Saturday, October 31, 2020

The Delta Pearl
Happy Halloween, my chuckaboos! Unfortunately, The Delta Pearl is not here today. Sometimes writing is harder to accomplish than others. The steampunk riverboat will be back, I promise.
I’ve begun to tie up some of the threads that Amethyst and I have woven into the web of this steampunk riverboat’s tale. Last time, I mentioned the leather folio from a very early episode. You weren’t likely to remember it, particularly since it wasn’t in the owner’s hands. Rather, Opal had it, and asked Jet and Émeraude to compare its contents to financial information in a newspaper from the future. If you’re curious about that past episode, then click Chapter 4 — Greet.
National Novel Writing Month

For those of you who are participating in NaNoWriMo, good luck! (I don’t know why they don’t call it International Novel Writing Month.) You can find me there with the user name Riordain. (Sorry, it won’t let me change my user name, and I started with them before I published my first novel.) To those of you who are taking the challenge — it’s almost time! Now get ready to go forth and…
WriMo-mo-mo!
Happy Halloween!
Crystal always wears her Batgirl costume. She’s celebrating Halloween with a fresh container of organic catnip. I wish something made me feel that way! She’s pretty spry for 14 years old. (I hope the slideshow below works — it’s the first time I’ve tried it.)
Be well, be happy, my chuckaboos.
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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 © 2020 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.
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Crystal is a beautiful cat. And she loves her catnip! Best wishes on the NaNoWriMo challenge, Teagan.
I have finished reading Thistledown, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I would love to see the backstory of the colorless world and how Rotten Soulfire got there.
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Lavinia, that is music to my ears. I’m delighted that you enjoyed it.
Rotten and the other colorless world faeries (except the seer, Fallow Blackmoon) would have been born in that world. The two worlds have doppelgangers of one another’s populations except for seers. They are only from Thistledown, but have the ability to reach the colorless world. However the backstory of how the colorless world became what it is was something I did consider writing. But the truth was that I saw it as our own world and the bad things that took over while I was writing the serial. So I didn’t try to write that. It made the entire serial very emotionally difficult for me to write.
Hugs on the wing!
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Happy Halloween (Belated) Watch out for zombies
I’m not taking the November challenge this year to much stuff on my plate. But Good luck to you and all your readers who are giving it a try
Keep Laughing
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November is a very busy time for most people. It does seem like they would have chosen a different month. Happy November. Hugs.
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Hugs Back and have some warm cider on me
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Happy belated Halloween. Good luck in NaNo.
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Thanks Denise. I need all the good luck I can get! Now let’s go WriMo-mo-mo! 😀
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Happy Halloween to you and Crystal, Teagan!
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Thank you Jennie. Have a wonderful November. Hugs on the wing!
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Best to you, Teagan! Hugs!
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I hope you had a fantastic Halloween, Teagan! Love the photos of Crystal. She is beautiful. Best of luck with NaNoWriMo!
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Thanks Jan! Good WriMo luck to you too! Hugs on the wing.
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Happy Halloween, Teagan, and Crystal is adorable! The slide show worked and something I’ll have to try sometime, too. Good luck on all your writing. Hugs 🍂🍁🍂🍁
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It was pretty easy, Lauren. And I am happier with the slide show results than I am with their new poll feature — not half as good as the old one… Have a wonderful November. Hugs on the wing.
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Happy halloween
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Hi Mas! I hope you had a wonderful Halloween. Happy November. Hugs on the wing!
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Thamk you, hope you did too.
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Happy Halloween Teagan! Crystal looks happy with her catnip, my guys can take it or leave it so they are no fun.
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Hi Dyanna. Crystal was indifferent to the past 2 catnip containers. When I realized the current one was probably old to boot, and lost any strength it should have had, I bought a new one. So I tried a new brand. She went nuts for it. She likes the smell of valerian root too. Some brands make a blend with that. I open a capsule and rub a miniscule amount onto an old pillowcase and let her roll around on it. I’m very cautious… the amount I use is maybe 1/16th of the capsule and then I rub it into the fabric.
Happy November. Hugs!
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Thanks for the info Teagan, may try it for my cats.
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Happy Halloween Teagan. Hope no ghouls come visiting you and Crystal!
That catnip is definitely working. The expressions on her face…..especially the shot of her at her brushing post. Looks like she’s giving us a look somewhere between rolling her eyes and telling us to “get lost “! Crystal is a beautiful girl, but don’t tell her I said so. She looks like she already has attitude to spare! Lol.
Ginger
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LOL, she’s not short on cat-i-tude, Ginger. It should be quiet here. It was last year, even before the COVID Apocalypse. Happy Halloween hugs!
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HAPPY HALLOWE’EN, TEAGAN!
❦👻❦☠️❦😈❦👻❦☠️❦😈❦👻❦☠️❦😈❦👻❦☠️❦😈❦👻❦☠️❦😈❦👻❦☠️❦😈❦👻❦☠️❦😈
PS. My Jeep is 14 yrs, as well! Crystal is gorgeous!
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Wow! Thanks, Resa. Have a spook-tacular holiday. Hugs on the wing!
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LOL!!
{{{hugs}}}
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Well done on Billy Idol’s Rebel Yell!
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Glad you like the video, Claire. Happy Halloween! Tummy rubs to the pups.
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Human catnip? I think that exists, Teagan. Lol. Good luck with Nano. I’m sitting it out this year – exhausted from finishing up the trilogy and from US politics. But I might start musing about the next book. 🙂 Happy Halloween, and Happy Writing! ❤
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I don’t blame you Diana. What you’ve accomplished is huge! You need a break to rest that brain. My year has been a waste. I’m desperate to find my mojo. WriMo might not help, but I would be trying to begin book 2 of the series I started last time anyway, so I might as well. (I didn’t know it would be a series… but there will be 2, maybe 3 small books.)
Ha! If there is something that gives the combination of energy, uninhibited fun, and bliss that cats get from good nip, then I want to know what it is. LOL.
Wishing you a relaxing November. Happy Halloween hugs!
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You must be kidding when you say the year’s been a waste. I’ve loved The Delta Pearl. You published Hullaba Lulu, and you’ve been working on your new story. You’re a dynamo.
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You’re so kind… but I haven’t been working on my story at all… That’s the problem. But thank you. ❤ 🙂
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Ah… but you will. I know it. Maybe we just need to get through the political stress and have a chance to breathe. I just tell myself that my muse is out there protesting and registering voters. 😀
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I never felt I had a muse. That may be the problem. Maybe I need to send my characters out to find one for me. …Except Lulu. There’s no telling what she’d come back with. 😀
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Lol. Stay tuned… I have a fun muse challenge coming up.
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Spook-tacular! Be sure to leave a link in case I miss it. My Internet is always a problem…
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You got it.
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The slideshow worked perfectly, Crystal is beautiful! I love the mask on her face 🙂
Best of luck with NaNo!
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Thanks for letting me know, Jacquie. I don’t like that I have to click somewhere else on the page to get out of it, but otherwise, I’m a lot happier with the slide show than the new WordPress poll app. Thanks for the luck! I need it more than ever. Happy Halloween hugs!
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Crystal is a beauty! It’s been a while since I catnipped my two; thanks for the reminder!
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Aw thank you, Marian. She hasn’t been very interested in the last two containers of catnip. This time I bought “Yeowww!” brand and she went nuts for it.
Chin rubs to the kitties. Happy Halloween hugs!
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Happy writing and catnipping Teagan! Maybe you need a stiff drink or break before your writing marathon? Best wishes with NaNoWriMo. I hope your creative juices overflow. 👻
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Ha! That would be nice, Brad. I’ve been wishing for a martini since January. Nobody delivers liquor here, and the only online site (for liquor, not wine) I’ve found is absurdly overpriced. Happy Halloween hugs!
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Darn! No drive through places? Hallowed Hugs!
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Have a prolific time writing for NaNoWriMo, Teagan. I know whatever comes from your mind and hand will be awesome.
Happy Halloween! Give Crystal an extra treat and make sure you find some way to incorporate a sweet treat into your day. Hugs and purrs on the fur from Gibbs and I.
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That’s a good idea for the sweet treat, Mary J.
Oh you are too kind. If I could manage to get my fingers + keyboard to put out any kind of story at all right now, I’d feel relieved. The stories and ideas are there in abundance — I just don’t have the heart to get them out. (Hence no Delta Pearl today.) Thanks for your encouragement Happy Halloween hugs to you and Gibbs!
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I had thought this year I would give it a shot, but my heart would not be in it either. I need to wait for a new year.
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Heart-healing hugs to you and Gibbs. ❤
Some years I did it just because I needed a distraction from my troubles. And it is a monumental distraction!
My main thought is that since I'm still working on the book from last year — except that I decided a while back that I would make it two books (at least) — that I might as well. I'm just crossing my fingers that it helps me get recharged and continue the story. I couldn't even write the Delta Pearl last week and I usually make myself at least do a short episode. I just couldn't find any mojo. Anyhow it does help me, knowing hundreds of thousands of other people are trying hard to do something similar.
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Crystal is adorable. Happy Halloween. Have fun with the NaNoWriMo.
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Thanks, Tim. Happy Halloween hugs and chin rubs to all the kitties!
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The slide show worked fine, Teagan. Best of luck with your November writing and have a great Halloween.
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Thanks for letting me know, Robbie. I need all the WriMo luck (and every other good kind) I can get! I haven’t been able to open up and write all week. Happy Halloween hugs!
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Looking forward to the next Delta Pearl Installment. Listening to Billy Idol as I write this and I can feel my energy level bumping up. Happy Halloween to you and the cute batgirl kitty.l Hugs cackling their way to both of you. I don’t have the dedication to even pretend I want to do NaNoMo. I can barely manage a poem a day in April for Poetry month.
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Yikes! I just can’t do poetry at all, Pat. The idea of doing one a day is a lot more frightening than 1700 words a day for NaNoWriMo. Yes, “Rebel Yell” is my WriMo theme song every year. I do love a play on words. Happy Halloween hugs!
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Your slide show worked perfectly. Wishing you the best on NaNo. Hugs.
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Thanks for letting me know, John. Thanks for the wishes — I really need them! Happy Halloween hugs!
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Boo
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Billy Idol, one of my faves. Good luck with the nano thing!
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Hi Fraggle. Yes, “Rebel Yell” is my WriMo theme song every year. I do love a play on words. Happy Halloween hugs!
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Crystal is so cute! (Yes, the slideshow works, yay!) I am doing Nano this year, but I’m a rebel because I’m doing a short story collection. OMGosh, I just realized I haven’t even announced my project on the Nanowrimo site. I better get busy! Good luck on your Nano project!
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Hi Priscilla. When I first started, NaNoWriMo had a very specific set of rules. As they became more “donation” oriented they relaxed their rules more and more until there are hardly any at all. A short story collection is not stretching it. I’d better get busy too. I haven’t had the heart to write anything for a week. Happy Halloween hugs!
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Crystal is so cute. I like slide shows when they show motion. They remind me of the flip books we had when we were kids. (I guess that dates me pretty well).
Good luck with writing in November. It’s an interesting challenge. I hope it goes well for you (because the more you write, the more we have to read).
Enjoy your extra hour of sleep tonight.
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Thanks for making me smile with this comment, Dan.
Oh, I remember those flip books — hadn’t thought of that in ages. I remember a boy bringing one to school. I was amazed. We were all supposed to make one, but I didn’t have a big enough stapler to do a good one.
Yes, with the time change, I’m even happier to be where there’s a lot of sunshine — because the days have gotten so short. I hope Maddie is okay. Happy Halloween hugs.
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I’m smiling at the though of young Teagan’s flip book. Actually, I imagine a set of three, with cliffhangers at the end of the first two 😉
Shorter days are hallmark around here for the next three months. I always enjoy February, when we start adding about 2 minutes of daylight every day. You can actually feel the difference.
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Haha.
I feel that with February too. It’s nice when the days get longer, but disconcerting when they get shorter. It’s warmer here after that odd snow and unseasonable cold snap. But it’s still a good morning for hot chocolate. 😉
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I did the NaNoWriMo years ago and it almost burnt me out on writing anything. I’m just not author material I guess. But I may be interested in trying it again next year – we’ll see. In the meantime – enjoy Halloween….

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GP, please don’t take NaNoWriMo as any indication of whether you (or anyone else) is a good author. Too many people can spew out 50000 or even 100000 words of crap in a month. It has been something to motivate me, since stress and PTSD is what keeps me from writing (rather than lack of ideas or “writer’s block”). Although this year it hasn’t helped me find my mojo yet. Maybe after November gets here.
Love this image. It’s hysterical. Happy Halloween hugs!
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Happy Halloween and thanks for my Billy Idol / Rebel Yell dfix.
All the best with NaNoWriMo
Hugs
C.xxx
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😉 Happy to oblige. Yes, “Rebel Yell” is my WriMo theme song every year. Happy Halloween hugs and hanks for the good wishes, Christoph — I sure need them.
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Love that scratching hoop. I reckon, our recent adoptee, Skardi would love it too.
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Those arch brushes are wonderful. Although when Crystal’s big brother was alive — the first one sat unused for at least a year. She followed his lead, and being a huge cat, he didn’t want to walk through it. (It actually would have been the perfect size to “automatically” brush him… but he’d have none of it.) Eventually he started scrubbing on it.
Years later, when that one wore out, I found the new ones don’t have the same heavy base. However, Crystal was quick to realize she just needs to put her foot on it. She likes to scrub her face on it while she gets brushed. Happy Halloween.
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Will check it out on Amazon!!! 🤗
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Crystal is hilarious with her face all covered in catnip! 😆 Such a cutie!
Happy Hallowe’en and happy weekend! I’m in awe of all you storytellers who buckle down for NaNoWriMo each year. May your muse be generous with you!!
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Joanne, if my muse would show up at all, it would be an improvement. I’m hoping WriMo will help me find my mojo. Happy Halloween hugs to you and Theo!
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I’m not sure what happened to my mojo this year. She’s probably passed out under a bar stool somewhere 🙄
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Haha!!! Lulu is probably nearby if there’s any bar and passing out. I’ll ask her to send your mojo home.
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Oh dear, if Lulu is involved I’m unlikely to see my muse any time soon.
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All the best with the NaNoWriMo project, Teagan! You’re in good company and hopefully, the collective energy will add to the fun and the finish line. 🙂
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Thanks, Gwen — I sure hope so. I haven’t been able to find my mojo all year. Happy Halloween hugs!
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Good luck, Teagan! Crystal is a happy girl. We’ll be waiting for the Delta Pearl and also eager to hear about your NaNoWriMo project and the rest. Have fun!
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Thanks Olga. I’m not feeling the enthusiasm yet, but maybe that will change when the “clock strikes November.” Happy Halloween hugs!
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sweet pussy cat 🤗 Have a wonderfully creepy Halloween my dearest Teagan, Billy Idol rocks 😉 Take care 💖🥰😘
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Thank you, dear Magician. That’s my WriMo theme song every year — the play on words to write mo mo mo. Happy Halloween hugs!
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Best for Nano!
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Thanks Geoff. Happy Halloween hugs!
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Love the BatCat costume (the slideshow works) – Good Luck with NoNoWriMo, Teagan 🎃🧙♀️🧟♀️🧟🧛🏻♂️🦇🦍🤗❤️❤️🤗🦍
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Thanks, Chris. I haven’t been able to find my writing mojo all year, and it just gets more scarce. I need all the good luck I can get.
LOL, that new container of catnip was really good stuff! Crystal sends a purr. Happy Halloween hugs!
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Take a break and hang out with Crystal, Teagan, she has already mastered the fine art of chilling 🦍🤗❤️❤️🤗🦍
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LOL. Indeed she has, Chris. Particularly when it involves snoozing on the electric throw blanket!
🐱 ❤
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LOL❤️😹❤️
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Teagan, Crystal is a beautiful cat. Yes, the slide show works. Good luck with NaNoWriMo. Really awesome it’s your ninth year participating.
Happy Halloween 🎃 Have fun! 🧡🎶 Christine
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Hi Christine. I hope all is well in your world. Thanks so much! Happy Halloween hugs!
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Halloween hugs back, Teagan. All is well. Working on a Query letter for agents. Quite a challenge to get it just right. 🧡🎶🎃
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Ugh! That’s a real chore, Christine… but I know you can do it. Hugs on the wing.
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🍂🎶🍁
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