tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40057766949593957702024-03-13T22:49:16.227-04:00Tamsin SilverHi! I'm a published YA Urban Fantasy author and this is a blog for my ramblings/thoughts as well as events concerning my writing career path. If you like what you read here tell others! If you want to know more about me/my books, go to www.tamsinsilver.com or find me on Facebook!
Thanks for reading! Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.comBlogger331125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-43526035904665967302016-12-07T16:47:00.003-05:002016-12-07T16:47:58.888-05:00NEW BLOG LOCATION!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBTcb69FUSqSG7LlfygGpEvvs5Wy5bvvymNqgrtqWTOibIWKnQjL7lRFuoOZSxOO4TwD_Tzex3alC_BTdaDFpVYMuNFyGAtyQ7hBKrC8Of3ko0iafowsnqEjtCoKHRPp5InbVJjjJSmn-/s1600/ive-moved.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><strong><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBTcb69FUSqSG7LlfygGpEvvs5Wy5bvvymNqgrtqWTOibIWKnQjL7lRFuoOZSxOO4TwD_Tzex3alC_BTdaDFpVYMuNFyGAtyQ7hBKrC8Of3ko0iafowsnqEjtCoKHRPp5InbVJjjJSmn-/s400/ive-moved.jpg" width="400" /></strong></a></div>
That's right, I built a new website (it's still at <a href="http://www.tamsinsilver.com/">www.tamsinsilver.com</a> but it's really a robust site with a lot of great content and easy to use) and it houses my blog now. SO...if you are looking for newer blog entries, head on over to <a href="http://www.tamsinsilver.com/new-blog" target="_blank">THIS LINK</a> and see what is going on!<br />
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If that doesn't work, just copy/paste this into your browser window: <a href="http://www.tamsinsilver.com/new-blog">http://www.tamsinsilver.com/new-blog</a><br />
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There is also a link on the new website that lists ALL of my <a href="http://www.tamsinsilver.com/magicalwords-net" target="_blank">Magical Words</a> posts...so come on over to the new site and find gateways to the new SKYE site, info on my new short stories that are out, as well as info on what I'm currently working on AND what is coming out next.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSO8Z1fDB9Uvd64PXCvIoQAmS78oyP4qhjGaQGYjKmMOmC5hMpZXC5cuS9mheyo2hMZyyq-ChUt42h6Tcy1TUYi16FIPyv5_6gA-29hSthAO9rhQLIwMPKMRCl0Ld-EWzH5rcNlAMOyjh/s1600/moving+bus+cartoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbSO8Z1fDB9Uvd64PXCvIoQAmS78oyP4qhjGaQGYjKmMOmC5hMpZXC5cuS9mheyo2hMZyyq-ChUt42h6Tcy1TUYi16FIPyv5_6gA-29hSthAO9rhQLIwMPKMRCl0Ld-EWzH5rcNlAMOyjh/s200/moving+bus+cartoon.jpg" width="189" /></a>Thanks so much for reading and I look forward to you finding me at the new location!</div>
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Best,</div>
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Tamsin :)</div>
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P.S. There is also a link on the new website that lists ALL of my <a href="http://www.tamsinsilver.com/magicalwords-net" target="_blank">Magical Words</a> posts...so come on over to the new site and find gateways to the new SKYE site, info on my new short stories that are out, as well as info on what I'm currently working on AND what is coming out next!</div>
Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-54466103689995253602016-09-21T15:45:00.001-04:002016-09-21T15:45:21.232-04:00Ready to Pass the Torch
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Freestyle Script"; font-size: 21pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Ready to Pass the Torch </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Freestyle Script"; font-size: 21pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">(Concept character for Lawless Lands, the second anthology in the Weird Wild West Anthology):</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Freestyle Script"; font-size: 21pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Freestyle Script"; font-size: 21pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I fell in love with
New Mexico the minute my boots stepped onto her land. Mountains of rock and
brush divinely placed in such a way that snaking shadows slithered across the
dry landscape as the sun rose and set. The air was crisp and clean, filled with
the smell of fruit tree blossoms and the sound of running water. Land so open you
could see for miles. Blue skies, sunshine, and clouds so beautiful, they held a
power all their own.<br />
<br />
The Territory's terrain changed often. One moment it was flat, but then it
would roll, reminding me of how the ocean moves when you’re far out at sea with
no land in sight. Those waves of earth would change; clump up into small, green,
connected hills, like a pile of dimpled potatoes. Soon they’d shoot skyward again
and the mountains would go from beige rocks dappled with green bushes to suddenly
being covered in tall pine trees so old they likely had been there since Adam
and Eve messed it all up for the rest of us.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Freestyle Script"; font-size: 21pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Freestyle Script"; font-size: 21pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">To the southwest there’s
land of black lava. To the southeast there’s land of white sand. In between
them is grassland perfect for cattle and cowboys to roam and for families to
make a home where they could farm the land and live how they wished. It warmed
a part of me that had long been dormant and cold. For I've been an orphan, a
servant, a Puritan, a pilgrim, an adventurer, and an assassin. I've been called
a savior by some and the devil by others. To be honest, I’m all those things, hoping
that when my time comes, I cross over clean to see my family once again…for I’m
lonely. 270 years is a long time to fight for your soul and save others. I’m
ready to go home. I’m ready to pass the torch.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 21pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div align="right" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="font-family: "Freestyle Script"; font-size: 21pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Elias P. Story</span><span style="font-size: 21pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Freestyle Script"; font-size: 21pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">1873</span><span style="font-size: 21pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">)</span></div>
Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-3110728002680682722016-02-18T12:10:00.000-05:002016-02-18T13:15:41.253-05:00In honor of the death of John H. Tunstall, who died today at 5:30pm MST, in what is now Tinnie, NM, I give you a snippet from my short story, The Curse of Scáthach, that takes you through his murder that fateful evening...<br />
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For more about what lead up to this and what happens next, tune in to the Facebook page for the full novel version of this short, entitled, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BillyTheKidRidesAgain/" target="_blank">The Curse of Billy the Kid</a>.<br />
<br />
-Tamsin<br />
<br />
P.S. You can leave virtual flowers at Tunstall's online gravesite by going <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Tunstall&GSiman=1&GScid=2228154&GRid=26973877&" target="_blank">HERE</a>.<br />
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--------------<br />
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<u>February 18, 1878<o:p></o:p></u></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
The thunderous echo of approaching horsemen interrupted the leisurely
quiet of the canyon. Gunfire erupted behind Middleton and me, so we spun about
to see a large posse of Dolan’s men on horseback comin’ at us, guns a’blazin’.
Looking ahead, for we were at the back of the travelin’ party, I noted the
other three of our group had just gone over the brow of the next hill. They
couldn’t see the trouble comin’ our way.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
“Hey-ah!” I yelled, slammin’ my heels into my horse’s sides. We raced
through the newly fallen snow, past the horses we were movin’ to town, and
toward Brewer, Widenmann, and our boss, John Tunstall. We needed to warn them.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
Once over the hill, we noted that Widenmann and Brewer were off the trail
to the left a ways. Making a split second decision, I rode toward them and
Middleton headed to warn Tunstall.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
As I rode I heard Middleton shout, “For God’s sake, follow me!”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
As I came up on Brewer, Widenmann yelled out, “We can’t hold this place!
Let’s ride to the hill over there and make a stand!” </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
With no time to argue, we rode toward an area covered with tall timber
and large boulders, and I assumed Middleton and Tunstall were right behind us.
Yet, as Middleton joined us, he was alone.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
“Where’s Tunstall?” I said, panic squeezing my chest tight. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
John Tunstall was the one they were after. Jimmy Dolan was out for blood
ever since John posted that letter in the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mesilla
Valley Independent</i>, exposing Dolan and his pals as the real crooks of
Lincoln County.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
Middleton spoke up. “I yelled for him to follow. He rode in a circle and
I motioned him to follow me. As soon as he started toward me I headed here.
Maybe he didn’t hear me?”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
“Or he didn’t <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">want</i> to hear
you,” I clarified, “Damn it, John, you can’t talk your way out of this one!” </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
“What?” Middleton asked.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
“Not you, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">other</i> John. We
really need to give you a new first name,” I said before looking to Tunstall’s
Cattle Foreman, Richard “Dick” Brewer. “Tunstall thinks he can surrender and
fight this in court.”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
“Dodgasted! They’ll kill him, Will,” Dick replied, his voice strained and
his eyes filled with worry.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
“Let’s lay down some cover fire and get him outta there!” Rob Widenmann,
Tunstall’s best friend, suggested.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
Dick’s eyes swiftly scanned the area, which was no more than vast,
unsettled land, filled with nothin’ but brush and trees surrounded by mountains
covered in snow. We were well hidden, but that caused another problem.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
“Will, you’re the smallest. Can you climb?”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
I nodded, dismounted, and reluctantly handed the reins to Middleton. I’d
have preferred to ride out there and take a shot at them myself, but I understood
what Brewer was aimin’ for. Besides, at five-foot-eight and only a hundred and
thirty-five pounds, I was the best option for giving us eyes to what was goin’
on the other side of the hill.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
Spotting a good tree, I started up. Halfway there, an eerie silence
filled my ears like water and a rifle shot echoed off the canyon walls. I came
to a halt as dread slammed into my gut.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
“Oh, God,” Middleton said, “They’ve killed Tunstall.”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
I prayed he was wrong and scaled the tree as fast as I could. Once high
enough, the scene before me froze the air in my lungs. John Tunstall, a man I
looked up to, lay on the ground next to his horse, not moving, his left cheek
buried in the snow.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
The group of twenty or so men had now split into three sections. Most
were back a few hundred yards while four men rounded up our small herd of
horses, leaving just three men on horseback looming over John’s body. I
recognized them as Billy “Buck” Morton, Tom Hill, and the dangerous outlaw I
used to ride with, Jessie Evans. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
Buck Morton’s rifle was still in firing position as Hill dismounted,
snatched up Tunstall’s revolver, and fired a bullet into John’s head before
killing his horse the same way. He then placed John’s hat on the dead horse’s
head and remounted as Morton shouted orders to his men who rounded up our
horses.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
Eyes wide and jaw clenched, my soul felt cold to the core while my blood was
as hot as a smithy’s furnace. Drenched in a need for revenge, I shook with
rage, gripping the tree with all my might to keep me from grabbin’ my gun then
and there. I was on the brink of losin’ it, when Brewer appeared below me. He
wanted answers I didn’t want to give. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
Swallowing the pain, I climbed down and gave the news. Widenmann went off
his rocker. It took both Brewer and Middleton to stop him from ridin’ out there
and gettin’ himself killed. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
“There’s too many,” I told him as the other two held him tight. “You know
me. I’m the first to jump into the fray, Rob, but now ain’t the time. Not if we
want to live to see them bastards pay.”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
Since Dolan’s men had moved Tunstall and his horse somewhere none of us
saw, we waited for the safety the dark of night provided, and then rode for
town. Widenmann had Brewer and Middleton divert to John Newcomb’s farm to get
help finding Tunstall’s body while he and I headed straight to Lincoln.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whole ride I tried not to
think on how I’d left John’s dead body lying in the snow somewhere. I may not
have had much in common with the twenty-four year old British businessman, but
I respected him, and I didn’t think highly of many people. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Since my momma died and my
stepfather abandoned me and my brother, I’d not felt a part of anything. On the
run and alone, I’d been unable to find where I belonged until John had gotten
me out of jail and given me a job. He’d believed in me and given me the family
I desperately needed. For that alone, I vowed that anyone involved in his
murder would die at my hand. </span><br />
<br />
------------------Read more of the short story by going to my <a href="http://www.tamsinsilver.com/" target="_blank">WEBSITE</a>, clicking on The Curse of Scáthach, and buying it for 99c on the site of your choice. OR...go LIKE the fan page for the book and get a FREE copy tomorrow in honor of Dick Brewer's heavenly birthday if the page reaches 100 Likes! :) ------------------</div>
Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-53957954196108043032015-11-30T12:00:00.000-05:002015-12-01T11:16:09.929-05:00An Unedited Snippet from the The Curse of Billy the Kid OK...it's the LAST day of my 5-day hiatus at work and I'm busy writing the book this afternoon, but I set this post up to give you one last taste of a historical section that I did the other day. It takes place near the end of March, 1878, when the Regulators met with Alexander McSween at the South Spring Ranch owned by the Cattle King himself, John Chisum. In this scene you have a lot of the Regulators, Susan & Alexander McSween, Montague Leverson, and one Miss Sallie Chisum.<br />
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This is the last segment you'll get for awhile so it's a bit longer than the others.<br />
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ENJOY!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.tamsinsilver.com/" target="_blank">Tamsin </a>:)<br />
<br />
----------------------------<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Dismounting off of Colonel, the black
beauty pranced about and let one of the farm hands of South Spring Ranch take him
for some water, food, and a healthy rub down. Dick let his mare be lead to the
stables along with him and we wandered toward the house. Not even to the gate yet,
we heard the pounding of hooves behind us. Turning, we saw a group of ten men
on horseback coming our way. Dick and I shared a glance of worry, so I cupped
my mouth with my hands and let out a loud whooping call, only to have it
answered in kind by none other than my pal, Charlie Bowdre.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Looks like the message hit San
Patricio,” Dick said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Looks like,” I adjusted my hat and gave him a side glance. “Your secret is safe, Dick. Breathe. They won't be able to tell by just
lookin’ at ya. Now, you start actin’ weird and then they’ll begin to wonder and
ask questions. Just relax.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Easier said than done,” he said, and dropped
the topic, walking toward the arriving Regulators with his usual swagger, which
I’d not seen in days. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I looked back at Uncle John’s one story
home to examine it for weaknesses, but found none. The Spanish style ranch was
long and surrounded by a white picket fence that stood no further than ten feet
from the thick, adobe walls that protected all who were inside from attack.
Unlike the common flat rooftops in the region, the Chisum home had an angled
roof, with two chimneys. Both of which currently had smoke furling out of them
likely due to the damp chill in the air that spoke of oncoming rain. The
overhang of the room doubled as a cover for the narrow porch that ran along the
entire front of the building as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The sight of the smoke made me eager to
get inside the warm, dry, home, where it was likely Miss Sallie had requested
the cook prepare coffee and cakes for us all. Anxious to head in, I turned my
attention to my arriving compadres. Dismounting from their horses were Charlie,
as suspected, Frank McNab, John Middleton, Fred Waite, Henry Brown, and Big Jim
French. Chavez y Chavez and a few other Mexicans I knew were with the group as
well. Men I trusted and who I knew were good in a fight. It was good to see
them joining the group. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Charlie dismounted, his auburn hair
catching the sun as he took off his hat to resituate it on his head. “There you
two are! Wondered if you’d beat us here.” He clasped hands with Dick. “Good to
see you’re feelin’ better. Billy here told us you were sick as a dog.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That I was,” Dick said. “Feelin’ better
now though, mostly.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s just good to see ya, big man!”
Charlie said before grabbin’ me for a hug that turned into an arm around my
neck that he dragged down toward the ground and taking my hat with whoop before
letting me up. Tossing it to McNab he said, “We thought maybe this one had gotten
the sickness too since he’d not come back to San Pat!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I walked toward McNab for my hat, “Nope,
just takin’ care of Dick here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">McNab tossed my hat to Middleton, “You
missed out on some good trainin’.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I eyed Middleton and my hat. “I will
scale you like the tree you are, John, give me my damn hat!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh, is this yours?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Standing my ground I crossed my arms and
raised my eyebrows at him. “I got at least two souls in the chamber so I could
lift a wagon on my own. Give me the hat.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Sure thing, kiddo,” Middleton said, his
gruff voice sounding strange with the words as he handed my hat toward me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As I reached for it he tossed it to Fred
Waite, who was to my left. “If you know what’s good for you, Fred―” I started
to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Boys, stop the lolly-gaggin’ and get in
the house,” Susan McSween yelled out at us. “Alex is waiting on you.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes, ma’am,” Dick said, opening the
gate of the three foot high picket fence. “Fred?” He motioned giving me the
hat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Fred grinned and walked up to me,
handing me the hat. I reached for it and he pulled it away, switching hands
before putting it up on his right shoulder, which he hitched up as he leaned
toward me, causing the hat to roll across his shoulders. Grabbing it with his
left hand, he set the hat on top of my noggin’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Points for style, Waite,” McNab said
with a laugh as he went through the gate, punchin’ Dick on the shoulder, not
moving the man even an inch. “Ow! You been throwin’ bales of hay while you’ve
been sick? Damn!” He shook his hand and kept moving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">If Dick had been a boulder before, he
was a mountain of strength now. He looked at me with worry and I shook my head
with a laugh to let him know he was being hypersensitive. In retaliation for me
laughing, he hit the top of my hat, indenting my Surgarloaf Sombrero again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Damn it, Dick, I just fixed that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I like it that way,” a young lady’s
voice said from the doorway. “That high top looked too formal for the likes of
you, Billy Bonney.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I looked up to see Sallie standing there
in a pretty blue dress with a white lace pattern at the top. “Why Miss Chisum,
don’t you look lovely, and what for? A bunch of filthy cowboys comin’ in to
dirty up your home?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She grinned. “You all will be takin’
your boots off as you enter, and you’ll let Miss Lavetta give you all a damp
cloth to wipe your pants and such of dirt, dust, and so on.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I took my hat off to her as I stepped
behind the adobe wall that blocked the main door. “Really? Better with the
dent?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Definitely.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I hummed in an acknowledging thought as
I nodded, following the rest of the men into the house. Here by the door, each
of the cowboys were workin’ to take their boots off, hopping this way and that.
Trying not to laugh at the sight at all the big touch cowboys jumpin’ around, I
leaned my backside against the wall and pulled my boots off with ease. The
beauty of having small feet and boots that were a bit too big. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Setting them in the corner, I took a
cloth from Miss Lavetta, and wiped the dirt and horse hair from my britches.
Tossing it in a pail she indicated near the door, I walked into the center
room, which was one of eight large rooms in the home that surrounded a patio at
center. However, it was always his dining room that I loved the most. Mostly
because it had a wooden floor and after meals he would have it pulled to the side
and turn the room into a dance floor as others would play instruments. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">This was no small feet considering the
table sat twenty-four people. Uncle John would fill plates to capacity each
meal for each person seated in his home to eat. It was one of the evidences of
his hospitality. For he could be a generous man when it came to sharing the
things he had an abundance of due to his successes with his cattle, but in
business he could be ruthless. I suppose one has to be if they are to be the
Cattle King.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">No sooner had I walked into the room
than Deputy Sheriff Barrier walked past me with a polite nod, grabbed his
shoes, and was out the door before I could ask where he was going. I threw a
questioning look at Sallie but she just shrugged her shoulders. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Glancing into the main room, my eyes
landed on Alexander McSween first. He sat in a rocking chair near the fireplace
with Susan standing beside to his right, her hand on his shoulder. He patted it
and she smiled down on him, her other hand smoothing out a section of his
bright red hair, which was thinning a bit, but we were never dumb enough to
mention that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Without knowing if Susan had mentioned
to her husband that Ben and I had been to the house about three weeks ago, I
walked up to her and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Good to see you are back in
town, ma’am.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">McNab actually took her hand and kissed
the top of it, “Good to see you are safely here, Mrs. McSween.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She, as well as the Regulators sworn by
oath, knew the real meaning of this. We were happy she had made it safely to
the Chisum ranch after suggesting she and Leverson come here to be away from
Lincoln town.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Thank you, Billy, Frank, it’s good to
be back. Missouri was nice but it’s always nice to be home.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I wish you were returning to more
pleasant news,” Dick said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes, I’m so very sorry to hear about
John’s death, he was a dear friend to us all. Alex here sent me a letter while
I was visiting family to let me know about this and the arrest warrant.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We’re not going to let that happen,
ma’am,” Dick said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She laid a hand on his arm, “I know he
is safe with you keeping an eye on him, Richard.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Coffee and cakes were served as more
pleasantries and hellos were said, then McSween cleared his throat and started
in. “I’m glad the Regulator Network got messages to you all, as well as me,
last night. Thank you for coming.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m guessing we’re here either for the
same reason Barrier left or because he did.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Deputy Barrier left?” Fred asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Out the door like his behind was on
fire,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There was squelched laughter through the
room and I mouth the word, “Sorry,” to Alex.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“He has left to be with his family,”
McSween informed us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What?” Dick said, and he wasn’t the
only rumblings in the room, just the loudest. “But he’s your assigned
protection until Spring Term of court.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">McSween smoothed his long mustache,
which ran all the way to his jaw line. “He’s been with me non-stop for three
months. He was anxious to return home to his family.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Umm...did I miss something?” I said,
“Do you not need protection anymore?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Susan spoke up. “Captain Smith from Fort
Stanton was here yesterday and gave his word as an officer and a gentleman that
Sheriff Brady would make no attempt to serve the warrant he had for Alex’s
arrest.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Leverson stepped forward, “I believe his
words were, ‘You may make a football of my head if a hair of his head is
injured or if the least insult be given him by word or sign for the highest to
the lowest, madam.’“<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Is he going to tell Sheriff Brady
that?” Middleton asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No need,” Leverson said, “Brady was
standing right next to the military Captain when he said it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">This caused the room to burst into
chatter. To hear one of our main enemies had come here just yesterday had us
all very upset, to say the least.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What was he doing here, and with a
military escort?” Middleton demanded to know. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It seems he was unable to convince any
civilians to travel with him down to the Pecos Valley to summon veniremen for
grand and petit jury duty. He apologized for showing up with soldiers,”
Leverson explained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh, well, isn’t that just swell of
him,” I said sarcastically. “Because that makes it all okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“No it doesn’t,” Jim French said,
misunderstanding my meaning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I know, Jim, I was just kidding.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh, okay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s why Barrier has left,” McSween
said. “Now that I’ve been promised military protection he headed home. I
would’ve preferred he stayed, but I can understand being away from your wife
and missing her, so I can’t fault him much.” He reached up and took Susan’s
hand from his shoulder and kissed it, letting his eyes stay on her just a
moment before turning back to us. “However, I still believe that as soon as I
arrive in Lincoln that Brady is going to try to arrest me. I called you all
here to say you shouldn’t let him get away with it. For if I am arrested, they’ll
lynch me for sure.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“So what do you wish we should do,
Governor?” Middleton asked, using a name we’d started to call him since he was
the man in charge of the fight for justice concerning Tunstall on a legal front
as well as the bank roll of the Regulators. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Seeing as I’m to believe I’m fully
under the protection of the military, I want you boys to head out, as if you’re
no longer acting as my protection either. But I want some of you in Lincoln on
Sunday when I come through town on my way to Fort Stanton to give myself over
to Captain Smith. And if Brady goes against his word to follow Smith’s orders,
you stop him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Are we to kill him, Governor?” Jim
asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">McSween shook his head. “I’d love
nothing more than to tell you to kill Brady and earn a mighty reward, but I can give no such command.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It was evident by his tone and facial
expression that what he was really saying was that if we just so happened to
kill Brady to save McSween, we would be rewarded. I knew it and I was sure everyone else in the room knew it. But no one said a word about what he'd said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Chavez y Chavez stepped forward though, for he had a different issue to address. “Governor, I’m
low on ammunition, sir, and low in the purse, if you get my meaning.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I do,” McSween said. “That’s why I want
those of you who go to Lincoln to go into the store and take anything you wish
prior to meeting me there. For those who do not go to Lincoln, I have a bit of
coin for you after we are done here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Once we discussed the logistics of his
surrender at Fort Stanton, there wasn’t much more to cover, so McSween
dismissed us. We spent the day at the ranch relaxing, socializing, and getting
a good meal in. However, before it got too late, I mentioned the fandango I’d
heard about that was going on over in Berrendo, a small hamlet east of South
Springs, and suggested we attend. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“A fandango?” Sallie asked with light
laughter. “What is that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You know,” I said, doing a few dance
moves, “It’s a dance. But this one is done in triple time by couples with
castanets.” I snapped by fingers in place of the wooden instrument and took a
silly pose to make her laugh, which she did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh, Billy, you’ve a weak spot for dance
parties.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And for the pretty Latina women who go
to them,” Charlie said quietly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I hit his arm. “That is not the only
reason I like to go, and you know it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“But it is one of them,” Sallie said,
her smile accusing me in a playful manner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Might be, but I’ll not admit to such
things in such company.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Sallie set empty coffee mugs on a tray
Lavetta held as she walked by. “Oh, so you think we ladies don’t know you boys
attend dances to flirt with the skirts?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Miss Sallie!” Lavetta said, her tone
mildly astonished.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh please, Lavetta, that wasn’t
nothin’,” Sallie said before looking to me. “So, do you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m going to plead the fifth right
about now,” I said, “But you should come with us and see for yourself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Thank you, Billy, that’s sweet of you.
But this time I must stay here and tend to our guests.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And tend them well you will, I am
sure,” I said, placing a peck on her cheek. “We will be getting’ out of your
way then.” I gave her a slight bow and headed for my shoes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She followed me toward the door and
looked down at the pile of boots, most of which were the same make and brand,
and said, “How do you all tell which ones are whose? They all look the same.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well, Dick’s are too big for anyone
other than maybe Middleton so they usually set theirs far apart from each
other,” I said, shoving my foot into one of mine as we watched Fred put a boot
on and take it off again, picking up another. “Or we try on and try again,” I
explained, giving her a big smile before picking up my second one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And you know those are yours because
they are smaller than most?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I couldn’t help but laugh. “No, because
I etched my initials inside ‘em,” I told her, showing her the inside of my
other boot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Well, look at you, using your smarts,”
she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I couldn’t help but beam at her as I put
my second boot on. With a wink I said, “It can happen from time to time, but
don’t get used to it now.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She laughed and Dick walked up, grabbin’
his big ol’ boots, and said, “We best get going before sunset.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes, yes we should,” I agreed, and
stepped out the door, turning back to Sallie. “As always, it was good to see
you again, Miss Chisum,” I said with a slight bow, my hat on my chest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">“It’s good to see you too, Mr. Bonney,”
she replied with a small </span><span style="line-height: 32px;">curtsy</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">I put on my hat, dent in the top and all, and
walked out, unsure when I’d see her again. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">------------------</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">And that is the end of this segment from another "raw" chapter and the last you'll get for awhile. I hope you've enjoyed these and I will post a few more when I can. Sadly, I cannot share the exciting sections that give away big plot points in my story that revolves around the history, but I'll share what I can.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">Take care and maybe at Christmas we'll (<i>Billy, Dick, and I</i>) share something new...until then, stay tuned to the Facebook page for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BillyTheKidRidesAgain/" target="_blank">The Curse of Billy the Kid</a>!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">Hope you and your family had a great Thanksgiving weekend!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 18.4px;">Tamsin :)</span></span>Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-15929392055577953322015-11-29T12:00:00.000-05:002015-12-01T11:10:36.965-05:00An Unedited Snippet from the Chapter, OUTLAWSHello again!<br />
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That's right...it's the 4th day of my 5-day weekend and I'm here to bring you yet another snippet from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BillyTheKidRidesAgain/" target="_blank">The Curse of Billy the Kid</a>. This one is from the top of a chapter currently entitled, Outlaws. This takes place on the night of March 9th, 1878. All the historical information here is true and the Regulators were in San Patricio that night. Whether Dick rode there after learning the news he did when in Lincoln is my assumption and used for story purposes. Either way, enjoy!</div>
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<a href="http://www.tamsinsilver.com/" target="_blank">Tamsin </a>:)</div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
Regulators decided they wanted to go celebrate in San Patricio, but Dick said he needed to deliver the news to McSween about Morton and Baker, so he turned off and headed to Lincoln. Secretly, I
wanted to go with him. Not that I wanted to go play law-boy, but it would
finally give me a chance to get a look at Dick’s injured shoulder without all
the others around. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">However,
seeing as there was no way to follow along without it looking odd, I "forced" myself to go to San Pat. Besides, we
was gonna throw a baile and I love to dace! Plus, the señoritas in that town were
beautiful! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">So
we split up, sending our Constable off one way while we went another, but not
for long. For that same night, while we all were in the middle of dancing and enjoying
the ladies, Brewer showed up. Ducking his head to enter through the doorway,
Dick strolled over, tension evident in every muscle of his body. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“This
is not going to be good news,” I said to no one in particular.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
pretty senorita I’d been dancing with heard me and said, “¿Qué dijiste?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Nada,”
I replied, then politely excused myself from her company to intercept Dick as
he headed for the biggest group of us in the room. “Whoa there, cowboy, what’s
on fire?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We
are,” he said. “Axtel has made us outlaws.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Say
that again,” the pretty boy of our group, Frank McNab, said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Seeing
as McNab, which is what I called him because I already had a friend named
Frank, used to be a lawman workin’ for John Chisum as a cattle detective, I
wasn’t surprised he was the first of us to look worried at the news.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Dick
motioned with his head to follow him and we all made our excuses and stepped
outside into the night. Once far enough away from prying eyes and ears, he
said, “Seems Governor Axtel was escorted by Colonel Purington to Lincoln today
to investigate the trouble going on.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The
<i>trouble</i>?” I parroted. “That’s what
they’re calling John’s murder? You have got to be―”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh,
there’s more,” Dick said, and his voice made it clear it was worse. “Seems
after an extensive interview process, and when I say extensive I mean three
hours spent primarily with Murphy and Dolan, he removed Justice of the Peace
Wilson from office and voided all processes issued by him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Wait
a sec,” Doc Scurlock said. “He can’t do that. It would bring into question
every single action, including arrests, weddings, and warrants, for two years.
That’s a lot of retrials, annulled marriages and―.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“It
would also negate Widenmann’s U.S. Marshall status,” McNab added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And
our warrants for Morton and Baker,” I pointed out, “Which is why we’re outlaws,
since they died while under arrest by us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Dick
nodded. “You are all correct. He also declared that starting today, the only
valid legal processes for Lincoln County would be those issued by Judge Bristol
in La Mesilla and Sheriff Brady in Lincoln itself. And Brady’s deputies are the
only officers empowered to enforce them.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Fred
Waite, a good law abiding man like McNab, stepped forward. “So all legal power
in Lincoln County, hell, in all of New Mexico, is in the hands of the Santa Fe
Ring. Is that what you’re telling us?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes,
that’s what I’m sayin’.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Is
he still in town?” Doc asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Nope.
Hell, he wasn’t even there when I arrived. He’d already headed back to the
capital. McSween said that Axtel briefly spoke to him, Isaac Ellis, and
Widenmann, but he declined to listen to their views on John’s death.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“McSween
needs to get out of that town or he’s a dead man,” Charlie Bowdre said, his
hand resting on his gun. “We need to get him out of there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I
agree and I told him as such. He’s still in the custody of Deputy Sheriff
Barrier, so at least that’s something.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Not
much of something,” Charlie interjected, “But at least he has some protection.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh,
like Barrier is any match for the lot of them if Brady and his boys decide to
shove their way into the McSween’s house,” I pointed out. “Damn it all to
hell!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">To
say I was madder than a march hair would’ve been an understatement and I had to
walk away from the group for a moment to collect myself. It wasn’t the idea of
being labeled an outlaw that upset me. God knows that wasn’t new. But it seemed
that each time we gained a bit of ground, the Santa Fe Ring pulled the rug out
from under us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Hearing
someone approach behind me, I spun about, hand on my gun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Just
me,” Charlie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I
nodded my apology for almost drawin’ on him. “So what do we do now? My gut
instinct is to always go for action, but that might not be the best for
everyone.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We
probably just need a few days to figure it out. Lay low, see how the chips
fall.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I
looked over at Dick and the rest of the men and felt a heavy weight on me. I
refused to show it though, and said, “You know what? Axtel can try all he wants
to hold us back, but we still made headway today. I’m gonna go back inside and
dance with that pretty little señorita again and maybe…” I winked at Charlie,
“Maybe I’ll steal me a kiss or two.” I didn’t give him a chance to reply.
Instead, I headed back to the baile and did exactly as I said I would. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: red;">STAY TUNED FOR ONE MORE INSTALLMENT TOMORROW...</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: red;">ALSO A HISTORICALLY BASED SECTION! </span></span></div>
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Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-77226808862061510652015-11-28T12:00:00.000-05:002015-12-01T11:08:29.348-05:00Part 3 of 3 - Sample of unedited pages from The Curse of Billy the KidHello again!<br />
<br />
If you're back for the 3rd installment, I hope that means you've enjoyed the first two and have returned to see what happens to Ben and Billy in this scene that takes place in March of 1878. Obviously, since this is Historical Fantasy Fiction, there are segments in the book that are me inserting story into sections of history that contain holes in information...such as...<br />
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The Regulators went to San Patricio after Governor Axtel revoked Justice of the Peace Wilson's office, thus negating the deputizing of Dick Brewer, Billy the Kid, and the other Regulators. This not only made them outlaws (<i>for the death of Morton and Baker that same day</i>) but it put all the power in Lincoln County in the hands of the Santa Fe Ring. More specifically, it made Sheriff Brady and his deputies the only lawmen in Lincoln. That's in the top of March. We then do hear much about them until the last day of March when five of the Regulators show up in Lincoln and a shoot-out occurs the next morning, killing two men.<br />
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These holes in documented history open up chances for me to write freely and give some extra adventures and expound on the fantasy sections of my story. Hence the scene you've been reading.<br />
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Speaking of, let's finish the chapter, shall we?<br />
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If you missed Part 1, it is <a href="http://tamsinsilver.blogspot.com/2015/11/part-1-of-3-sample-of-unedited-pages.html" target="_blank">HERE</a><br />
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If you missed Part 2, it is <a href="http://tamsinsilver.blogspot.com/2015/11/part-2-of-3-sample-of-unedited-pages.html" target="_blank">HERE</a><br />
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For the rest of you...on to Part 3...<br />
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<i><b>*Note: I'll give a tiny bit of the end of part two here as lead in to help with the flow of it all.</b></i><br />
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<a href="http://www.tamsinsilver.com/" target="_blank">Tamsin</a> :)<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>From the chapter titled, "Damned if I Do, Damned if I Don't"</b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"Where'd they go?" He asked at
a whisper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"Hell if I know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I don’t have a good feelin’ about
this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Either do I, but we need to get this stuff
loaded into—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"Could you two be any louder coming
down the street? Idiots is what ya are, riding up to my property like a pair of
drunk hooligans!” Came a female voice to our left by the house.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Turning, we saw Mrs. Susan McSween
holding an oil lantern high. Her dark hair was piled high and she still wore
her elegant traveling attire, gloves and all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"Ma'am, you should get
inside," I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She walked toward us, her eye on the
wagon bed before settling on my face. "I certainly will not, that is, not
until you tell me what in blazes you are doin’ riding onto my property like
hell is on your heels!" She sat the lantern on the seat of the wagon.
"And give me that before you shoot a passerby, for God's sake."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She took my rifle and for no reason I
can fathom, then or now, I let her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"Well, we sort of did have hell on
our heels, ma'am. There were these wolves and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I cut him off. "Just two of
nature’s creatures, Mrs. McSween. They spooked the horse and us a bit, if we're
to be truthful. Took a shot or two and they ran off. We apologize if we
disturbed you. To be honest, we didn't know you were back from Missouri."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"Just got in a short bit ago,"
she said, walking past me, her head swiveling to inspect the property around
us. Feeling satisfied in what she saw, she looked at the lumps under the
blankets in the wagon bed and then to me. "Came home to find my husband
gone to who knows where and a letter. I'm hoping you can explain some of this
to me."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Susan had been gone since before John's
murder so there would be a lot to cover. I saw a long night ahead of me and was
prone to a grumble, until my stomach did so instead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"Dear heavens, I could hear that
from here. When did you eat last? Never mind, seeing as Alex took both servants
with him, I'm sure my sister or I can fill your belly for your time and
information. What are you unloading there and where does it need to go?"
Her dark eyes bore into me as she raised an elegant eyebrow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"I'll explain inside. First, we
should get you and these inside, away from the Murphes," I said, using the
word Charlie had made up for the Murphy/Dolan gang.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Ben jumped down from the wagon and pulled
the blanket back, "It's just some—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A wolf, smaller than most I'd seen,
leapt out from under the blanket. I pulled my gun and was about to fire when a
loud blast went off and hit the animal in the head moments before his jaws
would've sunk into Ben, who stood frozen in fear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Turning to see who had taken the shot, I
found Susan with my rifle raised up, perfectly poised, in firing position,
smoke still seeping from the barrel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">With no idea what to say, Ben and I just
stared at her for a moment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"Silver?" She asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I nodded, for that's all I could seem to
do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"Good, then that's done. Let's move
your...?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"Ammunition, ma'am," I barely
got out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"Let's move your ammunition
inside."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Ben and I shared a glance and then got
to work. Susan directed us to the front room of the west wing. She walked over
to the far wall with no windows where a tapestry hung. Pulling it back, she
revealed a large closet that held a trunk with the initials R.N. as well as a
bar along the top where she and her husband’s nicer clothes hung.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"Put one crate in here, behind the
dresses, that'll hide it best. Bring the one you already opened into the parlor
once you finish. I'm going to change. I’ll meet you in there." She began
to leave but turned back to us. “Oh, and don’t be startled, the gentleman in
the parlor is a friend of Mr. Chisum’s who assisted him with his trials in Las
Vegas. I think you’ll like him, he’s a crusader like you, but he tends to
attack his enemies with words.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">She walked out and I looked to Ben,
whispering, I said, "Was that an insult?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Ben only partially hid his smile and
quietly said, “I think it was.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why do I have a feeling that Mrs.
McSween knows more than she is saying?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“‘Cause she does,” Ben said. “And it’s
probably a hell of a lot more than me, so you’re gonna give me some answers or
this is the last time my father or I help you, Billy. As God as my witness, I
want answers."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I thought back to Regulator training, to
Garrett’s emphatic rule of, “Tell no one without my permission.” How many had I
told now? What was one more really going to do? Wasn’t like tell three and it’s
okay, tell four and there’s hell to pay. I was in trouble no matter what at
this point so I might as well make sure I didn’t lose the Ellis’ help in this
war. They were key in helpin’ us out, what with John’s store not open for
business anymore.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’m not kiddin’, Billy,” he prompted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I know you ain’t,” I snapped. “Damned
if I do, damned if I don’t. Shit.” I pulled out my tin and flipped it open.
“Hell, my hide is already poised for a-good tannin’, might as well make it
worth it.” I took out a toothpick, set it between my teeth, and closed the tin.
“Come on, you’ll get your answers, but first, let’s meet this crusader of words
and see why he’s come to Lincoln.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“You don’t trust anyone, do you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I slid the metal container into my
pocket. “Not if I don’t know you…and I don’t know him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Then let's head on in. After you,” Ben said, motioning me to
go first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">With a nod, I opened the door to the
parlor to find a man sitting by the fire, wearing a British suit not unlike ones
Tunstall used to own. Lying next to his cup of tea was a tin just like the one
Garrett had given to each of the sworn in members of the Regulators.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Mr. Bonney, I’ve heard a lot about
you,” the man said, his voice as British as his clothes. Standing up, he extended his hand out toward me. “Montague
Leverson, fellow Regulator here to help the cause. Do have a seat; I’m sure
there is a lot to discuss.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">END OF THE CHAPTER</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: red;">STAY TUNED FOR MORE UNEDITED SNIPPETS FROM THE BOOK AND PLEASE GO LIKE THE PAGE IF YOU STILL HAVE NOT.</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: 13.7pt;">I promise I won't over post and drive you crazy if you do. Besides, the best way to learn there are more snippets of the book on here is to be a fan of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BillyTheKidRidesAgain/" target="_blank">The Curse of Billy the Kid</a> page. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 32px;">Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this 3-day serial with Billy. Remember, though this part is an inserted section of the fantasy story line, the characters are real. You can look Susan McSween, Ben & Isaac Ellis, William Bonney (<i>aka Billy the Kid</i>), and Montague Leverson up in books and online to learn more about who they were.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 32px;">Until next time...write hard and bathe in imagination! xoxo - Me :)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 32px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="line-height: 32px;"><i><u>Side Note</u>: Just a kind FYI - The reason I've stated these are "unedited" is because they are. I've definitely not gone in and added all the visual details or possibly all the internal dialogue of the main protagonist yet either. I've also not labored over the grammar. It's what I call a, "raw file"...so please refrain from commenting with things you feel need to be "fixed." T</i></span></span><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 18.2667px;"><span style="line-height: 32px;">hat'll be my editor's job or the job of those proof-readers I ask to read this later on. ALL UNEDITED POSTS here are solely for fans of my work (and of the story) to enjoy. </span></i><i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 18.2667px;"><span style="line-height: 32px;">I hope you did. </span></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 18.2667px;"><span style="line-height: 32px;">Thanks!!!! - Tamsin</span></i></div>
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<br />Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-31156972937813122102015-11-27T12:00:00.000-05:002015-12-01T11:05:50.383-05:00Part 2 of 3 - Sample of unedited pages from The Curse of Billy the KidHEY THERE!<br />
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Welcome back...that's right...I've got part 2 of my 9 page sample from my WIP, The Curse of Billy the Kid for you today! :) What? Missed part 1, just look below, you don't have to go far. Or hey, if you hate to scroll, just click <a href="http://tamsinsilver.blogspot.com/2015/11/part-1-of-3-sample-of-unedited-pages.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</div>
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Well, last we saw Billy and Ben they were neck deep in wolves...</div>
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Hope you enjoy! - <a href="http://www.tamsinsilver.com/" target="_blank">Tamsin</a> :) </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>From the chapter titled, "Damned if I Do, Damned if I Don't."</b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Oh my God, Billy, did you hit him?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">My eyesight cleared a bit and I could
see better, which told me the answer to his question. “Injured him, didn’t kill
him. Hurry up.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">If they were gonna gang up, I needed
more fire power, so I pulled my second gun from my back, saving my rifle for
when we put some distance between them and us, which I hoped we did soon. So as
the wagon roared down the street, I used the little bit of the extra strength
and sight I’d gained in injuring the one wolf to aid me in standin’ up next to
Ben as he sat holding the reins of a horse with a mission.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"They are running along both sides,
Billy! What do we do?" Ben yelled as jaws kept snapping up at him, luckily
just missing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"I know, just focus on keeping
Mable on track. And don't make any sudden movement that'd put you in the way of
a bullet."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">A wolf jumped up to get Ben and I shot, this
time I hit him in the head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"No sudden movements, you're funny.
You know my horse has lost her mind, right?" Ben said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I grinned, “She’s fine. Hang on!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The full weight of the wolf's life force
I’d just killed hit me and I almost lost balance and fell. “Damn, forgot about
that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Racing down the street, I got my
bearings and noted two more had joined us from behind. Spinning to face them,
the larger of the two jumped up into the wagon bed. I took a shot at him but he
dodged, my silver punching a hole through the ear of the other wolf still on
the ground running behind us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I shot again at the one in the wagon,
this time firing from both guns. The bullet from the one in my outstretched arm
missed as he went to the left, while the bullet from my other gun hit him in
the right side of his chest. With a growl, he stared me down, his eyes beginning
to glow an orange-ish yellow.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"That's new," I muttered and
shot again, catching him in the leg, causing him to jump out the back. Yelling
out to Ben I said, “If you can drive and shoot, I highly recommend you do that.
Once we hit the Torreon there’ll be more.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Ben pulled his gun. “How do you know?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Just a feelin’,” I said, and sadly, I
was right. As we passed, two more joined in the chase and I fired at them both,
catching one in the neck, who went down instantly. This time I sat down before
my head did a loopty-loop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Duck!” Ben yelled over the roar of wolf
growls, wagon wheels, and pounding horse hooves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I did as told, realizing as I did so
that my eyes were shut.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Feeling Ben’s arm balance across my
shoulders I heard him fire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Got ‘em!” he yelled, taking his arm
back to shove the gun under his thigh. "Hang on!” Pulling on the reins, he
directed Mable to make a sharp right just as we passed the McSween house. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Ben pulled her to a stop at the stable
and I leapt down. Grabbing my rifle, I turned to face the pack, but there wasn’t
one furry bastard anywhere. I glanced at Ben, who stood on the wagon seat,
rifle in position.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"Where'd they go?" He asked at
a whisper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">"Hell if I know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I don’t have a good feelin’ about this.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">TO BE CONTINUED</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: red;">STAY TUNED...PART THREE ISN'T FAR BEHIND!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">(<i>And hey, if you like these samples or are at least </i></span><i><span style="line-height: 32px;">intrigued</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> by them, and you </span></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 13.7pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><i>have not liked the fan page for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BillyTheKidRidesAgain/" target="_blank">The Curse of Billy the Kid</a>, please go do so! Thanks! xoxo</i>)</span></span></div>
</div>
Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-74530413423707900002015-11-26T22:00:00.000-05:002015-12-01T11:03:50.233-05:00Part 1 of 3 - Sample of unedited pages from The Curse of Billy the KidHello!<br />
<br />
So...this post is for the fans of my page on Facebook for my current WIP, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BillyTheKidRidesAgain/" target="_blank">The Curse of Billy the Kid</a>. If you have not liked that page yet, DO IT! Trust me, you won't regret it! I share cool moments in history, pictures of Lincoln, NM (old and new), things about that time in the Wild West, and other cool stuff that surrounds the legend that is Billy the Kid.<br />
<br />
Anyway, without further ado, here is the first part of three I'm going to release!<br />
<br />
Happy Thanksgiving, all! -<a href="http://www.tamsinsilver.com/" target="_blank">Tamsin</a> :)<br />
<br />
-------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>From the chapter titled, "Damned if I do, damned if I don't."</b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“I’ll leave you boys to organize as you
see fit and I’ll bring the horse-n-wagon ‘round to the back door.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Thanks, Isaac,” I said as he left. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“So, what’s first?” Ben asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Noticing he wore a cartridge belt and
his six-shooter, I said, “You’ll need new ammo for this trip. Trust me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We’re just goin’ down the street, why would we—” he
started to say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Ben?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“All right, if you say so,” he said,
walking over to where I sat with the two crates of silver ammunition. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Take off your belt. I’ll have you load
it up, just in case. Same with your rifle.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Any chance you’re gonna explain why, or
should I just smile and nod?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“The latter is a wiser option.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“All right then,” Ben said, beginning to
swap out his bullets for the silver ones I handed him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">While we worked, I figured it would be a
good opportunity to verify the rumor we’d been told in San Patricio. “Have you
heard any information about Jessie Evans and Tom Hill?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Ben removed the bullets from his gun and
began to replace them, saying, “I have, Tom is dead, just like Morton and
Baker. Did y’all really kill those two men?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I sat and began to fill up my belt. I
couldn’t tell him the truth about what had happened that day so all I said was,
“We did. Killed them while they was tryin’ to escape.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Serves ‘em right, then,” he said, then
filled me in on the word he’d heard from customers and the like. It all matched
up to what we’d heard, except that Ben had been told Jessie’s elbow had been
hit, shattering his arm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We heard it was his wrist, but either
way, son of a bitch is in a hospital in pain and botherin’ no one since he’s
under arrest,” I said, finished with my reload.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Jimmy Dolan broke his leg yesterday.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“And I thought there couldn’t possibly
be more good news!” I joked, standing up and brushing the dust from my knees.
“How the hell did he do that?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Stupid SOB was chasing some unarmed man and
jumped off his horse while it was still at a gallop.” Ben started to laugh. “Drunk
as a skunk is what he was. I’d be surprised if he even felt it break.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I started to laugh. “That’s hilarious!
Oh my Lord, wait until I tell the boys.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Maybe that’ll slow his mean streak,”
Ben said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There was a pause where we both looked
at one another and said at the same time, “Doubt it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">After a good belly laugh we loaded up
our rifles, took the crates to the small wagon out back, covered them up, and
prepped to take the silver shipment down to he McSween’s house. Lookin’ up at
the sky, I saw we had a half moon, givin’ us some light for our ride. I wasn’t
sure what the werewolves did on half moon nights, but I was hopin’ we’d not get
the chance to find out. However, we were not that lucky.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As Ben and I reached the Juan Patron
Store, I felt a tingle up my spine and cocked my rifle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Is there a problem?” Ben asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Not sure…feels wrong. Pick up the pace
a bit. Let’s get these boxes into the patio of the McSween home as fast as we
can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Ben snapped the reins on the family
horse only picked up the pace a little and I said, “When you said she was a
calm horse, you meant it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Steady and true, my girl Mable is, aren’t
ya?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The horse whinnied and I cringed. Right
now was not the time for slow and careful. I took a deep breath and said, “She
might wanna go a bit faster.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Why? I thought you didn’t want us to
draw attention.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The howl of a wolf split the night air
like lightning, chilling me to the core. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“We’re already being watched,” I told
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“By who?” he asked, sounding skeptical. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“More like <i>what</i>,” I said, scanning the dark. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">It didn’t take long to find them, their
movement giving them away. Two wolves ran past us and onto the road. Causing
Ben to swear and start to pull Mable to a halt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Stopping is not a good idea,” I told
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Did you see those—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“That’s why you can’t…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I let my words trail off as I noticed
the wolves stop on the road as two more joined them, all four turning to face us
like we was playin’ some weird game of chicken. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“This is not good,” I said. “Ben, listen
to me carefully, those are not just mindless animals, we cannot get caught by
them. Do you understand?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“What is going—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Do you understand?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Yes, but—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 13.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Just drive! Now!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Ben snapped the reins hard and yelled
out at Mable, but she just pranced a bit and whinnied at her owner. The wolves
began to walk toward us a unit so I decided to take a chance. Without knowing
if it would work or not, I reached out and lay my hand on Mabel’s right flank. Pushing
some of the energy stored in me from Morton and Baker into the horse, I told her
what was needed. She huffed air out of her nose in reply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Hoping she was on board with this, I
gave her flank a slap and yelled, “Now!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Rearing up, she kicked out toward the
wolves with her front legs, but once those hooves hit the ground she was off
and running. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“Holy shit!” Ben said, grabbing fast to
not lose the reins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">“She’s got us, just hold on!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Not knowing what to do with a large
horse barreling toward them, the wolves split two to each side and let us
through before running alongside us. The one closest to Ben jumped up to take a
snap at him and I pulled the trigger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">TO BE CONTINUED</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: red;">STAY TUNED...THE NEXT SECTION MIGHT BE UP AS SOON AS TOMORROW! :)</span></span></div>
Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-22267632867746826442015-10-28T10:10:00.000-04:002015-11-02T12:49:26.687-05:00Planning = Productivity - Over at Magical Words today!<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img alt="" class="alignleft" height="235" id="irc_mi" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/91/57/88/915788efef88b42154d0315e01053ba8.jpg" width="236" /></div>
<span style="color: #6aa84f;">Today over at </span><a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/"><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">www.MagicalWords.net</span></a><span style="color: #6aa84f;"> you can hear me chat about why planning will help you be more productive...and yeah, I know, you've heard this all before...but hey, maybe I have something new to add...maybe I'll say something you've not thought of before...or maybe I'll just say the same ol' shit you've heard a thousand times over. You won't know unless you go see. :) </span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;">Here's the direct link </span><a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/planning-productivity/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">HERE</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;">But here's how it began...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;">"My head is a bit all over the place today. Work was a bear yesterday (<em>I have an eye twitch today to prove it</em>) and my head keeps bouncing between a post apocalyptic short story that I’m working on for something next year and my historical fantasy novel that I will be putting pedal to the metal on as of November 1st (<em>because yes, I’m using <a href="http://nanowrimo.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">NaNoWriMo</span></a> to help me bang out words for this bad boy</em>). Add to that my usual life stuff and I’m mentally twitching along with my left eye.</span><br />
<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRxqFQoTCKag3sWy48gCFUlYPgod_moKyw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2FInnerVoice26s%2Fproper-planning%2F&psig=AFQjCNGXYz5r1LBiw9UjbQKQRuhnoKO8UQ&ust=1446060630909890" id="irc_mil" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignleft" height="244" id="irc_mi" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/93/6b/0e/936b0e1cc33ca7367e3d1093a09c58b0.jpg" width="196" /></a><span style="color: white;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;">I may know exactly where I want this new book to go and want to write it, but I’ve been putting it off to outline. THIS IS NOT A BAD THING (<em>just weird for a proclaimed <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Pantser" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">pantser</span></strong></a></em>). But I feel like I’m stalling. I might be, who knows! <em>*throws hands in air and then presses on twitching eye* </em>Either way, five days from now I’m going to say, “screw it” and I’m going to start the journey. I’ll spend this weekend getting the last two battles outlined and then we’re off, or so I hope.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;">Anyway, my scattered head was trying to figure out what to talk to you all about when I got this in my email today:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: white;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://timgrahl.com/the-ultimate-writer-productivity-guide/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">THE ULTIMATE WRITER’S GUIDE TO GREAT PRODUCTIVITY by Tim Grahl</span></strong></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: white;"></span> </div>
<span style="color: white;"></span> <span style="color: white;">And for once, I read the whole thing (<em>I love when he says, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mark-Necromancer-Sabrina-Grayson-Novel-ebook/dp/B012BGDOEO/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1440442864&sr=1-2&keywords=tamsin+silver" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">Decision Fatigue </span></strong></a>is real”, I’d never heard that before but he’s right!</em>) and I really want you to do so as well. No, this is not a </span><a href="http://nanowrimo.org/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: white;">NaNoWriMo</span></strong></a><span style="color: white;"> thing, though it may help those of you who use November to metaphorically get off your bum (<em>but technically, if we’re to be honest about it, you use it to sit more on said bum</em>). It also is a good read for those of you who want to write for a living OR write like you’re practicing to write for a living.</span><br />
<span style="color: white;"></span><br />
<a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRxqFQoTCK_WyIay48gCFcEYPgodL_0OmA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myquotesclub.com%2F2015%2F08%2Fpage%2F271&psig=AFQjCNGXYz5r1LBiw9UjbQKQRuhnoKO8UQ&ust=1446060630909890" id="irc_mil" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" class="alignright" height="184" id="irc_mi" src="http://www.myquotesclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Success-doenst-just-happen.jpg" width="270" /></a><span style="color: white;">In this post, Tim talks about how he keeps his productivity high. He breaks it down into The Framework, The Mindset, The Schedule, The Plan, When It All Goes Down In Flames, and at the end there is a link for you to download a free workbook!</span><br />
<span style="color: white;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><span style="color: cyan;">Hello, Free, I’m Tamsin, I’m happy to meet ya!</span></em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: white;"></span> </div>
<span style="color: white;">Anyway, I’ve talked about a lot of these things over the past year, so I really liked seeing him make it concise on a blog post.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;">Now, of the things Tim shares, it was his weekly schedule that gave me pause..."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;">Want to know more of what I had to say and the pledge I made to change my schedule? Then go </span><a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/planning-productivity/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">HERE</span></a><span style="color: #6aa84f;"> and find out! :)</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;">I know, I'm rotten...LOL!</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;">Take care and I'll have more for you soon!</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><a href="http://www.tamsinsilver.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">Tamsin </span></a>:)</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRxqFQoTCNTe3tay48gCFYasPgodAbYCTQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.verybestquotes.com%2Fit-takes-as-much-energy-to-wish-%25E2%2580%2595-eleanor-roosevelt-quotes%2F&psig=AFQjCNGXYz5r1LBiw9UjbQKQRuhnoKO8UQ&ust=1446060630909890" id="irc_mil"><img alt="" class="alignright" height="228" id="irc_mi" src="http://www.verybestquotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Planning-quotes-wish-quotes-It-takes-as-much-energy-to-wish-as-it-does-to-plan.1.jpg" width="312" /></a><br />
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Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-74115107126434068382015-10-22T18:09:00.001-04:002015-10-22T18:12:54.667-04:00My thoughts on Hamlet (the Cumberbatch production and the play in general)<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="NYU Skirball" class="CToWUd a6T" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhkZqSfFB_lXffum6EDnVBtomSjKLNDbU4g7yYmV5MHfd061ytdWCaNse5EaXNB4kUgzbauv-4RJ_l8ZhOsNOAFCHHabTSWGs_w3g9jN6gB6bLDED7jHbLpwLhAqmX154BMvLrn0-rrFfObru-q1F87d1kYz26Ovp3BLOCJBAt-RFHmHpY-vgk_czNturxTlpgV1Ee_eu2KfCDIfQ=s0-d-e1-ft" style="font-size: 14px; min-height: auto !important;" width="320" /></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">That's right, we're talking about something different today! I'm not going to be yammering on about writing (*<em>insert shocked face here</em>*), but instead, I'll be using my degree today. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">For those who do not know, I hold two degrees. One in Secondary Education (<em>Certified for 7th thru 12th Grade</em>) and a BA in Theatre with emphasis on Directing and Performance (<em>but I studied theatre tech/design a lot as well, and taught it</em>) and a minor in English with an emphasis on Creative Writing and Shakespeare (<em>this means I might have a clue to what I'm talking about, but then again, I'm no super-scholar so take my opinions as just that, opinions and nothing more. Meaning, by God, don't get up in arms with my thoughts on this.</em>)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YCQ1PU5lZ2QaNmhY78cokKLFGcB2LH5PyAbYDQ62VOVdQoEvkq30wSWp6kbuIqca_czmKf5edyxcBmam20JfULjSUf3fKjUqSqXcvXuh1EeZyJDy9Q9ygKexpiYk9kXG-phj3hIjSgEB/s1600/Hamlet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YCQ1PU5lZ2QaNmhY78cokKLFGcB2LH5PyAbYDQ62VOVdQoEvkq30wSWp6kbuIqca_czmKf5edyxcBmam20JfULjSUf3fKjUqSqXcvXuh1EeZyJDy9Q9ygKexpiYk9kXG-phj3hIjSgEB/s320/Hamlet.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #38761d;">Why are we going back to our "previous career"? Well, as this slightly blurry photo of the program" from my evening last night (<em>the phone that took the photo a cracked-all-to-hell screen and I took this in the subway with said broken-to-shit phone...so, forgive the slightly blurry character names if thou wilt).</em></span><br />
<em><span style="color: #38761d;"></span></em><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">With seven years in college, a BA in Theatre, and an education certification for teaching Theatre under my belt (<em>not to mention all my other training starting *cough cough* thirty-three years ago</em>), you can imagine I've seen, pardon my French, a fuck-ton of Hamlet productions. I've also seen many of the movies of it as well. That said, I'm never tired of seeing The Bard's work invented and re-invented on stage or screen (<em>Dear God, </em></span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2884018/" target="_blank"><em>Macbeth</em></a><em> <span style="color: #38761d;">with Michael Fassbender this December cannot come fast enough!</span></em><span style="color: #38761d;">) but I do get tired of seeing Hamlet's character done the same way.</span> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Sometimes I feel this quiet, complicit, and entertained boredom while watching this particular tragedy of Shakespeare's. You're wondering now how can one be both entertained and bored and I say, easily. For you see, you love the language, the sets, the world, the acting...but it's just another version of the thing you've already seen so you're mildly bored. Sure, you enjoy the show, but it's more of a soaking up of artistic words to fill your soul vs. them penetrating your heart and mind. Yes? Are you with me? Good.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Lyndsey Turner's production of Hamlet is not that! It is entertaining from start to (*<em>Spoiler Alert</em>*) Hamlet's deadly finish. Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of the title character will not bore you in the least, no matter how many times you've seen the Danish Prince wail about his father's murder for three hours.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Before I move on, I should like to add that I've not seen a production of Hamlet since my dear friend, State Trooper </span><a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2014/09/slain_michigan_state_police_tr_3.html" target="_blank">Paul Butterfield</a>, <span style="color: #38761d;">was murdered and I can tell you that I had a much more profound understanding of the pain an anguish of Hamlet and Laertes grief this time around (<em>No, I do not count Ophelia in that list because, frankly, though there are moments where your mind is scattered and you want to disappear into it, I feel she's a bit over the top for realism. Not with the acting, though, it too can be painful to watch when it is, but it's the writing of her that gets me. I'm never sad to see her go. I am sad, however, to see Hamlet's reaction to her death, and Laertes' as well, if he's not spent his wad of emotion on "how dare my dad be killed on accident" rage in the scene prior. But I'll get into that later</em>.).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBP1anryW5zKnMWKzAhT5y-akeYUdCrHJn5VABYklen2mBAcAKUJzWmJFJCkUR4Fsh2plT6ZqQofv8Yd0huud612zLDEeiIZ7s17LxNZX-6HO7RO0Z3-FKUNCua1Vcw1nvJNIfCzRpxNT3/s1600/Hamlet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBP1anryW5zKnMWKzAhT5y-akeYUdCrHJn5VABYklen2mBAcAKUJzWmJFJCkUR4Fsh2plT6ZqQofv8Yd0huud612zLDEeiIZ7s17LxNZX-6HO7RO0Z3-FKUNCua1Vcw1nvJNIfCzRpxNT3/s320/Hamlet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #38761d;">Let's hit upon the controversy of the opening scene first, shall we? Get that out of the way? So, if you do not know, the play used to open with the "To Be, Or Not To Be" speech. And hey, shocker, people got pissed (<em>to put it lightly</em>), and because of that, it was moved elsewhere. A friend of mine says that it's been said that audience members felt they were dumbing it down for the BC fans with that. As an director, and a director of well reviewed NYC productions of Shakespeare, I will tell you that no director worth his or her merit would ever do this. So then why open with it? I have a theory...</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">The play opens with Hamlet sitting alone on stage with a trunk of his father's things while listening to music on an record player that either reminds him of his father or is his father's favorite record (<em>I'd bet option two</em>). Because of this, I can see why Ms. Turner put the famous speech at this spot. It would speak volumes to Hamlet's mindset to hear it here. It would tell you how broken he is inside, how he is weighing the idea of leaving this world, how he is pondering death and loss...I could go on and on but you get the picture.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Mind you, when forced to put it "back" to "where it belongs," Turner did not put it in the usual spot (<em>which is </em></span><a href="http://shakespeare.mit.edu/hamlet/hamlet.3.1.html" target="_blank"><em>Act III, Scene 1</em></a>, <span style="color: #38761d;"><em>just prior to his "Get thee to a nunnery" speech to Ophelia</em>) but instead, she slid it into</span> <a href="http://shakespeare.mit.edu/hamlet/hamlet.2.2.html" target="_blank">Act II, Scene 2</a>. <span style="color: #38761d;">If you scroll down on the page I've linked for the latter, to almost mid way, you'll see the conversation between Hamlet and Polonius. Turner slipped the "to be or not to be" after Polonius leaves the room. To connect to this, Turner has Hamlet act out being hung with an item hanging around his neck when he says the line, "Except my life." She then has Polonius bid his farewell and Hamlet pulls on the "noose" again with his third, "except my life," and then goes into the famous speech. Here, I've copy/pasted the section (<em>with editing and notes to what happened on the London stage the night it was filmed</em>):</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><u>LORD POLONIUS</u></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;">My honourable lord, I will most humbly take my leave of you.</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><u>HAMLET</u></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;">You cannot, sir, take from me any thing that I will willingly part withal: except my life, except my life, <strike>except my life</strike> (<em><span style="color: #b4a7d6;">if I remember correctly, this last one was not said here, but put after Hamlet barely notices Polonius leave on the next line, and says it after he's gone...as I've inserted below</span></em>)</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><u>LORD POLONIUS</u></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;">Fare you well, my lord.</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><u>HAMLET</u></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;">Except my life... (<span style="color: #b4a7d6;">pulls on the noose-type object, takes it off as he ponders for a quick moment</span>)</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;">To be, or not to be, that is the question...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Normally, at this point, instead of the question posed of existing or not, the script says,</span> "<em><span style="color: #674ea7;">Enter ROZENCRANTZ and GUILDENSTERN</span></em>." <span style="color: #38761d;">But they do not in Turner's rendition, obviously, because we are still in the early part of Shakespeare's Act II.</span> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Personally, I feel it works well in the new location Turner has snugly placed it. In fact, I like this spot better than throwing it in where it is supposed to be. If Cumberbatch wasn't as good of an actor it may not have been pulled off as seamlessly as it did in this location, but he connected the previous conversation into it flawlessly. Interestingly enough, at the time I knew, in the back of my mind, that this still wasn't the right spot, but I didn't consciously realize it enough to ponder it, for I was too drawn in by the choices Cumberbatch was making to give a damn on how the director had moved sections of text around.**</span><br />
<em><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">**Side Note: EVERYONE MOVES TEXT AROUND because Shakespeare's plays are fucking long...so some of the whiners need to accept that fact and get over themselves. Juuuust sayin'...</span></em><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">All right, with <strong><em>that</em></strong> topic covered, I'm going to talk about the three main reasons I liked it followed by what I wasn't super fond of.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjCFz7QTyLhyphenhyphenRD31vks3YRkXcrfMbXvnFyv0FXkRYpeo9FYAiqNDpkMMrMCwgoJd_Ue9ELrxDSOdN2y28zc5LzJuFR0zMZ4xf04Wcns50q45HAMZliv2nIyGm1lYiku7n4zlHIgJ4TEPV/s1600/Hamlet+with+skull.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvjCFz7QTyLhyphenhyphenRD31vks3YRkXcrfMbXvnFyv0FXkRYpeo9FYAiqNDpkMMrMCwgoJd_Ue9ELrxDSOdN2y28zc5LzJuFR0zMZ4xf04Wcns50q45HAMZliv2nIyGm1lYiku7n4zlHIgJ4TEPV/s320/Hamlet+with+skull.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "Alas, poor Yorick" scene between Hamlet & Horatio</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><u>First off: Age.</u> </span><span style="color: #38761d;">Hamlet is supposed to be a college boy in this (<em>and in England, kids go off to University earlier than we Americans do, keep that in mind</em>), yet so many productions toss that out the window and play him as a young man closer in maturity to a 33 year old...that has always stuck in my craw. But how do you fix that, really? Turner did something wonderful, she helped us see it by having Horatio (<em>played by <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1095324/" target="_blank">Leo Bill</a> wonderfully, might I add</em>) show up with his backpack and college age appropriate clothing and his presence helps us remember Hamlet's real age (<em>same with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's look...and dear God, I really hope those are their last names</em>). By doing this, Cumberbatch was able to have fun with the "mad" (<em>as in crazy, not upset</em>) sections and treat them more like a petulant young adult being difficult and annoying as they are prone to do when they are upset with their parents. I should know, I remember being that way when my parents got divorced...and that's not half as bad as (*<em>Spoiler Alert</em>*) learning your father was murdered by his brother so he could take his crown and marry his wife, your mother. </span><br />
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<u><span style="color: #38761d;">Secondly: Emotional level of Hamlet.</span></u><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Turner/Cumberbatch's Hamlet was rash/impulsive, self and mission absorbed, smart mouthed (<em>as well as smart in general</em>), who you honestly were not sure if he was crazy or just pretending to be, though it came off more the latter than the former, which I also approve of. As someone who has gone through the grief of a loved one murdered, I can say that you feel mentally and emotionally scattered as well as stunted. You are so angry that you want to scream at the top of your lungs and hit things with a bat. You are prone to tears without much provocation and you are suddenly more emotional about all things...because life feels jagged and breathing air hurts (<em>metaphorically speaking, of course</em>). All of these were present in Cumberbatch's performance. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">My friend who went with me to see the filmed version of the London play, who has a great love of Shakespeare (<em>specifically <strong>Macbeth</strong></em>), wasn't as fond of it as I. She commented on another actor's portrayal of Hamlet and said it was "less weepy and emotional." Not that she was stomping on Cumberbatch's choice on that (<em>she too is a fan of his work</em>), she was just stating a fact and her tone suggested she liked the more subtle crazy of a collected human (<em>or as collected as one can be when playing crazy and upset</em>). And you know what? That's an okay portrayal too. No, really, it is! However, I feel THAT is the version I ALWAYS see. No one finds the humor, no one finds the childlike brat who is angry, no one explores the rollercoaster ride that your emotions are in the grief you deal with of someone who is murdered. It's not like normal grief and I'm sorry if that offends anyone. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Now, I'm not downplaying the grief anyone has felt for those who die of more natural causes by any means...I'm saying its different in a way that you cannot fathom unless you go through it (<em>and dear God, I pray you never do</em>). The closest you might come to understanding what I'm talking about is if you've experienced a loved one dying from Cancer (<em>and allied diseases</em>). There's a hate for the disease (<em>hence the platform out there that raises money for Cancer patients and research called, "Fuck Cancer."</em>) and the unfairness of it's selection process that is slightly similar to the grief of one killed by a human at random.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">This brings me to...Ophelia. And though my notes pertain to emotion, it falls under my un-favorite things, so we'll come back to this.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001354/" target="_blank">Ciaran Hinds</a> as Claudius</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><u>Thirdly: The acting of the entire cast (<em>save for one, and no, not Ophelia</em>), the technical design, and the direction of the piece</u>.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Yes yes yes, I'm one of <strong><em>those</em></strong> people. LOL! I notice the lights, sound, set, costumes, and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blocking_(stage)" target="_blank">blocking</a> <span style="color: #38761d;">(<em>planned movement on stage by the director for the actors</em>) and they make the environment of the play real for me (<em>psst, they're meant to, I'm not weird...or rather, I'm not super weird</em>) and transport me to the realm of reality of the piece of drama, speaking almost more volumes about the show than the actors lines or their talent do. I think that's why my specialty in writing is World Building: I know how important it is on stage and thus have transferred it to my books. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">In short, if any of these pull you out of the being in the moment of a production (<em>except, of course, when they are used to do that specifically</em>) then they are a fail. That only happened in one way for me in this show and I'm picky, so two thumbs up for the design team and director!</span><br />
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<em><span style="color: #6aa84f;">"A talented sound and light designer are worth their weight </span></em></div>
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<em><span style="color: #6aa84f;">in gold and when you find them you hold on them for dear life." </span></em></div>
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<em><span style="color: #6aa84f;">- Said every director, ever</span></em></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d;">What didn't I love? Well...there was one set choice I had issues with and three actors whose work I felt wasn't as amazing as I'd have liked, one of them is script based so it's no one's fault but Shakespeare's and yes, I just said that and no, I do not apologize, and yes, I know why it was written as it was and forgive The Bard.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">We'll start with that last item. You see, I rarely like the portrayal of Ophelia but that has nothing to do with the actress herself. It's like this, Shakespeare's notion here is that a <strong><em>man</em></strong> (<em>Laertes, Ophelia's brother or Hamlet, for that matter</em>) can loose his father and rage, fight, and though he acts rashly with bad choices, he still keeps his head. But a <strong><em>woman</em></strong> who deals with the same thing looses her ever-living-fucking-mind. I don't just mean she's a bit mad like Hamlet...no no no...she sings weird songs and talks about random things and flutters about like a loon in an asylum and does not even recognize anyone, not even her brother. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Look, sure, were there times in my grief for Paul that I wanted to check out? Sure! Did I feel a bit all over the place? You bet! So much so that I went into a depression? Oh boy, did I ever! But to loose my friggin' mind and basically act as if my brain was removed, melted down in a skillet, scrambled about, and shoved back in my head...NO. No no no no no. Hell, not even Hamlet (<em>who is supposed to be our truly mad, as in crazy, character</em>) gets this bad. Sure, you can play him that way, but that becomes one dimensional and takes away his intellect, in my opinion. And that is where I get bored watching, as previously mentioned.</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnmMeW-jA3uw5QhCVsuaZASH_6-RFu_UhUetd-qBoX3twfWFM5xk8Mf-P-c8f1YtXwNcWyQQTDsZLoyJQAPkjnOD9DQQL7NL5GujcO82G9H5XlrGxrbrvsXavvoxu4GYPwFQGjh3JhmN-/s1600/Ophelia+with+camera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnmMeW-jA3uw5QhCVsuaZASH_6-RFu_UhUetd-qBoX3twfWFM5xk8Mf-P-c8f1YtXwNcWyQQTDsZLoyJQAPkjnOD9DQQL7NL5GujcO82G9H5XlrGxrbrvsXavvoxu4GYPwFQGjh3JhmN-/s320/Ophelia+with+camera.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #38761d;">So...yeah, Ophelia's arc is bothersome to me on principle so no matter who is playing the role, they are starting out with that on their shoulders in my mind. Now that I think on it, and go back to watch some YouTube clips, maybe its just the Ophelia of stage productions that bores me. Don't get me wrong, I still am not a fan of the woman being frail and going bat-shit crazy pants when men don't, but, I found I liked the role better in the movies. Maybe because it offers more for the role in some ways (<em>more takes, close ups to see inner dialogue, & time on "stage" usually, to name a few</em>.) Case in point, of the 4 movie versions I've seen, I did love </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPbwZEnRcXs" target="_blank">Helena Bonham Carter</a> <span style="color: #38761d;">in the </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099726/" target="_blank">Mel Gibson adaptation</a> <span style="color: #38761d;">in 1990 (<em>135 min version</em>) and </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uet1OaTal5Q" target="_blank">Kate Winslet</a> <span style="color: #38761d;">in</span> <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116477/" target="_blank">Kenneth Branagh's full script adaptation</a> <span style="color: #38761d;">in 1996 (<em>242 min version</em>).</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrG7KQo4rulzHRIO0en4jy8g9HZI6yhvAk16Zi-uSmQ0TivnnSk5kdyGQ5YP0dddhbGUKT02LXEIzW0mrXsIF_lQqkYGX5kElJgSh7WucaOiaYTGE4hsGeNQ7fhmtRjMGsOC-yp762ekkI/s1600/Ophelia+in+yellow+sweater+of+ick.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrG7KQo4rulzHRIO0en4jy8g9HZI6yhvAk16Zi-uSmQ0TivnnSk5kdyGQ5YP0dddhbGUKT02LXEIzW0mrXsIF_lQqkYGX5kElJgSh7WucaOiaYTGE4hsGeNQ7fhmtRjMGsOC-yp762ekkI/s320/Ophelia+in+yellow+sweater+of+ick.png" width="212" /></a><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">The actress for this London production was </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1604939/" target="_blank">Sian Brooke</a>. <span style="color: #38761d;">Did she do a good job with the shitty hand she was dealt? Sadly I wasn't really taken by her. She was okay and at times interesting, but it was fleeting and she felt washed out (<em>and what is up with the horrible yellow sweater outfit? *shudders*</em>). Did the director find great things to add to her character (<em>like playing the piano and taking pictures all the time</em>)? YEP! But you can only do so much. I did love when she wonders upstage on the big mound of dirt and walks into this beam of light offstage (<em>this is the best exit in the whole show, if you know she's heading off to...SPOILER ALERT...drown</em>) I bid her a fond farewell but not a bitter one, for as wishy-washy as the character was, at least she wasn't horribly annoying like many you see. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Secondly, I wasn't a fan of the weird dirt choice. Here's a pic from the end of the theater's first half of the show as Claudius (<em>Hamlet's Uncle, now King & Stepfather</em>) stands center stage: </span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt8BaiFXwsCqGCpkfIaN9tTEDxYR4HG4hVHI9LS9vMMxGk0aTvKUDq9m8tO_dd2hMlxf7VW8QTBuGSnJ6pYQ0du43vNEt9S3bBclbKJMQEHhab4A76PbU_9KJjtVlB7rorCKp5Sicqn6q4/s1600/End+with+dirt+flying+in.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt8BaiFXwsCqGCpkfIaN9tTEDxYR4HG4hVHI9LS9vMMxGk0aTvKUDq9m8tO_dd2hMlxf7VW8QTBuGSnJ6pYQ0du43vNEt9S3bBclbKJMQEHhab4A76PbU_9KJjtVlB7rorCKp5Sicqn6q4/s320/End+with+dirt+flying+in.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #38761d;">As you can see, there's all this dirt flying in from every angle and it looks cool! It's like a bunch of black birds flying in like bad omens...but I didn't think it would still be there for the second half nor in the abundance of it they chose. For the entire stage was covered and in some areas in <strong><em>huge</em></strong> piles (<em>And who has to clean that and set it up each night? I wouldn't want that job...no matter how close it got me to Benedict Cumberbatch, and that's saying something!</em>). The first half ends shortly after (*<em>Spoiler Alert</em>*) Hamlet accidently kills Polonius thinking he's his Uncle (<em>because he's hidden behind a curtain to eavesdrop on a conversation betwixt Hamlet and his mother in her chambers...well, in this production it's in the main room and the curtain is the one of the makeshift stage the visiting minstrels, who also were rather unimpressive, use</em>)...........and ya know what...no more "Spoiler Alert" warnings...look, EVERY FUCKING MAIN PERSON DIES IN THIS SHOW (<em>it's Les Miserables w/o the "happy ending"</em>) except friggin' Horatio who lives to tell Hamlet's story...oh, and</span> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortinbras" target="_blank">Fortinbras</a> <span style="color: #38761d;">(<em>the Prince of Norway guy we never really care much about as it's an underlying thing in the story that I won't bore you by going into</em>) who comes in at the end to say lines no one cares about.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;">The mounds of dirt (<em>or dirt like substance, more correctly</em>) are seen better in this pic on the right with Gertrude opening Ophelia's trunk, worked really well in the second half of the production for the grave digger scene, the scenes out on the land when Hamlet is traveling, for the burial of Ophelia, or for when we see Fortinbras traveling closer to </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helsing%C3%B8r" target="_blank">Elsinore</a> <span style="color: #38761d;">(<em>what Hamlet's home city is called...and you can't forget that because jeebus, I swear the line, "You're welcome at Elsinore," is said way too much</em>). But it was really odd when they were <strong><em>inside</em></strong> the castle. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">I am guessing that it was meant to symbolize all the dirt in their lives (<em>lies, deceit, greed, murder, and the madness</em>) piling up. Every other aspect of the set/setting was done in a realistic concept, so to jump to a symbolic element felt weird, especially when they acted like it was really there, because...why would they allow all that to be piled up inside and where would it have come from? Thus, each indoor scene was hard for me to stay connected to as I found myself watching their feet walk around on the stuff. Oh, and when Laertes must duel Hamlet, all I could think was, "Dear God, they're going to fall and hurt themselves on that shit!" Not what you want your audience to think about. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Lastly, I was not a fan of two other main characters. I didn't dislike them, just like I didn't dislike Sian, but I wasn't loving their work either.</span> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxjcOHE1Is7jJVKEvSuYNBOTZXWm_Ls2YXtBwkdEDDEz2h8c45vKtDpCAioRdOwkfTFmvrGMrzuwUmAXbN4UQtM125C-FJf-lG9472SJ1S7e4QB9fgdH5Zuqqx-poQfM3FbXMhxaz25oX/s1600/Hamelt+with+his+mother.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxjcOHE1Is7jJVKEvSuYNBOTZXWm_Ls2YXtBwkdEDDEz2h8c45vKtDpCAioRdOwkfTFmvrGMrzuwUmAXbN4UQtM125C-FJf-lG9472SJ1S7e4QB9fgdH5Zuqqx-poQfM3FbXMhxaz25oX/s320/Hamelt+with+his+mother.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #38761d;">First, the woman who played Hamlet's mother, Gertrude</span> (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0384826/" target="_blank">Anastasia Hille</a>). <span style="color: #38761d;">In short, she just didn't do it for me...though, her scene with Hamlet when he lays out her sins before her and asks her to not go back to his Uncle's bed, pic of which seen below, was rather wonderful...though, a lot of that was because Benedict was in his element in this scene.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPmPYfg_uEi3ItYeIVezRmkDww6K2Ml_2hsmrm-rZt-84KvcUkNC6ZOTk4HgL5EK1UbcCOUuMVaq2y6JomqnG94u6Z52VIWxEG3MnR2468AmOsELqBn6Gs9-bp9x3eNh5ax0tDXOX3jE7O/s1600/laertes.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPmPYfg_uEi3ItYeIVezRmkDww6K2Ml_2hsmrm-rZt-84KvcUkNC6ZOTk4HgL5EK1UbcCOUuMVaq2y6JomqnG94u6Z52VIWxEG3MnR2468AmOsELqBn6Gs9-bp9x3eNh5ax0tDXOX3jE7O/s320/laertes.png" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #38761d;">My second actor I wasn't 100% happy with,</span> <span style="color: #38761d;">though I liked him better than Ophelia or Gertrude, was the man who played Laertes: </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1506183/" target="_blank">Kobna Holdbrook-Smith</a>. <span style="color: #38761d;">I know I know, he's a great actor and is very talented!!! I just wasn't there with him, if that makes sense. I think I might have too high of a bar set in my head for this role, and hence I am ever critical. And to be honest, it really comes down to that I didn't like his entrance in the second half of the show...and that might've been a directorial choice so, Kobna, I do apologize if that's the case.</span> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">Here's the thing: Laertes enters hot-n-mad with a gun in his hand and soldiers (<em>where did these followers come from and where did they go after he tells them they can back off? So weird.</em>) backing him up who are set to make him king and fight to avenge his father's death (<em>which even Laertes knows nothing about in the sense of how, why, and who</em>). His anger is already so up in the stratosphere that when he learns that Hamlet killed his dad there's not too much further for the character to build up to, but Kobna is talented enough to find it. It's when Ophelia dies right on the heels of the previous scene (<em>in this version of the play that is</em>) that he now has nowhere to go emotionally and it comes across a bit manic and flat. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">This should be the moment when Laertes hits his peak of anger and despair. But he entered so big and wrought with these two items that by this point, he just was a one trick (<em>ie: emotion</em>) pony. I all just felt like one anger-fest scene of him metaphorically banging his chest and yelling all his lines (<em>with his mic cutting in and out</em>). The anguish should be felt by us, the audience, but I didn't feel that way. I just kept wanting to move on to the next scene (<em>the problem with knowing the grave digger scene is coming up and it being a fan favorite of the play</em>). I will say that the scene was mildly saved by Claudius' line to Gertrude after she delivers the horrible blow of telling the story of how Ophelia died and Laertes runs off in "I need my space to think" agony: "I just got him calmed down," or something like that.</span> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">I feel like I should've talked about what I didn't love first so I could end with what I did love about this production since even my "not so favorite" things cannot outweigh that I LOVED this show. Cumberbatch is brilliant and exceptional in this role, like many things he does. But paired with my love for Shakespeare (<em>though yes, I have issues with some things in some of his plays, but who doesn't?</em>) it made this such a great watch, that I plan to see it again when the encore presentation of the film hits theaters later this year or early next.</span> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">I will say this, also...there were things I caught about the storyline in this show that I've missed before, and considering how many times I've seen this, THAT is a remarkable and astounding fact that is yet another reason to go see this film if it comes to your city. Any team (<em>actors/directors/etc</em>.) who can portray the language that well deserves to be seen by all! In fact, click <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/benedict-cumberbatch-hamlet-review-of-reviews/" target="_blank">HERE</a> to read review comments by the "all" who had things to say about this production in England.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">If by some miracle you read this whole thing, bravo! I get wordy and can go on and on when it comes to Shakespeare...LOL!</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.tamsinsilver.com/" target="_blank">Tamsin</a> :) <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;">P.S. You may have noticed on the program a tiny picture of Tom Hiddleston. That's because they're going to show an encore of the film of his play, Coriolanus, which is absolutely stupendous! I can't wait to see it again!</span>Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-28898189105472443952015-10-07T11:47:00.000-04:002015-10-20T11:55:25.501-04:00Altering Your Process - Over at Magical Words today!<img alt="Spit or swallow. Gotta say, though. Sometimes guys want to cum on other places and somehow **** still ends up in your eye.
Hurts like a bitch." class="cdn_switchable_img av_img" data-noncachedsrc="https://static4.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/Spit+or+swallow+gotta+say+though+sometimes+guys+want+to+_1f82bba402cc12feb73e7d2a5ebf5d90.gif" data-original="https://new4.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/Spit+or+swallow+gotta+say+though+sometimes+guys+want+to+_1f82bba402cc12feb73e7d2a5ebf5d90.gif" src="https://static4.fjcdn.com/thumbnails/comments/Spit+or+swallow+gotta+say+though+sometimes+guys+want+to+_1f82bba402cc12feb73e7d2a5ebf5d90.gif" style="display: inline; height: 183px; width: 245px;" /><br />
<br />
Altering Your Process? Wait, what? Why would I alter my process? That sounds as disgusting as Buffy seems to be in this GIF!<br />
<br />
Yeah...it is...but some projects require you to alter your approach. <br />
<br />
Today at <a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/">www.MagicalWords.net</a> you can hear about why I'm having to alter mine.<br />
<br />
Here's a direct link:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/altering-your-process-hurts-like-a-b/">http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/altering-your-process-hurts-like-a-b/</a><br />
<br />
Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-49877094454416021722015-09-25T13:17:00.000-04:002015-09-25T13:37:06.498-04:00Amazon "Customer Service" (AKA: That hour of my life I'll never get back.)<br />
<span style="color: blue;">Holy Mary, mother of God...I've been online with
Amazon for an hour to get bounced around to every effing department to fix this
issue of not being able to sign into my Kindle account via the app on my
iPhone.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">Notes of interest: 1) As I type this, I'm on hold
to talk to a human being on the phone. 2) I just wanted to pull up a book of
mine to find some information and it's become a whole ordeal. 3) I'd have
pulled this all up online with the cloud reader but it flashes back and for the
from loading to the site name so THAT is not gonna work. 4) I have the most
recent iOS system and app load so...yeah.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">So here...have a laugh and check out my online chat
with my interjections because...why not...</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">You are now
connected to Vipin from Amazon.com<u1:p></u1:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: I am unable to sign in to my account on my phone...I just
signed into the account online...I know the sign in information is correct, but
the app says I don't exist. 11:43:17 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Vipin: Hello, my name is Vipin. I'm here to help you today.
11:43:25 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: great! why will my iPhone Kindle app not let me sign in with
the correct info? 11:43:43 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: I even went so far as to update it online to see if that would
help. Nope. 11:43:57 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Vipin: If I am right you are facing the issue with your kindle app
for iphone? 11:44:16 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: tells me I don't exist.....I've been trying for 30 min.
11:44:19 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: I am dealing with the fact that Kindle says my username and
password do not exist. 11:44:43 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: and yet, I'm signed in with them online 11:44:51 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: so they do exist 11:44:54 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: but my phone Kindle app says no 11:45:03 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: and I just downloaded the app...so I know it's the most up to
date 11:45:18 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: as is my iOS 11:45:22 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Vipin: Okay. 11:45:30 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Vipin: Are you referring to this app Tamsin's iPhone 11:45:39 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Vipin: Which is registered in your amaozn account? 11:45:56 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: I would guess so 11:46:00 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Vipin: Okay. 11:46:14 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Vipin: Then lets try some troubleshooting steps Tamsin. 11:46:32 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: sure....but not sure we can do much since I can't get past the
sign in screen 11:47:12 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Vipin: Please deregister the kindle for app for iphone from here.
11:47:54 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Vipin: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/mn/dcw/myx.html#/home/devices/1" target="_blank" title="https://www.amazon.com/mn/dcw/myx.html#/home/devices/1"><span style="color: #004b91;">https://www.amazon.com/mn/dcw/myx.html#...</span></a>(See
full link) 11:47:54 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: ok...it's deregistered 11:48:19 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Vipin: Thanks. 11:48:39 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Vipin: Now please uninstall the app. 11:49:21 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: I deleted it 11:49:45 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Vipin: Thanks. 11:51:11 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Vipin: Now install the app again. 11:51:21 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: it's loading 11:52:00 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Vipin: Great. 11:52:27 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: ok...it's loaded 11:54:44 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Vipin: Thanks. 11:54:49 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Vipin: Now please try to register it again. 11:54:59 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: it says, "Device Registration Failed. No customer found
for this email address or password." 11:55:57 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: just like it did last time 11:56:02 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Vipin: A member of our Kindle specialists team will need to help
you with this. Can you please hold while I transfer you. One of our Kindle
Specialists will assist you shortly. 11:56:23 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">A Customer
Service Associate will be with you in a moment.</span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<strong><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">Thought at the time</span></u></strong><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">:
"Oh...okay, I'm being moved up...this should help." </span></strong><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">(W</span></strong><em><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">hy do we think these things when we know
better?</span></b></em><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">)<o:p></o:p></span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">You are now
connected to Prasanth from Amazon.com<u1:p></u1:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Prasanth: Hello Tamsin, 11:56:55 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Prasanth: I'm Prasanth from Amazon Kindle support. I'll be happy
to look in to your issue. 11:56:55 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: ok 11:57:03 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Prasanth: I'm sorry to hear about the problem you have in your
Kindle app. 11:57:15 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: I'm typing the correct sign in information 11:57:31 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: I've checked multiple times 11:57:37 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Prasanth: Would you like to register your Kindle for iPhone app in
your account? 11:58:03 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: *sigh* I just was told to unregister it so I did...then I
deleted the app...then I reinstalled it...then I tried to sign in and
register........ 11:58:40 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Prasanth: No worries, I'll help you with this. 11:58:56 AM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Prasanth: Have you installed the Kindle for iPhone app in your
iPhone? 12:00:27 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: yes....twice now 12:00:44 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Prasanth: Okay. 12:00:54 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Prasanth: May I have the email address you've entered to register
the app? 12:01:13 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: it won't let me register the app. The correct email for the
account that has my e-books is: (<em>deleted email because reasons</em>) 12:02:02 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: I'm signed into the account on my computer right now 12:02:26
PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: hence why I know the email and password are correct 12:02:42 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Prasanth: Okay. 12:03:05 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Prasanth: I've sent the password reset link to your account email
address. Please reset your password now and let me know. 12:03:40 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: I just reset the password a few minutes ago. But sure...I can
do it again. Hang on. 12:04:07 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: OK...so I took it back to what it was before I changed it 10
min ago 12:05:11 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Prasanth: Have you reset your password using the link which I've
sent now? 12:05:47 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: I used the link you sent my email since that's the one you
told me to use. 12:06:16 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Prasanth: Okay. 12:06:51 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Prasanth: Please go ahead and try register the app now using your
account email address and new password. 12:07:39 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: yet again...denied 12:08:10 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: it says, "Device Registration Failed. No customer found
for this email address or password." 12:08:22 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: we are going in circles here.... 12:08:35 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Prasanth: A member of our Retail(account) team will be the perfect
person to help you with this. Please wait, let me connect your chat to our
Retail Team. 12:09:55 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">A Customer
Service Associate will be with you in a moment.</span></div>
<strong><span style="color: blue;"><u>Thought at the time</u>: "What? Are you shitting me? You're transferring me again? You have got to be effing kidding me! Oh look, another name that proves Amazon e-chat outsources to another country...here goes the song and dance..."</span></strong><br />
<strong><u1:p></u1:p></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">You are now
connected to Mukesh from Amazon.com</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Mukesh: Hi! You've reached Amazon chat support, my name is Mukesh.
I'll be more than happy to help you today. 12:10:22 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: Hi, Mukesh...you are number 3 on who has come to help me.
Please, for the love of all that is holy, do not ask me to do the same things
the last two did. 12:10:32 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Mukesh: Alexis, Please allow me a moment, while i check your
previous conversation. 12:11:24 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: that would be great 12:11:31 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: :) 12:11:34 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Mukesh: Thank you so much for waiting Tamsin 12:15:46 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: sure thing 12:16:22 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Mukesh: So the email address associated with your account is
: youremailaddress (<em><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">deleted
before posting because...duh</span></em>) Right? 12:16:24 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: yes 12:16:28 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Mukesh: Thank you 12:16:52 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Mukesh: And you used the password reset link to change the
password. Right? 12:17:07 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: yes 12:17:13 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: I've changed that bad boy now twice in hopes of fixing the
issue. 12:17:36 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: I've downloaded and deleted and uploaded and deleted and
reloaded and....jeebus...It's almost been an hour since I started this whole
problem. 12:18:29 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Mukesh: Tamsin, Please provide me your phone number. I need to
arrange a call back from our account specialist team. They will help you to
login manually. 12:19:12 PM</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><strong><span style="color: blue;"><u>Thought at the time</u>: "REALLY?????!!!! Holy mother*cking son of a b*tch..."</span></strong></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: Seriously? I am logged in, online. It's a good account number
and password. They work! Trust me, I'm lookin' at my information. Why do they
need to call me? *sigh* I just....ugh. Fine. My cell is (<em><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">deleted to protect the "innocent"</span></em>) .
*headdesk* 12:20:58 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Mukesh: Thank you 12:21:44 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Me: yeah 12:21:48 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Mukesh: Your call is now connected 12:22:02 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Mukesh: I hope this call will resolve your issue. 12:22:11 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Mukesh: Thank you for contacting Amazon.com. Take care and have a
wonderful day goodbye :) 12:22:20 PM</span></div>
<u1:p></u1:p>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">Mukesh from
Amazon.com has left the conversation.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<strong><span style="color: blue;">***UPDATE***</span></strong><span style="color: blue;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">I ended up getting Taryn in Password Assistance on
the phone. And here's the funny thing. Suddenly the app allowed me to hit the
button (<em>because I was now that person who stands at the elevator and hits
the button even though they've hit it before because hey, maybe it'll work
faster</em>) and BOOM! It worked. She'd not even done anything yet.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">We both have NO idea WTF was wrong. But hey...it's
fixed. I mentioned this blog post and she took a look at the chat. Seems these
three will be getting contacted for some retraining. <em>*evil grin*</em> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">My work here is done.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">Have a good Friday you all...I need a drink!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">Wait...I'm at work...guess I'm settling for tea...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;">Anyone got any vodka in the house?????</span><br />
<br />
<em><span style="color: blue;">*crickets*</span></em>Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-82335547144766787162015-09-23T11:56:00.000-04:002015-10-20T11:59:48.307-04:00Focus Boards (or books) for Writing - Over at Magical Words today!<a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/focus.jpg"><img alt="focus" class="size-medium wp-image-10139 alignleft" height="206" src="http://www.magicalwords.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/focus-300x206.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<br />
FOCUS BOARDS FOR WRITING!!!<br />
<br />
You're saying, "What the hell are those?!"<br />
<br />
Well, this is the one at my home desk and writing area:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Writing-Focus-Board-2015.jpg"><img alt="Writing Focus Board 2015" class="wp-image-10132" height="351" src="http://www.magicalwords.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Writing-Focus-Board-2015-243x300.jpg" width="284" /></a><br />
<br />
At <a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/">www.MagicalWords.net</a> today find out more about the process of one of these, why I use them, how you can make one, and the different types you can create to fit your writing lifestyle. :)<br />
<br />
Here's the direct link:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/focus-boardsbooks-for-writing/">http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/focus-boardsbooks-for-writing/</a>Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-19646015325760880882015-09-11T13:14:00.002-04:002015-09-11T13:14:29.582-04:00September 11th. This day has been bad since 1857, not just 2001.<img src="http://mountainmeadowsmassacre.com/files/2011/10/mountain-meadow-massacre.jpg" /><br />
<br />
<u>SEPTEMBER 11, 1856, The Mountain Meadows Massacre</u><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“On
September 11, 1857, a group of emigrants bound for California was butchered in
what was to become known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
– Chapter 4, The Lincoln County War, by Frederick Nolan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The emigrants were the Francher party from Arkansas.
They’d traveled west through Kansas and Nebraska territories before entering
Utah. When they hit Cedar City, UT, they ran into trouble with the local
Mormons who would not sell/trade supplies with them. So they left and headed
southwest through the mountain pass called Mountain Meadows. Here’s what the
link online that I found had to say:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“There they were attacked by Mormon
assailants, some of them killed. The remaining emigrants pulled their wagons
into a tight circle for protection. Over the next five days, the emigrants were
held at siege in their wagon circle. During this period they were attacked two
more times.<o:p></o:p></i><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On September 11, 1857, <strong>John D.
Lee</strong> entered the wagon circle with a white flag, convincing the
emigrants to surrender peacefully. Required to put down their guns, the women
and children were escorted out first, then the men and boys. Each man and boy
was escorted by an armed militiaman.<o:p></o:p></i><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">They walked about a mile when, upon a
predetermined signal, the militiamen turned and fired on each man and boy.
Indians who had been convinced to participate in the massacre came out from
their hiding places to attack the women and children.”<o:p></o:p></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">You may be asking if any survived, well, the article
goes on to say this:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“While most of the Fancher party was
killed (about 120 people), there were 17 young children who survived. These 17
children were adopted by local families. Two years later in 1859, the U.S.
government reunited the children with their extended families in Arkansas.”<o:p></o:p></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://mountainmeadowsmassacre.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a> is the link if you’d like to read the whole
thing.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I came across
this information while studying the history before the Lincoln County War (LCW)
and obviously the date struck me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">You might ask me how this affects or relates to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Curse of Billy the Kid</i></b>? Well, the title of Chapter Four is, “The Rise
of the House of Murphy.” Lawrence Murphy (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">of
the Murphy-Dolan side of the war</i>) was a member of the Fifth Infantry at
this time and they, along with the Tenth Infantry, the Second Calvary, and two
artillery battalions, were also attacked by the Mormons of Utah as they headed
toward Salt Lake City on what was known as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_War" target="_blank">Utah Expedition</a>.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Anyway…here’s what Frederick Nolan had to say in
Chapter Four:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Colonel
E.B. Alexander’s cavalry (which Murphy was a part of) left Fort Leavenworth on
September 16<sup>th</sup>, 1857, and arrived at Fort Laramie around the
beginning of October. That is where Mormon Major Lot Smith led an attack on the
expedition that resulted in the destruction of seventy-four army wagons
containing several months of troop provisions. As you can imagine, this
crippled the troops for the winter. Horses, mules, oxen, and men died of cold
and disease as they struggled to reach winter quarters at Fort Bridger, Utah
(now Wyoming), only to find that the angry Mormons had already destroyed it. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Captain
Randolph B. Marcy and forty enlisted men trekked a thousand miles over land to
Fort Massachusetts, NM, to obtain supplies. They journey took them fifty-one
days: when they arrived, they were so emaciated and ailing that the troops at
that station had difficulty recognizing them as fellow soldiers. The plight of
the men at Fort Bridger was scarcely less parlous, but fortunately for all of
them, a mediator, Thomas L. Kane, son of Philadelphia judge, made his way to
Salt Lake City, conferred with Brigham Young, and found a solution satisfactory
to both sides. Although the military men were spoiling for a confrontation, no
fighting ever took place.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">You are likely asking WHY the Mormons attacked the
military. Well, they though the military had come to force Mormon obedience to
national laws. If you don’t know, the Mormons were chased from New York to Ohio
to Missouri to Illinois and then finally to Utah. So they’d had enough…I would
have too. But for a religious group who are about peace, this was a horrible
act.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Yes, they do not condone the behavior and wish it
never happened…and obviously 120 dead to not compare to the number of those who
died on this date in 2001, but I find it interesting that on the same day there
was senseless acts of violence in the name of religion. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">With concern to the book…its details like this that shape
how I write a character…such as Murphy. We may not see him much in our story
because we follow William Bonney, but what he does will affect our reluctant
hero a lot. So it’s important I know all I can. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">And now you know too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For more info on my WIP, be sure to visit and LIKE
the Facebook Page for <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BillyTheKidRidesAgain" target="_blank">The Curse of Billy the Kid</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-65088201469150358292015-09-09T12:00:00.000-04:002015-10-20T12:07:02.888-04:00To Sell Again or Not, That is the Question - Over at Magical Words today!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/DC2015-Booth-Display.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="DC2015 Booth Display" class="wp-image-10090 size-medium" src="http://www.magicalwords.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/DC2015-Booth-Display-134x300.jpg" height="300" width="134" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My area in the big booth at Dragon Con</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's that time again; my bi-weekly post at <a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/">www.MagicalWords.net</a>!<br />
<br />
Today I discuss how my DragonCon went and whether or not I should sell books again next year or just go and be an panels.<br />
<br />
You may ask why this is important to you...<br />
<br />
Well...do you ever plan to be a writer of Urban Fantasy or Science Fiction? Well then, unless you're a big name out of the gate, you'll be needing to go to conventions to "hock your wares" as I like to say. As you built a name for yourself and get on panels, you'll have to find a happy medium of dividing time between your booth and talking to people about writing and such.<br />
<br />
Since I'm not a big name where I visit my booth once a day for fans, I need to find time to both talk on panels and be at the booth...this is hard to do...so I wrote this post so you could learn from my failures and successes.<br />
<br />
Here's the direct link:<br />
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<a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/to-sell-again-or-not-that-is-the-question/">http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/to-sell-again-or-not-that-is-the-question/</a><br />
<br />
<img alt="Me on a panel DC2015" class="size-medium wp-image-10092 alignright" height="300" src="http://www.magicalwords.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Me-on-a-panel-DC2015-225x300.jpg" width="225" />Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-44949854960563145532015-08-26T12:07:00.000-04:002015-10-20T12:12:34.770-04:00When You Don't Write What You Know: RESEARCH - Over at Magical Words today!<a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/The-Curse-of-Scathach-Cover-Color-Final-Small.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Curse of Scathach Cover Color Final Small" class="size-medium wp-image-9772 alignleft" height="300" src="http://www.magicalwords.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/The-Curse-of-Scathach-Cover-Color-Final-Small-194x300.jpg" width="194" /></a><br />
It's time I finally wrote about my trip to New Mexico. I promised the readers of <a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/">www.MagicalWords.net</a> that I would (and as I link to all those posts here, I've promised all of you, too) and so I finally found a way to share a million words in just under 2000 words on today's post.<br />
<br />
So head on over and learn about my research trip to New Mexico for the full version of this short story, The Curse of Scáthach. Here's the direct link:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/when-you-dont-write-what-you-know-research/">http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/when-you-dont-write-what-you-know-research/</a><br />
<br />
Also, here's the amazing blurb R.S. Belcher did for the new cover!<br />
<br />
<em>In “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Curse-Sc%C3%A1thach-Tamsin-Silver-ebook/dp/B00YW6895G" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #666666;">The Curse of Scáthach</span></strong></a>,” Tamsin L. Silver has created an intriguing and fast-paced story set in the wild west. It’s the right balance of historic accuracy and flight of fancy to please fans of weird westerns and historical fantasy. Saddle up and go read it!</em><br />
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3312940.R_S_Belcher" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #666666;">R.S. Belcher</span></strong></a><br />
(The <em>Six-Gun Tarot, The Shotgun Arcana, </em>and<em> Nightwise</em>)Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-86103065901960601932015-08-12T12:20:00.000-04:002015-10-20T12:21:11.705-04:00It's Like Sex... - Over at Magical Words today!<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img height="320" src="http://www.tricitypsychology.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Hooked-on-Sex.gif" width="213" /></div>
<br />
Oh...I see...NOW I have your attention...LOL! That's okay, it was intentional. That said, here's the opening of my post at <a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/">www.MagicalWords.net</a> today:<br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;">It's Like Sex...</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"> …if you rush it, pay no attention to detail, it’s probably going to suck.</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><u></u></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><u></u></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><u></u></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><u>Disclaimer #1</u>: Sometimes this not the case…but like everything, there’s always an exception to the rule.</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><u>Disclaimer #2</u>: High probability that Disclaimer #1 pertains to you is wicked slim…and I’m sorry.</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><u>Disclaimer #3</u>: Sure, we’ve very likely covered what I’m about to say before, but I’m feeling like it needs to be reiterated again.</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;">I feel like I’m channeling John Hartness’ blunt honesty and his, “I’m sorry it has to be said,” attitude right now and maybe that’s a good thing because so many do not hear the soft, nice, polite advice given these days. And yes, it’s true, I’m not some well known author with a huge publisher making a living writing (yet!) so you may be prone to think, “She doesn’t know anything, I got this!”</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;">You don’t.</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;">I don’t.</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;">None of us do. Let me explain…</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;">If you are a new writer doing self-pub, I want you to know I love you and want you to write your ass off, put great work out there, and become a household name who is adored by all who read your work. I desire that for every single person who has that inner fire to write and tries to put work out there. I desperately want that for you…for me…for those with the passion.</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;">What I don’t want is for you to want it so badly that you fall on your face. That’s why I’m here right now and I need you to read this and really get it.</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="color: #674ea7;">DO. NOT. RUSH.</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"></span> </div>
<span style="color: #674ea7;">“I’m not rushing,” you say, “I only get ___ number of words done a day and it’s been two years to write this and…”</span><br />
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><strong><em>I’m not talking about your writing.</em></strong> I’m not. I’m talking about AFTER</span>.<br />
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For the rest of this post...here is the direct link:<br />
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<a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/its-like-sex/">http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/its-like-sex/</a><br />
Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-8809862890895867302015-07-29T14:59:00.000-04:002015-10-19T14:59:59.260-04:00The Book I Never Intended to Write - Over at Magical Words today!Mark of the Necromancer...the book I never intended to write. <br />
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<a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Sabrina-Grayson-Front-Cover-Higher-Rez.jpg"><img alt="Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00060]" class="wp-image-9944 size-medium" height="300" src="http://www.magicalwords.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Sabrina-Grayson-Front-Cover-Higher-Rez-200x300.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<br />
What do I mean, "never intended to write"?<br />
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Well...you'll need to head over to <a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/">www.MagicalWords.net</a> today and find out!<br />
<br />
Or...here's a direct link for later:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/the-book-i-never-intended-to-write/">http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/the-book-i-never-intended-to-write/</a>Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-54526618333809783922015-07-22T17:34:00.000-04:002015-07-28T17:36:49.887-04:00NEW Bookmarks for MOTN!No offense to either Atlanta (<em>my main character in the <strong>Windfire</strong> Series</em>) or the model who posed for her (<em>Angeliese Adams</em>)...but after three years, I desperately want a new bookmark...so here it is! <br />
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It's a two sided, <strong><em>Mark of the Necromancer</em></strong>, one with Sabrina on one side and Alex on the other. Hope you all like it! I'll have them to hand out at DragonCon 2015!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWJlJ9QMgNTNhIe9uaZG4EJ6YsPWMMLGIH0isNylgla5YanrAaxCaJyDLJLwsiwbZzNLTHYcTC9J8a3-untxxTTPiqe6qKPj73m_nFJI4aEcUdvVObv-rJCcQWBPWGZ-lkPK4nBZDxeOw/s1600/Sabrina+Bookmark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLWJlJ9QMgNTNhIe9uaZG4EJ6YsPWMMLGIH0isNylgla5YanrAaxCaJyDLJLwsiwbZzNLTHYcTC9J8a3-untxxTTPiqe6qKPj73m_nFJI4aEcUdvVObv-rJCcQWBPWGZ-lkPK4nBZDxeOw/s320/Sabrina+Bookmark.jpg" width="99" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1q5g70rZgyt_1oaCMTGrEEwVxocwiPBrO45LAKsxQ3KEm3MWHjkjRueXH-EoJo2gFjgHb4CAY2srGyseMQzV1qq-WYhUPx-GBWqfEF5XMjRn8LBSnMnt8S8j3LAyX1o_yG-FJLSpvMxa/s1600/Alex+Bookmark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf1q5g70rZgyt_1oaCMTGrEEwVxocwiPBrO45LAKsxQ3KEm3MWHjkjRueXH-EoJo2gFjgHb4CAY2srGyseMQzV1qq-WYhUPx-GBWqfEF5XMjRn8LBSnMnt8S8j3LAyX1o_yG-FJLSpvMxa/s320/Alex+Bookmark.jpg" width="99" /></a></div>
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Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-67071281416098227522015-07-20T17:04:00.000-04:002015-07-28T17:29:00.721-04:00Mark of the Necromancer Book Jacket RevealHere it is gang, in all its high resolution glory, the book jacket for Mark of the Necromancer, available September, 2015!<br />
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<u>Much love to the team that made this happen</u>:<br />
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Photographer: Candace Barbieri with <a href="http://www.candylust.org/" target="_blank">CandyLust Photography</a><br />
Graphics Designer: Kathleen Hadsall with FMS Digital<br />
Models: <a href="http://www.karamarierosella.com/" target="_blank">Kara Rosella</a> (Sabrina), <a href="http://www.actorjoshprice.com/" target="_blank">Josh Price</a> (Alex), and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1462031/" target="_blank">Jason Griffith</a> (Lucifer).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfukbUptpgiNKeNahefYO5UNybF9YWC3ScviNqfYz5s4CWlnecZudJE_ezFPe1ka8LGETkBv2sbXSg610D-Gzi5Y-fCYko_h7Gm6nZaD-ex5WQZAVtgzEKsefoAEoSynSCOoQqVCkZy2Cz/s1600/MOTN+Front+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfukbUptpgiNKeNahefYO5UNybF9YWC3ScviNqfYz5s4CWlnecZudJE_ezFPe1ka8LGETkBv2sbXSg610D-Gzi5Y-fCYko_h7Gm6nZaD-ex5WQZAVtgzEKsefoAEoSynSCOoQqVCkZy2Cz/s320/MOTN+Front+Cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirOzf_svNJ6e-NUiPPsGwcyCBXdMeA2YjiGA2-gxgcuEcFduT6ZKYpQHAArEmDgMdi029V_iWVJdk4gesmOGM2NXgZ1OGsDpQcWb55S78tab0x5fvtEBV4b8Ez9RlDaNfZF49XFrmpkbeH/s1600/MOTN+Back+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirOzf_svNJ6e-NUiPPsGwcyCBXdMeA2YjiGA2-gxgcuEcFduT6ZKYpQHAArEmDgMdi029V_iWVJdk4gesmOGM2NXgZ1OGsDpQcWb55S78tab0x5fvtEBV4b8Ez9RlDaNfZF49XFrmpkbeH/s320/MOTN+Back+Cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-69843198346030759002015-07-15T14:56:00.000-04:002015-10-19T14:57:02.408-04:00Research Mode vs. Writing Mode - Over at Magical Words today!Research Mode vs. Writing Mode<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Me-at-Dick-Brewers-Grave.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Me at Dick Brewer's Grave" class="size-medium wp-image-9901 alignright" height="300" src="http://www.magicalwords.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Me-at-Dick-Brewers-Grave-225x300.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me at the grave for Richard M. "Dick" Brewer: First leader of the Regulators and a good man.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
So I went to New Mexico to research for my new book, The Curse of Billy the Kid (<em>based on my short story, The Curse of Scáthach</em>) and planned on writing a diary while I was there and ran into a creative block. Learn more about it on <a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/">www.MagicalWords.net</a> today!<br />
<br />
Or, you can go to this direct link:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/research-mode-vs-writing-mode/">http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/research-mode-vs-writing-mode/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/View-behind-Tunstall-Store.jpg"><img alt="View behind Tunstall Store" class="size-medium wp-image-9897 alignright" height="201" src="http://www.magicalwords.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/View-behind-Tunstall-Store-300x201.jpg" width="300" /></a>Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-16796282904540123212015-07-01T14:48:00.000-04:002015-10-19T14:52:16.401-04:00Doing a Photo Shoot for Your Book Cover - Over at Magical Words today!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Josh with Bear" class="size-medium wp-image-9835 alignleft" height="300" src="http://www.magicalwords.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Josh-with-Bear-168x300.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="168" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Josh Price with Bear at Candylust Studios, Brooklyn, NY, for the MOTN book photo shoot!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Today, over at <a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/">www.MagicalWords.net</a>, I talk about how I've taken my training in casting shows and applied it to casting the characters in my books for photo shoots for book covers.<br />
<br />
And yes...there are GREAT pics to see!<br />
<br />
So head on over there and see some of the first shots for my new book, Mark of the Necromancer, along with pictures from shoots on the Windfire series you've never seen before!<br />
<br />
Here's a direct link:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/doing-a-photo-shoot-for-your-book-cover/">http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/doing-a-photo-shoot-for-your-book-cover/</a>Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-65967338490829223022015-06-17T14:43:00.000-04:002015-10-19T14:47:52.010-04:00Falling Upwards - Over at Magical Words today!You're thinking...WTF is falling upwards!!!???<br />
<br />
Well, here...<br />
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<em><strong>“…then you can start to just fail. That’s what it’s about. It’s about doing it wrong, doing it wrong, doing it wrong, then doing it better, and doing it slightly better, then wrong, wrong, wrong, then doing it slightly accurate, doing it more accurately, and then doing it right. You never get there</strong> (he means perfection). <strong>You’re just always failing better. <span style="color: #6fa8dc;">Falling upwards</span>, as someone once described it.” -</strong></em> <strong><em><u>Benedict Cumberbatch</u></em></strong><br />
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I think that explains the gist, yes? Head on over to <a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/">www.MagicalWords.net</a> today to see more on why this is important to me currently...for even published authors fail...we fail a lot more than you realize...but good can come of it. See how! Here's the direct link:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/falling-upwards/">http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/falling-upwards/</a>Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-32309499153186488912015-06-04T13:51:00.001-04:002015-06-04T13:51:29.419-04:00Mark of the Necromancer ARC Winners!ALAS! The time is here! <br />
<br />
I drew the three winners from those who posted about #ReadOrWriteAnywhere on Twitter or reposted my Facebook links (<em>Surprise! That wasn't announced, it was an added bonus!</em>) of the ARC of Mark of the Necromancer and the following three people won:<br />
<ul>
<li>Sean Chou (@seanchou)</li>
<li>Melissa McArthur-Gilbert (@mcarther_me)</li>
<li>Margaret McGraw (@MargaretSMcGraw)</li>
</ul>
However, since there is a chance Melissa, who is an editor, will be doing one of the edits on this book, it seems odd to have her win a copy. LOL! So I drew a fourth name just in case...and that person is...(*<em>drum roll</em>*)<br />
<ul>
<li>David Tomlinson (<em>a Facebook re-poster! Woot!</em>)</li>
</ul>
Are you curious of how I drew the names? Well, it's not the best quality (<em>due to lighting and an old phone</em>) but <strong><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaZrqaWBJgg" target="_blank">HERE</a></strong> is the video I had my roommate shoot of me (<em>and my dog, Kadin</em>) drawing the names.<br />
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ALSO...in case you'd like to see any of the videos of the photo shoots I've previously done, you can go <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/TamsinSilver/videos" target="_blank">HERE</a>!<br />
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Winners, please email me at <a href="mailto:tamsinlsilver@gmail.com">tamsinlsilver@gmail.com</a> and let me know the best E-book format to send you the book in. For example, if you have a Kindle, it'd be a MOBI file. If you have a Nook, it'd be a E-pub file...etc. <br />
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I am planning to send these out at the top of August...or maybe early, like July 26th, since that's my Birthday. :)<br />
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Anyway...again, thanks for participating and remember...READ OR WRITE ANYWHERE all the time! Encourage kids to read and write even when they're not in school!<br />
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Until next time...<br />
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<a href="http://www.tamsinsilver.com/" target="_blank">Tamsin</a> :)<br />
Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4005776694959395770.post-61297715474260389722015-06-03T14:39:00.000-04:002015-10-19T14:42:44.566-04:00Convention Worth - Over at Magical Words today!Convention Worth (aka the Monetary Gain vs. Loss Ratio)<br />
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<img alt="Moffat on making money for writing" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-9740" height="162" src="http://www.magicalwords.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Moffat-on-making-money-for-writing-300x162.jpg" width="300" /><br />
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EVERY con is different...and you won't know if you (<em>or rather, if you and your merchandise, be they books, comics, art, etc.</em>) fit that convention until you go. Once you do, you must figure out if it was worth your time...but it's not just about how much money you make...here, let me explain further, over at <a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/">www.MagicalWords.net</a> . <br />
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Here's the direct link: <br />
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<a href="http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/convention-worth-aka-the-monetary-gainloss-ratio/">http://www.magicalwords.net/tamsin-silver-2/convention-worth-aka-the-monetary-gainloss-ratio/</a>Tamsin Silverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08711537028596081364noreply@blogger.com0