Atonement in Zugzwang Part 2: Call for Things

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Saturday, September 2, 2023

CGI by Teagan
CGI by Teagan

Hello, everyone.  Thanks for visiting my sanctuary.  My break from blogging isn’t precisely over yet.  As Olga Núñez Miret once told me, sometimes doing something different is as good as a break.  That’s what I’ve been doing. 

But first a boo-hiss to WordPress for continuing to crop large swaths off my images. 

I was inspired to do a bit of “light horror” combined with a 1920s spiritualist setting for this October and Teri Polen’s  Bad Moon Rising month-long blog festival.  If you haven’t guessed (or seen the Facebook posts I’ve been showing), it’s another adventure for the characters from A Peril in Ectoplasm.

Call for Random Reader Things

3 Pigs reading book CGI Teagan
3 Otherworldly pigs, CGI by Teagan

So, my blogging break isn’t over quite yet.  However, I haven’t forgotten this serial.  I couldn’t resist the impulse to engage everyone for part-2.  I’m putting out a call for “random reader things.” Everyone is welcome to leave 3 things in a comment. 

This post about the characters is a good refresher. Or you can Google something like “Atonement in Zugzwang Teagan Geneviene WordPress” with the episode number you want.

What to keep in mind for your things

Lexica

Several times I’ve mentioned a village that is adjacent to Atonement, TN.  It’s called Rectify.  Twice, Dr. Mary Sue Leggett has mentioned her patients, or the “creatures” in Rectify.  Consider the difference between the words “atone” and “rectify.”

It’s an urban fantasy (real world but with fantasy elements).

Remember our setting is in the present day.

Consider what we already HAVE and HAVEN’T seen or met.

Magic exists, but I don’t use it in a heavy-handed way.

The magic usually takes the form of an “artifact” or antique.

Atonement is a small town and Rectify is even smaller.

Consider settings and events that might be in a small town.

Everyday items are fine.

A “thing” should NOT be a paragraph or an essay explaining it.

It works best when your 3 things are random, not related to one another. Otherwise I only get a paragraph out of them.

Also, images or photos are welcome as “things.” As long as you own them or they are public domain (like Wikipedia or Pixabay). Just leave me a link to where the image is posted.

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Do you have your things in mind now?  Be sure to leave them in a comment.  After all, that’s the main purpose of these serials — to get everyone’s participation.  Hugs!

♣ ♣ ♣

The Atonement Series

Atonement kindle covers Cat eyes shelf 2023

Atonement, Tennessee

Full series of e-books with one click:  relinks.me/B087JV25JT

Kindle:  rxe.me/HGSVA8A

Paperback: relinks.me/1481826948

Also in Spanish, translated by Olga Núñez Miret! The title for the Spanish-speaking market is Expiación y Magia

Atonement in Bloom

Kindle:  rxe.me/5RRBLH

Paperback:  relinks.me/1726882128

The Glowing Pigs, Snort Stories of Atonement, Tennessee

Kindle   rxe.me/LTBDNH

Paperback   relinks.me/1725891972

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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 © 2023 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 used with permission, or from free sources.

64 thoughts on “Atonement in Zugzwang Part 2: Call for Things”

    1. I know what you mean, David. I never took a vacation until I took the federal job, and years after that had enough accrued vacation that I had “use of lose” leave. Even then I stayed home and worked on my own books.
      I hope your Labor Day has been relaxing. Hugs.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  4. Hope you’re having a restful break, Teagan!
    Why does WP crop your images? Do you use the block editor?
    I haven’t seen that on my blog…yet. There could be a way around it.
    Anyway, love your new Gravatar!
    I submit – claves – dry erase board & a pic I will send in email.
    Hugs!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Hi Resa. I got your email with the image. Thanks so much for going to the extra effort.
      I’m not familiar with “Clave”. I’ve found a few definitions:
      * Past tense of cleave (archaic).
      * Spanish word meaning ‘code,’ ‘key,’ as in key to a mystery or puzzle.
      In music:
      * A large tubular bass drum (Latin music).
      * One of a pair of wooden sticks or blocks that are held one in each hand and are struck together.
      * A syncopated rhythm pattern of alternating phrases of three and two beats, used in Latin dance music.
      Thanks about the gravatar. The app made me about 100 pounds less fat. But why not.
      Hugs winging back to you.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      1. Very cool about the definitions, Teagan.
        I did mean the “One of a pair of wooden sticks or blocks that are held one in each hand and are struck together.”
        However, use whichever you want!
        Use all!
        This is a kind of low key magic happening.
        Hugs!

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

      1. Hummingbird moths are very common in our area of Arizona. They’re fascinating little creatures and love many of the same blooms as hummingbirds. ❤️

        Liked by 1 person

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    1. Hi Kerfe. Serendipity! I’ve mentioned that Enoch is one of the main characters in a different work in progress. That novel is full of tarot cards. The queen cards come strongly into play in one segment. In pondering how to bring Enoch into this story (as more than the mentioned grandfather) I had been thinking about those tarot queens… although we already have a “white” queen, and they wouldn’t be for the other side. As you see, my brain can quickly become a quagmire. Still, hmmmm……
      I wasn’t familiar with the Choose Your Own Adventure. That’s intriguing. Thanks for coming out to play. Hugs.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Thanks for the invitation. I do look forward to more of Enoch, however he arrives.
        My children loved the choose your own adventure books, and they seem to reflect how the characters move through their ever-changing world.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

    1. Yehaw! There’s no telling what that Persian rug might bring with it, John — or where it might fly. Hmmm… a TV remote just might turn into an artifact too. That could bring some fun trouble… especially if Pepper gets a love life. o_O 😉 Thanks for coming out to play. Hugs.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  11. These are always fun and I haven’t participated for a while. Here are three random things: a bobby pin, a blue moon, and an eye patch. Someday I will tell you how I came up with these things.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

      1. I would imagine a monastery would have a confessional, the monks probably have a sin or two they would need to confess. A priest would more and likely visit weekly to perform mass and hear confessions.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  14. It’s good to see a post from you, even a break post. I was going to go think about three things and come back, but I’ll forget, so random it is: A rusty garden trowel, a painted rock and a bag of colored push pins.

    I hope you have a great weekend, Teagan.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Dan. I know you’re busy. Random usually works best. It’s funny you should say the painted rock. The couple who owned this house just before me (although it’s been owned many times, I think these were done by her), the wife was only middle aged, but she died, and the husband put the house went on the market. I learned that she also tried her hand at writing, and I gather that she was “crafty” as well. There were a few of those painted rocks in a planter. Every now and then, outside, somebody working finds another of those rocks and hands it to me. More than one was painted with the words “I love you.” While everything else seems to have gone wrong with me moving here, I at least feel like a past homeowner is glad that I’m here.
      Happy September. Hugs.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  16. Hi Teagan, its great to see a post from you. I must admit that I have the opposite problem with WP, I can’t crop my pictures using its features and have to do it beforehand. How weird is that? Three things! How about sketch pad, door bell (the sound, not a think I suppose, but maybe fun) and pet treats. Have a great weekend, Teagan.

    Liked by 2 people

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    1. Hi, Robbie. WP really has frustrated and discouraged me with that new glitch. Interestingly, the older images I have previously uploaded do not have that problem. The new ones look like they’re okay until I add them to the post. Often it cuts off an important part of the image…
      .
      Oh yes, a sound is certainly a “thing.” Anything perceived by the senses can be a thing. Sounds, textures, colors, tastes, etc. LOL, Spike thanks you for the pet treats. Maybe I need to come up with a special cat-unicorn-hybrid treat for her. 😉 Maybe a spoonful of extra virgin olive oil, or a “virgin” Kalua and cream (i.e. just cream). Happy September. Hugs.

      Like

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  17. I agree with Timothy on the graphics. Thanks for the mention, dear Teagan. From what you’ve been posting on Facebook, I see your creativity flowing, so I am looking forward to seeing (and reading) what will come next. Three things… A fan (hand fan I was thinking about), a hair comb (I was thinking about a “peineta”, if that fits anywhere), and a weather vane. I hope they might be of some use, but I am sure you’ll have many entries, so not to worry if they don’t. Have a lovely weekend and love to Velma and Daphne.

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

    2. Those are great things, Olga. Annie and Adelle brought several artifacts to the battle in Atonement in Bloom. I need to review and see if they had a fan or hair comb that I can reuse. I’ve been wanting to bring back some of the artifacts from the novels. Love the weathervane. Happy September and hugs from me and the kitties.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    2. Adored Ape, heartfelt thanks for sharing this post from your tree house.
      LOL, you must have been inside my head, because this week I put an errant scarf in the novella I’m working on for Halloween. Although I could certainly use one here too. I see these three things are already a hit. Happy September. Hugs.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. That’s kind of you, Tim — thanks. It bugs the heck out of me. For instance, the blue wizard guy — that white thing was part of a chess set. WP cut off the entire chessboard and the top of his hood, cropping top and bottom. I’ve tried a dozen workarounds. Found one solution but it’s way too much trouble. Oh well…
      I hope all is well in your neck of the woods. Happy September. Hugs.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

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