I plan to work on this, for I truly feel it is not finished. Let me know what you think. Here are the obligatory self-promotion links. Thanks for stopping by today!
Welcome back to the cemetery, my lovelies! Today, your beloved Twisted Libra decided to move forward with an upgrade to the online portrait gallery. The previous version just held static images; you couldn’t enlarge, and they were not watermarked. I chose to set up a Google photo album and link it to the website. Easy peasy. Then I opened my Adobe Photo Express to add watermarks to my images. Guess which feature Adobe hasn’t added to the latest desktop version?
It should be there. It should work. It simply doesn’t. And apparently Adobe doesn’t know when they will have it functional. Their solution? Open each image in Adobe Express and add my own watermarks, editing the opacity and placement manually. This is painstakingly tedious. I managed to edit about fifteen images before I decided I can add more later. My current watermarks look like shit, but I am too overwhelmed at this point to revise them. That can be done later. If I try now, I might just rage quit the entire site and delete everything.
Suffice it to say, this did not go smoothly. However, I really want to improve my online presentation, so I will definitely be working on this more in the coming weeks. In the meantime, if you have any feedback on the current state of the gallery, I welcome it. Also, if you or anyone you know can make a functional voodoo doll of whomever designed the current version of Photoshop Express, let a Libra know.
That’s all I have for today. Just a rant. I am going to go read for the rest of the day. If you need to add to your TBR, check out my books over on the Barnes and Noble site:
Since my knee surgery last week, I have been dwelling on the concept of “normal.” People keep talking about my return to normal in regards to my mobility. I am healing quite well, but this journey has taught me that everyone has their own internal concept of how things should be. I doubt I will return to the exact person I was before the procedure; I now have a greater understanding of and appreciation for my body and my abilities. This experience has forced me to look at everything in my life and evaluate whether or not I was on the right path.
My day job, my writing, my self-expression…was I being true to myself in all aspects of my life? The overwhelming response was, no. I’ve remained far too long at a day job that drains my very soul. I have allowed my writing to sit on the back burner for longer than I’d realized. I had forgotten how much I enjoy dark manicures and subtle makeup. For months, I was basically going shit-house with my hair constantly pulled back and a bare face. I understand not giving a fuck what people think, but damn I had kind of let myself go. I wasn’t happy like that. Being true to myself means change is afoot!
Your beloved Twisted Libra is no longer settling for simple contentment. I am taking more control over my life and my happiness. I am looking for a job that allows a better work/life balance than the one I currently have. I am making time to write again. I got my nails done yesterday, and they look like a slice of burgundy/purple heaven. I am slowly starting back with exercise, though my range of motion is limited. Still, I have to start somewhere. I feel like I have moved into a new era. I am ready to crank things back up to eleven.
Thank you for letting me rant a little today. I needed it. Before you go, why not check out my books over on Barnes & Noble’s website?
Your beloved Twisted Libra has been maimed. Part of me is forever removed. My suffering has been long and painful.
Okay, perhaps I am being just a tad dramatic. I had knee surgery. My ortho doc removed damaged cartilage and several bone spurs. Recovery has been painful, yes, but I seem to be progressing nicely. My knee is swollen and bruised, and I now know that you need not worry about me ever succumbing to an opioid addiction. Those pain meds make me feel like garbage. Why would anyone chase that feeling? It boggles me. Thankfully, those are demons with which I shall never be saddled. On the lighter side, I have recently graduated from crutches to cane. I chose a simple black cane, of course. I’d like to think I look like this:
However, I’m pretty sure it’s more like this:
Let’s not kid ourselves, here. I have never been a bastion of sophistication. Why start now? Being bedridden was humbling. I am fiercely independent, and these last few weeks I have had to rely greatly on Libra Hubs. Shout out to that man. He wouldn’t be comfortable with too much focus being put on him here, so suffice it to say he is amazing as a partner in this life and I am grateful.
I don’t have much else to say right now. Those dreaded pain meds have made thinking and focusing quite difficult. I imagined my convalescence including a deep indulgence into my TBR; however, most days it is all I can do to zone out to a movie or television show. Reading has been a no-go. I won’t even begin to tell you how long this post has taken to write. It’s rather embarrassing. I find myself hunting and pecking the keys like someone’s great grandma. My brain is apparently on sabbatical.
Hopefully I can return soon with a fresh brain and concise thoughts. Until then, look for my books online at Barnes & Noble!
Hello, my lovelies. I apologize for the extended absence. Your adorable Twisted Libra has had quite a few matters requiring my attention as of late. However, I find myself free and full of thought on this dreary Saturday morning. I do tend to thrive in dreary weather. Of course, as I currently reside in the American South, I will enjoy said dreariness from the side of my window that is awash in air conditioning. In layman’s terms, it’s hot as balls outside. No, thank you.
Geographical weather atrocities aside, how have you all been? Well enough, I hope. There are some possible changes on the horizon for your beloved Twisted Libra; none that bear discussion here, at least not now. However, if things go as I am hoping, I foresee much more time for writing and creating. These things have been on the back burner of my life for far too long. I suppose any writer who does not make their living off their work has run into this very predicament: the day job taking up any spare mental bandwidth, and the spark of creativity slowly dimming while life begins to revolve around a profession that is lightyears away from what you dream of doing. Okay, now I’m getting depressed. None of that. We are having a good day here in the cemetery!
If you’ve been here more than a minute, you know I am an avid reader. It’s possible I exited the womb with a novel in hand, but Libra Mom has yet to confirm such a tale. Regardless, although I read quite voraciously, I feel I fail to discuss those books here as often as perhaps I should. My current read has me riveted. I almost didn’t want to put it down to write this post, but alas the muse beckoned. It’s titled, “Dracula: The Novel and the Legend.” It’s an academic study of the classic Bram Stoker story written by Clive Leatherdale.
Version 1.0.0
Lately, I have discovered my captivation by academia focused on vampire lore and the Dracula novel. True, I have read a few academic vampire books in the past, but something recently has been awakened in me that draws me towards this type of literature with a fierceness. I recently finished reading “Dracula: The Shade and the Shadow,” which is a compilation of academic essays edited by the (in my opinion) legendary Elizabeth Miller that demonstrates a thorough discussion of Dracula that treads heavily into philosophic territory. That collection awakened something in me, and lately I find myself devouring vampiric academia.
I should share more often about what I read and why. My current TBR pile is embarrassingly high, so I doubt I will run out of discussion materials any time soon. No, this isn’t becoming a book blog; I simply feel I should speak out more often about the books I enjoy. As a writer, it almost seems a moral imperative. Perhaps you will begin to see more glimpses into the literary appetite of the Twisted Libra. In the meantime, you can satiate your own literary appetite with books written by yours truly. The move from Amazon (boo, hiss) to Barnes & Noble (yay!) has been successful. You can now find my work online at this link:
Unfortunately, that search always seems to include one book that isn’t mine. Something about a twisted zodiac. Hell, buy that one, too. Support the author, whoever she is. Also, if you don’t already, go ahead and subscribe to this blog. I promise no spam, and (as you can see) I don’t post every day so you won’t be annoyed by notifications or emails.
Seriously, my lovelies, I have been a shitty writer lately and all I feel I deserve is a sarcastic golf clap. I have had nearly two weeks of freedom from the day job, and I have written fuck all. Hell, I haven’t even read anything. I finally have the time to devote to my passion, and my goddamn brain shuts down.
Why does this happen? Why am I not hammering out a full-length novel, or halfway through my TBR pile? I hate my brain sometimes, man. Now here I sit, three days left of my vacation, and I am just now able to cough up a blog post. This sucks. My brain is a total asshole.
I did succeed in moving all my books away from Amazon. I unpublished them a few days ago. They may still show as available, since Amazon may still have copies. When those sell out, though, my work will no longer be for purchase on Amazon. Yes, I know this will limit my reach, but I am not okay with many things about that company; mainly, the way they treat indie authors. Things look incredibly easy over there, but if you read the fine print, they are truly trying to take ownership of your work. If you don’t protect yourself, you could end up in a real bind. Greedy fuckers. My work is now available through Barnes & Noble’s online store. Hopefully soon, I will branch out to other book sellers. Each listing requires a new ISBN, and those aren’t cheap. So, for now, you can purchase my work here:
I suppose that is all I have for you today, my lovelies. If you haven’t yet, go listen to me babble about myself on a recent episode of the From Page to Scream podcast! They are incredible! I am like the little nerd that got taken in by the cool kids. Their podcast is definitely worth following.
And lastly, if you don’t already subscribe to this lovely blog, please do so:
I did a thing, my lovelies. I participated in an episode of one of my favorite podcasts! I am a loyal patron to From Page to Scream. I highly recommend this podcast for all those who, like me, love horror literature, horror films, and all things macabre! Their deep-dive into Dracula is absolutely delectable!
They now offer patrons the opportunity to choose a horror adaptation to be covered on the show. I was honored to be the first patron to do so! While I would have loved to discuss Dracula with them (and seriously, they did SUCH a kick ass job on it!), being that it had already been covered, I chose my second favorite vampire story: Carmilla. After a brief interview with yours truly (and to my recollection, this was my first interview ever), they discuss the novel and the Hammer Films adaptation The Vampire Lovers. Yes, there was a 2019 film adaptation that followed the source material somewhat more, but it was drab and boring and I am grateful they covered the film from Hammer. It is undoubtedly the more entertaining film!
If you do nothing else for me, please go check out this podcast. You don’t even have to start with my episode; all of their work is darkly delightful, so jump in on any of their public posts! Patron status starts at only $6 a month, and it is definitely worth it. I encourage you all to follow From Page to Scream! And, if you are interested, here is the link to my episode. This is only part one, so if you enjoy this discussion of Carmilla, be sure to tune in when they post the rest of the conversation! I am only in the first 20 or so minutes of part one, but definitely listen to the entire episode. It is so good!
This was such an incredibly fun experience! I was nervous, but hopefully that isn’t too apparent during the episode. I am forever grateful to FPTS for this opportunity!
Welcome back, my lovelies. People often say that time goes by fast. It honestly doesn’t. Life isn’t short; it’s a long, arduous journey full of twists and turns and massive mountains followed by cavernous valleys. Sometimes, our dreams get lost in the shuffle. My writing seems to have stalled lately. The want is there, but the actual drive to create gets overridden by the day job and my real world responsibilities. Also, life is just fucking exhausting sometimes. Finding the mental and physical energy to write has felt nearly impossible this month. And last month. I fear I may be on some sort of terrible streak of unproductivity. This simply won’t do. I have to snap myself out of this ridiculous funk.
There. Much better. I may not be churning out the poems and stories at a rapid pace lately, but I have been working on my art. I am proofreading my author copies from Barnes & Noble. Life After Death, the first book in my series Tales from the Twisted Libra Cemetery, has already been approved and is available on the B&N site. (All my books are available there now, but the rest are still through Amazon, so just don’t purchase them right now. Wait until they are 100% B&N.) The others will follow soon. After they are all up and official on B&N, I am removing them from Amazon permanently. The less I am associated with that site, the better.
Thank you for hearing me out, my lovelies. I needed this. As always, I am grateful for anyone and everyone who reads this blog. If you stumbled here from elsewhere, go ahead and subscribe. I promise I’m worth it. You know you need a little Twisted Libra in your life.
Welcome back to the cemetery, my lovelies! I have some exciting news! I decided to expand the cemetery, and now I have my own beautiful garden! Don’t pull out the Benadryl just yet; it isn’t that type of garden. You see, I needed a place to express my thoughts regarding my recent foray into better mental health. I felt that this cemetery was better suited for my macabre creations, so I opened a new section for the Twisted Libra Garden! Check it out here:
I hope you will all enjoy this new section of the cemetery. Feel free to visit any time, and if you are subscribed to Dancing Among the Remains, be sure to also subscribe to Twisted Libra Garden! These are two separate blogs, and I wouldn’t want you to miss any of my posts! I may sometimes share the Garden posts here, but it will mostly be its own thing. I look forward to seeing what blooms over there!
Dancing Among the Remains 