State of the Library #6

When did March get here?

Photo by Preston A Larimer on Unsplash

In my part of the world, winter is losing her grip on the world. Our winter was very mild this year and it seems that spring is creeping in a bit sooner than usual.

Green grass is beginning to displace what died the autumn before. Pink magnolias, Judas trees, and maple trees are blooming. When I made a foray into the Lowcountry in late February, I was startled to see bright yellow jasmine splashed across the otherwise grey swamp.

Behind the Scenes

My chaos novel is still very much in its first, chaotic draft. The rough draft. The I-don’t-know-what-I’m-doing and these-characters-have-developed-wills-of-their-own draft. When a love triangle appeared, I gave up every pretense of control.

Under the Roses is technically already finished but I have each installment critiqued prior to posting. That gives this a dangerous edge because, at any moment, a critique partner may point something out in the timeline or plot that shows I Made a Terrible Mistake in an earlier installment. Fun!

I baked double chocolate fudge brownies to sell at my church’s fish fry that doubles as a fundraiser for our school, women’s guild, and men’s club. People raved about them, which I found amusing. If you want to make them, you can, too! Just buy a Duncan Hines fudge brownie mix, use milk instead of water and butter instead of oil, and bake in an 8x8 dish until a toothpick comes out reasonably clean. Voilà! You’re welcome. (If you gave up sweets for Lent, I’m also sorry-not-sorry.)

What’s Happening in the Library

Things are beginning to bloom on this Substack. The Forbidden Section (a.k.a the Archive) opened for paid subscribers. I’m delighted that people have actually taken the bait signed up for the Section! With the beginning of my first planned serial Under the Roses, I’ve also seen a boon in free subscribers. Welcome, everyone!

I’ve also purchased a microphone. I’m intrigued by the podcast feature on Substack. While I don’t intend on recording podcasts, I do have an idea that would lead to a new perk for paid subscribers. But I’ll speak more on that when things are firmer and have shape.

What perks would you be interested in seeing for a paid subscription?

ICYMI: February

What to Expect in March

I am not going to list out all of the installments for Under the Roses that will appear in March (posting every Thursday at 10 am EST). However, I am happy to tell you about the monthly story for March! If fairytale retellings aren’t your thing, what do you feel about Southern Gothic with a humorous edge?

“A Place to Be” — When Ben Addams purchased a house at Baxton County’s tax sale, he looked forward to a nice change of pace from frantic city life. He didn’t expect a mysterious something to throw a dead gator onto his front porch or destroy his storm door. Locals warn him that only people who “belong” can live on Nickel Road, but Ben can’t remember the last time he has belonged anywhere.

Excerpt:

With a sigh, Ben grabbed his purchases, climbed out of the SUV, and trudged up to the front steps. And then stopped.

A large, broken tree branch sat on the welcome mat, surrounded by shards of tempered glass from the storm door. A long scratch ran down the wooden front door, where the branch had struck it.

The sheer size of the branch was impressive. Ben figured he could pick it up, but he wouldn’t be able to throw it far.

A chill slid down his spine. That was when he noticed the swamp surrounding the house was still and silent.

His gaze swept over the darkness outside the glow of the safety light. They were having a sudden cold snap, but it wasn’t so cold as to send the frogs back to sleep. Ben had the strangest sensation of being watched.

“A Place to Be” will be publish on Friday, March 8 at 10 am EST.