A Tisket, a Tasket, a Nora in a Basket!

Well, not really, *grins* but hopefully, one of my short stories will be in an editor's inbox soon, after some market research. I've spent the better part of tonight working towards my second Write-a-thon goal, which is to submit works previously written. Soooo ... I dusted off my external hard drive. And I still haven't found the pencil that pesky demon stole from me, so it's a good thing my laptop is working again. The computer gremlins walloped it the other night and I ended up with a blinking purple screen. Pretty, but not conducive to writing. *chuckles*

I pulled out an oldie written a few years back. Ironically, this is before I was diagnosed with PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder), which Karen, the mother in my story, suffers from. I hadn't left my second husband or learned how PTSD can affect someone, so I used my good, old, reliable imagination, along with my previous experiences from my first marriage, and came up with a story called: I'll Always Be With You. PTSD flashbacks come on unexpectedly when you're first diagnosed, before you learn to identify what "triggers", as therapists call them, bring them on. For Karen, her trigger is her husband's cat, Paddington, an orange tabby, which her son, Henry, is very attached to after his father dies tragically.


Here's a teaser from the beginning of the short story:


What was he going to say to her? What if she’d catnapped Paddington? How would he get her back? He punched the rusty doorbell with a shaky finger. Beethoven’s Symphony #5 in C Minor rang out and Henry jumped. He should have expected something dark and dramatic, but he hadn’t. The door opened, revealing a late twenty-something woman, about five six with short black hair. Her smooth skin glowed in the loose, ivory gunnysack dress she wore, a pale pink ribbon tied in a bow around her fragile throat. She cradled an orange taxidermy cat in one arm, posed like a flamenco dancer with its front paws above its head. The cat wore a flamboyant red and black dress with layers upon layers of ruffles and lace.


If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline. This link also offers more information about abuse and what to do about it.

I'm also providing a link about PTSD.

And if you'd like to read more about me on my Write-a-thon page or sponsor me, you may do so here: My Sponsor Page.

As always, happy writing and happy reading!