Screaming Boy, Peace at Last

A most trusted friend of mine died about two months ago. RIP Jerry Lee York. I miss you terribly, but am filled with gratitude for the many wonderful times/experiences we had together. I hope to share some of them on my blog someday, but for now, it's too painful.

So today, I want to share a short-story based on a saga told in our neighborhood, about Mrs. Perkins & Timmy.

Screaming Boy

Humming my favorite hymn, ‘Amazing Grace,’ I stand at my kitchen sink washing my few lunch dishes.

Below me in the small ravine, I see a bunch of neighborhood boys splashing in the small pond. One in particular has an ear piercing scream that annoys me. His mother defends him by stating Timmy is autistic, but I've observed this wild child from the age of five, when I first moved to northwest Michigan. I don’t think there is anything wrong with this boy that direction and a strict set of rules wouldn't cure.

Now, one of the older boys is climbing out of the muddy water. He laughs as he slips and slides back in. Two others join him and all climb out at the same time. They turn toward Timmy and wave goodbye. He shrieks something in return. I don’t blame them for getting away from this annoying animal.

I turn to the utility closet and grab a broom. The floor isn't dirty, but I sweep it every day, no matter what. I’ll not be a dirty pig like, so many of the scum in this neighborhood.

Timmy in the pond below, continues to utter his monkey-sounds. What kind of parents would allow any child to swim in this disgusting water, anyway? 

Once, I climbed down the embankment. It wasn't easy for this 60-year-old body, especially with my bum knees. I’d gained a few pounds during the winter, which didn't help matters either. When I reached the pond’s edge, I observed water snakes and turtles poking their heads out of the surface. It was a mosquito haven, so I didn't last long. I soon labored up the steep incline, grabbing at the thick bushes and tree roots, to facilitate my ascent.

Washing my hands at the sink now, I see Timmy attempting to climb out the slick muddy edge of the pond. He slips and tries again. Then again. He’s yelling so loud you’d think someone would check up on him, but since he screams all the time, no one probably thinks he’s in need of help.

I hasten out of the kitchen and into my living room. Clicking on the TV to block out Timmy’s incessant shrieks. FOX news has two talking heads, arguing about gun control. It’s more than I can handle and click it off.

It’s quiet. Very quiet. I hurry to the kitchen window and stare down at the pond. The water is still. Timmy must have climbed out, but I don’t hear him yelling at his parents’ home across the street.

I bow my head and thank God for this peacefulness. Timmy is quiet. 

                                                                               ###

My book signing at a gallery here, was wonderful. Wish you could all have been here to share this experience with me. Jerry would have been so proud. 

Visions of Evil is available both in paperback and Kindle at Amazon.com. 

And remember, to help any author...please leave a review.

Until next time...

Coincidence, Miracle or an Entities Assistance?

Do miracles surround us every moment, and yet remain invisible.
     I recently read about a man who purchased a 1950's camera at a garage sale. He paid one dollar. In the camera was undeveloped film. 
     The man thought it would be fun to develop the film. Who knew what interesting scenes might be revealed?
     But he was disappointed when the images were only of strangers & a few snapshots of San Francisco taken long ago.

     He placed the photos on a coffee stand, planning to throw them away. His grandmother came for a surprise visit. She glanced at the photos and recognized her son, the young man’s uncle, who disappeared after a family argument. He’d swore he never wanted to see his parents again.
     In the photos, he appeared to be in his 40’s. Another photo had been shot in San Francisco during the '50’s.
     The grandmother and her grandson hurried to the house where he'd purchased the camera, only to learn the family didn't know anything about the camera. It was just an old camera that a cousin found twenty years ago, lying beside a roadside park over a thousand miles away.

     The grandmother was both saddened and elated. Saddened, since she hadn't seen her son since he was 18, but elated that he was still alive in his 40’s.

     Of course, we can call this a mere coincidence. A coincidence that someone took that photo of her son. A coincidence that the film had never been developed or removed from the camera. A coincidence that the camera had been picked up at that park, and then stored for all those years. A coincidence that the young man had purchased the camera, then on a whim, developed the old film. A coincidence that the grandmother had come to visit her grandson and found the photos of her son, the young man’s uncle.

     Could it be that “coincidences” like this surround us every moment, and remain invisible until we open our minds and listen to the voices of other entities around us? 

     Telling us to stop a the garage sale, buy an old camera, develop the film, place it on a table and then give a gentle nudge to the grandmother to visit.
     How many “coincidences” occur before we are willing to consider the possibility that there might be some kind of force at work within them?
     How statistically improbable must a chain of events be before we’re willing to consider the events a miracle or revealed by another type of entity, an angel or a spirit?

     Or what does it mean to explain things in the first place? Does explaining how these things can happen make them a coincidence, not a miracle?

     I’m certain that each of us have had a “coincidence,” a “miracle,” revealed to us during our lives. How many have we just taken for granted, not realizing the magnitude/complexity of the event. I can list hundreds. I'm certain that Angels surround all of us, waiting for us to recognize their presence.

One of my sons had an imaginary friend, "Feeny," as a child. Other adults teased him about his constant companion. I never did, as I believed my son that "Feeny," was there.

I believe that children's minds are open to other entities on this earth. When I was two, I spoke of my “other grandparents.”  I can still see their faces, their smiles and feel their love. Slowly they disappeared, or was I taught that they weren't really there.

I’m sure a few people who read this post will shake their heads in disbelief.  But perhaps one or two, will open their minds to the wonders/miracles around them. 

My WIP novel, "Visions of Pearl," is the introduction to Aureles. An entity that I’m certain exists to those with open minds. I can’t wait to finish this novel and share it with you all.

In the meantime, if you have not read "Visions of Evil," please do.

We are at our Writer’s Cottage, on Lake Michigan. Gentle rain falling. All is well.

The Perfect? Murder & November Musings

                    Thoughts on November 12, 2012

 1.  Thanksgiving is one of the most hurried holidays. It’s November 12th and the stores are decorated for Christmas and playing Carols. I know it’s a marketing tool, but I believe that buying gifts for Christmas has become way out of hand. 100 gifts under a tree is ridiculous, unless you have 100 in your family. Give the money you spend for gifts, (probably are hated anyway) to a charity or a needy family.  

       2.   Isn't ironic that the director of the 
       Central Intelligence Agency couldn't keep his affair secret?   
       There’s a lesson to be learned. What? Perhaps it’s integrity 
       or  maybe your sins will catch up with you, no matter whom /where
       you are.
   
     Things I've Learned From Crime Solving TV Shows.

1.      If you are the beneficiary of your planned victim’s 
life insurance policy stop now. They are going to know it was 
you and why you did it. 

2.      If you plan to poison your victim whatever you do, 
do not, use antifreeze.  They always find it. "Thankfully, I don't have any."

3.      If you work in the medical industry and plan to poison someone don’t steal the drugs from the place of your employment. That’s the first place they look.

4.      Do not do a web search for any kind of poison. They will seize your computer and find out what you've searched for. "OMG, I'm F***ed."

5.      If you plan to hire someone to kill your victim while you are away so that you have an alibi go with a professional one. The plumber’s friend will squeal and give you up.

6.      Should your victim bleed on your carpet/floor don’t try to clean it up with bleach.  Blood seeps into everything and it will be discovered. So before you kill your victim  put down a tarp and dispose it along with the body.

7.      If you plan to set your house on fire to cover the evidence of the crime, make sure the flames burn the body enough so that they can’t find the nick on his breastbone indicating that he was stabbed before the fire.  

Be sure to put a cigarette in the victim’s hand, so it will look like he/she started the fire. If they are not smokers, you have a problem. "Geez, I don't hardly know anyone that smokes, anymore."

8.      If you plan to place your victim in a car and then roll the car over a cliff, make sure you put the body in the driver’s seat. "Well, I don't think I'd make that mistake." 

9.      The authorities always examine stomach contents during an autopsy.  Don’t feed your victim or eat with them somewhere. The food will lead them to you.

10.    If you are trying to make it look like someone broke into your house and randomly shot your victim,  don’t throw the shell casings in the washing machine, the toilet, or the planter outside the door. Investigators will find them. Hiding a gun or knife under the bed or throwing it into the back yard isn't a good idea either. 

11.     If you want it to look like a suicide, make sure you think about “bullet entry trajectory.” No one can shoot themselves in the back of the head from 5 feet away. "Unless, of course, they are a trickster."

12.     If you plan to purchase anything to be used to commit the murder, pay cash and burn the receipt. And remember – stores have surveillance cameras.  Wear a wig & a fake nose. And don't dress as a pirate.

13.     Whatever you do don’t complain about your victim within six months of murdering him.  Don’t tell anyone you’d be better off if he were dead. Don’t solicit anyone you know for fast gun sales or reputable hit men.  They’ll rat you out so they can see their name in the paper.

14.    If you do have a co-conspirator and you get caught, which you will, make sure you get to the District Attorney first. I don’t care how much you think he/she loves you they’ll sell you out for a plea deal every time.

15.    Self defense is hard to prove if the victim was shot from behind, while kneeling, laying down or sitting.

16.    If you have books about murder/poisons, or you have episodes of your favorite crime shows on your DVR, don’t try to commit the perfect crime. It looks fishy and no one is going to believe it is just a coincidence. "Well, guess I better clean house."

17.    Don’t write novels about murderers and psychopaths, like Visions of Evil. 

        "Damn, I don't stand a chance."              

  Have  a Happy Thanksgiving. We all have many blessings.

          Over the river, and through the wood, To Nana’s house you 
          go,  the car/plane knows the way to carry you there, through 
          the white and drifted snow....

Well, no snow, but I’m blessed that a few of my family members will share this special holiday with me.  And it’ my birthday week!

Mr. Pickles, Squirrels & Hoarding

At my writing desk, I watch multi-colored leaves flutter into the wooded area behind our cottage. And Black Squirrels are frantically collecting & hoarding walnuts from our trees. It's for a good reason. Fall is sneaking upon us and winter will soon be here.

It's amazing that some people are hard-wired to collect & hoard like squirrels. And I'm not talking about money. They collect everything and anything...all year long!

When we moved into our Michigan cottage this summer, we didn’t know that a human hoarder lived two blocks away. His nickname is Mr. Pickles and can be seen in his old, red pickup pulling a utility trailer, barreling past our abode many times a day. 

And when Pickles isn't rushing by in his truck, he’s riding a bicycle, scoping out new treasures to collect later on.

Mr Pickles has a loud, hacking cough that everyone recognizes. We can hear it long before he rides/drives past our house. I was concerned it could be the symptoms of  Hanovirus, but I’ve been told that it’s a nervous condition, becoming worse when he thinks someone is critical of his actions. Hack! Hack! Hack!

Mondays is trash pickup day in our little village. Mr. Pickle is frantic all day Sunday and into the next day, scrounging through trash and throw-away items left nearby. Often, we awake to bottles/cans crashing into his pickup that we have diligently placed into the recycle bin. It’s disheartening, as Pickles doesn't recycle or redeem them. Nope. He just bags them and places them inside his house.

Many times, throughout the years, officials have cleaned up his property. This year alone, they have hauled away over 121 cubic yards of junk.

Last month, when city workers arrived to clean up Mr. Pickle’s property, we heard a commotion in the small canyon behind our house. Pickles was frantically hiding things in the bushes next to the creek below.

Another neighbor reported his actions and soon Pickles was in a police car for safekeeping.

I understand that hoarding is an illness, often a result of depression and an obsessive-compulsive disorder. Hoarders often cannot separate what's meaningful or not meaningful.

We've been told that Mr. Pickles situation has recently been turned over to County Health officials. I hope he can receive help for his illness. It's the best thing for him and the rest of the village.

Visions of Evil is now available in paperback! Click this link Amazon.com to order your copy. I promise...you won't be bored.  

Mystical Journey of Writing & Are you in my Novel?

Writing is a mystical journey. 

Whether I’m at the post office, a parade, shopping, visiting family or friends, I’m constantly watching, observing and taking notes in my mind. Writers often say, “Be careful, you may end up in my novel.” There is a bit of truth in that statement, but my characters are created completely in my mind. 

The true writer is more of a medium. They are like a conduit for the people they write about. My characters speak through me, using my voice, my body, my mind, to tell their story. They may have a few traits, habits or actions of people I’ve met in my life, but they are never the same as anyone I’ve ever known.

“Draw your chair up close to the edge of the precipice 

                            and I'll tell you a story.”  
                               F. Scott Fitzgerald

I've had a few people that are certain that some of the characters are based on them. That’s not true, but it is possible that they can see parts of their personalities or traits in one of my characters. And I’m sure there are bits of me in some of them too. 

Visions of Evil has settings in several places that are near where I’ve lived or visited in the past. The Nebraska ranch, the Denver area, San Diego and Sedona. Jake Tansey, is a sick creep, that unfortunately, I’ve know different sides of him in real life. The main story line for him, however, was taken from a true crime between Del Mar and La Jolla, CA. I couldn’t have made that part up.      

I've always been enthralled by the settlers who came west in the 1800’s or before. It was a tough trip and a rough life even after they reached their destination. And women, especially, were pitted against great odds. I hope when you read Visions of Evil, you will see the underlying strength in Pearl, Lulu and the others. Did their particularly hell really happen? Yes, the characters told me it did.

Visions of Rodeo, my next novel, is another story of a survival. The characters have told me their tale, both male and female. Ty is a jewel of a man who suffered terrible consequences. Rodeo, begins as a vulnerable, sweet teen and then her life, as she known it, is changed forever. I’m blessed that these two characters were channeled into 
                                          my mind. They now feel like friends.  

There are shades of truth in every novel/story, but not necessarily my truths. The thoughts and ideas, observations, come from minds of people who are often very different from me. I can’t take responsibility for them.    “Fiction is the truth inside the lie.” ― Stephen King

Once I had someone contact me stating that one of my stories was critical of the physically challenged. I never understood that comment. What do readers bring to the reading of my novels and short stories? I’ll never know, but I believe whatever it is, influences their interpretation of what they read, differently from others.

I try to keep my mind and heart open to all my characters. Yes, even the awful ones. But ultimately, they are responsible for themselves. Of course, some of my beliefs, inspirations, observations, memories, my research and knowledge, are weaved into the pages, but what I write is not all from me. And that’s the truth about all fiction.  

Of course it might still happen that someone thinks a certain character might be about them. The name starts with the same letter as their own name, they drive the same car, talk or walk the same way. These are simple coincidences. Really! 

Except you. Yes, you. You know who you are. You're going to be so sorry for the things you once said, the things you never did.  And the whole world is going to read about it. I'm kidding!    Then again...

Little People With Flashlights & Fireflies

Channel to Lake Michigan

We've been at our cottage in Pentwater, MI, for two weeks already. Lake Michigan is a quick walk & the marina is only 4 blocks away. The cool breeze from the lake and being surrounded by all the green is comforting. Time seems to fly by and every day is a new/interesting experience.

Late on the 3^rd night, I was writing at my desk which faces the treed canyon behind our place. Deep in thought, I raised my view from the computer screen and noticed a group of children, or small people, with tiny flashlights moving in a circle. They were at the bottom of the canyon near the creek.

 Of course, in my writer’s mind, I thought they might be a satanic group or perhaps it could be fairies. I quickly tiptoed to tell Jerry, but he was sound asleep.

Returning to my desk, I peered out my window again. The group had vanished.

The next morning, I told Jerry about seeing the children with their flashlights. He asked me if I’d pulled the wine out of the refrigerator after he’d gone to bed. He knew the answer…No!

That night he called me to the back door. “Is this what you saw last night?”

There flitting around in our back yard were a dozen fireflies.

I can only remember seeing these amazing insects once before as a child in McCook, Nebraska, while visiting my grandparents. As kids, we’d catch a few in a jar and take them home to Colorado. They didn’t survive. 

Then, living in Southern California for over 30 years, plus a few years in Sedona, Arizona, I haven't seen them since.  Almost every night here, they present a light show.

 Here are a few facts:

~Fireflies or Lightning Bugs emit light to attract mates and to communicate with    each other.

~The light is in the Fireflies tail or butt,  is an enzyme mixture of luciferase and luciferin. The light creates no heat. It's the most efficient use of energy known. Man cannot recreate this kind of light.

~Fireflies live only a few weeks. Only long enough to mate and lay eggs for the next generation. 

Sales of my novel "Visions of Evil," are going well & I have had over 14,000 downloads on Amazon.

I'm working steady on the next novel. 

I'll be writing another blog soon. Have a great summer.                

J. E. Neiman