I have heard a lot of people remarking on the lack of snow so far this winter. Glad that we have really not had a lot, and that it has been a fairly easy winter so far.
I blame you. Every single one of you.
Because Old Man Winter? He heard you, loud and clear. And decided to do something about that. A good foot or so on Thursday, more tomorrow and Monday (and they keep upping the accumulation for this one. We’ve hit 12 to 18″ the last time I looked), and perhaps even more later in the week. So, really, let’s keep all that “easy winter”and “at least there hasn’t been much snow” talk to ourselves in the future, huh? Because this getting a full winter’s worth of snow in two weeks is not all that much fun.
On the other hand, I don’t have to do much shoveling or removing any more. I sometimes need to clear the front porch from the door to the walk so I can take the dog out, and we do have to clear the deck. The development people take care of the rest. They plow the streets, clear the walks and driveways, even shovel the porch and spread ice melt. It’s rather nice.
And, I have to admit that it is pretty. At least until the plows and sand spreaders make it all dirty and yucky. But that coat of pure white does make a nice picture, looking out the window and sliders. I have also always liked the way snow falling muffles sound, so you get a really special sort of quiet during a snowstorm. It is New England, after all. We are supposed to get those postcard picture snow days, right?
I also realized I haven’t done a writing update in a while, so here goes:
“Five and Daemon” has been getting downloads. Many of them. And it has a very nice 5 star rating at Barnes and Noble. So, thank you to everyone who has read it. I’ll just toss in a tiny reminder that a rating and review if you liked it is always appreciated. It’s free, and available at Smashwords and most other e-book retailers. Not Amazon, sorry. Details are at the end of this post, as well as a link to the book’s page.
The second in that series (I’m thinking of calling it The Yo-Yo Files) is finished in first draft form. I’ve set it aside for a week, and will get into a first revision pass this week. After that, I will be looking for a few readers to give it a look and let me know what needs fixing up. This one is called “The Devil Made Me Do It” and it has Johnny and Cerise helping Lucifer with a bit of a problem. A problem of cataclysmic proportion that could spell the end for everything. It also blends in some Norse mythology, although I’m playing a little loose with that. It’s another novelette, a bit longer than the first one, and will be out later this year.
The other project in the works right now is the second short story collection. Finally! If you’ve looked at my books, you will see the first, “Six of One: A Collection of Short Fantasy”. It came out a few years ago. I have always had plans to do “Half A Dozen of the Other: A Collection of Short Science Fiction” but never got that going. I am starting to pull the stories together for it. Some are sort of written, and by that I mean I have a couple really short (one is actually flash) stories that I am expanding and rewriting to make them into actual short stories. I have at least one other that started life as something else entirely, and I plan to rewrite that to work in here. And I will have to write one or two new stories for it. That will probably not see publication until near the end of the year or even next year. I also have some ideas for combining both collections.
That just about puts you up-to-date on what’s happening around here. If you are in the path of these next storms, please stay safe. Stay home if you can, and if you can’t remember- your four-wheel drive helps you go. It doesn’t help you stop. Drive carefully. Walk carefully, as well. The snow can cover ice and we don’t want any nasty falls! Curl up with a soft blanket, a cup of tea or cocoa or hot toddy, a good book, a bad movie, some catch-up TV, and let the snow fall. There’s time to do all the little stuff later.
(Image from funguerilla.com)
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Available now:
After five years away, Kaili is coming home for the ceremony to install her sister as head of the family business. When an old rivalry threatens the family, Kaili and her partner need to use all their skills to save the sisters’ lives. Learn more here.
A collection of six short fantasy stories set in varied worlds of magic and mayhem. Learn more here.
A short novelette set in a dystopian Earth after the final environmental collapse. Sam is a genetically engineered chameleon who may hold the key to mankind’s survival. Learn more here.
In a world reeling under the effects of severe climate change, food shortages are common, and arable farmland is scarce. Unscrupulous distributors like Beni Oligowma take advantage of the shortages for their own gain. When a promising new technology for growing food even under the harsh conditions is unveiled, grocery store owner Frank is determined to see that everyone is able to benefit from the results, not just the Beni’s of the world.
Feed My People is a short story, set in a dystopian science fiction world, and is free. Learn more here
Demon hunters Johnny and Cerise travel to the small town of Carroll Fork where they find a demon-possessed thrift store, a sweet old lady who is more than she seems, and an army of underworld inhabitants. Can Johnny and his trusty yo-yo save the town from a devil of a problem?
Five and Daemon is a short novelette in an urban fantasy setting, with elements of the supernatural and humor. It is free to download.
Learn more here
And So On... 