Four years ago, we went on a family vacation to Disney World. Not a huge fan of flying, I spent most of the three+ hour flight working on my webserial. (Of course, it wasn't a webserial at the time, but the story was still there.) I had just finished what would become seasons one and two, and I wanted to write the story about how Eliot ended up in Oakville. I also started a story about Pat kissing Chloe, though I didn't finish it. And I drafted a scene or two for the futuristic medical drama I was composing at the time.
I wrote all of this in a little memopad, the kind that came in a four-pack at the dollar store. When we returned to Connecticut, I put the notebook in a safe place.
And I haven't seen it since.
I remembered the highlights from Eliot and Pat's stories, as well as the scene with the medical director. Eventually, I gave up on ever finding the story and just rewrote them. Last year, I released Mooncrossed. Last month, I published "Innocent Bystander".
Last weekend, I was looking for craft sticks to make some puppets with my youngest when I found a memopad in the craft cabinet. I have been through there so many times in the past few years that I doubted it was the pad I had lost so long ago. I assumed it belonged to one of hte kids. However, it has become a habit to flip through every memopad I find, just to make sure it's not my missing one.
I couldn't believe it. I had found my missing stories!
Reading through the stories, I couldn't believe how much had stayed the same. There were scenes from Mooncrossed and Hartfield Chronicles Season 2 that were nearly identical to their final drafts. I must have found some time to type out my notes before losing the notebook.
But I knew I had never typed out "Innocent Bystander". There were some great lines in that first draft that I wished had made it into the final copy, but my original concept was for it to be a novella, not a short story. The story opened with Eliot sitting in a prison cell and, while I loved the scene, after doing some research, I realized it would work better if Eliot was just questioned by the police instead of arrested.
Even though I will probably never use the stories I just found, I am thrilled to finally know what happened to them.
How about you? Have you ever lost something forever only to find it years later?
Hartfield Chronicles
Season 4 of Hartfield Chronicles has arrived!
When Melinda is invited to join a new dance class, she sees this as her big break, a chance to advance her skills. Before she can accept, however, another kind of break stops her in her tracks.
Pat wants to be the supportive boyfriend, but his efforts seem to be making Melinda uncomfortable. He can’t go to his own friends for advice, because they can’t understand.
After Melinda calls for another type of break, she and Pat must examine their relationship to determine whether they are meant for each other.
Hartfield Chronicles follows the lives of Melinda, Pat, and their friends as they navigate their way through boarding school life. Each episode features two stories, one from Melinda's point of view and one from Pat's, along with an excerpt from Melinda's writing journal. New episodes are published every Friday.
Here's what you missed:
Episode 75: Melinda tells her mother about her broken ankle and Pat volunteers for a new program
A mystery thriller, featuring attorney Charlotte Watson and the ghost of her ex-husband, John.
A haunted legal thriller
Meet Charlotte Watson, a criminal defense attorney in Conoy County, Pennsylvania. She's haunted by her dead ex-husband, John, who only shows up if she's on a date or her client is innocent.
And she needs to solve the case of the missing bullet before her client gets sentenced to death row.
Would you like some free books in exchange for an honest review?
Zypher
A short story collection set in the same world
No matter who we are or where we are from, we all have a story.
Welcome to the world of Zypher, a new fantasy world where magical abilities are the norm with diverse people like the Galia, Aloka, Fariga, and many more. In these seven short stories you will find martial artists who experience growth, a girl struggling with her self-image, a boy in a heated battle with his emotions, and others who endure struggle, strife, and fear as they discover who they are and why they matter. Each story has a unique theme and charm that will resonate with young adults & adults alike. Zypher touches on topics like:
Self-acceptance & growth
Racism & prejudice
Stereotypes
Uncontrolled emotions
Helping others
Inspired by stories found in movies, tv shows, video games, and animation. Zypher is perfect for middle grade & young adult readers or fans of contemporary fantasy. The stories in this short story collection will transport you to a new world, teach you valuable lessons, and provide the magical blend of action, adventure, and heartwarming tales!
The Curse of Dawn
A dark fairytale about regaining hope and the reason for living.
A Jaded Princess, a Remorseful Witch, and a Broken Knight. Can They Break 'The Curse of Dawn'?
In the darkness of night, the moon is the only light.
Your beauty will be as fair as your heart.
But in the brightness of day, the sun enters the fray.
You will be a nightmare, destined to be torn apart.
Cole Holton is a burden.
At least that is what he tells himself, and death would be the only way to end the nightmare known as his life.
Until he meets Mallena, a woman with the stars in her eyes and a curse haunting her heart. A woman who is losing the one thing she gave him... Hope.
Can Cole break the curse and free Mallena from despair? Or will he fail and fall to his own demons?
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Other Books on Sale
Virus Attack
Cataclysm in the Cosmos Book 1
Two separate cat species collide in the cosmos to tackle one shared mission: survive deadly virus attacks while thwarting the tyrannical schemes of power-hungry leaders. Zahra and Orion have misled the felidors of exoplanet Kapteyn b, assuring them they can achieve immortality if they merge with a different species to counteract the virus. Felidors are more advanced than felines and have achieved intergalactic space travel along with language assimilation skills.Meanwhile, felines on planet Earth face a horrible virus themselves. Their future is just as dire as the felidors. Now, only one shelter houses cats that are still infection free, but time is running out. Inside this facility are two caged cats. Donovan from Kapteyn b and Khan from planet Earth. They become fast friends and allies. What will happen to them?Five extraordinary felidors are led by Artema in a fight to maintain goodness and equality on their home planet and beyond. Follow the action in this explosive novella series as Rhea, an almighty cat god of the universe, battles her evil sister Hecate’s takeover attempts!
My Corfu Love Story
A Greek clean beach romance short read set in Corfu Greece
Spyri forever lives in the past, haunted by old memories. This summer, she meets a man she once loved, and he is about to change everything...
Spyri, a half-Greek restauranteur in her early thirties, is back on the island of Corfu, staying in her grandmother's village home for a few days to decompress from her busy life in London. Her nostalgia for the good old summer days hit her upon her return.
When she hears that Markos, the one she never forgot, is staying at the village, she becomes excited. Sparks begin to fly when they meet, but Markos has his own hurts of the past to deal with...
The Death of Knowledge
A Most Unusual Suburban Mystery
Everyone knows there’s no crime in the City of Scolaris. Try telling that to the dead man!
Born into servitude, Quill relies on the Master for everything. But when they uncover a body, she’s sent away from the only home she’s ever known. Forced to serve the corpse’s widow, she discovers a world of power and prejudice, secrets and lies, a world she doesn’t recognise.
Meanwhile, in the City Guard, Deputy Red set out to be a trailblazer, a rebel. At least that’s the story he told himself. Imagining a career of action and intrigue, what he didn’t bank on was zero crooks and the boss from hell. Excited by the prospect of a case, Red must choose between following orders or trusting his instincts.
When the finger of suspicion points perilously close to home, Quill and Red’s paths cross with disastrous consequences. And as the quest for justice reaches its climax, both have to make choices that change their lives forever.Perfect for armchair sleuths, The Death of Knowledge offers an exciting twist on a traditional murder mystery, keeping you guessing until the very last word.
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