Joseph Carrabis – Page 104 – Joseph Carrabis, Author Blog

Them Doore Girls – Narration

Tim Curry invited me to take part in a Hallowe’en podcast with several other authors, each of us reading something we felt fit the season.

Hallowe’en is celebratory to me and mine, and I didn’t think that’s what Tim had in mind.

I have written horror, though.

No, not written horribly (okay, maybe, and I’m getting better (I hope)), and not quite of horrible things (although some of my work is dark, I’ll grant you), so that set me off on a search.

I came up with two things. The first, shared last week, is a concatenation of two chapters in The Shaman, each of which deals with a succubatic kind of creature, Ellewomen. That post is, strangely enough, entitled “The Ellewomen.”

This one, Them Doore Girls, is from a horror story first published in Haunts 1992 and again in my self-published Tales Told Round Celestial Campfires 2016.

FYI, the sound quality is wanting. I find it best through headphones.

Enjoy!

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Sema (A Tale of the Northern Clan) now on Penumbra

Few things make me happier than knowing my work is appreciated.

By editors and publishers.

Readers, definitely. Other authors, oh yeah.

And editors and publishers? Yeah, you betcha.

Such is the case with Sema (A Tale of the Northern Clan).

The Northern Clan stories started out quite differently. The first one, written in the early 1970s, dealt with someone becoming aware of their magical powers and realizing the responsibility their use entailed.

What is it based on? Well, first, myself and my experiences (I’ve often stated I write autobiography).

Do I think I have magical powers?

Of course I have magical powers. I write stories, don’t I? What can be more magical than that?

And specifically, the story is a metaphor of growing up, becoming aware of one’s needs, abilities, and responsibilities in the world. More than growing hair in funny places, the original Tale of the Northern Clan was written before the concept of a Northern Clan existed and simply dealt with dealing with new feelings, new wants and desires, and deciding whether they would rule your life or you’d rule them in your life.

What teenager hasn’t experienced that?

For that matter, what late sixties-year-old hasn’t experienced that?

That original story received praise from early readers (we didn’t have the concept of “first readers” in the early 1970s) and I was never satisfied with it. The first version of Sema came out in 1988, went through several revisions, and now appears in Penumbra (it’s also in my Tales Told ‘Round Celestial Campfires anthology), and somewhere in the middle of Sema‘s revisions I realized it and several other stories-in-progress were all part of a single mythology and thus The Tales of the Northern Clan was born.

That original story is still in progress and should be done early Spring 2022.

Meanwhile, enjoy Sema (A Tale of the Northern Clan).

Enjoy!

The Shy Ones

I shared Hecate’s introducing her kits to us and us to her kits last week.

Here they are again, still shy of me and Hecate’s showing them I’m safe by coming up to me and taking food (peanuts, cookies, and dog food).

Now and again Susan and I talk about moving.

The conversation stops with “But who’ll take care of the wildlife?”

This is a foolish concern on many levels.

But it’s one that gives us comfort.

And I count it a good day if my greatest concern on that day is “Did I put out any peanuts?”

Yes.

I count it a very good day.

The Ellewomen

Tim Curry invited me to take part in a Hallowe’en podcast with several other authors, each of us reading something we felt fit the season.

Hallowe’en is celebratory to me and mine, and I didn’t think that’s what Tim had in mind.

I have written horror, though.

No, not written horribly (okay, maybe, and I’m getting better (I hope)), and not quite of horrible things (although some of my work is dark, I’ll grant you), so that set me off on a search.

I came up with two things. The first, presented here, is a concatenation of two chapters in The Shaman, each of which deals with a succubatic kind of creature, Ellewomen.

Enjoy!

Hecate’s Kits

Hyacinth brought her previous year’s kits out in March (we posted in July). Hecate brought out this year’s kits in July (yes, we’re posting it in December. They don’t seem to mind).

The timing of births is a concern. Usually our raccoons child earlier. This year everything is delayed a bit. Some things – migrations, buddings, leafings, awakenings – are off two weeks, others more. All are weather related.

Or more correctly, weather-change related.

Global warming, you know.

Whatever you make think of the Republicans, they are masters of phrasing. Global Warming became Global Climate Change during Bush II’s administration because Global warming was a recognizable threat and required action.

But Global Climate Change? Heck, the weather’s always changing! No need to worry, no need to act.

Of course, now the warming/climate change has become severe enough it’s causing economic impact; insurance companies have to pay more and more claims due to weather related issues.

And they’re not the only ones.

Pretty soon us common folk will feel it in our own pockets on a monthly, weekly, and eventually daily basis. You thought not being able to get bottled water during Covid was a proble? Just wait.

The Wild is already feeling the weather’s change.

And preparing.

Wish Two-Leggers were as smart.