May 14, 2012
Micro Wave: A story
Micro Wave
The only time Micro ever left his house was at dusk to walk his pug dog, Dumpling. Neighbors got used to the sight of the old man and the pug, both huffing and puffing with every step, as they made their way down to the old wooden pier, jutting out into the Ohio River. Once there, the two would sit on that old pier until dark or after, catching their breath and gazing out into the dark water.
"Didn't always have breathing problems," Micro said, "but years of chain smoking spotted my lungs. Now old Dumplin' here," he said, "well, he come to me snortin' and snuffin'. No bigger than my hand when I got him." He studied the palms of his big calloused hands and then bent and patted the little dog.
Back when Micro moved into the house on the lower east side, down next to the river, he said his name was Micro Wave. His disability checks came addressed that way so people figured he was telling the truth. Or the truth as far as Micro knew it. Truth to Micro wasn't always truth to the others. Neighbors learned that about the old man right off.
He told stories that made people wonder. Like the one about a wife named Ocean Wave and about being part of the Woodstock scene and the Hough Avenue Riots and the Kent State shootings.
Micro was neither black nor white but somewhere in between. He said he didn't stand for any one race but stood for many. He played Chuck Berry records on his phonograph, original 45's. Not worn. Worth something, he said.
"Oh, Maybelline, why can't you be true, oh, Maybelline, why're you doin' those things you used to do." The music floated out through the open windows of Micro's house, drifting out through long white curtains that billowed onto the porch, wrapping Chuck's words in gauze. Wooden spoons propped in the windows held them open year round.
Dumpling would snore and Chuck would sing. No wonder the old man's hearing was nearly shot. Or so he said, when he was still talking to the neighbors.
On Friday nights, he used to come and sit with the neighbors, whoever had chairs out, and he'd talk until he ran out of words. Or until he'd take a coughing fit. He would start on the weather and how it was changing and go on to Ocean Wave and how with her the tide was always turning.
One of the neighbors would finally stick a finger up to his own ear and draw a circle, indicating to the group that Micro was crazy. Others, though, drew in every word he uttered. He may have been crazy, but he was entertaining-crazy on hot summer nights.
Right before he quit coming out of his house for anything except to walk his pug dog at dusk, he told me in detail how it was at Kent State. The National Guard. The shots ringing out. The blood. And that awful sound of the screaming. How it made his ears ring, even today. He couldn't have told it as well if he hadn't been there.
Some people came away with pictures of it, he said. He came away with a scar. Neighbors never saw any scar. It could be his scar was in a place eyes couldn't see. Maybe not even his own.
the end
I have a collection of short stories. Some very different than what I usually write.
This one is certainly different.
Not sure where it came from but I'm thankful it arrived. I'd be interested in your thoughts good or bad or indifferent. I'm deciding which stories to leave out of the book of stories I hope to publish on Kindle this summer. Spill your thoughts below. Many thanks! Bless you on this cloudy in Ohio Monday!
May 11, 2012
Vada Faith Free Mother's Day
Vada Faith is going to be offered free on Amazon - Kindle - on Mother's Day.
I had hoped to do another post reporting on the progress of my WIP Sweet Baby James, the follow up novel to Vada Faith.
But husband has been in hospital since Sunday night. He was in for a week before that and had came home Friday night.
Right now he's having in patient therapy to get some strength back from being so ill after his back surgery.
Between running to the hospital and keeping up with things at home it's been difficult to think much less write.
Create Space (Amazon) is almost finished putting together the paperback of Vada Faith. I've ran into so many glitches during this process that it's been frustrating. However I figure once I learn the routine it will be a piece of cake for my next project. Isn't that a laugh. So optimistic.
I'm excited to see so many bloggers now publishing books!
I look forward to reading them all. I have the Kindle on my lap top full of novels to read.
My next will be Tender Graces by Katherine Magendie. Hope I've spelled her name right. I've been following her career on facebook and her blog.
I love that her books are about West Virginia so I look forward to reading her books.
Be back soon with a report on how the writing is going.
Let me know what you are doing these days. Reading, writing or just relaxing???
Take care and blessings all.
Have a great Mother's Day.
I had hoped to do another post reporting on the progress of my WIP Sweet Baby James, the follow up novel to Vada Faith.
But husband has been in hospital since Sunday night. He was in for a week before that and had came home Friday night.
Right now he's having in patient therapy to get some strength back from being so ill after his back surgery.
Between running to the hospital and keeping up with things at home it's been difficult to think much less write.
Create Space (Amazon) is almost finished putting together the paperback of Vada Faith. I've ran into so many glitches during this process that it's been frustrating. However I figure once I learn the routine it will be a piece of cake for my next project. Isn't that a laugh. So optimistic.
I'm excited to see so many bloggers now publishing books!
I look forward to reading them all. I have the Kindle on my lap top full of novels to read.
My next will be Tender Graces by Katherine Magendie. Hope I've spelled her name right. I've been following her career on facebook and her blog.
I love that her books are about West Virginia so I look forward to reading her books.
Be back soon with a report on how the writing is going.
Let me know what you are doing these days. Reading, writing or just relaxing???
Take care and blessings all.
Have a great Mother's Day.
April 29, 2012
What are you reading?
Right now I'm reading several books that I would not ordinarily read. I'm taking advantage of the free books on Kindle.
I don't have a Kindle unit but downloaded for free the reading app to my laptop.
Every day I get the Pixel newsletter from Amazon which lists the free books for that day - and you can too! Let me know and I'll make sure you get it if you do not know how.
I glance through the offerings, somehow I cannot ignore good stories that are free. Many are stories I would not go to a book shop and pay for. I'm learning that I like all kinds of writing and stories. And I'm finding new authors to follow.
Right now I am reading Hippie Boy: A girl's Story. Very good. By Ingrid Ricks. Not a book I'd ordinarily buy. Free - I've learned to love it. Now, I'd even buy it!
I've also started PROMISE ME THIS by Cathy Gohlke, a story about characters on the Titanic. very good read.
I've downloaded but not read Leaving the Comfort Cafe by Dawn DeAnna Wilson and Muffin Man by Brad Whittington, because of his name.
Another story I downloaded, read and loved was by Ann Carbine Best, a blogging buddy, titled
Imprisoned: Svetlana Garetova's Memoir. A true story told by Ann. Beautifully written and very poignant. A great read for .99. It's a short story.
Kindle has opened so many doors to my reading world. Not only has it provided a home for my novel VADA FAITH but it's made available to me books I would not ordinarily know about. I've discovered a different kind of writing that I would not usually read. So thanks Amazon for that lovely gift!
I read recently for free Ghost Ala Mode by Sue Ann Jaffarian, another book I most likely would not have known about. Sue does the Granny Apple series of mysteries. A shorter novel but one I thoroughly enjoyed.
I've downloaded six or eight more books including one called Spying in High Heels and Riversong. Both look inviting. I'll let you know more as I start those.
Now, I always have something at hand to read which has never before happened in this reader's life.
I'd love to know what you are reading and if it's in book form or ebook form. I love that ebooks have provided us with another form of reading. I don't see it in competition with paperbacks or hardbacks but see it as an addition to them.
I also do not think "real" books will be a thing of the past. There will always be those of us who love to have the feel of a book in our hands as opposed to a cold hard piece of plastic.
What do you think about the new ebooks? Are you a fan or not? Which form of book do you like best? Most of all, please share with me the titles of what you are reading. And do you like non fiction or fiction best. Of course, I like fiction best as I get tired of my own life and like to step into another from time to time.
And if you are a writer/reader as I am, let me know what you are reading as well as what you are writing. Blessings and thanks for stopping by.
I don't have a Kindle unit but downloaded for free the reading app to my laptop.
Every day I get the Pixel newsletter from Amazon which lists the free books for that day - and you can too! Let me know and I'll make sure you get it if you do not know how.
I glance through the offerings, somehow I cannot ignore good stories that are free. Many are stories I would not go to a book shop and pay for. I'm learning that I like all kinds of writing and stories. And I'm finding new authors to follow.
Right now I am reading Hippie Boy: A girl's Story. Very good. By Ingrid Ricks. Not a book I'd ordinarily buy. Free - I've learned to love it. Now, I'd even buy it!
I've also started PROMISE ME THIS by Cathy Gohlke, a story about characters on the Titanic. very good read.
I've downloaded but not read Leaving the Comfort Cafe by Dawn DeAnna Wilson and Muffin Man by Brad Whittington, because of his name.
Another story I downloaded, read and loved was by Ann Carbine Best, a blogging buddy, titled
Imprisoned: Svetlana Garetova's Memoir. A true story told by Ann. Beautifully written and very poignant. A great read for .99. It's a short story.
Kindle has opened so many doors to my reading world. Not only has it provided a home for my novel VADA FAITH but it's made available to me books I would not ordinarily know about. I've discovered a different kind of writing that I would not usually read. So thanks Amazon for that lovely gift!
I read recently for free Ghost Ala Mode by Sue Ann Jaffarian, another book I most likely would not have known about. Sue does the Granny Apple series of mysteries. A shorter novel but one I thoroughly enjoyed.
I've downloaded six or eight more books including one called Spying in High Heels and Riversong. Both look inviting. I'll let you know more as I start those.
Now, I always have something at hand to read which has never before happened in this reader's life.
I'd love to know what you are reading and if it's in book form or ebook form. I love that ebooks have provided us with another form of reading. I don't see it in competition with paperbacks or hardbacks but see it as an addition to them.
I also do not think "real" books will be a thing of the past. There will always be those of us who love to have the feel of a book in our hands as opposed to a cold hard piece of plastic.
What do you think about the new ebooks? Are you a fan or not? Which form of book do you like best? Most of all, please share with me the titles of what you are reading. And do you like non fiction or fiction best. Of course, I like fiction best as I get tired of my own life and like to step into another from time to time.
And if you are a writer/reader as I am, let me know what you are reading as well as what you are writing. Blessings and thanks for stopping by.
April 26, 2012
On Bucking Up and Moving On...
I've decided today that I need to "buck up." I need to quit feeling sorry for myself and move out of the slow moping lane I've been in the past two weeks.
My pancreas has reared its ugly head recently and I'm not feeling my best. With any chronic condition you never know what each day will bring. However, it is - thank God - a condition that I can live with. There are some remedies that help and I need to realize many do not have my options when they have an illness.
Instead of giving in to my condition, I'm girding myself up to be strong - at least for today. My plan is, as I sit here on the comfy sofa writing about it, to do my yoga that helps, to do my neck exercises so I can move my otherwise stiff neck which give me an additional boost of energy.
Surgery a few years ago left my neck with rods and pins! and little movement which makes it hard to drive if I don't keep it loosened. And yes exercise and heat daily keep it more flexible.
I'm in the middle of the process of creating my paperbacks for Vada Faith. I keep saying they will be finished in a few weeks. It's taken longer than I anticipated. However they will be done in time for the West Virginia Writers Conference starting June 8th and that has been my goal all along. I had intended to do the project myself along with Amazon's create space. Instead I've had to pay for assistance from them which will end in a much better product. More professional. I'm excited and can't wait to have the paperback in my hand. It will be available on Amazon and I will have books to take to local book signings in Ohio and West Virginia.
I've started editing a book of short stories that I hope to have on Kindle this summer sometime and I'm working on the novel SWEET BABY JAMES, which features Vada Faith and her family again. In the beginning I thought I would call it the Shady Creek Series which is the fictional town where the stories take place but I wasn't sure how long it would take me to finish the second book so dropped the idea.
They stand alone yet are intertwined.
R had back surgery several weeks ago and that has kept us close to home. He's doing well and I expect him to be outside on his riding mower in another month. Or at least I'm hoping. Right now our daughter and grand daughter are cutting our grass. I keep saying I am going to learn to drive that danged mower but so far I've not actually given it a try. Last summer I went out to help R on a HOT day and before I could get on the mower I was overcome by heat and had to come back inside. NO LIE. That's from a person who enjoys summer from the air conditioned living room. I will do better this summer, I promise him and myself.
SO what is everyone doing? I've neglected to write a post because I've been down. I wrote one last week and deleted it hopefully before anyone could read it. It was way too down and nobody needs to be pulled down by someone else.
The weather here in Ohio is rainy today. We had a major hail storm at 7 a.m and hailed piled up on our deck. It's gone now at 11 a.m. I'm ready for some of that warm weather.
Here's to a great day for each of you and I'll take a small helping as well.
Let me know what you are up to!!! Thanks.
My pancreas has reared its ugly head recently and I'm not feeling my best. With any chronic condition you never know what each day will bring. However, it is - thank God - a condition that I can live with. There are some remedies that help and I need to realize many do not have my options when they have an illness.
Instead of giving in to my condition, I'm girding myself up to be strong - at least for today. My plan is, as I sit here on the comfy sofa writing about it, to do my yoga that helps, to do my neck exercises so I can move my otherwise stiff neck which give me an additional boost of energy.
Surgery a few years ago left my neck with rods and pins! and little movement which makes it hard to drive if I don't keep it loosened. And yes exercise and heat daily keep it more flexible.
I'm in the middle of the process of creating my paperbacks for Vada Faith. I keep saying they will be finished in a few weeks. It's taken longer than I anticipated. However they will be done in time for the West Virginia Writers Conference starting June 8th and that has been my goal all along. I had intended to do the project myself along with Amazon's create space. Instead I've had to pay for assistance from them which will end in a much better product. More professional. I'm excited and can't wait to have the paperback in my hand. It will be available on Amazon and I will have books to take to local book signings in Ohio and West Virginia.
I've started editing a book of short stories that I hope to have on Kindle this summer sometime and I'm working on the novel SWEET BABY JAMES, which features Vada Faith and her family again. In the beginning I thought I would call it the Shady Creek Series which is the fictional town where the stories take place but I wasn't sure how long it would take me to finish the second book so dropped the idea.
They stand alone yet are intertwined.
R had back surgery several weeks ago and that has kept us close to home. He's doing well and I expect him to be outside on his riding mower in another month. Or at least I'm hoping. Right now our daughter and grand daughter are cutting our grass. I keep saying I am going to learn to drive that danged mower but so far I've not actually given it a try. Last summer I went out to help R on a HOT day and before I could get on the mower I was overcome by heat and had to come back inside. NO LIE. That's from a person who enjoys summer from the air conditioned living room. I will do better this summer, I promise him and myself.
SO what is everyone doing? I've neglected to write a post because I've been down. I wrote one last week and deleted it hopefully before anyone could read it. It was way too down and nobody needs to be pulled down by someone else.
The weather here in Ohio is rainy today. We had a major hail storm at 7 a.m and hailed piled up on our deck. It's gone now at 11 a.m. I'm ready for some of that warm weather.
Here's to a great day for each of you and I'll take a small helping as well.
Let me know what you are up to!!! Thanks.
April 10, 2012
Report on our writer's meeting today...
I thought it would be fun to give everyone a report on our writer's meeting today, what each writer is in the process of doing and what we do at these meetings.
It's pretty simple, really. Sherry Hartzler or I usually lead the meeting, I guess, because we were the founders of our group: Writer's Helping Writers.
We meet at the Great Expectations Cafe in the strip mall at the Hocking Hills Flea Market on Rt. 33, near Logan.
We meet monthly and there is usually 5 to 7 of us, give or take one or two.
We each bring something to read and we give feedback. Often we pass out material to the members to take home and read, comment on, and return at the next meeting. We ask for feedback about various projects and use each other to bat ideas off of.
I plan to publish a book of short stories this summer so today I read two of those stories, titled VINNIE and the other MACON FOR GEORGIA. Very short shorts. I got great feedback, and believe me if they don't like something or a story does not work they will share it with you. Which I find helpful.
We usually have lunch in between all the reading and talking.
Today I gave a report on VADA FAITH and was happy to report that I gave away FREE over 10,000 books online. That's great publicity for my novel.
Thanks to all who uploaded VF.
Today Tina shared with us some of her plotting points for the romantic suspense she is writing and which I love and can't wait for her to write the ending so I can finish reading! She's had a number of books published. HER last FAMILY MATTERS. A great read. (JUSTINE WITTICH).
Pam read an essay about a Dashing Dane, very well written and ready to be submitted. She does a lot of travel pieces, because she travels lots. She's leaving for a trip to Italy soon. Lucky girl. She mentioned that she's submitted some of her things to a mag titled SUN. Chapel Hill, NC. She brought in a copy and it's a beautiful magazine. SO we're wishing her good luck. She's published articles in various places and I'm sure she'll be doing lots more.
Luke is just getting his rights from his old publisher and on the way to becoming his own manager with his stories and novels. He read a story based on his house being haunted by the man who killed himself in Luke's living room before Luke bought the house. He swears the house was haunted until his wife did a meeting of some sort with the ghost and asked him to leave. No more house shaking. No more sightings of poor Robert. Fingers crossed that it works as well as Luke's story.
Jill is in the process of putting her stress book titled LOVE YOURSELF MORE: STRESS LESS on Kindle and working with Booknook.biz. It's a tedious process and she's nearly finished. Hurrah Jill. She read the first two chapters of her novel about a social worker titled LOVING CARRIE. We're looking forward to more of that next month.
Plus Sherry was on hiatus for this meeting and we'll be anxious to catch up with her next month to see how her new novel DEVIL'S CHANGE is coming along.
All in all, we are really writer's helping writers. Meandering along life's path, striving to become better writers as we hopefully become better people.
It's what we do. WE do it because we have to. We're writers who are compelled to write. Do you meet with a group of people monthly with common goals? I'd like to hear about your group if you do.
Thanks for reading. Blessings!
It's pretty simple, really. Sherry Hartzler or I usually lead the meeting, I guess, because we were the founders of our group: Writer's Helping Writers.
We meet at the Great Expectations Cafe in the strip mall at the Hocking Hills Flea Market on Rt. 33, near Logan.
We meet monthly and there is usually 5 to 7 of us, give or take one or two.
We each bring something to read and we give feedback. Often we pass out material to the members to take home and read, comment on, and return at the next meeting. We ask for feedback about various projects and use each other to bat ideas off of.
I plan to publish a book of short stories this summer so today I read two of those stories, titled VINNIE and the other MACON FOR GEORGIA. Very short shorts. I got great feedback, and believe me if they don't like something or a story does not work they will share it with you. Which I find helpful.
We usually have lunch in between all the reading and talking.
Today I gave a report on VADA FAITH and was happy to report that I gave away FREE over 10,000 books online. That's great publicity for my novel.
Thanks to all who uploaded VF.
Today Tina shared with us some of her plotting points for the romantic suspense she is writing and which I love and can't wait for her to write the ending so I can finish reading! She's had a number of books published. HER last FAMILY MATTERS. A great read. (JUSTINE WITTICH).
Pam read an essay about a Dashing Dane, very well written and ready to be submitted. She does a lot of travel pieces, because she travels lots. She's leaving for a trip to Italy soon. Lucky girl. She mentioned that she's submitted some of her things to a mag titled SUN. Chapel Hill, NC. She brought in a copy and it's a beautiful magazine. SO we're wishing her good luck. She's published articles in various places and I'm sure she'll be doing lots more.
Luke is just getting his rights from his old publisher and on the way to becoming his own manager with his stories and novels. He read a story based on his house being haunted by the man who killed himself in Luke's living room before Luke bought the house. He swears the house was haunted until his wife did a meeting of some sort with the ghost and asked him to leave. No more house shaking. No more sightings of poor Robert. Fingers crossed that it works as well as Luke's story.
Jill is in the process of putting her stress book titled LOVE YOURSELF MORE: STRESS LESS on Kindle and working with Booknook.biz. It's a tedious process and she's nearly finished. Hurrah Jill. She read the first two chapters of her novel about a social worker titled LOVING CARRIE. We're looking forward to more of that next month.
Plus Sherry was on hiatus for this meeting and we'll be anxious to catch up with her next month to see how her new novel DEVIL'S CHANGE is coming along.
All in all, we are really writer's helping writers. Meandering along life's path, striving to become better writers as we hopefully become better people.
It's what we do. WE do it because we have to. We're writers who are compelled to write. Do you meet with a group of people monthly with common goals? I'd like to hear about your group if you do.
Thanks for reading. Blessings!
April 1, 2012
CALM AND BALANCED
Today I started doing yoga again.
I've missed it and the calmness and balance it brings.
I'd forgotten how good it felt to stretch and bend and listen to the soothing voice of Rodney Yee and the soothing music.
It's good for the soul.
This coming week I plan to start writing again. I've been bogged down with VADA FAITH and now it's time to let her fly on her own.
I've hovered and I've fretted and I've advertised til I'm blue in the face. It's time to let go and move on.
I'm going to start the week with another story that catches up with Vada Faith a few years after she serves as a surrogate mother.
She has a sweet baby boy she calls SWEET BABY JAMES which I hope will be the title.
The only information I can offer at this time is James is kidnapped from his own yard from his play pen.
Vada Faith of course is beside herself with worry which turns to terror when he's gone a day or so.
That's where my work begins. I have the baby kidnapped already. My job now is to get him home safe.
Hope that you will hang around for the rest of the story.
And if you are feeling a might out of sorts as I've been lately you might try yoga. Get a yoga tape and try your hand at some bends and stretches.
It's good for the soul.
God bless.
I've missed it and the calmness and balance it brings.
I'd forgotten how good it felt to stretch and bend and listen to the soothing voice of Rodney Yee and the soothing music.
It's good for the soul.
This coming week I plan to start writing again. I've been bogged down with VADA FAITH and now it's time to let her fly on her own.
I've hovered and I've fretted and I've advertised til I'm blue in the face. It's time to let go and move on.
I'm going to start the week with another story that catches up with Vada Faith a few years after she serves as a surrogate mother.
She has a sweet baby boy she calls SWEET BABY JAMES which I hope will be the title.
The only information I can offer at this time is James is kidnapped from his own yard from his play pen.
Vada Faith of course is beside herself with worry which turns to terror when he's gone a day or so.
That's where my work begins. I have the baby kidnapped already. My job now is to get him home safe.
Hope that you will hang around for the rest of the story.
And if you are feeling a might out of sorts as I've been lately you might try yoga. Get a yoga tape and try your hand at some bends and stretches.
It's good for the soul.
God bless.
March 31, 2012
Novel free today at Kindle
Vada Faith is free today on Kindle. If you have a moment check it out. It's usually $2.99 but today it's free.
If you aren't sure you'd like the story read a few sample pages and then you'll know if it's for you or not.
Many thanks!
I've missed being on here lately but creating the paperback has taken more time than expected. Then husband R had back surgery this past Thursday. He's home and recovering.God is good! (Prayers appreciated!)
Have a blessed Saturday!
Barb
http://www.amazon.com/Vada-Faith-ebook/dp/B007G97Z60/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333201069&sr=1-1
If you aren't sure you'd like the story read a few sample pages and then you'll know if it's for you or not.
Many thanks!
I've missed being on here lately but creating the paperback has taken more time than expected. Then husband R had back surgery this past Thursday. He's home and recovering.God is good! (Prayers appreciated!)
Have a blessed Saturday!
Barb
http://www.amazon.com/Vada-Faith-ebook/dp/B007G97Z60/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333201069&sr=1-1
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