Share Your Writing

Please post links or otherwise share your fiction or other writing projects here in this thread! (Thank you for Pearl!)

This is one of the short stories from my blog that I always thought I might return to and expand into a larger story. There was never much interest in it from anyone though so I left it alone.

Just a Mushroom

Well, I like the idea of alien life appearing somewhat fungal like.

If you're anything like me though, you've got three dozen other ideas you want to return to some day, too.

Here is my blog, where I mostly post reviews but sometimes get to announce a story of mine will be published: https://vtdorch.wordpress.com/

And here's the link to my most recently published story: http://frontiertales.com/2020/12Dec/horseshoe_nail_stew.php

I have another story that's supposed to come out later this month, but it's not really 'permie.' It'll be in the winter edition of All World's Wayfarer - http://www.allworldswayfarer.com/upcoming/

Vera Stewart wrote:Well, I like the idea of alien life appearing somewhat fungal like.

If you're anything like me though, you've got three dozen other ideas you want to return to some day, too.

I keep a small book of notes for story ideas to possibly revisit. Some based on short works from the blog, others from ideas jotted down and not yet touched on. Time is ever the enemy.

I have two books I'm promoting right now.  One is Evolution Device, a novel of music and magic, and the other is Mage Music, a... well, it's hard to explain.  It's about magic and how it works.  You can read about them on my blog at https://lifstrand.com/holiday-gift-suggestions/

"Lilith is a spirit bound to a physical body by the guitarist whose muse she is. Eddie is succumbing to the excesses of fame and fortune, the demands of a supernatural guitar, and fear of the power he was born to wield. His bandmates sense how close Eddie is to the edge but can’t let him stop. All hunger for the energy of the audience that both consumes and fuels the wild magic that is their music.

The magic of creative drive."

Awesome; in this genre we might consider: "Just what did Syd Barrett do wrong?"

The chopped 150 pages might be a lure to afficianados of the scene. Definitely putting this on my 'Want' list.

I've added Evolution Device to my list of books to read! (Warning: There are about 200 books already on the list.)

Burl Smith wrote: Awesome; in this genre we might consider: "Just what did Syd Barrett do wrong?"
The chopped 150 pages might be a lure to afficianados of the scene. Definitely putting this on my 'Want' list.

Not just Syd Barrett, but so many driven musicians.
What do you mean by "chopped 150 pages"?

Here's a link to a dog story I wrote recently.  It's called... wait for it... A Dog Story.
https://lifstrand.com/a-dog-story/  

The dog story is about an Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Pasha, and takes place about 20 years ago.  It's also a warning about the nature of LGDs (livestock guardian dogs).  They take their jobs seriously.

Lif Strand wrote:
What do you mean by "chopped 150 pages"?

Great to see how many of us write!

This is my author website: http://autumnmacarthur.com

I write Christian romance and also inspirational non-fiction. LOL, I should be working on a new gratitude jouirnal, came online to create a graphic for it, and oops, got sidetracked to permies!

If anyone here reads my sort of books or is interested, I'd be glad to provide a free download link for one of my ebooks.

I haven't written much in recent years, but I was moved to write a poem about my best friend:

A Pack of Two

You are my boy--my good, sweet boy.
My good, sweet boy you'll always be.
What words exist that could describe
The difference you have made to me?

The many differences you have made
In every aspect of my days,
To seem so human in your behavior
Despite your quirky, canine ways.

The day I found you (to my chagrin)
I saw you merely as a pet.
But you've become the greatest friend
That I have ever had yet.

I find myself all the more enamoured
With every single passing day,
And into my heart you've constantly clambered
Because that is where you are meant to stay.

With your "hungry hops" and your "Rompus Pup"
And zoomies and running so fancy-free,
And "lazy mornings" laying belly-up
Or curled up on the couch with me.

You are just a dog, some fools will say!
What a fool it takes to be so blind!
For in all that matters, you are greater than they;
You embody all that's good about humankind.

If all the world were just like you
There'd be no wars, nor worrysome strife.
For you only in the moment live
Every moment of your life.

Every single day you remind me
Of what I ought to strive to be.
When other things all seek to blind me
You inspire me, and help me see.

And though you've never, ever said
A solitary word to me,
You say more than human words could say
With your sweet eyes, so silently.

You've brought a purpose into this house,
And laughter (where there once was none).
And friendship where solitude once reigned--
In the darkness of night, a shining sun.

Yet there's one thought I cannot shake--
What can I say? What can I do?
While the sands of time march on for me,
Seven times faster they sprint for you.

A lamp twice bright burns half as long.
If that be so, then it must be true
That we prideful humans are in the wrong
And burn one seventh as bright as you.

But still! Even still! It is not fair!
It is not fair I must protest!
The Fates impose their impetuous will
And so early you must be laid to rest.

If only I could weave the thread
Of your dear life 'mid the fibers of mine,
I would gladly shorten mine in your stead
So that you, sweet boy, might have more time--

For your "hungry hops" and your "Rompus Pup"
And zoomies and running so fancy-free,
For "lazy mornings" laying belly-up
Or curled up on the couch with me.

And how will it happen? I shudder to think!
Will it be some kind of accident?
Something poisonous you eat or drink
That will end your days before they are spent?

Or will it be when you're old and gray,
With bad arthritis and failing vision,
And only one thing can take your pain away--
Will I be forced to make that decision?

Oh cursed! Cursed be that day!
How can I live in such suspense?
I will dream and long and hope and pray
That it will not be for many days hence.

For when that day comes, what will I do?
How can I go back to the way things were?
The way things were before I had you,
To a past that's thankfully like a blur?

Though I know that you will wait for me,
With your sweet, loyal dedication,
Romping in some Elysian fields you'll be--
It scarcely seems some consolation.

For whom will I hug each and every day?
How will I eat without your chin on my knee?
And who will hang on every word that I say?
How will I sleep without you laying by me?

Or could I find another dog?
How could another take your place?
As wonderful as your brethren are,
None could have your silly, sweet face.

And none could have your disposition,
Nor could they ever seem so whole.
I'm sure they'd make a fond addition--
But none of them could have your soul.

Or your "hungry hops" and your "Rompus Pup"
And zoomies, running so wild and free,
And "lazy mornings" laying belly-up
Or curled up on the couch with me.

I will never take you for granted.
I will never give you up.
Your love will never be supplanted.
You will always be my good, sweet Pup.

So lay here with your head on me,
And dream the dreams that dogs do dream,
And I will be here when you wake--
And we'll catch the morning's earliest beam...

And we shall see a whole new day,
And face the whole wide world anew!
We twain together shall make our way,
We will always be "A Pack of Two".

Jane Mulberry wrote: free download link.

Ok

I started a monthly blog to write in the ballpark of where religion and politics can inform one another for a better world. And health from an Ayurvedic perspective (balance the elements, young Skywalker).

"Ayurvedic Constitutions: Kapha, Pitta, Vata" - https://lukewelsh.substack.com/p/ayurvedic-constitutions-kapha-pitta
"Changing Capitalism, with Compassion" - https://lukewelsh.substack.com/p/combating-capitalism-with-compassion
"Is Noam Chomsky a Bodhisattva?" - https://lukewelsh.substack.com/p/is-noam-chomsky-a-bodhisattva-221

I want to start conversations, so if this sparks ideas or resonates (or not) with something you feel, let me know!

The problem with my writing is that I can finish a book in a month or two--then it takes three years or more to edit it. I do all my own editing, my own cover art, all that stuff, so it takes time.

A few months ago I decided I wanted to read my own books--when I read, I read hardcopy, reading on the screen doesn't do it for me. So I did a quick final edit on seven books and put them out, primarily so I could get my own copy. :) I still haven't finalized a cover for Tradition or Spirit Ringe, so I have "proof" copies of those two but not final.

Fantasy, mostly, although AXON is sci-fi.

UnderSea
DemonTaint
Guardian
AXON

And "Not My Shert," a picture book for autistic kids (and their parents)

Lauren Ritz wrote:The problem with my writing is that I can finish a book in a month or two--then it takes three years or more to edit it. I do all my own editing, my own cover art, all that stuff, so it takes time.

I'm the other way around. Takes me forever to get them written, but then the editing goes faster. Life has been seriously getting in the way of art at my house. Haven't finished anything in nearly a decade. I'm hoping to finish my humor novel soon though. It's Christmas-themed (sort of) so it makes the most sense to publish it close to the holidays.

And I haven't written any books at all!  I was in a writing group for 10 years and wrote many pieces, the best were intended to be read aloud, on the radio, in group, and at evening programs with invited guests.  I put a lot into my writing over the years.  Associated with a recent computer problem, I removed all that writing from the computer and put all onto a thumb drive.  The thumb drive was in a zipper pouch in my handbag.  Last winter I got a puppy.  The puppy loves me very much, she found my purse, and it smelled like me, her beloved.  She sniffed and sniffed around in there.  She unzipped the zipper pouch, found and chewed that thumb drive, which destroyed it.  Alas.  Putting my writing in this thread would have preserved it, but I didn't know it was here.  The loss would have been prevented, but at least now I don't have to worry about what losing all that would be like.

some sciencish philosophy bits I have always been very much amused by, now packaged for possible comprehension/amusement in a single few hundred word essay.    It's got bees!

https://ello.co/foxfireagriculture/post/-xyb9lua-otd5ob3mfwf5a

I'm working on an article for a survivalist website. It talks about some crates of unused Korean War MASH supplies. The crates are marked 1953, which is when the war ended the crates were just never shipped. Ther are white enameled steel bedpans, urinals, etc along with packages of sterile gauze and some awesome surgical drapes.

Korean War M.A.S.H. Supplies
Treasures from the shed
Josephine Howland
Moose Hollow Farm, NH

As preppers, we like to be prepared for the worse. What happens when going to the doctor's office or hospital isn’t impossible? If the recent Covid 19 pandemic has shown us anything, the hospitals can and did get overburdened and you may not have wanted to risk exposure to a deadly disease.  Most of us remember the Movie and TV show M.A.S.H. (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) which was about a mobile hospital in Korea during the Korean war. Well, I found a treasure trove of never used medical supplies from that period. During the late fall of 2018, I purchased a large shed from a closed garden center that was just down the road from me. It came full of her unsold stock. Among the gardening supplies were some unexpected finds. As the treasures were unveiled. some of the most unusual finds were crates of medical supplies.
The crates were marked with the date 1953. As you may know, the Korean War began in 1950 and ended in 1953, which explains why there were crates of surplus medical supplies left crated. From the markings, they appear to have been put in crates in Connecticut but with the war ended, never shipped. There were White enameled tin bedpans, urinals, water pitchers, irrigation fonts, and large covered waste buckets. There were also packaged surgical drapes that have a hole made in them to drape a surgical patient and large packages of sterile gauze bandages. The hole in the surgical drape would have gone over the surgical area yet cover the rest of the body. They are made of heavy canvas and would have been washed between uses unlike the disposable ones in modern times. There are also packages of sterile bandages and some large steel ventilated pots.
Many of the items were still in their original cardboard and paper wrappings. The surgical drapes are wrapped in a sealed paper wrapping and the sterile gauze is sealed in a plastic bag to keep them sterile. Many of the white enameled pieces still have their original stickers from Jones Manufacturing.
The bedpans and urinals would have been emptied into the large white-covered pots to be disposed of. The large steel ventilated pots would hold used bandages and such. The irrigation fonts were hung and then with a rubber tube connected to the spout, it would have been filled with water to irrigate and clean the wound during surgery. They also were used as enemas. Most of the items can still be used as they were meant to be, creating your own M.A.S.H unit for emergencies. But there are also reuse possibilities for the items.
The pitchers sold quickly as they are the perfect farmhouse flower vase. I’ve had medical workers buy the bedpans to plant in for their offices. The urinals also make great vases. The irrigation fonts, have a hole on the back to hang from but there is a place for the tube to be connected so the water could be used to irrigate a would or to give an enema. You could plug the hole and still use it to plant in. or hold non-porous items. Imagine in the bathroom to hold your hairbrushes, etc. I was thinking it would also be useful to water a plant,

Lif Strand wrote:Here's a link to a dog story I wrote recently.  It's called... wait for it... A Dog Story.
https://lifstrand.com/a-dog-story/  

Thank you for sharing. I giggled a little under my nose when I've red "Pasha". A Russian name for not a "small" dog :-) He sounded just like the breed he came from. I feel sad for both dogs as I am a real sucker when it comes to dogs. However, your reflex  spared both dogs a major pain which can't be said for the owners.

Jordan Holland wrote:I haven't written much in recent years, but I was moved to write a poem about my best friend:

A Pack of Two

You are my boy--my good, sweet boy.
My good, sweet boy you'll always be.

Oh My! It is soooo beautiful and sooo right! Thank you for sharing.  

"The Tao of Going Poo-less: Shower Dharma in COVID Times" on Medium.com

I actually mentioned permies.com in this post about going poo-less. . .
This is a "friend link" that allows free reading of the post on Medium.

https://deannaburkett.medium.com/the-tao-of-going-poo-less-6a69c514c361?sk=6b679003ee44f7b8070eeccd387cd305

Sending all good wishes,
Deanna

I've been writing for several decades--novels, short fiction, poetry, essays. About the only thing that's been published is the essays--I've had quite a few op-eds and blog posts run, a gardening column in the local paper currently, book reviews and a series on false solutions to climate change on Resilience. I am even more loathe to blow my own horn or put effort into promotion than most writers, and got discouraged by negative words from a couple publishers, so I've decided to post two of my three recent novels on my website https://spectrumz.com/wildfire/ . Both are novels set in the future, the first a romance set in the near future, ten years after a breakdown caused by a plague, the second a sort of family saga running from 2016 to 2055...I may yet try to get the latest published, a science fiction romance set 300 years from now after the human race is--almost--wiped out in a final war in 2090. I will send links to anyone who asks. But you may want to start with a science fiction short story, called Soul Miner, which you'll find in the short fiction section. And just in case you think it's a bit of a rip-off of Avatar, I wrote this back in '93...

“If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second-greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first-greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they’re happy.”
-Dorothy Parker