Had to delay writing this because I started work yesterday morning so I could achieve my quota and be home in time for dinner and well before the freezing started. I was more than willing to stress myself out helping people before the Icepocalypse, but Amanda does not drive on ice. The grocery stores were adventure after adventure; it wasn’t this intense even during Thanksgiving and Christmas shopping. Raise a glass to your grocery workers, who did amazing keeping staples stocked as best as they could. Everyone, stay safe and warm.

News:

“Divergences” won 3rd place this month at the Crystal Lake Shallow Waters flash fiction contest, themed Regret.

Works in Progress:

I started the double edit on Never & Forever (Meridian Book 8) and almost promptly had to set it aside, because I received the last edits for In the Dollhouse We All Wait, and since formatting needs to be done by the end of January, these take precedence. Because of work, I’m a little less than a third through, but because of the Icepocalypse, I can’t work this weekend and probably Monday, and that should give me the time to finish up and send it back out.

Then I need to edit my flash fiction entry for the Shallow Water theme given for next month’s posts, themed Rivers, if you’d like to participate. It’s a heart-breaking little story that probably affects me more than the reader, but it was still kind of startling how strongly writing it hit me. Like an emotional gut punch over and over. Hopefully, some distance makes it less painful.

Books I’m Reading:

Raising Loki: A Memoir by Elliot Manarin
The Shining by Stephen King
Skeleton Crew by Stephen King

Things I’m Listening To:

Christmas playlist

Things I’m Watching:

Bring Her Back
Final Destination: Bloodline
9-1-1: Nashville series
Stranger Things series
Resident Alien series

Poem of the Week: (throwback to January 2023)

skate blades hiss
over frozen surface
swirls of particle ice
spin and twirl
finest graceful form
slice and cut
through frigid air
scarlet scarves flutter
in festive spread
full moon rising
over crimson ice