Yes, today I am with Pamela Read. She has graciously offered to help support the launch of Eternal Road-The final stop. Here is the link https://butterflysand.com/?p=7076
You will find another excerpt there.
Also, you will find some fantastic work. Pamela is a writer, artist, and photographer. Let me show you a couple of her pieces.
Art
Vista Mountain
Photography
Also, Pamela writes killer poems and stories.
My favorite piece from her “About Me” section
“Fifty is a number that has no power except that which we give it. I look forward to each and every day because every moment is a treasure to be thoroughly exploited. And I mean that in the nicest possible way. Cheers!”
“Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before 6pm next Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here.
Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next Monday.”
Happy Labor day to everyone and especially to those who work to keep our lives normal. To those out of work, a wish for this COVID mess to end.
James’ 1956 Oldsmobile from Eternal Road – The final stop
This week marks the 64th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show in 1956. You know we all want to be there, so I would suggest we take James’ (from Eternal Road – The final stop) 1956 Oldsmobile and attend the performance. So that we won’t cause a tear in the time continuum, we need to take the list of things not to do. Trust me, it will keep us all out of trouble. So crank up the Olds, and let’s go.
Top Ten Things Not to Do at Elvis’ First Appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1956.
10 If you go, do not ask the producer how pleased Ed is to have Elvis on his show. If you do, at best, he will be distracted. At worse, he will spare no words in describing Ed’s displeasure. (Here’s the thing, Maksimillian. Ed tried to keep Elvis off his show, but others were getting such good ratings that he had to relent. He is not a happy camper, and here come some massive men. I think they want to show you out.)
9 If you go, do not tell Tiny, the WWF champ, that you think Elvis is king. If you do, at best, Tiny will be doing curls using the associate producer as a weight. At worse, Tiny, who has skipped the court-mandated group sessions for self-esteem and anger management, will think you are trying to make him feel bad. (Don’t worry, Maleko that so-called “Deadman’s Drop,” is just a label that Tiny gave to that hold. Hey Maleko, can you hear me?)
8 If you go, do not ask Ed’s accountant what he paid to have Elvis appear on his show. If you do, at best, the accountant is late for his therapy session and won’t have time to talk. At worst, the full impact of the amount will finally set in, and the accountant will need to sit down. (Now you’ve done it, Malone. The accountant has been trying to disassociate himself from the responsibility of paying $50,000 for three appearances. That’s $476,289.00 in today’s dollars. I think he is now catatonic.)
7 If you go, do not tell the producer anything about the expected ratings. If you do, at best he won’t believe you. At worst, the magnitude of the number of viewers will cause the producer to pass out. (The number of viewers for the first show was about 60 million, Malvin. That was 82.6 % of all people capable of watching the broadcast. The ratings were the best in two years, and the show was one of the highest watched of the 1950s)
6 If you go, don’t question the fact that we are going to Los Angles instead of the Ed Sullivan theater in New York. If you do, at best, someone will tell you to be patient. At worst, you’ll be kicked out of the Olds before we start. (The situation is this, Manasseh. Elvis is filming “Love Me Tender” in LA. So his portion of the show will originate from the CBS studio in Los Angles. You still want to go see the show in New York? All you’ll get is a tap dance duo and a couple of tumblers)
5 If you go, do not keep asking the whereabouts of Ed Sullivan. If you do, at best, everyone will ignore you. At worst, someone will finally tell you to mind your own business. (Ed Sullivan was in a horrific car accident and is at home recovering, Mandeville. Charles Laughton is filling in for him tonight. If you don’t know who that is, Google it when you get back to 2020.)
4 If you go, do not ask the producer if Elvis is going to sing, “All Shook Up.” If you do, at best, he won’t know what you are talking about. At worst, he will wonder where you came up with that title. (All Shook up wasn’t released until 1957 a year later, Manfrit. On the first show, Elvis sang “Don’t Be Cruel,” Little Richard’s “Reddy Teddy,” “Hound Dog,” and “Love Me Tender.” I think you ought to go wait in the car.)
3 If you go, do not try to convince everyone that the song “Love Me Tender” is going to be a bust because it is a ballad. If you do, at best everyone will be interested in the show and will ignore you. At worst, everyone will listen to you and place bets you are wrong. (Sad to say, Manneville. You owe a lot of money. Love me Tender sold one million records after Elvis sang it on the show. This was before it was released. You just had to take those bets, didn’t you?)
2 If you go, do not ask the producer if he can keep the audience quiet. If you do, at best, the producer won’t hear you for the screaming fans. At worst, the producer will give you some sage advice. (The suggestion is right up there with “if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” I see he is offering to let you out of the back door. Next time, Manning just go with. the hysteria.)
1 If you go, do not try to tell the reviewer from Time magazine that Elvis is a great performer. If you do, at best, the reviewer will walk away. At worst, the reviewer will think you are working for Elvis and will call security. ( Before the security guys get here, Mano you need to know this particular reviewer wrote, “When it was over, parents and critics, as usual, did a lot of futile grumbling at the vulgarity of this strange phenomenon that must somehow be reckoned with.” So it was not all bad. Look, the guards are here. Go along quietly.)
I am so pleased to be visiting Sally G, Cronin on her Smorgasbord Blog Magazine. She is featuring Eternal Road – The final stop today along with Teri Polen and Jack Easan. I’m so thankful for her help. Here is the link.
“I have enjoyed a nomadic existence living in eight countries including Sri Lanka, Malta, South Africa, USA, and Spain, before settling back here in Ireland. My work, and a desire to see some of the most beautiful parts of the world in the last forty years, has taken me to many more incredible destinations around Europe and Canada, and across the oceans to New Zealand and Hawaii. All those experiences and the people that I have met, provide a rich source of inspiration for my stories.”
If you have never visited Sally’s place it is time you changed that profile. Sally is the most supportive blogger and writer on the planet. She regularly features authors, reviews, and new books. This is on top of a full agenda of fascinating subjects that range from health to music and everywhere in between.
Sally is also a Talented author of twelve books. Here are just two.
You can see them all and a sample of the reviews right here.
With nothing better to report in the neighborhood, I decided to go out and do a personal investigation of how restaurants, stores, and small eating places are handling the COVID situation. This is not a Pulitzer Prize-worthy post, but hey, beats a blank page.
Photo by Unsplash
So I got the bus. We have a keg of margaritas, salsa, chips, and a restroom. I think we are good to go. Hop on and keep your social distance.
Our first stop is the local food chain. They have curbside down to a science. You order on-line, you arrive, text the number on the sign, your groceries are delivered to your car.
A local pizza restaurant lets you order on-line then call a number when you arrive.
This shop has take out only.
These guys have take out, pick up, and delivery. I could see calling for a couple of cones delivered. Don’t ask the driver how he kept the ice-cream from running down the cone.
Pick up, take away, and delivery here as well.
The ubiquitous SubWay. Take out only.
Sushi to go.
Here is our vet. Pull in. Call the number, and they come to get your dog or cat or bird or whatever.
Our library has a curbside pick up too.
Here we are at the Papa Murphys. You order online, arrive, call the number, and out comes your ready to bake pizza.
Here is a pet food supplier that offers curbside or delivery. pay no attention to that idiot reflected in the glass. He obviously has a lot to learn about picture taking.
Well, it looks like the shops are doing the best they can during this challenging time. Thanks for going along. We still have some refreshments left, so if you want tho hang out for a while, you are welcome.
In the shadows of Windemere, fangs are sprouting from the least likely of maws.
News is spreading that wild beasts with vampiric natures have been attacking mortals and carrying off random victims. With the Dawn Fangs still a secret from mortal society, Clyde fears that these strange creatures will reveal his peoples’ existence before they are ready. Old enemies and trusted friends begin to disappear as the investigation goes deeper into a business that has been lurking in the shadows of Windemere for decades. Those who return are beholden to a new master whose cunning is matched only by her primal desires. As his allies disappear, Clyde is left with the one he trusts the most in all of the world to help him solve this mystery. Too bad Mab has her own secret that can cause more damage to Nytefall than any vampiric beast.
Is this how the Dawn Fangs will be revealed to Windemere?
Still need more to wet your appetite? Then enjoy this excerpt:
Titus shrugs the girl off his shoulders and grips his blades, but refuses to draw them to avoid causing a scene. The warriors around him are on edge from overhearing Lost’s words and seeing his reaction, but they follow his example and keep their weapons sheathed. The Vengeance Hounds know that it is only a matter of time before the mortals with weaker wills lose control and drive the others into panic. They can hear the rumors of a deadly beast stalking the hunting party ripple through the crowd, each telling more gruesome and bone-chilling than the previous version. Several warriors ignore the warnings of their companions and draw their weapons, but keep them out of sight. Two of the casters begin to chant, which is revealed by the sparkle of magic on their lips. One by one, the lines of warriors stop walking and assume various defensive formations. Frustrated by the collapse of her army, the priestess turns around and tries to assure everyone that they are safe. Standing in the middle of the blossoming chaos, the Vengeance Hounds can only watch as the woman loses her temper and shouts at the archers who were supposed to maintain control.
The warriors go silent when a booming roar erupts from above and a large shadow passes over the area. With a gurgling scream, the priestess collapses in a heap and stares unblinking at the sky. The archers move away from the drooling woman, whose breathing has stopped as if she has been instantly turned off. Landing in front of the hunting party, a crimson-scaled Verenstone Dragon unfurls its muscular tails with one to each side and the other arching over its reptilian head. The thick ridge of black hair going down its back rustles and shivers in the breeze, which heats up as the monster bellows once more. Curled against its side are wings composed entirely of blue flame that licks at the trampled grass, but they are not hot enough to ignite the emerald blades. Leaning forward, the terrifying predator sniffs at the braindead priestess and chuckles before swallowing the body whole. In the brief moment that its mouth is open wide, the Vengeance Hounds notice that two of its teeth are changing as if they are stretching out of the gums. The plaque-covered ivory is curved in a way that makes it clear that they are fangs and the beast is in desperate need of a fresh meal. Its eyes scan the mortals and stop on the three Dawn Fangs for a moment, but it is enough to tell them that the cunning creature recognizes their true nature.
“A vampiric dragon,” Titus mutters under his breath.
Charles Yallowitz was born and raised on Long Island, NY, but he has spent most of his life wandering his own imagination in a blissful haze. Occasionally, he would return from this world for the necessities such as food, showers, and Saturday morning cartoons. One day he returned from his imagination and decided he would share his stories with the world. After spending many years fiddling with his thoughts and notebooks, he decided that it was time to follow his dream of being a fantasy author. So, locked within the house with only pizza and seltzer to sustain him, Charles brings you tales from the world of Windemere. He looks forward to sharing all of his stories with you and drawing you into a world of magic.
It is Stream of Consciousness Saturday, and this week’s prompt is “sharp.” Linda Hill is not here today but sent the message that we could use the word in any or all of its definitions. If you would like to join this happy band of word warriors, visit Linda’s blog and read how. Here is the link.
“Okay, I’ll give you till the count of three.” “I will not need any time to escape a water buffalo.” “Suit yourself.”
Another Friday is here. If you saw the post yesterday, then you know we finally got a break in the weather. This summer has been one for the record books. Not only were the temps in the 100s but the heat indexes were in from 105 to 110. Of course, this is 2020 so what should we expect? We hope to stay in the 90s for the rest of the season. (Imagine being thankful for 90-degree temps)
We are also missing all the rain. Those to the North, West, and East of us are getting tons. We are getting nada. They say maybe this weekend. Sure let’s have a labor Day deluge. Would be perfect for this year. At least it would be rain.
The launch of Eternal Road – The final stop is going well. I am so grateful for all the nice folks who volunteered to help. I know I’ve said that before but it bears repeating. I hope you enjoy the excerpts as well. They are all different parts of the book.
Today’s JohnKu talks about gratitude (again)
I want to wish everyone a Happy and Safe Labor Day Weekend.
“My name is Jane and I was born in England and have seen and heard spirit since I was little. My teenage years were spent in Africa and I also lived in The States in my late twenties. I have worked as a systems analyst, trainer, technical author, furniture restorer, and therapist. I live on the Wirral in England, next to the Irish Sea, and thrive by writing, creating, and helping others to live a life they choose.”
Jane has written five books the latest of which is.
Writing on Water: Self-awareness eBook is a collection of stories we hold about ourselves and how these drive our lives.
All of Jane’s books can be found and purchased on her website.
Jan also has a shop on her site where she offers, in addition to her books, Android and iPhone art, greeting cards, posters, and wall art. You can also arrange a reading for support, encouragement & guidance at four different levels. Her site is definitely an exciting place to visit.
I hope you visit since I have another excerpt for you to read.
Teri is a talented YA author and here is a little about her in her words.
“Several years back, a friend told me I should read the Harry Potter series – I think the third one was out by then. I laughed, saying they were for kids, but she convinced me to give them a try, and for that, I’ll always be thankful. Reading YA opened up a whole new world for me, and I haven’t looked back.
Some of my favorite things in life are books (no romance), music (preferably alt/rock and absolutely no country), movies (rarely chick flicks), red wine (no merlot) and dark chocolate (please don’t add any fruit to what is already perfection). On the flip side of that, I strongly dislike the color pink and loathe shopping – unless it’s in a bookstore or someplace I can buy movies, music, wine, or chocolate. That being said, it’s pretty evident why my female friends think I’m a little strange.
You can take it from me, her books are terrific. I’ve enjoyed them all.
Writing on Water: Self-awareness eBook is a collection of stories we hold about ourselves and how these drive our lives.
