Cameron D. Garriepy's Blog, page 2
December 15, 2020
Hearts All Aglow: Justin
Justin left the garage door open and led Miranda––pretty name––through the laundry room and into the den. He hadn’t socialized with anyone on Bobwhite Lane since he was a kid, but the feeling of our houses are all the same or mirrors of each other came back to him on a wave of nostalgia. He packed that away quickly, since nostalgia had a funny way of opening the door to grief.
When his parents were alive, this room had been his dad’s den. TV, fireplace, Barcalounger, screen door to the back pati...
December 14, 2020
Hearts All Aglow: Miranda
Miranda made it as far as her laundry room, located just off the garage that was a mirror image of the man next door–she hadn’t even gotten his name, before the panic attack came. She slumped down in front fo the washer and focused on breathing in and out, even as her vision closed and her heart raced in her chest.
She wasn’t sure how long she sat there pushing air in and out of her lungs before she could reliably move her limbs again. She hadn’t had one in months; almost long enough to forget h...
Hearts All Aglow: Justin
Justin watched the woman next door wandering around her snowy yard in sensible pumps and a long wool coat, by the anemic LED light from her garage floods, wondering what on earth was wrong with him.
He’d seen her around, usually coming and going with the kid, for a week; he’d meant to walk over and introduce himself. Instead he’d slipped into his comfy chair and his noise cancelling headset, grabbed his keyboard, and let the complex politics of his Spectre Armada: Armageddon Impact crew swallow ...
December 8, 2020
A new release and a new trilogy on the horizon!
Im the worst at blogging. Truly. But its been a wild six weeks, creatively, and Ive got NEWS.
The first news is that at long last, Nick & Poppy, whose socially distanced romance originated on this site for my newsletter subscribers, finally have a real book that you can preorder now for 99¢. THE BEST LAID PLANS will release on December 18, and the price will go up slightly once its released, so grab it now
For those who arent familiar with this story, heres the blurb and a little cover...
June 28, 2020
Blink’s Fry Doe: A Buck’s Landing Excerpt
This excerpt originally appeared here on September 2, 2012. And then I re-did the entire site.
Our annual week at Hampton Beach is off the table this year. The Summer That Wasn’t doesn’t have room for crowds and sharing a cramped beach rental (with a single bathroom!) with several branches of the family. The three of us are making the best of it, and I’m doing my best to recreate some of our favorite vacation treats to ease the pain.
Today, I made Blink’s Fry Doe-inspired fried dough, and though...
June 25, 2020
How to Publish a Novel in 18 Steps
Draft 50,000 words in two mad months. Convince self you are literary giant.
Lose focus, shelve draft for three years.
Discover the entire secondary plot is crap. Scrap it.
Rewrite over 18 months. 65,000 words of plausible nonsense.
Discover the entire new secondary plot is crap. Scrap it.
Rewrite over another year. Convince self you are not bonkers to have done so. 75,000 words.
Decide to publish in six months. Actually tell people that.
Get solid notes from beta readers. Rewr...
June 17, 2020
The Enchanted Tiki Coop
I’ve been quietly lurking on BYC for four years, planning, waiting… And last October, my small city relaxed the chicken keeping laws, allowing flocks of up to 6 hens on a residential property, if properly registered.
Over the winter, I hatched my plans, and in March–just before COVID-19 brought everything except domestic arts to a screeching halt, I ordered my 4 flock-starter hens. Ahead of the curve by about 3 days. I read articles, perused plans, considered blueprints and filled up a Pinte...
May 19, 2020
Thornton Gone Wide
After perhaps far too long, the Thornton Series is (almost) no longer Amazon exclusive. It’s not exactly the Happily Ever After you get at the end of my books, but I’ve decided to see other retailers.
I’m gradually updating the book listings on my site to take you to your preferred store via Books2Read, and all but Family Practice (Anneliese and Jack will join the others in early June when the KDP Select contract period is over) are live around the internet, waiting for folks who prefer to ac...
May 14, 2020
Spicy Red Lentil Soup: A Recipe from the Damselfly Inn
Originally posted February 14, 2018
The Damselfly Inns Spicy Red Lentil Soup A few fictional years have passed since Nan Grady was feeding her friends at the Damselfly Inn, but shes still very much a voice in my head. Married now, and going by Nan Fuller, and still feeding her friends. I imagine them gathered around the big farm table in her kitchen, guests out enjoying the art museum or a play at the college, or warming up by the fire in the parlor. Its cold and snowy outside. The pastures...
March 25, 2020
There’s no time like a pandemic?
I hope this finds you safe and healthy. Here in Massachusetts, Im taking my non-essential status seriously, and staying home unless its necessary for work or to stock the pantry. I can work remotely for both of my day jobs, but without commuting, our sons activities, our activities, or any kind of social life beyond Zoom and FaceTime, I had time to explore a complete overhaul of this site. I hope youll find a little escape, a little...
