A to Z Blogging Challenge 2023 Intro and Theme Reveal

Image by Irene K-s from Pixabay

How do you do? My name is Ornery Owl, and that is what you may call me. For some reason, I decided to participate in the A to Z challenge this year even though I am also trying to complete a poetry manuscript and a novella for Dragon Soul Press, plus another novella for Totally Bound Press while submitting a novelette I wrote in February to Passionate Ink and tying everything I write together into one horrible, sanity-scarring document for Camp NaNoWriMo. This document has been given the title Spring has Splatted.

Image by Prawny from Pixabay

Why would I do something so crazy?

Well, some would call me the space cowgirl, and some would call me the gangster of love.

Okay, nobody has ever called me either of those things. Space cadet and the gangster of geek, maybe.

Perhaps I’m doing it just because.

Here are the disclosures and rules of engagement.

I am writing a series of drabbles about things that bemuse me.

I wrote a few of these posts in advance. That might be a good idea, except then I can't use them in my Camp NaNoWriMo word count. So, I won't do that next year if I do this thing again.

I have a potty mouth, and that spills onto the keyboard. If you are sensitive about swearing, the profane outbursts of Ornery Owl are not for you.

If you have a problem with people or owls writing naughty stories, this is not the blog for you.

If you have a problem with people or owls discussing sensitive topics, the thoughts of Ornery Owl are not for you.

If you don't appreciate a sense of humor that is at once absurd, cheeky, dry, and often pun-intensive, the words of Ornery Owl will not appeal to you.

You don’t have to agree with me about everything, or even about anything. Just remember that it is possible to disagree in a civil fashion or to simply move on to another blog if you don’t like what this one has to say.

If you would like to participate in the A to Z Challenge, you can learn more about it here.

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/

If you would like to learn more about forthcoming anthology opportunities from Dragon Soul Press, follow this link.

https://dragonsoulpress.com/anthologies/

If you write steamy and/or erotic romance like Ornery Owl does in her guise as Lil DeVille, you may be interested in learning more about Passionate Ink and Totally Bound Press.

https://passionateink.org/

https://totallyentwinedgroup.com/submissions/submission-calls-totally-bound-publishing/

No need to thank me. I enjoy sharing the love with fellow authors. Even if something turns out to not be the right opportunity for me, it may be the right opportunity for you. Or it may be the right opportunity for both of us!

This will be my longest post in this year’s A to Z challenge.

Thank fuck for that!

Ornery Owl has spoken.

There is a possibility that I will not be considered an official participant in this challenge. I will continue to moderate comments, and I refuse to allow anonymous comments. When I have done so in the past, it has opened my blog up to spam and trolls. Ain't nobody got time for that. Especially me.

Whether I'm an official or unofficial participant, you can expect some Ornery wisdom every day in April.

Here's some mellow and relaxing music, because this Odysee channel deserves some views and because Ornery Owl needs to calm the fuck down.

Here's the link in case you can't see the player.

https://odysee.com/@ambiencealchemy:2/spring-garden-ambience-with-nature:8?r=GTwnGJ4fFBQfzuJgpHVpfKBKaC9b8B16

I can't believe that Odysee added an autoplay option for videos. Is there anyone who likes navigating to a page and having videos start playing automatically? I hate that crap. I don't even like it on band pages! Let me choose when the video starts playing.

Charity Sunday: Team Beans Infant Brain Tumor Fund

 

First, I am going to share the letter from Francesca's parents.

Help us fight childhood brain cancer for Beans

Today should be Francesca’s third birthday.

March 11, 2020 was the happiest day of our lives, getting to start a new exciting adventure with our first baby girl. Sadly, Beans got just nine short months on this Earth. 

We would love your support in honoring Francesca’s third birthday with a donation of $11 or more to the Team Beans Infant Brain Tumor Fund’s team in the Pan Mass Challenge. 

We try to honor her and remember her everyday. She should be running around and talking and getting ready to start school. Sadly, infant brain cancer stole that life from her that she should have gotten to live. 

We’ve set a goal of $150,000 for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute - and would love your support to hit it and help us pass $3 million raised for infant brain tumor research!

Donate here:

https://profile.pmc.org/AK0302

Regardless of the number of comments, I intend to donate $11 to the Team Beans fund.

I am sharing a snippet from the memoir/workbook that I have been trying to create for years. Writing fiction is challenging. Revealing my own vulnerabilities is difficult in a different way. I discover time and again that most people don't understand what it is to live with a brain that works differently, and most of them don't want to. 

So, why in the world would I continue putting my truth out there?

Because I believe there are still young people whose neurological and cognitive differences and reactions to trauma are being misinterpreted and/or ignored. I want them to know it isn't their fault. So, here we go with a little snippet from my maybe memoir/workbook.

I used to hate the child I was. “What a little fuckup!” I thought. “If she could have just paid attention and done things ‘right,’ I’d be much further along in life!”

I now wish I could go back in time and reveal what I know now to my younger self. I wish I could hug her and let her howl out all her rage and pain. I’ve lived close to six decades and typing these words bring tears to my eyes. The world let that child down, my adult self included. It’s later than it should be, but now I’m trying to give her the understanding she missed out on.

~Ornery Owl Has Spoken~

Free use image from Open Clipart Vectors

http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com

Insecure Writers Support Group March 1, 2023

Image by Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay

Have you ever read a line in novel or a clever plot twist that caused you to have author envy?

That blasted Stephen King does this to me all the time. I'll be driving a million miles to some kind of medical appointment, listening to one of his Dark Tower novels, and wondering why I couldn't have been blessed with a fraction of his abilities in creating that amazing Universe.

Sorry, I know this isn't much of a post and it's late besides. I am extremely busy. I wish I didn't have to bother with annoying things like eating, sleeping, bathing, and going to the bathroom.

"So, what the hell are you up to, Ornery?"

Glad you asked. Wait, no I'm not. Now I have to answer. Oh, wait, I am! It gives me a chance at a little shameless self-promotion. 

I finished formatting and uploading the e-book, paperback, and hardcover versions of The Quest for the Wizard's Key, which is due to be released on April 1. The e-book is now available for pre-order. It's priced reasonably at $5.99, but if you want to wait a bit, I will do a free book promo soon after it releases. It's up to you!

https://amzn.to/3ZtZ09w

Now I need to finish a 30,000-word (or thereabouts) paranormal erotic romance novella by the end of the month for submission to Totally Bound Publishing. Here's the link to Totally Bound in case this sounds like it really might be your bag, Baby.

https://totallyentwinedgroup.com/submissions/submission-calls-totally-bound-publishing/

Wants stories between 30,000 and 50,000 words.

All Hallows Harem (submission due April 1) is looking for supernatural characters, menage or harem.  

https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/p/iwsg-sign-up.html

Here's some music for you to listen to. A link follows in case you can't see the player.

https://odysee.com/@LofiNow:8/back-to-2010%27s-i-bet-you-know-all-2:5?r=GTwnGJ4fFBQfzuJgpHVpfKBKaC9b8B16