Inspiration, vacation, and pictures!

*yawns and stretches*

Man! I am burning the candle at all the ends these days. Since I came back from my vacation my muse has been on a roll. She is double thinking! Maybe even triple thinking!

I try to sleep and she’s talking kings, queens, and things unseen! *chuckles* Truly, she gave me two new story ideas on vacation. She’s showing me my next series. She’s mapping out the story that I’ve had in my head the longest. That heffa, the character not my muse, snagged yet one more song! *lqtms* She has a soundtrack going on now!  When I publish the first story in her series, I need Tyler Perry or someone to call me about making her movies.  Seriously.  Her tale is epic!

Plus, being on vacation made me see Baltimore differently. I took a cruise with my sister who is not a partier so I ended up resting more than I normally would on vacation. I even *gasp* left my laptop at home! You have no idea how much I did not want to leave it behind. But my muse wanted me to leave it and I did and I'm glad I did. I actually relaxed and when I relaxed the ideas flowed like water from a babbling brook. It was and still is just sweetness!

I took all the tours at each port we stopped in.  I realized that I didn’t know nearly as much of Baltimore’s story as I should. I found each little town fascinating for different reasons.  Baltimore’s history is just as rich and it is where I live.

So I have started doing the touristy thing with Baltimore. *chuckle* I took some pictures too! I uploaded them to my Facebook page and I figured I might as well put them here too.  A few of the pictures are of the buildings and one place in particular mentioned in Elyrian Brides: Sancecrea.

And yes they were taken from inside my car! Stop playing! The hood is real. People were looking at my parked car funny as it was. *chuckle*

Really funny and strange thing is that while I was debating if I wanted to take more than two quick pics of Crea’s spa, from inside my car, two little Caucasian girls jogged by me just as unconcerned.  I watched them in awe and shock. My thoughts were: What the hell are y’all doing out there? This is the hood! *smh smiling*

They jogged on by seemingly oblivious.  Or maybe they were shadows of things to come. Seriously they looked like two college girls, no older than 19-20.  There is a revitalization project going on but as you will see, it ain’t reached that part of North Avenue yet. I don’t expect it for another 20 years or more. But one never truly knows what the future holds, do they?

But several blocks down from the building are some new condos. Still, that was a far jog and I wouldn’t have advised it. *shrug*

The picture above is the Baltimore Cemetery that is mentioned in Elyrian Brides: Sansecrea. It is where North Avenue dead ends as if to say that if you stay here too long, it is waiting. But then Death is waiting for us all but it would be nice to die somewhere a lot nicer if you got the chance.

This is the front building of Crea's spa. I know I took a few liberties in the book but that is how I would redo it if given the chance. And no I would not make it into a spa. *smirk* You may be seeing more of this building in other stories.

Here is the side view.  As you can see there is a front building, a connector and then the back building which is three stories tall. Man the things that could be done with this whole block. As you see there are more houses just past the buildings. Most are boarded up and empty. Not a good spot for me to park or two little Caucasian girls to jog past. However, I did and they did. *still smh*

There are more pictures of Baltimore on my Facebook page here: Baltimore to my touristy eyes.

So that is what is going on with me. Oh! One more thing! I've started what a friend has entitled #RatchetStoryHour on Twitter. *chuckle*

It is basically a very ratchet and hood fairytale about two fairies named Shawntiqua and Booty and their quest to restore Majic to the hood. Yes, Majic. If you have a chance, do tune in. I do it on the fly. Seriously, with the other stories I am working on I don't have time to write anything out before hand. I just type what my muse shows me and hope it makes sense.

I do story telling Monday thru Friday from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm EST in the USA. So do feel free to check me out if you are looking for some free entertainment. My Twitter screen name is still CCDreamz.

Just a reminder, I'm human and have human things to do.  So I sometimes have to skip a day or two. Or like with my vacation a week! So have patience with me when I'm not able to get online. I do try to announce if there will be no story hour that night so people can plan accordingly.

That is all I can think of for now.

And I'm back for more!

Whew! I'm still going through all my stories. I found yet another box full of stories, ideas and poems.  What so often happens is that once I get bored with a story or I've got too many of them running around in my head, I'll jot down some notes.  I've been doing that for years!

Hence the file cabinet, boxes, and bag of stories.  Do I have enough time to write all these stories out?  I can only hope and dive in and do my best.  I hope I will entertain others as I have entertained myself down through the years.

Nothing like laughing at the pictures in your own head and having people give you the whole seat on the bus. What? *wide eyed stare* That's what I wanted in the first place! *lqtms* Hey, the buses in Baltimore city are almost always over crowded.  I swear the only reason I broke down and bought a car this year was because of one of the last bus rides I had last year.  The bus was so crowded that I had had more pelvises pressed against me than a hooker when the sailors hit the harbor.  Ugh!  Not a fond memory.

So the cataloging continues. Thinking about stories that I'd like to flesh out and others that make me wonder what I was drinking at the time I wrote them up.  Those stories do not resemble any fantasy I've ever dreamed up.  However, the handwriting is all mine so I know I came up with the idea just not how or why.

Eh! It is entertaining me while the summer reruns bore everyone else.

Annnnnnnnnnnd I'm back!

*slides across the hardwood floor ala Risky Business and flops down to blog*

I just got the nicest compliment on Elyrian Brides: Octavia!  I’ve got three comments so far and all three gave it five stars.  I am touched by all three comments but the one that was the nicest to me stated that they didn’t normally like science fiction but that they thoroughly enjoyed my book. *sits smiling*  That was the most awesome thing for me to read today.  I needed that boost.

The reason I needed the boost?  Because I released Elyrian Brides: Sancecrea yesterday! *trying not to hyperventilate*  Seriously, Crea’s character comes from a whole different side of Baltimore.  I really like her and was afraid I didn’t do her story justice.  So I’m sitting here on tender hooks to see how people will receive the story.  It is just that I feel like I could have done better with her story.  Then I thought the same about Octavia.  And I’ll probably feel the same about Athena. *exasperated sigh at self*

Of note is that one of the readers who read Octavia’s story has already commented that she liked Crea’s story and felt I did a good job with it. She finished it in one night! *whew*  She said she understood her and she laughed and got mad.  Ok!  I think I got the story across to at least one person.  I hope I did for everyone who will pick up her story.  It can be purchased on Amazon here: Elyrian-Brides-Sancecrea

I am glad that people are reading it and enjoying it.  I am proud that I gave myself a deadline and stuck to it.  I am on a deadline for Athena’s story and am tooling along on it.  Lord willing and my computer doesn’t explode and my backups don’t turn to mush and the world doesn’t end, Athena’s story will be ready in time for the holidays.

I hope to have finished Seven’s story by then also.  My muse wants me to add more scenes before the ending.  I want to skip to the ending.  I’ve been looking forward to the ending for some time now.  I’ve always had this finish in mind from the first word until now.  So I just need to buckle down and do the dang thing.

Busy times ahead.  Yikes!  But I am really enjoying what I am doing.  And I am glad to know that some people are enjoying what I am doing.

It is strange, when almost no one was reading the book I was going along oblivious to the world around me and just typing away.  Once people started to like my book and a few have even friended me on FB – just a few I have 8 likes but still more than I expected – I realized that I didn’t want to let people down.  I’m going to put my all into Athena right now.  I want to be able to look at it and feel like I put my best foot forward for those who take the time to read the story.  Everyone’s time and money is precious.  I never want to lose sight of that fact.

Wow this has been an amazing year so far.  Two books on Amazon and working on two more.  And since my sister was terribly disappointed that she didn't have a physical book for me to autograph I have published Octavia’s story on CreateSpace.  So she can order herself a real live book and I can autograph it for her. *chuckle*  My family.  Gotta love them.

I told her to print it and I’d be glad to sign it but watching her face fall *sighs*.  It only took about three hours of my time and I am rather pleased with the finished product.  It is much more expensive since these are books on demand but it will be there for anyone who prefers a book to hold and caress and pages to turn.  Here is the finished product.

The physical book can be purchased on CreateSpace here: Elyrian Brides: Octavia on CreateSpace for now.  I have been assured that in no more than seven business days it will also link up to my Amazon page.  It was a pretty cool process.  It took me three hours to get everything situated on the pages the way I wanted and then design the cover.  Then this afternoon I gave it a final proof and approved.  Not bad for doing it myself if I do say so myself.

Amazon thought of everything, e-bookshelves, CreateSpace, and even a free e-reader for download to any PC/Laptop if you don’t have an e-reader.

Welp!  That is tricks for now.  Let me get back to story telling.

My muse called me boring...

*chuckling* Well, that's what it seemed like. I was doing some editing of book two of The Elyrian Brides and I kept falling asleep! *chuckles*  It finally dawned on me that some of the action scenes that I alluded to but never went into need to be hashed out.

I thought they were going to be ugly to do but it turns if the scene I saw open up yesterday is any indication then it won't be as bad as I thought. I just hate throwing drama and hard times at my characters. Yes, I know, without struggle there really is no plot. I just wish that they could sail simply and easily into their ever afters. But that is not reality. Heck even fairytales have strife in them. And anything worth having is worth fighting for. Love is definitely worth the fight when you have the right person.

So while I'm hashing things out with Book II of EB and Seven's tale because I finally figured out where I was going wrong on her story too take a look at a short story I worked out with some people I know in real life. The names have all been changed except for one and she's a ghost so I hope it doesn't matter much. She's my friends' ghost and that is the name they gave her. We really don't know her name for sure. *chuckle*

This story was borne out of the belief that black folk wouldn't do horror stories. Well of course we can! And we would. You just have to have the right circumstances. *chuckle* I've even got a paranormal story floating around in my head. I hope someday to have the time to write it all down. For now, have a peek at The Weekend Getaway.

As the plots turn...

So, I’m tooling along revamping what I thought was book two of Elyrian Brides when my muse pulls me up short.  And a new character I have never thought of just shows up out of the blue.  Truth be told I had toyed with the idea of an around the way girl but nothing in detail.  Also, not as a main character, more of a supporting character.

My muse had other ideas.  Up popped her story, back story, opening scene and lines! LOL Here’s a snippet:

“But, girl, they’re yellow.”

Sancecrea Jeane’ Wilson’s neck did the black girl neck twist like no one else could.  With it she could curse you out, crack you up, and piss you off all with the one move.

“And their money is still green!  Don’t be no fool!”

Her friend Denay scrunched up her face.  “Say what you want, Crea, but it is weird.  I ain’t hanging out with no yellow dudes.  You can go over there without me.”

Sancerea, or Crea to her friends shook her head in disgust as she got up from the table and made her way through the noisy crowd in the club toward the group of yellow men who had just arrived.  The aliens had their own VIP section and any and all black women were welcome to party with them.  Well, if you could call it partying.

They kept a section just for themselves and female guests.  They bought bottles and rounds a plenty but they drank none of it.  They seemed to enjoy the company of the women.

Crea had her eye on one in particular but every time she saw him her mind went blank.  Everything about him said trouble in flashing neon letters.  Crea was well accustomed to the type and she wanted to get next to the yellow one yet to be named, as she thought of him, in the worst way.

Every time she tried someone, another Elyrian or black chick seemed to be in her way.  She had peeped him checking her out from time to time.  He always smiled and winked at her then went back to talking to whoever he was talking to at the time.  He always seemed to be in the midst of party but not part of it.

All the Elyrians had cash to burn or long money.  Somehow, though, she got the feeling that he was the one in charge.  He excited her and scared her a little, too.  All the more reason for her to get next to him. 

I love my muse.  Truly I do but she is a bit of a trickster.  Or perhaps she’s just smarter than me.  I’m all ready to head to Elyria and begin the next story.  I am quite amused at the twists and turns for Octavia.  Poor Kade is all I’m going to say.

However, my muse says there are other stories to tell on this side of the universe before I head on over to Elyria.

In the meantime though, here is chapter 17 of The Thief of Callandaria.

Elyrian Brides

This is me! This is me! This is me!!!!! *feet kicking air excitedly*
I cannot believe it. I can't believe how ridiculously happy seeing this makes me. *chuckle* Yeah, I know. Couldn't I have done something better with the cover?  In time. In time. I'm learning and enjoying this journey.

I actually did design a better cover but I didn't know how to turn it into a jpeg at the time. I know now. So I'll be ready for Book Two! I am hard at work on it while still working on Seven's story and about three others. Mercy!  And work too! lol

This story has evolved so much since I first started it on scraps of paper a decade ago.  Even with all the changes and rewrites I never saw the ending coming.  My muse even keeps me guessing. It is all in good fun though because I love the twists and turns.

There is a part in the book where Octavia and her sister are discussing what color the children will be. Octavia says that Kade is expecting a light brown child while she is looking for something in a pastel yellow. I'm typing and cracking up at the same time because even as I picked a color for the Elyrians I never wondered what color their children would be until I was typing out that scene. *chuckle*

I had fun with it and I am looking forward to working on the next story...*sighs* and all the ones I'm working on right now.

In the meantime, this is where the book can be bought. Elyrian Brides: Octavia I want to holler so bad but I don't want to scare the neighbors.

I'm published!!!!!

*runs around screaming* Yes! I am that excited. *chuckle* Now to wait for someone to say yay or girl, sit your azz down somewhere and stop the story telling. *lol*

Don't worry.  I have NOT quit my day job.

*feet tapping with excitement*