Please support and send her your love by leaving a comment on her blog. Annoyingly FB has marked her blog posts as unable to share via the usual share buttons. This is happening to my lovely writing friends in the community for no apparent reason. It is particularly unfair at a time when Mary needs our support the most.
She is a fascinating lady and a wonderful member of our writing community who I have met in person at many of the London based blogging bashes.
My flash is based on a true story. I visited my mother-in-law in Edinburgh, Scotland. She hadn’t been too well but made a miraculous recovery. At ninety-four she is an incredible woman! This tree and our conversation inspired me to write this piece of flash.
It was kind of eerie at the time… knowing what I know now. The wind was blowing lightly but I added a gust of ghostly wind to the flash fiction piece!
The Tree of Life I encouraged my mother-in-law to venture out for a walk. She hadn’t been out since a fall laid her low before lockdown. We sat by the wise old tree. I had no idea that just a few days ago this area had been the site of a funeral gathering. The family decorated the branches with colourful ribbons, dream catchers, pretty baubles and teddy bears. As we talked, a tremendous gust of wind blew the ribbons, twirling them in a whirl of colour as the baubles and teddies danced.
I heard leaves rustling; it was his last goodbye.
I didn’t know the man who died, or what he died of. His funeral happened at a time when people couldn’t gather in the usual way. So, touching and sad. His friends and family came together to say their last goodbye amongst nature, by that tree, in the area in which he had lived. Passersby who may, or may not have known him saw the reminder of the vibrancy of his life in the colour of the adorned tree.
I picked some purple flowers for my mother-in-law which she carries in the photo. Purple is her favourite colour. She always mentions our walk each time I speak to her. Somehow, that walk to the tree have given her confidence back. I believe she has now walked to the shop again. I’m glad I encouraged her to walk with me even though I was so worried that she might fall. Sometimes you have to be brave to make a special memory.
Somehow I prefer the last one… oh dear I do have a problem. Even my poetry is saying eat the dessert… Such a sweet tooth!
Which poem do you prefer? Let me guess…
I love poetry!
I write poetry in all of my books (excluding some of the anthologies.) You’ll find poetry in Mr. Sagittarius, Poetry and Prose, in The Curse of Time Book 1 Bloodstone, (short form poetry at the beginning of each chapter,) and there is also poetry in the anthology/compilation This Is Lockdown.
I’m thrilled to welcome the lovely D. Wallace Peach to my blog today for the launch of her latest series: Unravelling The Veil. Looks superb and no doubt it is, as Diana is without question a wonderful fantasy writer.
Blurb:
Behind the Veil, the hordes gather, eager to savage the world. But Kalann il Drakk, First of Chaos, is untroubled by the shimmering wall that holds his beasts at bay. For if he cannot cleanse the land of life, the races will do it for him. All he needs is a spark to light the fire.
Three unlikely allies stand in his way.
A misfit elf plagued by failure—
When Elanalue Windthorn abandons her soldiers to hunt a goblin, she strays into forbidden territory.
A changeling who betrays his home—
Talin Raska is a talented liar, thief, and spy. He makes a fatal mistake—he falls for his mark.
A halfbreed goblin with deadly secrets—
Naj’ar is a loner with a talent he doesn’t understand and cannot control, one that threatens all he holds dear.
When the spark of Chaos ignites, miners go missing. But they won’t be the last to vanish. As the cycles of blame whirl through the Borderland, old animosities flare, accusations break bonds, and war looms.
Three outcasts, thrust into an alliance by fate, by oaths, and the churning gears of calamity, must learn the truth. For they hold the future of their world in their hands.
Q & A
What prompted you to write in your chosen genre?
My dad was a fantasy/sci-fi reader, and those types of books stuffed our shelves. When we’d go on vacation, my goal was to read one book a day, so I was exposed to a wide variety of authors. When writing popped up as a possibility, fantasy seemed like a natural fit. Another reason I chose fantasy was because I also thought I could avoid research! LOL. Wow, was I wrong about that! My research doesn’t come close to what some genres require, but who knew that I’d be researching Einstein’s theories about mass and energy for this series. Or what martens sound like. Or the smell of lightning.
Liars and Thieves excerpt: (In this scene, my characters just discovered that they’re stuck with each other. It’s not pretty.)
A shower of sand rained from Alue’s hair as she scraped her fingers over her scalp. The endless heat and humidity, the dirt and sweat, fouled her mood as much as it fouled her nose. She needed a hot soak with oils and soap, a hair wash, and something to eat that didn’t taste like an unwashed shirt.
Arianna had released the three of them onto the trail heading north to the railway spur, a three-day walk. Any deviation from the path, any mention of what had occurred in the jungle would result in a gruesome death, and Alue didn’t doubt the queen’s willingness to see the threat through.
Still a day from the spur, Talin led them to another tree-stand, the changelings’ method of spending a night safe from cats if not insects, snakes, and monkeys. She sat on the platform’s edge, one leg dangling, while she attempted to lob balls of light from her fingers—without them disappearing the instant she let go.
The goblin wrinkled his nose.
“What is your problem?” she snapped.
He scowled at her. “You have the odor of an ape.”
She gaped at him. “I haven’t had a chance to bathe.”
“Elves always smell like apes.”
Talin blurted out a laugh. He sat at the platform’s other end, eating some kind of hideous, withered root.
“Is that so?” Alue was tempted to push Naj over the side, but he sat against the tree in the middle of the platform. “And I suppose goblins smell like jasmine petals.”
“Goblins don’t sweat,” Naj informed her. “Changelings bear the scents of animals, but not as pungent as elves.”
“You can’t smell your own breath,” Talin said. “It reeks from eating meat.”
“Speaking of food…” Alue plucked up one of the roots Talin had gathered for her and tossed it over the edge. “I’m famished.”
“Don’t throw good food away,” Talin muttered. “You’ll be forced to ask Naj to spear you a snake.”
“Don’t make me vomit.” Alue shook her head when Naj glanced her way. His glaive had been confiscated in Glenglisan along with her pulser, and though he acted as if its loss didn’t matter, the ropey muscles in his neck tightened at its every mention. “I thought changelings forbade the killing of animals?”
“We do.” Talin brushed the dirt from a flesh-colored root. “We never know when one of us might be mistaken for a wild creature… like a panther.”
Alue stared at him, her empty stomach rolling over. “Was that… was the panther…”
“A man named Janu.” Talin slouched, dark eyebrows lowered in her direction. His chin bristled with rough scruff, and his long hair needed a comb almost as much as hers. “You shot him near the falls, and Naj finished him off.”
“I ate his…” Alue’s hand slapped to her mouth, and she closed her eyes, reeling. If Naj hadn’t gripped her arm, she might have fallen.
“He was the aggressor,” Naj said as if somehow that justified chewing on a man’s heart.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Alue shrieked. “I ate a changeling, a person!”
“Thank you for acknowledging that we’re people,” Talin said.
“Gah! I never said you weren’t. We’re all people. And that’s beside the point. You tricked us.”
“I saved your life,” Talin yelled back. “I didn’t need to do any of it. I could have left you in the pit, left you in the cell. Gone on with my life.”
“Why did you help us?” Naj asked.
Talin crossed his arms. “I thought I knew. Now I don’t remember.”
D. Wallace Peach started writing later in life after the kids were grown and a move left her with hours to fill. Years of working in business surrendered to a full-time indulgence in the imaginative world of books, and when she started writing, she was instantly hooked. Diana lives in a log cabin amongst the tall evergreens and emerald moss of Oregon’s rainforest with her husband, two dogs, bats, owls, and the occasional family of coyotes.
Do you have hidden wishes and desires that have been elusive since your youth? Now there is an inspirational oracle that will take you on an exciting adventure of self-discovery and enlightenment! Explore your unique gifts through 50 stunning oracle cards and a quick-and-easy guidebook with whimsical messages that will help you enhance your life and express your deepest feelings. Create a “Mind Painting” of your ideal self – someone whom you would like to become – and then ascend to unbelievable heights by developing your imagination. Talented people throughout the ages–great thinkers, authors, poets, painters, and composers -have shared wonderful creations with humankind, and you can too by developing the innate talents that slumber deep within your Soul. This is the place of wizards, magic, and fairies! Prepare to be inspired! Includes 50 art cards and full-color guidebook.
I was thrilled to receive a complimentary deck of Judy Mastrangelo’s new release: Inspirational Visions Oracle cards.
I followed the instructions, meditating before I shuffled and drew two cards: Pan and Unicorn (magical beings surround us) and Where Candy Trees Grow (lands of childhood live within us always throughout our life.) The two cards seemed uncannily appropriate as my favourite genre to write is magical realism/fantasy and I am young at heart for my age! A gorgeous set, truly inspirational.
Author Bio
Judy Mastrangelo has painted all her life. She licenses her artwork in several markets, such as murals, art prints, inspirational card desks, and books she has written and illustrated. Her preliminary technique of “Mind Painting,” helps her develop imaginative works of art and teaches others to develop their imaginations. https://judymastrangelo.com/
Here are some photos to show you how lovely the set is:
There are 50 cards in total with a sweet little full-colour guidebook to explain how to use the cards and how to create a mind painting.
My favourite cards are: Pan and Unicorn, Lonely Dragon, Create your Fantasy, Paradise of Children, Peaceful Garden, Puck’s Magic Flower of Sleep, Oberon and Titania.
Each card within the set is lovely and there is something for everyone.
5 stars. I’d highly recommend this set of oracle cards. I received a complimentary copy but all opinions are my own and unbiased.
This wonderful set is available to buy via Amazon:
Congratulations to Richard Dee on his latest release The Hitman and The Thief
Genre: Sci-fi organized crime Publication date: August 31, 2020 Goodreads – Amazon India – My Thoughts The Hitman and the Thief is a fast-paced, gripping novel about rivalry between two…
I’m thrilled to announce that I’m a contributing author in Dan Alatorre‘s Box Under The Bed horror Anthology no. 4: Spellbound which is currently on pre-order and releases 14th October 2020. There are many of my lovely friends contributing to this anthology too, including Robbie Cheadle, Ellen Best,Adele Marie Park, and Geoff Le Pard.
So pre-order your kindle copy now! While it is on special offer price: £0.78 Amazon UK and $1.02, Amazon US.
From the creators of the #1 bestseller The Box Under The Bed horror anthology and its #1 bestselling sequels Nightmareland and Dark Visions, comes Spellbound – a horror anthology with 20 stories from 15 authors.
A young girl and her mother seek out a mysterious sorceress to guide the child in developing her powers, but the beautiful blonde witch has ideas of her own – and desires a powerful book that only the child can give her. Tremble along as the stories in the magical book are revealed. “Some are true, some are false, and some are spells disguised as stories to hide our kind from those who would do us harm.”
* A young man is given a family heirloom at his mother’s funeral, but her protection can’t save him from himself. * A sailing ship takes a journey to the new world and discovers horrors along the way. * A young girl seeks a connection with her parents but learns she isn’t magical enough. * And many more!
Compiled by USA Today bestselling author Dan Alatorre, this anthology of horror once again unites the minds and stories of more than a dozen amazing authors.
Spellbound will take you into the shadowy world of the eerie and macabre, with heart stopping stories.
Perfect for Halloween or any time, these stories will make you think twice before borrowing a book, giving away jewelry, looking into a mirror, or going out on a moonlit night.
CONSIDER YOURSELF WARNED.
NOTE: American and British spelling inside. Of the 23 stories contained in this anthology, none are part of any larger work.
My story is called Twisted Sisters.
Here’s the blurbto my short story:
During a meeting of The Twisted Sisters coven Luna, an ambitious member, proposes a determined plan: to give the public excitement after the grim life imposed by COVID19. With her Twisted Fairytales shop, she hopes to gain power and influence. The elder witch and the moon are fearful of her idea. At work, she dons her little red riding hood outfit. Hidden in her basket she keeps two shiny objects ready to work their evil…
This is going to be the scariest anthology yet!
Don’t forget to check out the other books in the Box Under The Bed Set, all available via Amazon,
And I’m also a contributing author to Nightmareland as well…
Thrilled to be a participating author in the next Box Under The Bed Anthology compiled by Dan Alatorre: Spellbound. Editor and Contributing author Robbie Chantree has written a fantastic post about the anthologies, plus there’s a video of her reading one of her stories in the previous anthology: Nightmareland.
M J Mallon YA Author and Poet 