Christmas of 2018, I introduced a guest writer, Forest Riggs, with his Christmas short story.Forest isn’t a novice writer like myself, but a skilled writer who has written for several Texas magazines and newspapers in and around the Houston, Texas area. Recently, Forest released his new book Galveston – Memories & Related Stories. The book, published by Outskirts Press, is available on Amazon as a paperback or ebook. You also may purchase a copy through Barnes and Nobles, Ingram, Abe Books, eBay, and several local books stores in the Galveston and Houston area.
Here is a quote from the manuscript:
“The sand-covered oasis in the Gulf of Mexico represents an almost mythical and magical place, where man, nature, and Providence have come to the crossroads many times since its earliest beginnings.”
Over the last week, I’ve fought the typical holiday blues. I recall the previous year, my first Christmas without my late husband. I’m dreading the upcoming holidays, knowing it will be a repeat of the previous. Compound the anxiety to include our fighting of the Covid pandemic, and to be safe, we need to shelter-in-place.
It would be so easy to succumb to depression. I very well could, and some would say I would have justification. Perhaps, but when I watch the news or look on the internet, I witness thousands of families suffering this year because of losing a family member or close friend to the Covid. Even as devastating this pandemic has been throughout the world, I can find a ray of hope and optimism that we can and will get through it together. I will do my part by staying home. I will thank God the virus has affected none of my family and friends. I will also pray for those that are victims.
I also remember many previous adverse holidays I have experienced. One of those Christmas came to mind, and I will share it with this post. The following I extracted from my book, One Month, Twenty Days, and a Wake-Up. After reading it, please leave me your comments. Please tell me how you are coping with the holiday blues.
If you are an Indie author or novice author like I am, having your writing and name promoted is a boost we don’t want to overlook. There are many ways to gain personal exposure. Having a blog website and posting regularly is one way. Reading and commenting on peer blog sites gains recognition and reader following. Promoting another Indie author on your website often leads to reciprocation. The professionals have a ton of suggestions, advice, and techniques to meet our objectives.
I have often seen promotions for a writing contest. There seems to be a proliferation of them covering every genre of writing. Daily, when I’m scanning the many blog post that I follow, I see their announcements. I frequently wish I had the time needed to write something original or unique to submit. But I’ve learned if you will invest the time in a contest that fits your style, you can get the recognition you seek. The ones that catch my attention aren’t the ones that offer only cash prizes; although, I wouldn’t refuse the money. I notice the ones that provide their anthology to include my writing.
If you win a cash prize only contest, after they make the announcement on the host site, and you spend the cash prize, that ends the acclamation. What does an anthology offer? An anthology doesn’t stop at the communique. Every time a reader sees and hopefully purchases the book, you get the desired effect.
One of my previous guest writers has been my good friend for years, Bernadette Inclan. She is one of the individuals who encouraged me to write my memoirs. I have shared several of her pieces, but the latest was back in October of this year entitled “That Particular Night”.
I posted her Christmas short story last year, and it gives me pleasure to share it with you again. It took me back to my childhood sharing the mystery, and the true meaning of Christmas.
Christmas Short Story Party – Guest Post by Ellen Best
I was thrilled when Ellen Best accepted my invitation to contribute a Christmas Short Story. Ellen is a blogger who I met through Hugh Roberts (Hugh’s View and News). She is a writer and blogger from East Anglia, England in the United Kingdom. She is married, and they live in a converted Victorian school house. In January they are excited to add a rescue puppy to their household. Her husband affectionately told her not to forget to tell everyone she is fun, bonkers, and as mad as a guest at Alice in Wonderland’s Tea Party. They have four adult children who are providing grandchildren at a faster pace than they anticipated.
Christmas in Spain is a month-long party consisting of numerous fiestas, parades, fireworks, brass bands, markets, and food, lots of food. The first weekend in December is the official start of the Christmas season and it doesn´t take us long to get into the festive spirit. We live near Torrevieja where the season starts with a number of events celebrating the town’s Patronal Fiesta, dedicated to the patron saint, Inmaculada Concepción.
We start the celebrations by meeting a friend at The Casino for a drink and tapas on the first Saturday evening of the month. The Casino is not a place to gamble but rather a social club to meet friends, attend concerts and listen to lectures. It is elegant, comfortable and tastefully decorated for Christmas. It is also central to many of the events.
On December 4, I announced I wanted to promote any of my followers and those that had promoted me during the year. I requested that you send me a short story, either original or something written previously. Link to the previous post
I got a few responses and I will begin posting them next week. There is still time to submit something and I urge you to join the party.
To get the party kicked off, I am posting a short story I wrote a few years ago when I was taking an online writing course. It might sound familiar to anyone who has read One Month, Twenty Days, and a Wakeup. It was extracted from the manuscript prior to its publishing.
Three years ago, I was welcomed into the WordPress writer’s community. I was a novice writer and in my opinion, I remain a novice. Yet I was welcomed into this writer, blogger group of experienced and professional authors and bloggers. An intricate agenda is to help and promote each other’s work. An equal unwritten goal is to provide a source of information and guidance on the multitude of subjects to enhance our skills or marketing of our endeavors. In essence, to be an accepted member of the group, you need to contribute to its success.
The holiday and Christmas season is upon us and I am requesting not only my WordPress community but anyone that follows my website to send me a short story or Christmas blog piece they have written. It doesn’t have to be anything original, it can be something you wrote previously that you would like to share again. I already have a terrific story submitted from a new source, but I need more. It’s my turn to reciprocate to each of you that have promoted my efforts. Allow me to post your writing that exemplifies the Christmas season.
danalatorre.com
Here is a good example I found today. It brought me back to my childhood when we lived in Iowa. Follow the link below for a fun read.
Dan Alatorre will release his anthology Dark Visionson October 15. My first attempt of writing a horror short story was selected to be included. Thanks, Dan.
Angela walks slowly down the dark, cold corridor. The hallway is so dark that she uses her hand to guide her.
“Where are the lights?” she asks herself. “I can’t understand why it’s so cold.”
She feels the familiar pattern of the closet doorknob, and she opens it. She pats the wall for the light switch, but she’s unable to locate it.
“Forget it!” she tells herself. “Just get the blanket and get back under warm covers.”
Now she pats around for a blanket deep inside the dark closet. She is so tired and sleepy she’s finding it difficult to keep her eyes open. As she reaches up toward the highest shelf, something falls into her arms and startles her. She jumps back into the room and sees the form on the floor near her feet. It’s so dark she can’t see what it is, but it’s not moving. She bends and tries to open her eyes wide to see.