WE'VE MADE IT TO Z ...

Hello, everyone.

So nice to see that we have made it to the end of April in one piece. WE lived through another challenge. Alex and the gang did an amazing job of keeping us motivated. I know I certainly slipped a few times, grouping two posts into one.

But thankfully today I am on time and am thrilled to be able to go back to posting a few times a week. Now I will have the time to catch up with all of you, so please leave those posts handy... I am sure MANY of us will still be visiting the A-Zers we've missed. I know I will!

For the final challenge, I am back to a FF piece. The mystery is not of the host, but of the place that begins with the last letter of our alphabet ... the "Z." I actually love the look of this letter. It's graceful and balanced.

But before reading this last piece, I would like to reveal the answers from my last post. Yes, Rachel Morgan guessed my "X" person right away. Many of you knew it was Luna's father, but couldn't remember Xenophelius' name. Understandably so...

An all of you new "Y" was for youth. Ah, so many of you are young... enjoy it while you can, it will sweep by you in the blink of an eye. I still don't know where the last twenty years have gone. Thankfully all of you keep me young at heart and keeping the passion for life is something that will always keep a bright glint in my tired eyes.

One of my favorite lines in UNDER THE TUSCAN MOON, was told by a former beauty and actress. She referred to Fellini who stated "Always keep your childlike enthusiasm..." or something to that effect. I know I do, especially when visiting the theme parks here in Orlando... I am a bigger kid than the kids are. I run around like a maniac getting in as much as I can.

Once more, I would like to thank Alex and ALL the Ninjas and friends who have visited my blog throughout this challenge. You are the best! I hope to visit all my new friends and join your blogs. I have a quiet few days ahead after today, so catching up while sunny by the pool is my plan...

I hope you all have a wonderful Monday.... See you tomorrow for the answer to today's post.

A soft growl escapes my lips as I alone hunt through this tropical splendor. Once, many of my kind enjoyed this intoxicating and lush group of islands. Now, I am the last; few know about my whereabouts. Although there are rumors. Always rumors.

Out of the corner of my eye, a glimpse a of black, red and white streaks within the tree tops. 

Ah, those monkeys are more trouble than they’re worth. Come to think of it they’re not that tasty either.

Cinnamon and clove perfumes the air as I continue to look for prey. So much has changed in the past century. I was a mere cub when my grandfather told stories of the richness of this land.

Many types of humans have ruled here. Many of the natives were slaves, bought and sold not so long ago. That’s when plantations dotted the landscape. We ate well then, but they are scarce now, replaced by huge manufacturing plants. 

So much beauty gone with the winds ...

X, Y, AND AN APOLOGY....

Happy Sunday everyone.

Man, AM I supper late for this post. I know I haven't been the best blogger for this Challenge, and I know I haven't visited so many of you. I am almost too embarrassed to apologize, but I will again, and I hope you can all forgive me.

This coming week I will have a few days of free time, so I will make me biggest effort to redeem myself and visit you.

I am thankful for all my friends for taking the time out of their busy schedules to visit me here. So now I WANT to do the same. 

As for the "W" post, the correct answer is The WiLLOWS, an enchanted willow tree grove heavily featured in my first novel.

Today I have "X" and "Y" grouped together. The "X" riddle is an obscure character in a beloved series. I hope you enjoy it.

My daughter, an interesting young woman, is loved by many the reader. It astonishes me. Her mother died in an unfortunate accident, leaving me to care for our daughter when she was only nine-years-old.

I taught her most of my beliefs, which many feel are not worthy of the paper I print them upon. Yes, I am known as a what most would say, a KOOK.

But thankfully, she is like her mother: sweet, kind, and lovely, But, alas, she does have a bit of me in her too.

We live in a small village hours away from London. Perhaps you have heard of it: Ottery St. Catchpole, located in Devon England along the Otter River. It is a mixed area. Our immediate neighbors are of our kind, but there are others who live there too.

Well, it is getting late, and I do need to check the presses. My current edition of the Quibbler should be quite ready for delivery...

For the "Y" post, I changed the format and just went with an observation type riddle. Sometimes my emotions have a mind of their own...

One thing preys upon my mind this weekend. Something that many of us are obsessed with IT... me included. I often wonder why. Television and radio commercials are saturated with anything and everything to help us maintain IT.

We spend billions of dollars a year to obtain IT But again, why? In the generations before us, people just accepted who they were and went about there business. Each day focused on family, friends, and making a living, waiting for the time to retire and enjoy life.

What’s even more ironic, the people who have IT waste it. We are all guilty of this, it is part of ITS curse. By now I am sure you know what IT is. Perhaps, some day, we will learn to grow old gracefully. 

HA! not me, I am going to put up THE biggest fight... LOL.

Thank you all so much for sticking by me this month. I had the hardest time keeping up with daily posts. Last year my life wasn't as hectic and I had the time to write and visit many of you. So even though I did the posts, I failed by not visiting. Sorry everyone. I will do my best to make it up to you.

As a final note, I'd like to wish ALL THE TAURUS' Happy Birthday... I am celebrating mine here today in Orlando Florida... Some friends are coming over this afternoon to visit me while I am at my timeshare. It should be a fun day. The weather is brightly sunny and hot... my favorite.

I hope you all have a wonderful day. See you tomorrow.

WHAT WOULD "W" BE WITHOUT ....

Hi, everyone,

Happy Thursday. As the week sweeps towards another end, our challenge goes along with it. We only have a few more days to reach our goal. YAY!

I am glad you all appreciated the intensity of my post yesterday. Child abuse is something that is very much apart of the world we live in ... sad really. But the more aware people are the more it can be stopped.

Alex, buddy... sorry to say you were incorrect with Vengeance, Donna Hole hit it correct with Violence. But I must admit Vengeance is quite appropriate as well.

Today's post is also an excerpt, but from my M/G novel. Magical, lyrical, and oh so full of fantasy. I hope you all enjoy it.

Thanks again everyone for sticking with me throughout this challenge. I really appreciate all your comments and friendship!

Have a wonderful day and I will see you tomorrow.

On the outskirts of Helmsdale, a short distance away from NYC, a young girl  lay in a meadow edged by a sunlit tree grove. 

Her home, a little white house with evergreen shutters, was located not too far away from Helmsdale’s finest mansions.

Gazing at her beloved site, a wave of tranquility washed over her. The graceful curves of the cascading yellow-green tendrils stroked the earth. The arch that formed between them beckoned her.

Spring flowers soaked up the sun as she stepped toward the two largest trees. 

Streamer-like leaves tickled her as she passed through the entrance. The filtered light created dancing shadows across the path that lead deeper into the grove. Amber beamed. 

She strolled toward her usual spot and arrived just steps away from a quiet pond; her favorite place on earth. She picked a purple coneflower, one of thousands of wildflowers that blanketed the pond’s edge. Sitting down upon a flat rock, she noticed the subtle shades of lavender and purple surrounding the dark iridescent orangey-red center of the cone. 

The glistening pond looked just like emerald green glass. She gazed into the pond’s depths as several monarch butterflies landed on her shoulder. How beautiful! Even in the reflection she couldn’t help but notice the bright orange and black colors printed on their wings. 

Another joined their little group; its electric blue markings flashed brightly with each flutter of its wings. It inched its way closer to her before flying away. She sensed it wanted something, but couldn’t understand what it might be.     

The hummingbirds arrived a moment later, circled and landed on her outstretched arm. They twittered with delight as she spoke to them.

She waited for her favorite to arrive.  

As if by magic, a large, shiny, pitch-black rabbit with oversized ears appeared from the patch of wildflowers just to the left of the rock. This was no ordinary rabbit, not only because of his unusual size and color, but because of his eyes of black opalescence. 

This charming place has a name... It does begin with W, and it is part of the title... no peaking. lol. Here is a hint "The W-----s."

VICTORIOUS ... MAKING IT THROUGH THE A-Z CHALLENGE ...

Good morning all,

First, I'd like to welcome all me new friends. I hope to say hi to all of you personally this weekend, when I play catch up for the millionth time. Thanks everyone for your amazing patience.

I hope you are having a good week so far. Another insane week here in sunny Florida, but I am barely managing to keep up. How do you all do it? Write, family, work, play? Not enough hours in the day for me. I guess we all feel that way at times.

Anyway. Yesterday's post was a true mystery, but one of you did get quite close. Carrie with undergarment. I must admit I though of that first, but then as I continued with the story, I changed my mind to "Undressed."

Today's post is an excerpt from my latest novel, currently out on query. It represents the tone of my book and the kind of world many of us unfortunately have endure. Just listen to the news and it will give you a good idea ... sadly.( Ooo, lots of adverbs today... bad Michael.)

This one should be a very easy one to guess. I hope it doesn't upset too many of you. I know it upset me as I wrote the scene.

Have a great day everyone and I hope all is well in your world.

The simple act of moving the sheets tired my strained muscles. I pulled myself out of bed and threw on some shorts and dragged the chair back to my desk. 

Blazing sunlight blinded me as I entered the hall. Dad appeared out of nowhere and held up hair clippers. 

No! He’s not? 

“Move.”

Shit. He is. 

“Dad, my hair isn’t long. Please, Sir. Don’t do this.” 

He grabbed me by the hair and yanked me into the bathroom. “If you hair was short enough I wouldn’t be able to do this. Would I?” he sneered. “We can make this easy or hard? Your choice.” He pushed me down on the toilet bowl.

Yeah, like I ever have a choice, you son of a bitch. 

My blotched red face reflected back at me as I watched the devil sheer my crown of glory. Waves of dark brown hit the floor. In two minutes the mutilation ended. Only a five o’clock shadow remained on my skull. 

“Now you look like a son of mine.” His mouth curled into a sinister smile. “Clean this up. Breakfast will be ready in fifteen minutes.”

I’m not your son. No dad would humiliate and torment his kid this way. 

I scooped up the remnants of my former glory, lifted the toilet seat and flushed. My hazel eyes turned emerald under heavy black brows, never a good sign. How I wanted to crack his skull or carve him like a turkey. The thought sparked a glint in my eye. 

But how to do it and not get caught? Snap out of it Aidan. You’re not a killer. Yeah, but this is self defense.

TIME FOR ... CAN YOU GUESS TODAY'S "U" WORD?

Hi, all,

I hope you are having a wonderful day today. For the "U"post I created something a bit different. Very unlike me, so I hope you enjoy it.

Now today's word will not come easy. Just think a moment before answering. It's quite obvious, once you know what it is ...

I would also like to congratulate a wonderful blogger friend, Hart, the Watery Tart, on her cozy novel, which has now been released. All the best Hart!

Have a great day everyone!

A silky garment slips off the shoulder of a curvy silhouetted figure. A low moan escapes, echoing across the room.

A smile crosses her lips. Slowly ... ever so slowly, she glides toward the heavy breathing, a shiny object glints in her right hand.

A scent of perspiration and cologne lingers as she approaches. The rustling of a sheet and the squeak of a bedspring sends a chill down her back like a breath of ice sweeping through an abandoned field.

A twist of her slender shoulder arches her back. Time to move in for the kill ... 

  

SPRING HAS SPRUNG ... IT'S TIME!

Hi, everyone,

A late post today, but I hope you all enjoy it just the same. It is now officially spring, and Florida is ablaze with an array of the most beautiful flowers blooming in the bright sunshine and swaying to the balmy breezes.

I would also like to wish all the spring babies a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Many of my close blogger friends are having birthdays now and in May ... you know who you are. If you were born in the spring let me know... I love to meet and congratulate fellow spring babies. My birthday is coming quite soon. This Sunday in fact. YAY... No post! LOL. That is the best birthday present I can think of .... sorry Alex. LOL.

So I am dedicating my post today to all spring babies, young and old.

This F/F piece does have a 'T" theme. Let's see if you can guess what it is. It should be quite simple for the spring babies....

Thanks again all for being so patient with me during my crazy schedule. I appreciate it and I would also like to WELCOME ALL my new friends who joined me this week. I will get to you eventually.

I would also like to send out a special thank you to Alex Cavanaugh for his kind words about me in his post today.

See you all tomorrow.

On the breath of spring, with the ides of march long gone, a baby bull comes forth. Bright-eyed and full of life, he takes stands on shaky legs. 

As he stumbles, each new step brings strength and confidence. 

Day after day, life challenges him, toughing his skin. But he is gentle, caring, and kind, and sees beauty with every turn. 

He wears his heart on his shoulder for everyone to see, leaving him vulnerable. With each new onslaught, he grows more powerful and anger often blinds him.

But through it all, he keeps his head high, determined to meet every obstacle in his path  with integrity and passion, until his time in the sun comes to an end.

R and S BLENDED INTO ONE ...

Hi All,

I am so glad that we have such wonderful support for a friend Alex... Thanks for your wonderful comments from yesterday's post.

Stephanie had the correct answer, yes, my "Q" was for Quasar. They are truly astonishing phenomenons. Isn't this photo awesome? (photo courtesy of NASA)

I you must have guessed, I did fall behind a bit. I posted both "R" and "S" today so that you have two full days to enjoy them, which I hope you do.

My first piece holds a major place in my heart. This other phenomenon is a literary one and I dedicate this FF piece to all of us who are obsessed with this series.

I was murdered by an admirer centuries ago, I still haunt the very place that was most unhappy to me. 

He, also haunts the castle, but wears a badge of shame for his savage crime. But I am not far from guilt. I am a thief.

Alas, I am ahead of myself and should start my weary tale from the beginning.

Born in an age where my kind had been most feared, two men and two woman dared to create an institute of learning. 

Each searched the lands for children with special gifts. Each taught their knowledge to continue the traditions of our noble craft.

Jealous and naive, I truly hadn’t understood the miracle and committed the most heinous crime. Before I could change my ways, I ceased to exist in human form. Now I walk the halls, watching and know for all of eternity.

Perhaps one day I may forgive myself. Perhaps one day, I will be known by my true identity and not the Grey Lady.  

I was also murdered on the grounds of this castle, quite unexpectedly I assure you. Most perceived me as crass, arrogant, downright nasty, but I didn’t care. From the time I was a child I loved only one. Hers was the only opinion I honestly cared about. Her love or respect I could not keep. So I unselfishly watched over her son. 

Yes, I hear the snickers. You dare judge me. I did what I had to do. The end result is clear. Well it should be, IF YOU PAID ATTENTION!

I just realized that although I was sorted into Slytherin House, I share the same initials of our founding father. Hmmm. SS. What were my patents thinking? Well, my mother anyway. My father was a beast and muggle.

At least now you ALL know the truth about me. Like I care really. But it is somewhat satisfying to be heavily featured in one of literature’s most beloved series. If you haven’t read it yet, then I SUGGEST YOU DO! I will be watching.

SS

Well HP fans I home you enjoyed a slice of Hogwarts and my twist on it. Have a great weekend everyone!