My General Writing Process

I wrote this as a monthly challenge for my group at Writers 750 Good reads: Prepare to Write. See link below. 

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/22621441-october-prepare-to-write

I would first like to address the journey for my published book. I have only self-published one book, and that was in 2012 Mayan World of Vampires. This was back when vampires were on the big screen and TV (Twilight and Vampire Diaries). It inspired me to write a paranormal romance novel. At the time, I had a coworker with two young daughters. All three of them would read chapters I wrote for this and gave me critiques. I wrote it for young adults. There was violence and adult subject matters, but no bad language or graphic sexuality. I also wanted to interject a subtle Christian perspective, basing this thought on Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.” That is why I wrote about Brotherhood of the Eagle in my book. This is why the main character, Tez the vampire doesn’t drink human blood; he drinks the blood of large animals and large fish. The true villain of the story is a cursed vampire named Zafrina who had her beginnings in ancient Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh, Rameses II.

*As far as research, most of my research was done both before and during my writing. Wikipedia proved to be very helpful

Mayan World of Vampires has a wide range of characters, not only vampires, but young people coming of age, a holy man from the Brotherhood of the Eagle, ghosts, and an angel named Micah which means “Who is like Yahweh?” I made a list of the characters, using Mayan names with their meanings and their relationships. At the time I was a new writer and knew nothing about doing outlines. I was a “panser” at the time, meaning I wrote by the seat of my pants – not outlined. I would envision the scenes and then write dialogue and action. It was like a movie in my head that I put to words.

*I not only took inspiration from what I learned about the Mayan history and culture, but I took inspiration from music. I still have the playlist that inspired me. I took this cue from Stephanie Meyer when she was writing the Twilight Saga.

• “Fading” by Decyfer Down, a heavy metal Christian song speaks of the transition of Tez the vampire. “Every single day a part of my soul is fading...so save me from what I’ve become.”This would be the main story theme if this were a movie.
• “Deliver Me” by Sarah Brighton is about the main character Melanna, daughter of the king. She also had an antagonistic sister. And she was being forced to marry a demonic, abusive vampire; but there was a twist in events.
• “Fight Inside” by Red is a heavy metal Christian song that reminds me of the blood lust of Tez who struggled to do good versus to give in to his vampire nature.
• “Burn Back The Sun” speaks of the struggle of Tez, and the melody speaks of good times with his love, Melanna.
• “Frail” by Jars of Clay speaks of their relationship and journey.
• “Forever With You” by Decyfer Down is another song that cries out for a relationship, falling in love, “I want a lover to love and see what you see…here I am, forever with you”.

I have a half-written novel as a sequel that I’ve never completed, The Cursed Leviathan which is a ship that is commanded by Captain Jon “The Devil” Devon, a Jamaican vampire. I used YouTube videos to help me with Jamaican pronunciation and general speech.

For this sequel, I did type out a thirteen-point outline, although the outline is only half of the story. The timeline for this story is around the time that the Spanish occupied parts of the United States, primarily Florida. The Colusa Indians were living in Florida in my story. The villain Zafrina clashes with the Colusa Indians who happen to be shifters that change into cougars and alligators. (I took a hint from the Twilight Saga). I envisioned this novel coming to a climax of a battle between the Colusa/shifters and Zafrina’s bunch. Hopefully, an end of the curse for Jon Devon since a jealous witch cursed him and his love: in the daytime, his love turns into the ship’s masthead while he is forced inside his cabin; they cannot see or speak to each other.

I have mostly done short stories throughout the years since. I have added to a story theme using the same main characters that would make a young adult book, “The Enchanted Willow Forest” that all began with a story theme and prompts by Heather Schuldt. I really enjoy writing in the fantasy genre.

 

 

 

Psalm 91 (Haiku Poem)

By Glenda Reynolds

Living in shelter
Of Most High God Almighty
Your soul can find rest

I declare of God
He alone is my refuge
My place of safety

He will rescue you
From every trap and protect
From deadly disease

Shelt’ring you with wings
His promises, your armor
And your protection

Do not fear terrors
Of disease or disasters
Evils won’t touch you

When God is refuge
No evil will conquer you
No plague will come near

He orders angels
Protection for you always
They will hold you up

The Lord will rescue
And protect those who trust Him
Call and He’ll answer

God will honor those
Rewarding them with long life
Giving salvation

 

HE IS RISEN

 by Glenda Reynolds

Women carrying spices

Bowed low before the angels

The Lord was not there.

Why look in a tomb

For the living among dead?

He’s come back to life!

Messiah would be

Betrayed, crucified, and then

The third day risen.

Peter ran there too

Seeing folded linen wraps

Only wonderings.

Journey to Emmaus

Two talk about Jesus’ death

Suddenly He’s there.

Then unrecognized

He quoted prophets’ writings

Telling of Himself.

Joining for dinner

Jesus blessed and broke the bread

Then He disappeared.

Their hearts strangely warm

Hearing scriptures on the road

Ran to tell others.

Disciples waiting

The Lord suddenly appeared

See His hands and feet.

The writings of Psalms

And Prophets must all come true

Then they understood.

Written that Messiah

Suffer, die, then rise third day

Salvation to nations.

Hands high, He blessed them

Rising into the sky and

Onward to heaven.

All filled with mighty joy

Worshipped and served the great God

Continued praising.

31 Days of October - Vol. 1

 This is the anthology that started it all. These are short stories submitted by various writers from Writers 750 group at Goodreads.  

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/177782-writers-750

I had the priveledge of being one of those writers as well as doing the book cover, making the video, and helping to edit volume one as well as volumes two and three. My short stories are "Curse of The Incan Mummies," "Family Halloween Traditions," and "Two Men And a Van."

https://www.amazon.com/31-Days-October-Collection-Halloween-ebook/dp/B01LZO325X/

Book Trailer ~

The Jacob in Me

 

 

 

 

The Jacob in Me

By Glenda Reynolds

Eternity. Whoever thought it would come so soon. I’ve always been a “rascal”, a modern-day Jacob, a trickster, an entertainer, and an occasional thief. When I was elementary school age, my family had already made up their minds that when I grew up, I’d be destined for jail. I admit it. I was a little devil.  That’s what happens when you grow up without a father, and your mother is holding down two jobs to provide for her family. That gave me an opportunity to befriend a mischievous boy who talked me into hauling large bags of toilet paper for TP-ing people’s properties. A policeman stopped and asked us what we were doing with all that toilet paper. My friend answered disrespectfully, and the cop hauled us in his police car. You can imagine what I put my mother through.

After graduating from high school, I joined the Navy. Discipline didn’t sit too well with me. I corresponded with my sister. She sent me one small cookie with a letter, probably payback from when I let the air out of her bicycle tires when we were kids. But I recognize a good joke when I see one. My Navy career didn’t go so well. I went AWAL twice and struck a commanding officer. The Jacob in me always came out. I was finally discharged.

I soon found my niche as a salesman. You know the reputation of car salesmen, right? That’s what I was. They called me “Samurai Sam” back in the day. I left the auto sales industry and gravitated to home entertainment sales. Home entertainment was and still is a lucrative industry. But the Jacob came out in me. I was caught stealing merchandise from my employer. My family’s vision of my future came to pass. However, they didn’t post flyers saying, “Have you seen this person?” They didn’t even know I was in jail until one of my friends made phone calls to raise money for my bail. My bail was posted and I was released.

I found employment in the same industry as a salesman. But the weekends were meant for partying which I was very good at. I was the life of the party. Give me Budweiser or Jim Beam whiskey, it doesn’t matter. After one of these parties, I was driving home on Highway 75 in Fort Myers. I’m sure I angered a motorist or two. My driving was horrendous. My truck collided with another vehicle causing me to be thrown from it.  While I lay there in the road covered in dirt and grit, an angel appeared next to me and looked down at me. Other humans who had parked on the side to come to my aid were oblivious to his presence. That’s because I was in between worlds.

“You are lucky, son. I’m glad I found you,” the angel said.

“I never told you to look for me,” I spat out. “What makes you think I’m so lucky? Does this look lucky to you?”

“You aren’t ready for heaven yet. God is giving you a second chance.”

I tried fighting against the message by pushing myself off the ground. This was actually my spirit doing the moving; my body lay still on the asphalt. The angel came closer and pushed me forcefully on my chest.

My eyes opened with a jolt caused by the electricity from the defibrillator used by the paramedic to get my heart to beat again. Yes, I was given a second chance. I almost blew it though, Jacob style.

I lived my life the way I wanted. I bragged about my financial success. I bought a boat and took my dog with me while I fished or mingled with other boaters on weekend getaways with lots of sand and surf. I was addicted to cigarettes and booze. The party was not complete until I was there to entertain which I did so well.

One day I checked myself in with a doctor after discovering blood on my pillow and on my face. It turns out I had throat cancer. The weeks that followed were filled with radiation treatments followed by chemotherapy. I lost significant weight. The pain was too great to continue as a salesman or to even speak to relatives on the phone. But in God’s mercy, people reached out to me, sending me devotional books and praying for me on the phone. I decided that I would no longer be a Jacob. I put my life in God’s hands.

But I died.

Months later, to my sister’s surprise, she found an old birthday card that I had sent her years ago. Of course, she had forgotten about it. She also found a Christmas card that I had sent during my time in the Navy. I had written in it how I regretted that we couldn’t watch each other grow into young men and women, that it hurt my heart. No, we can’t go back in time. We can only make choices for the future. But we will see each other one day in the greatest reunion that will ever be, in the presence of the Lord God almighty.

 

Monster Spa

 

The earth had made another trip around the sun leaving us once again in the month of October. Amid the chaos of the world, food shortages, and masses of laid-off workers, there are ways to tune it all out.  I can always count on some “me time” at my favorite spa. To my delight, there was a full moon this evening. Perfect!  I arrived at the spa in which the sign on the establishment read

 

Monster Spa

We Take The Trick Out of Treat!

 

I parked in my usual spot out front in my black, shiny T-Bird with leopard upholstery and white walled tires, just like Elvira’s. The bell jingled as I opened the door to the establishment. The gang was all here.  Alice was on the massage table getting a work over by a masseuse named Teddy that looked like Lurch from the Addams Family.  Alice is a goblin with dark facial features. Teddy’s skillful hands were making her giggle with delight. He finished off with a toilet plunger on her back, and she loved this even more.

I checked in at the desk.

“You want the usual, Ms. Wulf?”

“Of course, yes please.”

“Right this way.”

I was pampered by a staff person named June who was born in the month of October. Go figure! She applied a mixture of Indian kama oil and sea salt to exfoliate my skin. June noticed excess hair being exfoliated. She had a worried look on her face.

“Don’t worry. I grow a new batch every full moon.” She was okay with that. 

I looked over and saw Meritamon, an Egyptian mummy friend being unwrapped. She had just had a full body makeover. She had special magical herbs applied from head to toe that regenerated her dried up mummified skin. It was necessary for the regiment to be wrapped completely to work. Now for the big reveal. The staff person handed her a mirror to see the results. Meritamon was so happy with the results that one of her eyes popped out. She promptly poked it back in and thanked the staff person.

Three witches named Allison, Tasha, and Jessica were already in the hot whirlpool known as the Creepy Caldron. They were gossiping no doubt.  Maybe they were discussing the latest, greatest spells.

After I was done with me body treatment, I sat reclined with green Rotten Egg treatment on my face and cucumber slices on my closed eyes. Spooky, gothic musicals played in the background.

Kora the Greek vampire was one of the staff people. She made her rounds to the patrons to give each person a hot cup of herbal tea. When she got to me, I was none too happy.

“Really? Wolfsbane? I could smell it from across the room! Get that away from me!” My claws immediately grew three inches. I made a swipe to claw the tray of herbal tea out of her hands. The tray clattered on the tile floor. Immediately Kora was on all fours on the ceiling above me. She bore her fangs at me and hissed. I knew that Kora didn’t like me, but this was taking it too far. In my rage, I fully wolfed out in response to her attempt at giving me wolfsbane. My primal growl startled both guests and staff. I stood there with my feet apart, fangs extended, and fur from head to toe.

“Come now ladies. Let’s not make a scene,” said Mr. Drexel , the ghoul and owner.

“Too late for that, I’m afraid,” I said with disgust in my rough voice.

“I apologize, Ms. Wulf. Your spa treatment is on the house today.”

“Thank you, Mr. Drexel. I appreciate it.” After I calmed down a bit, my claws retracted and my wolf hair vanished.  I returned to my humanoid self looking like a regular brunette lady. The Thompson zombie twins Hugo and Hermie had just had a shave and garg-oil treatments. They were both shirtless and wearing only towels around their hips.

“Ms. Wulf, sorry you had to experience that. Let’s have a good time over at the Creepy Caldron,” offered Hugo.

“Do, let’s relax and join the others,” suggested Hermie as he offered me a glass of wine.

“The exfoliating herbs and oils are doing wonders for you both. Less dead skin,” I offered. I slipped my hands around each of their arms as the three of us joined the others at the whirlpool. The Thompson twins dropped their towels. To everyone’s horror and delight, the twins were missing flesh due to their zombified condition. But still - we all had a spooktacular time.