Friday Fricassee

Sorry this is so late!

(Well, I assume everyone notices, just because I'm anal about getting the Friday blog post out very early.)

Anyway, I'm back from an overnight writing getaway.  It was fabulous, and much-needed.  I wrote 4000 words in a 24-hour period, which, for me, is unheard of.

I mean, that's 4 days' worth of writing!  So, yeah, I'm feeling really good about that.

There were horses and a bullfrog and a dog that insisted on licking my elbows and thighs.  (If you don't know how much I hate dogs, then YOU DON'T KNOW ME.)  In the dog's favor, she was truly the BEST BEHAVED CANINE I've ever met.  She was a farm dog with free reign of the land, yet SHE NEVER BARKED.  Not once.  When we arrived, she escorted us up the steps to the loft where we were staying.  When we said, "Sit!", she sat immediately.

Kudos to the owner, right?

There were two other dogs, too, who ALSO NEVER BARKED.  But they were lazy and disinclined to visit us.

So I'm refreshed and happy.  (Not because of the dogs.) And that's a good way to start off the weekend.

Also?

I have REALLY GOOD NEWS.

(No.  It's not a sale.  I would never stick that in the middle of a Fricassee.)

The Really Good News is:  MY CAT HAS COME HOME!

My dearest Lucy showed up in our neighbor's yard on Monday evening.  Apparently, my neighbor called out to Mr. A, "Hey, that cat of yours is here."  So my dear husband (who is allergic to cats), spent at least ten minutes trying to coax Lucy onto our property.  I was in the bedroom doing ballet stretches, when I heard my husband calling, "Lucy!  Luuuuucy!"

I ran to the window and said, "WHY ARE YOU CALLING LUCY?"

And Mr. A, with characteristic nonchalance, said, "She's out here."

Needless to say, when I finally made it out the front door (in my jammies) and called to her, and she came slinking through the bushes to me, I LOST IT A LITTLE BIT.

She was so thin--bones draped with fur.  Light as fluff.  But otherwise unscathed, and as affectionate as ever.

Stupid cat.

And, of course, she's been acting like nothing happened.  As though it's perfectly normal to disappear for more than a month, and then show up again without warning.

No matter.  I love her so much, and I'm so thankful she's back.  (The picture above was taken the morning after her return.)

Huge thanks to so many of you who offered words of support and encouragement when she went missing.  It helped me stay in a hope place.  

And that's enough rambling for today.  I've got to unpack and figure out what to do for dinner (a restaurant sounds good).

See you Monday!

Critiquing Guidelines: Drop the Needle EXPLOSIONS!

Guidelines for Critique on MSFV:

• Please leave your critique for each entry in the comment box for that entry.
• Please choose a screen name to sign your comments. The screen name DOES NOT have to be your real name; however, it needs to be an identifiable name.  ("Anonymous" is not a name.)
• Critiques should be honest but kind, helpful but sensitive.
• Critiques that attack the writer or are couched in unkind words will be deleted.*
• Cheerleading IS NOT THE SAME as critiquing.  Please don't cheerlead.
• Having said that, it is perfectly acceptable to say positive things about an entry that you feel is strong.  To make these positive comments more helpful, say why it's a strong entry.
• ENTRANTS: As your way of "giving back", please critique a minimum of 5 other entries.

*In most cases, it's impossible for me to keep up with every comment left on the blog.  Therefore, I rely on my readers to email me if something really ugly turns up.  Please know that this almost never happens.  But when it does, my itchy delete finger gets a work-out. 

Drop the Needle: EXPLOSIONS! #30

TITLE: The Con of War
GENRE: YA Science Fantasy

Domino is prisoner aboard Anturo's airship. The explosion is from his sister Yula, who was trying to protect their city from Anturo's army. Meka = mecha.

The second explosion was much bigger than the first. When the shockwave struck the airship, the gondola pitched backward, sending table and papers flying. The crew either grabbed hold of what they could or else fell to the floor.

When the gondola leveled out, every man rushed to the windows to see what had happened. They shared a suffocating silence of disbelief. Where once there'd been an army, there was now a wedge of scorched earth a kilo long on either side. Outlines of fallen horses and men dotted the outer edge. A few still moved farther from the blast, but inside the wedge there was nothing. Not bodies, not ash.

Nothing.

At the source of the explosion were a small round crater and the husks of two mekas. Even from here, Domino could see the meka that had fired the blast was different from the ones Anturo had brought with him.

Yula.

He watched a long time, hoping the machine would move, or someone would emerge from it, but it was as dead as the army it had destroyed.

"You knew . . ." Anturo's words sounded a long way off.

Ko was supposed to help Yula. She was supposed to be okay.

From the same distance as Anturo's words came the metal scrape of a sword pulled from its sheath. Domino turned, but everything was blurred by tears. He recognized the sword over Anturo's head too late.

"You knew!" The sword swiped through the air. Domino shut his eyes, feeling a wind brush his cheek, hearing the sword strike his bones.

Drop the Needle: EXPLOSIONS! #29

TITLE: PLAY FOR PANIC
GENRE: YA Magical Realism

Sami recently learned she has power to neutralize Aquamarine—the magic extracted from the gemstone that had given her athleticism yet destroyed her musical skills and threatened her life. She strips magic from the rock/gemstone while playing her piano.


Tiny blue sparks appear when my fingertips touch the keys, as if I’m trapping a lightning bug with each note. Tiny blue sparks—just like those which appeared whenever I set or spiked a volleyball fueled by Aquamarine. Although I’m startled enough to stop playing, I keep going, reveling in the electrifying burn that zings my artistic talent back to my hands, my soul. A laugh escapes me as chords ripple up and down the scales, as if I have four hands. It’s nothing like what it used to be. That natural high I remember from our apartment in Manhattan is nothing compared to this.

It’s almost magical.

It’s the cracking sound that stops me, as if a ceramic pot has dropped from the second story onto a tile floor. My hands fly from the keyboard on reflex, and I scramble off the bench—fearing irrationally the piano might topple on top me. My white hot fingertips graze my neck as my heart pounds in my chest. I know what’s happened. My eyes go to where I rested the rock atop the piano, and although I knew something would happen, the sight in itself stops my breath.

The rock is cracked open, spilling brilliant blue crystals in a messy pile. The crystals reflect the fluorescent piano light, sending laser-like arcs across the room. All kinds of blues: pale, rich, turquoise, azure, periwinkle, sapphire, indigo.

Aquamarine.

I breathe it in, this glorious light, energized by it.

But, how do I know it worked? The only test I could think of is too dangerous, and yet...

Drop the Needle: EXPLOSIONS! #28

TITLE: Kasmir
GENRE: MG Fantasy

Liz, a young girl who was trained as a warrior for this purpose, prepares to fight the Great Dragon. She is standing at the entrance to its cave and must draw it out.

As quickly and silently as she could she lowered her sword to the ground and took a small, lumpy package from her belt. This was the most nerve-racking part of her plan. When face to face with the dragon she would be prepared to fight, but now she felt her vulnerability keenly. Her hands trembled as she pulled two stones and a small leather pouch out of the bag. The pouch had a piece of cloth poking out. It was wet with a concoction of her own making. Holding the stones next to the cloth she struck. Nothing. Glancing nervously at the cave entrance she struck again. A small spark flew from the stones, hit the fabric, and grew into a flame. Liz held her breath. It was working. She grabbed the pouch and flung it into the dragon’s home.

For a moment nothing happened. The mountain itself seemed to hold its breath. Then there was the sound of a small explosion and smoke billowed from the cavern’s mouth. Moments later an inhuman screech ripped through the air. The warrior snatched up her sword and ran across the clearing. She had only moments. Halfway across she stopped, turned, and raised her blade. Blinding streaks of fire tore through the thick cloud of smoke. That wasn’t her fire. In one great burst of fury the beast emerged. Its reptilian body writhing with rage, it flung its head into the sky and let out a roar that made the whole mountain tremble.