Winter Solstice 2023

Winter Solstice 2023

Today is the shortest day of the natural year, Winter Solstice 2023. Starting tomorrow, the sun will rise a little earlier and set a little later in the day. It’ll be slow at first but gradually go longer and longer until Spring arrives.

To me, this pattern of Earth’s trip around the Sun represents the pattern of life. We are born and grow taller and stronger until we reach a steady balance between birth and death. That period is different for each of us, but eventually, it moves past that, and just as the days get shorter, so does our remaining life. For me, the Winter Solstice 2023 is a rebirth of sorts. I believe when we die, we do not fade into oblivion. Our consciousness rejoins the universe we are made of and reborn again. What that rebirth entails, no one knows, including me. I just know we will… I will. The cycle repeats forever.

Does this mean that the stardust we rejoin is heaven? Maybe? I won’t speculate. Does this mean everyone who dies with a stain on their soul or not returns to stardust? Yes, they do. If there is such a thing as sin in the universe, their sins are cleansed, and they, like the rest of us, return to the cycle of rebirth.

For the here and now, it’s what we do with the life we are living and what we do with it. I am trying to leave it a better place than when I was born into it. Others tend to go the other way. That’s sad, but I can do little about that. I can only do what I can, which is take care of myself and then try to care for others. If I don’t have the strength and wherewithal to care for myself, how can I possibly care for others?

Enjoy the winter solstice and the holiday that follows. And if you are looking to do something, might I suggest reading a good book? Here’s a suggestion. Read one of mine.

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/Richard Verry

Happy Thanksgiving 2023


Happy Thanksgiving 2023

Just a quick note to wish everyone here in the U.S.A. a Happy Thanksgiving 2023.

As most of you know, it has not been a good year for my partner and me. Between her disease and me, an engineer, taking on the role of a full-time home caregiver has stressed the household too many limits. But that’s alright. She’s still with us and, hopefully, will be for several years to come.

Her neurologist informed us at our last appointment that there is no way to predict how much time she has left. Unlike other fatal diseases, they can chart no metrics on a timeline to approximate how long she has left. It could be six months, six years, and anything between and even longer.

happy thanksgiving 2023

But I am thankful she’s still with us, as her family is as well.

Have a happy Thanksgiving. Just be careful not to overdo it.

And if you’re not sharing it with a loved one, friend, or even an acquaintance, find something to do. Take a walk, go to the park, ride a bicycle, read a book, or do anything that interests you. And remember, I have many good books you can read, you can find most of them on Amazon. If you haven’t read one of my books, check them out. You might be surprised.

Halloween 2023 is over

Halloween

Halloween 2023 is over.

Halloween 2023 is over, and my decorations are all put away. 😞 This is the first time I got a little excited to celebrate the holiday in several years. Oh, it’s not like when I owned a home on a family-oriented street.

Skeleton and Girl in fire

In those days, I’d go all out, covering the front and two sides of my yard and even my back deck. I had hands sticking out of the ground as if zombies were trying to dig their way out from their graves. A plethora of tombstones would fill large spaces around the graveyard with gothic fencing. I had simulated fire, skeletons, ghouls, ghosts, and other assorted supernatural beings galore around the yards and entranceway to the house. I had skeletons fishing for mermaids, while another skeleton hung a recently caught mermaid by her tail while she flapped around, trying to free herself.

Another year, the year of cannibalism, I had a full-sized human spitted and roasting on a roterisie over a bed of hot coals and even mimicking smoke rising from fat dripping on the fire below. I had sophomoric scenes of skeletons hanging out, drinking beers, and partying around an ice chest with empties all about. In that scene, I also portrayed a girl skeleton in a red string bikini who got too much sun.

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I’m sorry to say

I’m sorry to say that I have made little progress in writing my next installment of the Consortium Series, or any book. The situation at home hasn’t gotten better. My lady and partner continue’s to need full-time care to do the simplest of things. She is angry and frustrated that she is losing control of her body. Intellectually, I knew that, but emotionally, it’s not so easy to accept. I work on that every day. My goals at this moment is to keep her safe and improve the quality of life as much as possible. Everything else is secondary. Writing is way down at the bottom of the list. Besides, I don’t have the creativity I need to write books. All I can do is think about my story and come up with ideas to incorporate into it.

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A Lot Going on

A Lot Going on

That’s right, there’s a lot going on, and I know you are wondering how I’m doing and whether I’ve returned to writing. I’m sorry, the answer is no.

However, I’m feeling better emotionally. My life partner’s condition shocked me to the core. Over the last couple of months, I’ve worn many hats; full-time home caregiver, advocate, transportation driver, contractor, cook, cleaner, housekeeper, and a host of other tasks, including wiping the ass of my loved one. Sorry, honey, it’s what I do.

Mind you. I hate being a full-time home caregiver. I hate it. According to my counselor, it’s a healthy attitude. She even said, “No one likes being a home caregiver.” I smiled. Yet, there is one and only one reason I do it, which I told her out-of-town daughters. I do it because I love her. Also, there is no one else to do it.

In the months since the diagnosis, a lot has transpired. Some of it was to improve her quality of life, and some to make the house safer and more accessible. To get her the services she needs, including therapy, and signed up for Medicaid. The therapy is helping her move better and lets her feel better. All of which makes me feel better.

Who hasn’t a lot going on?

Everyone has something going on

Everyone is going through a lot. I know that. I am not alone in that. The one thing I do know is that no matter how bad it gets for me, there is always someone else worse off.

I’m starting to feel better and I’m anxious to get back to writing. This blog entry is my first attempt at writing. I can feel my creative juices starting to flow. I also started sketching. It’s nothing to sneeze at, but I’m trying. I am trusting myself to take control of my life and my creative process, preferably soon.

Hopefully, I am getting back into the swing of things. I should have published my latest book by now. I feel bad about that. All I can tell you is that I’m trying. I’m doing my best. Wish me luck.

Comments Welcome

You’ll find the comment section at the bottom of this page.

Please comment. I’m always interested in what my readers think. 

My writing and other stuff.

My writing and other stuff.

It’s been a while since I last wrote a blog entry, so you may wonder what’s happening with my writing and other stuff. Well, let’s get on with it, shall we?

I’m sorry to say, I haven’t written much in the past couple of months. I feel bad about that. However, there is a good reason, not because I suffer from writer’s block. I wish I were, but that is not the case. Were I, I would get over it and get writing.

No, the issue is much more difficult and emotionally draining.
So, what the fuck is going on, anyway?

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Welcome to Spring 2023

Welcome to Spring 2023

Yes, it’s Spring 2023 for everyone above the equator. Those south of the equator, you are sliding into Autumn, and that’s also a wonderful time of year. Horny birds outside are singing loudly, the air smells fresh and clean. I can walk outside in a T-shirt and shorts, and enjoy the budding of spring flowers. Yes, Spring 2023 is a delightful time of year, and welcome after dealing with snow and ice everywhere.

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Follow-up on Amazon banning Her Client

Follow-up on Amazon banning Her Client

I think it is important to give you, my readers, a follow-up on Amazon banning Her Client. After I made my last on the subject, I received several comments from many of you, supporting my contention that Amazon made an error of judgement. I know of other books that are just as brutal and even more so. So why was my book singled out?

I continue to contend that Amazon’s increasing use of AI algorithms to decide these questions is the fault here.

In the old days, a human would review the newly published work and decide. With so many authors are uploading self-published work coupled with Amazon’s need to watch costs and the bottom line, did they move too aggressively into the world of AI? Did they tailor these algorithms to more PC rather than letting the author’s creativity take precedence?

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Amazon banned Her Client

Amazon banned Her Client

Yes, my faithful readers. This morning, I received an email that Amazon banned Her Client, the first book in the ‘Her Client Series.’ I don’t get it. It initially published and offered for sale on Amazon eight years ago, but suddenly, they reviewed it and chose to ban it.

The same thing happened in September of 2021 when they banned the second book in the series, leaving 1 and 3 in place.

Why they suddenly decided to unpublish the book on me is unknown. Amazon claims it violates its “content guidelines for appropriateness.” Yet, I know it passed those guidelines at least twice when I first published it and again a year later. I don’t remember exactly when the second review occurred, but that’s okay.

I learned over the years that there is no appeal process for this ruling, and without lots of sales, it’s impossible to get it published again without a major rewrite. In my opinion, a rewrite that will pass their guidelines with strip the story from the emotions of the characters. My readers know what I am talking about. I strive hard to get inside the heads of my characters, protagonists and antagonists alike. It’s the why they do what they do.

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Happy New Year 2023

Happy New Year 2023

OMG, it’s here. It’s 2023. Is it here already? Where did the time go, anyway? Happy New Year 2023 Everyone.

May the coming year bring out the best in each and everyone of you, and especially to all my readers. You have made the past year a happy one for me. I am looking forward to bigger and better things for the future.

P.S. and yes, I’ll have the next book in the Consortium Series out, ready to fill your minds with thrilling awe, as I weave Avril’s tale into deeper levels of debauchery and acts of bloodshed and cruelty. Will the Consortium survive? Will Sir get what’s coming to him? Even I don’t know yet. The story goes where it wants to go as I put fingers to the keys.

Happy New Year all.