Drips and Drabs

My theme for this blog is...not having a theme. I could say I've embraced Stream of Consciousness, or that it was a deliberate decision to take a break from didactics for an entry. By the truth is – I gotta no theme. So, I'm off on a tangent of drips and drabs.

Publishing: I mentioned that Circle published one of my articles. Now, Fate has published my piece called “Surreal Estate” complete with picture of a “for sale” sign and 2 clay/gauze ghosts. (I showed this in an earlier blog, but here it is again.)

I whipped it up right here in the lab (naw, it was done in the Halloween room) and they ran it. Neat! Things Your Elders Never Told You was also advertised in the back.


The very next article was one about ESP on the moon. This was by Charlotte Bennardo, a co-founder of Broomstix, and Natalie Zaman's current writing partner. Speaking of that duo...

Their book Sirenz will be out June 8th, but you can get a copy now from Amazon. I did. Surprise! I still have a cameo in the first chapter as Katharine the tarot reader. Nice to see those tarot lessons were put to good use. (Later it is mentioned that someone had been turned into a shih tzu. Humm... Rufus inspired breed selection? Sigh...probably not.)

I have to say, my first reaction was confusion. I read the transcript of the book 3 times in its earlier form, and the plot has changed a lot between then and now. Even if I had a lot of “What happened to...?” moments, YOU won't. Go order it. It's fun.

As to other writings: It has happened again. I wrote and re-wrote an article for Sage Woman. The editor loved it, said she'd find a home for it, asked for photos etc etc. This week, she dumped it. Well, it happens in publishing. However, this is the third dump in as many attempts to write for her. It was suggested I submit to The Beltane Papers, which I did. There it will probably sit unacknowledged until it's forgotten. So, NERTZ! I e-mailed the Sage Woman editor and asked if she'd like to hold it for a future issue. We found a theme where it should fit, and so the submission lives! It will be a while until it sees print, but that day will come. I'm getting too old not to champion my work.

Meanwhile, I checked with Fate magazine to see if Gary and I could use the same title and content as my future gargoyle article for our proposed book (with proper acknowledgment of the magazine). Phyllis had no problem with this, and so we will begin the gathering of the grotesque in June, once Gary's massage classes are over. In the interim, I came up with two other article ideas, one on Glastonbury and my experience there, and one on haunted New Brunswick NJ  and one of my investigations. It's part of my “New Jersey: not just Sopranos, animal prints and exits” drive to change the Garden State image. Phyllis was receptive to both, and so the creative juices are flowing once more.

Work has started once again on Myth Spelling - my new book. I'm still taking it slow, deciding what tone I want to set. Yes, there will be spellcraft and that portion will be done with the proper seriousness, but I will also be talking about the Gods and their stories. I don't want to turn it into a Pagan “Lives of the Saints,” so I've been leaning towards a more jocular voice, similar to what was done in Signing Their Lives Away. (There were vignettes on each signer of the Declaration of Independence. They were done respectfully, but with a light touch.)

Finally, I will be doing a book signing at Mystickal Tymes In New Hope PA in July. The date has yet to be determined. I will have both books, (An Irish Book of Shadows, and Things Your Elders Never Told You) as well as Graven Images Oracle decks. If any of you are in the area, drop by. I'll post the date and the address in the near future.

Home: I'm happy to report that the great Jersey Swamp, created in my cellar when the sewer system went south, is now drained. It is also sanitized and dry. Hazzah. Now my home improvements can be focused on flowers and collectables.

I have been craving irises, driving friends and family nuts trying to find blooming bearded irises. (I called one place and they thought I asked if they had any “bloomin' bearded Irishmen”..well, do ya?). My local nurseries said they carried them, but when I got there I found I was misled.
This....

is a Japanese iris.


THIS...

is a BEARDED iris. Look around. They are now blooming in everyone's yard. They are now blooming in everyone's garden. They are now blooming everywhere except in nurseries, flower shops, Home Depot, and garden centers. What's a gal got to do to get a sinkin' flower these days???

There is a place called the Iris Patch in Lambertvlle, NJ. They have them, but they do not answer the phone or respond to e-mail. I'm going there, anyway... and I'm bringing a shovel...

I've been a bit down lately. Mother's Day was kinda a bust. Didn't see my daughter (she called), never got a card or flowers (again, whom do I have to hurt to get a tussy mussy around here??) and as for the furry kid...well he did this all day:

Those are the wheels of my desk chair he's wound around. Happy Mama Day to me. Woo-hoo.


So, I did some retail therapy. I bought another Donna Marion doll (the Good Witch)

She looks great with the other gals.

I also bought something to keep an eye on my evil router. My nephew installed it. It hates me. When I allow updates to my computer, it locks me down cold. I have to unplug -count ten -plug back in – grrrrr. So, now I gave it a litle companion from the collection of Sheila Wolk.He keeps a sharp eye on the router. Enjoy your little friend, you noxious piece of tech.

Well, that's it. Forgive the rambling. My CRO is in and I am scheduled to pick it up Thursday. Fingers crossed!