I may be writing, or marketing the latest writing project, yet life goes on. That means getting ready for Christmas, and taking care of things on the property.
Time marches on, yet my hubby finished a project we’ve been brainstorming for several years. I am so delighted.
When we purchased the house, we gained an old cooktop. In its day, it had some interesting features. But compared to today’s cooktops, it was archaic and a gigantic step backward from what we previously owned. It was a twilight time for us. Thinking of changing it created many challenges. We did not want to switch out the countertop but knew that might be a last resort. The downdraft fan was more efficient than current models. With much research and some design ingenuity, my hubby solved the problem. I couldn’t be happier with the outcome.
Below are a before and an after photo.
Before
…and now…
After
And life will continue to march on.
During this holiday season, I trust you will find moments of quiet celebration in your days.
Humbly, I request that you might overlook the post I made on Wednesday evening, and then quickly deleted. I’m testing out some fresh approaches in marketing my next book. My efforts to load a video link into WordPress didn’t go as expected, yet the email went out. For those of you who received the email, you could view the video even though I deleted the post.
The video is accurate. Twilight…the in-between will be available on December 2, 2025. You will find it at amazon.com/author/lindalflynn_words
My efforts to expand my marketing will continue, yet I anticipate they will be painless to you. Learning new technologies always comes with surprises. The goal is to energize and interest you in my next work.
Especially during these days, when many of us are struggling with how to respond to life and all the changes challenging our culture and the world, the truth that artists have a duty to reflect the times seems incredibly important.
Creativity comes in different forms and mediums. I encourage you to mine those gifts from within yourself. That may mean painting, dancing, music, writing, building — simply creating something.
My contribution will be a book of poetry, to be revealed later in the year.
Yikes, I’ve told you what my goal is. Now you all know, and may periodically inquire about my progress.
I wrote earlier about my creative “desert experience” and teased about sharing the flash fiction piece written from this phase. The counts are in and the “YES” votes win.
Do not be surprised, this piece may find a home in a future collection of short stories.
The Concert
Peter sauntered into the seating area of the concert arena. The patrons were milling around, greeting friends who were at the same event. Many people already seated were chatting with those near them, or enjoying pizza with wine or other drinks. Servers walked the aisles, taking drink orders. Not wanting to draw attention to himself, he nonchalantly glanced from left to right. It was still early and there were many open seats. He was sure whoever purchased his ticket for him was already there, watching him. An usher looked at his ticket and directed him to his seat. It was an excellent location, center stage, just a couple of rows back from the dining tables, three seats in from the aisle. Realizing he would have a good seat for the show, and he himself would be in a prime location for others to monitor, he unbuttoned his jacket and sat down. As directed, he had on a black suit, with a bright orange shirt. He’d left the top two buttons undone, trying to look a little more casual. Clearly, he was overdressed compared to many of the others at the concert event. As he once was told, his movements were stiff, almost robotic. Though he made efforts to appear to fit in, he could not relax. The glasses he wore, which were dark-rimmed and oversized, allowed him to observe others around him easily. He had never figured out how to loosen up when around others. This evening was no exception. His seat was next to an energetic black woman. She was already swaying to the piped in pre-concert music. Occasionally she would speak to him, and he nodded or gave her a brief reply. Couldn’t she tell he didn’t want to converse with her?
The opening act appeared on stage and the crowd went wild. It was during that excitement another couple took the two seats on his other side. The lady sat next to him, but it was obvious she was enthralled with her date.
He remained in his seat, erect and focusing on the stage. The opening act had the crowd’s attention. They weren’t something he would have paid to see. He sat there pondering how this evening came to be.
Why am I here?
Who am I supposed to meet?
How many people are watching me?
Is this a set-up?
His thoughts raced as he focused his attention on the performers. The opening act wrapped up their performance. As they vacated the stage, many rose from their seats to get something to eat, or just to stretch their legs. He stood, as did the couple seated next to him. It was obvious they didn’t intend to allow him to leave. They started talking to him.
Were they the people he was supposed to meet here? The gentlemen introduced himself as KP. The woman never provided a name. As KP talked, Peter responded mostly by nodding his head or providing short affirming responses. The woman, wearing a tight-fitting sleeveless denim vest, tight black jeans and a perky straw hat, kept staring at her partner. Her brown hair curled out from under her hat, framing her face nicely. It was easy to wonder if she knew the man at all, or if this was a new relationship. She would tip her head and adoringly stare into his face as he spoke. He too wore tight fitting black jeans and a casual denim shirt. His beard and hair sported a dignified salt and pepper look. Probably in his mid-40s, KP appeared more casual than Peter and more relaxed. But why wouldn’t he be more relaxed? He shouldn’t know the group was being observed.
The threesome talked during the switch-up between the opening act and the featured performance. KP did most of the talking. The woman just smiled and fawned on KP. Peter stoically stood and listened. As the main act was setting up on the stage, the three returned to their seats. Before sitting down, KP reached into his pocket, extracting a small envelope which he discretely slid into Peter’s hand. Peter nodded, seated himself, and stared straight ahead at the stage. He thought, oh what one will do for money! It sure makes the world go round. If they only knew. He wanted to turn around to determine if anyone had noticed the transaction, but then he didn’t know who he should look for. He knew there would be a sedan waiting out front after the performance to whisk him away.
Some ask, how is a story born? Where do you get your ideas? Read below to find a plausible answer to your questions.
The Desert
Stranded in a creative desert Words escape me Nothing to show on paper
Wisps of a scene dance through my mind, then disappear before the words land in my story.
This journey is unsettling Leaving me feeling ill at ease
Besides being dry and barren, deserts are often hot To escape the dullness of these empty days We went to a concert
The outdoor setting provided a great escape from the heat Venue was filled with people enjoying themselves An evening breeze blew in from the ocean A lovely time was had
A threesome unlocked a creative muse within me The characters were all – characters I was certain there was a story beneath the surface
Back home, after a lovely evening of music by the shore, a short story was born
Now, your part…
If you have a desire to read the flash fiction piece born of this evening, click the yes option. If not, click no. In a couple of weeks, I’ll tally the responses. Depending upon what I find, you may get the story. You will be updated.
Please select and press one of the options below.
(Disclaimer notice for you, my readers. I appreciate your patience as I worked through the details of the form. Thank you.)
Then sit back, relax, and let the stories take you away.
After reading the book, please return to Amazon and leave your review. You are the ones who help others find my books. And feel free to leave comments or questions here on my blog. I’d be happy to talk about how this book came about.
Rewrite… Due to an incorrect setting when publishing. My error.
Clouds, Dreams & Fantasy is my creative by-product developed during Covid-19. The Pandemic created a unique time in global history and affected each of us differently. No matter how our personal lives were affected, life continued. Babies were born, people were married, people got sick, people died, people continued to experience the full scope of life, but often without the support of others. Like you, my life was impacted.
Technology allowed many to connect in new ways. Creatives became my circle and my imagination ran wild. This collection of work includes short stories, short shorts and poetry—much teased out by other writer friends.
Look for this book as a tool to set your imagination free as you allow the tales contained within to affect you.
Creatives influence one another. Plan to let this book impact you.
Journey to the Heights 