Month: January 2022

Guest Post: Abbie Johnson Taylor #SaturdaySurprise #Inspiration #ShortStories

Thanks to Beetley Pete for publishing my short story on his blog today. It was originally destined for a flash fiction contest sponsored by Wyoming Writers in which the prompt was “wide open spaces” and there was a 500-word limit. But as you’ll see, it morphed into a longer work. Enjoy!

beetleypete

I am delighted to have received a guest post from American blogger and writer, Abbie Johnson Taylor.
It is a short story.

STARTING OVER

Shelby gazed out the kitchen window at the barn and surrounding landscape, covered in winter snow. More flakes were falling from an overcast sky, cascading in swirls of white. It felt so good to be home. She’d always loved her parents’ ranch in Wyoming, the wide open spaces, the livestock, the wildlife, even the harsh winters, and wished she hadn’t left after marrying Ian. As a matter of fact, she wished she hadn’t married Ian at all.

The kitchen door opened, and her father came in, stomping the snow off his boots and closing the door. “Boy, it’s really coming down out there,” he said, removing his gloves and stuffing them in his coat pockets.”

Shelby turned to him with a smile and said, “Well, the…

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A Tidal Wave of Murder #FridayFunReads #BookReviews #Inspiration

Tidalwave: A Tracy Gayle Mystery

by Trish Hubschman

What Smashwords Says

Tidalwave’s tour bus bursts into flames while the band is relaxing on the beach. The band’s leader, Danny Tide, hires private detective Tracy Gayle to do some discreet investigation into the matter. She’s joining the band on tour as security chief. The arsonist is discovered, but much deeper, more dangerous things come to light as well: an assault, an attempted murder, and then two murders. Tracy is faced with far more than she bargained for. Her stint with the band goes further than just that summer tour. She is fully determined to protect America’s favorite rock and roll heartthrob, and they become the best of friends along the way.

Buy from Smashwords.

My Thoughts

I met Trish Hubschman several years ago when she joined Behind Our Eyes, an organization of writers to which I belong. Her favorite rock band is Styx, and her passion for this type of music comes out in Tracy Gayle’s determination to protect Danny Tide. Trish’s realistic dialogue and surprising plot twists kept me engaged.

This is a good book to read while preparing for a colonoscopy or anticipating anything else unpleasant. From the first page, Trish transported me into the world of the rock band, Tidalwave. Having wanted to be a famous singer in my younger years, I found this story fascinating. However, I realized that my anal adventures were more preferable to being a famous rock star in danger and wondering who in the world would want me dead.

New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

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Getting Ready for the Dance #It’sSix-SentenceStoryThursdayLinkUp #Inspiration #WritingPrompts

Welcome to another edition of Six-Sentence Story Thursday Link Up. This week’s given word is “wear.” In the below excerpt from The Red Dress, my main character Eve’s roommate is looking for something to wear to the homecoming dance.

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Eve watched Charlene finish applying lotion, dry her hair, and put on her undergarments, then rifle through her closet for something to wear. All the while, Charlene prattled on about Alex Smith, the boy who would accompany her to the dance, the captain of the football team—about how handsome he was in his uniform, how he could throw a ball and run. She realized why Charlene was suddenly loyal to the University of Colorado team and felt like throwing up.

Finally, Charlene said, “Ugh! There’s nothing good here. If you’re not gonna go to the dance, could I borrow something from your closet?”

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So, does Charlene find something suitable to wear in Eve’s closet? What happens after that? Read The Red Dress and find out.

Thanks to Girlie on the Edge for inspiring me to post this excerpt with her six-sentence story prompt for this week. You can click here to participate and read other blogger’s six-sentence creations.

New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

***

The Importance of Knowing the Time #Reblogs #TuesdayTidbit #Excerpt

Note: I posted the following here a year ago. If you’ve read it before, I hope you’ll agree it’s worth a second look. If it’s new to you, I hope you’ll enjoy it.

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In January of 2006, three months after Bill and I were married and two weeks before he suffered his first stroke, I learned the value of having an effective time piece. Bill and I took the bus from our home in Sheridan, Wyoming, to Fowler, Colorado, to visit Bill’s sister and other family and friends for a couple of weeks. In our haste to get to the Sheridan bus station at three in the morning, I forgot to put on my talking watch after showering and didn’t realize it until it was too late. The following excerpt from My Ideal Partner: How I Met, Married, and Cared for the Man I Loved Despite Debilitating Odds describes a faux pas that occurred as a result of me not having my watch.

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One morning, soon after we arrived in Fowler, Bill shook me awake and told me it was seven o’clock. Shirley’s cleaning lady was due at eight, and I didn’t want her to catch us in bed. At a quarter to eight, after having showered and dressed, I settled in a recliner in the living room with my radio and headphones.

Shirley wasn’t up yet, and this seemed odd. I also noticed that it didn’t appear to be getting any lighter. I tuned in a public radio station out of Pueblo, and after fifteen minutes of national news, a local announcer said, “Good morning. It’s six a.m.”

Barely able to contain my anger, I stomped into the bedroom where Bill was dressing. I didn’t want to yell for fear of waking Shirley. “You idiot! It’s only six o’clock.”

Bill laughed. “I thought my watch said it was seven.”

“Yeah, right,” I said, as I sat on the bed and took off my shoes. “That’s why I don’t use a Braille watch anymore.”

“Well, let’s go out to breakfast.”

“You go out to breakfast,” I said, as I lay on the bed and covered myself with the blanket. “I’m going back to sleep.”

I turned on my side and closed my eyes. I heard him leave and knew he was mad, but I didn’t care. As I drifted back to sleep, I vowed never to forget my watch again. Little did I know that this was the last trip Bill and I would take together.

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How about you? Can you remember an instance when you didn’t have a watch or a way to tell time? What happened as a result?

New! Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me

Independently published with the help of DLD Books.

Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.

***