Dracula, The Wild West, & Me

I’ve been flirting with Dracula for a very long time. I was 11-12 years old when I read it the first time. It’s been in public domain since before I was born, but I am only now taking full advantage of that. I’ve read it no fewer than 9 times and yet when I opened it again for research purposes in November of 2023, I discovered something I never grasped in all those times before! I took the realization as a sign that I was starting down the right path. I will give but one hint in regard to the sign, “Hillingham”, for it is there in Gravesend, England, at the home of Lord Arthur Holmwood Godalming that my personal writing journey into the land of undead begins.

No, Dracula will NOT be making an appearance, nor will Lucy, Mina, Johnathan, or Renfield be in the tale I am contriving. There will be other names, some familiar, most new, but all inspired by the one, the only, King of Vampires, Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

I don’t remember a time when I was not interested in the Victorian period, mostly as experienced in England. In fact, the notion that that same time-period existed in the United States seemed (maybe still seems) a bit strange, except we call it The Wild West. Victorian England covers the reign of Queen Victoria, 1837 to 1901, while the Old West period in America ranges from around 1803, the time of the Louisiana Purchase, until 1910 or so. A longer period of time than the Victorian but enough substantial overlap to consider them almost one in the same.

But, oh how very different are the images conjured up in our minds when we think of the Victorian Era England verses the American Wild West! The Wild West conjures up images of Billy the Kid, Jesse James, Wyatt Earp and the gunfight at the O.K. Coral. What even would we define as “Wild West” literature? Dime novels that portrayed life in the frontier pitting ‘savage’ Natives and bandit gunfighters against ranchers, lawmen, and infamous ‘Hanging Judges’ from which the modern Western novel sprang? What about Mark Twain, Edgar Allen Poe, Emily Dickinson, and Louisa May Alcott?  And indeed, I love them all – some more than others, but still, you get the idea.

Speaking of “Wild West” literature, how does the year 1871 grab you? I mentioned in my last blog post something my grandmother gave me decades ago, the typed version of her grandmother’s travel journal titled My Journey West. I have no idea where my grandmother got it from, nor who typed it, but I’ve always thought it was a very cool piece of family history and I’ve always wanted to make it something more than it was. I have no crazy notion that it’s going to be a big seller. It’s pretty niche family genealogy stuff, but hey, who knows? So, if you have an interest in Tioga County NY or Plainfield Iowa history, check out Eudora Boughton Legg’s 1871 travel journal, My Journey West through Amazon in early February.  

I love diaries and\or journals and have kept one of my own since 1977. My great-great-grandmother, daughter of the above-mentioned Eudora Legg, was also a great one to keep a diary. Many of them have found a home in our local county historical society. They end a mere ten days before her death and I think it’s damn cool she and I share a December 29^th birthday, give or take 109 years.  Maybe my love of diaries also adds to the love I have for Dracula. It’s one heck of an epistolary and ‘Dear Diary’ genre novel. And it’s because of that attraction that my novel too, will be written in the same style, a combination of letters, diary entries, and news clippings. Or, at least, that’s the plan. So far, so good – the flirtation continues.

What I’ve been reading:

Dracula (again) by Bram Stoker

Kill Me, Elmo, The Holiday Depression Fun Book by Jim Mullen

Big Magic, Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

The Year In Review – 2023

All That Was Written & Created

At the end of the year, I always feel like I didn’t accomplish much when it comes to my ‘writing career’. I’m not making money on the gig. In fact, I’m usually in the red by a couple hundred dollars. I’m certainly not famous! But those things don’t mean nothing was accomplished. There will be some repeats from the last post in November, but bear with me.

In March Wacky Jackie, my sixth Children’s Book, was released. I also began a year-long journey with Postcards From Barnesville, a monthly free audio short story release over on my YouTube channel.

Gertrude Phyllis Wiggins, aka Gertie, debuted in April on my TikTok channel. She underwent some tweaks and changes and by May had been joined by Birdie – though he didn’t start taking an active speaking role until the end of June. Gertie & Birdie have become a favorite duo and hopefully they’ll be back with more bad jokes and strange observations in 2024.

I submitted a couple short stories for consideration in anthologies this year. It’s something I rarely do because it’s hard for me write anything based on a prompt or theme. This, apparently was not the case for one of my submissions. Clean Up Before She Comes (Back), was accepted by Book Slayer Press for their Spring 2024 Negative Creep: A Nirvana-inspired Anthology. More news on an actual release date when it’s known to me.

Probably the biggest accomplishment of 2023 was FINALLY finishing the next Barnesville Mystery after five years in the making, Death at The Devil’s Elbow. At this writing, it’s out with some Beta Readers and feedback is starting to trickle in. I’m hoping it will be ready this spring and, like “Negative Creep”, I’ll get that date out there as soon as I know it myself.

Last but not least, when it comes to writing, was some non-fiction, My Journey West: The 1871 Travel Journal of Eudora Boughton Legg. Eudora was my great-great-great grandmother on my mother’s side. Prior to my grandmother’s passing in 2001, she gifted me a typed copy of the journal. Where she got it, who typed it, I have no idea. Since receiving it, I’ve wanted to do more with it, wanted to make it accessible to others who might be interested. It’s done and ready to go after the holidays have gone on their merry way and I feel more with it to hit that publish button.

When it comes to non-writing projects, there’s one I’m particularly proud of – my Whimsi-Goth Fairy Jar. I posted three videos of its creation over on YouTube and I hope you’ll pop over there to check it out. It’s something I’ve wanted to create for at least ten years and finally made the time and felt inspired enough to actually do it.

Of course, there are a slew of other projects – both writing and non-writing – that I started in 2023 that did not get completed. A dozen short stories, another miniature project, more Gertie & Birdie scenes, at least two more Children’s books – all at various stages in the process. I got a wonderful set of art supplies from my mother-in-law at Christmas time that I’d love to work with.

And that’s it. Quite a few releases are coming in 2024, hopefully more of those short stories started in 2023 (and 2022) will finally see their endings. I’d love to get another book of twisted fairy tales out, but that, like everything else, will happen as it happens. I don’t rush my writing. I don’t push my muse to create, create, create.

Places We Went, Things We Did

In January, I got a new tattoo, my fourth. It’s of crescent moon upon which sits a crow – in silhouette – and inside the moon’s curve the words, “There is no greater MAGIC in all the world than that of LOVE.” Love it! Been wanting a crow and that saying as a tat for a long time so it was nice to figure out a way to incorporate them into one.

For February, my husband and I got plastered. No, not the alcoholic kind of plastered, the plaster kind of plastered. I got one of those kits where you can make a casting of your hands or feet or whatever you fancy. So, for Valentine’s Day weekend we held hands and put them into some pink rubbery goo that then became the mold for the casting. I painted it and though it didn’t come out exactly as I’d envisioned, it’s still pretty cool.

My ‘baby girl’ turned 30 in March, and my dad turned 80! What the actual f#$@!?

In April, it was off to the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, NY. I hadn’t been here since a grade school field trip too many years ago. We spent a good many hours here and I saw a red and black sculpture featuring a shattered glass chandelier and stuffed crows. It was, of course, my favorite. Who’da thunk glass could be so interesting.

On and off throughout the summer, we got covered in some Canadian fog from their wildfires. Strange days indeed. Back to wearing masks any time we went outside on and off. And, oh, the stank!

Of course, then there was the Berkshire Blueberry & Books Festival in July. Sales were okay despite the crowd being very, very small this year.

In August, one of my Second Moms passed away, Joann Dyer, the mother of one of my best friends from school who I’ve known since at least first grade (1972). I spent so much time at their house. What a great lady and one who will be sorely missed for a very long time.

Also in August, my husband and I celebrated our 7^th wedding anniversary and took some time to go to Jamestown NY to visit the DesiLu Museum – all about the lives and careers of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Admittedly I’ve never been a HUGE fan of Lucille Ball, but I did grow up watching “I Love Lucy” and my Nana Jean just loved her. While in Jamestown, we also went to the National Comedy Center and found Lucille Ball’s grave.

The highlight of September was finally getting the last massive pieces of the maple tree we had cut a year ago, removed and hauled away. Three guys with three chainsaws had that cut down into manageable pieces, and loaded into the trailer in about an hour.

I actually dressed up in a costume for Halloween at work this year. Good old Gertie & Birdie made their first public appearance and had those that met them in stitches. Back home that night, Gertie & Birdie handed out candy. So, a good day and night was had by all.

November was quiet and mundane. Thanksgiving at my parent’s place. And for December we headed down to Texas to visit and stay with my husband’s mother for a week. It was a bit more stressful than usual due to some family things going on down there, but still nice to escape the dreary wet cold of New York for a bit. My husband’s mom turned 88 while we were there. I think she was pretty happy to have us there for that.

Went to The Garage from the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre (We Slaughter Barbecue) which was delicious! And also made a trek up to Waco to check out Magnolia Market – which was STUNNINGLY expensive! Won’t be going there again, I tell you what! Home just two days before Christmas – barely enough time to get the laundry done, a few groceries bought, and finish up Christmas shopping and the like. Dinner at my parents’. Four days later, I turned 58. YIKES!!!

And now, just one more day left of 2023 and two before I have to go back to work after being away since Dec. 8^th. Nearly a whole month! Gosh, it’s been glorious not having to get up at 5 in the morning and go into the office. Retirement can’t happen soon enough.

Here’s to being more visible here on the blog scene as I was so woefully absent in 2023, and a Blessed & Productive & Joyous 2024 to you all.

Playing Ketchup!

First, my humblest apologies for posting nothing for the majority of this year. May 2024 see this blog more active and informative and fun. Second, it’s time to play catch-up, so this will be a bit long-winded.

My started writing Death at the Devil’s Elbow in late 2018. It’s my third Murder-Mystery and the fourth title in my Barnesville Mystery collection. I am THRILLED to report that it has finally reached a stage where it is fit for the eyes of others. This is always the scary part for me, but you gotta do it! Hopefully, it will prove to entertain those few who will receive an ARC, and not be too riddled with typos, plot holes, and other miscellaneous errors. With any luck at all, Death at the Devil’s Elbow will be released in the Spring of 2024.

Other Barnesville Mystery Titles: Secrets of the Scarecrow Moon, That’s What Shadows Are Made Of, & The Witch’s Backbone

This past spring, I released another Children’s book title, Wacky Jackie. The story is about a fun-loving, lady who does her own thing and encourages others to not be afraid to be who they are. “Dare to be different, dare to be you, dare to be WACKY!”. I love the story and the illustrations came out amazing. You can find it on my Bill The Worm page.

Sales this year haven’t been the greatest. There were even a few months the monthly royalty check was a big Fat Zippo! Alas, that is the Indie Writer’s Life more times than not. Every time I see a fellow Indie author bemoaning their sales, their progress in general, their overall sense of “Why bother?” This is pointless and I’m a failure – it reminds me I’m not alone. Imposter Syndrome is strong, but even as I commiserate with them, I know that I cannot NOT write. I love telling stories too much. I enjoy the work, the puzzle of creating a believable murder-mystery, the challenge of creating a scene out of thin air that will, I hope, send a little shiver up someone’s spine and make them go, “Ew!” Or, creating, not just in writing, but illustrations as well, lovable characters that children will enjoy reading about. All that being said, if you have read my work and enjoyed the experience, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of leaving a review either on Amazon or Goodreads. It doesn’t have to be long or in-depth. A few simple sentences will do. Maybe mention your favorite scene and how it made you feel, without spoilers, of course. That’s it. It means SO much to the author and like garlic to a vampire, it pushes away the negative and often soul-crushing doubts we all suffer from in this business.

One writing project I finished up just a couple weeks ago, was actually written in 1871 by my great-great-great grandmother! Decades ago, I was given a typed transcript of a travel journey she wrote and have always wanted to do something more with it. It’s not quite ready for release, but I haven’t a doubt in my mind that my grandmother, who gave me the transcript, would be very, very proud of my efforts. More to come on that soon. I’ve been busy with other non-writing projects too, namely audio and\or visual. In March on YouTube, I created Postcards From Barnesville, a playlist featuring some of the short stories I’ve written over the years narrated by yours truly. I have been uploading episodes the first Friday of every month. I’m no professional narrator by any means, but I did my best with what I have and I hope they are entertaining. I’ve also been dabbling in creating miniature. You can see a couple of my creations on YouTube as well on the Making Miniature playlist. So, busy I have been, but taking it easy and really just going where the Muse takes me. I’ve even dabbled over on TikTok if you’d like to see some of my goofiness and meet two of my newest personas, Gertie and Birdie, along with whatever I randomly feel like talking about at any given time. At minimum, there will be three new book releases featuring my work coming out in 2024. Yes, I haven’t mentioned some projects just to keep things interesting. I’m pretty excited about them and I hope you all are too.

I wish you all a happy holiday season and Bright Blessings for a new year that will be here faster than we know it!