The Mushroom Murderer is coming

I'm working on the finer points of the opening chapter for McShane Mini-Mystery, Book 4, The Mushroom Murderer. This has been fun to write. I hope you enjoy the first chapter,  posted here on January 1, 2016.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Another Christmas Day

Today is December 25, 2015. If you are reading these words, congratulations! Another Christmas Day has been granted to you.

Merry Christmas!

No matter your religious belief, this is the time of year to be near those you love. To express gratitude for having them in your life. Too many families have been ripped apart by jealousy, suspicion, anger, and resentment. While those jealous, angry, resentful words spoken cannot be erased, they can be rectified. For, as long as both parties breathe, words can be used to heal, just as they can to hurt.

One day, you will wake up, and the people you love will be gone. Whether the passing was a hard fought blessing, or a sudden punch in the gut, the fact will be they’re no longer there to laugh with you, hold your hand, or hear your words.

So, reach out. Connect. Apologize. Forgive. Don’t be stingy. Share your love.

Remember, Christmas is a celebration of life. Make the most of this opportunity. Laugh, love, dine, sing and dance. Today. Now. For there is no promise for tomorrow.

Make merry this Christmas. And I pray you hold onto that merriment throughout the New Year.

The Mushroom Murder is coming

Keep an eye my blog for the upcoming post of Chapter One, the new McShane Mini-Mystery Series installment The Mushroom Murder. I hope to have  it posted here on January 4, 2016.

I'll be adding a chapter each Monday. Since, as my readers know, there are only five chapters to each book, the draft of this novella should be complete by February, 2016. This will be the fourth book in the series. If you'd like to catch up on the first three, you can find them on my JL Mo Amazon Author Page

I am certain you'll enjoy the return of reluctant billionaire, Sam McShane.

Gator Patrol

Proving criminals are not the brightest humans, a burglar hid in a pond after robbing a home in the area. An 11 footer swam up from his pond-home, and perhaps thinking it was delivery, ate him.

Karma. She's a bitch.

 

 

(meme from Florida Police Officers and Sheriff Deputies)

Nana likes Dungeons and Dragons

The Adventure Begins

Welcome. My name is Menelin. I am a Wood Elf. If you’ll take the time to speak with me, you will know that I possess a caring heart. I’ll commiserate with you and your current plight. You’ll open up to me, and feel a comfortable connection between us.

And that’s what I want you to feel. I will say what you need to hear, be the listening ear you need, and steal your coin purse while doing so. That’s what a Rogue does.

Truly, I don’t care if you trust me or not, or if you like me or not, or even if you care or not. All I care about is me. Well, mostly.

The only person I do quasi-care about is my friend, the human cleric Ailsa. I call Ailsa ‘A’, because human names are so odd. She once saved me when I needed saving, and that isn’t very often. My weapons are quite reliable, thank you very much. But, there are times. So, I’ll stick close to her when I feel like it. A has another fan that sticks closer to her than I do. Elspeth, a half-orc with a pleasant enough outlook on life. But don’t piss her off. I picked her pocket once and the other half of her lineage, the barbarian half, let me know that she’s not as easy-going as she appears. I’ve been made to swear to never do that again. It wasn’t that difficult an oath to take, as I’ve grown fond of my head and didn’t want it caved in.

A hangs out with a gnome wizard by the name of Nyx. Not sure why. The little thing wants to test for magic in everything! If we pass a rock that catches her eye, she wants to stop and test it. So frustrating. But, like most things, there are benefits. On occasion those rocks do hold a magic trap, and I have to admit she was right. Not out loud, of course.

Then there’s Nimue. I try not to stare when she’s around, but she is one sexy beast. A full elf, she’s chosen the path of Ranger. She can shoot a fly off of an orc’s claw, and leave the finger intact. It’s part of the reason I don’t carry the bow. Why should I? When she’s around, I look like a child playing with an oversize toy. Even my hand cross bow, which I’m quite proficient at, seems ludicrous. I only use it when Nimue’s not around. She encourages me to continue my practice with it, but I’ll stick to my daggers. Only then, if my rapier won’t do the trick, I’ll use the cross bow. But that’s rare.

The five of us have gathered for a festival in this small town. They’re to dedicate a church that had been built to replace the last one, which had burned to the ground. That’s why we find ourselves in this little hole in the wall bar, enjoying one other’s company.

Then we heard the screams…

***

 IRL I'm a...

Please go to my new JL Mo blog to continue the story. Thanks!

New Study Reveals Most Children Unrepentant Sociopaths

Okay, you got me.

I read this entire article, got myself all worked up, wrote a three paragraph retort in the Facebook comments, then realized it was from The Onion. Ugh! How embarrassing!

In my defense, it was six in the morning, I hadn't slept well, and I needed something to read. Next time I'll turn to the BBC, not Facebook. And yes, I deleted it within sixty seconds of posting my ridiculous comment.

To be fair, it is an amusing article. Here's the link, and here's hoping you laugh.

New Study Reveals Most Children Unrepentant Sociopaths

One of the comments in the fb feed that I'd gotten this from said, "Onion or not... Is it reeeeeeally that far off base??"

Yeah, the person that posted that comment has kids.

Stop and see the Big Bird

As adults, we should slow down every so often… and see the Big Bird.

 

 Read the complete story here...Life. One Short Story at a Time.

Thanks John Oliver

On occasion, being a Floridian makes one the subject of ridicule. Much to my embarrassment, John Oliver's favorite target these days is Florida. To the point, a recent segment of his HBO program, Last Week Tonight, included the failure of Florida's judicial system.

The next day, a professor at a local university, Mr. Justin Stone, informed me that the State of Florida was the first to establish a Public Defenders Office. That restored my faith (a little).

Then yesterday , as if in answer to this scathing attack, Orange-Osceola Chief Judge Frederick Lauten quashed twenty-one thousand (yes 21,000) arrest records, and put an end to the debt-collection policy, effectively eliminating Florida’s Debtors Prison. Yeah, that’s a thing. Well, it was until John Oliver pointed his laser ray of humiliation on it.

On behalf of at least 21,000 people… Thanks, #LastWeekTonight