Whatnot Wednesday: a Hot August Crossroad, Would You Rather with Teri Polen, & the Scoobies

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Mural in Hartford, CT honoring jazz musicians, featuring Robert Johnson. Photo by Dan Antion, 2026

Hi, everyone.  This Wednesday is a mix of old and new “whatnots.”  Starting with this awesome new photo above from Dan Antion, that he took in honor of my August promotions for Brother Love: A Crossroad.  The mural in his photo features Robert Johnson.  The legend of Johnson making a deal with the devil at a crossroad played a large part in the inspirations that were the springboard for my imagination.

cat 2026-08-19 Velma window cart
Velma, 08/2026

Velma:  Hang on a sec, Yummy Human.  Do you mean that August is nearly over?  Do you think the temperature will finally cool off now?  … Yeah, I’m doubtful too at this point.

Also, this post closes out my August promotion for the book. 
However, the special pricing will stay in effect for the rest of the month.

Magpie wall mural by marina-salles
Marina Salles, Unsplash 2019

It’s also Hump Day and time to coast down the other side of that midweek hump.  In effort to do just that (include myself in the coasting part), this post is a throwback to 2019 when Teri Polen hosted me (and Brother Love: A Crossroad) at her yearly October book festival, Bad Moon Rising. 

By the way, I’ll be at Bad Moon Rising again this year with a new novelette in my 1920s paranormal series collectively called “A Medium’s Peril.”  It’s only a working title, but for the moment the new story is called “A Peril in Radio Waves.”

Teri always has cool questions for the authors to answer.  That year they were “Would You Rather” questions.  Yes, yes, I hear you. I know it isn’t Halloween-time yet.  But Christmas decorations are already being sold.  Besides, Teri’s questions are so fun that — why not?   So here are Teri’s questions and my answers from the year my August book was originally published.

Would You Rather

Jinx and guitar in graveyard by Teagan via Night Cafe
Jinx and guitar in graveyard by Teagan via Night Cafe

Would you rather walk through a haunted graveyard at midnight or spend the night in a haunted, abandoned house?

Both sound like my warped idea of fun.  There’s a dark and mysterious figure in Brother Love – a Crossroad.  He sits on tombstones, playing blues songs on his guitar.  The tuning knobs on the guitar are made from bones.  So, I’ll choose the graveyard, maybe he’ll let me sing along.  As he says, “Ain’t nobody here gonna complain about the noise.”

Cute colorful monsters recordplayer The Monster Mash by Teagan via Night Cafe

Would you rather boogie down to Monster Mash or get your groove on to Thriller?

Ha!  I’m not coordinated enough for Thriller, not to mention the fact that my back would probably get stuck in some very awkward position.  Play the Monster Mash for me, Teri.

Besides, even though the featured novella was inspired by a Neil Diamond song from a later time, the story is set in the 1950s and it uses lots of great 50s music.  I had fun with the old song “Love Potion No. Nine” naming streets and even a character for the streets and people mentioned in that song.

Daphne 08-2026

Daphne:  Hey, I’m trying to dance here.  So what if my dance involves laying in my hammock!  What dance, you ask?  It’s called the Otter.  Now, Yummy Human, you otter put that camera away.

Oooff!  Um, I meant to fall out of my hammock while twisting around, posing on my back to show off my otter belly.  And then twisting some more.  Yeah… I meant to do that.  It’s part of the Otter Dance.

The Machete_Fiona-Teagan
Fiona Finch as imagined by Rob Goldstein 2019

Would you rather be locked in a haunted insane asylum or lost in the woods with a killer on the loose?

You mean the door isn’t locked?  And there’s no serial killer lurking in the alley where the trash cans are?  Hmmm… 

If that seems like a strange response, then click here and you might understand.  I had been plagued with unwanted attention from a neighbor. He couldn’t take “no” for an answer when he wanted a date.  Discussing the situation with a friend, we came up with a hypothetical scenario (to make him stop) that involved me answering the door with a machete… The outrageous conversation inspired my friend’s artwork to go with a short story I wrote based on our talk.

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If this post feels a little like a trip to the Outer Limits or the Twilight Zone long about now… I’ll blame it on the endlessly overheated world around me.  Although… Brother Love: A Crossroad is a sort of Twilight Zone-ish story…

Wishing everyone an easy coast down the other side of this midweek hump. 
Friendly comments are welcome. Hugs and purrs from the Scoobies and me.

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

Brother Love – a Crossroad

Strange things abound in a small 1950s town.  It’s a cozy, magic realism story, filled with mystery and music.

Brother Love updated cover 2026
New, updated book cover

Universal Purchase Links

Kindle:  relinks.me/B07V25SXFR

Paperback:  relinks.me/107952309X

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Copyright © 2019 and 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

47 thoughts on “Whatnot Wednesday: a Hot August Crossroad, Would You Rather with Teri Polen, & the Scoobies”

  2. Hi Teagan, it is lovely to revisit your 2029 visit with Teri. She does ask great questions. I am also featuring again this year and need to get my responses done. Fabulous graphs in this post and, of course, the ladies of the hour: Daphne and Velma.

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  3. “You otter put that camera away,” that’s funny, and she meant it, too. 😂 It’s incredible that August is almost over, but I’m happy because fall is just around the corner. It’s my favorite season.

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    1. LOL. I couldn’t resist being corny, Edward. Fall used to be my favorite too. But since I moved here, it’s too short (if we get it at all). We do get some snow… But now that I don’t have to worry about getting to work in winter weather, my favorite is winter — as long as I’m in this climate. Wishing you a thriving Thursday tomorrow. Hugs. 🤗

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  5. Love the murals, and that pic of Fiona is most intriguing.

    Thank you, Teagan and Scoobies! This fun post is helping me hump over the hump of Wednesday’s hump.

    Teri’s Bad Moon Rising is lots of fun. I can’t remember partaking… although I may have back in 2019 (ish), but it is still fun to pop by and read responses.

    Big Hugs all around!

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    1. Haha. John, you *know* it’s been too hot for too long when even heat-loving cats are tired of it. I keep double and triple layers of heat-blocking curtains closed against it… so I’m tired of being in the dark. I feel like a vampire. Hmmm… that might explain my craving for tomatoey gazpacho… LOL. Stay safe and well. Hugs and purrs.

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        1. Yesterday I made a black bean & corn salad (meal). Mix a little more beans than corn, add your favorite seasonings, some olive oil and lime, and let that marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours. Then add avocado chunks, a little cheese if you want, and serve on a crispy corn tostada. It turned out well. A no-cooking, cold dinner with protein. 🙂

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  8. Teagan, if your forecast for the next seven days has you above 100 degrees, the very last thing you’d want to hear is how incredible our weather has been lately so I’m not going there.😁Let us just say the Pumpkin Spice actually feels like it is in its “normal” season. The Halloween queries here were fun to digest, especially with a Pumpkin Muffin I was eating at the time. I’m in October mode right now so this post was most timely. (Machetes at the front door fit the Halloween vibe quiet nicely also…) Hugs!

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    1. Actually, Bruce the idea of good weather somewhere gives me a ray of hope that the whole world maybe isn’t going to burn to a crisp. . I got a kick out of all the pumpkin references. 😀 I think you’ll enjoy checking out Bad Moon Rising, come October. Teri features a different author (with fun questions) each day of the month. I think I’m scheduled for the 8th, but there’s fun every day. Hugs and purrs.

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    1. LOL, Liz, I’d have to stand my ground. I doubt that there’s any kind of ghoulies or ghosties or long leggety beasties, or things that go bump in the night — that could fail to catch me without even trying very hard. 😀 I’d say that at least inside I could stand with my back against a wall to keep them from sneaking up behind me… but they might be able to reach through walls… Hugs!

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    1. Well, it was only part of my inspiration, and doesn’t come into the plot, but the story about Johnson is that he sold his soul to the devil for the ability to play blues guitar so well. (They called blues “the Devil’s music.”) I haven’t heard anything about anybody trying to get it back for him… But kudos to Daniel Webster. 😀

      Hugs and purrs to you and the kitties.

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  11. Those are some scary alternatives! If the haunted house is mine, I stay locked in mine EVERY night! Monster Mash is my jam, so that one is also easy. And I’ll take killer in the woods for $200, Alex. My nerves are such that I prefer dead to dread. I love Daphne’s Otter Dance. Chickie does that one a lot, but she never told me the name of it. She, too, has fallen while performing — apurpose, as she would say.

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    1. Hi, Marian. I hear you about “preferring dead to dread”.

      Chickie is adorable. Daphne has no qualms about falling off the bed (or anything else) — and landing flat on her back (whenever she starts acting cute rolling around). I have to make sure she doesn’t get close to an edge… Crazy cat.

      Hugs and purrs to you and your feline crew.

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  13. Fun post Teagan. I enjoyed a taste of October with your answers for Teri. Not a fan of the heat and laughed at your idea ro answer the door with a machete. Sometimes it takes that extra touch! Sending hugs xo

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    1. Hi, Denise. I’m happy I could give you a giggle. “Extra touch” LOL — love it! In real life I kept the machete sheathed and held like a cane, but you should have seen his eyes pop out when he saw it beside me. Believe it or not, that still wasn’t the last time he showed up at the door… Hugs back to you.

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  14. This is a great post, Teagan. I love looking back on the times surrounding Brother Love and thinking about the characters you created and the situations you put them in. I hope August takes the heat with it when it leaves. Ease yourself down the other side of this week. Give the Scoobies a scritch from New England.

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    1. Hi, Dan. Both of the Scoobies are accepting morning scritches right now. It’s unusual for both of them to hop up here at the same time. The forecast for the next 7 days has us continuing to be above 100 degrees. Alaska is sounding good. Now, time for coffee. ☕☕☕ Hugs 🤗

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  16. Fabulous post, Teagan! Great memories, and I’m excited about your work in progress! I love A Medium’s Peril series, so… I hope things cool down everywhere. Big hugs and love to the Scoobies!

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  17. Long time, no shimmy, Teagan! Good to see you still coasting along. I might not come knocking again if you answered the door to me, machete in hand, but then again, we might just be going wood-cutting.

    The heat has broken here this week and it’s a mighty relief, but it will be back. First I have a little spell in the UK. 7 days of rain. Sound good to you? Sending hugs xx

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    1. Hi, Jo. It’s nice to see you, and good to know that you’re getting a break from the heat. I’m in the “high desert” of the US southwest, so 7days of rain actually sounds pretty good to me (well, other than my roof leak anyhow). A few towns across the state have enacted emergency water restrictions. That’s a first since I’ve lived here. Climate change… Anyhow, have a good rest of the week. Big hugs back to you.

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