Whatnot Wednesday Libraries: #CFFC, Writing, #ThursdayDoors

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

2025-11-03 Velma cheek scratch-1
Velma: “Yeah, that’s the spot…”

Whatnot & the Scoobies

I was going to do a Wednesday Writing post, then the “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” was suggested because its topic was libraries, and my libraries have doorways… I’d say this is definitely a Whatnot post!  So… Velma, do you want to be a blog star today?  

2025-11-03 Velma cheek scratch-2 shy
Velma:  I’m shy today. Just keep scratching.

Now, Velma, I know better than that.  Alright then, I’m sure Daphne will pose.

2025-11-03 Velma cheek scratch-3 dont stop
Velma:  Hey, who said you could stop?

Daphne, you haven’t rolled around being that cute in a long time.  Let me get your picture.  Hold still!

2025-11-03 Daphne walking away
Daphne: Hey, I was being extra cute. You’ve got to be faster with that camera.

CFFC Photo

 On Monday, Dan Antion posted this week’s Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge (CFFC).   The topic was “Libraries.”  Dan remembered an altered version I had made years ago of the library photo below.  I went looking for the original version.

Tintern Abbey interior, 1858-1862, photo Roger Fenton, Wikipedia
Tintern Abbey (interior), which at one time included a monastic library.  1858-1862, photo Roger Fenton, Wikipedia

I found the old photo above while looking for inspiration and researching what sort of libraries might have been possible for the technology level of my fantasy world in “Dead of Winter Omnibus: All the Journeys.”  An abandoned, lost library was an important part of the overall story.  I used Tintern Abbey in several of my composite images to promote the series version and in book covers.  Learn more about it here.

Wednesday Writing

Pether, William, 1731-1819; Moonlit River Scene with a Ruined Gothic Church, and a Stone Bridge with an Angler. Wikipedia. Brightened image

Pether, William, 1731-1819, Wikipedia. Brightened image

Research is a central component of all of my stories.  That applies to fantasies every bit as much as regular fiction and nonfiction too.  That antique photo led me to paintings that I used to make composite images for the 14 book covers of the Dead of Winter “Journeys.”  I kept the individual series covers inside the omnibus. 

Many of the paintings I used (from public domain photos) were done by the talented Pether family.  In these paintings, the topography, style of buildings, density of trees and bushes, and even the beautifully portrayed moonlight helped me express my ideas of how my world looked.  They also gave me an understanding of scale — the height and breadth of trees and buildings as compared to humans.  (NOTE: these were originally from Wikipedia. I’ve altered the images by brightening the colors, lighting, and contrast.)

Sebastian Pether 1790-1844; A Ruined Gothic Church beside a River by Moonlight. Brightened image

Sebastian Pether 1790-1844; A Ruined Gothic Church beside a River by Moonlight, Wikipedia. Brightened image

Thursday Doors

Moonlit Landscape Ruin Sebastian Pether 1810-1844 Wikipedia Brightened
Sebastian Pether 1810-1844 Wikipedia. Brightened image.

Doors, doorways, and portals were significant in Dead of Winter.  Any of the inspiration paintings had at least one of those.  The following snippet is from about halfway through the omnibus.  The travelers have already been through many perils in their journeys.  They finally found the place where they hoped to get help… but it seems abandoned.  Young Emlyn strays from the adults, accidentally letting herself inside a mysterious place, and…

Dead of Winter: Lost Library — A Door Snippet

Tintern Abbey, South Window, by Frederick Calvert, 1815. Color tomfoolery by Teagan
Tintern Abbey, South Window, by Frederick Calvert, 1815. Color heavily altered by Teagan. Actually that’s a big understatement. I put a ton of work into this image.

Wings cast a furiously moving shadow that was large and fearsome.  Immediately Emlyn thought of Arawn’s monstrous marb-uisge and stifled a scream.

The area beneath the glass dome flashed with light and dark as the wings rapidly beat, causing the shadows to surge menacingly.  The sounds of frantic flight echoed in the quiet.

Amid her fear, she saw that despite the size of the shadow, it was only a tiny bird.  A sparrow fluttered inside the dome, not a monster.  She released a shaky breath.

“I’ll not lose her too,” she heard Boabhan say with a grunt.

As Emlyn gazed in uneasy astonishment at her surroundings, Tajín the Bandihari swordsman, and Boabhan rushed into the hall behind her.

The sparrow darted outside.  Turning, Emlyn saw that the Woman in Green leaned heavily on Tajín as they came through the opening Emlyn had made with the ancient staff.

The rest of the group had been further away.  They cautiously moved closer to the portal. 

Abruptly, heavy doors at least the height of three grown men swung shut before the rest of the party could enter.  The sound of their closing echoed ominously.

Then the insistent, harshly whispered warning came again,

“Winter is coming!”

Gold leaves tree inside old library by Teagan via Night Cafe
by Teagan via Night Cafe

Muffled shouting and pounding came from outside.  Emlyn recognized Gethin’s voice, though she couldn’t hear his exact words.  The huge doors towered upward.  Even the look of them suggested they were heavy and thick.

Tajín pushed, trying to open them.  The nostrils of his hawk-like nose flared.  He growled with effort, the muscles in his arms bulging, and the cords of his neck standing out as he strained against the doors.  Yet they did not move.

“We can’t be trapped again!” Emlyn cried.

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 There you have my delayed Monday, Wednesday, and early Thursday.  Thanks for opening this door and Whatnot!  Wishing you an easy coast down the other side of this midweek hump.  Friendly comments are encouraged.  Hugs!

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Naturally, the obligatory shameless self-promotion must be included.

Dead of Winter Omnibus: All the Journeys

The 14 Journeys (novellas) of Dead of Winter in one volume, e-book and audiobook. 

Universal Purchase link (e-book only):  relinks.me/B0FP9XL46J

Audiobook:  relinks.me/B0FPB2L9WV

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This post is part of Dan Antion  Thursday Doors challenge. Click the blue link for more information about the challenge.

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Copyright © 2025 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

44 thoughts on “Whatnot Wednesday Libraries: #CFFC, Writing, #ThursdayDoors”

    1. Thanks very much, Jennie. You should have seen me working on the colors for that image of Tintern Abbey. Selecting hundreds of little spots, and altering the colors individually. It was a lot of work, but very satisfying. I hope you’re having a lovely weekend. Hugs.

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  5. Teagan, you are right. Writing takes a lot of research along with the skill of telling the story. You are superb at both. I love the wonderful photos you imagined/re-imagined. Love that golden tree in the library…it has a Tree of Life kind of feel to it, I feel. Great share.

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    1. What a lovely comment, Suzette — thank you very much. LOL, sometimes I think I enjoy my research a little too much. 😀

      The tree is actually my own Night Cafe image. I couldn’t get exactly what I wanted, but it was close. I’m pleased that you like it. Thanks for opening this door. Hugs.

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    1. You are so kind, Jim. Thank you for this wonderful comment. The paintings are so magical that I can’t help wondering how realistic they were. But I’ve never been to that part of the world — or that era, so… At any rate, I don’t care because they inspire me, and that’s what I like art to do. A lovely weekend to you too. Hugs.

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    1. Thanks, Cindy. I keep letting things get in the way of me working on my novel in progress. So, I went with the saying “Don’t worker harder — work smarter.” I didn’t need to let myself do more than two posts a week. Yeesh, my writing is so slow, I spend a couple of days just on a blog post. (eye roll) Wishing you an easy coast down the other side of this midweek hump. Hugs.

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  12. The Scoobies are gonna start charging for these photoshoots, Teagan. The pictures are great, but my favorite has to be the last one with the tree among books both at attention and “resting.” The leaf color and the stained glass windows, the sunlight…I really like that image a lot.

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    1. Haha! Bruce, I’m thankful each day that they haven’t learned how to order treats on the computer.
      Thanks about the tree image. It’s the only computer generated image on this post. Years ago, while I was writing Dead of Winter as a series, I ran into an image of a tree breaking through a skylight, and it inspired that scene in the book. Actually there’s another one a little while later in the book. I couldn’t get Night Cafe to make what I wanted, but I settled for that one, because it got the lighting right. Thanks for reading and commenting. Hugs.

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  15. With the advent of computers, while I prefer to visit the library in person, you no longer need to open the library door to access all of the doors that the library can open. Thanks for your support of libraries in your books, especially Winter is Coming. Loved that series, Teagan. Hugs.

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  16. This is a wonderful post, Teagan. You did a perfect blend of the two challenges (with a little help from your support staff. You are still scratching Velma, aren’t you?” I remember the scene you shared. It’s in my favorite part of the story and your descriptions made me feel like I was in the lost library with them.

    I hope you have a great rest of the week.

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  17. A gorgeous post, Teagan. I love old cathedrals, churches, and libraries, and I visited quite a few of those abandoned ruins (well, not so abandoned nowadays, as they have many visitors) in the UK. And love the part of the story about the library as well. It is a magical place. Big hugs and love to the Scoobies. They look wonderful in the pics. Great top models!

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  19. Teagan, this is absolutely fascinating post. The idea of an abandoned, lost library instantly captures my imagination. Libraries have such power as symbols of memory, silence, and rediscovery, especially when set within the timeless beauty of places like Tintern Abbey. Your creative blending of image and story gives that sense of wonder and melancholy that suits Dead of Winter perfectly. I love how you weave history and fantasy together. It makes the world you’ve built feel both ancient and alive!!!

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    1. Heartfelt thanks, Rebecca. You make a good point — libraries really have become symbols. For me, they give physical form to ideas we are in grave danger of losing. (As well as repositories of stories and knowledge.) But for many they have long symbolized qualities the “jock mentality” (my term) and bullies disdain as nerdy or irrelevant. Unfortunately, the world places great importance on the groups that embody such thinking. Libraries may yet become things of legend, as they were in Emlyn’s world.
      Goodness, I’m morbid — shouldn’t have spent that ten minutes watching news! Thank you again for your kind words, and for all of your support. Hugs on the wing.

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      1. I agree wholeheartedly, Teagan!! Libraries are symbols, living repositories of knowledge, memory, and imagination, and we’re watching them change before our eyes. Here in Vancouver, the Public Library recently reported that, for the first time in its history, loans of digital materials have exceeded those of physical books. It’s a remarkable milestone, yet a bittersweet one. Digital access expands reach, but those e-books often cost three to five times more than a printed copy. It feels like a crossroads, one that mirrors your sense of libraries as both enduring and endangered.

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        1. I’m surprised to hear myself say this, but I guess there’s one good thing left here — ebooks cost less than paper copies, usually significantly less. (I’m trying to give a big Ha!, but the best I can manage is a snort. Mr. Tangerine Man will surely ruin that too. By the way, search that on YouTube.com and look for the Piedmont Raging Grannies. They’re fabulous.)

          I get that sense of a crossroads too, Rebecca. Unfortunately, it gives me a chill. LOL, maybe I can daydream myself onboard The Delta Pearl. Hugs again.

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