 I'd like to thank all of my readers for being patient with me over the last couple of months. I know that updates to this blog have been erratic, and newsletters to my Friends of Aviario have been all but nonexistent. Now, at last, with one more sleep 'til Christmas, I find myself finally getting my feet back under me. This means that I don't have anything special and shiny to share with you all: no clever Twelve Days of Aviario, no illustrations of Buster and his friends in ugly Christmas sweaters or June with a Yule Log for the Solstice ... but what I do have means just as much to me: my gratitude to you all. Over the last few weeks, I have not had much time to work on my creations, but the enthusiasm and encouragement of my fans and fellow writers has kept me smiling. You have been kind, supportive, and uplifting, and without you all, I would have far more of a struggle getting back into the swing of things. All too easily, I can recall a time when stress and setbacks would have kept me from coming back to working on my little corner of the world for months ... but knowing that it is for someone other than myself, now, has made all the difference in the world. Thank you for being here for me, every single one of you. I promise that I'll continue to create things that are worthy of your amazing support: of your light in the gray fog of winter. Happy belated Hannukah and Solstice, Merry Christmas, and all the cheer of the season, 
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Wondering when to expect certain content from me, or what #2bitTues is? You're in the right place!  Monday: I post the week's #2bitTues theme on Twitter for participants who like to choose & schedule their tweets in advance. This is also the day I do most of my promotional legwork for my debut novel, From the Desk of Buster Heywood. Tuesday: I spend most of Tuesday on Twitter because it's 2-Bit Tuesday! This is a sharing exercise similar to #1lineWed with one big difference: the weekly theme is completely optional. Writers are encouraged to share lines from their WIP (work-in-progress), as long as there are no promotional links in their tweets. I started this weekly tradition six months ago, and it's grown into a community of supportive authors that I'm proud to be part of. Come and join us: even if you aren't an author, you might discover a new favorite! Wednesday: Mornings are for Welcome Wednesday, when I greet my new followers on Twitter. Thursday: I update this here blog and share links to Twitter and Facebook. Friday: I send out my weekly newsletter, Friday's At Charlie's Bar, to all my Friends of Aviario! You can sign up for it here: I share little tidbits and news that you won't see on my blog, Facebook, or Twitter. Of course, there will be links and other amusements on my Facebook page on any given day of the week... please be sure you're following me there, too, so you don't miss anything!  This week's excerpt from In The Cards takes place during a reading for its heroine, Beatrice, as she's trying to find her footing in her new hometown. The image to the right is from Peter Pracownik's "Dragon Tarot", which is the deck I chose for her new friend and mentor, Louise Mullein.  Beatrice glanced down at the tarot spread on the table and wrapped her hands around the tea like a life raft. “No, you’re … you’re very right,” she said. “Go on. Please. … You said there was something I needed to be careful of?” There were footsteps nearby – uneven, but quiet, and Louise glanced up, distracted for a moment, before continuing. “Yes. That’s this card, The Moon. It generally points to some sort of unseen influence. It can be a person, a thing, or even a group of people who are having some kind of effect on your life without your knowing it. It can also be an illusion, or something you’re not seeing clearly.” “But isn’t it typically associated with the Goddess? Shouldn’t the moon be a good thing?” “She’s the moon, yes, but think about how different things look in the moonlight, and how much harder it is to see. Think of all the fairy tales or horror stories where creatures or spells only have power by night, and fade in the light of day. The dark is where we keep our fears and our secrets. The Moon is the card that illuminates them and warns us that they’re nearby.” “I see. So – there’s another card that can help me with whatever the darkness is hiding? That secret or illusion, or whatever?” Beatrice squirmed forward in her chair, careful not to spill her tea. “Yes. There are a few.” Louise glanced down at the cards again, as there was a soft rustling from one of the herb racks nearby, and the muffled sound of someone coughing. “I see people who are willing to help you, but you’re going to have to make a very conscious effort to reach out to them and trust them...”  |
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