Since 2016 I’ve waited for the other shoe to fall and it seems like a centipede is the one dropping the shoes. Not just my personal life, but shoes out in the world.

Pandemic, check. People dying by the thousands daily, yep, that happened too. Two years later it’s still happening. Then all the problems with children being educated at home and the effect of that on their psyche. Now there’s still a pandemic, no Virginia, it’s not endemic yet. There are increasing numbers of shootings around the nation, the inflation rate is increasing, gas prices are going through the roof, oops, forgot about the murder hornets.

Don’t forget that some states are making the removal of an ectopic pregnancy illegal, and allowing a child to decide for themselves what they want to be and supporting them is illegal. Oh, and heaven forbid you use the term ‘gay’. Somebody needs to stop them.

And if that wasn’t enough, a war. And not just a civil war, where they fight between each other, oh no. This is a full scale, Russia trying to blow Ukraine off the map and threatening anyone who helps them. What possible reason, politically or otherwise, is there for bombing hospitals? Or birth centers? They killed mothers waiting to give birth and children who were there. Why? What did that prove?

I choose not to answer that because I don’t want to let Nurse D. out, she says what she means and I’m trying to hang on right now. I will tell you that I am appalled by this behavior. Not just that of Putin, but of other political leaders. What are you waiting for? Russia to land on American soil? Or for them to send nuclear bombs at us?

I watch the war on Twitter and I send all the strength I can to the Ukraine soldiers. Does donating money help them? I don’t know, I seriously doubt if there is anything left to buy in the Ukraine. Sending weapons doesn’t seem to help either, they just get bombed before they’re of any use.

When the pandemic started I had to quit watching the news because I got so disturbed by it that I almost couldn’t function. Now I don’t watch the news because it makes me angry.

Why do I feel like I’m the only one who cares what happens to them? And am I the only one who can see what is happening around us, right in our own states and counties? Take off the rose colored glasses people and take a good look. Pretty soon, it will be the good old days. Where women and black individuals were unable to vote, or learn to read and all were considered possessions. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like that idea.

A while ago I asked if you would be interested in reading snippets that aren’t part of a particular work in progress, but might be part of the world I’m working in. And here it is. I hope you like it.

A visit from Death

Randy and Cujo sat in one of the plush armchairs in front of the fireplace, while Death relaxed in the matching one on the other side of a small table. Sitting there was a steaming pot of tea, a sugar bowl with lumps perfect for picking up with the tongs and spoons to stir with. The steam wafted up toward the ceiling and then mingled with the smoke from the fire before leaving via the chimney.

“This is rather pleasant.” Death blew across his cup, preparatory to taking a sip. “I’ve been Death for so many years,” He heaved a small sigh. “I’ve forgotten what it felt like to visit with someone. Without having to collect them. Nice.”

Randy nodded. “I’m alone too. Not like you, obviously, but since Mama died, well, I really have nobody.” Cujo rolled over on his back, tongue lolling out of his mouth in pure terrier ecstasy, head tilted to the side, the fireplace his favorite spot in the room.

He shrugged. “I thought I had it all. Beautiful girl, loving dog, money to spend. You know, every man’s dream.” He sighed, a great bellow of unfulfilled dreams. “Then Lisa left me, my doctor patted me on my shoulder, and I was alone again.”

Picking Cujo up, ignoring the glare he got in return, he held him close to his cheek, nuzzling the wiry fur. “Except for Cujo, that is. And now you.”

Death nodded. “It can happen like that. Being alone, I mean. That’s what most souls complain about when I come to collect them. They don’t want to die alone.”

Randy cuddled Cujo closer. “I don’t either.”

copyright Desiree McCracken

First, I want to say that I hope you are all well and the new COVID mutation is not causing you trouble. Pfizer looks to be FDA approved soon and that will ease a lot of people’s minds. Theoretically…

Now on to the real reason I am posting: Would you like to have me post bits and pieces of work I have going on, not always from the work in progress, but little scenes, or bits of them. Just for kicks?

I intend to start with a wee bit of a story in a couple weeks and then will post more every two weeks. If you follow my blog, feel free to leave me a comment. If not, well, I guess I’m gonna do it anyway.

My book Tea with Death and the Expiration Date came out on May 12th, 2021. The next installment, Tea with Death and the Well of Souls will be released later this month or the first part of August.

Some more exciting news, Tea with Death is going to be an Audible book! You can hear them all! All eight books in the series will come out in Audible too!

That’s the good news on the home front.

Other news, well guess what, the Coronavirus is still here and it’s killing people just as much as ever. It feels like it isn’t as bad as it was because we have become inured to the numbers. But ya’ll it’s still in the thousands, people are dying in the thousands everyday.

Is there an answer? I guess it depends on how you look at it. Yes, in that there is a vaccine that doesn’t keep you from getting the virus, only keeps you from getting quite as sick. It’s like the flu shot. You can still get the flu, you just don’t get as sick as you could. It can save some people from dying.

But there are side effects from the vaccine you say. Well, duh! There are side effects to everything. Is the side effect of possibly not dying from the virus better than the side effects that are minimally noticed in any age bracket? You be the judge of whether you want to help save the human race, or spread this disease.

By the way, for those of you who are afraid of the government putting tracking devices in the vaccine. You do realize that vials are multidose, it would be impossible to make sure that a tracker was in every dose unless they were using single dose vials. And if the government really wants to track you; you have a cell phone. Who do you think keeps turning the location on?

See you soon, behind my mask.

Save the date to read Tea with Death and the Expiration Date!! Get it next Wednesday on Kindle or paperback!!

Remember now how I met ya’ll, sitting in a room, desks surrounding a table covered with pages of ink, worlds we had made up and people we imagined? Not a lot has changed in the view from my seat, I can see you all sitting there, looking at me, welcoming me into a secret society of like-minded individuals. Ones who understand that I can write about the monsters under the bed so I can keep them hidden there. My friends who became my family through our ability to laugh at things that scare us as we write the stories that contain them.

We share, not blood, like blood siblings, but thoughts and experiences and the ability to see things from a unique perspective. When I watch a movie or read a book that is different enough to interest me on a deeper level, I want to share it. And you are who I go to. You, my found family, the ones who understand me. You are the ones that I go to when I want to say “I had this dream about a Demon in a Meat Suit who is the President in the Oval Office.” And you get it. You, my found family, get not just it, but me.

Thank you for getting me and letting me tell you the stories that form from the detritus caught in the spiderwebs of my mind. Thank you for following me down the rabbit hole and holding my hand when I come back up.

I have dipped my toes into the freelance copywriting world. I have gotten a couple jobs, and so far, it has been incredibly fun. I’m going slow, I still work full time at the hospital on night shift, and I still have the rest of the year in my Master’s program for writing, but I am having fun.

If you need content written for your blog, or website, or catalog copy or anything written, well then I will help. Drop me a line or call me. Let me know what I can do to help you.

In other news, I am writing a novel, well rewriting it, and beginning work (again) on my Thesis. Wish me luck!

If you feel like reading a feel good book, something to make you smile and believe in love, I have got a book for you!

Behind the Lyrics by Melissa Riddell. I love everything she writes, but this book, this book made me cry from happiness. I promise you will love it. It’s on Amazon.com. Check it out! You’ll be glad you did!

Just letting ya’ll know that I have added copywriting, proofreading, content writing and any creative writing that might be required. Contact me with anything I can help you with!

Tea with Death – publishing date TBD

Angill Ghent Lith and the CEO – TBD

Meat Suit in the Oval Office – Spring 2021