Damn You, Facebook!

Freya in a box

It's Wednesday, eight o'clock at night and I'm just writing my next blog now. I never procrastinate, but I had yet to think of something to write about.

I thought, "Maybe I'll skip this week, after all I have a special one planned for August 1st. and no one hangs on their computer in the summer. I should work on that one."

"But FIRST I'll just quickly check my Facebook." Can you guess what happened next?

Yeah...It took me over an hour, but I managed to escape social media's slorping, suctacious grip.

I made a quick post about being so tired I kept trying to text with my remote control. Of course I had notifications...like, thirty of them I needed to check out.

My favorite photo of Dan and Sully

Aaaand of course people liked and commented on my post. I made a comment back about how when I did the opposite, all I get is the 'Freya Channel.' Thinking some people might not know who my pretty girl is, I posted the screen shot for my cell phone, a photo of my white cat wearing pink wings. (I didn't give it here, because it's been done to death and that one isn't published. Exclusive to this blog only!)

THEN it occurs to me that that particular picture wasn't in the album for my kitties, and it really should be. So I updated the album with that photo and a few more including the one above of Sully. Suddenly, there's more comments, mostly about the adorability of my furbabies.

Next thing I know, I'm having conversations with three people about cats, and I'm not getting any work done. All this for CATS. Yeah, I got it bad for felines.

Spartacus Jones, first week

I had to yank myself away...Even now, I swear I can hear the chime that tells me something new is happening. I'll have to go back soon...

But I think it's kind of funny. My frustration with Crackbook led to a topic for my blog! What do you know...I DID find something to write about. Gee! Thanks Facebook...sorta.

Dear Spartacus Jones...

Spartacus the first day we met him.

It's your birthday, Spartacus Jones. Or at least it's the one we've given you, August 1st. You are approximately 12 months old now. We've presented a new toy just for you and tuna popsicles. You can have all the cuddles you need. My day is yours.

If I knew what your favorite wet food is, I would have given you that too. But your favorite is still, after three months, anything that anyone leaves unattended.

I wish I could tell you, little warrior, that you don't have to fight anymore. Your battle for survival is over, and you are Home.

Safe and Loved.

It rained as well as snowed on April 29th, 2013. You followed my husband and my best friend home from a cigarette run. You have Auntie Darci to thank for coaxing you here.

I didn't want you. My husband didn't want you. We already had two cats we love like children. But I couldn't bear the sound of your cries outside the window. I thought of Freya and Sully, lost and alone in weather I was unwilling to endure myself. So I brought you inside. I planned not to get attached.

I avoided you while Auntie Darci buried her face in your fur and called you 'Tom Jones'. We watched you devour kibble like you hadn't eaten in days. Judging from the count of your ribs, God only knows when that was. You were so small, we thought you were only four months old.

Still, we made plans to deliver you to the Humane Society, even though Dan insisted he should finally get to name a cat. He chose the name 'Spartacus'. For my husband the name represents bravery, and I think it 's appropriate.

In the morning, I gave you every opportunity to leave, but understood when you didn't. Alberta weather is cruel. Two winters,No spring. A tidy suburb was no place for a young stray, with lidded garbage cans and sparse restaurants and few dumpsters. You remained inside our warm house while I tried to find your owner in some non-committal, haphazard poster way.

Three days after your arrival, you climbed onto the couch with me. I watched you tiptoe your way to my side. You put your head and paws in my lap, pleading silently with your green and gold eyes for some shred of affection, and I surrendered.

It was then I knew. There was something about you. Karma. You belonged with us. You needed to be Safe and Loved...and you were already here. Why should I put you through loss again? If I gave you up now, would you ever know the love you very much deserved? That there was NOTHING WRONG with YOU?

I found your scars. I found your fear as well. Please know, precious Spartacus that Mommy will never hit you, no matter what you've done.

The story is much longer than this, but all the unanswerable questions of your past taunt me and bring tears to my eyes.

Why do you cringe when I say 'no'? Where did those scars come from? Why would someone go through the trouble of neutering you, only to abandon you? Why aren't you angry and feral? Who were you, and what did you endure?

I think how ferociously I love you. How you are learning to play again--both with me, and your new siblings. I see your anxiety dissipating, your night whimpers becoming less frequent.

I love to inhale the clover-cat musk scent of you, and hear your rumbling purr. I adore how you always seem so excited to see me, jumping and tossing your head like a puppy. I love how you stay so close to me, sometimes spending entire days by my side, whether we are writing or weeding the garden. I love how you seem to know I'm writing to you right now, because you keep jumping up on my desk and saying "RRRrrrrr?" You always ask me that.

People tell me all the time how kind your Daddy and I are for taking you in and how lucky you are to have found such a loving home. We are the lucky ones, and our family is complete.

Happy Birthday, Spartacus Jones. Know that for the rest of your life, you are Safe and Loved. I promise.

Spartacus Jones today

Am I Evil? Maybe just a Little Bit...

Best Villain EVER!! www.ibeta.eu

I LOVE to write villains. Every time I write a villain, I'm surprised by the outcome. They always say or do things that kind of shock me.

I wasn't sure, when I wrote Dr. Stuart Thompson from 'Thoeba', what I had in mind. No worries. That little bastard had plenty of creepy things to say. I remember my critique partner being delightfully disgusted over how he got wood about some dasterdly possibilities...If you want to know what kind, you have to buy the book :P

I wish I could tell you I didn't write him, that he didn't come from me, but the blame is solely on myself, and I was a little appalled as well.

And it carried on to 'Aphrodite's War'.  I imagined Ares to be a irrepressible handsome rouge type.  Instead he said ," Harpy Slut! No one needs YOU to teach humans how to f*ck."

I remember hauling my hands off the keyboard, and putting my hands up like I'd done something I should be arrested for. Maybe I should be, because something in my head 'clicked' and I knew who he really wanted to be.

Right now, I am writing a villain so heinous my husband doesn't want to hear another word about him. When I met my future beloved he often asked me, "How does such a sweet girl like you listen to such awful music?"

Two years later he cracked jokes about putting me through NAIT to be a Meatcutter.  "I can't believe I'm putting you through school to learn how to use KNIVES." Well, I did that for ten years, and he's still alive.

Now I am a writer and I create characters that profoundly disturb him. Poor guy...How does he sleep at night? How do I?

Maybe it's my love of ugly music. Maybe it was my mother's True Crime paperbacks. Maybe it's the people I hang out with., and the odd things we have in common.

It may be weird, but it's kind of a nifty gift for a writer. And I won't change who I am or my experiences for a spot at #1 on the Bestseller list. I'll earn that myself, thank you.

Speaking of which, I have more writing to do. To quote a cliche: "No Rest for the Wicked."

Wish I Could Make Everyone a Winner...

Honestly, I would really love it if I could just give EVERYONE a little gift for participating, but I would go broke! I don't even have that much swag or even bookmarks right now.Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU all for making this my most successful contest to date. I am truly grateful. You all rock!

I would particularly like to thank the following people for submitting the most entries: My first official fan, Kevin Warren for NINE entries. My good friend since highschool Kelly Moen for SIX entries, and my sister Jody Lean for SIX entries as well.

But this is a random draw, and these are the winners chosen by Troll, not Rafflecopter.

1. KEVIN WARREN!! Big surprise, huh? With nine entries, I was sure he'd win.

2. DERINDA LOVE!! Nice! Way to go, girl!

3.KJ PARTRIDGE!! Happily met KJ!

Again, THANK YOU everyone. I'm planning at least one more contest in September for the release of 'Aphrodite's War', and I hope you'll participate then too. Hopefully I will have e-books to give away as well. <3

Kevin and ladies, I will need mailing addresses and will be contacting you via Facebook soon.

Next blog will appear next Thursday, so we'll see you then!

My Sorta Emergency Blog Post

Don't worry, the contest is still on, and the rules are the same.
I'm just a little concerned about recent things I've learned about my blog.
1. My blog no longer tells me when I have comments. I did that post called, "I'm not trying to be Obnoxious...Honest." I had a record 14 replies and I NEVER KNEW! The only reason I discovered them is because I went back to look at what I'd written lately.

2. Why does everyone log in as Anonymous? Was it something I did last time I messed with my gadgets? Thank God many identified themselves, or I'd never know!

3. I have two new blog followers. Did anyone else have issues trying to follow me? I feel I should  have a few more than that.

I am the first to admit that I'm not very computer literate. I learned all my good stuff in the eighties, only to find it all obsolete the minute I left school.

The contest is going on as planned...Spread the word about this blog, this contest, and anything else about 'Thoeba' or my next novel 'Aphrodite's War'and tag me. 'Likes' don't count.

But I'll make you a deal. Comment and tell me what kind of issues you've encountered trying to enter, share, follow, or otherwise, and I'll enter you too. I need to know what's going on. Again, enter as many times as you like. Please still share and tag, notify me if I din't acknowledge it.  I'll be watching. <3

Winners will be drawn at random on July 11th.

And I'll give a keychain and signed bookmarks to the first person to comment and identify the blue and white square object on the top portion of that photo. Love you, and thank you <3