Happy Holidays

No matter which holidays you celebrate, I hope you and your families have a joyous and wonderful time!

Coronavirus Pandemic Day 342 - Winter Storm Warnings

The winter holiday viral surge is finally slowing down, vaccines are being delivered and administered, but the stats are still atrocious. 27,914,244 known cases in the U.S. and 490,076 known dead from COVID-19.

Winter Storm Uri passed through in the wee hours of the morning, and Winter Storm Viola inches up on us. The flurries of an hour ago have given way to a steady snowfall.

The march of winter storms since the beginning of February are slowing down shipping of the vaccines across the country. All's not lost. The snow is also keeping people home.

I was hoping Ohio would be in Phase 4 for vaccine distribution by March, which is when I'd be eligible, but it doesn't look like it'll happen until May. Therefore, I'll continue the mask wearing, the social distancing, and the staying home for the foreseeable future.

In the meantime, I have a novel to finish with a warm puppy in my lap and snow quietly falling outside my window.

Mid-Winter Wonder

The temps finally dropped, and we got snow. This was the scene DH shot outside a family room window of the new house Monday afternoon.

Jane Doe isn't the first white-tail we've seen in the backyard. DH and Bella surprised two other deer during a midnight constitutional two weeks ago. And there were two sets of deer tracks after last night's fresh inch of powder when I took Bella out for her morning constitutional yesterday.

Most days, I have Ebony, Jett, Rusty, and Gaga to keep me entertained. The squirrels' latest hijinks involve drift diving in the snow banked against our shed. But they're too fast for me to capture on camera.

I'd like to blame the critters for having to delay the latest release for two weeks, but alas, it is all human problems. Instead, the animals give me a little joy in order to keep writing.

As long as the damn squirrels stay outside of my house.

Coronavirus Pandemic Day 321 - Surviving the WInter Blues

We're closing in on the end of the first month of 2021. 25,374,301 known cases of COVID-19. 423,611 known dead from the disease. The thing that sticks out to me? California had to temporarily lift EPA emissions standards on all their crematoriums because of the sheer volume of bodies they are dealing with.

Think about that for a minute.

It's been almost a year since the lockdowns in the U.S. began. The fact that it's the middle of winter is not helping. A lot of people like me suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, aka SAD. Being trapped in your home is bad enough. Adding a huge layer of depression on top of things is not helping.

What do I do to cope? Here's a list of what helps me. This is not medical advice. If you're having seriously issues dealing, please, PLEASE talk to your doctor!

1) If you've got a fireplace, light the fire. The warmth and flames gives me a cheery feeling. Candles work in a pinch.

2) Chocolate, especially dark chocolate. A little treat will lift my mood because it contains the same chemicals the body produces when we are in love.

3) A humorous book, movie, or TV show. My go-to's are Irresistible? by Stephanie Bond, The Wedding Singer, and The Big Bang Theory or Friends.

Just remember to wear your mask and socially distance, even if you've gotten your vaccination. We CAN get through this if we look out for each other!

Coronavirus Pandemic Day 251 - Another Shutdown Is Coming

People are calling the current COVID-19 uptick in cases the third wave. However, here in Ohio, the numbers have been one continuous wave. An ever-growing wave. There is no trough. There has not been a trough since the first diagnoses in the state back in March 3.

Even worse, we've hit 10 million cases and 250,000 deaths nationwide. Those health professionals who've managed to survive are exhausted. And there are still people calling this a hoax.

With the cold weather settling in the northern states, everyone will be forced indoors and in close proximity. That means things are going to get worse.

A lot worse.

 

Gov. DeWine is talking about another curfew. Other states have already implemented partial or full shutdowns. And we're ten days away from Thanksgiving. That means cases will increase through December because Americans just can't handle being told not to do something.

I don't look at the subdued holidays as a punishment though. As I've been telling friends, I didn't go through the bullshit of breast cancer to be felled by the common cold's pissant little cousin.

We going to start stocking up on things as we move into our new house. Once we're in the new place, we're going to limit our trips out and about. I mean, I'm only going out to medical appointments and food pickup as it is.

It means no holiday celebrations this year. We'd hoped to host a tiny one in the new house, but it's not going to happen. It's just too risky with all the various health problems among the family members. And that's before we add COVID-19 to the mix.

So I have no excuse not to complete a bunch of things over the next two months.

As long as I can stay healthy.

Something to Entertain You While I Write

It's winter, and I no longer have a beagle to keep my feet warm while I write. So I looked up beagle videos on YouTube to cheer me up. If you've never had a beagle, here's a list of reasons not to get one.

Sunshine on Snow

After Saturday's snow, the world looks pristine and white. Why does this appearance please us writers, but a blank white screen does not?

Maybe because we don't look beneath the surface of our computer screens. Maybe because we're scared to.

Like footsteps across the field, our typing mars the surface of our screen. Inside our head, the idea resides in crystalline perfections forever. Once we commit to writing it, we see the flaws. In fact, we focus on the flaws rather than work with them.

Understand that the flaws are like the silent, sleeping trees in the picture. Yes, their stark blackness ruins the pristine surface of the snow across the field. However, they are beauty in their own right. And they are waiting for conditions to change in order to grow and flourish.

So keep typing. Your black slashes on a blanket of white will become something beautiful as the seasons turn.

The Winter Hangover

January 2nd always feels super BLAH after all the excitement of the holidays. There's nothing wrong with the day, except having to go back to the drudgery of our workaday lives. I commented to my friend Jo that it feels like a hangover.

He pointed out that on January 2nd, we do indeed suffer a hangover, an expectation/hype hangover. All that anticipation that's been built up over the month of December (or longer if the retail stores are any indication) disappears, often in a flurry of dreary weather and embarrassment about the overconsumption and overspending.

No more lights. No more decorations. No more treats.

No wonder everyone has the winter blahs.

This is when you curl up with a good story and a hot cup of hot chocolate or tea. Give yourself a little thrill to keep you going through the cold, dark months.

And if you think about it, March is a mere eight weeks away. Spring will be here before you know.

But if you need some warming up before then, may I suggest this picture of Chris Pine and Zachery Quinto?

Season of Magick: Winter Is Live!

Finally! The last book of the Seasons of Magick series, Winter, is available!

Blurb
The worst thing Tom Laoch ever did in his previous life was to turn down the advances of a goddess. And not just any goddess, but Morrigan, the goddess of war, magick and death.

Now, the gods have sent Tom back to Earth to save a Greenwich Village shop owner from a sorcerer, who plans to use her powers to destroy the human race. But Rain Bean isn’t just any businesswoman, she’s the mortal incarnation of Morrigan. Once she finds out Tom’s true identity, unhappy will be an understatement because everyone knows Hell hath no fury like a goddess scorned…

Novella, approximately 22,000 words or 80 printed pages

Many thanks to my readers for their patience!!

Seasons of Magick: Winter is currently available at the following e-book retailers:

Amazon UK
Amazon US
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords

A Day Late and a Dollar Short

I've been able to keep ahead of blogging because of the gigantic list of ideas I have next to me and because I often write them 2-3 weeks in advance. But I've ignored that list in a desperate attempt to catch up on my writing the last two weeks. So when I logged on this morning, it was, like, OOPS!

The reason for the scramble was to finish Seasons of Magick: Winter and my Alter Ego's December release. I'd planned plenty of time when a virus kicked me to the curb on October 2nd. This was the deep chest cold that forced me to resort to Grandpa's whiskey, lemon juice and honey solution.

I was finally starting to recover from that when I contracted a head cold. Add in stress from some personal matters and my health took a rapid nose-dive. DH offered to help multiple times, but when it's the actual writing, there's not much he can do. He did get groceries and cooked several times, which aided me immensely.

On the plus side, Seasons of Magick: Winter is in the hands of my beta readers now. I said I'd have it up by Halloween, so I pray my readers aren't too disappointed in my tardiness.

Now, off to finish up Blood Sacrifice...