Warning: Spider Story

No spiders were harmed in the writing of this tale, though two humans and a dog nearly were.

Yesterday, DD, Dd and I were driving home from school when I saw a movement on the frame of my door. I jumped and grabbed at my heart, giving a little yelp. Understandable, right, when something is moving where it shouldn't be.

It was a spider. Not a very big one, and I'm not really spider phobic, but I didn't want the thing dropping on my head, so I kept blowing on it to make it freeze in place until I could pull over and put him outside.

Apparently, he decided he'd deal with the wind, though, and started making his way up the frame and close to where my head was. This was unacceptable and I picked up a pack of cough drops I had nearby and put it up where he was to block him.

That didn't work, so I decided it was time for him to take his chances with the great outdoors and rolled down my window, then tried to brush him out (yes, I was driving the entire time... ::hangs head in shame:::).

That was when he dropped ... dangling above me from a silken thread.

I screamed like a little girl and whapped at him. He landed on the door frame and scurried into a crack.

Finally, I was able to pull off the road and get him the h-e-double toothpicks OUT OF MY CAR. But even that was a trial. First I had to find him. Then I had to make him understand that he would be much better outside. He disagreed. Finally, though, he fell on the floor mat and I picked it up and shook it off outside, then leaped into the car and took off before he could hitch a ride again.

I know, I know -- I could have squished him, but honestly that never occurred to me until after all the drama. I'm a catch and release kinda gal, so it didn't enter my thought stream at all.

I do wonder what all the cars that passed me on the side of the road thought, though.

So that was my excitement yesterday. Anything exciting happen with you that you'd like to share?

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My Own Horror Story

There are very few monsters who warrant the fear we have of them. ~Andre Gide

So, last night I was sitting at the dining table, minding my own business when I heard this scrabbling sound outside. I figured it would go away pretty quickly, but ... it didn't.

Scrabble. Scrabble. Scrabble.

I used to be a big horror movie buff (until "Scream" scared me badly enough I stopped watching them), and I still watch shows on TV like "Criminal Minds". Add in the fact that I'm also an author, and you have one HECK of a vivid (and occasionally gory) imagination.

You've all heard that urban legend / campfire story about the kids up at Lovers Lane. For some reason, the boyfriend exits the car. After a bit, the girlfriend hears something brushing against the roof of the car. Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.

Turns out that some maniac killed the boyfriend and hung him upside down from a tree above the car and his fingers were brushing back and forth against the roof.

So, yeah... scrabbling noises were a little freaky, even though my logical self figured it for a critter. That's what the kids in all the horror films think, too, and look where it got THEM.

I sat there for a few moments... do I turn on the light outside to see what it is or not? Do I? Don't I?

Finally I can't stand it. I stand up, open the curtain and -- with my heart in my throat -- flip on the light.

Nothing.

I heaved a sigh about the time something dropped down right in front of the glass door, inches from my face.

**EEK!**

Yes, yes I did scream. DD came running downstairs ("I thought you'd been stabbed." -- imagination runs in the family), the dog AND the cat both came over to see what was going on.

I'm still not entirely certain what kind of creature it was, though I'm leaning toward a baby gray squirrel (though what it was doing out at that time of night ... didn't its mother give it a curfew?), but it didn't exactly look like one. It was about the size of a chipmunk, gray fur and a fluffy but fairly short gray tail with big, dark eyes.

One of my online friends asked if it might be a pet chinchilla that got loose.



And, actually, that looks pretty close to what it looked like. But, how did it get up on my roof?

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You Dream of a Luxurious Life

It's likely that you need a little more pampering and indulgence in your life. You need to be taken care of. You'd love a day of luxury - where time and price didn't matter. You'd like to soak in some comfort. You work hard, and you want to reward yourself with some treats. Life is too short to be too stingy. You have good taste. You can't help it if you like nice things!

The Mansion Test

Yes, I would love a day of luxury...

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Reviews and Unreasonable Fear

He who fears something gives it power over him. ~Moorish Proverb

Yay me! Another great review for "Kitchen Matches" -- this one is a five angel one from Fallen Angels Reviews, which says in part:

From the first few paragraphs I knew I would love this story from Marianne Arkins. She weaves humor and sexual tension with ease and had Cori and Micah heating up even after the (real) flames were doused.

And this reviewer isn't the first person to say this:

I’m hoping Ms. Arkins has plans for some of Cori’s brothers; I’d really love to visit this great family again.

So... hmmm.... better put on my thinking cap. But, it's a quandary. Do I write the sequel to "One Love For Liv" (Geoff's story), or a sequel to "Kitchen Matches" (probably Zach's story... he's just begging to be brought to his knees)?

And... let the nice words being said about this story be a lesson. "Kitchen Matches" was rejected more than once before I finally sold it. Persevere!

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I think there are few things as sad as kids who are terrified of dogs. Cautious is okay... that's not a bad thing, because not all dogs are sweet (like my loopy but harmless one). But terror? We have a neighbor whose daughter is absolutely so fearful she can't function. Worse, her fear isn't just dogs... it's pretty much anything that moves. And it was passed on by her mother (also afraid of dogs) who got it from her mother (incapacitated with fear of dogs).

It's not justified... none of them were ever attacked or bitten. It just is. And it affects their ability to live. My neighbor would like to walk on a daily basis, but we (unfortunately) have some folks who are irresponsible dog owners and let their dogs roam around footloose and fancy free. These dogs aren't going to bite you, however. Annoying, yes. Vicious? Not in the least. But, unless I can walk with her, or her husband can, she stays locked in the house. As do her children.

I've seen this more than once when taking my dog to the park. I took Dakota once when was still a little fluffy puppy and there were a couple of kids who all but climbed their mothers when they saw her -- and it wasn't as though she was close.

Sad. Sad. Sad.

You don't have to love dogs, but that kind of fear is just sad. Although, fear of anything that is that incapacitating is probably not particularly healthy.

But that's a post for another day.

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I rec'd a thank you note from an author for one of my reviewers the other day. And, perhaps I'm naive but I was surprised when her compliment included words to the effect of: it's clear that your reviewer actually read the entire book, and not just the first and last chapters like so many other reviewers do.

Really? Wow. After all, the reason we can't release as many reviews as I'd like is just the sheer amount of reading time involved. All of my reviewers read the stories from cover to virtual cover.

I'm still just ... shocked (?), flabbergasted (?), surprised (?) to even think that any other reviewers would do something like that. Do they? Really? I hope not.

On a side note, I've seen on more than one author loop that authors don't know if it's appropriate to send a thank you for a review. IMHO, it's absolutely appropriate -- with one little mention of a no-no: DON'T defend your story or attempt to explain something that the reviewer didn't like.

We don't mind when you tell us we've misspelled your heroine's name or your name... but if the reviewer didn't like something, she didn't like it. Remember, reviews are just one person's opinion.

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You Are Pasta Puttanesca

Compared to most people, you have a sexy and wild personality. So it fits that you're like a pasta popularized by street walkers! You like food with interesting, contrasting, and spicy flavors. You live an exciting life - and you wouldn't ever go for anything bland.

What Pasta Dish Are You?

Did they just say I'm a hooker?? LOL....

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Monday, Monday... I Love This Day!

Just remember, if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off. ~Author Unknown

I love Mondays. It means I'm back in my routine...ahh...

So... the weekend weather was a bust, but this week looks like it'll be nice. I have big plans for pooper scooping (how can ONE smallish dog make so many piles???) and raking. Woo! Part-ah time at the old ranchero.

I was thinking about doing a meme, but didn't like all the questions. One (well, two -- but the other was about the weather) really made me consider. It was:

When was the last time you were afraid and why?

I'm not a fraidy cat. I'm not afraid of animals or bugs or noises. So, I had to really think... and realized that my only significant fear is for my daughter. And it's sort of a constant hum under the day-to-day acts of simply living.

My BIL asked me, a long time ago when my SIL was pregnant with their first baby: what's it like being a parent? One of the things I told him was that ... you're always afraid. Not in a conscious or crippling way, but it's just always there (a little like the electronic buzz in your home that you don't realize is there until the power is out and it's gone) -- a worry of all the things that could happen to your child.

That's not just me, is it?

My only other fear is that I'll NEVER move out of this state. Ha.

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Sadly, no writing was accomplished yesterday. The weather didn't cooperate -- it ended up being overcast, windy and drizzly -- so DH stayed home and puttered. Actually, essentially having two days away from the computer put me so far behind website maintenance at The Long and the Short of It, that I spent most of the day trying to play catch-up anyway. Today!!! Today is the day I will write!

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You're
Easter Island!

One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do. So, since you were so lonely, you decided to make up a bunch of friends to entertain yourself. Rather than being classic imaginary friends, they had some real strength and substance to them, and have shown themselves to stand the test of time. There has been much discussion of your name, but you generally dislike its Christian implications. You wish you didn't feel quite so chilly. But you would not feel so all alone; everybody must get stones.


Take the Country Quiz II
at the Blue Pyramid

Um... NO... **shakes head**... Not even close... sheesh...