Rainbow Snippet for May 5th/6th

This snippet is not safe for work or family. It’s the opening to a sexual power exchange scene from my BloodMoon series. Whether or not you decide to read on I hope you will check out other writers sharing six sentences of LGBTQIA+ fiction. You can find them linked on the Rainbow Snippets Facebook page.

Snippet:

I followed him, eyes on that luscious ass encased in satin boxers. A knowing, extra sway to his hips made me laugh despite myself. Demeaning my naughty rascal, then nurturing and rebuilding him, diminished this world’s evils, if only for a while.

In our bedroom Nickolas folded my shirt and laid it on top the dresser. He removed his shorts, erection bouncing toward the ceiling. Slinking toward the bed, he dragged himself up like an abused dog.

~

I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoy penning this pair. Believe me when I say Alex has his hands full.

#rainbowsnippets

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To All Who Celebrate, Happy Easter and Passover! And a NSFW Story Snippet

It’s hard to believe today is Easter already. And Passover started two days ago? Wow.

Meanwhile, April first kicks off two challenges for bloggers and writers. First is the A-Z blog challenge, which I did for the past three years, I believe, on my Darla M Sands blog. This year, I decided to focus instead on fiction writing alone and limit myself to the Camp NaNo word count challenge.

Unlike November’s National Novel Writing Month strict fifty thousand word count goal, April’s ‘camp’ allows participants to set their own challenge. So I, being a bit of a masochist, picked the 50k word count.

That said, here is a little snippet that showcases this side to one of my characters. Please note it's a bit racy for work or family.

Story:

“Shit. I should be coddling you, not making you feel guilty for wanting to forget something awful.”

“I don’t want to be coddled,” he snarled.

“What do you want?”

“You. Now.”

Rushing me, he shuffled forward until my back contacted the wall. His body pressed into mine, a growing erection making dominant intention and desire clear. I went with this force of nature, tangling my fingers in spider silk strands at the base of his skull.

“Yes,” he whispered, more sigh than plea. “Pull my hair, Alexandra.”

I pulled back to study his face. The mixed signals confused me, his acting forceful then requesting pain.

Maybe his needs were different than first thought. Nickolas might like to switch things up when it came to power exchange, he isolated those masochistic tendencies from his inner sadist. Call it self preservation, he once told me, his smirk self deprecating.

My primitive brain clicked on, reaching the simple conclusion. He tested me, himself, us, our boundaries. Unwrapping my hands I shoved him by the shoulders. The werewolf stumbled backward only to steady himself and stand his ground.

~

I hope you enjoyed it. Are you embarking on anything special this month?

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Rainbow Snippet for March 31 - April 1

For those reading on Sunday, Happy April Fools Day! I’m delighted you’re here. Please note you will be reading at your own risk. ~grin~ This sample is not family friendly or exactly safe for work, hence the move to this adults only blog.

Once again I’m joining the many talented LGBTQ+ writers with Rainbow Snippets. In the following BDSM scene from my BloodMoon series, D/s switch Nickolas has big plans for the ongoing domination of his happy lover.

Snippet:

Before tonight’s show he dared me to stash the vibrator and S&M headgear in my camera bag. Finding the privacy and opportunity to use them seemed reward enough, regardless of who topped who, and I couldn’t imagine what else Nickolas planned.

“Please, Master, just let me come.”

How I dared beg a mystery, his reaction sent a thrill up my spine. One wide palm clamped over my traitorous mouth and Nickolas loomed somehow larger, eclipsing the universe. With our stilled union stapling this humble being so near ecstasy, I almost came right then.

~

I hope you enjoyed it and check out what others have shared. Have a good weekend!

#rainbowsnippets

Ending Overtype Mode Permanently (!) in MS Word

I posted this on my Darla M. Sands blog, but it deserved a repeat.  With no further ado, here is how you kill the INS key, stopping it from starting that pesky Overtype mode:

1. Start Word
2. Click on the Tools menu
3. Click Customize
4. Click the Options tab
5. Click Keyboard
6. Under the Categories dropdown box, select All Commands
7. Under the Commands dropdown box, select Overtype
8. Under the Current keys downdown box, select Insert
9. Click Remove
10. Click Close until the dialog windows close.

That’s it.  Wasn’t that easy?  Can’t you just feel that weight lifting from your shoulders?  Well, that might be a little overly dramatic.  Maybe.

I must say thanks to Steve Thomas and the guys at tech-recipes.com both for sharing this information.  You can find the original post here:

Web Development Learnings
 

Happy writing!

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Artists Unite!

I must confess to being somewhat of a comic book geek.  For some years now, a monthly subscription of “Judge Dredd Megazine” has been delivered to my home alongside its sister periodical, the weekly “2000 A.D.”.  I pour over every story, review, interview, and even reader opinions.

In issue number 338 I discovered a disturbingly damaging letter from a reader.  This fellow called the interviews cheap filler and essentially a waste of his time.  He is clearly no artist (or perhaps a bitterly blocked one); those stories are gold to someone like me!  And I know how much hurt can come from unconstructive criticism.

The editors followed his opinion with a note stating that such thinking “does the writers a disservice.”  What a serious understatement.  While appreciating the diplomatic approach, I simply had to write in to the magazine.  The artists deserved proper defense, even if only the email monitor were to read mine.

My email stated my joy in those personal accounts, “especially when shared with humility, praise for the artist's forebears, and encouragement toward aspiring artists.”  I also praised the Megazine’s publication of fan fiction pieces, submissions which were also rudely disparaged.

Before telling the editors to keep up the good work, I couldn’t resist a dig at all the complainers who malign comics they dislike for whatever reason.  “Having favorites is one thing, but I feel these publications would do a disservice by not exploring different styles and disparagers would do well to keep that in mind.”  Apparently, parents no longer teach children that if they have nothing nice to say they should say nothing at all.

Time passed and I thought no further about the matter.  Yesterday a package showed up.  Inside I found a lovely comics reissue from “2000 A.D.” publications.  Neither my partner, who knew nothing of my action, nor I ordered had ordered anything.  Another reach into the envelope disclosed explanation for the mysterious surprise.  My rebuttal letter got printed in issue 340’s Dreddlines section!

The beautiful graphic novel you see pictured below was my prize.  As for the title given my letter, “First Dibs on the Nibbles”, I confessed to sometimes saving favorite stories for last like a little girl nibbling off the bread crust.

It made my day to be rewarded for speaking out against negativity.  I hope you’ll take any reasonable opportunity to do the same.

Review of Mel Keegan's "Home From the Sea"

I picked up “Home From the Sea” the minute I heard of the title’s release and did not regret my purchase for a moment.  Mel Keegan has an enviable gift for world building, in this case transporting us to the English coast circa 1769.  Mr. Keegan brings to life an ordinary, upstanding fellow about to be swept up in secrecy and adventure he could never have fathomed.

We first meet Jim Fairley running his late father’s tavern.  A reputable establishment, The Raven flocks with clientele who share hair raising tales from the high seas that leave Jim musing over the thrill of exotic shores.  The fog of his daily grind only lifts when a man of like mind enters the establishment and the pair discovers mutual attraction.  But these illegal interludes are dangerous, inevitably brief in nature.

As a result Jim finds himself forever consoled by the companionship of rum-soaked sailors, a dog, one cat, his nearly deaf grandmotherly cook, and a female populace that assumes an old leg injury left him a eunuch.  Even an aged regular sees the danger of missed opportunity, warning that any safe haven can become a prison.

Enter Toby Trelane, the enigmatic visitor who gradually, unintentionally, turns Jim Fairley’s mundane existence on its ear.  Toby acts as handyman by day and balladsinger by night, drawing unlikely crowds even on the cusp of bad weather.  This stranger piqued my interest with his secretive yet generous nature.  What was Toby hiding?  Why did he seem shamed by his past?

I had difficulty putting the book down well before any actual mayhem ensued.  You must know, too, that Mr. Keegan incorporated some unexpected characters, well crafted ones.  There’s the long-dead owner of The Raven who watched the coastal path with eerie intensity.  No one could say why.  Mother Nature plays a major role, for sure, and even the The Raven herself seems like much more than just a set of structures.

I consider this an outstanding mesh of romance, mystery, drama, and jeopardy.  If you appreciate a thoughtful story filled with grit and heart instead of endless sex, be sure to pick up “Home From the Sea”.

Click here to read the blurb, excerpt, or just buy, wish I recommend:

Mel Keegan Online 

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No "Dear" Here

I recently watched a tenth anniversary special celebrating the great science fiction program "Firefly".  It reminded me that the character named Wash had a great nickname for his wife Zoe.  He called her "Lamby Toes".

Another great endearment comes from an older movie called "Idle Hands".  The male lead called his girl "Baby Snakes".  If you like a comedic scare, you definitely should check out this flick.

Anyway, these are just some of the weird things I think of while in the midst of madly writing fifty thousand words for National Novel Writhing Month.

Flash Fiction Friday - A Long Overdue Post

White Squirrel

Unseasonably warm, the late October breeze sent golden leaves spiraling from the canopy.  Russell plucked one sticking from the crown of his hair.  The wind made him wish he’d braided its considerable length.  It wasn’t as if Cory were here to appreciate the loose waves.

Thursday Thirteen - Restrictions

I recently received a general list of does and don'ts for elevated cholesterol. So, it seemed a good idea to share and hopefully get some commiseration. Here are thirteen things I'm told to avoid:

1. Processed meats such as bacon, bologna, and hot dogs

2. Whole milk

3. Cheeses over three grams of fat/ounce (Swiss, American, and cheddar are specifically listed, sigh...)

4. Butter

5. Coconut

6. Egg noodles

7. Cream cheese

8. Doughnuts and pastries

9. Croissants

10. Potato chips

11. Solid shortening/lard

12. Ice cream

13. Chocolate

While many of these aren't too much of a hardship, I'll have to get more specifics. After all, I have to find something convenient for workday mornings and don't want to end up on cholesterol medication if I can help it.

Thursday Thirteen - Female Crooners

Last week on my Darla M Sands blog I listed music groups fronted by females. In that case, I owned entire albums. To be fair, I thought I'd list those talents who are represented in my collection by anthologies and soundtracks. I know I've missed more than a few but here goes...

1. Martha Reeves - "Dancing in the Street" from The Big Chill soundtrack

2. Nancy Sinatra - "These Boots Were Made for Walking" from the Full Metal Jacket soundtrack

3. Lady GaGa - in a duet with Marilyn Manson on "LoveGame"

4. Paramore - "Decode" from the Twilight soundtrack

5. Eurythmics - "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" off my eighties collection

6. Medicine - "Time Baby III" from The Crow soundtrack

7. Fiona Apple - "Sally's Song" from The Nightmare Before Christmas collection

8. Teena Marie - "Lead Me On" from the Top Gun soundtrack

9. LaVern Baker - "Soul On Fire" from the Angel Heart soundtrack

10. Nena - "99 Luftballons" from Sounds of the Eighties

11. Bananarama - "Cruel Summer" off Class Reunion '83

12. Aretha Franklin - "Think" from the Blues Brothers soundtrack

13. The Dixie Cups - "Chapel of Love" from the Full Metal Jacket soundtrack

Thursday Thirteen - Shinedown

Today I thought I'd share thirteen tracks from one of my favorite rock groups. These are from the album "Leave a Whisper":

Fly From the Inside

Left Out

Lost in the Crowd

No More Love

Better Version

Burning Bright

In Memory

All I Ever Wanted

Stranger Inside

Lacerated

Crying Out

45

Simple Man

Thursday Thirteen - Vacation Requirements

My partner and I cannot decide upon a vacation destination. So, the idea arose to create a list of trip preferences. Here goes:

1. A need of my never used passport

2. Wildlife viewing, perhaps interaction

3. A health club

4. Gambling, preferably a craps table for my partner

5. Boating

6. Ooh, and fishing

7. A private beach, perhaps

8. Isolation from street crime

9. Fine dining

10. An all-inclusive resort is starting to sound good

11. Adult beverages included

12. Plenty of quiet and relaxation

13. Adults only

I think a tropical resort might just be the way to go. What's your ideal vacation?

Thursday Thirteen - Jelly Belly Flavors

Out of all the flavors available in these incredible beans, I'm going to list thirteen favorites.

Orange Sherbet

Watermelon

Coconut

Cinnamon

Cappuccino

Strawberry Jam

Tutti-Fruitti

Caramel Corn

Raspberry

Toasted Marshmallow

Strawberry Cheesecake

Bubblegum

Buttered Popcorn

The final is my favorite. What might yours be? And can somebody tell me how they isolate these realistic flavors? I have a forty-nine flavor variety package at home and none of the tastes contaminate the others. That's almost as amazing as the realism!

How do they keep the flavors from mingling in the bag?

Thursday Thirteen - A Bountiful Year

                                                      Spring blooms on my Buckeye tree

Amorphophallus Konjac's stinky "corpse" flowers

                                         A Centranthus perennial in my front cottage garden

Some weeds can be easy to tolerate

                                                     Hellebores thrive in my shade garden

Another shade lover whose name escapes me

               My "Crimson Queen" Japanese maple needed a trim by the time the lilac bloomed

                                                          My miniature backyard pagoda

                               "Hen-and-chicks" succulents thriving in a gap in my retaining wall

                              Another view of my Centranthus next to once-colored Columbine

                        Lilly-of-the-Valley is a persistent perennial around since before we moved in

                                                           A dandelion at the local park

Hollyhocks about to bloom were prettier before they blossomed and the heat zapped their zeal

Thursday Thirteen - The Things People Say

A friend introduced me to a blog with some really funny exchanges between customers/callers and an employee at a London bookstore. Here is the website if you’d like to read more:

Jen Cambell Blogspot - Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops

1.
Customer: Hi, I'd like to return this book, please.
Me: Do you have the receipt?
Customer: Here.
Me: Erm, you bought this book at Waterstone's.
Customer: Yes.
Me:.... we're not Waterstone's.
Customer: But, you're a bookshop.
Me: Yes, but we're not Waterstone's.
Customer: You're all part of the same chain.
Me: No, sorry, we're an independent bookshop.
Customer: ....
Me: Put it this way, you wouldn't buy clothes in H&M and take them back to Zara, would you?
Customer: Well, no, because they're different shops.
Me: Exactly.
Customer:... I'd like to speak to your manager.

-----

2.
Person: Hi, I'm looking for a Mr. Patrick.
Me: No one of that name works here, sorry.
Person: But does he live here?
Me:... no one lives here; we're a bookshop.
Person: Are you sure?

-----

3.
Customer: Hi, if I buy a book, read it, and bring it back, could I exchange it for another book?
Me: No... because then we wouldn't make any money.
Customer: Oh.

-----

4.
Me: Ok, so with postage that brings your total to £13.05. One second and I'll get the card machine."
Customer: No. No, absolutely not. I demand that you charge me £12.99. I will not pay for anything that starts with thirteen. You're trying to give me bad luck. Now, change it or I will go to a bookshop who doesn't want me to fall down a hole and die. Ok?

------

5.
Pizza Delivery Man [entering the shop with a large pile of pizzas and seeing me, the only person in the bookshop]: Hi, did you order fifteen pizzas?

-----

6.
Me: Hello, Ripping Yarns Bookshop
Man: Hello, is that Ripping Yarns?
Me: Yes, it is.
Man: Are you there?
Me: How do you mean?
Man: I mean, are you at the shop now?
Me: Erm... yes, you just rang the number for the bookshop and I answered.

-----

7.
Customer: Hello, I'd like a copy of 'The Water Babies,' with nice illustrations. But I don't want to pay a lot of money for it, so could you show me what editions you do have so I can look at them, and then I can go and find one online?

-----

8.
Customer: Do you sell ipod chargers?

-----

9.
Man: Hi, I've just self-published my art book. My friends tell me that I'm the new Van Gogh. How many copies of my book would you like to order?

-----

10.
Woman: Hi, my daughter is going to come by on her way home from school to buy a book. But she seems to buy books with sex in them and she's only twelve, so can I ask you to keep an eye out for her and make sure she doesn't buy anything inappropriate for her age? I can give you a list of authors she's allowed to buy.
Me: With all due respect, would it not be easier for you to come in with your daughter?
Woman: Certainly not. She's a grown girl, she can do it herself.

----

11.
Customer: Do you have any books on the dark arts?
Me: ...No.
Customer: Do you have any idea where I could find some?
Me: Why don't you try Knockturn Alley?
Customer: Where's that?
Me: Oh, the centre of London.
Customer: Thanks, I'll keep my eyes peeled for it.

-----

12.
Customer: I'm just going to nip to Tesco to do the weekly shop. I'm just going to leave my sons here, is that ok? They're three and five. They're no bother.

-----

13.
Customer: I read a book in the eighties. I don't remember the author, or the title. But it was green, and it made me laugh. Do you know which one I mean?

----

Thursday Thirteen - Wishful Thinking for the Perfect Day

Since I'm still working a day job outside the home, here is what I hope for on an average day in the future:

1. Wake early without an alarm

Thursday Thirteen - The Haiku of Matsuo Bashō

Thanks to my friend Pack Rat, I was recently reintroduced to the works of Bashō.  Here are thirteen translations from "The Sound of Water":

This bright harvest moon
keeps me walking all night long
around the little pond

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But for a woodpecker
tapping at a post, no sound
at all in the house

-

A lovely spring night
suddenly vanished while we
viewed cherry blossoms

-

Singing, planting rice,
village songs more lovely
than famous city poems

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Come out to view
the truth of flowers blooming
in poverty

-

Autumn approaches
and the heart begins to dream
of four-tatami rooms

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On Budha's birthday
a spotted fawn is born -
just like that

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Winter showers,
even the monkey searches
for a raincoat

-

The morning glories
bloom, securing the gate
in the old fence

-

That great blue oak
indifferent to all blossoms
appears more noble

-

With plum blossoms scent,
this sudden sun emerges
along a mountain trail

-

Clouds of cherry blossoms!
Is that temple bell in Ueno
or Asakusa?

-

Ungraciously, under
a great soldier's empty helmet,
a cricket sings

Thursday Thirteen - Kit Kat Flavors

I have continually run into mention of Kit Kat candies from various Japanese related blogs and web pages.  As a result, I decided to look up what flavors are available.  Here are thirteen of them, of which there are close to a hundred!

1. Beet - can't imagine this one

2. Wine - red or white?

3. Pumpkin - I just don't know about this one

4. Sour Orange - with chocolate this could be good

5. Ramune - a soda drink flavor

6. Sakura Macha - cherry blossom green tea

7. Pepper - I presume it's the spice, which just sounds disgusting

8. Miso - not surprising but it doesn't sound good to me

9. Aloe Vera - is this a candy or a skin treatment?

10. Daigakuimo - sweet potato; really?

11. Cucumber - now they're just trying for strange

12. European Cheese - as opposed to American processed slices, I presume, but nasty sounding either way

13. Creamy Apple - huh?

Thursday Thirteen - Amazing Japan

I’d like to share a collection of unique ideas from Japan I’ve been gathering.  I hope you enjoy.

1. Namazu-e – the ancient myth that giant catfish cause earthquakes; a lot of the art was politically charged regarding those that benefit from having to rebuild

2. Chickens Suit – the brainchild of an Australian brought to fruition in Japan.  Note this stylish bird’s wearing an homage to Australia’s flag; there is a similar one in the style of Japan’s flag

3. Pluto-kun – a character designed to advocate the safety of plutonium in the early 1990’s for Japan's Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation

4. Cute posters – not entirely a unique cultural element but I love this poster promoting power saving during this difficult time in the country

5. Hello Kitty – you can buy everything from toasters to vibrators with this Sanrio character (personally, I have a pen, some notebooks, a bat plush for Halloween, and a marshmallow lollipop – what can I say?)

6. Anime – has anyone not run into this?  I’m neither a reader nor a watcher but I do love the artwork for “InuYasha, a Feudal Fairy Tale”.  Gotta love a scruffy dog boy

7. Hentai – meaning “sexually perverted” in Japanese vernacular, the term covers a full range of fetishism in both real life and pornography; the program “Madventures” showed the host in a full body suit being ridden by a girl dressed in a manga costume

8. Language – with no spaces between words, the Japanese use five character sets and words borrowed from many other countries: hiragana (phonetic), katakana (phonetic for foreign words), kanji (Chinese characters), rōmaji (Roman letters), and Arabic numerals; here’s a random, mostly inclusive sample:
コンビニエンスストアの LAWSON 店舗にて、払い戻しをし

9. Samurai – the teachings and discipline still have resonance today

10. Visual Kei – a sub genre of J-rock that is stunning to both eyes and ears; here’s an image of X Japan from the eighties

11. Mascots – the Japanese use them for everything; this odd one was created back in 2008 for the 1,300th Anniversary of the Nara Prefecture capital

12. Kimono – still in use today for mostly formal occasions (I want the one pictured)

13. Hanami – this traditional custom of flower appreciation takes on a whole new meaning when the cherry trees are in blossom

Thursday Thirteen – The Smallest Tree in the World

1. Salix herbacea is also called Dwarf Willow, Least Willow, or Snowbed Willow.

2. It is a tiny creeper which grows to only 1-6 centimeters in height.

3. Technically, it is merely one of the smallest woody plants on Earth!

4. The roughly circular leaves are 1-2 centimeters long and wide and appear shiny green.

5. The scientific family of the plant is called Salicaceae, which covers a broad group of flowering plants.

6. As the family grouping suggests, the Dwarf Willow does flower.

7. These flowers are called catkins, which do not have petals.

8. Like all willows, the plants are considered either female or male.

9. Catkins on the male plant appear yellow while they are red on the female version.

10. They live at over 1,500 meters in the southern range of their sub-Arctic habitat.

11. The tiny fellows can also be found at sea level in the Arctic.

12. Widely distributed on both sides of the North Atlantic, the miniscule plants thrive in tundra and rocky moorland.

13. This tree would make an instant and easy Bonsai!