Sara C. Snider's Blog, page 15
March 21, 2016
Swedish Spring
Well, springtime is here. Normally I’d be happy about that, but we didn’t really get a proper winter, and so I’m feeling kind of cheated. Yeah, that’s right. I actually like sub zero temperatures. Or, rather more accurately, I like discernible seasons. The freezing weather makes me appreciate the warm weather. Plus, snow is pretty.*
Without much snow, the winter was pretty drab. When what little snow we had finally melted away, I was feeling a bit bummed about it. So, to counter the sad feels...
March 18, 2016
Hazel and Holly — Fountain of Sorrow
Previous: Elder Dawn
They all left Elder’s house after they finished breakfast. Hazel clutched a slip of paper in her hand on which Elder had scribbled Baern’s address. Holly and Hawthorn clambered into the coach. Hazel was about to follow them, but hesitated.
“Is everything all right?” Hemlock said.
Hazel shook her head. “I… I don’t think I can face this man. Not yet. Not after Elder.”
Hemlock watched her a moment before stepping into the coach and murmured something to Hawthorn. Hazel clos...
March 11, 2016
Hazel and Holly — Elder Dawn
Previous: The Long Dark
The following morning Hazel and Holly ventured downstairs and found a little sign with a drawn arrow pointing down a hall off the main room. They followed it, coming to another little drawing that led them into a dining room within which a monstrous wooden table took up most of the space. Sunlight streaming in through the windows did little to help brighten up the place.
“What… what do we do?” Holly whispered.
Hazel shrugged. “Sit down, I suppose.”
They lingered a whi...
March 4, 2016
Hazel and Holly — The Long Dark
Previous: Elder Night, Part Two
Hand in hand, Hazel and Holly followed Augustus as he led them up the stairs and down a dimly lit hallway. He stopped in front of a door and turned to the sisters to chitter at them.
Holly flinched. “What does it want?”
“I think this might be our room,” Hazel said.
Augustus’ chittering turned to squawks as he hopped up and down.
“Or maybe it just wants our spleens,” Holly said, covering her ears.
“We’d better go in,” Hazel said and opened the door. Inside was...
March 1, 2016
Interview with Sarah Zama
I met Sarah Zama during last year’s A to Z Challenge. Her blog immediately stood out with her posts about the Roaring Twenties and all that the period entailed–Prohibition, flappers, speakeasies, the birth of jazz. I learned a lot from her during that challenge, not the least of which was an introduction to the dieselpunk genre. I had honestly never heard of it before. So, when she approached me about participating in the blog tour for her upcoming novella–Give in to the Feeling–I felt like i...
February 26, 2016
Hazel and Holly — Elder Night, Part Two
Previous: Elder Night, Part One
“Hazel?” Holly whispered, but there was no reply. When had it gotten so dark? She had been so shocked over that creepy tea-bearing bat-thing, and then the next thing she knew the room had turned dark and cold.
She put out a hand a summoned a little ball of flame. It was always more difficult like that—calling the fire from nothing. But she didn’t have a choice. She was just glad it worked, even though the darkness that had been pushed back seemed like nothing...
February 19, 2016
Hazel and Holly — Elder Night, Part One
Previous: Fasting Friendship
Hazel glanced at the others in the carriage as it rattled down the dusty road. Somehow, the mood inside seemed less heavy than it had the previous day. It was a wonder, given everything that had happened. But Hawthorn and Holly no longer seemed so miserable and uncomfortable around each other. And Hemlock seemed, well, like Hemlock. It was both comforting as well as puzzling. She didn’t entirely trust him or his motives, and yet she was glad he was there.
Tum sat...
Hazel and Holly — Elder Night
Previous: Fasting Friendship
Hazel glanced at the others in the carriage as it rattled down the dusty road. Somehow, the mood inside seemed less heavy than it had the previous day. It was a wonder, given everything that had happened. But Hawthorn and Holly no longer seemed so miserable and uncomfortable around each other. And Hemlock seemed, well, like Hemlock. It was both comforting as well as puzzling. She didn’t entirely trust him or his motives, and yet she was glad he was there.
Tum sat...
February 12, 2016
Hazel and Holly — Fasting Friendship
Previous: Haunted Heart
“Lover’s spat, eh?” Tum said as Holly packed the dresses that he had strewn about her room.
“Hazel’s an idiot,” Holly said. “If Hawthorn ever held my hand or said anything like that to me, I… I don’t know what I’d do. Probably die. But in a good way.”
Tum nodded. “Death By Lover is the best way to go. It’s how Uncle Shem went–had a big old smile on his face, too.”
“Well, I… I don’t think I meant it like that.”
Tum scampered over to the bed, picked up Hawthorn’s shirt...
February 8, 2016
Of Blurbs and Social Media
So, where did January go? It feels like I blinked, and then suddenly it’s February. Add in the fact that the Swedish weather lately has been behaving more like April, I’m left feeling slightly perplexed as to what time of year it actually is.
Lots of things on the proverbial burners, some of which I already discussed in my last blog post, but also new things. Like me actually enjoying spending time on social media. Which, if you know me, is pretty much a revelation, kind of like me no longer...
