THIS

Just wanted to thank everyone who responded to Denise’s wonderful #TenThings post yesterday. I was unable to do so individually due to the sad loss of the last tree standing in our once-canopied front yard. More on that another time. Suffice it to say that 93 degree weather was not a very good time to be working for hours cleaning up after what happened.

THAT

Even though I’ve reduced my blogging time a bit as I catch up with everything we are trying to accomplish right now, I just want to remind folks that I’m still able to schedule guests for both #TenThingsYouMayNotKnowAboutMe and #GuestDayTuesday posts. Email me if you’re interested.

THE OTHER THING

It’s BLOG BREAK THURSDAY for me today, and for those of you who’ve asked about Rabbit (everyone’s favorite character), you’ll be happy to know that I really do have a spinoff novella trilogy in the works. I plan to use today to work non-stop on the first story. With any luck, Cole, Cole, & Dupree  will grow substantially by day’s end. In the meantime, here’s a first draft teaser for you:

Just Past Midnight in a Frosty Winter Pasture
Sunday, January 11, 2015
~~~

“THOUGHT YOU NEEDED to see this, boss. Called as soon as I found ’em.”

“You were right to call, Kip. Any idea what the hell happened here?”

“Not a one. Never seen anything like it.”

Alvy Ballard moved his flashlight in a slow arc across the scene in front of him, as he struggled to make sense of all the darkened forms humped along the ground. With a look of dread in his eyes, he turned back to his foreman. “Big Red?”

“Big Red, too, boss. He’s over by the east fence.”

“Show me.”

The two men walked around the fence line, stopping to check each bloody body along the way. Alvy gave a slow, stunned shake of his head. “All dead. Every single one of them dead. What could have done something like this, Kip?”

“I got no idea. Every throat torn out. All ten horses, gone. It ain’t natural.”

When they neared the middle of the east fence line, Kip stopped and laid his hand on Alvy’s arm. “You sure you want to look at him?”

Alvy nodded. “I need to see for myself.”

Kip watched as his boss continued along the fence to where the body of his prize stallion lay. For a moment the big man stood staring in shock, then he dropped to his knees. Draping himself across his horse, Alvy Ballard wept like a child, shoulders shaking with loud, heartbroken sobs.

Kip knew his boss well enough to understand his need for privacy, so he remained where he was until Alvy stood, wiped his eyes, and returned.

“I still don’t understand what happened to them,” Alvy said, his voice husky with emotion.

“Me, neither, boss. For sure, it wasn’t no animal I’ve ever seen. Animals don’t kill ‘less they’re hungry. All them horses are dead, all right, but not a single one’s been eaten on.”

~~~

And on that note,
Enjoy your day, everyone!
I’ll be back tomorrow!