Glasses

I've worn glasses since twelve. Neither of my parents did. I called bullshit way back. 

Am I blind as shit without them? Why, yes. Yes, I am. I loathe the fact. Except Christmastime when I can look at Christmas lights or a tree without said glasses, and it's so damn SOFT. You guys with 20/20 and better vision don't know unless you've experienced it. But those of us who have? It doesn't make up for any of the other bullshit, but it's a MOMENT, you know?

I wear progressives now. Real cute way to say I can tilt my head a certain way and can see both near and far with ONE set of glasses. Yes, I appreciate the invention. But even more? I appreciate the fact I can take my glasses off and read to my grandchildren or read a book or watch a show on my phone without the extra eyes. But, Crystal! That's what your progressives are for! Shush your butt. I do as I want...

Hopefully, sooner than later, we will have longer vacations with the kids and gbabies. I don't want that with my glasses. I don't like anything ON my glasses. Long story. And I HAVE to have them to see. Goodbye anything with water. It's horseshit.

BUT...I wore these pain in the ass glasses yesterday OVER my solar shades to watch the eclipse. The cardboard cut into my nose, and it was extremely uncomfortable, but I wanted to see what everyone else was going to see. And I did.

The sun became a mere object as the moon slid slowly in front of it, taking its time, swallowing small pieces of bright yellow in tiny bites, not great gulps. It was a sci-fi Pac-Man eaten by a moon ghost. (Once an eighties kid...) It was Dr. Who's street lamp that always shines on the TARDIS. It was a shiny crescent moon who talked to "Bear in the Big Blue House." It was...

...a sliver of something bright, far away. A mysterious tip of a yellow fingernail shining back on a round rock determined to cover it up. Did dinosaurs look up and see only a sunny fragment before their lives changed? Did our ancestors cower or scream? Dance or sacrifice? Was it a beginning to some? An end for others? How much power had the rock? How much power had the bright?

The next dance is 2045? I'll be in my mid-seventies, if still aboveground. And hopefully, only wearing one pair of shades. 😎

Crystal*  

Monsters folie à deux

We don't believe in torches and pitchforks anymore in the world of writing romance books. We are, after all, in the business of happily-ever-after.

Bring us your werewolves, vampires, sea creatures. We will craft stories where these "monsters" get the girl, boy, girls, or boys of their dreams. 

I grew up watching Bella Lugosi as both Dracula and the Wolfman. A large decisive slant on his true intentions. Also, he was not meant to be the butter on your toast. Or, at least not mine. 

My next true remembrance of a vampire was Chris Sarandon of "Fright Night". Now. HERE was a man I'd think of letting butter anything he'd like. (I haven't had breakfast!) I was also a hormonal teenage girl. And my favorite creature has always been a vampire because they are masters of seduction. You can drain every ounce of blood from my body, but I can feel pleasure from the process?  Left or right side?

There have been many remakes through the years which have made monsters palatable. And a couple...that have broken my heart.

Edward Scissorhands. I ugly cried. A misunderstood soul trapped in a body that betrayed him. I've only watched it once because once was enough to stick.

The Shape of Water. Though I know what happens, I can't bring myself to watch the torture of the amphibious man. The thought sticks in my chest and hurts.

That's the other side of it. It's okay to hurt these "monsters" because they're inhuman, although some are more human than actual humans. 

We want to ostracize or humanize because we don't understand, and we must understand! You don't look like me, but if you act like me, I'll find it easier to accept you. Sound familiar?

Or, when writing, if we stick to the stereotype, it's more palatable.

Wolves have packs. There can be multiple males and one female. Now. Substitute witches or vampires. Hits a bit different, doesn't it? I'm not knocking it, but it's easier to make the wolf scenario more believable.

Back to the monsters. Monster Romance is growing quickly. Part of that growth is for writers to remind themselves woman fall in love with actions. The physical side of characters falls way lower on the attract-o-meter. THIS is a fact suitors, both male/female/ otherworldly beings, need to realize.

Most women focus on what makes an individual. Do these attributes appeal to them? 

The fact this entity only has one eyeball, pointy teeth, scales, or furry feet is incidental.

Love is blind.

Always writing*

...haven't done a monster romance yet...

Monsters

When we're children, monsters are used to frighten us. We delight in Halloween and scary movies that push our adrenals and give us thrills in the moment. Monsters, we're told, look and act like this. Most have become stereotypes of themselves.

While I was writing yesterday, I wrote a scene with monsters in it. Specifically, three characters who had been made into monsters. While they weren't model citizens before, they had been mutilated by someone they cared for and turned into dying shadows of who they were.

It bothered me a great deal.

I started this scene with a specific dialogue and outcome in mind. Instead, I've found myself pursuing an entirely new possibility for them. 

I took to Snapchat and TikTok to ask the question, paraphrased:  If you came across a damaged monster, would you seek to try and help it, or destroy it?  If it were the last or second or third last of its species? Would you consider it a mercy killing?

Monsters, to many of us, aren't vampires or werewolves, they are the bullies in school. They are the family who acts like anything but. They are the management in your job who lets you suffer slowly because they don't give a damn. These are the real monsters. They erode you with no care whatsoever. 

It's a horrible day when you realize the Monster Matinee is simply a couple hours of made-up mayhem with fake screams, blood, and actors.

It's a worse day when you see the monsters in your life. 

While I've tried to let my sleeping monsters lie, I find that I'm more likely to show mercy to others because the other option is too deep a cut to bear, even in my writing.

Always writing*

...and pondering monsters real and imagined...

 

Manifesting.

 Dear Energy,

It's me again. Need to do a bit of manifesting. 

I'm manifesting bestselling books, a personal assistant, and more energy. The first two are musts this year. That last one is rough unless my doctor finds a miracle drug. 

I bring bestselling book energy to myself. I bring personal assistant energy into my own energy. I'm open and willing to work on both to receive both.

Ready, willing, and able.

Always writing*

...and manifesting 💖

Calm before the storm

Restless today. Maybe time change. Maybe me. Both?

This week is a quiet one for me, and I'm thankful for it.

Next week will be balls to the wall. I seem to thrive in that. Until it's over. And then I both look and feel like roadkill. heh

Extremely excited about no appts this week. Grocery shopping Wednesday, the usual fare. But starting next Tuesday, I have an appt that day, groceries Wednesday, appt Thursday, hair appt Friday and leaving after that to drive down and spend the night in my Arlington hotel to go to my first book event this year, which is the Home Run Author Event in Choctaw Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

It's a lot. But I'm always uber excited about book events. 

The buzz and the excitement is like a drug, I swear. You're in a place with your people, both authors and readers. I'm convinced my pupils must be HUGE. 😂

Seems to be about fifty of us. My adrenaline is pumping, simply thinking about it. Having never gone to this particular event, I'm not sure how many books to take, which titles, etc. I think I've decided on 20 each of OHH, Canary-both, PCA, and a bookmark with a code for a free download. I'll also have free pens and bags. 

Simmering down. Hope tomorrow is more productive mind seems to be scattered right now. Guess we'll see how tomorrow goes.

Always writing*

Discounted eBooks!

March 3rd-March 9th, 2024

My eBooks will be discounted! Come read me. 😄 

Great time to find something new.

Happy reading!

A feeling

For some unknown, as of yet, reason, I believe my March to be busy. I DO have my March event in Arlington:  Home Run Author Event

Excited about that. 😊

I have a couple other things, but nothing to make me feel like I feel right now. It's giving me a bit of anxiety. I need no help in this area. 😑

I'm writing on my dark fantasy romance today. I quite love it. Infinitely darker and deeper than I've done before.

My three books I'll release this year are:  dark fantasy, "Incantation"--4th book in the Rivers Series, and "Out of the Shadows"--last book in the Canary Trilogy. I wanted to release five, but these three are the priority. I might fit in some short stories, but it's already MARCH! I didn't think I was going to make it through January, but here we are.

The ONLY bad thing about a productive day, me being at this desk tap tapping away, is that I think I need food inhalation to meet the writing productivity. If I'm in the flow, I eat more. My brain thinks that since it's expending so much energy, I must need snacks. 😂

Oh, Lordt.

Have a good Friday!

Always writing*

...and inhaling snacks on those productive days