Category Archives: fantasy

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Wise Wood Elves Save the Planet

There are many names for the playful elements living in woodlands. The handsome human-like spirits thrived during the golden era on earth, and they are making a comeback under the name, magical elves. They originally lived in the forests located in British Isles and Iceland. As developers destroyed woodlands, communities of wood nymphs relocated to uninhabited areas throughout the world but most joined other fantastical creatures in an elemental realm. Wood elves possess qualities similar in guardian angels and are from the angelic realm.

Due to the large variety of elves, one species is as small as six inches while what man considers to be the traditional elves have a height over five feet. They are athletic, able to climb the tallest trees and outrun a jackrabbit. It is difficult to see elves because they are shape-shifters.

When they aren’t visiting a hidden realm, elves reside in trunks of trees. The woodland elves, who are the tiniest breed, prefer moist furrows off the ground. Human sized elves rely on narrow furrows that stretch to a little taller than their height as entryways to their elemental realm.

Elves are wise, spiritual beings who love music, art and creativity. They celebrate and perform rituals for pretty much every occasion. They are frugal with using their magic, limiting their talents to those with an intention to care for and improve nature. If elves used their magic when the energy around them isn’t peaceful, their powers might harm nature, humans, or even themselves.

In this millennia, wood nymphs and elves are making themselves known by reaching out and communicating with an intention to re-educate people about how to care for Earth. By responding to the desire of people who wish to expand their spiritual awareness, elves are aiding man in his spiritual growth.

According to gurus around the world, man’s evolving consciousness has resulted in greater respect for nature. The Go Green mindset has modified man’s destructive habits. Angelic elves predict the end of the world has been pushed back, thanks to eco-friendly conduct. The world will provide man a safe and comfortable environment for fifty additional years, giving man time to reverse the previous ill-fated acts. In 2062, the elves intend to reevaluate how man treats nature and possibly save the planet.

Learn more about elves and their magic in my fantasy, Elf Book of Enchantments, where elf spirits stop evil from destroying the world.

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Twinkle, Twinkle, Fairy Light

Where’s a gal supposed to go in order to find a good fairy?

Take a close look around your plants. Even indoor potted plants can be infested with the playful spirits. They appear in many forms, one of which is a fairy light. Expect to find the loving spirits around unique natural settings, like trees that have grown together as if they are kissing.

Fairies seek out areas where there are tree stumps and even miniature manmade houses. Anywhere they can quickly hide from intruders pleases them.

Fairies are peaceful, nature spirits charged with inspiring beauty and abundance for plants. They are specifically responsible for encouraging fragrant flowers.

Any colorful grouping of flowers can become an enchanted garden. Fairies gravitate to bright yellows, deep purples, and hot pinks. Shiny surfaces, dangling mirrors, glass marbles, and prisms hung in the sunlight increase fairy energy.

Fairies have a sweet tooth. They are attracted to sweet smelling plants. Rosemary, licorice and peppermint entice them to stay around. Sniff your flower selections before planting them to make sure they remind you of cupcakes and honey.

Fairies love a good party and anything that reminds them of festivities. Look for wind chimes, wood pipes, and bells to add to their play land. Hang them away from the wind so you’ll know their chimes are caused by fairy activity.

If you haven’t noticed a fairy population around your houseplants and on your property, keep an eye out for any fairy doors they use as portals. Unlike entryways for other garden spirits, fairy doors have are similar to a Gothic keystone where the tip of the archway is more narrow than the bottom. Also, the edges will have the precision of having been cut with a sharp blade. Most importantly, make sure you have a pure heart when trying to connect with the cheerful spirits. No need attracting the wrong sorts. They can be mischievous, causing mishaps in your garden, and those are the nice ones.

Don’t expect a fairy to show herself in a human body the first time you meet. As angelic spirits, fairies exist in the form of light. Anyone paying attention can spot a fairy light. They tend to fly at the human eye level. If they want to make contact, fairies will twinkle in hopes of grabbing your attention.

 

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Roaming Gnomes Surround Your Home

A furrow in the base of a tree near your house might not be a random hole. It might belong to your local gnome population.

Gnomes are earth dwelling spirits with the tough job of protecting plants and minerals in the ground. As vegetarians, they adore animals and are always on the lookout to save them. Since people are the number one offenders of abusing the planet, the six inch tall gnomes tend to stay away from humans.

If you happen to glimpse the shadowy figure of a gnome, check out his feet. Gnome legs rotate inward, causing his toes to point to each other. This effect allows him to run as fast as a tiger. His keen vision give him detailed sight a couple of miles in the distance.

If you are thinking your landscaping could use some improvements by the peaceful gnomes, try making your outdoor environment more desirable to them. Gnomes gravitate toward nut bearing trees, mushrooms, vegetable gardens and berry bushes.

The two natural predators of gnomes are cats and trolls. Gnomes won’t live around your house if you have either.

Check out your yard for any gnome homes. They live at the base of trees in furrows between exposed roots. Of course, you won’t see their real home, but only the entryway to their other world. If you want to capture a photograph of a gnome, you don’t have to wait until dark. Simply approach the tree with good intentions and if they are receptive to you, they will greet you in the archway.

Gnome characters play a major role in my novel, The Elf Book of Enchantments, when they interfere with a teenage girl’s quest to right her wrongs that are destroying her family.

Good luck!

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Inspirational Manatees Make Dreams Come True

Years ago, soon after I first saw manatees, several appeared in my dreams. They saved me from drowning in the ocean when the dolphins were too busy playing. A gentle sea cow carried me to safety, far away from the alligators and sharks, and deep into a cavern through an entrance under sea level. Books covered the walls of numerous alcoves inside the cave, with plush seating clustered in all the nooks. I woke with a great sense of peace, a feeling of new beginnings, and an appreciation toward the mystical looking creatures.

I’d never seen anything like them before, with their tiny, eternally sleepy eyes and their silly mouths puckering into sloppy kisses. They have short flippers, like a seal, but with their enormous bellies, they can hardly do more than push each other aside when I bend over the stern of the sailboat to say, “hello.” As vegetarians, they love greens, cabbages and leafy vegetables, and will cross the filthiness rivers for a taste of fresh water whether it is running out from  my sailboat when the air conditioners are cooling or flowing from a hose while I swab the deck. Manatees always travel in pairs, like lovers languishing in the heat. Other times, they arrive with a third calf for an afternoon family outing.

Even the busiest sailors and children stop what they are doing to watch the manatees argue over which gets the longest drag of fresh water. They captivate attention not only because they are so charming and endearing, but also because of their resistance to the environment.

Their backs are covered in algae, giving them shimmers of turquoise and metallic greens on their tough skin, making them seem all the more magical, like wizened mermen. Deep gouges in their backs reveal how careless man is, charging through the No Wake Zones full speed without warning to the manatees that their lives are in danger, that they must submerge their sluggish bodies before their heads become lobbed off.

I remembered my dream when writing my fantasy, Evangabella, and shared their hidden world in the opening chapter. It is because of their secretive serenity that the protagonist causes an accident that thrusts her into a mystical world where she must right her ancestors’ wrongs. No matter how many times manatees visit me while I’m on the water, I’m always overcome by their magical presence. Surely, they are related to mermaids.

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Savannah Savors Spirits

Savannah, Georgia is one of the three most haunted cities in the United States. Ghosts throughout the town squares are so active, their stories are told with the same enthusiasm as nasty gossip, spoken without hesitation or question as to the likelihood spirits savor the old houses and historical town squares.

For instance, at the 17 Hundred 90 Hotel, an unfortunately poor child named Anna was forced into a servitude marriage with an old, abusive man. She performed into hard labor in addition to having almost no food and too many beatings. After a few years, she fell in love with a sailor who promised to return and free her from her enslavement. When the boy returned, her husband beat her to death, then tossed her out the upstairs window. There in the window, her spirits remains, waiting for her one true love.

At a quaint house around the corner, a black cat once lived and played with the local children in the courtyard. So attached to the fun and energy of happy kids, after his death, the cat makes himself visible to children in the form of yellow streaks.

Ah yes, the famed most haunted home in Savannah is the Hampton Lillibridge house that survived the 1820 town fire. The spirits love this home so much they refused to leave when the house was relocated, which incidentally resulted in an accidental death. The then owner, Jim Williams stood trial three times for murder and the word on the street was that in addition to a crypt found in the basement, Jim placed his victim there as well. During the 1960s, the hauntings were so outrageous, the neighbors accused him of having loud parties every night. The community insisted the local bishop perform an exorcism, however the paranormal activity continued.

The orb in my above picture belongs to a boarder who hanged himself. The below picture shows three white orbs and at the edge of the picture is a blue orb, all probably there for the nightly party.

In Reynolds Square at the previous site of the naughty pastor John Wesley’s home, there is a haunted tree beside his statue. Wesley arrived from England as a missionary for establishing the Methodist church in Savannah and creating the first Sunday school class in the country. His practice of preaching outdoors caused controversy, as well as his love for a young woman who didn’t return his advances. As punishment to her, he ruined her reputation and ran her out of town.
Bars have always been the favorite hotspots in Savannah. Despite the communities strong religious roots, pirates crowded the streets, swindlers looked to get rich quickly, Native Americans scalped citizens, men fled the law and cruel soldiers settled in the town after an invasion. At this particular bar, the owner never left. He still carries trays and sits down to have a drink while chatting with the late nighters.
The residents of Savannah have so many ghosts, they love them the same way a neighbor loves the noisy kids living beside him. The weather tends to be either sticky or wet, adding to the ghostly atmosphere and making it difficult to capture clear images. The town history is intriguing with its founders sharing their decadent behavior and gallons of tears while joining together for survival.
Actually, my first vision for writing my fantasy, Evangabella, came in 1997 when I photographed a ghost in a Savannah graveyard. I had certainly felt spooked before that but never realized spirits posed for photos. My later fantasy, Under a Full Moon, incorporates paranormal happenings I’ve experienced over the years.
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Passion Flares in Copenhagen, Denmark

I belong in Copenhagen, Denmark. Its atmosphere enters my soul and embraces me. Even my husband says I blend with the rest of the civilians. Residents ask whether I’m from there.

Such a romantic city, even Denmark’s royal family smolders with passionate tales wherein their enduring love for one another broke all barriers.  Established by Danes and Vikings, Copenhagen has a special quality that combines contemporary artistry with avid traditions.  Bronze and plaster sculptures created by noteworthy artists adorn every street and most buildings.

Copenhagen’s Town Square is fairly new, rebuilt during the early 1900s.  The romantic Scandinavian Renaissance architecture includes twisted spires held high by demons, copper rooftops supporting copulas, and dramatic coloring within the textures.  Decorative doors enhance the clean lines of the smaller buildings.  Some doors are geometric with contrasting primary colors, and others are hand-carved with intricate vegetation scenes.  There are no boundaries imposed upon the creativity of Denmark artists.

The city is known for its damp, moderate climate.  Vibrant splashes of flowers bloom around houses and illuminate fields.  If you are lucky to visit during a storm, plan to search for amber deposited by the waves along the northern shores.

As a sea faring city, red, navy and white boats brighten the harbors and accentuate the charming yellow and orange cottages designed in Danish Neo-classicism.   Entering from the waterway, you will see the Little Mermaid, sculpted by Edvard Eriksen, sitting on a rock, staring out at sea, waiting for her prince to return.

Funky décor accentuates restaurants that spill onto courtyards.  The meals are prepared with the same crisp appeal as the immaculate washrooms.  And the people are gorgeous.

Shops are tucked into basements and inconspicuously nestled along quiet streets.  Antique stores offer unique selections of World War II relics and needlepoint.  Bright moccasins, capes and weapons crafted by Eskimos and other tribes near the North Pole are treasures. Selections are unique and highly crafted.

A must see is the Tivoli Pleasures Park that inspired Walt Disney.  Its authentic international themes lead you along walkways strung with celestial lights and surrounded by fountains.  There are countless museums and churches with refreshing architecture and prehistoric relics.  Denmark is an example of imagery at its best.

Pack sweaters and light jackets.  Depending on the time of year, you might even need heavier clothing.  Make sure they are stylish.  Copenhagen remains atop the most current trends in everything from clothing to furniture to light fixtures.  Even dishes and silverware have a zesty spin.  Be prepared for twilight hours during the summer, which means more daylight for enjoying the picturesque town.

A definite “yes” for families who enjoy long days of endless visual stimulation.  An “absolute” for couples who yearn for a fabulous backdrop over a delightful holiday.

Having such a huge impression on me, Copenhagen is the inspiration for the enchanted world within Evangabella. I place the protagonist in enchanted swamps possessing similar characteristics. My most outrageous settings are sparked from their futuristic ways of thinking within their traditional locales.

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Talking to Ghosts, Walking in Orlando

Christopher HufferWe love Scooby Doo at our house. For a live experience, we made an appointment to walk through downtown Orlando with the American Ghost Adventure. I expected a man dressed in Victorian garb with a top hat to tell us ghost stories. Instead, we met Christopher, a regular guy wearing a black tee-shirt with a gothic cross on his chest. His ghost hunting activities aired in Great Britain.

He educated us on the different classifications of paranormal activity. Memories of emotional moments in a person’s life sometimes repeated themselves without intentions. Lost apparitions had no idea people noticed them. Other spirits reasoned and interacted with living beings.

He passed around KII EMF meters and we strolled through downtown Orlando. The fresh city had more history than the glass skyrise buildings made it seem. Christopher didn’t focus on historical events. He reported details of recent paranormal encounters.

Okay, sure. It’s possible. I mean, I’ve seen a few odd things myself over the years.

With the setting sun, the accounts of ghosts hauntings became spooky. I appreciated being greeted by a cross whenever I looked at Christopher. The bar activity added to the atmosphere. Stilettos and cocktail dresses were the perfect ghost hunting wardrobe because as it grew dark outside, the streets fill with hoochie girls, Hollywood boys, and transsexuals. It was a nice touch for the raucous happenings behind the unrested souls.

Did I see a ghost? Maybe, at the top of the Bumby building where apparitions of children played upstairs. The white light suggested they were active.

At the end of the walk, with a scary tone established, Christopher took us to his home-base located at a reputable museum. As bold as I was, entering an unfamiliar building after closing hours with a security guard locking us inside bolstered the creepy factor.

Upstairs we went into a historic courtroom. A streak of terror hit me when I touched the last spot Ted Bundy, the relentless serial killer, sat outside jail. He etched his name on the table during his trial. According to our EMF devices, a ghost was in the courtroom with us.

The real action started in the judge’s chamber. Several ghosts lingered after traumatic life experiences. They seemed accustomed to Christopher because they answered his questions by turning on flashlights.

Christopher placed equipment on the table for anyone to use. EMF (electro-magnetic frequency) detectors revealed paranormal activity.  An ovilus exposed the words on his iPhone.  Bursts of heat and chills read on the temperature gauge suggested other-worldly presences controlled the paranormal activity. He took photos with a night vision camera.

An EVP (electronic voice phenomenon) taped paranormal communications. One ghost engaged us in a thirty-minute conversation. He asked me to get a pencil and paper to write down his words.

The EVP gave cryptic phrases, same as if English wasn’t the first language of ghosts. It reminded me of the way neuroscientists routed brain waves of paralyzed patients who had lost their ability to speak to computers. As images flashed on screens, the computer verbalized the patients’ thoughts, proving loss of the ability to speak didn’t mean lack of intelligence.

This experience was perfect for paranormal lovers. It was thrilling, clean fun. Highly recommended to be added to the theme park entertainment list. The tour ended by ten o’clock and made an excellent cocktail hour before clubbing, too.

I became a believer. How about you? Well, fine then. If you have pictures with suspicious looking images or experiences out of your comfort zone, contact the specialist for yourself at americanghostadventures@gmail.com. He answers all emails and freely provides his opinions.

Apparitions are characters in some of my novels. In Eangabella, they pester the protagonist, same as a persistent guy at a cocktail party tags along after getting the brush off. In Under a Full Moon, a ghost materializes on certain nights to guide the protagonist toward clues for solving a mystery.

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My Childhood as a Fire Starter

When I was at the glorious age, too young to ride a bicycle and overjoyed to cruise the cove on my Big Wheel, my younger brother and I played with fire. Actually, he was my older brother but the youngest of my siblings, leaving me with the permanent nickname, “Doc’s Baby,” since my father was a surgeon.

Having a ten year gap with our older siblings, my younger brother and I ate meals in a separate room in front of the fireplace. It was a fabulous set-up allowing us to discover the variety of colors flames created. During warmer months, we were lucky enough to have candles on our miniature dinner table. We burned napkins, wrapping paper and Dixie cups, unwanted brussel sprouts and string beans. Even our leopard print hearth cushion caught on fire a few times. We made wax art with soda bottles and melted crayons.

When we got bored with burning, we created new condiments. We mixed into Ketchup bottles everything left on the table, including the unwanted beans and radishes and hot sauces. We didn’t taste our experiments but laughed our heads off, all the same.

Early on a Saturday, my brother woke me so he could show me how quickly matches burned in a Charles Chip cookie container. After lighting several dozen, we decided to go outside and ride our bikes.

“Where’s Momma?” I asked.

“She’s not here. We’re all alone,” my brother said.

Just before leaving the room, I got the clever idea to cover the metal container with my grandmother’s bedspread to keep it safe. I put on my white, go-go boots and we headed outside.

In an adventurous mood, I recommended we go beyond the end of our cove. We turned one way and another, until we were completely lost. Nothing looked familiar. There were new sounds in the foreign neighborhood.

“What’s that noise?” I asked my big brother.

”It’s a police car. He’s chasing someone,” he said.

“Let’s follow!” I said.

“No. We’ll get arrested if we do that,” he said.

Even though my big brother thought it was a bad idea, I convinced him to follow the sirens. They led us to the end of a wide hill.

“Hey, that’s our house,” he said.

“No. We don’t live anywhere around here. Why would the sirens go to our house?” I asked.

Sure enough, firetrucks led us home. I felt relieved and confused at the same time. The firemen were amazing to watch. I couldn’t help getting excited about the whole thing. They carried hoses across our patio and stomped around, determined and fast.

A young firefighter noticed me and asked in an irritated tone, “Are you the kids who were playing with fire?”

“Who me? It must’ve been a very small fire.” I didn’t think matches counted as actually being irresponsible.

“A neighbor called the fire department. She saw flames rising from your window. Why did you leave the house without telling your mother?” the firefighter asked.

Well, it ended up we weren’t alone that morning, after all. Somehow, my brother and I woke up before everyone else. Momma was taking a shower when we left.

My brother and I were grounded, which meant we had to sit in a leather chair all day long. We weren’t allowed to talk, either.

My oldest brother strutted across the den and grabbed our experimental bottle of Ketchup. We tried to stop him, but since we weren’t allowed to speak it was difficult for him to understand our warnings. He poured the dark brown mixture of Tobasco sauce and unwanted greens and crusty condiments onto his sandwich.

As he shushed me for shouting, he took a big bite to go with that adorable, “Smokey and the Bandit,” Burt Reynolds attitude he flaunted. Needless to say, our time-out on the leather chair was extended.

I couldn’t believe my fortune when Grandmomma Shelton’s furnishings were replaced with a pink Holly Hobby decor and a fancy new headboard with a cushy mattress. Certainly, no excuse for starting a fire.

I incorporated my fire starter experiences into an accident caused by Ivy Clearwater in Evangabella. Like me, she didn’t intend to be a delinquent. Fate and all the supernatural powers of the universe invoked a punishment on her that was more fitting than a few hours in a time-out chair by forcing poor Ivy into the enchanted underworld of Florida.

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Mud Wrestling with Pigs

Throughout my childhood, I resided in the suburbs of Memphis with weekends at the cotton farm around Longtown, Tennessee. It was the best of both worlds. Although I appreciated modern conveniences, I never forgot the difficult life-styles experienced by some of my friends who were raised in the country.

Beside our barn for the horses, two boys and a girl lived in a dilapidated shack without electricity or running water. Their outhouse was a rotting board with a torn wool blanket hung on rusty nails. I referred to their toilet as an “outing-house,” making them laugh at what a silly city-slicker I was. Even though all but one of the children had repeated several grades in elementary school, on more than one occasion they taught me a thing or two.

It was a hot summer day during junior high when I decided to frolic with farm animals. I couldn’t believe my friends didn’t realize how amazing it was to keep pigs a few feet away from their house.

“Let’s play with the pigs.” I leaped into the pig pen and wrestled the large critters. I kicked up mud and danced around the pink guys as a dozen grunting, rolly-pollies circled me.

“You shouldn’t do that,” the girl my age said. She was the oldest and didn’t like to talk about it, but her brothers had passed her grade in school. While extremely kind and quiet, she preferred napping on the porch with the flies swarming around her over anything else.

“Come on. It’s fun,” I called out, tickling the unresponsive oinkers behind the ears.

The three children stood on the fence, open-mouthed with their eyes three times their regular sizes.  The youngest one, he was the smartest, he shook his head while his siblings stared in disbelief.

“Ut-ah. I ain’t going in there,” he said.

The following Monday, I returned to my city-slicker personae. I had play practice at an all-boys’ Memphis prep school. Sitting in the red theatre, I propped my feet up on the chair in front of me as I chatted with a close guy-friend, who happened to be an heir to the largest chain of jewelry stores in town.

“What’s that smell?” He wrinkled his nose and sniffed.

“I don’t smell anything,” I said, more interested in the people on the stage.

“Oh yeah. There’s a smell.” He squinted and inhaled another drag of air. “It’s your shoes.”

I pulled my foot up to my nose and took a whiff of my Tretorn tennis shoe. It was putrid.

Bleaching and washing failed to get rid of the pig smell. I burst into laughter. How could my privileged friend understand what I’d been doing over the weekend? He had an aquarium and solarium in his gigantic home bathroom.

It hadn’t occurred to me at the time I jumped into the pig pen, but there was a reason they lived in mud while the rest of the yard remained arid. Pigs defecated, urinated and vomited within their living quarters. I did notice trash in the mud, too. My country friends had told me their father fed the pigs garbage. Why hadn’t I realized how gross that was at the time?

I might be a slow learner, but I never played with pigs after that day. And I don’t eat them either. My protagonist in Evangabella captured the same sense of never fitting in with the majority. She grew up in the ritzy suburbs of Orlando but kept strong ties with her rural relatives. Luckily for her, the survival skills she learned in the country saved her life.

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London Ghost Warning

If during a visit to London you have a vacant evening, consider filling the time with a ghost bus tour. Beware, or that is to say wary, if you anticipate actually seeing paranormal activity.

The London ghost tours answer any questions you had about where out of work British actors find work. The commentator of the bus tour puts on a grand show, leaning into the camera to distort his face, utilizing every crazed voice he’s developed and screaming as he runs up and down the stairs. Not that he’s uninformed. Quite the contrary. The commentator shares educational narratives about English monarchy and their brutal deaths. He gives accounts of fires and romances. The catch is, he interrupts himself regularly to intentionally create chaos.

It is all in good fun and is an excellent opportunity to see areas of the city you might otherwise overlook. He talks rapidly, pointing out so many interesting monuments and providing such shocking accounts of English history, it is difficult to glimpse every location.

If there are ghosts, the bus moves too quickly for anyone to take photographs or see them. The actors are there to entertain. The ghost tour creates suspense to scare the patrons. It is similar to a haunted house where the purpose of going inside is to be scared.

Patrons include a families and gothic collegians. Young adults show up with wigs, black lipstick and Goth clothing. Expect to laugh and sit at the edge of your seat to avoid being attacked by ghoulish monsters. The interior of the bus resembles a coffin and gives the feeling you are headed to a funeral.

Surprises crop up, according to the time of year. For instance, around Easter, a serial killer rabbit joins the crew.

Patrons get off the bus one time, and a huge surprise is that the tour ends on a sentimental note, instead of somewhere dangerous. It is a great way to learn about London and monarchy deaths. The actors discourage young children from taking the tour because they do want to scare you.

The tour reflects on experiences of people who often lead to their becoming ghosts. Paranormal activities first interested me when I was three years old and my grandmother passed away. My interpretation of paranormal activities appear in my stories. In Evangabella and Under a Full Moon, the protagonists encounter ghosts they must learn to understand in order to solve their conflicts with the world.

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Novel Outlining: Strategize

First and foremost, decide the core elements of your plot.  Take your time and keep your initial structure simple.  Establishing what you intend to accomplish keeps you aimed on the bull’s eye of your target.

The main structure of your story has an Act I for the beginning, an Act II for the middle and an Act III for the end.  Write down the basic plot for each.  Some examples are as follows:

  1.  Act I:  The hero meets the protagonist.
  2. Act II:  The hero cheats on the protagonist.
  3. Act III:  The hero reaffirms his love for the protagonist.
  1. The Beginning:  The protagonist runs away from home.
  2. The Middle:  The protagonist changes his identity.
  3. The End:  The protagonist returns home as a hero.

Within your beginning, you promise to answer the question, “Why?”  The Middle pumps the story full of specifics.  The End feels complete because you answer the “Why” and provide an unexpected ending.

Once you have determined the core of your plot, list your setting for each of the three acts.  Include the location, the mood, and the environment.  Think about your protagonist and hero as if they were your friends whom you can call or meet for lunch to find out how their lives are going.  Notice what about them is unique from anyone else you know.  Start with this list and expand your information to include whatever you consider relevant.

Act I – The Beginning:

  1. Where does the protagonist live at the beginning of the story?
  2. What year does the beginning take place?
  3. How does the protagonist feel about her age at this time?
  4. Is the protagonist happy with his appearance?
  5. What jobs did her parents have?
  6. Did the protagonist enjoy his childhood?
  7. What type of friends does the protagonist have?
  8. What is most important to the protagonist?
  9. How did the situation, the driving action, in the Beginning result?
  10. When did the situation first evolve?
  11. Why does the protagonist care whether the situation took place?
  12. Who else was affected by the situation?
  13. Did the protagonist tell his friends?

Act II – The Middle:

  1. How did the protagonist reach this point?
  2. What caused the situations to develop?
  3. What motivated the protagonist to react the way she did?
  4. List three clues about how the story ends?
  5. What effect did the action by the protagonist in the Beginning have in the Middle?
  6. What mistake does the protagonist continue to make?
  7.  What situations have become worse for the protagonist?
  8. How is the protagonist vulnerable?
  9. What are the protagonist’s strengths?

Act III – The End:

  1. What would you like to see happen?
  2. Which outcome is best for the common good?
  3. How did the protagonist manage to survive this far without giving up?
  4. How does the protagonist feel at this point?
  5. When will the protagonist feel content with the circumstances?
  6. Where should the protagonist go from here?
  7. What happened that the protagonist wanted to avoid?
  8. Why should anyone care about the protagonist?
  9. What is similar in the End to the Beginning?
  10. What has changed in the End from the Beginning?

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Ghost Orbs Populate St. Augustine

The ghost tours in St. Augustine, Florida encourage visitors to take photographs of the haunted locations in hopes ghost orbs appear on film. Orbs are a recently discovered phenomena. Researchers theorize orbs of light appear in pictures when spirits drift into the scene. Some believe the spirits seek out past relatives to comfort and protect the living. Others consider the orbs to be disquieted souls with unfinished business on earth. Such ghosts suffered emotionally or physically at the time of their death.

Even though I saw no evidence of ghost orbs while walking around the town, images of round lights appeared on my developed pictures. “Are they nothing more than distorted refractions of light taken by digital cameras?” I asked the film developer. He also toured St. Augustine and felt some were glitches with digital cameras and others were actual spirits. “It’s whatever you want them to be,” he said.

The spirit of a boy likes sits in this tree at the Catholic cemetery. Thousands of confused spirits join him, wishing someone would tell them how to get out of the graveyard.

Native American Chief Osceola was imprisoned at the fort on the river. Upon his death, the doctor decapitated him and kept his head as a souvenir. Taking on a bluish appearance, the head of Osceola bounces above the fort in search of its body.

Spirits enjoy hearing stories about themselves and follow the tour guide along with the visitors. My dog growled and became anxious at this point so I took a picture curious if she was reacting to ghosts.

Many townspeople died at the city gates, forbidden to enter because of an illness or unsatisfactory behavior. The town burned to the ground on several occasions and fleeing residents died. One sweet little girl still skips down the street and then sits at the top of the left column.

Robbers uncovered a body and stole a man’s gold teeth. The man’s spirit searches for his teeth during the night. This yellowish orb is identical in size and placement to other photos posted on the ghost tour websites.

Three rogue brothers lived a jovial life, drinking and partying every night. Even after their death, the three brothers play around the cemetery.

A school mistress looks out the window in search of her students who burned in a fire. The spiral lines inside the orb suggest it is a spirit and not refracted light.

Ghostly encounters throughout my life inspired the theme for my supernatural story, Evangabella, where a girl senses paranormal activity but doesn’t know whether to trust the spirits.

What do you think? Are they real?

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The Enchanted Kingdom of Lake Bled, Slovenia

One of my favorite destinations is Lake Bled, Slovenia.  I have no doubt that Elizabeth Kostova described the fantastical Romanesque setting as her “not to be named” city at the beginning of her mysterious adventure in the Historian and perhaps the intriguing city is the motivation of where she finds a clue where Dracula lives.

Reaching the picturesque town located in the northwest nook of Slovenia is difficult.  We hired a chauffeur from Italy; however, cross-country bicycling is popular.  Bled remains secluded at the base of the Julian Alps and surrounds the glacial Lake Bled.  In the center of the magnificent lake rises the only natural island in Slovenia, Bled Island.  The island sits like a masterpiece as the focal view for the community.  Bled Island displays the 15th century building, Pilgrimage Church of the Assumption of Mary – a magical setting for a wedding.  You could arrive by boat and ascend the pearly steps to the chapel to take your vows.  Athletic tourists make use of the lake by rowing, sailing and swimming.  The World Rowing Championships honored Lake Bled numerous times.

Bled Lake hypnotizes you, as if its misty texture and black surface beckon you to merge with its breathtaking beauty.  I say breathtaking, because even thinking about the atmosphere causes my heart to beat more slowly.  We couldn’t resist walking around Lake Bled and my poor planning proved to be an obstacle, once again.  As is our family custom, I carried our child despite my wearing spiked heels.  When we reached a rickety, wooden ladder emptying onto a floating platform that led to boulders along the shore, I refused to hike further.  We were greeted by two elderly Englishwomen who advised me to keep a stiff upper lip for the Queen.  Well, I did, but not without clarifying that I was not wearing orthopedic shoes.

The Queen would have suffered her dignity to hike around Lake Bled, also.  The community kindly provides a cozy bar mid-way where you can appreciate communist sculptures with your dainty feet elevated before finishing the trail.  When we continued our journey, we came across a horse and carriage and I questioned why my husband didn’t splurge for one of those.

Built earlier than the year 1004, one of Slovenia’s oldest castles looms over Lake Bled on a rugged cliff protruding from the fairytale forests.  Bled Castle offers a museum with authentic ironwork.  The seamless combinations of Romanesque, Baroque and Middle Age influences create clean lines and unexpected architectural features.  A simplistic, 16th century chapel is decorated with airy frescoes.

Trekking down the mountain takes such a long time, stairwells are carved into the mountain, but you must remain alert in order to find them.  Along the way from Bled Castle to the Lake Bled hotels you can find antique shops full of political statuary and bronze sculptures from the many eras of Slovenia’s history.

The restaurants offer light dishes and delicacies for dessert.  Children are welcome and if they are old enough to read stories about royal families in faraway kingdoms, they will love the holiday.