Reigniting that Creative Spark

Recently, our neighborhood held an “art walk” where local artists and crafters could open up their homes, let people see their studios and maybe sell their work. It didn’t matter if the studio was an extra bedroom or a den, a converted garage or a tiny laundry room, wonderful work came out of them - jewelry, sea glass crafts, mosaics and art quilts, to name a few. But my favorite part of the experience was getting to chat with some of the artists and crafters.  

From the person who created fun and funky mosaic tables and tiles to the person who incorporated found objects, like ripped screen from a hurricane, into her work, the excitement and passion held by everyone was inspiring. Being around people like that never fails to reignite that spark in me. 

 

WRITING

A pretty decent draft of a longer short story is done and resting quietly. A couple of ideas are in the starting stages, which means lots of scribbled scraps of paper all over the house and messy thoughts typed up in a way that only makes sense to me.

 

Last month, I mentioned that my short story, Bad Candy, will be out in Inanimate Things Volume 2 on April 18th. The anthology is getting positive reviews over on Goodreads. 

READING

Lisa Genova’s More or Less Maddy is definitely one of my favorite books of 2025. The blurb says - “A breathless, riveting novel about a young woman diagnosed with bipolar disorder who rejects the stability and approval found in a traditionally “normal” life for a career in stand-up comedy.” I will absolutely attest to the breathless and riveting part of that statement! 

 

WATCHING

TV - We finished our re-watch of The West Wing. Once again, another show with some clunky seasons in the middle, but it finished pretty strong and we enjoyed it overall. We also re-watched the first season of The Night Agent, and it was just as good as we remembered. The second season? Not so much. I’m not sure what happened there.  

 

*****

What reignites that creative spark for you? Are there people in your life who are excited and passionate about something? Are YOU that person for others? What are you reading or watching lately? 

Bad Candy - Inanimate Things: Volume 2

Louise knew candy was bad for her. 

She just didn’t know how bad.

 

My short story, “Bad Candy” is included in the anthology, Inanimate Things: Volume 2 (Burial Books, April 2025.) This story is a bit of a departure for me in that it’s not flash or micro fiction but a full-blown short story at about 1,900 words. 

 

From the blurb – 

“Living Puppets, Animated Houses, Creepy Cars, Hard Candy, Stoned Scarecrows, Exterior Illumination, Cardboard Maniacs, and More Mannequins. These are a few of the things that will devour your soul and invade your dreams. Digest these tales and try to be kind to the things you see. Just because you don’t think they’re conscious, doesn’t mean they aren’t.

 

Stories by acclaimed horror authors Jason Fischer, John Gosham, Sandra Henriques, Patrick Herald, Michael Lawrence, Colin Adams-Toomey, Cory Brock, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Truman Ramsey, Mark Peters, Anne Wilkins, Carter Aldridge, Jimmy Pudge, Paul Lonardo, Ira Thackston II, Stuart Conover, Damon Nomad, Kay Hanifen, and Stephen Rhoades."

PRE-ORDER NOW ON AMAZON

Scheduled for release on April 18, 2025

The Last Days of Rosalind Kershaw - The Sirens Call, Issue 31

Rosalind Kershaw's body is failing, but her mind is solid.

Or is it?

She has no family, no friends and lives alone. 

Or does she?

I am thrilled to be included in The Sirens Call's Fifth Annual Women in Horror Issue. Not only because I am in excellent company, but also because "The Last Days of Rosalind Kershaw" is a bit of a departure for me. It's not - gasp! - flash fiction. It's a short story, running about five published pages. 

The issue is FREE to download and if you'd like, you can meet Rosalind Kershaw on page 77. Don't wait too long, though. Her days are numbered. 

The Things We Do For Love

Lately, I've turned my attention to writing longer stories. I'm submitting to new markets - some with themes, some with deadlines, all horror-related. I enjoy hanging out in my creepy little worlds longer than I'm usually able to when writing flash fiction.

The flip side? I'm hanging out in my creepy little worlds longer than usual.

The air conditioning runs, but it's ghostly breath that prickles my skin. Beneath the rustling of palm fronds, characters whisper, frantic, fearful for their lives. During summer storms, lightning shoots across the sky, pinning hulking and misshapen shadows against the blinds.

But when I came across this quote from James M. Cain, I realized it's all for a good cause:

"IF YOUR WRITING 

DOESN'T KEEP YOU UP AT NIGHT, 

IT WON'T KEEP ANYONE ELSE UP EITHER." 

Ah, I suffer so my readers will, too!

You're welcome.

*****

What was the last creepy thing you wrote or read or watched that stayed with you? What was it about that particular thing that made it stick with you?

Lost Soles - Horrors: Real, Imagined, and Deadly

Just in time for the haunting season of Halloween and those dark, bone-chilling months of winter, Elephant's Bookshelf Press releases its latest anthology - Horrors: Real, Imagined, and Deadly. 

Exploring the realms of fear and sorrow, of dark thoughts and haunted locales, the anthology includes a dozen tales by as many authors, including me (yes, you read that right!) AND one of my favorite authors, Mindy McGinnis (excuse me, while I geek out all fangirl-like....) 

Here's the beginning of my story, Lost Soles - 

The Lowry sisters weren't supposed to be at the beach that night.

The family was due to leave for home the next morning, another vacation over and done. The girls begged to check on the sea turtle nest one more time. The eggs were supposed to hatch soon . . . 

The girls crept out - Sammi in pink slippers, Audrey in yellow sneakers, both wearing pajamas. They left behind rumpled covers and treasured teddy bears. They'd be back soon . . . 

That night, the hatchlings made their way to the sea, made their way home.

They were the only children who did.

Add on Goodreads

*****

Amazon - Kindle Edition

Amazon - Paperback