Welcome to my hearth.

Hi there.

Presumably if you are reading this, you already know me. You will have come here because you got an email from me, or from a link on my livejournal. I am starting this blog for my creative writings. Stories which I have hidden from the world for years. Stuff that's bubbling in my brain. Possibly even some poetry here and there.

My first major project started years ago with a story called Eternity Touch, which I will post after this. Eternity Touch was written for an anthology that never happened. The idea behind it was that various people would write stories based on myths. Mine was based on one of my all-time favourite myths: Persephone's abduction into hell, and the subsequent creation of the seasons. To the best of my knowledge, no-one else came through with a story. Certainly, the anthology never happened. But I did get one of my best stories out of it. So, my proposal is to fulfill the original dream. To create a series of stories based on myths. I'm not going to try and stick to the Greek, because other mythologies also have such lovely stuff to work from.

At the end of each story there will be a 'donate' button. You are not obliged to donate, but it would be most appreciated, and if all goes well, it may eventually turn into an actual book. If that happens, everyone who donated will be acknowledged in that book. I have seen this work for other people ( M.C.A. Hogarth's wonderful The Aphorism's of Kerishdar happened out of a similar project on her livejournal, and are very much well worth reading, because they are gorgeous. And check it out - now she's on Amazon!). This kind of cyber-funded creativity is starting to happen, and while I don't for one second put myself in the same category as people like M.C.A Hogarth or 'Song with her brilliant Wind Tunnel Dreams and Shayara, I do think I write some pretty nifty stuff, and it would rock to make some cash out of it. Especially since, at the moment, things are very, very tight. The small donations add up, so don't feel that if you can't donate a lot it's a problem. Small donations are also very very welcome, and you will be acknowledged if I manage to make a book out of this. However, if you really can't do it, please still keep reading. Readers are important.

Also, if you feel the need or inclination to plug this, please do so. The more people going, "hey, where's the next one?", the more inclined I will feel to write. I may throw in a couple of other, unconnected pieces here and there, just to keep things interesting. You help me by spreading the word. Please do.

I have said elsewhere that fiction is hardest for me. Travel I can do. Easily. Writing about cooking comes as naturally as breathing. I can even tell you how to live your life with minimum shame. But fiction scares the bejesus out of me. I freeze up. The stories in my head laugh at me and swirl around so I can't get them down. I may end up doing the various stories episodically as a result of this. Eternity Touch took me ages to write, and I want to keep you interested. All and any encouragement is very welcome. Help me make something beautiful. Donate if you can, and please, please, bring your friends.

Welcome to my hearth. It's story time.