Advent Calendar – Day 11

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In the spirit of Christmas and the Advent Calendar that has been revamped and re-purposed in myriad ways, I have decided to do one of another sort.  Instead of taking one chocolate per day (or wine or whatever goodie is in vogue) or adding one item into a box to donate for a good cause (a very good thing, indeed) I have chosen to send a little love to my favourite blogs.

Day 11 – Graffiti Lux and Murals AND Queen’s End

Resa McConaghy is one busy woman!  Not only is she a costume designer by day, she is also a photographer, a writer and creates the most gorgeous art gowns, evah!  (Click on her name to go to her website and drool away.  I promise you, you have never seen such magical dresses.)

We follow a few blogs in common – most notably, A Frank Angle and have bantered over songs in his musicals regularly.  I suppose I’ll have to give him credit for this one, too 😉

Queen’s End blog is, I would say, more dedicated to her writing.  Speaking of which, I have her book “Nine Black Lives” downloaded and, when I get a chance to sit down for more than fifteen minutes, will read it.

Where I first got to know Resa is from her Graffiti blog where she shares wonderful street art, not only from her home towns of Toronto and Winnipeg, but from wherever she travels.  Resa will also accept submissions (and I now find myself paying more attention to the ones in Montreal than ever before; determined to one day send her some…) and will share them.

Resa is one creative, sexy, glamourous lady!

 

 

A gift of dreams – a short story for Christmas

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I think it’s time for a new Christmas Story to enjoy.

Harvesting Hecate

My food ran out days ago and there’s no prospect of rescue up here at the top of the world. I try to put up my tent, but the arctic wind bludgeons and tears at the fabric. My compass is gone, my GPS is behaving strangely and the whiteout obliterates the stars. I no longer know which direction to walk in. The next time I fall, I stay there, slumped in the snow, ready to give in to sleep at last.

I drift, watching flurries of snow dart past my goggles. The snowstorm cancels out any differences in the landscape. When my eyes close it’s darker, but that’s the only difference, it seems, between being awake or asleep.

There is something tugging me. Something rough and insistent. I try to shrug it off but it gives me no rest. I open my eyes to a blur of dark movement. It…

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Advent Calendar – Day 10

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In the spirit of Christmas and the Advent Calendar that has been revamped and re-purposed in myriad ways, I have decided to do one of another sort.  Instead of taking one chocolate per day (or wine or whatever goodie is in vogue) or adding one item into a box to donate for a good cause (a very good thing, indeed) I have chosen to send a little love to my favourite blogs.

Day 10 – Fiction Favorites

There are more than a few of us in the same circle as John W. Howell, and I could give credit to more than one for directing me towards this here wonderful site.  However, in the name of fairness and to avoid any unnecessary jealousy, I shall refrain from naming names 😉 .  Suffice it to say that it was a good day when I went from just exchanging banters with John on other people’s blogs to outright bantering on our own blogs 😉

The man is a published author (I’m waiting for my copy to arrive of “Circumstances of Childhood”).  When it comes to John’s blog, we are treated to various themes, such as:  Monday’s “Top 10 Things Not to do…” – a hilarious list of things not to do with a sneaky insertion of history; Thursday’s “A Little Personal” could be a tour of his Port Aransas, TX ‘hood or a description of any day-to-day life told through the eyes of his four-legged babies, Bailey, Lucy and Twiggy – each one adorable.  On Wednesdays John gives us a little more of an on-going story, leaving us to wonder what’s coming next (he, himself is making it up as he goes along so…)

I’ll leave the rest of the days of the week for you to explore!  Go ahead, you won’t be disappointed!

Advent Calendar – Day 9

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In the spirit of Christmas and the Advent Calendar that has been revamped and re-purposed in myriad ways, I have decided to do one of another sort.  Instead of taking one chocolate per day (or wine or whatever goodie is in vogue) or adding one item into a box to donate for a good cause (a very good thing, indeed) I have chosen to send a little love to my favourite blogs.

Day 9:  Daisy Smiley Face

Tara is rather new in my blog family.  I had seen a comment or twelve of bantering between her and Marc over at Sorryless and they made me smile so I moseyed on over to her joint to take a look-see and was most pleasantly surprised.  Before long we were bantering as well.

This chick (wait, I can’t use that term, can I?) woman has a great sense of humour, loves her music and seriously, how can you resist someone who names their blog after one of the happiest flowers out there?  I mean, really.  Impossible to resist. Plus, Tara’s byline is “My Happy Place”.  My kinda joint, I tell ya.

This blog is full of friendly chat, fun challenges, beautiful pictures, and great music (she insists she’s got the music in her!)

 

Advent Calendar – Day 8

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In the spirit of Christmas and the Advent Calendar that has been revamped and re-purposed in myriad ways, I have decided to do one of another sort.  Instead of taking one chocolate per day (or wine or whatever goodie is in vogue) or adding one item into a box to donate for a good cause (a very good thing, indeed) I have chosen to send a little love to my favourite blogs.

Day 9 – Cronechronicler

This lovely lady goes by the name Vivachange77 and I’ve been following her for over three years, thanks to Andrea over at Harvesting Hecate.  Those circles, I tell you!  She shares her life’s happenings through poetry of all sorts, oftentimes through a simple, perfectly worded Haiku.

Regularly, we’ll get a non-poem-styled post where she shares the joys and funny happenings of life and getting older.  Kudos to this lady who took (or rather, re-took) to writing later on in life!

I once had an exchange with her (of course I can’t find it) where we discussed her use of “crone” and I told her I could not bring myself to use such a term!  She very gently explained that a crone is a not just an evil old woman; there is a positive aspect in that she is a grandmother, a wisdom keeper, seer and healer and midwife.  I no longer feel it is a harsh term!  And, it definitely applies to you, dear Vivi!

Advent Calendar – Day 7

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In the spirit of Christmas and the Advent Calendar that has been revamped and re-purposed in myriad ways, I have decided to do one of another sort.  Instead of taking one chocolate per day (or wine or whatever goodie is in vogue) or adding one item into a box to donate for a good cause (a very good thing, indeed) I have chosen to send a little love to my favourite blogs.

Good morning, lovelies!

Day 7 – Crimsonprose

I met Crispina Kemp during Camp NaNoWriMo last April – I think!  I know we follow certain bloggers in common so if it’s not at Camp then, it’s whatevs!  That said, we have had our fair share of exchanges since.

She loves to take walks, is a mushroom aficionado and has the beautiful pics and knowledge to prove it.  She is also a history buff and every time she visits some old joint, we get a lesson in the what’s what in a most interesting way.  She also loves to participate in various writing challenges and is a delight to read.

As if this is not enough, this lovely British lady (having never seen her, I still maintain she is as lovely on the outside as she is on the inside), who has a wonderful sense of humour as well, is writing not one, not two but a set of FOUR books called Asaric Tales, which is a Mythic Fantasy Quest and I am delighted to be a beta reader for book 2 (she wanted fresh eyes and you can’t get fresher than mine 😉 )

 

Advent Calendar – Day 6

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In the spirit of Christmas and the Advent Calendar that has been revamped and re-purposed in myriad ways, I have decided to do one of another sort.  Instead of taking one chocolate per day (or wine or whatever goodie is in vogue) or adding one item into a box to donate for a good cause (a very good thing, indeed) I have chosen to send a little love to my favourite blogs.

Good morning my readers!  Time for a new treat!

Day 6:  Castelsarrazin

Sandra Crook is a wonderful writer whom I “met” through Friday Fictioneers.  Her ability to grab you and suck you in, in a mere 100 words is amazing.  She is a master (mistress?) of the short story and I’m always happy to see her face in the FF “Hollywood Squares” because, even when she tries to tell us her story is not her best, it is always beyond good.  She has written quite a few longer stories that have won her more than a few awards ~ most first place winners, I might add – with good reason.  Her latest may have gotten her a third place, but honestly, I thought it deserved first!  I am biased.  You, read it, you’ll see it is fabulous!

Sandra has shared her sailing adventures on “Désormais”, though that chapter of her life is over, as well as her love of photography of nature, mostly flowers.  She has a wonderful sense of humour, a dry wit, as well as a dark side when needed for her stories.  Don’t be fooled by that sweet face, she’s not all flowrs and sweetness!