Posts by Julia Schmeelk
Hanna
When Hanna first sees Gordon, she notices his height, the size of his arms, the stubborn set of his jaw. Like most abuse victims, she notices his anger, his frown, and she tries to appease him using a variety of tricks. Later, when Hanna feels the connection to the planet come back to her, she…
Read MoreSpringing Up
So no matter that the world is facing a plague and people are locked out of work and wondering how they will survive the coming months,- spring has arrived. The planet keeps on turning and the seasons continue to change no matter what human concerns may consume us. Here in northern Illinois, spring is making…
Read MoreFantasy
When reality gets to be too much, fantasy is always a good break. No matter what continent, country, state or town you happen to live in, the world can be frightening right now. Take a break and swim with a fish, talk to a pig, converse with the rabbits, or take a flight with one…
Read MoreGrief and a Mess
I lost my mother in mid-February. It was gut wrenching and unbelievably sad. Of course the world shortly after exploded with a virus that took our country by storm. As I write this today, we have passed 2,000 deaths in the USA and I am not so self-centered that I don’t realize that every one…
Read More2020 Plague: A Beginning
When the humans of old Earth faced their first plague in 2020, the global population began to split themselves into 4 distinct categories. It was hard to imagine where those categories would eventually go, but little by little as things devolved on the planet the separations became clearer and more distinct. In the beginning their…
Read MoreScary Stuff
I have always been someone who avoids the nightmarish stories that others love. My imagination makes horror stories come to life and grow and thrive inside my imagination. That being the case, I sensor, sensor, sensor. That or give up sleeping. The thing is, when the world is shifting under our feet whether because of…
Read MoreHens
Starting with Gordon’s farm, the hens play an important part in each couple’s household. Not only are they a convenient source of fresh eggs, but they require a sense of commitment and tending. Transients do not have hens, but neither do dragons. As my stories progress, who is the first dragon In the Combined Territories…
Read MoreIllness
While illness is a fact of life, for all species, I incorporated it into the human and dragon experience of NewEarth. Mox who features heavily in The Hunter, has a very special connection with the planet. She can sense viruses and bacteria, lure them out of a person, human or dragon and into herself. Once…
Read MoreSpring is in the Air
The start of spring has always held hope. Hope that the floods won’t be so bad. Hope that the babies born will live. Hope that sunny days will outnumber the cloudy rainy ones. But most of all… hope that winter will finally be over and life will once again sprout from the ground with new…
Read MoreCorona Virus
Making jokes about this pandemic is in poor taste, but this one is irresistible. I’d say something about this virus, but you might not get it. 😀 Be well, be safe, and please, read a book and write a review.
Read More