It's finally cool enough to spend most of the day out on the patio reading and writing! I usually take a big mug of coffee or matcha tea with me. Add a plate of dates smeared with a blue cheese spread and I'm in heaven!
I'm working on my second collection of short stories. A companion to 'Scattered Visions I' that I released last year. SV I has 5 stories, some of my favorite works. SV II will have 7 or 8 stories because some of them are shorter than my normal 10,000 words.
The stories I've selected from my pile of 'To Be Written' stories include:
- 'Faith' A story about a rural Preacher who ponders his waning beliefs.
- 'Last Rites' One of my rare fantasy/horror tales.
- 'The Pit' A thriller that came out of my boyhood memories of nightmare terror. This tale was released as a Kindle Vella story, but since Vella is shutting down I'm putting it into 'regular' KDP circulation. I'm hoping that my readers will enjoy a few moments of escape from the strangeness that surrounds us these days.
I'm also chipping away at my #WIP, 'Auntie Renita's Plouton II Motel', another story intended for Kindle Vella release. I've published 12 episodes on Vella, put as I've said, Vella is doomed to disappear soon. I'm moving this fun tale to Kindle and Barnes and Noble by the end of the year.
In between these tasks I'm continuing to parse my many notebooks of story ideas, trying to gather them up and organize them into plausible stories. At last count, I had over 50 stories in various stages of outline, waiting patiently for me to give them some love. It's slow going, but little steps...
I've also discovered that matcha lattes do a better job of rev'ing my synapses than coffee. And it's a bit less stomach wrenching. I still love coffee though, especially in the morning.
Well, fellow pen-pushers, my advice to you today is to keep that notebook open and write down EVERY idea that tickles your mind. Jot it down. Let it flow for as long as you can. Revisit that notebook often, you never know when your mind will flare with the spark of inspiration.
Be ready to blow the spark into a a blazing new story!
Here's a random pix from my stash. I collect 'odd' things, one of which old coins and currency. This is a sheet of 2 dollar bills I bought at the Fort Worth Bureau of Engraving and Printing facility.
Yes, 2 dollar bills are legal tender!