Thursday, June 12, 2014

Finding My Groove...

It's been ages. I know. I hear you whimpering in the corner, having withdrawals of my snark, my dark wit.

It's okay. I'm here to give you a fix. Just a little one, sadly.

My creative processes have been getting derailed. Rather frequently, I might add. Maybe even a little hi-jacked. When we moved from Alaska to Washington, we were given a generous opportunity to stay with friends in a camper in their backyard. We have access to the house, we help clean, cook, things like that. It started out decent. But, as always, a bit of an unplanned, downward spiral. Not for us, mind you, for them. The dad's got stage 4 lymphoma. Both parents are up there in age and the mom is taking care of her spouse as best she can. But it's stressful and there's lots of people in the house.

I've been working on jewelry out in the garage. We all worked to clear up an area where we could paint miniatures, play Dungeons and Dragons, I could make jewelry, etc. Maps are all over the table now. So are paints and figures.

I was writing a little bit here and there, but I have to say... the camper is pretty crowded with me, hubby, the two cats and our computers on the fold down kitchen table. It's comfortable, it's old. Like me. But sitting on the bench/sofa or the bench in front of my computer isn't exactly comfortable for very long. It is better than being up in our friend's room. 3 computers, desks, chairs, a bed and three big people. Meh. It got crowded, it got loud. Well, from our talking and laughing. We all had headphones.

Needless to say, it's been... interesting. However, the good news is, hubby and I are pretty close to getting our own place and hopefully creating some steps to crawl out of our huge hole of money issues. You know, crap. It's a bit of an overwhelming experience, I have to say. The whole move, me becoming a grandmother, my son graduating and both kids out on their own.

We've transitioned slightly, but soon it'll be me and hubby on our own and we haven't had that in a very long time. Well, he hasn't had that in a while, me... I haven't been on my own in well, 43 years.

It's either been kids or parents or whatever. Plus the fact that we have to start from scratch since we left (got rid of) so much stuff. It's all stuff that affects me, my creative processes. I can't focus much on more than one thing at a time, let alone just one thing at a time. So hopefully, things will smooth out in a few months. I'm still line editing, writing on my other stories, making jewelry and drawing. I have to do something creative or I go crazy, I tell ya!

But I miss my blogger peeps most of all. My support, my community, my kindred souls. I hope you are all well and hope to see you all soon, more often!

Monday, June 9, 2014

Fantasy Flash Fiction...

The two brothers met and clashed on the battlefield. Each fought with a ferocity unmatched by any other warrior. Each fought for their claim of the land, their honor, and the one woman they both loved. Many wars had been fought over lesser slights than this. Many had been fought over greater insults than this, but most wars started by two men setting their sights on one woman of undefined beauty. More often than not, the reason would be swept over with politics and other, more genuine reasons, but the heart of most wars started in the heart.



Artwork found on a fantasy wallpaper site, artist unknown at the moment.

Monday, June 2, 2014

Fantasy Flash Fiction...

Surrounded! They kept advancing, even after she fired her last arrow, dulled all but her last blade. Now, with nothing left but a staff and dirk, the odds were against her. She wouldn't let them take her without a fight. She'd use her bare hands if it came down to it, without a doubt, until her last breath.



 ~Artwork by Yulin Yao.