Ellie Potts's Blog, page 21

Selah Janel on Writing!

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I have asked some of my super talented author friends to write out some tips and advice that they would like to share on my blog. If interested in sharing your own story or tips contact me. Today I would like to thank Selah for her great blog post. I hope you enjoy, and learn something today.

Writing tips tend to be extremely personal. At the end of the day, you’re going to try things out and do what’s best for you. Some people are plotters and some are planners, some have a word count they have to hit every day, some go by project and deadline. There are books galore by much better people than me all about how to structure a story or novel, about building a following, about organizing the business end, and other aspects and technical things to keep in mind. So I guess I’ve nothing to write about, right? This is just another excuse for a writer to go on someone’s blog and pimp their stuff.

Oh ye of little faith (but excellent cynicism and clarity).

The fact is, there’s a lot of things you don’t really learn about writing until you’re in it, and the whole journey can be a lot of back and forth in what feels like a never-ending loop. There are things I’d wished I’d known starting out, and it’s been out of grace and the watchful kindness of others that I’ve fallen in ditches and not massive oubliettes. So today I’m going to go over some things I never realized right out of the gate that might make your life easier.

Think about where you want to aim right now and keep it realistic. Everyone wants to be Stephen King et al. No, you are not going to be Stephen King. Dreams are beautiful, but you don’t get ahead by just wanting to be Stephen King. He and others are lightning in a bottle in a time where need matched up with circumstance in an unholy union. I hope that happens for you, but until you have that moment, you need to be thinking about where to aim right now. Are you only interested in writing novels in the hopes of landing an agent and giant publisher? Are you cool with self-publishing or small presses?  Do you prefer a hybrid approach? Do you write in one genre or many? Are you only willing to write novels or can you start with short stories to develop your craft? Do you know of authors who are in the genre and level at which you see yourself someday? Are you following who is up and coming right now and what paths they’re taking to get there? You should be. You need to know your genre, the industry, and your own habits and capabilities. This is where you need to sit down and be very honest with yourself about what you’re willing to do and how much time you want to devote to it. 

Read, read, read – but read smart. Everyone gives the advice that you’ve got to read to be a writer. This is a million percent true and I won’t even stay in the room if someone argues against this. However, there are some caveats here. It’s important to read a lot of things – in the genres that you read, and out. Read nonfiction, especially if it’s something you want to incorporate in your work. Read writing books if that’s your jam. First and foremost, though, you should think about where you want to go and align your tbr list with it. One of my better habits was to start reading magazines and ezines that are currently being published, especially on the pro rate market. This is a great way to not only see what’s going on right now, but to scope out what markets actually want to publish. I also try to read a lot of speculative fiction that’s either out in the current year or a year old – I’ve fallen a bit behind on this one, but it’s still an important habit to keep. You don’t have to throw out your comfort reading YA horror from the 90s or never read King again. I love Neil Gaiman, Ray Bradbury, Holly Black, and a ton of others, but I also know that it’s important to not exist solely on them if I want a good idea of what places might align with my style what’s current in my particular genres. Read the rock stars, by all means, but you’d better be reading more than that. 

Research publishers – No matter how hard you try, you’re going to stumble at some point, but the more you keep an ear to the ground, the more you can avoid that. It’s so easy to just start submitting willy nilly, but you really need to take a breath and do the homework. If you’re submitting short fiction, is there a pay scale you’re not willing to go beyond or is it enough to just see your work out in the world? Do you know how to read a contract and what rights you’re giving up? Do you know who’s been outed on twitter for bad behavior to authors in the past year? Do you know what conventions you maybe want to avoid vs ones you really want to do or should do? We all want to hole up and write fun stories, but you need to always keep an eye out, because it’s so easy to get into situations you don’t want to find yourself in. 

Be aware of your rights – Did you know that if you post your book on wattpad, that’s considered published and you’ve just given away your first rights? Yes, some people have been published from the site, but they usually have massive followings and (let’s be real), also probably had to rewrite a good deal of the work to technically make it different enough for a publisher to pick up.  Same for if you post pieces on a blog and some other online platforms – 99.9% of the time, a publisher won’t pick a piece up if it’s been seen anywhere before (unless it’s behind a paywall). Do you know what perpetual rights means? Or what a fair book contract looks like? How about what markets take reprints and how that works? Now, you can always self-publish, especially if you’ve got reprints, but do you know how to find an editor and cover artist? Are you willing to put in the time and money to promote those on your own to make it worth your time? Awareness is going to be your friend.

I can hear you hyperventilating now – how am I supposed to learn all this stuff? This isn’t what I thought I was getting into! Yeah, I know, it’s a whole new world, and one that punched me in the face when I fell into it, too. There is hope, though, and something that has helped me beyond all else…

Network and hang out with people who are better than you – Look, writing is a solitary exercise, but you absolutely need people in your corner and the faster you get on this, the better your experience is going to be. Do not wait until you’ve got your first manuscript written. This is where it helps to know where you want to aim. Follow publishers and other authors on Twitter. Know who gives good writing advice, pay attention to who talks to their followers, know your hashtags. This same basic approach can apply to Facebook, especially with groups. Get involved with writing groups to keep yourself fresh if that’s your thing. There are all sorts of groups and hashtags and games out there to help you meet other writers and also present yourself to the world. Back when I first started blogging, I made a lot of connections on Triberr, though I’ve moved away from there through the years. Research review and promotional blogs and compile a list for when you may need them. See what conventions, writing groups, and other activities are having zoom events right now. When we’re able to be at cons again, go to those and events to meet other writers.

But here’s the catch.

Yes, you need to market yourself, but marketing is not the same as networking. Do not use your social media and convention time only to pimp your stuff. Promote yourself, by all means, but if all you’re doing is screaming into the void, you’re not going to get far. So, make sure you don’t just promote. Does that sound counter-productive? It’s not. You don’t leap into these things trying to get a leg up. You’re there to build relationships and friendships and a support network. This is also when you need to put ego aside and surround yourself with people better than you. Not only that, but you need to listen to them, their experiences, and what they’ve gone through without expecting them to do things for you. Seriously, the more you find amazing people to hang out with, the more you’re going to find yourself asking the right questions and getting better answers. I have fallen in a lot of ditches, but one of the blessings of my experiences has been that I’ve lucked into meeting some ridiculously amazing people. They’ve had my back and offered me support through some really difficult moments. These people are not your competition. They also don’t owe you anything, but in general you’ll find people who are willing to give you advice and even critique. 

Take it. Your circle is not there to boost your serotonin. You can have an idea of where you want to go, but in the ever-changing market, it’s surrounding yourself with other, more seasoned authors that will help you realize how to do things, especially if you show that you’re diligently trying to improve your craft. Don’t be afraid to engage people in silly conversations online. At conventions, if someone is offering a workshop or class and you can swing it, do it! If someone you admire is offering online workshops and you can swing it – do it and ask questions! If you feel comfortable approaching people, do it! Go in with no expectations, an open mind, and a work ethic, and you’ll be amazed at how un-solitary you become as a writer. 

How you present yourself matters – This was true when I was in theater, and it’s still true now that I’ve become an author. You don’t have to be dressed to the nines all the time, but know who you are, know your look, then tweak it up a notch. You’re allowed to be quirky, but be put together quirky. Whether you believe in yourself or not, whether you like it or not, people are going to be watching you and your media, which is an extension of you. This extends to your displays, how you handle yourself, your author photos, and your site. Yes you need one. I don’t care if you’ve never published a word yet, you need a landing page with your photo, bio, work if you have anything out, and a contact form. People need to be able to find you, whether you’re self-publishing or querying. If you blog, really think on if the tone you present is what you want people to see. Does your author bio sound too clever clever or does it sound like it belongs on a book cover? Are your blog posts nothing about complaining about the whole entire writing and querying process? What do you think you’re achieving with a big, constant public vent fest? Does your author photo look like you took a selfie in your bathroom, or is it a reasonable presentation of yourself? Do you know how to market without coming off as screaming in everyone’s face? Do you know what platforms you prefer to use so you don’t burn yourself out trying to do too much? Do you know what you have to offer your readers on each of your platforms? Whether you start leaning into heavy social media at first or not at all, you need to know what your feel for each is. Know what to put out there on a blog and what to keep bottled up. Yes, we want to know your authentic self, but there is such a thing as being too authentic. Be open, but be the best version of open for yourself. Find your happy medium. 

And, of course, write, write write: You’re going to be the best judge of your writing schedule, whether that’s in spurts or every day. Whatever you decide on, though, write. It doesn’t matter if you sell everything you work on, because each story is going to help you develop your voice. Learn from everything. One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever gotten, hands down, is to just keep working. It sounds so simplistic, but believe me, it’s not. You need to be working and writing to keep developing yourself, to open yourself up to new possibilities and opportunities. Keep going even when it’s hard, even when you don’t want to, even when it feels there’s no point. At the end of the day, if writing is what you really want to do, it’s in no one’s hands but yours, so you have to just keep doing it and go from there.

A little about Selah

Selah Janel has written many e-books, including Mooner, The Ruins of St. Louis, The Inheritance, and Candles. Her work has appeared in The Grotesquerie, Curious Incidents: More Improbable Tales, and The Big Bad volumes 1 & 2. An unrepentant theater geek, she’s worked for over twenty years in theater and entertainment building and designing costumes in regional theater, holiday events, amusement parks, and haunted events. Keep up with her and her work at http://www.selahjanel.com

Her newest release!

Ruins of St Louis

Blurb: Newland ceased to be Midwest America long ago. Danger is a way of life, struggle the price to pay for survival. In a world filled with dangerous climates, ruthless creatures, strange magic, and people who embrace betrayal as necessity, Hunter Mann struggles to fulfill her purpose: to stay alive and fulfill the vaguest of prophecies to take her place as the leader of her village. Her latest quest finds her battling the dangers of the Mississippi River with her servant Arsin as she seeks an ancient formula for a legendary building stone. Just like her crew of pirates, the river takes no prisoners, and fate is determined to turn every boon into an obstacle. She’s not one to back down, though – not when her future and heart’s desire is on the line – and dark magic and bloodshed aren’t going to scare her off

buy link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08PYSJC9C

My media: fb: www.facebook.com/authorSJ twitter: @SelahJanelinsta:  @selahjanel99
website: www.selahjanel.com

Reviews…

I guess I need to talk about the remake of The Stand. Where do I start… Okay so what I love about Stephen King’s The Stand is the journey the characters had to take after the virus hit to when they came together. Those journeys built the characters. They defined how we got to feel about them. The original touched a little on the journey, and well the new one could have but I think spent to much time in Boulder. I liked some of the characters and hated a lot more of the characters. I hated that Mother Abigail was in a senior home. I think they spent too much time on certain things instead of getting to the true heart of the story. The jumping around in the beginning just confused people who had not seen the original mini series or had not read the book. On that please do not let this get in the way of reading the book. Which you totally should, cause the book is awesome.

Weekly watching:

American Gods, I see they are trying to get back to the book. I have to think of it as it’s own creature. That said this episode was just sad. Shadow found that pantie thief. I freaking love Mr. World’s shift to different personas. Poor Odin, he knows no better.

WandaVision, I really hope to see more of Darcy in the MCU I really like her. So the bad guy has been revealed. And Monica!! I can’t give away too much cause every inch is spoilers it feels like.

Books:

Last week I finished listening to Dusty’s Diary by Bobby Adair. Narrated by Ray Porter (Who is awesome) did a great job. There were some LOL scenes, some ranting and raving, and some sad parts. If you thought you were the last survivor at the end of the world I guess that would happen. Dusty made a bunker in his backyard for when shit hit the fan, and it did with a fungus. That changed people into fungus like zombie creatures. And they think human flesh is delicious. Dusty starts a diary, in the hopes to share the downfall of humans with aliens or a sentient version of bees who might inherit the earth. Just as he thinks he might be alone, there might be evidence that he isn’t. It is a fun read and I hope maybe to read/listen to more about Dusty’s journey.

It didn’t happen overnight, not like in the movies.

I mean, it took more than a year before anybody looked up from their smartphones long enough to wonder why so many of their neighbors were infected. Why so many were dying.

The vaccination riots came and went. The grocery store shelves emptied out. The spigots eventually ran dry. That was around the time I moved underground and sealed the hatch on my backyard bunker.

That was a couple of years ago.

Now, my radio hasn’t picked up a signal from the world up top since I can’t remember when. My exterior camera died in a storm last spring. And the loneliness has set in, gnawing at me, making me think crazy thoughts, including the one that’ll change everything.

I have to leave the bunker and see if anyone is left alive.

Last week Black Coral the second book in Andrew Mayne’s Underwater Investigation Unit book came out. His books are great mystery reads. I really recommend checking out Jessica Blackwood and The Naturalist books before you read the Underwater Investigation Unit books. Each book had me on the edge of the seat as Mayne takes you along the journey to find the killer and solve the crime. It could look like magic or science fiction, and they all set out to prove the science of it. Such great stories.

Sloan McPherson and the Underwater Investigation Unit have discovered a van at the bottom of a murky Florida pond. Sealed inside the watery tomb are the bodies of four teenagers who disappeared thirty years ago after leaving a rock concert. To authorities, it looks like a tragic accident. To Sloan, it looks like murder. Every piece of evidence is starting to connect to a string of cold case vanishings throughout Florida. Clue by clue, Sloan navigates the warm, dark waters where natural predators feed, knowing that the most dangerous one is still above the surface—nesting and dormant.

But when a fresh young kill is found in the Everglades, Sloan fears that her investigation has reawakened a monster. How can she catch someone who’s a genius at hiding in plain sight? By acting as prey. The dangerous gambit is working—only too well. She’s being lured into a deception of the madman’s own design. Has Sloan set a trap for a serial killer? Or has he set one for her?

My husband and I have also been listening to The Adventures of Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent by Larry Correia narrated by Adam Baldwin (Chuck & Firefly). It is over the top fun in so many ways. Tom is on a journey to save multiple earths from destruction who are insured with his company, Stranger and Stranger, and to get even with his arch-nemesis, Jeff Conundrum. With his trusty Combat Wombat at his side, and the world’s worst intern in his way, Tom vows to insure and protect. And nothing – not an invading skeleton army nor evil dolphin kidnappers nor misplacing his favorite bowtie – will stop him from kicking ass and adjusting claims.

https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Adventures-of-Tom-Stranger-Interdimensional-Insurance-Agent-Audiobook/B01D0FJOAI

What have you been reading and watching?

Write you…

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A lot of advice I received in creative writing classes was pretty much write whats popular. Writing popular themes might get you up there. But then again.  I’ve also read people who have done that but never succeeded. By Then I was already writing what I wanted to write. When Awaken the Elements was originally named Munched I had attempted to get it out there, but well the denials spoke for themselves. The rejections I received were mostly-we don’t sell that genre or not interested at the time.

I never let it get to me and continued to write. Writing is my therapy. It keeps me sane in my crazy world. In my worlds I can kill off people that get me mad and I won’t get arrested. I try my hardest to research enough to make my stories seem real enough. I try, I really do, to make a great story. I am not perfect, and no one really is.  But my stories scream to be written in my brain. I lose sleep as the stories talk to me. I will tell you one thing I never expected to be an Author. Really I just like to write. So I write what I like to write, and usually it isn’t popular or in.

Not once did I ever think I would be published, I secretly wanted to be, but then again I get nervous when I think of people reading my stuff. People can be cruel, but I learned that I am my worst critic. I have to remind myself that and move on to my next project. Originally I was picked up by a small publishing company, and well lesson learned when the person who ran it closed down and took all the money. So I moved over to self-publishing. It lets us writers not stick to one genre. We can do weird, and there is no one telling us we don’t publish that. So I can write whatever I like. If you want to read it then please do and if you don’t then don’t. But maybe down the line I will create something you might enjoy so keep me in mind. 

Home…

They say the place that you grew up can make a person who they are. I grew up in a small town. In that small town I witnessed life, love and death. I watched this small town drain the life out of people. I saw it make people addicts, killers, and some of the worst victims. In my creative writing class in college I was asked to make a poem which I’m not a fan of. The teacher said take a word and repeat it. I changed the town’s name but I can vouch that this is a mostly true story.

Casper, Town of Needles

Casper, the town of dreams. The town of nightmares. The town of a thousand dreamy nightmares. All who stalk the town with hatchets and sledgehammers, thanks to dingy dope filled needles.

Casper, the town of psycho clowns, and the tiny midgets who beat them. The incorporated town with one streetlight by the post office. One gas station, four bars, and three liquor stores.

Casper, the home of crackheads who don’t give a damn. The town of a million children running around the dirt roads with bare feet, runny noses and head lice. The schools filled with teachers who would like to give a damn, but they don’t live in Casper.

Casper, where no one dares to stop. The cops don’t even wink an eye or turn to look. The town where everything runs illegal, and the oldest sibling of six is trying to buy her baby brother some diapers with twenty food stamps.

Casper, the town of forgotten dreams. The dream, when I grow up, leaves you when you turn ten. The cruel streets are harsh to play on. The drugs are real. The threat is real, but the psycho clowns are only in their heads as the dingy dope filled needles play along their skin.

Random Stuff

You’re almost twice as likely to die from lightening than an earthquake.It is physically impossible to kill yourself by holding your breath. Well unless you’re underwater.Autopsy: from the Greek word autopsia meaning “seeing with one’s own eyes.”Taaphephobia: fear of being buried alive. It takes 1 week to really shrink a head.Spider webs were used as bandages in ancient times.Sunglasses were originally designed for Chinese judges to hide their facial expressions in court.Children of identical twins are genetically siblings, not cousins.A human could swim through a blue whale’s veins.“OMG” usage can be traced back to 1917.Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt once went on a joyride.It takes 364 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.

Self Care: Overcoming Burnout

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We all have those times of burn out. Right now more so. I know here in CA everything is still mostly closed. It’s been over a year since I have gotten to watch a movie in the Theater, which helps me with my weekly burnouts. To have that moment in front of the big screen, in the dark, the air filled with the smell of fresh popped popcorn. Soon enough I hope to get that back. Thinking positive there.

A lot of people have had to adjust to new ways of life that we just weren’t prepared for. Home schooling, teleworking, and switching our lives to online activities when we want to be social. This can be rough for a lot of people and kids. It is important to recognize the symptoms of stress. Are you finding you are more easily irritated these days? Is anxiety crippling your ability to perform your job to the best of your ability? What about your kids?

The biggest thing you can do is communicate. Communicate with your children and your partner. And if you need help reach out. It is okay to ask for help. Identify those things that which you do not have control of. There is help out there for that even if it is talking to family and friends, and in some cases it is okay to ask for professional help.

Increase a sense of control. It is okay to take breaks. Reach out to co-workers and friends they probably would benefit from a chat to. Go outside get some fresh air. Working from home, set a schedule and stick with it. Sleep! Make sure you get enough sleep.

Do things you enjoy during non-work hours. Read that book, knit that blanket, game night with the kids, family fun time, walk your puppers, or hell walk your cat.

When it comes to writer’s burn out. I think sometimes you need to take a break from that WIP. Start something new, or just put it aside for a little while. Come back to it when you are ready. Because if you force yourself to work on it you’ll resent it more and more. If you get stuck take a moment to think why? Did your plot take a turn against you which is dragging. I know they say to power through and finish that rough draft. But sometimes, that is not the case. I know my signs of burnout, and it is different for everyone. One of my tales is I start getting a stress headache and lose focus. I know I need to work on something else before I do something that could not only damage the book but also make me disheartened with the book.

A tip my husband and I still have date night. We order something awesome from Grubhub. Have dinner and then rent a new movie or watch a new movie out on one of the streaming service. This has helped me from spiraling in the burn out.

What tips do you recommend?

Remember City of the Sun… #betareaders #writingcommunity

I had started writing City of the Sun releasing them on Wattpad. You can read it here. https://www.wattpad.com/myworks/189642635-city-of-the-sun I had plans for this, and I still do. The problem is that my hard drive crashed. Blue screen of death, had the nerve to give me a sad face. Seriously it did this :(. After going a little crazy, because I lost a lot of stuff. Including the finished edits for Blood Ties and a few other things. My priorities were to finish up the books I could salvage. I also lost the flash drive I had saved everything on.

My priority is still with Blood Ties, and the other books I have finished and just need editing. But this year I am also going to finish up City of the Sun and get that up and published. So feel free to read what I have up and beta read it for me. I am open to advice and suggestions. I want to know what you want to know more about. Let me know there after you read the chapters or you can let me know here on my blog.

Using Writing to Explore Paganism

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When I started my journey into paganism it was all so overwhelming. But I kept to it wanting to know more because it pulled me. I started my path before computers, so I had to rely on books. I bought whatever I could find. At the time I was learning about the elements. I noticed I have a huge connection with the element of Earth. And my creative mind created a story about what if the element itself was bound to human form.

That started my first book. But of course I went silly and added these Elements into a zombie infested world. Because I can. But I added a lot of real magic and of course Hollywood magic in it. It made a good outlet for my learning. I loved writing the magic parts from summer solstice, love spells, karma, and more.

The story follows cousins Autumn and Anatha as they discover that they have magic. But each magic is different. One has earth and one has fire. They have always had been odd growing up, but lately while outside their safe house a zombie apocalypse rages their magic is getting stronger. Coincidence? Yes.

The second book has more magical teaching. As they learn more about their true selves. This year I will be writing the final book in their fight.

*Mature 18+ for explicit adult situations. Dark Erotic Fantasy, Menage- M/M/F, M/F, M/M*

Autumn has tried all her life to be normal, and it worked mostly. But Autumn is not normal. She doesn’t know exactly what she is or why she is so different. She does know that she can make plants grow without water or dirt, she can talk to trees, and when she is mad she can make the earth move around her. There is one other person who is different like her, Anatha, her cousin. But the two have never really gotten along.

As a virus sweeps the globe, making people seek government sanctioned safe houses. Autumn and Anatha’s family find themselves in an unlikely safe house. But they are not alone; there are friends, ex-friends, ex-boyfriends, a reunited boy band, and a wannabe rapper. Friendships grow and jealousies run crazy, as two men spark a passion in Autumn she had never felt before.

During their first summer, Autumn and Anatha, perform a summer solstice ritual that awakens the magic inside them, leading them on the path towards their destiny. But first, they need to learn to control the magic that is in them as well as learn to get along, or they will destroy everything around them.

Autumn is having new disturbing dreams. They have all left the mall, and have found a small town to live in. Life has mellowed out. Or so she thought. Autumn’s parents tell her a secret they have been holding since she was little. This one secret turns her world sideways. And then Rowan and River tell her they would like to go to Florida to see about their families. Turning her world upside down.

With her secret out in the open. Autumn and Anatha discover they each have a twin, and are given the opportunity to go with them to Fontane, a magical town where they were raised. Autumn thinks by going along she can stop the dreams and protect her guys. Being with their brothers feel right, but Autumn longs for both her men while a handsome witch ignites Anatha’s passions. But Fontane is ran by elders and the stars, and the elders will do whatever they can to make sure the elements fulfill their chosen path.

One thing after another goes wrong for all of them starting with a visit from a hellhound, a trip to jail, cannibals, sexy strangers, and a zombie cult. Will they survive to see their friends and families again? Or will Autumn’s dream come true?

The Crying Stranger – Fantasy Short Story

A luminous glow radiated around the silent figure. Her white skin untainted by the sun’s harsh touch as her eyes twinkled like fiery green emeralds. Her straight, calf-length auburn hair flowed around her like a red veil. Her naturally crimson lips moved as she sang to herself. The song seemed so right on this dark, dreary night.
She walked through the darkness unafraid of anything around her. She had no worries. The millions of stars burned brightly above her small head. Her feet, bare amongst the new spring grass, made her feel almost alive. She stopped. Bending her head slightly to the left, she listened. The small night sounds were so crisp to her elfin ears. And through the night sounds, she heard it—the call.

Turning, she let her feet guide her to the town of Naveret. It had been weeks since she had visited the small village but knew her way in the pitch darkness surrounding her. She quickened her pace. The foul smell hit her almost immediately after entering the town. Her small pointy nose wrinkled as she drew closer to the smell of death.
She stopped in front of a small, rickety cottage and looked inside the window. The thin pale curtains were open enough so she could peer inside. She saw the sick man dying in bed. His time had finally come, and the urge to cry made her vibrate where she stood.

A small hand touched her back. She turned. Her tattered, earth brown dress swirled around her. A small, brown-haired child looked up at her with curious hazel eyes.

“You have come for papa?” she asked, with a small touch of sadness in her voice.

The stranger had forgotten children could see her. They still believed in fairy magic.

“I have,” she said, her voice sounded like any other human woman, yet she wasn’t.

“Will papa feel better?”

“Soon, he will.” She didn’t lie; she always told the truth.

The child nodded. “I hate to see papa so sick. Can I talk to him before you cry?” The stranger felt a twinge of regret. Why had she been placed in this job? She was not as cruel as the folklores implied. She nodded, watching the child run inside. The stranger peered back into the dusty window. The child sat talking to her father as her mother silently wept by the bedside. The feeling to cry came. She struggled to push it back down into the pit of her stomach.

The child stopped talking and looked at her through the window. She gave the stranger a small smile but held her father’s hand. Forgive me, the stranger thought. Her mouth opened. A hum, so quiet at first, started and then grew and grew until it became a shrill shriek filling the night air. Large tears ran down her pale cheeks as she watched the child kiss her father’s lifeless hand. The cry, loud and piercing, continued on.

Finally, when she was sure his spirit had flown, she closed her mouth. The night became quiet again. She turned. Away from the window, away from the child. She walked silently but swiftly from the town. Another death needed to be announced. She hoped it would be of old age. Those were easy to deal with because their time was up. They knew it, too, and were ready to leave this world. It had always been the deaths of the sick or the young which affected her the most.

The stranger disappeared into the forest, her bare feet guiding her to the next town. She needed no map or light. Even the light her body gave off was not needed. The dying called. The long night weighed heavily on her as her melancholy cry sounded.

You can read more from my short story book.

Self Care Coping with Stress

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Everyone handles stress differently. But stress still effects us, just different from others. If you take care of your emotional health you will be able to cope better during an emergency. Self-care is very important to help you cope with the stress.

Here is a small list of things you can do.

Connect with others. We have many ways you can connect without connecting in person. Via Zoom, Messenger, and other ways you can video chat. Even a simple phone call is good. This not only will help you, but help a friend of family member who might also be feeling their own stress. It is okay to take breaks. Make time to play that video game, take tea time, dance, exercise, play with your puppers, meditate, zen out, listen to your favorite tune, or watch your favorite cartoon or show. Get some fresh air. Go out for a walk, or just sit outside. Learn a new hobby. Youtube is awesome you can learn to fix things, and do things.Read or listen to a book you have always wanted to. Work on a puzzle, or something to challenge your brain. Set a schedule. It really does help. Take a shower if you are just putting on another set of pajamas. Make a schedule that you can easily stick too but is flexible.Start a journal. One of the easiest ways to write down your feelings without being judged. One last one which is a big one. If you need help ask. There are people out there that will listen and help. Your church leaders, counselor, doctor, or contact the SAMSHA helpline 1-800-985-5990.