I'm BACK!!!!

Hey! Hey! Hey!

     After weeks...months...a year????  I found time to sit down and write again!!!  This past weekend was glorious.  I dusted off my laptop and started pounding out a story.

     This. Feels. Good.

     I can't tell you how happy I am about it.

     Kendra Ardnek is hosting a Fairy Tale retelling.  I had started a Twelve Dancing Princesses story, with plans to finish it for her event this year, buuuuut...my timing didn't work out.  So I am trying one for next year.
     Next year, the theme is Snow White Rose Red (hereafter referred to as SWRR).  And it's not a story that I'm terribly familiar with.  So I read the Grimm's tale, and started typing.

     It's a rough draft.  I'm about 8400 words into it.  And I'm assuming I'm about a third of the way into the story.  I didn't outline this one, I'm just discovering it as I go, so we will see.

     As a reward for writing, though, I am permitting myself this blogging break to share snippets from the story.  Are you ready?

***

     Everly sat up, rolling the apple in her hand.  “I feel sad for her, Ardyn.  She’s so angry.  Maybe she’s never had a friend before.”

     I was unconvinced.  “Or maybe she did, and then she ate them.  Like a spider.  With her fangs.”

***

     I ran to the tree and touched it.  I could see the shimmer in the wood.  “I’ve never seen a portal in person before,” I murmured.  Slowly I moved my hand into the shimmer.  My hand disappeared into it.  It felt like I had stuck it into a waterfall – the forces of the portal beat against it like water.  I pulled my arm back out of the tree and my hand reappeared.

***

     “Don’t play dumb with me.  I’m your twin.  I know what you’re thinking.”  Everly smiled, as she gathered the empty bowls from the table – every bowl except mine.  

***

     “May you wither and die!” She shrieked.  “Maybe you never bear fruit again!  May your leaves curl in agony!  May wild animals chew on your branches, and may disease infect the shredded bark!”  As she shouted, she grasped her hair with both hands pulling wildly against it.

***

     “Do you not trust me?  You think I’m stupid enough to fall for some crazy man who jumps through portals? I’m insulted by your concern.”

***

  

      Nekon nodded and waved goodbye to us.  Then he and Mama set off down the path together.

     As they disappeared out of sight, I couldn’t help but fidget.  “You know they’re going to talk about something.”

     “And they wanted to do it alone,” Everly said gently.

     I felt twitchy.  “Don’t you want to know what they’re saying?”

     “No.” Everly got up and went in the house.

     Well, I did.

***

     His song ended in a choked gasp, and he staggered to his left.  “Hey, now!” he protested breathlessly, throwing his hands up.  “I’m unarmed!  Don’t kill me!”

      I poked the dagger on his hip with the end of my bostaff.  “You’re never unarmed.  I know you.”

***

      “You can’t even guess?  You’re so busy watching that man that you’ve forgotten how to see me?” Her words were bitter and disappointed.

***

     “No…please…” the man croaked.  He took half a step forward and tumbled to his knees across our threshold.  “Cold.”

     My arrow was ready to fly.  I shot a glance at our mama, hoping for some guidance.  Shoot?  Don’t shoot?

     I could see the worry on her face.  She stood to her feet, pursing her lips together as she surveyed the intruder.  My eyes went back to the man.  His face was white with frost.  But his dagger was definitely red.

***

     We made our preparations and headed out.  The air was still but crisp with the cold.  I blew puffs, watching the vapors curl like smoke.  I did three or four short ones, a long one, and two more short ones.  Ha.  It looked like the smoke from signal fires.

    I glanced behind me.  Everly was walking demurely by the stranger’s side.  This, I thought, was why people thought she was older than me.  She looked so grownup, and I was blowing imaginary smoke signals out of my mouth.

That's what I have so far, folks.  I hope you all are doing well in your writing and having a fabulous week!