Guest Post

HAVE A BOOK TO PROMOTE? Lyrical Pens welcomes guest posts. Answer a questionnaire or create your own post. FYI, up front: This site is a definite PG-13. For details, contact cjpetterson@gmail.com cj

Sunday, December 19, 2021

cj Sez:  The third charity anthology from Bienvenue Press, FINALLY HOME, brings you eight Christmas stories, all about our four-legged friends and the special people who rescue them. From funny, to sad, to romantic, there’s something in there to tug at everyone’s heart strings.
   
Best of all, all three of the ebook charity anthologies are on sale for 99 cents until Christmas and free on Kindle Unlimited. If you need a last minute gift, it’s a purchase that’s sure to arrive in time for Christmas. (Psst: A portion of the proceeds from FINALLY HOME is donated to various animal rescue groups.)
 
   Here’s an excerpt from my short story, “Puppy Love,” about a dog that loses a leg and is fitted with a prosthetic. (Did you know someone actually made a prosthetic leg for an elephant....and a duck!?) 

“Hi, Bobbie. Is it okay if I put one of my flyers on the board in your lobby?”
“A wanted poster,” Bobbie said with a chuckle. “It’s more
than okay, Fran. It looks great. That red Santa hat makes his big, gold eyes stand out like neon lights.” 
The bold headline of the flyer read Wanted: Furever Home over a picture of a black and white tuxedo kitten. Francesca picked the final sheet out of the printer tray and nodded in satisfaction. She’d used a computer program to modify the photo and now Tucker had a Santa hat on his head. 
“The picture is adorable, even if I do say so myself.” She stroked Tucker’s silky coat. “You really do look like you’re wearing your best bib and tucker. That’s what my mom called a man’s tuxedo, you know.
Francesca left the kitten snoozing on her desk, and with staple gun in hand, she tacked flyers on bulletin boards at Municipal Park, at the city’s public pool, and at the sports complex fields. She wanted to attract the attention of the persons most responsible for the decision to adopt a pet—the kids in the family. Two hours later, she walked into the Pet Rescue Center and handed a flyer to the receptionist.
“I’m hoping he’ll be a precious, early Christmas gift for some lucky family.”
“Did you post it on Facebook?”
“Nope. Too many strangers have access to Facebook. I want him to go to someone in town. Someone I can keep in contact with and know for sure they’re treating him good.”
How are the fur babies doing?”
They’re great. Tucker’s finally old enough to look for a forever home. Without any prompting, my neighbor claimed Niblet yesterday, and Muffin’s a pistol. I had to call the fire department the other day to get her off the roof, and that caused me to run into Cody Phillips.”
“How’d that go?”
“Is there some special meaning behind that question?”
“Sorry. I just wondered. He’s been divorced for a while now, and I know you two used to be tight.”
“That was high school. Let’s leave it at that. It’ll be couple of weeks before I can put Muffin up for adoption. That’ll be tough. I’m about to get too attached to the little priss.”
Bobbie chuckled. “Changing the subject are we? Okay, well, we have a solution for adoption anxiety. You need to take another foster.”
“I keep telling you, I’m getting out of the fostering business. It’s getting too hard to give them up, and yeah, I know. Fostering is all about doing what’s best for the animal.”
“Just thought I’d mention it.”
“I wish you would stop baiting me. The last time you did that I wound up with a dog.”
“How is Miss Molly?”
“Doing well with her physical therapy. She’s been doing three sessions a week in the pool. The therapist said her muscle mass gets stronger with every visit, and her three legs are supporting her weight with no problem. She’s a really sweet puppy, and believe it or not, the kittens have helped socialize her.”
“I was worried about heartworm,” Bobbie said, “because the mosquitos were thick this year, but good news. We got the results of the blood test yesterday, and she’s heartworm negative.”
“Prayers answered. And the prosthetic?”
“The manufacturer has the measurements, and it should be ready any day now. I’ll send you an email when I’ve got it in the office, and we can set up an appointment with a technician to fit the device on the puppy.”
As soon as Francesca walked into the house, an ecstatic Molly yipped and bounced and almost knocked her down. She captured the wriggling puppy in her arms and held her close while avoiding a barrage of wet puppy kisses. When the dog calmed down a bit, she let her go then dropped her purse, the few remaining flyers, and the day’s mail on the kitchen counter. Her stomach sent out a hungry rumble as she freshened the food and water bowls—“for my critters” she said and nuzzled each one—then she made her own lunch. She used a fork to flake a can of albacore tuna into a dish, stirred in a dollop of light mayonnaise, a forkful of sweet pickle relish, and ate a bite before sitting down with a cup of black coffee. When her cell rang, she groped around in the bottom of her purse to find it before the call went to voice mail. Caller ID flashed a number she didn’t recognize but thinking it might be a call about a forever home for Tucker, she answered with a hopeful “Hello?”
“Afternoon Frankie. It’s me, Cody. Got a minute?”
“Hey, Cody. Are you already opting out of next weekend?”
“Nothing like that. I was thinking…wondering, if you’re not seeing anyone special, would you like to join me for brunch at Brady’s Buffet tomorrow after church?”
Is it the invitation, she wondered, or the sound of his voice? Whatever it was, it breathed life into a dark ember in the depths of her heart, and she tried, unsuccessfully, to stifle the heat it created.
“I didn’t know you’d come back to church.”
“Tomorrow is my first day back,” he said. “It’s time, don’t you think?”
She bit back the snarky “yes” response that hovered on the tip of her tongue. “You’ve been missed,” she said and was a bit surprised to find she meant it. “Everyone will be happy to see you again. Unfortunately, I have to decline your invitation for brunch.” Her automatic refusal sent her mind racing for a good excuse, and she decided on: “There’s no one special in my life right now, but one of the kittens is going to meet its forever family tomorrow.”
“Next Sunday?”
When “Please don’t ask me right now” leaped into her mind, she knew there might be a “yes” in the future, but she was nervous about going out with him again. Do I really want to try to reconnect and risk getting hurt again?
When she didn’t answer for several seconds, he said. “That silence sounds like a ‘no’.”
“It’s just that Molly and the foster kitties don’t leave me a lot of free time, Cody.”
“Maybe next time,” he said as if he’d read her mind. “See you at church, then.”
“Of course.” When the call ended, she murmured, “Please forgive the lie about Tucker, Lord, but could you make it happen?”
The cellphone vibrated in her hand. She didn’t recognize the ID name and number. “This better not be another robo call,” she said before she answered.
Fifteen minutes later, she’d made an appointment to meet Tucker’s potential forever family on Sunday afternoon. “Yessss,” she hissed and pumped a fist. “Thank. You. Lord.”
Without considering why it seemed important, she searched through the hangers in her closet to find something special to wear on Sunday. She sighed when she saw that everything there was from twenty-five pounds ago. Waiting to update her wardrobe until she reached her target of losing thirty pounds by New Year’s Day no longer seemed like a good idea. She slid her hands down the front of an emerald-green, princess-style dress with no waist and decided it would be the easiest to alter to fit her new curves.
“Taking in a quick inch or two in the side seams is all it needs. Perfect,” she said, then shook her head and added, “Why am I going to so much trouble? I’m only going to meet some cat people.”

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Promo courtesy of http://www.poisedpenpro.com/

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Since this week ends on Christmas . . .Since this week ends on Christmas . . .


 I pray your holiday celebrations are filled to the brim with the love of family and friends

 

The Lord bless you and keep you;

The Lord make His face shine upon you,

And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,

And give you peace.

 

                                                                                               Numbers 6:24-26

Marilyn Johnston
(aka cj petterson)

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Sunday, December 12, 2021

The gift that keeps on giving

cj Sez: It’s true, books make great gifts, and here’s why:


  I think anthologies are an even better option. The anthology HOMETOWN HEROES (one of the charity books from Bienvenue Press) has five, easy-reading, short stories to prove it…here’s an excerpt from my short story, “Hobbes House Noel:”

Schneider’s Tree Service had dumped a face cord of wood on the ground near the pines and was following the power company truck out of the drive when Bradley Warner’s red Dodge Ram 1500 pickup drove in. Merrill waved him in. Timing is everything. The pickup is a surprise though. She was sure he’d be driving a fancy sport utility vehicle or some big butt import sedan.
“Hey there! Welcome to Hobbes House.”
“Any relation to Calvin and?”
“One and the same. My favorite cartoon. Well, that and Charlie Brown.”
Trey dropped down out of the pickup pointing in the direction of the pine trees. “Look. A wolf.”
Merrill saw the bushy tail of a fox disappear into the grove of pines. “It’s a fox, Trey. He’s looking for something to eat. Probably a field mouse in the woodpile.”
Bradley walked up with a suitcase in each hand. “Don’t try to get too close to him, Trey. He’s a wild animal and might bite you.”
“Your father’s right.” She took a longer look at Bradley. Almost black hair. Clear blue eyes. A warm, broad smile that revealed a slightly crooked front tooth. Close to six-feet tall. My gosh. I’m looking at Prince Charming. “Foxes usually run away if you make some loud noises, but you never know for sure. Did you have any trouble finding the place?”
“Not at all. Your good directions and a GPS made it easy. MapQuest showed gravel and dirt roads so I brought the pickup just in case.”
Of course, he’d have more than one car. “Great. Let me show you around.”
“Grab your backpack, Trey.”
The boy was walking toward the pier. “Aw, Dad. I want to see the lake.”
“We will in a minute. Let’s get our stuff in the house first.” He turned to Merrill and spoke quietly. “It’s his first Christmas without his mother. She’s in Atlanta. Said she wanted to spend some alone time with her next victim.” He paused a moment. “Sorry, that was personal pity-party shot,” he said.
Merrill’s lips parted in a little “O,” and she hoped he didn’t notice her surprise. “Sounds like hurt to me.”
“Not for myself. For Trey.”
“A first Christmas without someone you love is hard. Very hard.” I understand more than you know.
Merrill walked her renters through the cabin and saw to it that Bradley knew how to start and bank the fireplace. “If the temperature is forecast to drop into the twenties, leave the cabinet doors under the sinks open. Keeps the pipes from freezing. Any questions?”
“Nope, I think we’re all set.”
“I left my cell phone number on the kitchen table if you need anything.”
“Wait, there is one thing. Is there some place we can get a small Christmas tree and decorations to go with those pretty lights you strung on the porch? Nice touch, by the way.”
Her face warmed at the compliment. “There’s a Grab ’n Go Market about five minutes from here. They carry a bit of everything you need. Go to the blacktop and turn left. You can’t miss it.” She slipped on her green barn coat. “I’ll stack the firewood while you’re gone and then get out of here,” she said as she pulled a pair of tan, deer-hide gloves out of her coat pocket.
“Got a pair of gloves for me?”
After a moment’s hesitation, Merrill smiled. “I think I can find a pair.”
He shrugged on his coat, helped Trey into his, and followed her out. She opened the trunk of the Honda and pulled out a pair of her father’s work gloves. “These should fit.”
Fifteen minutes into the task, Bradley noticed Trey was no longer in sight. “Trey,” he called then blew a shrill whistle through his teeth and frowned at the silence that followed. “He always answers.” He whistled again.
Merrill dropped the log she was carrying and tore off her gloves. “Maybe he’s exploring that little patch of trees, but he couldn’t have gotten far. Do you think he might be hiding from you?” In the back of her mind, though, the thought that the boy might be looking for the fox put her on high alert.
Brad jogged across the drive toward the trees with Merrill right behind him. Merrill kept yelling “Trey? Trey?” and Brad alternated between yelling the boy’s name and whistling.  
After they had searched the small copse without finding Trey, Merrill remembered the boy’s fascination with the lake and dread squeezed her heart with a cold hand. “Let’s check the pier.”
Then they heard the boy scream and started running. When they rounded the corner of the house, she stopped and grabbed Brad’s arm. “Wait!”
Crouching at the end of the pier, teeth bared and growling, the normally shy fox looked ready to attack. Trey was standing between the fox and the animal’s escape route.


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   I’m a subscriber to Jane Friedman’s blog, and the following post arrived in my email recently. If you haven’t seen it, you might find it interesting reading.

https://www.janefriedman.com/yes-social-media-can-sell-books-but-not-if-publishers-sit-on-their-hands/

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Promo courtesy of Carrie Dalby Author  

STORMY PIECES Buy Now

   And when you’ve finished reading an anthology, we all would sure appreciate it if you’d take a few moments to leave a brief review. Please and thank you!

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 That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.

cj

P.S. TO ORDER a book by any author on-line and support an indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us

  p.p.s. All of my stories are author-graphed and waiting.

➜ Follow me . . .     
➜ on Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page
➜ on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6

 

Sunday, December 5, 2021

A short story teaser . . .

cj Sez: The closer it gets to the first Christmas without my son, Mark, the harder it is for me to concentrate on creating new words for this blog. So, in the holiday spirit of “books make great gifts and anthologies an even better option,” here’s an excerpt from my short story, “Ida, Fate, and Mister Leon,” in the Mobile Writers Guild new anthology STORMY PIECES.


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   When the downpour began to walk up the road in thick sheets, I knew I needed to stop. I pulled in under the county road overpass even if it wasn’t a safe place to be since wind tends to get surly when it rushes through a narrow slot. Thinking that Deena would be terrified if I’m too late, I was thumbing down to re-dial when the passenger door jerked open. A man dressed in an oversized tee shirt and baggy cut-off chinos slid in beside me and pushed long, black dreadlocks away from his face.

   I thought I’d locked that door. “Where’d you come from?”

   “My ride dropped me off down the road. I’ll just sit here ‘til the storm passes.”

   “Yeah, sure,” I said.

   The wind turned horizontal and yowled louder. Branches banged off the sheet metal. The truck bucked and pitched, and my heart thudded into my throat when the heavy rear-end wobbled as though it might lift, tow hook and all. There came a few minutes of peculiar quiet, and then everything started all over again. I exchanged big-eyed glances with my passenger. When Mother Nature’s freight train barreled into the distance, the pine grove across the road was a mess of kindling wood, soaking up a pouring rain.

   “Wow, that was something, wasn’t it?” I said. It’d been my experience that when people survive a common threat, they tend to become something akin to buddies, if only temporarily. He just eyed me. “I’m Roberta Joanna Thibideau. People call me Bobby Jo or BJ.”

   “You the BJ painted on the door?”

   “Yep,” I said, trying to sound humble.

   “I never met a woman who owned a gas station before.”

   “Now you have,” I said and stuck out my hand. “What’s your name?”

   “Leon.” 

   “Nice to meet you, Mister Leon.”  I dropped my hand when he kept his buried under his shirt.  

   “Nice to meet you, too,” he said as he pulled out a handgun and pointed the muzzle at me, head high. 

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Promo courtesy of Carrie Dalby Author


Promo courtesy of http://www.poisedpenpro.com/


   And when you’ve finished reading an anthology, we all would sure appreciate it if you’d take a few moments to leave a brief review. Please and thank you!

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cj Sez: That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same.



P.S. TO ORDER a book by any author on-line and support an indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us

   If you’d like me to autograph or personalize one of my stories for you, be sure to tell them, and I’ll run by the shop.

➜ Follow me . . .     
➜ on Amazon:    Amazon Central Author Page
➜ on Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3fcN3h6