Month: November 2019

Ponderings

What’s Your Jam?

FanTC

I have two playlists. One is called Inspiration. It’s a gift from the fairies. Light music. Delight music. Dreamy, whimsical, beautiful music.

Then I have Darkspiration.

A vampire’s waltz.

A witches prayer.

The chant of a sorcerer.

These are the dreams for nightmare stores. And sometimes – very sometimes – you’ll find me writing under very dark skies, very dark words, filled with very dark deeds.

The new Joker has been added to my Darkspiration, and here I edit my dark words.

“Vampire on Death Row”

Mayhaps you will read it someday.

What have you been listening to?

This has been,

Fan T. C.

NaNoWriMo

Throw-Back Thursday

FanTC

I’ve always wanted to do one of these.

Gosh, when we were kids, we came up with some of the dumbest stories. I wish we could write better back in those days and had recorded what we created, because it would be wonderful entertainment now.

Let me tell you a story from my childhood. Now, my sister and I are only 17 months apart – I always wished we were twins, she sometimes wished we were from different families. She has a brilliant gift for storytelling, and to be honest, she cultivated my imagination otherwise I would have been terribly dull. Another thing you need to know is the eldest always had to play the boy character (because there was always a boy and he was always older.) But then she surpassed me in height, and it turns out the boy always had to be taller, so for the rest of our lives, I got to be the girl.

This is neither here nor there. I’m just saying our stories were roleplays.

Cue the characters:

Mark was attractive, charming, and way strong. Like he could lift 100 pounds easily.

Marcus was even more attractive and more charming. He could lift 200 pounds!

It’s important to remember we were 11 and 12 years old here.

Then there are the girls. Cindy was pretty and sweet, and surprisingly strong too. She could lift 50 pounds.

Sidney was even more pretty and sweet, and, you guessed it, could lift 100 pounds!

This is a great cast of characters already.

Then comes the villain…

Barlow. Bully Barlow. You know he’s a villain because it’s in the title. Bully Barlow was tough stuff. He picked on kids and had a gang and a right-hand man named Joe (I had to be Joe because I was short.) But it’s important to note Bully Barlow wasn’t just mean. He was misunderstood. He had a bad habit of never being mean to girls, and rumor had it he had a crush on Cindy (or Sidney. I could never keep them straight.)

Marcus and Sidney (Cindy) weren’t really in the picture much. They were probably off fighting crime or something. Mostly they showed up when eye candy warranted it or to face off against Barlow.

Oh, I forgot something important! Bully Barlow could lift 150 pounds. Math geniuses, us.

Welcome to a glimpse into the past.

This has been,

Fanny-Procrastinating-During-NaNo

P.S. My word count is sadly lacking… Poor Mo.

NaNoWriMo

NaNo Update

FanTC

Well, I got off to a decent start the first TWO days, and then I don’t know what happened!

Life happened. That’s what. Also, lack of motivation. I might tell my darling husband “I am writing for an hour today,” but as soon as he looks at me with those puppy eyes and says, “Watch a show with me?” all perseverance goes out the window.

Another aspect of the story I’m currently writing is I’m just not feeling very inspired. It was so cool when I conceived it, but now that there’s work to be done, meh.

What we have accomplished in the place of writing this month:

  • Finally hung wedding pictures (over a year later.)
  • Rearranged kitchen decorations
  • Cleaned the entertainment room
  • All the laundry
  • Replaced the dingy shower curtains
  • Began work cleaning the garage so we can store vehicles again.
  • Started watching The Order on Netflix

So we HAVE been productive! Just not with writing…

What are your struggles this year and what have you procrastinated in the place of writing?

This as been,

The Procrastination Station

Ponderings

Coffee – Black

FanTC

People are surprised to discover coffee and caffeine act as a downer for me rather than an upper. People don’t realize redheads experience the world in subtle, different ways than the general public.

  1. Our skin lacks pigment and therefore burns quite easily. Well-known fact.
  2. Redheads require more anesthesia during surgical procedures because we seem to be immune to most pain relievers. Unfortunate, indeed.
  3. Sleep aids have been known to have the reverse effects on redheads.

In my case, my body does not metabolize caffeine in an effective manner. I have been known to drink a cup of black coffee right before bed to help me relax.

Coffee – that bold, beautiful, elixir of life – has become a “comfort blanket” if you will. The warmth and aroma is soothing. I find my anxiety seep away with each sip, and the endorphins it releases calms my mind and soul.

I’m fairly certain there is coffee in heaven.

While others drink coffee to wake up, I drink coffee simply to feel good.

Contrary-wise, if it’s a sugar macchiato or latte, you better believe I will be bouncing off the walls.

This has been,

Fanny T. Crispin

Letters to a Concerned Reader

Letters to a Concerned Reader

FanTC

I was recently asked to publish this letter from a character in one of my books. He stated he had no way of contacting the individual in question, but wanted to reach out with these sentiments.

To whom it may concern,

It has come to my attention the intensity of your concern for my well-being. Since the attack upon our city, many things have changed within our vainglorious way of life. The refugees – including myself – have barricaded ourselves in an undisclosed location. I must apologize as I cannot reveal this location. Our enemies are still by and large roaming free within our world. I cannot risk a breach in security – even this letter which I have handwritten with much care to you, my dear admirer, must be eradicated of any trace of my whereabouts. Thus, this publishing platform which may be announced anywhere, anytime, from any device.

Despite risk of disclosure, I in full confidence to our cause do reveal that the plans which were laid by our newfound allies proves highly likely to provide a satisfactory ending to this war. My comrades are few, but the enemy shall not have victory over us. We will fight, and we will win – of this I am sure.

My only concern now – if you can call it such. I worry for nothing – is that my proposed partner may have divided thoughts during battle. She pines for that pathetic doctor – disgracefully so. I cannot convince her to focus on the requirements laid upon us. What’s more, it’s grating on my nerves the way in which she fawns over him. He’s old, outdated. She would be far suited to someone more to her status and position.

I leave you with this, devoted reader: Callevale will rise from the ashes and reign victorious.

Until we meet again upon the page.

Sincerely,

Prince of Callevale Circle

End correspondance.