost understand your devotion. I feel something from Amber that used to repel me, but now it draws me to her, much like you. Not sure what it is, though.

 

“I’m attempting to communicate with you, like winged ones do, by thoughts. I can’t take the chance of speaking out loud and being overheard by another evildwel. Anyway, it’s my hope you can hear me because my life is literally spinning out of control.”

 

Nester paused and studied the beautiful winged one. Zelina didn’t indicate she wanted him to stop, so he continued to push his thoughts to her.

AMAZON ORDER LINK

Author Bio:

D. L. Finn is an independent California local who encourages everyone to embrace their inner child. She was born and raised in the foggy Bay Area, but in 1990 she relocated with her husband, kids, dogs, and cats to Nevada City, in the Sierra foothills. She immersed herself in reading all types of books but especially loved romance, horror, and fantasy. She always treasured creating her own reality on paper. Finally, surrounded by towering pines, oaks, and cedars, her creativity was nurtured until it bloomed. Her creations include adult fiction, poetry, a unique autobiography, and children’s books. She continues on her adventure with an open invitation to all readers to join her.

D.L. Finn Links:

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Pinterest

D.L. Finn blog

Purchase Links:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble  Smashwords

Did You Know

Did you know the phrase in a pickle originated with Shakespeare?

Wacky Writerly Wednesday

Tuesday

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend and Monday. We got buckets of rain, but luckily no flooding so far.

Mr. Nosy sporting his spring do.  The HH says he looks like a French kitty:)

AND...

I couldn't decide on Bleeping Idiots or How I Solved My Problem for my subheading. Feel free to choose whichever you favor.

We got a new toilet paper holder, the open-ended that you can just slide the roll on and off the holder without taking it apart. We have one in the master bath and it's soooo much easier to use. This one wasn't a cheap one. The blankety-blank-blank-blank factory cut the blankety-blank thing too short so whenever you use it the roll goes flying off. Engineering trying to save money?  After I semi got over my mad, I decided that I could fix the problem. A friend gave me a synthetic gemstone one year for Christmas that I never got around to making into a piece of jewelry so I glued it to the end.  It did the trick.

AND speaking of bronze holders...A friend of a friend cleans homes for the upper-crust in the area and was cleaning the bronze holders with a cleaner that caused the plating to flake right off. Yikes! Can you imagine? The moral of this story: better stick with soap and water if you are cleaning bronze holders.

AND I got a couple of new plants. Delphinium and...drumroll...a little lilac bush. I'm so excited. I've been bemoaning not having one for years. I ordered the bush from Brighter Blooms. What I liked about this site: it popped up messages about whether the plant I was looking at would do well or poorly in my zone.

And here's Miss Faux. She's eighteen, blind and deaf but still getting around.

Got critters? Got flowers?