Standing Into Danger

Friday, July 16, 2021

Mornings with Rain

It's still Friday, even if I'm posting late!

I have learned the hard way that I can no longer

burn the midnight oil to get a post up, an age-forced concession.

My inspiration this week is my talented blogging friend Rain

who blogs at Rain Frances and Rainy Day Cheese Making.

And my amazing friend has just gone live with her new art channel

on You Tube, Rain Frances Art.

Rain and I Are Powerfully Connected to the Bay of Fundy

On the Fundy Shore, New Brunswick side

Maritimes, Canada

Summer 2021

Rain is the most holistic person I know.

She lives life on her own terms and is devoted to

her true love Alex and her six fur babies.

At the beginning of the pandemic, she and Alex packed up everything,

left the wilds of Quebec, and moved to the wilds of New Brunswick,

just before the border shut down between the provinces.

What doesn't Rain do?

She gathers wild produce from the forests and fields.

She gardens, even growing potatoes in dirt-filled tires.

She cooks and bakes delicious food,

including her own scrumptious cheeses from scratch.

She is an avid photographer of nature, documenting everything that connects with her.

She adores and pampers her three cats and three dogs

and features them in gorgeous photos and sweet videos.

She lives for her art and makes time for it every day.

Name a painting or drawing medium and Rain has likely worked with it.

She celebrates life in all its seasons with scrumptious food,

creative decorations, and yummy drinks.

She loves, appreciates, and cherishes her partner Alex.

She reminds me always of Byrd Baylor's profound book,

The Table Where Rich People Sit.

Suffice to say, I've learned so much from my friend Rain.

Goodreads

I've threatened for years to participate in her Thursday Art Dates,

and today I took the plunge with her theme Mornings.

Even I can handle that!

So I'm featuring morning photographs I've taken over a decade or more.

Their only common characteristic is that they were taken in the morning.

Enjoy!

Early Morning Country Market

Just Outside Siem Reap, Cambodia

November 10, 2008

A Quiet Morning by the Serpentine Bridge

(which connects Hyde Park with Kensington Gardens)

London, UK

June 1, 2014

The Morning the Storm Continued

Aurora, Colorado, USA

March 14, 2021

Breakfast at the Pavilion

Queen's Beach

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

March 2, 2015

Waiting on Nutella Crepes

Portobello Road, London, UK

May 30, 2014

Bright-Eyed and Bushy-Tailed

Along Piney Creek

Aurora, Colorado, USA

May 4, 2018

Morning in Downtown Vegas

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Aurora, Colorado, USA

March 29, 2019

Early Morning Tidal Pool

Point Prim near Digby, Nova Scotia, Canada

July 24, 2018

Icelandic Ponies

Iceland

June 12, 2014

A Bad Morning in Herculaneum, 79 AD

Sheltering in the Boathouses Didn't Save Them from Vesuvius

Herculaneum, Italy

May 22, 2016

Saguaro Cactus

White Tank Regional Park, Arizona USA

December 8, 2018

Early Morning Deliveries

Venice, Italy

September 13, 2018

Not a Morning to Have a Hangover

(I'm sure the pilot and lineman didn't.)

Along Piney Creek

Aurora, Colorado, USA

September 14, 2019

Morning Glory

Along Piney Creek

Aurora, Colorado, USA

October 9, 2020

Morning Shadows

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Sangre de Cristo Mountains

Southern Colorado

July 10, 2021

Morning Freedom After the Pandemic

Circa Resort & Casino

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

March 31, 2021

Wary Mule Deer

Along Piney Creek

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Aurora, Colorado, USA

Moody Morning in Venice may be my favorite morning photo of all.

It was magical to ride a ferry down the Grand Canal for a stop in St. Mark's Square.

I can't pick a favorite city in the world, but Venice is among my most favorites.

Moody Morning in Venice

Gondoliers rowing on the Grand Canal

looking toward St. Mark's Basin

Venice, Italy

September 13, 2018

It's been 97 days since Terry was revived in the cardiac catheterization lab.

This morning he completed heart rehab and is doing really, really well.

Every morning hug the person you love,

because life is fragile and yours can change in a heartbeat.

I hope all is well with each of you!

Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

On the Bay of Fundy
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved

Friday, July 9, 2021

"Blood Red Sand" by Damien Larkin

Happy Friday, Everyone!

Today I am excited to share an interview with author Damien Larkin!

Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. released his new military science fiction novel

Blood Red Sand, on Tuesday, the second book in his Martian series.

As my blogging buddies know, I have a soft spot in my heart for Dancing Lemur Press,

and I'm happy to support a fellow author in DLP's author group.

I have not read Blood Red Sand yet,

because I am still waiting for Amazon to drop it on my doorstep.

However, I did read Damien's debut novel in this series, Big Red.

I really enjoy military sci-fi, and Big Red delivered

a mind-bending thriller that had me flying through its pages.

So I've been waiting for this sequel with great anticipation all year!

Welcome, Damien! I can't wait to read your new Martian adventure, Blood Red Sand. I enjoyed your book Big Red, a strange and compelling story, and I was intrigued by Darren Loughlin and the predicament that he landed in on Mars.

Thanks for having me. It’s a pleasure to be here!

1. So who is Damien Larkin? Tell us a little about yourself.

I spent seven years in the Irish Reserve Defence Forces (which even years later I say ranks as one of the best decisions I’ve ever made). I currently work as a Planning Analyst for a major broadband and tv provider. If I’m not working, I’m either hanging out with my family or writing. I live in a place called Tallaght, which is a suburb in southern Dublin, in beautiful Ireland.

2. How did you become a science fiction writer?

A few years ago, I was working part time, looking after my young children and had an app development business on the side. I poured what little of my free time I had into growing it, but after three projects effectively blew up in my face, I had to make a serious decision on whether to keep going with it or try something new.

I started thinking about my choices and realised that one of the reasons I wanted that business to succeed, wasn’t because I loved it, but to earn additional income, step away from my other job and write a book. I decided to cut out the middle man and that same day, I started writing ‘Children of the Dying’ (my first self-published book – now unpublished) and three months later I had the first draft done.

3. In both Big Red and Blood Red Sand you feature the Nazi-founded New Berlin colony. What drew you to write about Nazi threats and a Third Reich on Mars?

I loved watching war movies growing up, especially ones set during WW2. The Nazis for me are always the ultimate bad guys. They’re as flesh and blood as you and I but became brainwashed into believing absolute fallacies that caused them to commit unimaginable acts of genocide. I remember learning about WW2 as a child and becoming both horrified and fascinated at how a group of people could become so warped. It’s something that’s stayed with me and in certain ways, I write about it to try and understand it.

4. How did you develop the plot for the story? Did you know the storyline and its ending from the beginning or did it evolve as you wrote?

I had a rough idea of the story from the world building in Big Red. Unlike the MC Darren ‘Dub’ Loughlin, I am a fan of history, so I had weaved different events together that Dub hinted at throughout the story, but never elaborated on because he didn’t have an interest in it.

Some of my readers did question me on the events concerning the First Battle of New Berlin and how the Nazis got there in the first place, so that did get me thinking more about the backstory. Blood Red Sand initially started as a prequel short story to Big Red, so I had a vague outline of where I was going with it and hoped at some point to maybe develop it into an anthology. After I sent on the prequel (which is approximately Part 1 of the story) my publisher wanted to know more so I developed it into a novel. I never thought I get to see this entire story being told, so I’m very grateful.

5. What did you learn about improving your writing and Blood Red Sand by working with an editor?

I always learn so much from the editing team over at Dancing Lemur Press and I appreciate all the lessons they’ve taught me. For Blood Red Sand, it was an area that haunts me – repetition! Between Big Red and Blood Red Sand, I have about three other unpublished works and it’s taken me this long to internalise the feedback and consciously work on improving that area of my writing.

6. Do you have any tips or words of advice about writing that you've learned in the trenches?

Yes – write as much as you can and network! On the writing side of things, try and do as much as you can and try not to get into the habit of making excuses. It’s fine to cut yourself some slack and have chill days, but if it’s something you really want to do, you have to be prepared to put in the work and sacrifice. For networking, I believe community is key, especially for writers. It can be a hard slog and definitely lonely, but there are plenty of virtual spaces where you can interact with others, share tips and make new friendships. I would be lost without the Insecure Writers Support Group and the British and Irish Writing Community!

7. You are a proponent for the Irish and British writing community and are involved with the online magazine Bard of the Isles. Do you have a favorite Irish science fiction author or book to recommend?

I’m a big fan of fellow Irish author Barry Corcoran’s dark fantasy “For Those That Do Not Die And Those That Can’t.” Book two will (hopefully) be out later this year. I also enjoyed “Shadow Warriors” by Paul O’Brien and Wayne Fitzgerald. It’s a fascinating look into Ireland’s special forces unit known as the Irish Ranger Wing.

Thank you again for having me on!

Thank you, Damien! It was my pleasure, and I hope Blood Red Sand

entertains many happy readers.

MOF (Mars Occupational Force

Blood Red Sand

By Damien Larkin

Mars will run red with Nazi blood…

After World War Two, Sergeant McCabe knew the British army could send him anywhere. He never imagined facing down another Nazi threat on Mars.

In New Berlin colony, rivalry between Generalfeldmarschall Seidel’s Wehrmacht and Reichsführer Wagner’s SS threatens bloodshed. The Reichsführer will sacrifice everything to initiate the secretive Hollow Programme and realise his nightmarish future for humanity.

McCabe, Private Jenkins, and the Mars Expeditionary Force must overcome bullet, bomb, and bayonet to destroy the Third Reich. While Jenkins fights to stay alive, McCabe forms an uneasy alliance with MAJESTIC-12 operatives known as the Black Visors. Will this be the final battle of World War Two or the first confrontation in an interstellar war?

Release date – July 6, 2021

$17.95, 6x9 trade paperback, 252 pages

Science Fiction - Military/Alternative History/War & Military

Print ISBN 9781939844781 / EBook ISBN 9781939844798

$4.99 EBook available in all formats

Damien Larkin is an Irish science fiction author and co-founder of the British and Irish Writing Community. His debut novel Big Red was longlisted for the BSFA award for Best Novel. He currently lives in Dublin, Ireland.

http://www.damienlarkinbooks.com/

Links:

Amazon US - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NJ1LMC1

Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08NJ1LMC1

ITunes - https://books.apple.com/ca/book/blood-red-sand/id1540765181

Barnes & Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/blood-red-sand-damien-larkin/1138272663?ean=9781939844781

Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/blood-red-sand

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55945491-blood-red-sand?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=nKXbdJKenu&rank=4

Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

On the Bay of Fundy
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved

Wednesday, July 7, 2021

IWSG: Wednesday, July 7, 2021 ~ Now Is the Time for Optimism and Amazing Things

It's the first Wednesday of the month,
the day that members of the
Insecure Writer's Support Group
share their writing struggles
and writing successes
and offer their encouragement
and support to fellow writers.

To visit the IWSG website, click here.

To become a member of the IWSG, click here.

Our wonderful co-hosts who are volunteering today,
along with IWSG Founder Alex J. Cavanaugh are Pat Garcia, Victoria Marie Lees, Chemist Ken, and Louise ~ Fundy Blue.

I hope you have a chance to visit today's hosts and thank them for co-hosting.
I'm sure they would appreciate a visit and an encouraging comment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every month the IWSG announces a question that members can answer
with advice, insight, a personal experience, or a story in their IWSG posts.

Or, the question can inspire members
if they aren't sure what to write about on IWSG Day.

Remember the question is optional.
This month's featured question is:

What would make you quit writing?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy July, Everyone!

I hope this month finds you happy and healthy!

I'm feeling optimistic and energetic,

like I've been kissed awake by a handsome prince

after a long sleep filled with nightmares.

The Covid months of isolation don't feel real at all.

I feel like amazing things can happen now.

My Prince Cooking!

(deciding the blender won't work and switching to a food processor)

July 6, 2021 Aurora, Colorado, USA

Case in point ~ My prince made me chocolate mousse today!

You have to understand, in the almost thirty-nine years I've known him,

Terry has never once made anything with a recipe.

His idea of cooking is pouring a bowl of Cheerios or popping a frozen pizza in the oven.

Over our years together, he has mastered

stirring (anything), draining (pasta), and tossing (salad).

But, inspired by a cooking class in heart rehab, he made chocolate mousse,

a heart-healthy recipe using tofu, cocoa, a sugar substitute, vanilla, and water.

This cook and baker watched with fascination as Terry grumbled through the recipe,

littering the kitchen with a trail of ingredients, utensils, and spills.

Much to my surprise, the mousse was a tasty substitute for non-heart-healthy mousse,

rich, chocolaty, and a little denser in texture.

Amazing things are happening!

With regard to this month's question,

the only things that would make me quit writing are incapacity or death.

Life might slow me down or sidetrack me for a brief time,

but I keep coming back to writing.

I've written throughout my life, and I can't imagine not writing.

I hope everyone has fun visiting around today.

I know I'm looking forward to reading your posts!

Happy writing to each of you!

Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

Friday, July 2, 2021

Back Again ~ For the Last Time, I Hope!

Back again.

Every time I think I'm back again, something derails me.

I'm back again for the last time, I hope.

Back again to stay.

June was a lost month for blogging and writing,

but many other things happened.

If I couldn't focus on writing a page, or a post, or a comment,

I could organize a drawer or clean a door slider.

And, boys oh boy, I sure learned a lot about salt in our food!

The best thing of all?

Terry finally saw his cardiologist and began heart rehab last week.

His heart is functioning well within the normal range,

and he played pickleball for two hours at the advanced level

on Tuesday and Thursday with no problem.

He's alive and doing well because we made it to the hospital fast and early.

The cardiologist told Terry they'd be seeing each other

two times a year for the next twenty years and beyond.

We're planning adventures again.

The Sweetest, Kindest, Most Gentle Guy!

Padua, Veneto, Italy

September 14, 2018

The second best thing?

I have lost eight pounds and Terry nine.

Those pesky pandemic pounds have melted away,

and I wasn't even thinking about losing weight.

Terry

Terry Rummaging Through the Fridge and Looking at Me

Source for These Funnies

Our happiest news in June?

Terry and I are going to have a new grand niece or nephew

on the MacBeath side of our family!

Martin, the happy grandpa-to-be says the baby looks like him ~ LOL!

And my sister Donnie is over the moon!

Krista, Dean, and Baby Bump

My proudest moment in June?

Our niece Sara wrote an opinion piece for The Prince George Citizen:

"Prince George should speak up for street people," June 10, 2021.

https://www.pressreader.com/canada/the-prince-george-citizen/20210610/281908776084867

Not only is Sara a fierce advocate for Indigenous people,

she is a outspoken advocate for the homeless

and understands the complex problem homelessness is.

Sara, my sister Bertie's and husband Peter's oldest daughter,

is an inspiring and forceful member of the MacBeath clan's NexGen,

and she is carrying on our family's tradition of standing up for what we believe.

Terry and I with Sara

Paris, France

May 26, 2014

My dumbest move in June?

I trapped myself in our window well with Terry in Vegas

and my phone on the other side of the window glass,

trapped with spiders, bugs, and some creepy, unidentifiable insect nests.

I have never opened that window since we moved here nearly sixteen years ago,

and the window well cover was bolted down and hidden under a huge bush.

Motivated by an irresistible compulsion to make the glass sparkle

and to destroy some ghastly spider webs festooning the space,

I crawled into the window well through the open window and closed it.

Oops! After I polished all the glass, I couldn't open the window again.

After a minute or two of sheer panic, (I loathe and am terrified of creepy crawlers)

followed by self-bashing (Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Idiot! Idiot! You're an idiot, Louise!),

I realized I could throw a big rock I was crouching by through the glass.

I really didn't want to do that, so after calming down,

I began to wrestle with the window.

Finally, I wiggled it open and made my escape.

Now that Terry is home, I'm working up the courage to go after those creepy nests.

The Window Well That I Was Trapped in in Our Study

(golf scene created by the previous owner)

Aurora, CO, USA

June 25, 2021

In June we won the battle to defeat the wily and persistent birds trying to nest on our deck,

but lost to some cagy robins who moved in just below our deck floor.

Robins About to Fledge

Aurora, CO, USA

June 18, 2021

The rabbits are gone from under the front steps, but squirrels have moved in.

A New Resident

Aurora, CO, USA

June 23, 2021

While Terry was testing his post-heart-attack-wings with his best bud in Vegas,

I slipped in some cement workers and window washers.

Fixing Our Driveway and Front Porch

Aurora, CO, USA

June18, 2021

I Wish He Did Window Wells ~ LOL!

Aurora, CO, USA

June 18, 2021

Visits from Sam (and his humans) kept us sane.

Sam, Feeling Quite at Home on the Back of Our Couch!

Aurora, CO, USA

June18, 2021

I hope all is well with each of you!

I've been missing my blogging buddies something fierce!

Can't wait to visit you, and this time nothing is going to derail me!

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

IWSG: Wednesday, June 2, 2021 ~ The Sweet and the Maddening

It's the first Wednesday of the month,
the day that members of the
Insecure Writer's Support Group
share their writing struggles
and writing successes
and offer their encouragement
and support to fellow writers.

To visit the IWSG website, click here.

To become a member of the IWSG, click here.

Our wonderful co-hosts who are volunteering today,
along with IWSG Founder Alex J. Cavanaugh are J. Lenni Dorner, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, Lee Lowery, and Rachna Chhabria.

I hope you have a chance to visit today's hosts and thank them for co-hosting.
I'm sure they would appreciate a visit and an encouraging comment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Every month the IWSG announces a question that members can answer
with advice, insight, a personal experience, or a story in their IWSG posts.

Or, the question can inspire members
if they aren't sure what to write about on IWSG Day.

Remember the question is optional.
This month's featured question is:

For how long do you shelve your first draft, before reading it and re-drafting? Is this dependent on your writing experience and the number of stories/books under your belt?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy June, Everyone!

I'm so happy that it is June 2021 and not June 2020!

We're much closer to the world returning to normal.

My fervent hope is that everyone around the world

will be inoculated against Covid as soon as possible.

I must apologize for not making the rounds as much as I wanted on May's IWSG Day.

Furthermore, I must apologize because I didn't reply

to all the kind people who commented on my post.

May was a lost month for blogging and writing for me,

and I'm afraid to tempt fate by saying June looks promising for those activities.

Nothing bad has happened,

and Terry continues to recover from his heart attack.

I've just been repeatedly pulled away from personal activities I long to return to.

Sam ~ A Very Sweet Distraction

He and His "Pack" Visited Us Unexpectedly in May

May 27, 2021 Aurora, Colorado, USA

Finch Wars ~ An Ongoing Fight to Outwit These Determined Little Birds

Not even rocks, a large vitamin bottle, and a scrub brush

will deter the finches from trying to build a nest on top of our outdoor speakers!

They sit in the cottonwood next door and wait for their chance.

May 26, 2021 Aurora, Colorado, USA

With regard to this month's question,

I usually don't shelve a first draft before rereading and redrafting it.

I typically reread what I wrote the previous day before I start writing the following day.

Often, before I end a writing session,

I'll make notes about what to do next when I return to the draft.

Since I'm always trying to beat a deadline,

rereading and redrafting usually follow the first draft immediately.

I wish that weren't the case, but that's been my pattern since I was a child.

Are you considering entering this year's IWSG Anthology Contest?

Sweet Romance? First love? Groan.

This genre intimidates me more than any other!

I have an idea though! We shall see!

I appreciate you all so much, and I will get back on track.

Happy writing in June!

Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

If you haven't read this year's IWSG anthology Dark Matter: Artificial

I encourage you to do so. It is excellent! I enjoyed every story.

Dark Matter: Artificial

An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology

Discover dark matter’s secrets…

What is an AI’s true role? Will bumbling siblings find their way home from deep space? Dark matter is judging us—are we worthy of existence? Would you step through a portal into another reality? Can the discoverer of dark matter uncover its secrets?

Ten authors explore dark matter, unraveling its secrets and revealing its mysterious nature. Featuring the talents of Stephanie Espinoza Villamor, C.D. Gallant-King, Tara Tyler, Mark Alpert, Olga Godim, Steph Wolmarans, Charles Kowalski, Kim Mannix, Elizabeth Mueller, and Deniz Bevan.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents, authors, and editors, these ten tales will take readers on a journey across time and space. Prepare for ignition!

Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database; articles; monthly blog posting; Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram groups; #IWSGPit, and a newsletter. https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/

Release date: May 4, 2021

Print ISBN 9781939844828 $14.95

EBook ISBN 9781939844835 $4.99

Science Fiction: Collections & Anthologies (FIC028040) / Space Exploration (FIC028130) / Genetic Engineering (FIC028110)

LINKS:

Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08S7LP369

iTunes - https://books.apple.com/ca/book/dark-matter-artificial/id1548059392

Kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dark-matter-artificial

Barnes & Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dark-matter-insecure-writers-support-group/1138581452?ean=2940164777661

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56632113-dark-matter

Books Read in 2026

"18 Days in Heaven" by Gale Poirot
"A Serial Killer's Daughter: My Story of Hope, Love, and Overcoming" by Kerrie Rawson
"Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life" by Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD.
"Is Math Real? How Simple Questions Lead Us to Mathematics Deepest Truths" by Eugenia Cheng
"Project Hail Mary" by Andy Weir
"Tell Me Everything" by Elizabeth Strout
"The Covenant of Water" by Abraham Verghese
"The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity" by David Graeber and David Wengrow
"The Life Impossible" by Matthew Haig
"The Lord go the Rings" by JRR Tolkien
"The Match" by Harlan Corben
"The Night the Path Disappeared" by Terri Bergen
"The Notebook: A History of Thinking on Paper" by Roland Allen
"Theo of Golden" by Allen Levi
"Think Twice" by Harlan Corben
"Why Christianity Must Change Or Die" by John Shelby Spong

Standing Into Danger

Pages

Friday, July 16, 2021

Mornings with Rain

Friday, July 9, 2021

"Blood Red Sand" by Damien Larkin

Wednesday, July 7, 2021

IWSG: Wednesday, July 7, 2021 ~ Now Is the Time for Optimism and Amazing Things

Friday, July 2, 2021

Back Again ~ For the Last Time, I Hope!

Wednesday, June 2, 2021

IWSG: Wednesday, June 2, 2021 ~ The Sweet and the Maddening

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