The Armadillo Files — A Teaser

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Saturday, July 31, 2021

The Armadillo Files image by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene
The Armadillo Files image by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

Hello, all and happy weekend.  I hoped to begin the new serial today, but I haven’t made any progress with the many things I needed to accomplish before that next rocket launches. 

However, I settled on the title, and tweaked the cover image to my satisfaction.  With that done, regardless of everything else I should be doing, I couldn’t resist writing a little teaser for the new serial.  I do not consider this the first episode, and I did not use the random reader things in the “full set” way I plan to start doing once the setup of the story is in place.  Anyhow, I hope this gives you an appetite for more next weekend.

Even though it’s only a tidbit, I used two reader things, princess phone from GP Cox and transistor radio from Dan Antion.  Both of those things are likely to have a recurring role in the serial.

A Teaser for “The Armadillo Files”

Vintage princess phone by Dan Antion
Princess phone by Dan Antion

My last thought before oblivion overtook me was that those jerks in the lab had slipped a Mickey Finn into my coffee.  I should have been unconscious for the few hours that remained in the night and all the next day.  However, I had an oddly high tolerance to drugs, especially for someone of my height.  I didn’t know why.  Maybe if you grew up in Alligator Alley you were automatically tough.

A horrible ringing in my ears brought me around.  I woke up remembering that I left the lab thinking I had gotten a particularly nasty bug.  The timing couldn’t have been worse.  As I staggered to my quarters all I could think was that I was going to miss the biggest moment in my career — such as it was.  Even with a name like Faraday, in 1959 a woman without connections didn’t tend to get very far, especially in a scientific field.

As the bell blared into my skull, I realized that I had passed out with my head on my princess phone.  When I answered it, nobody was there.

Suddenly a terrible thought occurred to me.  Those bullies were always threatening to mess with the one thing I cared about besides work.  My eyes darted around the room.  Where was he?

Trying to put the phone’s receiver back, I knocked over everything on my nightstand.  My transistor radio fell over.  La Bamba blasted from the speakers.  I tumbled to the floor and looked under the bed.  Then I looked everywhere else.

Fang was gone!

Rules for Random Reader Things

The new serial will be driven from the very beginning by random reader things.  I ask you to leave sets of three unrelated (random) things. Even though it begins in a later era, the story-line won’t stay there very long.  So, at least for now, things should have been invented no later than 1945.

The Rules.  Things must be…

  • Leave sets of 3 things, and yes, you may leave more than one set  🙂
  • Things must be random — not related to one another
  • Things must be suitable to the year 1945
  • Leave your sets of 3 random things in comments at this blog post (not Facebook)
  • Don’t use events or objects that would force the story into a different era

Of course, you can continue to leave things after the story begins.  I hope everyone will jump in and be part of the creation of this next story from the beginning.  Remember to leave your things in a comment.

I’m still playing catchup with other projects, so I might be slow to answer comments.  However, I hope you’ll stop to leave one.  Whether your comment is to me or another commenter, keep it friendly.

***

Dead of Winter — All the Journeys

One thing I’m trying to catch up on is Dead of Winter: Journey 8, The Lost Library. However the first seven novelettes are available at Amazon.  I welcome you to be a part of these Journeys.

Dead of Winter Journey 7, Ruins Promo
Promotional image by Teagan

Universal Purchase Links

Journey 7, Revenant Pass

Kindle:  relinks.me/B098MS8P48

Paperback:  relinks.me/B098GV1G5V

Journey 6, The Fluting Fell

Kindle:  relinks.me/B096CPJNSX

Paperback: relinks.me/B096CPJNSX

Journey 5, Llyn Pistyll Falls

Kindle:  relinks.me/B09431TD6G

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0942KC471

Journey 4, The Old Road

Kindle:  relinks.me/B092G5LB7R

Paperback:  relinks.me/B092M51Y88

Journey 3, the Fever Field

Kindle: elinks.me/B08XTNZ9M8 

Paperback:  relinks.me/B08XXY3JXF

Kobo:  Dead of Winter: Journey 3, the Fever Field eBook by Teagan Riordain Geneviene – 1230004609599 | Rakuten Kobo United States

Journey 2, Penllyn

Kindle:  relinks.me/B08VMNSF97

Paperback:  relinks.me/B08VLMR2KD

Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/dead-of-winter-journey-2-penllyn

Journey 1, Forlorn Peak

Kindle:  relinks.me/B08RBBVRGX

Paperback:  relinks.me/B08R7RH4F5

Kobo:  Dead of Winter: Journey 1, Forlorn Peak eBook by Teagan Geneviene – 1230004446033 | Rakuten Kobo United States

.

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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 © 2021 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.

 

…

73 thoughts on “The Armadillo Files — A Teaser”

    1. Tee-hee! I hope so, Jennie. I don’t have a solid “feel” for the characters yet — especially the narrator, but that’s often the case when I start a story in this completely spontaneous way. Thanks for reading and commenting. Hugs on the wing!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. (Coughs awkwardly) Umm I’m not answering that yet, Diana. 😉
      Yes, I need to get my ducks– or rather my “things” in a row and get started. Time to get ready for the takeoff. (An obscure video theme song is in my head when I say that. I don’t know why I like it so much.) Enjoy your week. Hugs on the wing!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  4. Love the teaser, Teagan…and the cover and the title. Fang is the armadillo?
    I’m sure to be leaving more random things once the story gets going. Have a wonderful week!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Resa. It was really hard to think of a title, since the story is totally unplanned. “The Armadillo Files” made me think of The X Files, and The Dresden Files. This story won’t have an X Files vibe, and I’m not sure about a Dresden Files vibe… But I thought the title might still work.
      “Fang” is part of the teasing, so I won’t say. 😉 Hugs on the wing!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. It’s such a treat to see you, Ms. Frances. Yes, haha. Most of them know me well enough to believe that if something looks obvious, then I will probably manage to go a different way. Have a beautiful weekend. It’s monsoon season in southern New Mexico, and I’ve been getting glorious rain. Unfortunately weeds come with it. o_O The rain is still welcome. Hugs on the wing!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  7. Teagan, you are a master at leaving us on the edge with your serials. So, who and where is Fang? Also, I was a older teenager in the late 50s. But, I had a phone hooked onto a wall with a six foot cord! Looking forward to this story. I remember 1945 as a kid. Really, you have chosen fascinating years as settings. Hugs & happy weekend. 📚🎶🌺

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much, Christine. That is where the “things” took me. Although sometimes the paths I use to get to a point wouldn’t happen in a normal brain. LOL.
      I came along after that, but up through my first few years of school, we didn’t have a telephone at all, and used my grandmother’s next door. We eventually got one of those wall phones with a long, long cord. It was harvest gold. That might have been as late as the early 70s… I remember how it would get twisted up. I always thought the princess phones were beautiful, especially with the colors, although I never had one.
      Anyhow thanks for reading and commenting. Hugs winging back to you! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Teagan, yours is a normal, creative brain! My wall phone was Harvey gold, and the cord twisted up all the time. A lot of similarities growing up even though in different times. As a kid, a Rotary phones was in our house. I never had a Princess phone either. Hugs my friend. 📚🎶

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

    1. That was such a fun video, Kamal. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I hoped to find one of Ritchie Valens performing it, but such things from 1959 are scarce. And sadly, he didn’t live very long. Thanks for reading and commenting. It’s always good to see you. Hugs on the wing!

      Like

      Reply

    1. Woot! Thanks for your enthusiasm, Deborah. More on Fang soon. His name is a carry-over from how I first imagined the narrator. Now, and I’m not sure why, her personality has slipped into my mental limbo. She really needs to hurry up and step up and make herself known to me. Or maybe I need to let the original idea for her loose…. This conversation may have just given me an epiphany. LOL. Hugs on the wing!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  10. You have me hooked already, Teagan 🙂 I’m worried about Fang and I don’t even know what he is… lol.

    Can’t wait for Journey 8! Hugs xo

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. LOL. You just gave me a big smile, Denise.
      I’ve been behind on everything. July was just a tough month for me. However, I did make good progress on Journey 8 yesterday. Thanks so much for reading and commenting. Hugs on the wing!

      Like

      Reply

    1. Many thanks, Priscilla. I’m delighted to see everyone curious about Fang. It was fun planting these seeds about him and the narrator. Looking at how many I planted, now I’m glad that I did this teaser in stead of a full episode. It gives all that time to sink in. Have a lovely weekend. Hugs on the wing!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  13. Yep, this is gonna be a good one! Great cover! Looking forward to first episode!! Is ‘Fang’ the armadillo!

    Loved the video. Even my husband came over to watch it!!
    Ginger

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    2. I hope I’m not confusing you by logging on here again. I thought of more “things” and if I don’t pass them on now, that’s the end of them!

      1. SLINKY – I played with mine for hours. A bunch of us would get together and “race” them down the stairs!

      2. HAIR SNOODS – When women wore their hair pulled back, these were put on to keep hair out of their work. Kinda like slipping your long hair into a bag. Some were made of silk and hand painted. They were really very stylish.

      3. METAL ROLLER SKATES W/KEY. Skates were worn over your shoes or sneakers. The key was needed to tighten them on your shoe so they didn’t fall off. Sometimes they did! I had more than my share of scrapes and bruises!!!
      Ginger

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    2. Hi GP. Actually, you’re probably on track. Your princess phone made me start in 1959. I might be the only person on the planet who would get to 1945 from “cave” (in your first groups of things). But since I went to both those places with the “things” my weird brain started cooking with them, and this is what bubbled up. This initial setting will soon change — and will probably be more like what you expected. Thanks for the new things. Well done again. You’re good at random. 😀 Hugs on the wing.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply
  16. Pingback: A Reason to Smile – #SoCS – No Facilities

    1. Ah! I didn’t think of that (La Bamba or Los Lobos). More of the story is influenced by my old roots in Tennessee. But that will come in a later episode.
      Haha! I laughed out loud at Crystal in a sombrero! Like Queen Victoria, she would not be amused. But I would love to see it. 😀 Her birthday is within a week. Maybe I’ll Photoshop a picture of her wearing one, for the occasion. Thanks for reading and commenting. Hugs winging back to you.

      Like

      Reply

    1. Oooh, that is excellent feedback — thank you! The narrator’s character at first arrived fully formed. Then something misfired in my twisty mental engine, and now I don’t know her. Hopefully she makes herself known to me soon! Hugs on the wing!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  24. Intriguing. Lance and I were talking about Armadillos this morning. He mentioned Armadillo chili and I mentioned you can get leprosy from eating Armadillos. La Bamba? In the late 70s when I played in a few bands, the three songs all bands had to know to play in clubs were La Bamba, Proud Mary, and Brown Eyed Girl. Here we are over 40 years later. I was talking to my brother-in-law who plays bass in bands. He said they still have to play La Bamba, Proud Mary, and Brown Eyed Girl. He said they will be playing current pop tunes, and the dance floor will be empty, and it seems like the club is empty. Then someone requests La Bamba, Proud Mary, or Brown Eyed Girl, and once they start playing whichever one of those songs was requested, the dance floor fills up. He said he doesn’t know where all the people come from all of a sudden. Once the song is over, everyone disappears as fast they appeared. I’ll I could do was shake my head.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Now that is really interesting about the music, Tim. I’ve always liked the La Bamba song, it’s so bright and energetic, but paced and not overwhelming. Tragic that Valens died so young. I love Proud Mary, but I can’t imagine people wanting to dance to it… Maybe that’s just because I was such a terrible dancer.
      Yes, I’ve heard of the association between armadillos and leprosy, although I’ve never researched to confirm it. This one won’t be an ordinary armadillo — in more ways than one. It is from a real world “thing” the pink fairy armadillo. Tiny critters in Argentina.
      We got great rain showers all afternoon yesterday. Naturally I had just put out weed killer that morning…
      Have a great weekend. Hugs on the wing!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  25. It’s unusual for me to be up late/early enough to read this when first posted. I liked the teaser. It’s cool to be a part of the first bit. You already have my attention (nicely done), and I am in full on “I can’t wait” mode. I’ll be here when you drop the next journey, too. Good luck sorting all your projects, Teagan.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. You have a long day ahead, Dan. I’m sorry you didn’t get more sleep.
      As short as this teaser was, it was difficult to get the logistics or timing of it in my head, with all that needed to be setup, and the seeds that needed to be planted.
      Thanks, I need the luck! I also just got a short real world gig, but I couldn’t turn that down. Besides, it helps a friend. Stay safe and well. Hugs on the wing!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

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