JUST LIFE

 

My friend Sue with her gorgeous platinum hair is taking charge of her life like a warrior queen and I'm proud of her.

Lots of changes are going on around me!

My buddy Marie & her husband have sold their home up north and are now full-time Florida residents. Because of Covid they spent the entire summer of 2020 here. With the exception of my 70th birthday tea at Rose's, we haven't gotten together since the start of the virus.

Marie's husband is in fragile health so her main focus is protecting him. Before I was fully vaccinated she wouldn't even allow me inside their home due to his vulnerability. This needed to be respected. And now there's the Delta variant.

My friend Rose & her husband have sold their home. Soon they will be moving to the center of the state. I hate to see them leave, but they're making the decision that works best for them.

Life can change fast right along with the weather.

I think back to the old days when my parents and I were living on the St. Lucie River. Two different boats we owned sank inside our boathouse from nor'easters within one decade. After the second, my father declared, "No more boats!"

Later Hurricane David took our boathouse along with most of our 150 ft dock. The dock was rebuilt sans a boathouse. And it was a cool boathouse too with a deck on top. We used to sit up there and gaze in awe at the expanse of the river. The St. Lucie was a mile across behind our house, plus we could see for endless miles stretching in each direction.

Of course by that time my father had lost his high-paying job thru no fault of his own. The corporation he worked for suddenly went belly-up thanks to the shenanigans of the man over him. Our entire lifestyle was pulled out from under us.

Sudden changes are often the most sweeping.

I must keep reminding myself that everything in life is temporary, including our lives on this planet. And the Earth itself is experiencing climate change. We're seeing intense weather with more frequent natural disasters now. 

Every year as the peak of hurricane season arrives I always wonder if I'll still have a house standing by Thanksgiving. If so, it will be more reason to be thankful and celebrate! Life's become all about living in the moment and enjoying what I have while it's still around.

COVID MASQUERADE

 

Fully vaccinated, I had just gotten used to putting on lipstick again. And I was debating whether or not to hang onto all my masks. I decided to save them in the event of another deadly virus. I figured the way the world is going there's bound to be another before I'm dead.

Then I learned the current virus wasn't going away, especially here in Florida thanks to our big Trump turd governor, that fool DeSantis! The idiot is even selling merchandise reading "Don't Fauci my Florida!"

I want a T-shirt that reads "Don't DeSantis our cemeteries, signed the state of Florida!"

But what can be expected of a governor who eagerly licks the ass of the biggest con man the United States has ever known!

Not that long ago I recall Donald Trump labeling the Covid virus a hoax. If a loved one of mine died of it during that time I'd be suing him!!! -- It's a mystery to me why someone isn't.

How can anyone be so gullible as to buy into Trump's lies? I can't imagine! Nor can I imagine any citizen who would put party over country and yet they are out there in staggering numbers!

Those who participated in the January 6 insurrection are traitors and should be treated as such!!!-- No slap on the wrists, at the very least hard prison time and even that is too lenient!!!

But I must remind myself that a bright side exists; unlike the start of the lockdown in March of 2020 I now have a large collection of masks to choose from. Although fully vaccinated, I'll start wearing one again.

And I'll continue to vote in every election, nothing will stop me!!!  DeSantis, I intend to do everything I can to make sure your days in office are numbered!!!

GHOST MALL

 

Early in 2000 I remember a tech whizz stating that in just 10 years shopping malls would be obsolete. Frankly, I couldn't imagine it! Malls are not just for shopping, but social gatherings.

I am not a person who likes crowds or noise, but malls were an exception! These were fun places with a carnival atmosphere filled with lots of interesting eye candy; plus restaurants & cafes in all price ranges plus a nifty food court.

A mall was a wonderful place to meet with friends for lunch and go shopping afterward. And there was a movie theatre with multiple screens too! Everything you could possibly want for a fun filled day or evening! Even going alone always lifted my spirits.

Recently I met a friend for lunch at the food court. I recall when just finding a good parking space was difficult, but now the parking lot had so few cars I had my choice. Most of the stores had moved or closed down altogether.

I was surprised to see the AMC Theatre open since movie times are no longer listed in the newspaper. But I'll bet all 24 screens aren't playing anymore.

Half the eateries in the food court were gone and our choices were limited, but there were plenty of unoccupied tables to choose from. The other people I saw there were either senior citizens or close to it. -- Those of us considered the walking dead by the young.

Well it took more than the predicted 10 years, but sadly I saw it happening even before the corona virus; however this seemed to add the final nail. Such a pity!

Just walking around and window shopping used to be such a delight! All that glorious merchandise and the variety of items spread out before you! Unlike online, you could see it up close and even touch it.

Some merchandise I can see purchasing online only. However others it just doesn't make sense, plus it's far more expensive! There's postage, handling, tax, and now a replacement charge (which used to be voluntary) along with a carrier surcharge which is new. After all these are added in, sometimes it costs as much or more as the item itself! If that's not an incentive to shop at a brick & mortar store I don't know what is!

Once upon a time a customer didn't even have to pay postage, plus most companies included a free gift just for choosing them. Nowadays that seems incredible to say the least! 

Clothing creates a particular problem. I want to try it on before I buy! Yes, I've purchased clothes online and often ended up sending it back! I grit my teeth at having to pay costly postage both ways! Often clothes are manufactured in other countries and are miss-sized.

Usually a medium fits me, but not always. When going by actual size, if an outfit appears baggy on the model I order a size smaller. If it's clingy I go with the next larger size. I've found this method works best.

The virus aside, these days I don't go out that much anymore so I don't require as many clothes or accessories. But I sure miss those wondrous mall visits. Always they felt like a special treat!

ALLIGATORS, PYTHONS, WILD HOGS, & HURRICANES OH MY!

 

That dreaded season is upon us once more! We've already had our first hurricane threat, also the earliest E hurricane ever, Elsa and this was around July 4. Thankfully it weakened into a tropical storm and stayed mostly off the other coast of Florida.

Had it not and had I actually found someone to board-up, I would have been forced to stay that way thru November! It's too damn expensive otherwise!  Anyone willing to take the job charges an obscene amount of money!   

According to forecasts we're in for another active season. Where's El Nino when you need him? Ugh! Forget El Nino, Bermuda High get back in shape! Last year it protected the Treasure Coast from all those hurricanes. The Bermuda High has shifted, changing shape leaving us vulnerable this year.

I read that dust storms off Africa would protect us until August; maybe it did since Elsa weakened.

Last November I saw the movie CRAWL about Floridians being eaten alive by alligators during a Cat 5 hurricane -- a movie a little too close to home for comfort.

However dissecting it, no actual Floridian would seriously buy into that film. -- The reality would be far worse!!!

For one thing, much of the movie takes place in a basement. There are no basements in Florida! And one that close to a large body of water would be permanently flooded.

Also there's a scene where the heroine (a champion swimmer) escapes an alligator by out swimming it. Upon hitting dry land she is safe. -- Not!  Alligators are just as fast on land as in the water!

And lastly, that was NO CAT 5 HURRICANE!!! It was barely a Cat 1, more like a tropical storm.  In a true Cat 5 trees, rooftops, boats, & other huge heavy objects would be landing all around them once they ventured outside. And the flesh on their faces & bodies would be flapping around like something out of a horror movie. Also their clothes would be shredded and ripped from their bodies, plus they would all be dead fast.

But everything aside, if you suspend belief, it was great entertainment. However a movie based on reality would have been even better!

The setting should have been an isolated rural home. As its being totally demolished by a Cat 5 the inhabitants survive by taking shelter under a staircase after the door to their safe room is blown away. The ones who didn't, later will be found miles away. Their naked, broken bodies dangling from tree tops.

The storm is over.

Emerging from beneath piles of rubble the survivors leave the remains of their home and discover flooded streets and yards swimming with poisonous snakes and hungry alligators swirling and circling closer. A few of these survivors are dragged under leaving only severed body parts floating in the bloody water. Those who escape finally reach high ground and encounter starving giant pythons lurking in wait plus wild boars with nasty tusks ready to strike. -- Yes we have all those in Florida and here in Vero Beach, too!

Just before the hurricane I received an email alerting me that feral hogs, including one with ugly tusks were running loose in the neighborhood. Boar hunters with dogs were called in. Our head of the HOA stated that neighbors with guns were also allowed to shoot them as long as he was invited to the barbecue.   

It's hard to believe once I actually loved this time of year.

GRRR, NEVER AGAIN!!!

 

Awhile back I was approached by a Facebook "friend" a man I'll call "D. Wurst" to collaborate on a children's book based on a poem he'd written, the main character a superhero I'll call "The Blandman."

Inexplicably The Blandman transformed into the guardian of children everywhere. This is all D.W. brought to the table. It was up to me to supply everything else! I got busy creating a story explaining the transformation, plus a villain, and other characters all with background stories, plus an outline.

However I made it clear to D.W. this was his baby and he was going to have to write his novel himself; I would help him every step of the way, chapter by chapter.

D.W. was actually a gifted wordsmith, whereas I'm more of a plot person. I thought as a team we'd be dynamic together! I've collaborated on books before. And of course there were creative conflicts but nothing we couldn't get past. 

Meanwhile I was editing my novel The House of Sin and Splendor. I told Wurst he could be working on the first chapter while I was doing this. I gave him tips along with advice.

Then I discovered he didn't want a collaborator, but a free ghostwriter!!! Now he was claiming he didn't feel qualified to write his own book, because previously he'd only written poetry & short stories. Good grief! It's only a small leap to go from writing a short story to a novel. He had the ability!!!

Besides everything else I'd done, I was now expected to write his entire book for him. Aside from the work and time involved, my vision is impaired. This was a tremendous favor to ask of a Facebook acquaintance! Plus he would be taking all the credit.

I told him nothing doing and presented him with two choices; either he paid me for the ghostwriting OR he relinquished all claim and let me proceed with it on my own. He angrily told me to forget it!

Already I had put in a lot of work and didn't want it to go to waste. Again, I reminded him that if he would write this novel himself, he'd continue to get free help and ideas from me.  -- He refused to even try!

I was sick at the thought of discarding this story that I'd put so much effort into. So I decided to eliminate his character The Blandman entirely and make it my novel by tweaking and twisting this tale turning it into an adult novel and take it darker places. --The Blandman character was too silly for an adult novel anyway.

When I revealed my plans to him, he behaved like a whacked-out jerk, blew up, got nasty, and called me a plagiarist! (I didn't know it was possible to plagiarize from one's self!) I was stunned. Geez, this lazy entitled asshat refused to write his own book, yet begrudged me the right to use everything I'd created!

Reasoning with him was impossible.

I don't want him stinking up my life over this, so I won't proceed.  This would-be book is going to languish in limbo forever. And that's a crying shame!

He beat me to the punch by unfriending me on Facebook. However we were still connected on messenger so I fired off a message informing him that I'd abandoned the idea.

Plus I warned him that he is forbidden from using my MY PLOT or CHARACTERS should he find a sucker to write his book for him. This is my intellectual property and he does NOT have my permission! And I will stink up his life big time if he does!!!

NEVER AGAIN will I agree to collaborate on a book with anyone! Not only will it prevent problems like this one, but any creative conflicts as well.

THE HOUSE OF SIN AND SPLENDOR

 

My new novel, a supernatural thriller and mystery has been born and is out there! Every book I write I try to make as different from the previous one as possible. I push myself beyond my comfort zone to stretch and grow as a writer. This one has a strong R-rating. I want something for everyone among my books rather than limit myself to one genre.

I would describe this story as a cross between a Lifetime movie and a Blumhouse film. I am a huge fan of both!

As an introvert with a misanthropic streak writing comes natural to me. My books are my offspring. I prefer to stay off stage letting them shine under the lights and hope the audience doesn't throw rotten tomatoes at my babies.

Due to publishing costs I decided to edit my own book to save money. I'm not a perfect writer anymore than I'm a perfect person so I'm just going to have to live with any mistakes. Just because something isn't perfect doesn't mean it can't be enjoyed!

I keep reminding myself that all the books I loved and enjoyed the most were written by authors I'd never heard of before, or since. Two examples: one is Eden, (several novels have this title) the one I'm referring to is a pre-civil war story set in New Orleans by Julie Ellis and The Queen of the Night set in Nazi Germany by Mark Behm. And no, I don't know these authors personally.

The latter one was panned on Goodreads; however I found every page riveting! Remember what Earnest Hemmingway said about critics: "The only good critic is a dead critic." And I wholeheartedly agree!

I love to write! To let an imagination like mine go to waste would be a sin!

In my new novel I've included private jokes that only my closest friends will get, to everyone else they'll just be part of the story.

Writing this novel and publishing it was a lot of work, fun, joy and frustration, even therapy! Often times when I sat down to enjoy a quiet meal the characters would pull up chairs around me and began talking, even screaming at me. It certainly made the pandemic more interesting!

Go to  https://booklocker.com/11774  to purchase a copy.

MY PANDEMIC BOOK

 

Actually I started my new novel The House of Sin and Splendor around 2018 right after I finished ghostwriting Irene's, but life got in my way! Aside from cataract surgery, followed by deteriorating vision from posterior vitreous detachment; my writing was derailed by a plethora of problems concerning repairs to my home including getting ripped off twice!

I've already blogged about those things so I won't revisit them now. Anyway my manuscript was pushed onto the back burner.

Later, I don't remember the exact date, I lost my ATT cable connection; no internet, TV, or phone. However I was still able to work offline. Unable to do anything else, I started reading thru the chapters I'd written.

 Hey this is really good, I thought! Why did I stop here, I had so many plans for these characters!

Though my vision is crappy I am not blind! My novel became a priority. And when the pandemic struck that enabled me to speed things up. I didn't sit around letting my brain rot during the lockdown!

As an independent writer and one on a fixed income, publishing is expensive. But thankfully I found BookLocker to be reasonable as well as highly professional. I will hire them again.

I wanted a video ad for my novel as well as book boost. Since I'm not a tech person I needed these for promotion. So I decided to forgo an editor to keep cost down.

Plus I've had terrible experiences with editors! I fired THREE! All had been hired to put my books on a PDF file as well as edit. The first two times I didn't own a computer, the third I was between computers.

The first editor up and disappeared with my manuscript along with those of several other clients. She left no forwarding address or phone number and had to be tracked down. Eventually we were able to gain access to a phone number but our calls were never returned.

Thankfully, illustrator April Sampson found her new address and drove all the way from Lake Wales to knock on her door and demanded the manuscripts back.

The second confessed she memorized sentences because she couldn't touch type. During her memorization my wording was changed and badly. When I pointed this out she became angry and threw a tizzy fit!

The third, I suspect was also a memorizer, but with an even worse memory. Character names were frequently switched around and spelled inconsistently throughout.

None of them were forced to decipher any cursive writing, all were handed typed sheets of paper! I've learned the hard way that being unqualified doesn't stop people from taking a job!

And with my previous novel (Seed of Deceit) the first editor quit half way thru complaining the story conflicted with her Christian values. -- She knew from the onset I didn't write Christian fiction and should have refused the job in the first place!

After receiving my author's copy of Sin and Splendor, I gave it to my friend Marie to read. I needed a fresh pair of eyes, ones that weren't impaired. I instructed her to look for egregious errors only and ignore small ones because I'd have to pay to start over to make any corrections at this point.

There are some typos and I trusted spell-check too much. But these are far and few between and don't ruin the story. Now at long last, The House of Sin and Splendor, a supernatural thriller and mystery is in print!

If you are a fan of the supernatural and even if you're not, I believe you will enjoy it. Also check out my cool video ad on the BookLocker website along with a sample chapter.

To purchase a copy of my novel go to:   https://booklocker.com/11774