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Thanks to Yo, Jenn, Yvonne, and Cat for volunteering to read the faerie story. Gratitude aboundeth. I’ve sent the first parts off, and I’ll send more shortly.

Very little tonight, but a little.

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There it is. My usual emotional disturbance pattern works something like this: I spend a day or two manic, trying to ignore the emotion, and then, tired, the manic grinds to a halt. Lethargy kicks in. It goes without saying that I won’t be writing until I kick lethargy out. Luckily at this point, I have no deadlines, even at work. So, time to let grief take me, naturally.

Reflection, regardless of the cause, is a golden opportunity. I have been thinking about the interpolation between my grandparents, my parents, and me, and what that means about the universe as I know it. I know that my love of fantasy comes from an early desire to escape a difficult place, and now, I’d like more from fantasy. I want to find a way as a writer to use fantasy in a mature way, to comment on the world. I don’t imagine that makes me unique at all.

It does have implications for my current piece. I never intended it to be soap opera solely, but now, I’m interested in the functions of family, friendship, and intercultural interactions more than I was.

Over in my other journal, I’ve asked for someone to read Gossamer and Veridian as I’m working on it. Many of my friends there have some enthusiasm for the work, as I started it years ago, and they know the characters. Right now I just need an audience that might just enjoy what I’m writing. Ideas are welcome, but I need to be inspired by someone looking forward to the next installment of it.

I also would like to extend that offer here to writers I know. If this doesn’t sound like a contract violation to you, something you have time for, and might be something you’re interested in, let me know by emailing me at awelkin AT gmail DOT com. I’d be happy to perform a similar service for you. Of course, if you’re interested in faerie stories, that’s a real bonus.

I should sign off. Coherence is not our strong point this evening.

Cath

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Mostly editing of the old material, which is finally finished. I thought you might enjoy a scene from the Desert Tales part of the story. Now, we earnestly start preparing new material and continuing these stories.

Desert Tales #4: Akhim and Rohren

Nasma squinted at the orange sun in the middle of the purple and blue sky. She could see the dancing scarf of her mother painting the sky. The sun disappeared below a dune, the air chilling. Nasma cocooned herself in her shawl. Soon the sky would color from lavender to purple to twilight gray, and soon Leila and Myrrh would join her, and they would ride the storm, covering the leavings of the day.

In the silence of the desert, she heard her name, a whisper at first, and then tumbling closer over the hills of sand. Myrrh raced toward her, the sand spraying behind her in a plumed fan.

“You must hide him!” she gasped breathlessly. “Father! He has come home!”

Nasma scurried toward her sister. “Where is he?”

“Father? At home! I told you!”

Nasma shook her head. “Rohren! Where is he?”

“He’s with Kassim! Father will kill him!”

Nasma glanced back at Jameelah and the painted sky. Mother will calm him!”

“There is no time for that!” Myrrh insisted. “Father will have beheaded him by the time you return! You must come now! When Father attacks, you must throw yourself on top of Rohren, and beg for his mercy, to protect the man you love!”

Continue reading “Desert Tales: Akhim and Rohren”

Thank you for your condolences and wishes last entry.

I’m much better at keeping busy than not during these times, so I give you both this week’s and next week’s Blood is Thicker than Water entries.

Now, a small break for lunch, and then I’ll be back with today’s Solitary King word count.

Catherine

Noting here that my grandmother passed away yesterday shortly after I wrote my Christmas post. We are fine. It wasn’t entirely unexpected. There’s a lot to think about, to chew on, and to reflect about. I’m sure it’ll surface in writing somewhere, eventually.

The funeral will be next Wednesday.

Catherine

Happy holidays!

My creative endeavors these last two days have been cooking, traveling and entertaining. We are now full and content with a good dinner in. We’ve locked the bad weather outside, and we are done with our Christmas travels. The presents have been unwrapped and the cats are content with tuna and new catnip mice.

I hope all of you are having a fine holiday, full of relaxation and love.

Catherine

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Oh, the melodrama! ;P

Catherine

Mostly cleaning up tonight, but added a wee bit.

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First, updates on the new Dead Like Me movie, which is out in January.

And Wikipedia gives you the rest of the poop.

***

Next up, Iowa driving sucks. I’ve been in 3 drifts, busted through two, done three whirly road circles, and ended up in a ditch. Today. I’m staying home. For the rest of my life.

Time to revise some.

Catherine

ps Thank you, Sybil’s Garage, for the expected, but polite rejection.

Today begins the features I plan to do on favorites. Most of these are works that inspire me as a writer. I wish I could pull this off, be as adept at story telling as these creators are.

I’d like to start with Dead Like Me. Recently, this previous Showtime offering has become my favorite televison show, ever. You may wonder why.

The premise: Georgia Lass, underambitious, skeptical underachiever, is hit by a toilet seat from a Russian space station and becomes a Reaper, one of the beings that isn’t really dead, but collects human souls until it is time to move on, which is apparently some randomly determined cosmological event. Georgia and her family grapple with her death and the changes it inevitably brings. Georgia gets used to her new life and colleagues, both in her work as a Reaper, and in her job as a Happy Time employee, as Reapers must still eat and pay rent. The show centers around the relationships, trials, and travails of the Reapers and Georgia’s family.

What is Cool:

1. Georgia’s growth. Georgia narrates every show, and thinks more profoundly about the world around her as she matures while she is dead.

2. The interpersonal relationships among every character. The show doesn’t skimp on the relationships of characters in almost every way. These relationships are complicated and life like.

3. The unexpected. Georgia’s annoying boss at Happy Time, Delores Herbig, is one of the most redeemable and caring characters in the show. The Reapers are bundles of complexity. When you think you have one figure out, you discover you don’t. The same can be said of Joy Lass, Georgia’s mother. And Kiffany, the waitress at Der Waffle Haus. The plot surprises.

4. Unlikeability. The show is not afraid to make us dislike the characters, as well as like them.

The Not-so-Cool

1. After two seasons, cancellation. You can’t pin this one on me. Usually, if I like a show, like Journeyman, I doom it. However, I didn’t like this one until it was canceled. There was a lot of room to still tell stories.

The Hopeful

1. There is a movie coming this year.

If you are looking for a fantasy based in reality that doesn’t try to do too many impossible things at once, and is character driven, I recommend this. I recommend this for writers and film makers who want to work on becoming more character centered or more relationship centered. It’s just good work.

Right. Gotta see to some more party prep.

Catherine