Happy Year of the Pig, and a Bloomin’ Character Interview

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Saturday, February 2, 2019

chinese new year woman-lights thomas-despeyroux-1208133-unsplash
Thomas Despeyroux, Unsplash

Happy Chinese New Year, everyone!  Yes, I realize I’m a little early.  However, Atonement, TN’s porcine residents, Deme and Honeybell heard it is going to be the Year of the Pig.  Those two glowing gals wouldn’t leave me alone until they got their own special post. 

Straightlaced Saturday will return next week with another Victorian novel.

Actually, I had been trying to write a Valentines story… and getting nowhere.  I gave up, but the glowing pigs started their grunt-snuffle-snort in my brain.  I was just as stuck when I tried to give them a new story for Chinese New Year.  I think my writer-brain accidentally got packed in one of my moving boxes…

Deme and Honeybell still wouldn’t leave me alone though.  When I asked how they might celebrate it being the Year of the Pig, one of them said something about “fortune cookies” and the other said “character interview.”

Chinese New Year ― the Year of the Pig

chinese new year pigs
Image by Teagan R. Geneviene

Snuffle-grunt-grunt-snuffle.  Snuffle-grunt-grunt-snuffle.  Snuffle-grunt-grunt-snuffle.

What was I saying?  It’s getting noisy in here.  And what’s with all that strange light?

Teagan-writer-Teagan!  Teagan-writer-Teagan!

TRG:  Oh, of course.  Hi, Deme.  Or is it Honeybell.  I’m sorry that it’s hard for me to tell you apart.  Where’s that giggle coming from?  Under the table?

Deme pouncing out from under the table:  No, that’s Honeybell.  Really, you of all people should be able to tell us apart.  I’m just a little bit taller than Honeybell.

TRG:  So, ya’ll are pretty excited about Chinese New Year this time, huh?  I love all of your prancing around.  I wish I had as much energy as either of you.

Honeybell:  I’ve been reading about the Chinese Zodiac.  This isn’t just any year of the pig, it’s the Year of the Earth Pig.

TRG:  Oh?  It’s not an earth pig because pigs like mud?

White Pig ditry nose dreamstime_xxl_83059557
Dreamstime

Deme:  That’s an insulting stereotype.  (snorts)

Honeybell:  Deme, you know you won the mud wrestling contest at the last four gatherings.

Deme:  Grunt-snuffle-snort!  Okay, I admit it.  Mud is my guilty pleasure.  But that has nothing to do with the Chinese Zodiac.

Honeybell:  The Pig is the twelfth of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar.  But they also use a cycle of the elements, so there are five different zodiac year pigs ― wood, fire, earth, metal, and water.  This year is earth.

TRG.  I was born in a Year of the Pig.

Deme and Honeybell together:  (Both squeal their enthusiasm)  Snuffle-grunt-grunt-snuffle!

Honeybell:  Do tell!  No wonder you thought of us and brought us to Atonement, Tennessee.

Deme:  This is so cool!  Which Pig are you?

TRG:  (Keyboard clicking.  Google search window opens.)

Honeybell:  (Looks over Teagan’s shoulder at computer.)  Our search engine is called Gruntle.

TRG:  You have your own search engine… wherever it is you go when you go home?

Deme:  (Snorts)  Duh.  Of course.  We even have Netstyes.  Have you seen The Walking Bacon?  That Daryl makes me sizzle!

Honeybell:  (aghast)  Deme!

Deme:  So, what kind of Pig were you?

TRG:  Wikipedia says I was… an Earth Pig.

pig

Deme and Honeybell together:  Grunt-snuffle-snort!  Oooh!  

Deme:  Wow!  There hasn’t been an Earth Pig in… well, in a long time.  You must be ancient.

Honeybell:  (Takes on wise manner and sage voice)  Maybe that means you’ve finished a long cycle in life.  Now you can start a better one.

TRG:  I hope you’re right, Honeybell.

Deme:  Oh, she is.  When Honeybell goes full-on prophesy-pig like that, she’s never wrong.

Honeybell:  Deme, you’re starting to glow.  That means it’s getting dark out.  We’d better go home.

Deme:  Race ya!  Last on there’s a rotten boar!  Grunt-snuffle-snort! 

Honeybell squeals, cloven hooves scrambling to catch up with Deme.

TRG:  Happy Year of the Pig, you two!

You can find a brief collection of Deme and Honeybell’s adventures in The Glowing Pigs, Snort Stories of Atonement, Tennessee. 

Happy Chinese New Year!

***

Now some shameless self-promotion.

Universal link to my Amazon Author Page

USA:  Atonement in Bloom

Amazon UK

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USA:  The Glowing Pigs, Snort Stories of Atonement, Tennessee

Amazon UK

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USA:  Atonement, Tennessee

(E-book still on sale at 99¢ )

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USA:  Murder at the Bijou — Three Ingredients I

Amazon UK

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USA:  The Three Things Serial Story: A Little 1920s Story Kindle 

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This is a work of fiction.  Characters, names, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2019 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author or provided by free sources, unless stated otherwise.

 

82 thoughts on “Happy Year of the Pig, and a Bloomin’ Character Interview”

  5. Pingback: Pigs-In-A-Blanket Using Silicone Molds | cookingwithauntjuju.com

  6. Teagan, you are something else–so full of excitement and energy, good spirits and joy, It’s just fun being in your company: and a little zany too. Thank you.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Hi Lavinia. That’s actually where I was trying to go… but story-brain just wouldn’t kick-in. I wanted to make their version of the fortunes I had Granny Phanny write for Murder at the Bijou… Oh well, maybe another time. Thanks for taking time to visit. Hugs on the wing! 🐖🐖

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I loved your post seeing those cute little piggies, especially that one picture. I wish I would have seen your post before I published mine. I will have to look for those pics – when they stood up they were as tall as my brother if I recall. Thanks so much for the mention Teagan – I promise not to tell Deme and Honeybell what’s inside the piggies 🙂 Have a good week…

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  13. So you’re ancient, are you? 🙂
    I didn’t realize there were element cycles as well as the zodiak, interesting! DH (darling hubby), my daughter and I are all year of the dragon, I always thought that was pretty neat.
    Enjoyed this interview Teagan, fun!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  15. When you write there’s always at least one completely logical line that shouldn’t make sense: “Mud is my guilty pleasure. But that has nothing to do with the Chinese Zodiac.” It just makes me smile, as does the Chinese New Year’s greeting with the eye popping 3-D Pigs. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. LOL, you said it perfectly Rob. I think that’s what I strive for. I appreciate your specific feedback too. That’s really helpful to me.
      Considering your amazing image skills, I’m honored that you liked the image.
      Today I got caught up in Diana’s February image prompt. I did an image and a story. I’ll post it next Saturday. I think/hope you’ll like it. Tons of tidbit hints throughout it.
      Hugs on the wing!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  19. Adorable! These two are just too cute and so smart too! I love that you wrote about them for the Chinese New Year. I can’t decide which one I like best, but I think it’s Honeybell. She’s more conservative, while Deme knows no boundaries. 🙂 Great post, Teagan!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  20. Loved the interview, Teagan. Had to chuckle at the line ” Maybe that means you’ve finished a long cycle in life. Now you can start a better one.” Maybe Honeybell has knowledge beyond her years. Let’s hope so. Hugs.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  24. “You must be ancient.” That sounds like the kind of remark I would make. Those two are quite the little crew. Happy year of the Earth Pig, Teagan and I hope it does usher in a new wonderful cycle in your life!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thank you, Dan. I’m trying to be positive and see it that way, despite more snow.
      (Deme: Snort. You know how much snow Dan had. Don’t be a complainer.
      TRG: Deme… Remember whose hand holds the pen here. Your hooves can’t hold it.)
      Sorry for the interruption, Dan. 😉 Yes, the pigs are a handful. But when they get too rowdy, all I have to do is mention bacon.
      (Squealing and sound of hooves running away.)
      Hugs on the wing!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Oh cool! It was a great year then! I’m delighted to know a twin. 😀 I’m so happy the pigs have a friend in you, Fraggle. I enjoy giving life to my inner rebel (Deme) and my inner book geek/ wannabe rebel (Honeybell) and their childlike mischievousness.
      Heartfelt thanks for taking time to visit. Mega hugs!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Many years ago I had a penchant for feather boas and I met someone…Fast forward 30 years and I made theor aquaintance again…The first time I went to his home he said to me can you see what is tucked in that picture and it was a pink feather…Had it been there all those years or was it a recent addition ? The point being he remembered…

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

    1. Hi Cindy. Thanks for sharing your gorgeous Yearning to Be Free post — poignant yet uplifting that that organization is helping.
      Deme is certainly a free spirit. She is a bad influence on Honeybell in the best possible way. LOL. Hugs on the wing!

      Like

      Reply

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