"So, I am dying. That sucks, but we are all going to die at some point. I believe it’s called ‘the end of one’s life’. I can remember thinking when I visited Gloria in the hospital many years ago that life invariably leads to death. That’s easy to say when you’re thirty. The impact of that statement has a little more import now that I’m 67, and know that my time is very limited."
Three years ago, I finally got up the nerve to post the novels I had written up to that point on BCTS. Frankly, I was a bit apprehensive. September 2008 was a big month in many respects. About the same time I started posting The Heart of the Beholder I found out that I had prostate cancer. The night before I went in for what proved to be a horrible ordeal of three weeks in the hospital and three surgeries, I posted the last chapter of The Narragansett Fork. That one is still one of my favorites because that's where I found Fanny.
We set an all time record this morning for the warmest overnight temperature. It was 85 degrees. The temperature at 11:30 AM is 104. The all time high for Little Rock is 112. I remember when that happened. Record today? I'm not sure. I need to water the plants.
I'm a bit more than half way through writing a novel - 63,000 words so far - and I feel like I'm treading in molasses. I've written less than 3,000 words in more than a month. Yesterday, I wrote ONE SENTENCE! What's so frustrating is that I know the story right up through the ending. I just can't find the words. If anyone out there is wondering why I haven't posted anything lately, it's not because I've gone away. I think my muse has taken a sabatical, or she's just enjoying tormenting me. The story I'm working on is part of the California Saga series.
Little Silky, the model for Randi Lewis Deere's familiar, managed to get latex house paint on her paws. I think she may have cleaned her brother off, too. He brushed against a freshly painted door. He avoided a barrier and brushed by the door. Of course she washed it off - not using the tap at the sink. I first noticed she was drooling a whole lot - drip, drip, drip. She's a bit unhappy with the painters tresspassing as it is, and knows of 20 more hiding places than we do. She's vomited several times, and is drinking a lot of water on her own.
We were visiting friends last week, and were having an Easter feast outdoors in the mild weather. I happened to be with several of the wives, including my own, and we were discussing movies, past oscar winners and others. Several nice movies were mentioned, and Notting Hill came up. We mentioned The King's Speech, and I mentioned that I like Colin Firth in Love Actually.. One of the ladies said, "You keep mentioning chic flicks. You're a girl inside, aren't you?" I said I guess so, and my wife said yes, while nodding in agreement.
We were wakened the night before last at 2:00 AM by our little cat, Silky, trying to get our attention. There had been considerable lightning and thunder, not unexpected, for several hours. Suddenly, the wind picked up to a swirling gale. Small branches and hail pummeled the roof. We then realized that the power was out (not to return until 9:30 last night). The wind calmed down, then the tornado warning sirens began to wail. Power had not returned in the morning, but fortunately, we had natural gas for cooking.
Well, My six-year old Dell was showing signs of senility, so I carefully transfered my files to a Simple Drive and verified they were indeed there. Actually, I had been periodically backing things up by copying files to the drive. I thought every thing was going just right.
Beverly Taff reminded me that a noted author, some say it was Mark Twain, others GBS, that golf is a good walk ruined. Well, I enjoyed the game for years, although I never was better than about a 12 HCP. Last year I posted a story about Bobbie Anderson (nee, Schmedlap) who is a very sports minded witch who will never use magic to gain an advantage in sports. Her best sport is golf; however, she was an exceptional baseball player as well.
This has to be a new record: 89 comments and counting. I know that many of them are replies by the author; however, this is what a good story is about: great writing that stirs up even the most reticent of commenters. Great job, Lilith!
Last night we were fortunate enough to view The King's Speech. What performances by Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush! Even though I live across the pond, I was familiar with some of the acrimony between Elizabeth II's mother, and Edward and Wallis Simpson. I know that it carried over to the Queen. Neither of the brother's wanted to be king. Many say that The Queen Mother blamed Edward for George's early death. The fact that he was addicted to cigarettes certainly contributed to that. I don't think I was aware of George VI's speech impediment.
I thank everyone for their comments and welcoming notes. I'm just not very comfortable with the whole thing. If you know my email address, you may contact me that way or through BCTS PMs.
In one of my recent stories, The Redhead and the PM, I used The Goring Hotel as one of the early settings. I had no idea at the time that Kate Middleton and family would be using it for their operating location before the wedding later this year. The owner of the hotel mentioned to me that The Queen Mother was attending an affair there and mentioned to him that the hotel was "rather convenient" to Buckingham Palace. It is a great place, probably one of the best hotels in London if not in the world.
Just wondering: Is my story Portia and the Double Whammy really that bad? Sixty reads, and not one kudo, not even a negative comment. Maybe the kudos aren't working. I guess real life situations are not that popular. Oh well, back to the drawing board.
In commenting about the characters in a popular serial on this site, I made some rather unflattering, but honestly felt comments about several of the characters in the story. I felt, and I expressed it before, that they were seriously flawed and should not be held in very high esteem. Well, I received a comment to my comment saying that my outlook was far too dark, and that I didn’t understand the characters at all, that my life experience was such that I had no business making the comments I did make.
For some reason, I don't really understand how this works, chapters 14 & 15 of The Redhead and the PM that I posted last night dropped off the surface of the earth. This link might get you there if you are looking for it. Please read and comment.
Chapters 10 and 11 are now posted. I'm sure some of you have been wondering if anything was going to happen. Well, we are one quarter of the way through the story, and things start to happen very fast.
The Redhead and the PM is forty (40) chapters long. I have it set up for 21 postings; however, some of the final proofing for the latter chapters is not completed. Specifically, some of the UK unique things haven't been gone over by someone who knows. I made many errors in the first few chapters out of ignorance. That's because, as much as I try, I haven't learned enough British unique language and geography features from my five trips to England, and watching PBS. So, the posting will take a while. Right now, just the first twelve chapters are mostly ready to go.
Today's posting is the next to the last for Musetta's Waltz. This is the first of the new material - the material that had been removed before publishing the first edition. The primary reason for not publishing this chapter was because it revealed the tunnel between the two houses. That was an still an important secret. When you read The Redhead and the PM, it will become obvious the reason they can now talk about it. The next and last posting is two chapters and they reveal something that wasn't even hinted at in the first edition. They reveal a slightly different Musetta.
I am posting each of the novellas of The Cynthia Chronicles on Stardust. They will be posted as complete novellas, rather than a chapter at a time. This might help the readers enjoy an entire story without a break. Portia
Musetta Floria Meyers has been released from prison, her convictions have been reversed. She has arrived in Redding, California, and has met the O'Donnell's. Everything is looking particularly sunny for her future.
Checks can be made out & sent to:
Joyce Melton
1001 Third St.
Space 80
Calimesa, CA 92320
USA
Note: $6000 is the operating, maintenance and upgrade budget. Amounts received in excess of the $6000 will be applied to long term debt accrued over the last 19 years.
