THE CHOICE
September 25, 2023 by Kidd Wadsworth in category Infused with Meaning by Kidd Wadsworth tagged as dreams, Flying
This is a true story.
Two nights ago, I had a dream I could fly. I opened my arms wide, pulled the wind toward me and felt my feet lift off the ground. It was glorious. With my engineering-trained mind I quickly sought practical applications.
First, my husband and I went out at night—so the neighbors wouldn’t see—and I picked all of the apples, red and ripe, off the top branches, dropping them one by one into my husband’s waiting hands. Next, I inspected the flat portion of our roof. Never buy a house with a flat roof. We worry about that 10 x 10 section constantly. Then I decided to fly out to Seattle to visit my son. But about three minutes into the flight—I was traveling at approximately 10miles/hour—I realized that Seattle is 3000 miles away. That’s a 300 hour flight.
Hearing a roar overhead, I decided to fly into the clouds and hitch a ride on a passing jumbo jet.
NO!
Those things travel at 600 miles/hour. My head would get blown off.
I suppose even flying has its practical limitations.
In the final image of the dream, I was in the future and my son had a three-year-old daughter. I had volunteered to watch her for the day. As the scene opened, we were gleefully jumping on my son’s bed. Then I taught her to fly. “Open your arms, like this.” I opened my arms, “and pull the wind to yourself.” How quickly she learned.
“Flying is so much fun, Nana.”
When I woke, I immediately understood the dream. I can do the impossible. The choice is mine.
Last night, I had a second dream. I was agitated and rushed. I slipped the car into reverse, stomped down on the accelerator and backed out of the parking space so recklessly that I plowed into the car behind me one row over. Crying and distraught, I called the police and reported the accident. My silver Chevy Malibu—a huge tank of a car with bench seats and a V8—was undamaged. The next morning, again jittery and overwrought by . . . whatever . . . I backed out and hit another car. That night I hit a third vehicle in exactly the same way, this one belonging to Omar, a guide who had been helping me by showing me around town. “You totaled my car!” He grabbed his head in distress. “How am I going to get to work!”
I was taken before a judge.
“I’m so sorry. I was stupid. This is all my fault.”
She took away my driver’s license.
“I don’t know why I did this. I was just so upset and angry.”
I was sentenced to counseling. “You could have hurt someone,” she said. “When I’m satisfied you’re no longer a danger, I’ll give your license back.”
I woke. Immediately, I understood the dream. I am powerful. I can use my power to destroy things and hurt the people I love.
The choice is mine.
My power is my creativity. Most importantly my power is my writing. With my stories I can reveal truth to those who would hide from it. I can comfort the soul of a hurting person. I can unveil oppression. I can say, I understand, and I stand with you. With my stories I give my heart word-wings to fly where I cannot go. And on these wings my readers soar to longed-for futures.
Or I can ravage tender souls with hate and lust and violence.
The choice is mine.
~ Kidd Wadsworth
Kidd’s Stories are in the following anthologies
APPLE, TABLE, PENNY… MURDER A REVIEW BY VERONICA JORGE
September 22, 2023 by Veronica Jorge in category Write From the Heart by Veronica Jorge tagged as Apple Table Penny .Murder, Book Reivew, Carol L Wright, Veronica Jorge
APPLE, TABLE, PENNY… MURDER:
A SUZY KEMP MYSTERY
by
CAROL L. WRIGHT
Cozy Den Press,
2023
ISBN 978-0-9742891-6-8
Transitions and downsizing are never easy, but after the loss of her husband, Suzy Kemp knows a retirement community is the best decision for her. Thankfully, she has her devoted son to help her through the process. And today she’s all set to move into the independent-living apartment she selected.
Suzy goes through the check-in process and final health assessments, but her mind is on her cute apartment with a patio and a garden, her furniture that should arrive tomorrow, and other details of her new life. Is it any wonder then that she missed a few of the memory test questions? It could happen to anyone.
Suzy finds herself being wheeled into a hospital style memory care unit instead of her own apartment.
She tries to adjust to what she hopes is a temporary situation, but making friends with people who can’t remember who she is, or who they are, is a challenge. Hearing screams in the night doesn’t help either.
Things take a turn for the worse when Suzy notices that Jeanette, one of the residents, is missing. Perhaps she’s gone home? Gotten better and moved into her own apartment? Like the one she should be in instead of here.
But when Suzy inquires about Jeannette, everyone pretends she doesn’t exist.
Suzy questions her memory and her sanity, but when another resident disappears, Suzy is convinced that something strange and criminal is taking place in the retirement community. But who’s going to believe her, a woman with memory issues? And who can she trust?
Suzy is determined to discover what’s going on. And it’ll take all of her deductive skills, and memory, to work out the clues that will hopefully prevent others from disappearing, including her.
Apple, Table, Penny…Murder, is witty and intriguing with just the right amount of suspense, mystery, and humor. A delightful and entertaining read.
Veronica Jorge
See you next time on October 22nd!
Other Books Reviewed by Veronica
Linda O. Johnston Featured Author
September 21, 2023 by Linda O. Johnston in category Featured Author of the Month tagged as cozy mysteries, Dogs!, Harlequin Romantic Suspense, Linda O Johnston, mysteries, romance'
Linda O. Johnston enjoys writing, romance, puzzles, and dogs.
A former lawyer, Linda is now a full-time writer and has published 57 books so far, including mysteries and romantic novels. She has written several cozy mystery series including the Barkery & Biscuits Mysteries and Superstition Mysteries for Midnight Ink, and the Kendra Ballantyne, Pet-Sitter Mysteries and Pet Rescue Mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime. She also writes romances for Harlequin, including Harlequin Romantic Suspense. Writing as Lark O. Jensen, her latest release is Bear Witness from Crooked Lane Books. No matter what name she uses, nearly all Linda’s current stories involve dogs!
In addition to blogging for A Slice of Orange on the 6th of every month, Linda blogs at Killer Hobbies, Killer Characters, and Writerspace. Linda was interviewed by Jann Ryan, you can read all about it in Linda O. Johnston—Mysteries, Romantic Suspense and So Much More!
Linda enjoys hearing from readers. Visit her website at www.LindaOJohnston.com or friend her on Facebook.
A Few of Linda’s Many Books
Spotlight on A. J. Scudiere
September 20, 2023 by marianne h donley in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley, Spotlight tagged as AJ Scudiere, Bad Name, First Book in Series, Pre-order, The Hangman's Shadow Series, thriller
A born nerd, AJ was excited that her birthday fell on the first day of school many years. As an adult, she continued on this geeky path, still loving school. She now holds Psychobiology, Neuroscience, and Forensic degrees.
AJ was that kid, the one librarians held books for and waived the parental approval to check out books from the adult library. By the age of seven, AJ had read and loved Christine, Cujo, Carrie, the Amityville Horror and a ton of other things she should never have gotten her hands on. It explains a lot.
The author of 30+ books and a USA Today Bestseller, AJ has won 15 Best Suspense/Best Fiction of the year awards. Her work is gritty and always walks the edge of reality.
Pre-order The First Book in AJ’s The Hangman’s Shadow Series
BAD NAME
Jesse Nash just lost her daughter.
Georgia Dunham desperately needs to find her mother.
Jesse is on her couch with a bottle of whiskey…she’s supposed to be on the trail of a killer. Can Georgia convince her to take on yet another case when she can’t even handle what she has? Jesse may be the only one who can find the elusive Sin.
Cindy Baker might be able to help. But Cindy has seen more lives than she’s lived and isn’t even willing to open the door.
Troubled pasts come back to haunt them. Twisted cases lead to uncertain futures.
Book Two in The Hangman’s Shadow series IN THE TEMPLE
IN THE TEMPLE will be out sometime in 2024. Cover reveal coming soon!
How to Design and Teach an Online Workshop
September 18, 2023 by marianne h donley in category Ages 2 Perfection Online Class, Online Classes tagged as Age 2 Perfection Online Class, Catherine Chant, Developing an Online Class, Online Class
Presented by: Catherine Chant
Date: October 16 – 27, 2023 (two weeks)
Registration Closes: February 24, 2023
Pricing: A2P Member fee: $15
Non-A2P Member fee: $25
About the Workshop:
This two-week workshop begins with an overview of why you would want to create and teach an online workshop, and covers these topics:
1. Developing a workshop topic
2. Identifying your audience
3. Designing a lesson plan
4. Interacting with your students
5. Designing exercises for your students
6. Your workshop proposal
7. Technical aspects of online teaching
At the end of this workshop you will have a basic outline of your course and the first draft of a proposal ready to polish and send out to workshop coordinators.
About the Presenter:
Catherine Chant is a Romance Writers of America (RWA) Golden Heart® finalist. She writes rock ‘n’ roll romantic fiction and stories with paranormal twists for young adults. Her young adult rock ‘n’ roll time travel series is available now at your favorite online bookseller, and her popular workshops “Grow a Book: Turning Your Story Idea Into a Workable Plot” and “Character Journaling: Developing Stronger Characters from the Inside Out” are now available as e-books. She teaches several online workshops for writers throughout the year. You can learn more at her website: http://www.catherinechant.com
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