Living the Dream

Wow! The end of August is upon us. I hope you enjoyed your summer. I did. Last week, I had a chance to meet with friends in the beautiful town of Alexandria Bay, NY. Great way to say goodbye to summer.

This week, the authors from Tuesday Tales are writing to the word prompt QUICK. I’m continuing with Listen to the Stones.

“The estate has to stay intact. That’s the trust and responsibility Great-uncle Angus left me. It’s a sacred obligation that’s been handed down through the centuries, one I agreed to accept even if I don’t understand everything it entails, but I intend to learn.”

Jerome nodded. It was probably the best he could hope for. Whatever closeness they’d had previously now seemed as distant as the relationship in his dreams.

She focused on her meal, eating in silence, her mind no doubt processing what he’d said earlier. She set down her fork.

“As for you being Mage Lewis Harris … you are an exceptional author, and I will keep your secret.” She pushed her plate to the side even though she’d only eaten a small portion of the excellent meal. “But I sense you’re still keeping something from me.”

He heaved a sigh and put down his fork.

“Do you believe in reincarnation, Marina?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “In the past, I would’ve been quick to say no, but a great many things have happened to me in the last few months that I don’t understand. I never believed in magic and sorcery, but even that’s become a gray area for me. My uncle left a letter for me with Ewen. In it, he asked me to visit Bronagh, but I heard on the radio that the woman is dead, some kind of gas explosion. Odd don’t you think that a woman believed to be clairvoyant would make that kind of mistake?”

He nodded and speared a potato more forcefully than he should have.

“Yes, I heard.” He swallowed. How much of what he knew should he share? He didn’t want any more complications between them, but how could he explain the vision he’d had, the journey quest Bronagh had taken him on with her dying breaths?

Raven meowed, the sound annoyed. He looked at her and swore the cat’s face had taken on angry human characteristics.

You said you’d be honest with her. She needs every bit of truth, not just what you seem willing to share. Her life and yours depend on it.

The voice inside his head was loud and commanding, but where had it come from? It wasn’t Bronagh’s voice, but it carried the same tone of command.

He glanced around quickly, his gaze focusing on Marina once more. Had she heard anything?

That’s it. Come back next week for more. Don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

Welcome to this week’s Tuesday Tales. Our word prompt is SWEAT. Things are heating up in Listen to the Stones. Enjoy!

Jerome watched Marina leave the room. She’d only asked the one question, but she’d watched him so intently that it had felt as if she were looking into his soul.

He swiped at the beads of sweat on his forehead. If she didn’t believe what he’d told her, she would never accept the rest.

When Marina returned with the plates, the television announcer informed them that the game had been called on account of the rain and that the teams would play tomorrow. The canceled game would be rescheduled if needed.

“It looks like you can call it an early night if you want to.”

He stared at the roast beef she’d set before him, his mouth watering at the aroma.

“This looks absolutely incredible.”

She nodded and reached for her wine glass.

They ate in silence, if you could call the way Marina toyed with her food eating. She set down her fork and spoke, breaking the uncomfortable quietude.

“Thank you for explaining things to me. I’ve never known an author, so I can’t say whether I agree or disagree about your need to keep it to yourself, but I do respect your right to do so. I’ve heard of celebrity stalkings, and they would concern me as well. As to your desire to keep the stones safe, although I have only seen drawings of them, I too feel the need to protect them. James thinks it’s unnecessary, but … how can I go about getting them registered?”

“I can get the necessary documents for you tomorrow. I thought we might go to the stones in the morning,” he continued, confused by her placid demeanor. “Now that I’ve met you and have gotten to know you, I have no interest in seeing you leave here when your year is up.” He swallowed. “I won’t lie to you again, but I would like you to consider selling me the croft closest to the stones. I want to move back to the Isle of Lewis permanently and make writing my sole occupation. Will you think about it? I will study the stones as an archeologist because they fascinate me, but I will need quiet time with them to sit and listen to their stories and a place where I can work undisturbed.”

She shook her head and met his gaze. “Understand this. None of Fraser land is for sale, at least not as long as I live.”

That’s it. Come back next week for more. Don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

We’ve all heard the expression that nothing hurts as much as words, but words also have the power to heal.

When I came across the file folder holding the the poems I’d written almost 30 years ago, I asked myself why I’d stopped writing poetry. Of course, I was involved in writing curriculum at the time as well as teaching, and later I got into writing novels, but it occurred to me that poems have an eternal quality about them. They mean something different to everyone based on their life experiences. I recall telling my students that the only one who truly knows the meaning and context of a poem is the author. I believed it then, and I believe that now.

Sometimes, life had more speedbumps and potholes than smooth roads, and those are the times when we need comfort and understanding. I may be struggling with a body determined to put me on the sidelines, but others are struggling with emotional pain. I can take a pill to soothe mine; there are no pills to soothe theirs.

I wrote “I’m Always There for You” in 1996. Its message is just as relevant today as it was then, and while the people may change, the sentiment remains.

At times like these, when everything seems to be going

Wrong, I long to be able to hold you close and help

Ease your pain. I know that comforting words really

Don’t seem to be the answer now, but just remember,

I’m always there for you.

It’s easy for me to say that tomorrow is another day.

How can I possibly believe such words can take away

The ache of a broken heart, the loneliness of a crushed

Spirit, the fear of the future? But please remember,

I’m always there for you.

I can’t give you all the answers, I can’t even give you all the

Questions, but trust in me, and I can help you search

For solutions that are true and lasting. I want to ease

Your sorrow, see you safely through this time, but please remember,

I’m always there for you.

And when the storm is over, and the sun appears anew,

I’ll be there to share your joy and laughter as the sad memories

Fade, replaced by good ones meant to be cherished and endure;

And then, dear friend, you will know at last that

I will always be there for you.

Have a great weekend and while we’re expecting more rain, someone’s enjoying a nice sunny summer day!

Welcome to this week’s Tuesday Tales. I’m continuing with Listen to the Stones. This week, our word prompt is BURNED.

Carrying it back to the sofa, she reached for the amulet once more. Raven, wide awake, sat beside her. Marina turned the pendant over and held the magnifying glass above it. The handle seemed to hum and warm as she held it. As if by magic, the tarnish vanished, leaving the handle shining as if it were new. The handle clearly depicted exquisitely carved shells, a trident, and runes, what one would expect to see on an item supposedly belonging to the king of the sea. What was even more surprising was the fact that the smoky glass had cleared.

As she looked through it, she watched the runes on the back of the amulet move, rearrange themselves, and grow larger until she could see the message clearly and understand it. The words, written in an ancient language, were from whoever had gifted her the unusual piece of jewelry and explained its purpose. She read the words aloud.

“Daughter of the sea, this is my gift to you. Eyes that have been shrouded from the truth will gradually clear as the time of reckoning approaches. Be open to the truth. Sense it in all its forms, but beware the deceiver. He who believes his lies speaks the truth as he perceives it. When the time is right, wear this against your skin to reveal all that you are, all that you were, and all that you will be. Do not fear the truth, princess. Embrace it. Use it to reveal what must be and free those imprisoned.”

She turned to Raven. “Well, that’s clear as mud.”

The cat meowed in agreement, her small head cocked.

Marina swallowed. What should she do next? She sat back, realizing that the magnifying glass had returned to its original state. Taking it and the necklace into her bedroom, she placed the magnifying glass inside its velvet shroud. She was about to put on the necklace when she heard the voice she’d heard earlier.

“It isn’t time child. Put it away for now.”

Her cheeks burned in anger. “I don’t know who and what you are,” she spoke aloud to the room, but and only because I need to think about all this, I’ll do as you say, but it you are a damn ghost, then you’re going to have to show yourself soon.

The voice laughed.

That’s it. Come back next week for more. Don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

Hard to believe that summer is slowly coming to an end, but the signs are here. Leaves are slowly starting to turn red, a sure sign that fall is getting closer every day. I can’t complain. Summer has been good to me, although the storms did take down a few trees. I’m hoping fall and winter will be good ones, too.

August 7 question – Do you use AI in your writing and if so how? Do you use it for your posts? Incorporate it into your stories? Use it for research? Audio?

If you had asked me this a year ago, I would’ve said no, never, but in the past few months, I’ve come to see and understand a different side of AI. Do I use it in my writing, apparently I do. I use spellcheck, find synonyms, look up information, and use the text to speech function to read to me since I find it easier to pick out errors if I both hear and see them. I’ve tried tthe speech to text side of it, but I’m not impressed. You might say that I think through my fingers and my mouth can’t keep up.

My cover artist has embraced the use of AI in her covers and the new ones are gorgeous. I had AI make me an illustration for a blog post last week because I couldn’t find what I wanted in my own pictures or those that are free to download, so I may use that function again.

But do I use it to actually write, to generate ideas, etc.? Abosolutely not. My content is 100% human thinking. The stories and characters I create in my mind are 100% my own. I give birth to them, nuture them, then let them have their heads and craft the stories they give me. Will I ever have to resort to AI for the actual writing? I hope not, because when I run out of ideas, it’ll be time to shut down the computer for the last time.

Check out other responses here: https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

Wow! August is here already. It’s been a busy summer with home renovations, but I’ve still managed to get some writing done. This week, the authors of Tuesday Tales are writing to the prompt, HOT.

He shook his head. “And again at her hotel in Inverness.” He repeated what Marina had told her about locking herself in her room that night. “I should’ve admitted the truth then. Now, it may be too late. She may not believe a thing I say. There’s something else.” He told Nathan about the notes and the dead rat, ending the conversation about the missing three hours she claimed she’d slept on a bench in Edinburgh.

“Bloody hell. This is a hot mess, isn’t it now? I’m glad someone is taking those threats seriously, but those lost three hours in Edinburgh make no sense. Surely someone would’ve roused her—the police, another tourist—” Nathan stopped and glared at him. “Were you in Edinburgh at the time?”

“No. I went from London straight to Inverness.”

“Then she can’t accuse you of drugging her or what have you, but I’ll wager she was nowhere near that bench for all of that time.” He stood. “I don’t like this, Jerome. It feels as if you’re being set up, although for what, I’ve no idea. Let me make a few inquiries—see where James was while she was in Edinburgh. Ewen told me why her letter almost missed her. It was misaddressed from here. Only someone in his office could’ve done it. He blamed a temp, but I have my doubts. I mentioned earlier that James was raised by his Aunt Mary. The woman went to her grave swearing she was the rightful heir to Fraser Hall, born on the wrong side of the bed, but the heir, nonetheless. The old laws didn’t recognize the rights of those born out of wedlock, and when you get right down to it, Marina was also born on the wrong side of the sheets, although her father did claim her as his own. MacNish is a good lawyer. It’s quite possible that he has no interest in Marina and simply wants her fortune. There are three ways to get it: petition the courts, marry her, or see her dead. Be careful.”

Jerome nodded. None of those options appealed.

Thanking both Nathan and Nadia for their hospitality, he left their home and headed back to Fraser Hall, still not sure what to say to Marina, but aware of the danger of lying. If only he could ask the stones, but it seemed as if they had turned their back on him, too.

That’s it. Come back next week for more. Don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

Back in 1996, I challenged my English class to write a poem based on a disaster. While I can’t share theirs with you, I can share the one I wrote. The disaster I used was the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. Little did I know an even worse disaster was only five years away on September 9, 2001.

“What a marvelous day,” she says with a grin,

Looking out her window, thrilled with her news as,

Second by second, life continues to tick

For the secretary at her desk, as the hands

On the bomb meet, in a lovers’ caress.

A hush. Time ceases to exist. The bomb lives,

Life ends. Humanity’s ultimate cruelty wins.

No baby for the young wife on the third floor,

No happiness, no regrets; love and laughter destroyed.

“Why?” scream the hearts of families, friends, and lovers

Of one they will never again see, hear, hold, or kiss.

The future, a lifetime of possibilities gone.

No warning, no reason. Amidst the debris of bricks and steel,

A husband left behind shudders, wishing for death,

Anything to ease the burden of facing destiny alone.

A shocked world sits in grim silence watching,

Held prisoner by the gruesome electronic screen,

Creature feeding on agony and despair,

Unfurling the outrage and sin.

And as the soul in purgatory gets its release,

Earth swallows the leavings.

Nothing more to see.

That’s the end of the poem and yet, for all those who have lost loved ones to terrorism, it’s just the beginning of long, lonely futures. Unlike writing a novel, a poem can capture one moment without worrying about the rules and conventions of writing.

Enjoy the coming week.

Well, just like that July is almost over. Soon, we’ll slip into the dog days of summer. How have you enjoyed yourself? Have you traveled or did you indulge in a stay vacation? I’ve done a bit of both.

This week, the TT authors are working with the word prompt, COLD. I’m continuing with Listen to the Stones and moving toward the ending. Enjoy.

Once again, Jerome silently cursed the fiend who’d murdered Bronagh. She would’ve known what he had to do, but she’d taken the knowledge to the grave.

After Marina had walked away with James, Nadia had asked her husband about the gentlemen’s agreement, but top notch solicitor that he was, Nathan had looked his wife in the eye and had claimed lawyer-client privilege, not revealing that he was the client. She hadn’t been impressed, but since they had to get home for Jerry’s feeding, she hadn’t argued the point. Still, he would wager Nathan had a long evening ahead of him since Nadia had avoided them both, giving them the cold shoulder since they’d gotten back to the house.

He stood. “If I’m going to make it back to the Hall for dinner at seven, I suppose I should get going.” He looked James in the eye. “Do you think she knows it’s me?”

He didn’t have to explain who she was.

Nathan rolled his eyes. “Are you serious?” He finished the pint he’d been nursing for the last hour. “Of course she knows it’s you. Why else would she have said it the way she did? The bigger question is how did she learn of it? She said Ewen had mentioned it, but I never said a word to him, so it had to have been Angus. Of course it could be Aunt Maeve. She was privy to everything that went on in that house. My money is on MacNish doing it. It’s the perfect way to discredit you and make his suit the better option.” He chuckled. “Did you see the look on his face when she spoke? He was as surprised as we were. I have no doubt he didn’t expect Lady Fraser to lay down her hand like that. So what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to have to come clean and tell her the truth. What else can I do?”

“Well, unless you’re ready to tell her everything, choose your words carefully; otherwise, she’ll think you’re mad. There’s no shame in being a bestselling author, nor is there anything wrong with being inspired by trees, water, or stones. The problem is when you claim they speak to you and that the tales you weave are the stories they tell you. And when you tell her that, will you also admit you’re the man who frightened her at the airport in London?”

That’s it. Come back next week for more. Don’t forget to check out the other Tuesday Tales.

Long before I decided to write short stories and novels, I tried my skills at writing poetry. My eldest son was diagnosed with schizophrenia in his second year of university. If you know anything about mental illness, then you know that the patient isn’t the only one who suffers. Once released form the hospital, he left. We didn’t know where he was and that’s when I wrote The Voice.

No matter where I go, no matter how I try,

I cannot escape ti; it’s part of me.

It threatens my sanity with what if and why,

It’s never really satisfied, the voice deep inside.

Did I do my best? Did I do all that I could’ve done?

Would he have stayed if I had tried to understand?

Did I love him too much, smother him alive?

It’s not really forgiving, the voice deep inside.

How do I know if I made the right choice?

How do I live with the fear and the doubt?

Will he ever be happy? Will he be satisfied?

It’s not really comforting, the voice deep inside.

Like a leech, it sucks away at my self-esteem,

Leaving me once more alone and confused.

Will he call? Will he write? Is he safe?

It’s never quiet, the mother’s voice deep inside.

After a difficult decade, our son accepted his illness, received treatment and has been able to get on with his life. Today, he owns his own web design business, works as a tutor for the local college, and is an Elder in his church. He has a strong, supportive group of friends. If you want to see a sample of his work, check out my website. https://mhsusannematthews.ca/

Mental illnesses like schizophrenia, now referred to as a spectrum disorder, can’t be cured, but for those lucky enough, like my son, they can be controled. We are truly blessed.

Have a great weekend!

My bathroom is almost finished. The new white vanity has been delayed, but this one will be going in my husband’s bathroom come September when we complete the second part of our bathroom upgrades.

I love it! I’ve taken a bath and a shower in my new tub, used the jets and the mood light, and relaxed. What a thrill it is to soak in hot water once again. While it’s going to be a tight fit for my son, my husband is looking forward to soaking in it, too, especially after curling this winter.

Here are a few more pics.

And did you guess the theme of the decor? If you said lighthouses and the ocean, you would be correct.

We went from this

to this in eight days!

Pretty impressive!