#StayHome and Escape #SelfQuarantine with #FREE #YA, #Scifi, and #Fantasy #Fiction from @AioniosBooks…and a quick #BetaRead of my #microfiction would be awesome!

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Hello, everyone! Yes, I’m still alive, and so are my kids.

The past few days have been quite the learning experience for the three Bs and myself regarding patience, kindness, listening…maybe some science in there too, but honestly, at this stage it’s all about learning to live with one another every waking hour of the day. Hopefully some of the school stuff is sinking in, but as I say whenever I sub in a classroom: So long as no one hurts themselves or each other, it’s a good day. 🙂

On top of learning to learn together, I still need to find time to teach my online university students. I’m going to try something Thursday and Friday to see if it’ll help bring a little balance to my teaching load…and hopefully free up time to write, too.

In the meantime, I wanted to share a few freebies with you. Aionios Books, publisher of my first novel Fallen Princeborn: Stolen, has made a number of their ebooks free through the end of April!

Click here to visit Aionios Books!

Be sure to visit them for books of Young Adult, Science Fiction, and Fantasy. Because these downloads are through them and not Amazon, I do hope you’ll make a separate trip to my Amazon Author page and leave a book review when possible. Those reviews make a HUGE difference for indie authors such as m’self.

Click here to visit my Amazon Author Page!

I did manage to sneak in a quick couple of hours this past weekend to write. It wasn’t enough time for my short story, but it was enough time to answer the prompt for my university journal’s microfiction contest: create a story of 300 words or less featuring a famous woman from literature. This rough draft is a few words shy of 300, but I feel like there might need to be a little trimming done to make room for other details, depending on your feedback. I hope my choice in fictional character counts, too!

Title? Not sure yet. I’ll take any ideas you have!

Sally blew a perky blond curl out of her eyes. Every stitch had to be perfect.

“You sure you didn’t send it off with Marbles?” He called. “I know it’s all torn up, but it’s still mine.”

“Of course not, darling,” Sally cooed. The sewing machine needle pulsed up and down with the rhythm of their high school’s favorite slow song. She hummed as she shifted the pieces of delicate blue cotton beneath the point, her thread blending in perfectly.

“You don’t think someone walked off with it during the party, do you?”

 Sally bit her lip to keep from laughing. “Maybe.”

“Look, I know it’s dumb, but I am not going on vacation without it.”

“Oh, I know, darling, I know.” Dim sunlight fell through the glass blocks near the ceiling and washed out a picture Sally had taped to the wall of a Christmas pageant from their childhood. The moment he held her hand to go out on stage, she swore she’d never let him go.

“Lucy probably snitched it. Damn, I knew she was pissed about the new realty job.”

There. Sally’s chair made a nasty scraping sound against the concrete as she stood to hold up her work: a sport coat. He could wear it every day without any stupid dog or sister or anyone else stealing it away.

Sally lay the coat over her chair and glanced over at the computers. There he was, pacing with his phone while that slut Violet packed lingerie.

Sally had a bag, too, only it contained plastic sheets, duct tape, and a hammer. She took it with her up the stairs and out her cottage door. Pumpkin vines roped the entire yard, their yellow flowers filling the air with sincerity.

Nobody takes Sally’s Sweet Baboo.

It’s not much, but it’s fiction, and it’s storytelling, and with all the staying at home and teaching 7 to 57-year-olds, it’s nice to create a little mayhem. 🙂

~STAY TUNED!~

More homeschooling tips, writing, and music are on the way!

Read on, share on, and write on, my friends!

34 thoughts on “#StayHome and Escape #SelfQuarantine with #FREE #YA, #Scifi, and #Fantasy #Fiction from @AioniosBooks…and a quick #BetaRead of my #microfiction would be awesome!”

  5. That was cool, the story was sucking me in. I’m another vote for mayhem and laughter. It can’t do any harm – maybe not if you work in a nuclear reactor though. I love the photo – so calm and organised. Interested to see what your trying out over the next couple of days. Take care. xxx

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    • Thank you! Yes, probably a good thing I’m not working any reactors 🙂 I’m trying a half-day structure so I can actually work. I’m finally making progress in grading today! Hope you’re doing well, too 🙂 xxxxxxxxxxx

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    • It really is. They get something’s wrong, but they don’t see it in their immediate environment so they don’t understand why it’s limiting them so much. And the fact we can’t even go to the playground across the street is beyond them. It’s hard. Stay healthy and safe!

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  9. Fun story! Your online University–I teach grad school online. We do have a virtual platform with our LMS–Canvas and Big Blue Button. The virtual meetings make a big difference in the class. But good luck with it–lots of students find it quite difficult!

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    • Thanks! I do love finding the occasional evil little twist in sweet characters like this one 🙂 I like how our online school does more asynchronous interaction via discussion boards and tasks than the weekly class. The classes get a little nutty, but the discussion boards allow for stronger interaction. 🙂

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  10. Pingback: #Lifeathome with #children during #SelfQuarantine: #revising #homeschool expectations so a #parent can #workathome and #write | Jean Lee's World

  11. I love the story, Jean:). And the pic is adorable… They look so sparky and on it – and it must be so hard for them to understand, without getting terrified… Stay safe, my friend – you’re doing a grand job:)x

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    • Thank you! I think I finally came up with a title: “Love with Sincerity” Whatcha think?

      Well, right now they’re not terrified so much as bummed with how much things are limited right now. We’re in a small, small town, so they don’t really “see” the effects of what’s happening right now in their world. Hopefully we won’t ever, as the news shows plenty…

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