Sunday, August 21, 2022

Callie Ch 7 by Leanne Dyck (inspired by the writing life) "Open Mic Night"

 Chapter Six: Aurora takes the job as a server at The Starving Artist and seals her fate with Callie. Do you think she made the right decision? What would you have done?

photo by ldyck

Callie

Chapter Seven

Friday after Friday, my co-workers kept pressuring me. "Tonight?" and "Come on get up there."

Clearly sharing my stories was an expectation. If I didn't join in would I lose my job? Fear that the answer was yes drove me out of the audience to the microphone. The lights were low; the bar was crowded. I read my words with emphasis the way I'd rehearsed.

 Alone with Him

Applause accompanied me back to my table and there he waited--the first guy to hit on me since Rupert. I soaked up the attention and joined him in his cab.

He led me to his bedroom. The bed was made. There was no dirty laundry on the floor. Why do I always attract neat freaks?

"You don't know how talented you are, do you?" He kissed my neck. "Never doubt your author voice. Believe in the power of your words." He undid button after button on my sweater. "Always--."

Boeotia


A golden ray kisses

The cheek of an angel


An angel whispers to a mourning dove

"Awake my child and sing."


"Sorry, about the noise," I said.

"I don't hear any--."

I put my index finger on my lips, found my purse, and left the bedroom--so Callie and I could be alone. 

A mourning dove's song

Awakens a fair maiden


A fair maiden stretches her arms

to the sun,

to inspiration,

"Lead me."


A day begins in Boeotia.

I tip-toed back into the bedroom, thinking that what's-his-name was asleep.

He sat up in bed. "You hear voices?"

"Voice. Only my muse--Callie's. When she speaks I write."

"You won't write about us, will you?" He looked worried.

"I write whatever my muse tells me to."

He crawled out of bed and handed me my discarded clothes. He gave me some lame excuse for why I had to leave and why we could no longer see each other. Maybe he said he was moving to the South Pole or becoming a priest or... Whatever.

I wondered what truth he was trying to hide from my pen as I dressed quickly and left.


photo by ldyck

Read Chapter Eight--the final chapter

With a job that supports her writing and Callie's inspiration, prepare yourself for Aurora's happy ending.



Are you following me?




   photo by ldyck


Sharing my Author Journey...

My goal was to finish the first draft before the end of August. Day

after day I could be found in my writing chair with my fingers on my keyboard or outside under the sun with the tip of my pen on paper. I doubted I could but I hoped I would and I...I...did--on Friday, August 20th at 3 PM PST. It took all I had to complete my goal so ever after I've been on a mini holiday--to re-charge and refresh. My new goal is to finish the final draft on Tuesday, August 23rd. One of the fun things I did to celebrate my achievement was to attend the Mayne Island Fall Fair. Here are my personal favourites...












I'm disappointed that some of my photos of my favourites--like the Community Bus and the Pender Island Pipers--didn't turn out. But then I have to give myself a break--after all, I'm not a photojournalist.

Oh, yes, and one more picture to share thanks to photographer Tom Hobley...

                                            Me, acting goofy, and my long-suffering husband