I made it to my writing group the Sunday before last, and it was so good to see all their faces. Just like the last time though I felt stuck about what to write. I should’ve had a plan, but I only vaguely thought maybe I’d write some fan fiction. However, one of the dogs decided that was the best time to chew on a bone so I really struggled to focus. I did my blog earlier that morning, so I didn’t feel completely worthless.
As I was saying, I was thinking of doing some fan fiction. I had this idea to connect Inara and Zoe after Wash died, just because you know that would be so hot, but I kept thinking about what that would do to Mal. (IFYKYK and if you don’t feel free to ask.) There aren’t many male characters that I like enough to worry about, but I really like his character.
I got me thinking though about what other female or queer characters I’d like to see hook up.
Since the sex/love scenes are the hardest for me to write I thought maybe I would do a few for the practice. There was Tasha Yar and Beverly Crusher, but I could not see them with each other or either with Deanna Troi. I was thinking of cop duos like Cagney and Lacy or Rizzoli and Isles, but the idea of them hooking up and ruining their partnerships was not appealing. I know it was just supposed to be an exercise, but the characters are too well-established in my head.
I need to pick some characters that I know well enough but not so well that they wouldn’t fit together, even for a fling. I am not sure why I’m working so hard on this when I could be just making up new characters but that just feels too hard right now.
I never made any progress on the fan fiction as our little world became frozen and blanketed with snow. We got 6 inches of snow, which by itself is a big deal here but it was the sub-freezing weather that truly shut this whole valley, and much of Tennessee, down completely.
Back home this amount of snow is nothing because it’s a common occurrence. Here this is a once-in-a-decade or more phenomenon. They just do not have the infrastructure to deal with it. And unlike in Denver where it’s mostly flat, here there are hills and curves everywhere. With so much snow that partially melts in the sun and then refreezes and without the plows or salt to completely clear the snow, every roadway turns into an ice rink.
We managed a trip into town midweek on the only day it was above freezing. We live in a flat area with no hills between us and town, so the roads were drivable. We picked up a few things we needed to get as though a few more days. We picked the right day because then we got more snow and the temps dropped again. It was good to get out and we needed it too as I think all the creatures in this house, 2 or 4 footed, were getting cabin fever.
Silas got a makeshift litterbox since his brief trips outside proved to be worthless…we lost a rug and some towels that were on the laundry room floor waiting to be washed. I used an Amazon box and cut up newspaper, which wasn’t ideal but worked until we got some cat litter and Tennessee found an old beat-up litter box outside.
Fortunately, warmer weather came along and the rain dissolved the snow and now we’re back to normal…needing a raft to go out the back door.
I only managed to complete one book during that week. I’d been watching French crime dramas instead of reading. I needed a bit of a break. But then I absorbed another book and finished a third this weekend. I also watched lots of sports ball with Tennessee, so I never made it to my writing group which is when I had planned to finish writing this blog. Obviously, that didn’t happen since you’re only reading it now.
I’m finally finishing this blog and posting it now. I may or may not write another this weekend as I’ve got two books on my Libby shelf that are due back soon and another paperback arriving tomorrow. Also, it’s NFL Championship weekend so I’ll be busy watching Taylor Swift. Take care, my friends.
Book 6
“The Circus Rose” by Betsy Cornwell
This is a retelling of the fairy tale Snow White and Rose-Red. The story is told through alternating chapters from the point of view of each sister, Ivory and Rose. Ivory’s chapters are prose and Rose’s chapters read like poems. I loved the way the author used the alternate pronouns of Ivory’s non-binary Fey love interest. The story was full of magic and queer characters, which I love, but it took me a while to get into the story. I almost gave up, to be honest, but the story finally hooked me, and the end was very satisfying.
Book 7
“Acorna” by Anne McCaffrey and Margaret Bell
This paperback has been on my TBR shelf for years. I have loved every Anne McCaffrey book I have ever read, but it took a long time for me to pick this one up. I found it in a thrift store years ago on a road trip with my ex and I just couldn’t read it. Then I needed something to take on the plane one time and didn’t have anything else, so I took it and it became my in-flight book for the next couple years. It stayed in with my carry-on stuff for so many trips and I just picked up where I left off each time. I never had any trouble remembering where I was in the story so every time I picked it up it was as if I had just set it down the day before. It was still in my luggage when I moved here and I put it on my shelf with the very small collection I brought with me. I finally finished it and I then immediately ordered books 2 and 3 (of 10) which should be here this week.
Book 8
“It Ends with Us” by Colleen Hoover
This was a Christmas present. It’s not one I would have picked out for myself. It starts out like your traditional romance with a meet-cute that seems innocent enough, but as you get further into the story you realize there was some significant foreshadowing happening in that first scene. The author says this story was based on her parents’ relationship and was the hardest thing she’d ever written and I fully believe that. Trigger warning for domestic violence. I will be donating this book. Please don’t tell J-Dawg’s mom.
Baby Gay When You're Fat and Gray - All Grown Up 