On this dreary day, Thea wrote sitting in the tub, her favorite place for creating stories. Writing allowed her to sink into another world while candles lit the steamy room and bath bubbles glistened.
But Thea’s story was side-tracked when a knock at the front door roused her from the fantasy world she’d created of knights and lasses and a well-spoken dragon. By the second, louder knock, she dried herself off with a towel, grumbling that she could have stayed in the tub another half hour.
The third knock was obnoxiously insistent, so Thea pulled on her jeans and sweatshirt and stomped to the door.
“Yes?” she asked, irritation noticeable in her tone.
“Dorothea? Dorothea Clark?” the young man asked. Since he was dressed like a chauffeur, Thea presumed the extra-long black Cadillac in her driveway was his.
“May I come in?” he continued, staring at her as if she was his long-lost mother. Thea swallowed at that thought. At 42, she could have a son this age. In fact, she did have a son this age – one that she gave up before she even noticed the color of his eyes.
“I don’t invite strangers into my home,” Thea replied holding the door tighter. His eyes were blue and his longish blonde hair curly. Thea touched her damp hair, which curled around her fingers.
The man’s Adam’s apple moved up and down in nervousness. Perhaps he’s a fan, Thea decided. As a bestselling novelist in the fantasy realm, she had many, particularly young people.
“I need ….”
“Ah,” Thea finished for him. “You want a signed autograph of my book.”
His face fell in confusion, blonde eyebrows shifting toward his long, straight nose.
Thea touched her own straight long nose, then pointed: “You’re holding my book, Dragons of the Night.”
The chauffer raised the book in front of him as if wondering how it got there. Then he turned it around, pointing to the photo of Thea on the back cover.
She peered at it, wondering why her publisher choose to use a decades-old photo. Her face was wrinkle-free then, blue eyes laughing, one hand moving a wisp of hair away from her forehead. On that hand glowed a golden ring that Thea no longer wore – the one engraved in the center with the words, I Live.
Raising his right hand in front of Thea, the young man showed off his gold ring, engraved in the center with the words, “For You.”
When Thea swooned, he caught her.
All that happened, more or less, on the last day Thea ever wrote in the tub.
Photos thanks to Pixabay.
Hmm. Intriguing, Pam. And the plot thickens. I do hope we find out who the young man is and the story of the rings, which hint at something as curly as their hair.
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Oh my, Norah, you started a trend here. Everyone now wants to hear more. Many times when I write these flash fictions, I intend for the reader to make her/his own conclusions. You all are going to make me work hard to keep the story going. When I wrote it, I could see the answer, so I’ll see if I can relate it in an interesting way. Thank you for your response! ❤
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Well, Pam. I’m pleased I started a ‘we want to know more’ trend. 🙂 Please let us in on the secret.
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Plz give me your phone number
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I too hope the story doesn’t end here!!
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I was going to leave it up to the readers’ imaginations, but with the response to this post, I better let Thea and the mysterious young man explain in the next installment. ;-0
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Yes!!
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Another great story!
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To bathtub writing! 🙂 (Which I’ll confess right here, is not my ‘thing.’ But give me hot water and a good book, and I’m settled in for a long while.)
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Agreed. I love reading in the bathtub or chatting on the phone (usually with my daughter) but I haven’t yet written in the tub.xo
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I think I might need to start writing in the tub! Don’t leave us hanging, Pam. 🙂
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Your stories might get too “steamy,” Jill, if you write them in the tub. 🙂 (Sorry, couldn’t help myself). xo
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❤
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tell us more….
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Thea returns next Friday! ❤
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Pam, what a beautiful and exciting story. Your writing flows with such ease.
I hope I am right in guessing it was the long long lost son on the door step.
There are many similarities…
Miriam
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But for reasons to be explained in Friday’s continuation, Thea could not expect to ever see a long lost baby long gone…. ;-0
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Well, like others, I’m intrigued and waiting for more. 🙂
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So interesting, Merril. In many ways I think of flash fiction as poofs of poetry, where the reader is left to her/his own devices to interpret the story. But no, everyone here is urging me to continue, so I’ll tell more next Friday. ❤
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To me, it seemed a bit too open. 🙂 But I enjoyed it, so I want to know more.
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More! More! 🙂
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All a writer needs to hear from her readers is “More! More!” and her day/week is happy. More coming next Friday. 🙂
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Oh my gosh, the first laugh-out-loud of the morning! I am thinking it was the man she was going to marry…but they were cruelly separated by Grandfather Fate who had other plans for them in the interim.
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I love reading your interpretation, Kathy. Grandfather Time would have had to merge with Grandfather Fate to make this a romantic lost-and-found. Hmmm, Thea will explain all next Friday….
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Tub writing is such a delicious pleasure…
and your writing is such a delicious intrigue…
do tell more!
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Flattery will get you everywhere, Louise. Thea and the young stranger will continue their story next Friday… ❤
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I so hate a cliffhanger. I recently read a whole book that left me wondering in the end and refused to buy the one that explained what happened. I just can’t relate because I’m not the dreamy bathtub kind of person. Pragmatic to the core. Sure as hell takes the fun out of life. 😉 Next time around, I’m asking for a better imagination. 🙂 I so want to know the rest of the story. Please hurry.
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Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you hanging on the cliff, but seems that everyone who’s read this feels the same, so next (and last) installment on next Friday’s post! (And really, truly, try a long soak in the tub with a good book – it may change your world). 🙂
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I thought to myself after I sent the comment I came off too strong as you couldn’t see my smile or hear my giggle. I don’t mind short term cliff hangers but if I run into a 2 part TV show, I’ll tape part one and wait to watch it after I’ve taped part 2. A story should leave you wanting more but never leave the reader without conclusion of some sort. I know I like to read character driven series as long as the wrap up is satisfying. I love reading what you write and really want to read that conclusion or next chapter. I love to read in bed at night but rarely take baths. Always in a hurry and waiting. ;))
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I actually take your comments seriously and to heart. They are helpful. I think some people like cliff hangers, but most want at least some semblance of an answer to the ending. All of this has led me to the post about Thea that I’m writing (ending??) for Friday. 🙂
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Need to know about the rings! Help?
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Your plea for help will be answered next Friday, Jeanette. Thanks for reading and wondering. xo
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There better be more, young lady!!! ♥♥♥
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Okay, okay, You and the other readers here have convinced me – the next (and last!) installment of Thea and the rings on Friday! ❤
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Delightful story Pam. I do hope you will help us out and continue this titillating tale! 🙂
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I truly didn’t realize that all of the readers here of Thea’s last day (in the tub) would be caught up in her story of lost love and the rings. I will add to/finish the suspense next Friday. ;-0 Thanks SO MUCH for reading and enjoying the bath tub tale.
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Yay! Thanks. 🙂
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Intriguing! Is this the beginning of a novel? Or a series of stories?
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I actually wrote this as a stand-alone piece of flash fiction, Carla. But on the pleas of the post’s readers, I will conclude it next Friday. Fiction that is less flash but not a full-fledge long story either. I call these Short Short Stories. 🙂
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I love short pieces!
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Awwww. That’s a lovely story. I love happy endings. I also love hot bubble baths. I’d prefer if is she had to get up out of a comfy chair. That hot bubble bath was “too much” to give up. But then the metaphor works better, hmmm? Nice one!
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Those of us who live in cold winter locales know that only a hot bubble bath can sink us into all-enveloping warmth again, Janet. And yes, it has to be something REALLY IMPORTANT to get us out of that bathtub, for sure. 🙂
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I think opening a door to a stranger is not a good idea. That “upped the tension for me already. What if he’d been (or maybe he IS) an axe-murderer? But then again, what if he’s not? I suppose this conversation couldn’t have happened through the peephole in the door…. And that ring….Oh dear, the tension!!! He wasn’t the pizza delivery boy, was he?
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Pizza? From a stretch limo? Hmmmm, read next Friday’s (last) installment to find out if he was worth opening the door for, Anneli. (I added your name here so my sentence doesn’t end with “for.” Does that work? 🙂
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Ha ha, the preposition problem. I find it very annoying to have to turn sentences around to avoid it. Churchill said (about having to avoid ending a sentence with a preposition), “That is language up with which I will not put.”
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I love Churchill’s witticisms. I read somewhere, someplace, recently, that the ‘no preposition at the end’ rule is old-fashioned and unnecessary Cheers to that! 🙂
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So glad to hear that because it’s not the way people talk (that old-fashioned way).
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And then what happened?!! Inquiring minds want to know.
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Good question, Ally. I guess I better write the next (last) installment to find out. Crossing fingers I discover the answer with the rest of you on Friday…. ;-0
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Pam this is another mysterious googly wrapped in fantasy! Ah! how I admire your skill of weaving wonderful webs. Waiting for more. 🙂
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A web is never finished, in some ways, but I shall try my best to make this intricate web of lies, deceit, surprise and love find an ending…
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Ah very intriguing, Pam. I have my thoughts but will keep them to myself in case there is another episode coming.
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Hmmmm, I wonder what you’re guessing, Robbie. Thea’s voice has come to me in my dreams, so I’m weaving the answer into next Friday’s post…xo
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This was great–at first, I thought of “flash fiction” but all your fans would have wanted much more!
Um-mm Pam—, how does one write in a hot bubble-bath without getting the paper soggy and the ink running? I’m usually too relaxed to lift a pen. . . . 🙂
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First, yes my plan was to make this a flash-in-the-pan flash fiction piece. But readers have another idea altogether, so I’ll try to give them some “satisfaction.” And I’ll have to ask Thea how she manages to write in the tub – I’m with you, I just read my Kindle in the tub with candlelight. 🙂 Oh, she just whispered in my writer’s ear that she uses a special bath tray that fits on either side of the tub. She’s very ambitious and probably doesn’t know how to relax in hot water. ;-0
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I’m guessing the reverie began when Thea had drunk the last swallow of bubbly from her wine-glass, tub-side.
You did mention the word “fantasy,” right?
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I’m smiling, Marian. I think you should make your fantasy come true sometime (in the not too distant future) and sip some bubbly from a deep steamy bubble-bath. ❤
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Sounds perfecto!
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So much to think about. I would have gone for “it was the son she gave up.” But, that is so obvious. She must be in danger and he’s coming to rescue her and whisk her to another world…???
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My flash fiction readers are expecting fantasy from me.
But what if this story is as real as real can be?
I suppose waiting until Friday is the key,
to finding out the answer for all to see.
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Excellent. Pamela.
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Thanks, John!
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Excellent! I can’t wait for the next part…
I was reminded of an episode of – ahem – Red She Diaries – where the main character always wrote while soaking in the tub.. she wrote about her fantasies…
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Interesting! I don’t know that series or program. I wonder if Thea does…. ;-0 🙂
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Hmmm… if she likes um… “romantic” stories for women 😉
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Well, I know I’d like ‘um!
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As do I!!
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*Shoe… not she
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Ohhhhh, now I can find the one you’re talking about. Tee hee. xo
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Haha 😉
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Hooked! 🙂
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Glad you’re hooked to Thea’s story, Bette. Now I better hope I don’t sink in the final telling of what happens to her…. ;-0
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Hmmm…wrinkly skin and a tad older on the outside—but Thea’s heart beats as it did many years ago—what could be the secret in the ring she wore and the ring he had???
Do tell, Pam, do tell!!!!!!! 🤔💍
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I think you’re coming up with a much more interesting ending than I had in mind, Pat. One of these days I should have my READERS write the next installment!!!! xo
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I just read this and now I know I need to back and read more! Quite intriguing!
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I always like to start my stories “in the middle,” as writers are encouraged to do. Who needs the boring intro stuff? I’m only hoping that the next piece of this story – which I’ll post this coming Friday – will live up to expectations. ❤
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What? Pamela, you are at it again. Are you going to finish the story- I hope?
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I’m going to try my darnedest to finish up Thea’s story on Friday. Yikes!
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Sounds like he might have been worth getting out of the tub for!
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You always get to the “heart” of the matter in your comments, Nancy. Love ’em. ❤
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Thanks! I look forward to Friday’s installment.
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Fabulous ending! 😀
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That’s what I thought, but everyone’s clamoring for more answers to Thea’s predicament. Sigh. I shall power on in the next post…. 🙂 Thanks so much for reading and enjoying.
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-grin- when there’s demand there must be supply. Go to it! lol
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Is he her son? Is that his father’s/her husband’s ring he has on? I love a great cliffhanger, and this one is excellent. I hope we find out soon.
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Hugh, you have come the closest in your questions to Thea’s predicament. I’m impressed! I’ll show you how it ties up in this coming Friday’s post. Thanks so much for tweeting the story, too.
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Your stories are like chocolate, Pam – I can never get enough! I don’t think it’s her son, or is it? What about the ring? So many questions….
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Molly – when I wrote this I didn’t think I’d have to tie up all the ends. I’m good at “loose ends” (just look at the piles of stories/letters/bills scattered around my office!). But I shall do my best on Friday’s post. xo
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Haha! I’m good at ‘loose ends,’ too, Pam. But I’m glad you are yielding to pressure and will give us the ‘end of the story.’ We won’t talk about the office clutter. 😉
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Well, you have certainly succeeded in leaving more questions than answers, but since we’re speaking of fantasy writers, that does give us free rein to carry on the story, doesn’t it? 🙂
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I do wonder what would have happened if Thea wrote historical fiction, or mystery. Fantasy has everyone moving the story in quite interesting ways!!!
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What? You leave us hanging at the door? I definitely hope there is a subsequent chapter Pam. Brilliantly written.
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Tune in tomorrow. Endings are so much harder to write than the beginning… (hint, hint). xo
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I can’t write in the tub, Pam, without getting everything soaked. Ha ha. But that’s beside the point. Great story and I want the rest. There’s some magic in the air? Some history to be revealed? A next chapter in Thea’s life? And why no more writing in the tub?
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I read voraciously in the tub, Diana, but no writing for sure. The ending of Thea’s story could be that the words fell in and that was the end of her career! But no, I’d never do that to her; author to author, we need to take care of each other. 😉
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You are so kind. 🙂 But you know… we’re supposed to mess things up for our characters before we fix them. Lol.
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I’ll stay tuned. I know there has to be more. In the meantime, I’ll dust off my tub.
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Dust off your tub? Really? One of the best things of living in the cold New England winters and getting warmed up in a deep hot tub. Add bubble bath, Cheryl!! xo
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P.S. See if you can link your photo to your website instead of your gravatar. There’s a way to do it (but of course I’ve forgotten how). ;-0
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Nice, I can’t wait for the next installment.
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The ending of Thea’s story, but not her life, will be posted tomorrow. ❤
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Thought-provoking, with a dab of mystery, Pam—here’s hoping there’ll be another installment!
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Thanks for enjoying Thea’s dramatic dilemma. A bit of the mystery will be clearer in tomorrow’s post… I hope!
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Very intriguing Pam, I drew my own conclusions so I’ll see if they’re the same as yours!
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I’ll be curious to know if they match, Andrea!
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OK, there better be more, soon. My imagination is going too many different directions.
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And you have such a GREAT imagination, Jacqui!
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I too now need to know who that was, lol 🙂 xx
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You may not be surprised in tomorrow’s reveal, Debby. Yet, maybe you will be! 🙂
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Lol, we shall see 🙂
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Oooh, this leaves me hungry for more…much more. My heart feels tender towards the blue eyed young man. His ring…was it the father’s? You create such rich context and depth in such a short piece Pam, so impressive. Love it. Blessings, Harula xx
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Somehow, Harula, you felt exactly the tenderness I did when the young man entered my story. You’re a wonder. xo
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Haha–I guess I might as well add that I’d love for you to keep the story going! I read your comments that you were hoping our imaginations would fill in the blanks. Who do you think we are? Readers? 🙂
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You’re funny, Kate. Yes, you and the others here are readers, but I get that they don’t want to be left floating around, not knowing what the heck is happening to Thea. So I’ll include “the rest of her story” (or a few reveals, anyway) for tomorrow’s post. I love that readers of our blogs allow themselves to get involved with our characters, and to care about them. Oh, happy day for me! ❤
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Oh wow, very nice Pam. You do have a way of rounding off a story with a bang. (And yes, a well-spoken dragon indeed, not a scary one with fiery breath.)
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Life is scary enough – who needs a fire-eating dragon? 🙂
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Like the others, I would like to know more about the story. So dig deep and bring it about if you can… would love to hear more! ❤
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Pingback: The Ending of the Beginning | roughwighting
Pam, you had me from the very first paragraph as I envisaged this unique writing place … and think I’ve been missing out! 😀 Oh, the pace of the story doesn’t let up whilst still being gentle. You raise so many questions and we understand there has been loss in Thea’s life and a child she never knew. Luckily for me your finale has just been posted – heading over to read!
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Good timing on your part, Annika. I struggled with what Thea’s ending would be to this first part, but then I realized–why? I don’t believe in true endings. xoxo
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Ok, I’m hooked and moving in several directions. So curious as to where you’ll take this..:)
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Glad you’re enjoying Thea’s story!
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Very good post!
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Many thanks!
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