#teagan-riordain-geneviene — Public Fediverse posts

Olga #Reviews: A Peril in Unseen Frequencies

Tuesday, October 27, 2026

Welcome, all.  Some things are such a delight that they simply must be shared.  Today Olga Núñez Miret posted an extraordinarily mindful review of “A Peril in Unseen Frequencies.” How could I not crow about it?

Olga is a genuinely amazing person.  She is also an accomplished author herself (among many other inspiring things).  Here’s a screenshot of Olga’s Amazon author page.  She has 34 titles there, in multiple genres and different languages too.

Please meet me over at Olga’s blog.  Just click that big blue link below.  I’m closing comments here, but I hope to see you at Olga’s.

Click Here to Visit Olga’s Post

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Here’s the obligatory shameless self-promotion

Although it’s a twisty mystery, it’s also a quick read.  As I usually do, I included a section about technology and cultural items that are mentioned in the story. 

A Peril in Unseen Frequencies

Universal Purchase Links

Kindle:  relinks.me/B0HKPZ7TH4

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0HKTFCD8Z

Virtual Voice Audiobook:  relinks.me/B0HKNDVYDM

A Medium’s Peril full series link: relinks.me/B0CG2SXX24

♣ ♣ ♣

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Guest at No Facilities (Companion Post)

Sunday, October 18, 2026

Hello, all.  If you remember my little pirate-themed party, you probably remember that I borrowed Curley, the bartender from Dan Antion‘s No Facilities virtual bar.  On Saturday, Curley took it upon himself to return the favor and invite me to the bar.  Dan got into the spirit of things.  He’s a great host.  His buddy, David dressed up for the party too, but he wouldn’t let me take a picture.

Click here for Dan’s fun post!

 Clover Flanagan, one of the central characters from my 1920s paranormal series, and the narrator of A Peril in Unseen Frequencies, accompanied me.  We brought refreshments that were popular in the Roaring Twenties — a classic Shrimp Remoulade appetizer, and a bubbly French 75 champagne cocktail.  Today I’m posting recipes for those delectible delights.

French 75

Let’s start with the cocktail because that recipe is shorter. A classic French 75 is a bright, bubbly, and citrusy cocktail made with gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and Champagne. 

Ingredients (1 Serving)

• 1 ounce gin (such as London dry gin)
• ½ ounce fresh lemon juice
• ½ ounce simple syrup
• 3 ounces chilled Champagne (or brut sparkling wine)
• Lemon twist, for garnish

Instructions

1. Shake: Add the gin, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for about 10 to 15 seconds until well-chilled.
2. Strain: Strain the mixture into a chilled Champagne flute.
3. Top: Slowly top with the chilled Champagne.
4. Garnish: Add a lemon twist to the rim or drop it into the glass. Serve right away.

Shrimp Remoulade

Classic Shrimp Remoulade is a traditional New Orleans Creole cold appetizer featuring poached, seasoned shrimp tossed or smothered in a zesty, spicy, mayonnaise- and mustard-based sauce, typically served over crisp butter lettuce. The following recipe yields about 4 to 6 appetizer servings.

Rémoulade Sauce Ingredients

• 1 egg yolk
• ¼ cup Creole mustard (preferably Zatarain’s) or spicy whole-grain mustard
• 2 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (plus ¼ teaspoon extra)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced and mashed into a paste
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ cup finely minced celery
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons minced green onions (white and green parts)
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Shrimp Ingredients

• 1 large onion, peeled and halved
• ¼ cup kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 ½ teaspoons liquid crab boil (preferably Zatarain’s)
• 1 ½ pounds large Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Finely sliced fresh chives (for garnish, optional)

Instructions

1. Make the Rémoulade:

• In a nonreactive mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, Creole mustard, red wine vinegar, horseradish, 3/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt, paprika, cayenne, and black pepper.
• Add the minced garlic paste to the bowl and whisk well.
• Combine the vegetable oil and olive oil in a measuring cup with a pour spout. While whisking vigorously, slowly drizzle the oil blend into the mustard mixture until a thick, smooth emulsion forms.
• Stir in the minced celery, green onions, mayonnaise, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce.
• Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (up to 2 days in advance).

1. Boil and Shock the Shrimp:

• Fill a large saucepan two-thirds full with water, add the onion halves, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
• In a separate large bowl, combine 1 quart of cool water, 1/4 cup kosher salt, lemon juice, liquid crab boil, and 2 quarts of ice to make a seasoned ice bath.
• Drop the shrimp into the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Remove immediately from the heat and let sit in the hot water for 1 more minute.
• Drain the shrimp promptly and plunge them into the ice bath until completely cool.
• Drain well in a colander, pat dry, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

1. Assemble:

• Toss the chilled shrimp with a generous amount of the rémoulade sauce until well coated.
• Serve in chilled bowls or over a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce, garnished with fresh chives.

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Comments are closed here.  I hope you’ll join us at Dan’s fun post.  Next week I’m back to my normal blogging schedule. Thanks for hanging out with me.  Hugs!

Click here!

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Of course, I can’t leave out the obligatory shameless self-promotion.  My new novelette is on sale at a minimal price through October.

A Peril in Unseen Frequencies

Universal Purchase Links

Kindle:  relinks.me/B0HKPZ7TH4

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0HKTFCD8Z

Virtual Voice Audiobook:  relinks.me/B0HKNDVYDM

A Medium’s Peril full series link: relinks.me/B0CG2SXX24

♣ ♣ ♣

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Bad Moon Rising, Featuring D.L. Finn (reblog)

Saturday, October 17, 2026

Sadly, I must have misunderstood the schedule again, thinking Denise would not be at Bad Moon Rising until Monday.  So this post is late and I have a different reblog already promised for Sunday… 

Fellow author Teri Polen features other indie authors each day of October with her horror and suspense festival, Bad Moon Rising.  A different author (along with their book) is featured each day.  This weekend she hosted another friend of this blog, D.L. (Denise) Finn.  Though the post was a couple of days ago, it is not too late to click over and join the party.  You don’t want to miss Denise’s wonderful answers to Teri’s fun questions.

Above are only a few of the wonderful titles from DL Finn available at Amazon.  Comments are closed here, because all of the fun is at Teri’s blog.  Click the big blue link below.

Click Here

Denise is featuring her latest. I’m calling it a Christmoween story — there’s new Teaganese for you.  Suitably she has a black cat on the cover, and who could resist that?

  I was at Teri Polen‘s Bad Moon Rising to talk about my new paranormal-mystery novelette on October 8th.

Here’s the obligatory shameless self-promotion

Although it’s a twisty mystery, it’s also a quick read.  As I usually do, I included a section about technology and cultural items that are mentioned in the story. Thanks for visiting.   Friendly comments are welcome.  You’re the cat’s pajamas! Hugs!

♣ ♣ ♣

A Peril in Unseen Frequencies

Universal Purchase Links

Kindle:  relinks.me/B0HKPZ7TH4

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0HKTFCD8Z

Virtual Voice Audiobook:  relinks.me/B0HKNDVYDM

A Medium’s Peril full series link: relinks.me/B0CG2SXX24

♣ ♣ ♣

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Rising. And… Announcing, A Peril in Unseen Frequencies

Saturday, October 3, 2026

“We rise by lifting others.” Robert Ingersoll

Welcome, October!  And welcome to all of you. I realize many of you know about my new novelette from my cover reveal post this Wednesday.  But now it’s October, and the book has its official liftoff.

Indeed, “We rise by lifting others.” That quote from Robert Ingersoll has been my favorite quote for many years, and I’ve done my best to follow it — and in the spirit in which the words were intended. Fellow author Teri Polen lifts other indie authors every October with her horror and suspense festival, Bad Moon Rising.  A different author (along with their book) is featured each day.

Anyway, today I’m putting a different spin on Ingersoll’s quote.  We’ll rise up, but at the same time we’ll go back — to the 1920s.  I’ve written a lot of stories set in the Roaring Twenties.  It was such an exciting time for cultural change, fashions, and technological advancements in so many different fields.  This post will use photos and videos to look at a particular thing that lifts us up — elevators or perhaps more suitably named for this post, lifts.

This is the weekend, so I’m not going to educate you. Fascinating technical and historic information is readily available online if I’ve whetted your appetite for the subject.  I’m just going to take a fun, superficial look at the subject. They were invented before the 1920s, but they really zoomed up during that decade. Electric elevators (and manual ones too), traction freight elevators, breaks… Yes, they were pretty quick to realize that the things need breaks, but all the associated safety features were improved.

Otis was and is a very important manufacturer, in fact, they’re the largest in the world.  Here’s (below) a quick video ride in a manual traction elevator in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Awesome 1920s Manual Otis Traction Elevator – Greensboro, NC – YouTube

Many of the interior and/or public elevators were quite beautiful. A moment ago, I used the word superficial, so let’s focus on the pretty ones.

Here’s one in Chicago with original details.

HISTORIC 1920s OTIS Traction Elevators in Chicago, IL

These elevators changed the face of real estate.  Previously, a ground floor apartment was the desirable one, definitely not the “penthouse.” Applesauce! Did that change or what? 

Among the wealthy, “birdcage” elevators could be installed in private homes.  The main character of A Peril in Unseen Frequencies is a wealthy older woman with a heart condition.  Her doctor recommends that she have an elevator installed in her house, even though she distrusts all of those dangerous newfangled electric thingamajigs whether elevators or radios. 

A Peril in Unseen Frequencies is the new novelette for my series, A Medium’s Peril. Each story is a “different kind of paranormal” with a different look and a different cover style. 

When a wealthy, widow with a heart condition is given a new radio by her conniving nephew, it soon broadcasts the voice of her late husband — prompting her to rewrite her will with fatal and unexpected consequences.  There’s more than one twist.  This 1920s paranormal story is filled with mystery, history, and fun slang.

  I’ll be at Teri Polen‘s Bad Moon Rising to talk about the new novelette on October 8th.

Although it’s a twisty mystery, it’s also a quick read.  As I usually do, I included a section about technology and cultural items that are mentioned in the story. Thanks for visiting.   Friendly comments are welcome.  You’re the cat’s pajamas! Hugs!

♣ ♣ ♣

A Peril in Unseen Frequencies

Universal Purchase Links

Kindle:  relinks.me/B0HKPZ7TH4

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0HKTFCD8Z

Virtual Voice Audiobook:  relinks.me/B0HKNDVYDM

A Medium’s Peril full series link: relinks.me/B0CG2SXX24

♣ ♣ ♣

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Whatnot Wednesday: The Scoobies, #CFFC Where/What/When-We-Work, Writing, & Cover Reveal

Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Welcome, all. This is a writing post, but it’s also part of Dan Antion “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC).  The topic this week is “where, what, when we work.”  That’s the image I’m offering for the challenge above.  The Where I work is basically in my head, so is the What.  The When, is 24/7. I don’t have ideas in the middle of the night very often, but it happens.  Revision-editing ideas often come up when I’m doing something that doesn’t require thought — like scooping the cat litter box.

Velma:   Yummy Human, what in Bastet’s name are you doing.  That thing isn’t a cat picture, and it’s got nothing to do with cats… or with treats.  What the f— um feline?

Daphne:   Velma, if you had been sitting beside her desk and helping, you would know that she was making a writing game… but then she saw a way to show how it was part of the photo challenge.

Velma:  Think you’re smart, don’t you, Daphne…   

Daphne:  Yes.

Scoobies, play nice! 

Yes, I have sort of a writing game.   Now, let me explain.  I’m bringing you into my thought process for writing new stories.  I’m a multi-genre author, but one thing my stories have in common is that their “worlds” aren’t exactly normal.  There are paths I take to creating those places.

A day in the Life of the Protagonist

I have to consider, imagine, and research the things, places, objects and people my main character encounters, in general, in their day.  This is apart from the plot or character development.  It’s just the basic things around them.  That’s what we’re going to do today, as an exercise.  Here are some of the topics I flesh-out. Sometimes these things might not even come into the narrative, but if the author knows them it creates a richer story.  Follow my instructions and when we’re finished, look at the cool world you’re on your way to building.

Ready?  Let’s go.

Home is where the heart character is

I like to give my protagonist an abode that is at least a little out of the ordinary. 

Pick one and save a second one to belong to another important character:

Remodeled church or chapel

Apartment above a library (which they also run)

Old adobe house with a casita in back

Partially remodeled school building

Body of an old airliner (left behind when a vehicle storage area was disbanded)

The basement of an abandoned magic shop (they are also revamping the shop)

Apartment above a pub (which they do NOT own)

Remodeled water tower

First thing they notice when they leave home

Pick one:

The kind of street traffic

A view of the sea, lake, river

Unkempt lawn

Something the neighbors are doing (they’re always doing something odd)

Various people waiting for the elevator

Someone exercising or walking their dog

A tilting/leaning mailbox

A note on their car’s windshield

Friends

Secondary characters come to life when there’s something intriguing about them. Whether it’s a new friend or an established relationship, one way of making them fascinating is to give them an interesting or unusual occupation. Also, knowing what they do can make it easier to develop that character’s personality and how they enteract with the protagonist.  Pick one to three, depending on how many friends your main character has.

Mysterious neighbor

Shop owner

Secretly filthy rich

Professor (retired)

UFO tracker

Palm reader

Baker of unique-shaped cakes

Ice sculptor 

Auto mechanic

Advice columnist

Customer service agent for a dating service (900-number phone operator if you’d rather)

Organic gardener

Weather researcher

Product tester (deals with assortment of products)

Bicycle messenger

Ice cream taster (laboratory type)

Write down all the options you chose.  Look at them and imagine these places and people that your protagonist sees regularly.  If you want, tell me your choices in a comment.  

Cover Reveal
A Peril in Unseen Frequencies

There’s a new novelettefor the A Medium’s Peril series. Each story is a “different kind of paranormal” with a different look and a different cover style.  This time I made a collage/composite using public domain art from several 1920s ghost story magazines.  I’ll be at Teri Polen‘s Bad Moon Rising to talk about the new novelette on October 8th.

Thanks for visiting.   Friendly comments are welcome.  Hugs and purrs from the Scoobies and me.

♣ ♣ ♣

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

Universal Purchase Link

A Medium’s Peril full series link: relinks.me/B0CG2SXX24

♣ ♣ ♣

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Whatnot Wednesday: Where, What, When We LISTEN #CFFC

Wednesday, August 9, 2026

Welcome, all.  September is finally here, but it still feels like August… and July… and June… and half of May.  Here, that’s how long it’s been since we had a break from the ultra-hot days.

Daphne:  Yummy Human, are you complaining about the hot weather again?  Cut it out.  I’m not going to listen to it.  You’re interrupting my bath.

Ahem…  As I was about to say, the Scoobies are helping with another installment of Dan Antion‘s “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC).   Dan asked the multi-part question, Where, What, and When do you LISTEN?  For our response, the Scoobies and I are going to limit this listening to audiobooks. 

Where?

Daphne:  Yummy Human listens to audiobooks at the kitchen table when takes her lunch break.  She likes to listen while she eats.  With audiobooks, she doesn’t have to juggle food and turn pages like with a regular book.

Velma:  I like to have a bite while Yummy’s listening too. CHOMP! 

But she re-listens to books at night when she’s trying to go to sleep, or back to sleep, or back-back-back to sleep.  I know she’s almost finished with book-5 “Gator Bait.”  But sometimes during the night she plays book-1, “Louisiana Longshot.”

Ouch, Velma!  But you’re right, Scoobies.  My C-PTSD makes it difficult for me to watch, read, or listen to new stories, because I have so many triggers. I get a lot of anxiety just trying to start a new story.  So I re-enjoy things that are the watching/listening equivalent of comfort food.  A couple of my go-to listens during the night are Nathan Lowell’s “The Wizard’s Butler,” and “Stop Panic Attacks” (sleep hypnosis) by Joel Thielke.

What

Daphne:  Yummy Human says she likes “cozy” books, but I think some cozies are fantasy and other kinds, not just mysteries.  I wish she’d re-listen to book-2 of Nathan Lowell’s fantasy series.  I really liked “The Wizard’s Cat.”  Or any of “The Cat Who” series by Lilian Jackson Braun.

All of those are worth a re-listen, Scoobies.  A lot of experts are saying that having stories read to you builds a stronger vocabulary, improves listening comprehension, and reduces stress.  It also helps develop empathy and emotional intelligence. 

Mental and Cognitive Growth

• Boosts active listening skills and focus.
• Expands word knowledge beyond everyday speech.
• Strengthens brain areas linked to visual imagery and memory.
• Makes complex plots and ideas easier to understand.

Emotional and Social Well-Being

• Lowers stress and promotes relaxation.
• Builds empathy by showing how characters feel and react.
• Creates a safe space to explore difficult feelings.
• Deepens personal connections and trust between the listener and the reader.

Velma:  Okay, Yummy.  I’m snuggled down and ready to listen to a story.  But you’d better hurry up and start playing it, because I have a yen to chomp your toe.

Thanks for visiting.   Friendly comments are welcome.  Hugs.

♣ ♣ ♣

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.

Universal Purchase Links

Kindle:  relinks.me/B07V25SXFR

Paperback:  relinks.me/107952309X

♣ ♣ ♣

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Whatnot Wednesday: Where, What, When We Read #CFFC

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Welcome, all.  The Scoobies are lazy on this hot August day, but I told them there was a nap-time story in it for them if they helped with this installment of Dan Antion‘s “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC).   Dan asked the multi-part question, Where, What, and When do you read?

Where?

Velma:  I know the answer to that one.  Yummy Human reads in bed or sitting at her desk.  But she reads at her Kindle too.  I’m calling that a WHERE.   

Hey, Yummy… don’t you think it’s time you got a new Kindle cover?  That one’s looking a little… well-loved.  Why do you keep it?  Is it like a favorite mouse toy that smells just right from having a couple of years’ worth of slobbers on it?  Anyway, I sure do like to scrub my cheek on it when you’re reading.  I’m trying to add to the aroma.

I don’t know, Velma.  I just never think about it.  I haven’t had to use any duct tape to hold it together.  So, it must not be too bad then.  You two go ahead with this challenge.  I’m not any good at this one.  Besides, I need to try and fix the air purifier.  The wires came loose on the ionization frame…

Daphne:  Okay Yummy.  We got this!  Leme see…  Yummy listens to audiobooks at the kitchen table, when she— Oh, I can’t say that because that’s jumping ahead to the post for “Where, What, When do you LISTEN.”   

Velma:  Yummy said something about Memory Lane and Dan Antion’s first book, Knuckleheads.  (Buy it here, it’s a purr-fectly great book.)  I guess Memory Lane is another place where she reads.  But that also brings us to…

What?

From Kunckleheads:

“Can you visit the computer center at Pitt for me?”

A small chill went up my spine, and I was sure my expression told Billy I was worried about that. I didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize my scholarship. He explained it was a simple thing. “They have a Star Trek program. If I knew the name of the program, I could play it from the terminal at school. I could even assemble a fleet and have you join my fleet from your school.”

Velma:  I’m not sure I understand where Memory Lane is either.  You know… Knuckleheads won’t help us go back to sleep though.  It’s exciting.  Where would you go if you could travel just by using your dreams, Daphne? 

Anyhow, Yummy will have to pick a different story for nap-time.  But that Miss Fortune Mystery cozy series she’s been into won’t do either — it’s too funny.  She finished the fourth book, Swamp Team 3 this week.  Tiny the Rottweiler cracked me up.

Daphne:  Yeah, she’s already reading the next book in that series — Gator Bait.  They’re by Jana DeLeon.  Can’t decide which characters are funnier, the little old ladies who used to be spies, or the CIA assassin who’s so out of her element pretending to be a girly-girl.

When?

Daphne:  Yummy Human, did you fix the air purifier thingie?  Oh, you’re not sure the wire thing you fixed is going to work good enough?  I see that you ordered a part for it…  What do you mean no new toys for a while?  That part cost HOW MUCH?  Well, okay.  We’ll make that sacrifice.  Besides, we’d rather play with paper balls and plastic rings anyway.  Hey, don’t forget to give us that ring from the Gatorade bottle — those roll the best. 

So, anyway, I’ve noticed that sometimes, after you come and tell us goodnight, you’re awake for a really long time with a book.  How am I supposed have a good nocturnal prowl if you’re awake?

Daphne:  I think she should count her desk and computer as a WHERE too, because she reads so much when I help her do research for stories.  I’m just not sure of the names of all the books she uses.   She’s been working on a ghost story set in the 1920s.

Velma:  That seems a lot like WHERE and WHAT to me… so does that other picture.  I’m getting confused.  Maybe I need some ‘nip.  Okay… so, the WHEN is when she’s at the computer and mostly not paying attention to us.  Oh well, we’re sleeping then anyway.  And the WHAT is at the computer or the table or in bed…  And the WHERE is the computer and the table and the bed… 

Oh, thank Bastet! I found the ‘nip, and not a minute too soon.

You know, Daphne…  Maybe it’s all the same, WHERE and WHAT and WHEN… all looped together in the same quantum physics plane… Where Time Becomes a Loop.

Daphne:  Velma, I take it that you found the ‘nip.  Sounds like it’s a good batch too.  Yummy, I don’t think we need a nap-time story quite yet…

Velma:  Woo-whoo!  Wahaha hahaha!

Thanks for visiting, what, where, or whenever we are.   Friendly comments are welcome.  Hugs.

♣ ♣ ♣

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.

Universal Purchase Links

Kindle:  relinks.me/B07V25SXFR

Paperback:  relinks.me/107952309X

Audiobook:  Click here for a four-minute sample.

♣ ♣ ♣

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Whatnot Wednesday for #ThursdayDoors on a Hot August Night

Wednesday, August 13, 2026

Hello, everyone.  Right off the bat, I apologize for getting ahead of Thursday Doors.  It helps me on a few different levels if I stick to my Wednesday/Weekend posting schedule.  Last week, I mentioned that throughout August I’ll be sharing about book Brother Love: A Crossroad.  (Click here for that post because it will tell you more.) I also said that Dan Antion made a lot of great photos to illustrate the blog version of this story.  Those photographs included some doors.  So today I’m taking you on a tour of my fictional 1950s town, Parlement, Mississippi via Dan’s photos.

Here’s a bit about that house in the words of Birdie Devovo, the heroine:

My house sat in a triangle between ways at a crossroads.  There was a street in front and another road in back.  There were also any number of old trails that intersected there.  Old superstitions about the crossroads abounded.  My mother had been able to get the house because no one else would have it.  I kept it because I had nowhere else would have it.

Oh, that screen door is part of a suspenseful scene…

Doug Armstrong’s voice sounded as spooked as I felt.  The big man’s voice had the slightest quiver.  His fist banged on the screen doorframe again. I extricated myself from my hiding spot under the kitchen table before Armstrong broke the poor excuse for door.

Like most small southern towns, there were churches.  They’re mentioned in the story, but the one that comes into the plot is the traveling tent revival:

Earlier that day, sitting in my little house at the crossroads, I listened to the sharp crack of a bat hitting a baseball from the ballgame that had started up in the field next to the African Methodist Episcopal Church.  People cheered their teams and made happy sounds. From the other side of the tracks, I heard the bell of the First Methodist Church up in the town.  When the breeze was right, I could hear the Wurlitzer organ as the choir practiced. Folks were excited about that organ.  I preferred the sound of their old piano.

The two churches were on either side of the town.  The crossroads lay between the two.  Nobody from either of them ever came to the house at the crossroads.  Neither group wanted anything to do with Birdie Devovo.

This abandoned diner didn’t make it into the story, but there would have been a diner somewhere in Parlement.  Anyway, it’s a cool photo, so it gets a moment of fame today.

Women in big cities might have started wearing slim cigarette or capri pants out in public, but that hadn’t become acceptable in Parliament, Mississippi.  I already attracted enough frowns and gossip, just from my mother’s reputation, so I didn’t wear those out in public.  I tried to banish the thoughts as I put on a yellow gingham, shirt-dress.  It had a little bow at the neck from the same check fabric.  Then I tied on my blue denim Keds.  New white laces kept the wear and tear from being as noticeable.  Nobody would know the soles were worn slick.  When I drove my old Nash Rambler wagon into Parliament, I turned onto Fourth Street where the Post Office was.

In rural towns of that era, the local Post Office could be a hub of information.  Birdie came across something quite puzzling there. 

Birdie is a nickname for the heroine, but there actually is a bird, and he’s one of the most important characters.  His name is Jinx.  He’s a talking magpie.  Some parts of the story are told from his point of view.

Jinx sat on the perch in his birdcage.  The cage door was open as always.  He shifted foot-to-foot as Birdie came into the kitchen carrying a laundry basket and a small container of blueberries.

“How-deee!” Jinx chirped his Minnie Pearl impression.

There’s a door on that birdcage somewhere… Birdie Devovo usually leaves it open — Jinx comes and goes as he pleases.  That’s how he finds so much trouble in a sleepy little town like Parlement.

♣ ♣ ♣

Hello, Jinx, but this post is finished now.  That’s it for this tour of Birdie Devovo’s world in fictional town of Parlement.  Thanks for coming along.  Friendly comments are welcome.  However, a note to newcomers — just remember that this is a sanctuary, so we don’t discuss religion, politics, or things that are polarizing.  Everyone needs to feel welcome.  Hugs on the wing!

♣ ♣ ♣

Naturally, the obligatory shameless self-promotion must be included.  Brother Love: A Crossroad continues to be at a special sale price throughout the month of August.  

Brother Love – a Crossroad

Strange things abound in 1950s Parliament, Mississippi.  Jinx the magpie can fill you in on the details.

Universal Purchase Links

E-Book:  relinks.me/B07V25SXFR

Paperback:  relinks.me/107952309X

Audiobook:  Click here.

♣ ♣ ♣

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Blue and White #CFFC, & The Story of the Story-1: A Hot August Night

Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Welcome, all. The Scoobies (Daphne and Velma) are on hand again to help with Dan Antion‘s color challenge.  This week, Dan said any of the Box of 8 colors with white for “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC).  The Scoobies picked blue as the color to go with white.  So, we’re on a quest for blue and white things.  This time we aren’t only looking around the house for the color. 

First, I have my own response to the challenge.  I’ve re-released my book, Brother Love: A Crossroad, so we’re looking for blue and white there too.  That’s why you see Dan’s photo of a vintage radio at the top of the screen.  The first version of Brother Love appeared several years ago as one of my Three Things style serials.  Dan Antion took the role of photographer extraordinaire to illustrate the blog version.  I really appreciated Dan’s enthusiasm in looking for subjects and photographing them. A couple of times he even brought his brother into the adventure.  Ah… fun memories!  So, I’m including some of those pictures.

I think of it as my August book, because it opens on a hot august night.  Does that remind you of a song?  There are old songs throughout that story, but a somewhat later song from Neil Diamond was the springboard for my imagination in writing it — Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show.  Although it combined with a second source of inspiration…

That was the legend of the people making a deal with the devil at the crossroads. That’s what a lot of people said about Robert Johnson, an extraordinary musician from the early days of blues.  In my weirdly wired mind, that legend combined with Neil Diamond’s song, resulting in a mystical character of undefined nature and origin.  We find him at a traveling tent revival.  He is called Brother Love.

 So, my response to this challenge includes a page in the book that mentions blue and white.

Brother Love has an ensemble of quirky, outsider-type characters.   It’s set in a tiny 1950s southern town.  The narrator is Birdie (Albertina) Devovo.  She also lives in a house at a crossroads — something about which the locals are superstitious.  In the scene in the photo above, she is about to put on her blue and white polkadot dress.

Birdie is on her way to show support for her friend, another outsider and a disgraced preacher, Doug Armstrong.  He’s been given a second chance through being asked to preach one of the sermons at a tent revival. It takes courage for Birdie to go, because the townspeople are unfriendly to her, and the churchgoers are particularly bad about their “whispers.”  But don’t misunderstand the story. 

Despite those Christianity connections, Brother Love is not a religious story.  That’s only the setting.  Kind of like Neil Diamond’s song is not a religious hymn.   The book is a genre mashup.  It’s more like magic realism, but there’s also a mystery surrounding a little girl in a white dress named Tammy.

Below, in 1971 Neil Diamond describes his inspiration for writing that song.

There’s more info and purchase links about Brother Love: A Crossroad at the end of this post, along with the updated book cover.

I also have a “story of the story” about the characters Doug Armstrong and Tammy, but this is getting long, so I’ll save that for next week.

Now the Scoobies are ready to take charge of this post with their blue and white finds.

Daphne:   Hey, Velma.  Whatcha watching on television?  Wait a minute… that’s not our TV.  The magic of computers must have sent it here.  Anyhow, did you just turn your back on Yummy Human?  I see that she’s sock-patting you to get your attention.

Velma:  Yes she is, Daphne.  And I’m not going to give her the satisfaction of turning to look at that camera.  Hey, Yummy — don’t you know that “You’re nobody until a cat has turned its back on you”?  Oh, and by the way, this time I found the first thing in our color quest — Yummy’s blue and white socks.

Daphne:   No, you didn’t.  I found that blue and white TV screen.

Daphne:   Hmmm… What else is blue and white…  Oh, I know.  Yummy Human has been working on that dragon post for this weekend.  Two of those oracle cards are blue and white.

Velma:  So those are dragons?  Cool.  I was afraid they were chupacabras. 

Daphne:  Are chupacabras blue and white?  No idea, but two of our fish toys are blue and white. Oh, and we have blue rings and white rings.  Okay. My work is done.  What’s the nap that comes after the after breakfast nap?

Velma:  That would be the pre-lunch nap.  It’s followed by the after-lunch nap, and then the pre-dinner nap and…  I’m sleepy just thinking about it.   Yummy Human, we give the post back to you.

Nice work, Scoobies.  Everyone, thanks for visiting.   Friendly comments are welcome.  Hugs.

♣ ♣ ♣

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

Brother Love – a Crossroad

Strange things abound in 1950s Parliament, Mississippi.  Jinx the magpie can fill you in on the details.

Universal Purchase Links

E-book:  relinks.me/B07V25SXFR

Note:  If you buy (or even if you have previously bought) the e-book the audio-book is only $1.99.

Audio book:  Click here

Paperback:  relinks.me/107952309X

♣ ♣ ♣

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Whatnot Wednesday: The Scoobies and Color Pairs #CFFC

Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Welcome, all. The Scoobies are here again, bringing their particular brand of fun to help you over the midweek hump.  Dan Antion gave us a challenge to use pairs from the old “Crayola Crayons Box of 8,” for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge (CFFC).  Always a mystery-solving duo, the Scoobies and spent the day looking around the house for clues to find things that paired hues from those eight colors.

Now, I have to hand this post over to the Scoobies.

Daphne:  Look!  I found yellow and blue together in our old rug.

Velma:   Yeah, but there’s also magenta, and chartreuse, and every other color.  It has more than a pair.  Does that matter?  Besides… How did you get that rug out, Daphne?  I thought Yummy Human took it away.   

Daphne:  Ahh, Grasshopper.  Have faith in your sensi.  It’s the magic of the computer, Velma.  And I’m calling this part of the rug “yellow and blue.”  I found the first pair of colors.  So there.

Velma:   (SNORTS)  You aren’t my sensi and you dog-on sure aren’t the boss of me.  I always get the upper paw with you.  But that said, okay… I’ll give it to you.      Hang on.  Where are you going now?  The kitchen?  You haven’t already found another color pair have you?  That’s not fair!

Daphne:  I found red and yellow.  Oh, I love this rug…

Velma:  Once again, there are other colors besides yellow mixed with the red…

Velma:  Alright then… If you’re going to play it fast and loose, I just found black and blue in the bench cover.  And going for doubles, I found pink and yellow in it too.

Daphne:  Pink isn’t one of the eight colors.  Follow instructions, and listen to your sensi.   Oh-oh… I think I might have made her mad… 

Daphne:  Whaaah!  I give you my cat-fu kick. 

Velma:  Oh phleeeze Daphne.  You know you’re no match for me.  Hai-yah!

What’s going on in there, Scoobies?

Daphne:   Uh…  nothing, Yummy!  Hey, I just found blue and orange.

Velma:  There’s only one color there, Daphne.  There’s no orange, just a blue cloth. You’re really bending rules.  

Daphne:  We’re orange, silly.   Hey, where’re you going?  To the ceiling?  Are you still hissed-off?

Velma:  Bettcha can’t get up here!  I found light green and light brown.

Daphne:  I found red and green, and it’s delicious.  Ummm… basil.

Velma:  That’s a matter of taste.  Wait, we haven’t found anything paired with purple yet.  If we want to get bonus points from Uncle Dan for finding all the pairs, then our quest isn’t finished yet.   Yummy Human?  Have you got a purple and yellow scarf?  A purple and blue dish? Green and purple socks, maybe?  We need something with purple.

No, Velma… give me a second to do some Night Cafe magic…   … Here ya go.  A purr-fect purple and green.

Velma:  Excellent, Yummy.  Yes, we’re the queens of the castle!  I love the green gown you gave me.

Daphne:  Oooh that’s a purr-fect shade of purple.  … but I think I should wear the green.  It goes better with my eyes.

Velma:  We both have exactly the same color of eyes, Daphne.  Hey, Yummy Human — did we find enough color pairs to get the bonus points?

Scoobies, I honestly don’t know.  I’ve completely lost track.  I’m not even certain that we got the pairs concept right.  Now, don’t look sad.  The bonus points are just fun, you can’t do anything with them.  Tell you what — I’ll give you bonus treats.  Yes, I thought you’d like that.  Scoobies, you did great work. 

Thanks for visiting, everyone.   Friendly comments are welcome.  Hugs.

♦ ♣ ♥ ♦ ♣ ♥ ♦

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

Brother Love – a Crossroad

Strange things abound in 1950s Parliament, Mississippi.  Jinx the magpie can fill you in on the details.

Universal Purchase Links

Kindle:  relinks.me/B07V25SXFR

Paperback:  relinks.me/107952309X

♦ ♣ ♥ ♦ ♣ ♥ ♦

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Whatnot Wednesday: the Scoobies & the Color Purple #CFFC

Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Hello, all. The Scoobies are ready to ponder and play and generally help you over the midweek hump.  Dan Antion gave us the Crayola Crayons color purple for “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC).  The Scoobies and I have been looking around the house for “purples” in all their lovely shades and tints.

Books provide an escape to faraway places.  Although I was surprised that I found hardly any purple book covers.

Velma:  Didn’t Copper Hixon go with Cornelis Drebbel to a purple world?  I like that little human.  Her hair is the color of my fur.

Daphne:  Yes, but the book cover is brown.  Yummy, doesn’t Miss Darlene have a reddish-purple book cover.

Yes, Daphne.  One of Darlene Foster‘s “Amanda” books has a cute purple cover, and it’s a delightful story too — “Amanda in Arabia.”  People can click here to buy it.

Daphne:   Hey, there’s the purple boa toy.  Why don’t you bring it out more often, Yummy?  What? I do not eat the ribbons on it.  Well… only a little.  But look, I think the boa found your purple book.  A Ghost in the Kitchen!

Velma:  Maybe the feather boa found it because the story is in the 1920s, when women liked to wear feather boas.

Daphne:  I found more purple — purple oracle cards.

Velma:  The Magic of Flowers oracle cards.  Hey, that reminds me… Yummy, you haven’t done a Flower of the Month post for July.  If you don’t watch it, August will be here.

Daphne:  Yummy Human, it’s monsoon season. I keep looking out the window, but the rain hasn’t been purple yet.  Where’s the purple rain that man sings about?  It’s just a song, huh?  (SINGS) Purple rain, purple rain

Velma:  (SINGS HARMONY) Purple rain, purple rain…  Hey, I just found other purples — about three different kinds of purple in one place.  Gimme that!

Velma:  Purple rain, purple rain.  I never meant to cause you any sorrow.  I never meant to cause you any pain… CHOMP!  We don’t call her Yummy Human for nothin’.

Ouch!  Velma, don’t bite my toe.  Let go.

Velma:  But Yummy Human, you’re yummy.  If I can’t have your toe, then can I chew on your hand?  Yeesh… you’re no fun. 

Hang on — look outside.  I see a purple weed.  Oh no, don’t cry Yummy Human! I’m sorry.  I forgot how sad it makes you that the landscapers totally ripped you off and did crappy work, used sub-standard materials, and skipped out on a bunch of other stuff.  I forgot that the pretty weed popped right through the shoddy plastic, along with eleventy-million others.  Come on, don’t be so sad…  Gurrr! If I ever get my claws on those guys…

Daphne:  Velma… those tears might actually be from you biting Yummy’s toe too hard…  

Velma:  I don’t bite as hard as you do, Daphne.  Hey, there’s the boa again.  It magically added purple to the picture. Now it’s purrfect.

Daphne:   Oh, but it’s not as purrfect as my Furminator brush.  I loooove to be brushed.

Velma:   Yeah… I think I see some evidence that you actually do eat the ribbons on the boa toy too.

Nice work on finding purples, Scoobies — even the weeds.   

Everyone, thanks for visiting.   Friendly comments are welcome.  Hugs.

♣ ♣ ♣

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

A Ghost in the Kitchen

Reading the other adventures in Pip’s series is not required for enjoying this whimsical Roaring Twenties novel.  Granny Phanny continues Pip’s cooking lessons… with unwanted help from a precocious poltergeist who often gets stuck on the letter P. 

Universal Purchase Links

Kindle:  relinks.me/B07Y2KN1NM

Paperback:  relinks.me/107952309X

♣ ♣ ♣

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Whatnot Wednesday: The Scoobies & the Color Orange #CFFC

Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Hello, everyone. The Scoobies are on hand, bringing cheer to help you over the midweek hump.  Dan Antion gave us the Crayola Crayons color orange for “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC).  The Scoobies and I spent the day looking around the house for our favorite “oranges,” but we had to use our imaginations. I really thought there was more orange in this house.

Now, I have to hand this post over to the Scoobies.

Velma:   So that’s what a Crayola Crayon is… they smell interesting. They’re orange, but not oranges. They smell better than oranges. I don’t like citrus.

Daphne:   I don’t like citrus either, but I smell something else, and it isn’t crayons or oranges.  Although… I see that it’s orange.  Yummy Human, what the dog hill are you doing?   I guess those crazy socks are your contribution to this color quest for orange.

Velma:   Hey, Yummy Human — what else ya got there.  We haven’t seen that.  What?  You’ve had it in the closet all these years?  Ah… You don’t need scarves here the way you did when you were in DC.   Daphne!  What are you doing?  I didn’t get a chance at it.

Daphne:  Ooooooo this is so nice, Yummy….  Ooo, purr, I have to stick out my claws and make kitten-biscuits in it.  Oooooo, purr...  Can I keep it?  What do you mean “No.”  How could you refuse me anything?   

Woah! Did you just get the “root” out?  It has an orange label.  Yes, it says Valerian Root.   Woot, woot! Root!

Velma:   Yeah, but Yummy’s not going to show that picture.  She’s afraid some human will do something stupid.  Sigh… I like root almost as much as you do.  Oh, but she just turned on our favorite YouTube channel — Squirrels at the Window. 

Daphne:  We both like to watch that.  We turn around whenever that opening screen comes on.  We know what it means.  Look, it has orange framing it.

Velma:  Is that all the orange we’ve got? I have a funny feeling…  (WHISPERS) Pssst…! Daphne, I get the feeling that we’re missing something obvious.

Daphne:  (WHISPERS)  What do you mean by obvious, Velma?  You mean… us?  Some people call us “orange tabbies” instead of ginger?

Yes, Scoobies.  A lot of people say “orange tabby” but I always thought “ginger” was a better description of your beautiful fur.  And you both are definitely my favorite “Orange.”

There’s a stunning orange book cover I want to share.  Robbie Cheadle‘s “Neema the Misfit Giraffe.” It’s a South African Safari Adventure for children.  You can pick up a copy here.

Nice work, Scoobies.   I didn’t have a truly orange book cover of my own, but the first of Pip’s 1920s adventures is a peachy color.  There’s more about it below in the usual self-promotion spot.

Thanks for visiting.   Friendly comments are welcome.  Hugs.

♣ ♣ ♣

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

The Three Things Serial Story

This novella is the first of all the stories that I wrote spontaneously with using the method on which I began this blog in 2012.  I would take sets of three random things from readers of this blog, and let those things drive every aspect of a story.  I’ve published several, that were “pantsered” in that unique way… It’s kind of like pantsering on steroids.  In addition to the books about Pip, those stories include “The Alchemist and the Woman in Trousers,” “Thistledown: Midsummer Bedlam,” “Brother Love: A Crossroad,” “The Armadillo Files,” and more, all available for purchase at my Amazon Author Page.

  Join Paisley Idelle Peabody, nicknamed Pip, and her friends on a wild but wholesome adventure across 1920s Florida, from their ragtag apartment building to the gilded mansion of a Roaring Twenties celebrity.

Universal Purchase Links for the Three Things Serial Story

Kindle:  relinks.me/B01MRRC0B2

Paperback:  relinks.me/1540698645

♣ ♣ ♣

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Whatnot Wednesday: The Scoobies & the Color Black #CFFC

Wednesday, July 8, 2026

Welcome, all. The Scoobies have another color quest from Dan Antion.  This time he gave everyone the Crayola Crayons color black for “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC).  When I lived in Washington, DC, everywhere I looked it seemed that I saw nothing but people dressed in black.  Seriously, tan was a “pop of color.” I became so starved for colors that even years after leaving, I just don’t want black.  So, the Scoobies and I had to put some extra thought into this quest for our favorite blacks.

Now, here are the Scoobies to get this color quest going.

Velma:   Good job, Daphne. That old piano has to be Yummy Human’s favorite black.  She said she bought it used when she lived in Nashville, took it with her to Albuquerque, then to DC, and then back to southern New Mexico.  That thing’s really been around.  No wonder it’s so out of tune.

Daphne:   Huh?  Oh, I see, I’m sitting on the first thing in our color quest.  The piano is a pretty good high-perch… but  I don’t like when Yummy Human plays it.   Anyway, yes, Velma, I agree — it’s a good memory because it was the first high-up thing we found when we were kittens and we adopted Yummy.  It’s funny how you and I used to be the same size.  Didn’t you grow at all?   

Velma:   I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that snarky remark, Daphne.  That black onyx ring is another thing Yummy got way back in her Nashville days.  Black onyx gemstones promote emotional stability, resilience, and inner strength.  Hmmm… maybe Yummy needs more black onyx… the way she was hollering at that auto menu on the phone…

Daphne:   Hey, Yummy, what’s that you’re reading on the laptop?  You found the word “black” in that book — and the book cover is mostly black too!  Good job, Yummy…      What?  It’s one of Uncle Dan’s books that you’re reading?

Velma:  What did you say, Yummy?  When did Dan Antion become Uncle Dan?  Pshaw… I won’t dignify that with an answer.

Daphne:  Hey, I found another black — her typing gloves.  Yummy, why did you take them off?  Oh, you don’t need them for reading.  Yeah… but you must need something, because you’re squinting at the computer.  Got any black eyeglasses?

Velma:  Shhh — Daphne, don’t tell Yummy!  I found some of her hair stuff that’s black.  If I can just jiggle this drawer open a little further…

Daphne:  Oh, you’d better not, Velma.  Yummy Human doesn’t let us play with that stuff… but just the same… move over and let me inspect everything.

Hey, what are ya’ll doing in there, Scoobies?  Did I hear a drawer open? 

Velma:  It was Daphne!

Daphne:  No way!  Velma did it.  Besides, I’m in here asleep with my bat toy.  Can’t you tell?  Got my eyes shut and everything.

Velma:  She’s faking!  Oh, but look, the bat is black.

Nice work, Scoobies.  I guess my book cover can be my black find — Speak Flowers and Fans.

Thanks everyone, for joining us on this quest for the color black.   Friendly comments are welcome.  Hugs.

♣ ♣ ♣

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

Speak Flowers and Fans: a Dictionary of Floriography and Fanology

Universal Purchase Links

E-book:  relinks.me/B0FK3ZGNQT

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0FK3RH7LY

♣ ♣ ♣

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Whatnot Wednesday: The Scoobies & the Color Brown #CFFC

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Welcome, all. Despite the WP jackassery, I managed to get a version of the draft I was writing of this post last week. It’s wonky looking, and they added a bunch of blank “boxes,” and the text looks scrunched-up… But the Scoobies didn’t want their photo session to be wasted. That said, the Scoobies are on hand, bringing cheer to help you over the midweek hump.  Dan Antion gave us the Crayola Crayons color Brown for the “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC).  The two cats and I spent the day looking around the house for our favorite “browns.”

 Now, I have to hand this post over to the Scoobies.

Velma:   What’s your favorite brown, Daphne?

Daphne:   I don’t know, Velma.  Are you sure that brown is really a color.  You shrugged.  I guess that would be my answer too.

Velma:   When Yummy Human redid our living room this spring, she gave us this new table — to make a window seat big enough for both of us to lounge in the window.  Our mat on it is sort of brown too.

Daphne:  True.  I guess that’s my favorite brown.  She moved the drum-coffee-table, and now it’s an end-table instead.  I know you liked playing around it better where it used to be.  Although… it’s convenient to jump from our window table to it and then to the sofa.  Anyhow, that’s another shade of brown, isn’t it?

Velma:  Yes.  And yes, I’d still call the drum’s wood brown even though it’s sort of golden too.

Daphne:  Hey, I know.   Let’s look out the side window in our back room.  Okay, there’s a strip of brown gravel next door.

Velma:  Oh, and our scratching perch is beige with brown sitting-places.

Daphne:  I know!  Boxes!  Boxes are brown.  We love boxes. Funny… the boxes keep disappearing.

Velma:  You’re right!  I busted out that box, and Yummy Human taped it back together — twice.  I wonder whatever happened to it…

Daphne:  Yeah, me too. Yummy Human, I’m sure you have a brown book cover or two. We’re handing this post back to you now. Zzzzzzzzzz

Nice work, Scoobies.  I guess my favorite brown is the mostly brown book cover of my Cornelis Drebbel steampunk novel, “The Alchemist and the Woman in Trousers.”  There’s a little more about it below.

Thanks for visiting, everyone.   Friendly comments are welcome.  Hugs.

♣ ♣ ♣

Naturally, the obligatory shameless self-promotion must be included.  The video trailer below will tell more about the story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY5lvU-AsyE

How can I get this whimsical fun?  Purchase information is below.

The Alchemist and the Woman in Trousers: a Cornelis Drebbel Adventure

Universal Purchase Links

E-book:  relinks.me/B0F1KWXJ5P

 Paperback:  relinks.me/B0F1KVQGFR

♣ ♣ ♣

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Whatnot Wednesday: #CFFC Color Blue

Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Hello, everyone.  I expect that I’m not the only one having trouble getting over this midweek hump.  Dan Antion gave us the Crayola Crayons color blue for “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC).   I could also do the “One-line Wednesday” thing and use the titular question of the song below, “Am I Blue?”  Because I’m still blue about the personal disaster from last week.  I could also let that one-liner be “BEWARE ONEDRIVE”.  Enough said. I’m trying hard to put it all behind me.

Video below from The Cher Show 1975, she sings “Am I Blue”

The Scoobies are snoozing during this 105°F day, so they aren’t taking us on a color quest for blue things around the house… besides me that is.   I’ve been very surprised by how little true blue there is in this house. There’s lots of aqua, teal, and turquoise, but I don’t call those blue.  One of my book covers came to mind though — Murder at the Bijou.

A very young Lucille Ball was the spitting image of how I imagined Paisley Idelle Peabody — aka Pip, the heroine of this little 1920s series.  It’s cozy.  It’s a culinary mystery.  It’s almost obscenely wholesome (yeah, that’s a weird choice of words, but I like it). It’s lighthearted fun during these heavy days.

Here’s a little bit from the beginning of the book.  This is the setup:  There’s a big movie premier in Savannah, Georgia.  Pip is helping a friend who owns the local Chinese restaurant cater the event.  And then…

Posters of a swooning woman in the embrace of a shocked but dashing man decorated the Bijou’s entrance.  A little girl looked quietly at a poster of the monster clam.  Then she suddenly shrieked, pulled away from the woman who held her hand, and ran.  “Flannery!  Come back!  Wait,” the woman called and ran after the child.

The music began inside the theatre and everyone cheered.  I heard muffled dialogue, but I couldn’t make out the words.  I started helping Mrs. Wong and her son cleanup from the shindig that was before the film, and gathered Granny’s empty cookie containers.  Then I jumped when I heard loud screaming emanate from the Bijou.

“Wow!  That must be some scary movie!” Alastair Wong commented.  Then a woman and a man ran from the theatre.  The Wongs and I looked at one another, puzzled.   Something was clearly wrong.  As I walked toward the entrance, I saw the door to the ticket booth was open.  I noticed a flashlight and picked it up, as I hurried toward the commotion.  Inside the theatre the screen showed what appeared to be a fifty feet tall clam, with a hundred feet long…  Applesauce, I didn’t know what to call it!  Something like an elephant’s trunk was slowly attacking a building.

I switched on the flashlight.  A small group of people were clustered below the stage.  When I drew near I noticed a trail of green bits on the floor.  Between the people, I saw a pair of wingtips with the soles facing me.  The green bits were all over the bottoms of those shoes — and the feet that wore them weren’t moving. 

I pushed my way into the circle.  The man stretched out on the floor didn’t seem to be breathing.  I took a mirror from my purse and held it under his nose.  There was no fog from his breath.  One of the people started calling for a doctor, but I was sure the man was already dead.

Soon a man with a medical bag, along with the theatre owner — Byron Binghamton, and a policeman pushed me out of the way.  I stooped down and touched my fingers to the little green bits the dead man had tracked on his shoes.  I shone the light on it and sniffed.  Cilantro…

End Excerpt

♣ ♣ ♣

Thanks for visiting.   I haven’t gotten over my personal tech/computer disaster.  I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m grieving over it.  So comments are closed.  However, I’ll be back, with comments open, next week.  Hugs.

♣ ♣ ♣

But wait — here’s the obligatory shameless self-promotion.

Purchase Link:    Murder at the Bijou — Three Ingredients I

♣ ♣ ♣

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Whatnot Wednesday: The Scoobies & Favorite Greens #CFFC

Wednesday, June 17, 2026

Velma (L):  Hey Daphne… where’d that green paneling come from?  There’s nothing like that in this house.  It’s like it appeared by magic.

Daphne (R):  Wow… Velma, that can mean only one thing — there’s another color quest!

Welcome, all. The Scoobies are on hand, bringing cheer to help you over the midweek hump.  Dan Antion gave us the Crayola Crayons color green for “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC).  The Scoobies and I spent the day looking around the house for our favorite “greens.”

That’s right, Scoobies!  You both did so well with our favorite “Yellows” — are you ready to find the color green?  

Daphne:   I don’t know, Yummy Human… the weather’s so hot… I really just want to nap.

Velma:  (Yawns)  Yeah, me too, Yummy.   Ugh… Daphne, we might as well do it.  Yummy’s not going to let go of this color quest.

Come on, Scoobies.  What if I start the color quest.  Here’s a print of mostly green artwork created by our friend Kerfe, up in New York. 

Velma:   That’s your malachite jewelry with it too, Yummy.  You said malachite broadcasts emotions.  I’m waiting to receive the enthusiasm… 

Daphne:  Hey — I smell something.  Do colors have a smell?  I’ll investigate.

Daphne:  It’s green boxes of tea.  Yummy do you have any root tea?  No?  No valerian root tea? What do you mean, “it doesn’t taste good for tea”? Why, it’s the best thing in the world — even better than catnip!  Sigh… humans…  This cup smells interesting though.  Are you sure there isn’t any root?

Velma:  I still say you’ve got a root problem, Daphne…

Daphne:  Now those are some good “Greens.”  Don’t tease us, Yummy Human.  Open up those treats!  (Both chomp treats)  Thank you.  Hang on! Where’re you going? Nobody said that was enough.

Velma:  What Daphne said!  If that’s all the treats we’re going to get, then we’ll go back to the hammocks.  They’re green.  It’s not cheating.

Fair enough, Scoobies.  Those hammocks are definitely your favorite “Greens.”  Thanks for another color quest.  Well done. 

I have some images too.  Resa liked the Victorian raccoon from my June floriography post so much that I was inspired to make more raccoons in gowns.  I imagined three raccoons at a tea party on the patio of an old mansion, and I wrote my detailed description of it at Night Cafe.  Of course, the racoons are wearing green gowns.

I did another “utopia city” but this time the abundant plants are green, instead of the buildings

My favorite “Green” is one of my fantasy fiction characters — Boabhan from Dead of Winter Omnibus, also called the Woman in Green.  There’s more about that “big book” at this post.

Thanks for joining the Scoobies and me in our quest for green.   Friendly comments are welcome.  Hugs on the wing!

♣ ♣ ♣

Speaking of Dead of Winter, it’s also the obligatory shameless self-promotion for today.

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

Audiobook:  relinks.me/B0FPB2L9WV

♣ ♣ ♣

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

June Flower of the Month: Rose

Saturday, June 13, 2026

A YouTube short video of pastel orange roses and a black butterfly

Hello, all.  I hope you’re enjoying a relaxing weekend.   Yesterday we had a much needed, lengthy rain.  I don’t see many butterflies here, other than small delicate white ones.  Although, there are a lot of roses.  I’m sure they all enjoyed the rain.  Unfortunately, the temperatures are already flirting with 100 degrees F again, and even higher forecasted for the coming week.  It was a nice reprieve though, if only for a few hours. Now, it’s time for a little floriography trivia.  Let’s head down a rabbit hole for things about the month of June.

Flowers of the Month: Roses & Honeysuckle

For June, the traditional birth-month flower is the rose.  The modern-day alternate is honeysuckle.  Other symbology includes the colors light-orange and white.  The birthstone, in old classic tradition is the pearl.  Modern tradition adds the moonstone, and color-changing Alexandrite to the birthstones for June.

June’s Animals

The butterfly — but there’s a rabbit hole to get to why.  June is associated with transformation and the soul.  That symbolism was derived from the Roman goddess Juno.  Because of her, the month represents a bridge between earthly life and the divine.  Celtic tradition similarly associates the butterfly with the soul, transition, and transformation. So, June’s primary animal is the butterfly.

However, in Native American tradition the woodpecker represents communication and finding your rhythm.  It’s the totem animal for the second half of June.  Additionally, the raccoon is tied to June in certain Native American folklore.

Heart had a brilliant song called “Dog and Butterfly.”  However, it always made me sad. So, I’m using this retro performance of Dolly Parton singing her whimsical “Love is Like a Butterfly.” The lyrics are charming.  The video above was from the 1975 Country Music Awards.

I appreciate you following me down this June-flower trivia rabbit hole.  Thanks to my fabulous animal models that I created with Night Cafe.  Friendly comments are welcome.   Hugs!

♠  ♣  ♠

Here’s the obligatory shameless self-promotion.

Speak Flowers and Fans: a Dictionary of Floriography and Fanology

Universal Purchase Links

E-book:  relinks.me/B0FK3ZGNQT

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0FK3RH7LY

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Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved. 

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author or provided by free sources, unless stated otherwise.

Whatnot Wednesday: The Scoobies & Favorite Yellows #CFFC

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

Welcome, all. The Scoobies are on hand, bringing cheer to help you over the midweek hump.  Dan Antion posted so many beautiful examples of yellow for his “Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge” (CFFC) that, with some encouragement from Daphne and Velma, I decided to participate.  The Scoobies and I spent the day looking around the house for our favorite “yellows.”  That’s my favorite yellow above.  That yellow barrel cactus has grown a lot in the past few years.  It was smaller than a soccer ball for years, and then suddenly started growing. Now I guess it’s about 15 inches across.

Now, I have to hand this post over to the Scoobies.

Daphne:   My yellow cactus is better.  It doesn’t have needles — it feels good to scrub on it.  That’s my favorite yellow.

Velma:   That scrubber is old news, Daphne.  We’re supposed to be finding “Yellows” around the house.  What else is there?  Oh wait, remember those tassel earrings that Yummy Human wouldn’t let us play with?  That’s a fun yellow.

Velma:  What about the new slipcovers Yummy put out this spring?  They’re part yellow.  You know the yellow print on them.  See? Right here on the one on the bench.

Daphne:  Good eye, Velma.  The same print’s on a white background on the sofas.  See, I’m pointing at it with my tail.  But I know that is not your favorite yellow.  You should be ashamed… you’re absolutely cray-cray for that fake egg stuff Yummy Human has for breakfast sometimes.  Honestly… what kind of cat would eat “plant based” pretend eggs?

Velma:  But Daphne… they’re sooo good…  I can’t help myself.  Yep, that’s my favorite yellow alright.

Daphne:  Hey, Yummy.  Please tell me you have a favorite yellow besides that cactus.  What? You used to have yellow high-top tennis shoes.  You’ve got to be kidding me.  You’re as nuts as Velma.

Nice work, Scoobies.  I have one more image.  I imagined a yellow utopia city, and wrote my description of it at Night Cafe.  I made several versions.  Here’s one below.

Thanks for visiting.   Friendly comments are welcome.  Hugs.

♣ ♣ ♣

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

Brother Love – a Crossroad

Strange things abound in 1950s Parliament, Mississippi.  Jinx the magpie can fill you in on the details.

Universal Purchase Links

Kindle:  relinks.me/B07V25SXFR

Paperback:  relinks.me/107952309X

♣ ♣ ♣

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Help Me Decide-2: #BookCover Finalist

Wednesday, June 6, 2026

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who visited my midweek post to help me choose a book cover for my upcoming nonfiction book.  It’s a resource book for authors, but it has loads of 1920s details for trivia lovers, and anyone who simply thinks the Roaring Twenties are the cat’s pajamas!

Previously I showed four cover concepts.  Click here for that post.  The fourth option was the most popular.  It was also my pick (probably…) because it used the same flapper silhouette as another book in the “Author Tool Chest” series, Speak Flapper. 

Still feeling the pull to explore ideas, I’ve made one more concept — this one based on that most popular concept.  So today, I’m showing those two.  For your reference, I’ve showed all of the other related books at the top of this post. 

The Previous Idea

Gold flapper dancing

One More Idea

Because everyone “got” my idea with the typewriter, I made it more prominent.  The book covers a wide range of 1920s details for any character in a Roaring Twenties setting.  So, to show that the book is about more than “flapper girls” I used a man and a woman.

Which of these two do you think works best for the book?  Your constructive feedback is welcome.  I hope your weekend is the bee’s knees!  Hugs.

♥ ♠ ♦ ♣

I mustn’t leave out the obligatory shameless self-promotion…

Speak Flapper: Slang of the 1920s

Universal Purchase Links

Speak Flapper

Kindle:  relinks.me/B083HNK3BB

Paperback:  relinks.me/1656168553

♥ ♠ ♦ ♣

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  This is a work of fiction.  Characters, names, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved. 

No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author or provided by free sources, unless stated otherwise.

Scoobies: Velma Different Drums

Oof!  Careful where you jump, Velma.

Velma:  I’m tired now.  Drumming is hard work.

And now, for your listening pleasure, Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Ponies:

♦ ♠ ♥ ♣

Of course, here’s the obligatory shameless self-promotion.

The Alchemist and the Woman in Trousers: a Cornelis Drebbel Adventure

Universal Purchase Links

♦

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.   No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Whatnot Wednesday & #TDWC

Wednesday, May 20, 2026

Welcome, all.  Dan Antion‘s Thursday Doors Writing Challenge.   To join the fun, pick one of the doors that were submitted as inspiration for the challenge and write.  It doesn’t have to be a story — write anything that door image inspires in you.

The inspiration door I chose for today was submitted by, poet and collage artist, Kerfe.   Today, my story is true.  Kerfe’s collage is a brilliant use off lights and shadows, of bits of doors and windows through which one might — or might not find answers.  It’s also a perfect illustration of the strange way I felt when the following happened.  (Cue the Twilight Zone theme music.)

The Reminder

It entertains me to use my Amazon Echo device to set reminders for myself for all sorts of timing things, like laundry, birthdays, or “to do” tasks that don’t need to be done on a regular basis.  Or even to “move around” since I sometimes spend hours and hours working at the computer.  Once in a while I set a reminder several weeks in advance.  It works out just fine.  Except that… Well, sometimes Echo and I have a language gap.  This morning (as I write this) Echo gave me a strange reminder.

Echo:  Aires kyon ro rahaa hoon.

Please repeat that, Echo…

Echo:  Aires kyon ro rahaa hoon.

Now, if any of my devices, or the television up and says “Klaatu barada nikto” — I’m going to hide under the bed.

♣ ♣ ♣

For more strange goings on, meet Birdie Devovo, Doug Armstron, and Jinx the magpie in Brother Love: a Crossroad.  Links to that book are below. 

Friendly comments are welcome.  Thanks for opening this door.  Hugs!

♣ ♣ ♣

Brother Love: a Crossroad

Strange things abound in 1950s Parliament, Mississippi.  Jinx the magpie can fill you in on the details.

Universal Purchase Links

Kindle:  relinks.me/B07V25SXFR

Paperback:  relinks.me/107952309X

Also available for $1.99 in virtual voice audiobook.

♣ ♣ ♣

This post is part of Dan Antion 6th Annual Thursday Doors Writing Challenge (TDWC). Click the blue link for more information about the challenge and how to showcase your stories.)  Fortunately for me, Dan’s rules for the writing challenge are wonderfully flexible and include any sort of creativity. 

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Serenity

Saturday, May 16, 2026

Hello, all.  I didn’t have any exercise or other post ready for this weekend, so I thought I’d just share something pretty, and… serene.  The day before, I had made the Night Cafe image above. ( I wrote the descriptive prompt “at twilight a harp stands beside a pond where two swans swim. The ruins of a monastery are in the background. Inspired by the style of Abraham Pether.”  Okay, my description was a lot more detailed than that, but you get the idea.)

When I decided to include harp music with the image, I realized that I didn’t recall seeing any videos of men playing the harp.  I went looking, and here are a few that I found.

Xavier de Maistre – Leyenda (Asturias) YouTube

The video below is Séamus Ó Flatharta at Ballintubber Abbey | Harp Day 2021

For fun (although it’s a pretty amazing rendition), let’s top things off with a Queen cover.  Here’s Alexander Boldachev performing Bohemian Rapsody.

Oh heck, go ahead and read a romance novel now.  I get it.  Or maybe makeup one of your own… maybe set in Scotland of the 1800s where two people are reunited at sunrise, with an ancient abbey on the other side of a stream…

Thanks to my Night Cafe models.  I hope your weekend is going well.  Friendly comments are welcome.  Hugs!

♠  ♥  ♣  ♦

Of course, here’s the obligatory shameless self-promotion.

Real Steampunkery Tech:
True Contraptions of the Steam & Diesel Eras

Universal Purchase Links

This is a link to everything in my Author Tool Chest series.

E-book:  relinks.me/B0DHC6JFVT

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0DHD9BSJB

♠  ♥  ♣  ♦

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.   No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Whatnot Wednesday, #TDWC: Pumpkin Hat Girls-3

Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Hello, everyone.  This whatnot is for  Dan Antion‘s Thursday Doors Writing Challenge.  The Pumpkin Hat Girls are back with the conclusion to the “New Boyfriend” storyline.  To join the fun of this challenge, pick one of the doors that were submitted at Dan’s blog as inspiration for the challenge and write, or create whatever you please.

The inspiration door I chose for today’s story was submitted by Robbie Cheadle.   

The Pumpkin Hat Girls:
The New Boyfriend – 3

The Offer

In my heart I knew what I had to do — regardless of whatever explanations (or excuses) might be made.  So, later that day, I tried to call Simon to tell him plain and simple that I wasn’t interested.  Not just in a romantic long weekend, but that I wasn’t interested in having anything else to do with him at all.  I wanted to tell him that he couldn’t want in one hand and crap in the other and see which one gets full first.  However, when I couldn’t get an answer, I held back on the message I recorded.

Actually, I left two messages, one at each of the two phone numbers I had for him.  Both times I said that I needed to talk to him, and that it was important.  I checked to confirm my messages had gone out properly.  That was when I saw something I should have noticed from the day that I met him.  Neither number was for his home — both were business numbers.

That should have been a dead giveaway.  Why do I never learn these things?

I headed to a park that was in the middle of a campus of office buildings.  I was supposed to pick up Ursula after a medical checkup so her nurse, Kelly, could have the rest of the day off.  After all, he was only her parttime helper.

It turned out that I was extra early.  I took out my phone to open an audiobook… but then I felt a new wave of pissed-off-ness at Simon for being such a faithless user.  If he wouldn’t call me, so that I could break up like a decent person should, then I’d just text that snake in the grass.

And I did.

I was too busy stewing to open the audiobook.  About five minutes later there was a voice right behind my ear.

“Really, Pepper.  I thought you were a better person than to break up with me by text,” Simon told me in a hurt tone.  “You must have misunderstood something.  Just sit back down and let’s discuss this rationally.”

Startled, I jumped up from the bench so fast that it made me dizzy.

“Rationally?” I echoed, furious that he would say that.  “That dog won’t hunt, Simon.  As for what I ‘misunderstood’ there were five of us who saw you and your… your whatever.  Don’t interrupt me — yes, my friends all saw you too.  And how in heaven’s name did you know I’d be here?”

“Look, Pepper…” Simon began, but his words stalled when Kelly and Ursula walked up to stand beside me.

“How dare you!” Ursula growled and before I knew it, her walking stick was on its way up toward Simon’s face.

I grabbed the cane just in time.  Meanwhile Kelly put his arm around Ursula’s shoulders to make sure she wasn’t thrown off balance.

“Oh, Simon.  You have really bungled things, haven’t you,” a smooth, posh voice said disdainfully.

Turning, I saw a tall blonde woman.  She was expensively clothed and coiffed.  She could have walked out of a TV show about a boardroom full of executives or high-priced lawyers.

“Ms. Riley, I apologize for Simon.  If you’d be so kind as to come up to my office, I’ll be happy to explain,” she offered, with an upward wave at the tallest building.

“Pepper, I will not allow you to go anywhere alone with either of these people,” Ursula told me, moving to stand between me and the woman.

“That goes for me too,” Kelly asserted, but then slapped his hand to his forehead.  “I can’t.  I have Mr. Higgenbottom scheduled for… for five minutes ago… And he’s not in the great shape that Ursula’s in.  But I’m not leaving while this guy’s still standing here,” Kelly added with a glower at Simon.

“Simon.  Why are you still here?  You can report to Langley.  Now.  I don’t see you moving.  That’s more like it,” the woman told Simon in mysterious, but not uncertain terms.

After Simon drove away, Kelly looked at each of us, including the unidentified woman.  He muttered something like “I don’t like this.”

“Go help the Higgenbottom.  He needs you.  Besides, are you thinking that I cannot handle this podsobnik?” Ursula hissed at Simon, in a voice too low for the woman to hear.  “I am also more than capable of looking after Pepper.”

The woman smiled reassuringly and handed Simon her business card.  Based on his expression, the card had the dual effect of surprising and placating him.  After Ursula and I assured him that we would be fine, Kelly also left.

She also passed cards to Ursula and me.  I read the embossed text, Jayne Smithers, Operations Director.  I glanced at Ursula who lifted one eyebrow as she read.

In other words, Jane Smith, I thought and my distrust-o-meter did not go down even one notch.

“Your friends, Maudie Rocket and Penny Shotz are waiting inside.  It’s this largest building, just behind us,” Jayne Smithers informed us in a casual, but still cultured voice as she led into the largest building.

“As you can see, we believe in full transparency,” Ms. Smithers added with a smile that indicated the comment was meant to draw a chuckle.

“What are all of these squares all over all of the glass?” Ursula asked.

“That’s simply a safety feature,” the woman replied in a neutral tone.  “They’re meant to prevent people or birds, from accidentally colliding with the glass,” she explained.

Why did her explanation make me feel like there was more to the obviously special glass than that? I thought, but chided myself for being paranoid.  This Smithers woman just has an odd manner about her.  That’s all.

Ursula and I followed her to the end of the bank of elevators, which were also made of the same square-bedecked glass.  She touched a button.  Then she leaned forward for a retinal scan.  The unexpected security measure surprised me.  Taking a step backward, I was ready to make an excuse and leave.  However, Ursula had walked right into the elevator, bent on learning what was behind Simon’s behavior.  I’d have to make a scene and drag Ursula out… so I got on the elevator.

Ursula’s isn’t stupid or naïve.  She must be just plain fearless, I thought and tried to swallow my worry.

Sure enough, in a sleekly modern office, Penny and Maudie were waiting for us.  They were chatting comfortably, eating pastries, and drinking what smelled like very expensive coffee.

“What took you so long?  We wondered if you were ever gonna get here, so we started without ya,” Penny remarked, offering a plate of golden sourdough croissants.

“That treacherous Simon is what took us so long,” Ursula practically spat.  “Pepper did well.  She told him that dog does not hunt,” she added enunciating carefully.

“Attagirl,” Maudie murmured.

After a few preliminary words, Jayne Smithers apologized for Simon’s “behavior.”  She said that he worked for her, but did not proceed as she had instructed.

Penny’s eyes flashed angrily.  Clearly my friend detected subterfuge.  Maudie’s brow crinkled in concerned thought.

Maudie was trying to do something to her phone.  I noticed its screen was black.  I looked at the little frosted glass squares which were also on the broad window of the office.  Sure as shootin’ those “security measures” also prevented unsecure phone calls and texts.  I knew Kelly could ping Ursula’s phone as a means of checking on her.  He had been worried about leaving her.  That would explain why Ursula’s phone was silent.

Ms. Smithers was able to “read a room” and she got to the point.

“You see, ladies… Simon was meant to recruit you,” the woman stated.  “And to do so in a direct manner, not by any subterfuge and certainly not by any seduction,” she gave me an apologetic nod.

“Recruit us for what?” Penny blurted out distrustfully which made me expect she had also noticed a retinal scan when she and Maudie were brought to the elevator.

“Certainly not for anything dangerous or devious,” Ms. Smithers replied, and I immediately detected deviousness.

“Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit!” Maudie declared.  “You’re some kind of CIA, aren’t you?”

“Look lady,” Penny stood as she spoke, her Milwaukee accent heavier in her anger.  “Whatever you’re sellin’ we ain’t buyin.’  Right girls?”

Maudie sucked her teeth, making a tsk sound.  She stood to follow Penny.  Ursula gave the woman such a glower that I think she actually sank a couple of inches into the floor.  My three friends walked calmly to the door.  Jayne Smithers stared at us in shocked disbelief.

“Ms. Smithers,” I began archly and held eye contact to make sure my subtle point would be understood.  “My friends and I appreciate your interest and your point of view.  Thank you for the pastries and coffee — which is all any of us recall about this friendly visit.  That is, as long as you keep Simon away from me.  Maybe his ‘report to Langly’ can be a permanent transfer.”

Wanting to be sure that I came across as cold and unexpectedly dangerous as I meant to sound, I gave her a second that a second to sink in.  She nodded and looked suitably impressed.

“Are you certain, Ms. Riley?  I’m sure all of you would find the um… arrangement interesting,” she entreated, but I gave my head one firm shake.

“No.  It’s a shame that our interest and social circles don’t overlap,” I went on pointedly.  “So, I don’t expect to be seeing you — or any of your… colleagues again.  At all,” I added and turned on my heel to follow the rest of the Pumpkin Hat Girls.

We got as far as the parking lot before all of us burst out in amazed giggles.

“Can you imagine?” Maudie choked out between laughs.  “Us?  Spies?”

“Hey, what’s so funny about that?” Penny cried, but she was laughing too.

“It is not so ludicrous,” Ursula’s eyebrow went up again as she spoke in a manner that was so serious that everyone stopped and looked at her.  “You think I do not know about these things?  I could tell you children tales that would make your hair curl.  Our group and our daytrips would make an excellent cover for a group of covert operatives.”

We all exchanged looks.  We gulped, looked from Ursula and back at each other again.  About that time, all four of our phones made noises.  Kelly, having been unable to reach Ursula, was trying all of us.  He was probably beside himself.

“Wait ‘til we tell Kelly,” Maudie said with a grin.

Then the giggles resumed.

***

The End.

Although…

***

♣ ♣ ♣

This Pumpkin Hat Girls story was the conclusion of a three-part short story so here are links to the other two parts:

The Pumpkin Hat Girls and the New Boyfriend

The New Boyfriend-2: Secret Handshake

 Thanks for opening this door.  Visit Dan Antion‘s blog for more stories and poems written in response to the TDWC.  Hugs!

♣ ♣ ♣

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

The Armadillo Files

Universal Purchase Links:

Kindle:  relinks.me/B0B8XX4ZSL

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0B8XDF1GF

♣ ♣ ♣

This post is part of Dan Antion 6th Annual Thursday Doors Writing Challenge (TDWC). Click the blue link for more information about the challenge and how to showcase your stories.)  Fortunately for me, Dan’s rules for the writing challenge are wonderfully flexible and include any sort of creativity. 

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Whatnot Wednesday and Inspiration for #TDWC

Wednesday, April 29, 2026

Hi, everyone.  May just might be my favorite month, and that’s because of Dan Antion‘s 2026 Thursday Doors Writing Challenge (TDWC).  This morning Dan posted all the “doors” images that people submitted for storytellers to use as inspiration prompts for the challenge, throughout the month of May.  I say storytellers because it’s open to whatever kind of creative work the images inspire in you.  There’s more information at Dan’s blog.

A Peril in the Vines.  For Thursday Doors purposes, gates are acceptable as doors.

Admittedly the paths inside my mind are awfully twisty.  A video mentioned “Jonah in the belly of the whale” and him being there for 3 days.  Participants could submit 3 images.  The next thing I knew, I was imagining a real house constructed to look like a whale.  It would need a huge pool around it, and a boat to ferry the occupants across the water.  Maybe it should be up high somewhere, for a nice view of the city.  Oh, and the door… that should look like one from Captain Nemo’s submarine…  Hence my composite image above.

Most of you will recognize the vintage Ford and Tiamat the cat from my current writing exercises, The Dragons of Cronesboro.  I was so infatuated with the wonderful car John W. Howell suggested to kickoff those stories, and the Siamese cat too… that I had to share one of the many car images I made for Dan’s challenge, hoping others would be as inspired by the splendid vehicle as I was. 

I hope to do at least a few story-posts for the challenge during May.  I’m bringing back the Pumpkin Hat Girls for my first offering.  That story is inspired by one of the images from DennyHo at Thoughts of an E’ville Woman.  I’m polishing up that short story now.  The Pumpkin Hat Girls and I will see you on May 1st.

Friendly comments are welcome.  Thanks for opening this door.  Hugs!

♣ ♣ ♣

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

A Peril in the Vines

Universal Purchase Links

A Peril in the Vines

e-book:  relinks.me/B0DS4G7RSD

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0DS69GJDV

A Medium’s Peril full series link: relinks.me/B0CG2SXX24

♣ ♣ ♣

This post is part of Dan Antion 6th Annual Thursday Doors Writing Challenge (TDWC). Click the blue link for more information about the challenge and how to showcase your stories.)  Fortunately for me, Dan’s rules for the writing challenge are wonderfully flexible and include any sort of creativity. 

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.  No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

Flower of the Month: April

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Hello, all.  I had over half of this post done when my computer crashed.  What I had saved of the post in WordPress… well, didn’t save.  I’m starting over, but with an abbreviated version.  

Flowers of the Month: Daisies and Sweet Peas

I expect that everyone is familiar with the charming daisy (as in my image at the top of the page).  So the photo here features the delicate looking sweet pea.

Symbolism

Daisies symbolize innocence, purity, and true love, while sweet peas represent bliss, gratitude, and good wishes.

April’s Animals

From various sources the primary animal associated with April is the duck.  That’s my lovely Night Cafe model above.  The duck symbolizes cheer, and endurance — as in “like water off a duck’s back.”  Other April animals include the falcon and the ram.

Oracle Card

The Magic of Flowers oracle cards by Tess Whitehurst has a card for the daisy.  I love the joy and whimsy of the artwork on this card.  In the context of the oracle cards, the daisy can remind us to be mindful of simplicity, health, purification, and wealth. 

“Rather than adding or doing something in order to experience the most positive resolution or outcome in this situation, it appears that it’s time to let something go or to simply let it be.”

So, I’m going to follow that suggestion — since I lost so much work, I’m going to just let this post be, and let it be simple.  Friendly comments are appreciated.  Hugs!

♠  ♣  ♠

Here is the rest of the obligatory shameless self-promotion.

Speak Flowers and Fans: a Dictionary of Floriography and Fanology

Universal Purchase Links

E-book:  relinks.me/B0FK3ZGNQT

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0FK3RH7LY

♠  ♣  ♠

Copyright © 2026 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved. 

This blog is entirely human-written.  Furthermore, the author expressly prohibits any entity from using this publication for purposes of training AI technologies to generate text.   No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.

All images are either the property of the author or provided by free sources, unless stated otherwise.

Speak Flowers and Fans by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Speak Flowers and Fans – a Dictionary of Floriography and Fanology by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Every once in a while, a book arrives that feels less like reading and more like being invited into a conversation with imagination itself. Teagan Riordain Geneviene’s Speak Flowers and Fans: A Dictionary of Floriography and Fanology is just that kind of book — one that enchants, teaches, and lingers.

Teagan has always had a gift for creating worlds where the whimsical and the profound walk hand in hand. In Speak Flowers and Fans, she takes us back to the lost languages of floriography and fanology, where a flower or a gesture with a fan could communicate what words dared not. It is both playful and deeply human — a reminder that creativity finds its way into the smallest details of our lives, even into the silent messages of petals and silk.

As I turned the pages, I felt as though I were gathering secret notes from another time, yet the messages still feel relevant today. Flowers, fans, and symbolism become bridges, connecting us to emotion, memory, and possibility. Teagan’s imagination makes these connections vivid and irresistible.

This is not just a book to read once and shelve. It is a book to return to, to dip into when you want to be inspired, or when you need to remember that creativity is not bound by words alone. It can be carried by colour, shape, gesture, or even silence.

For me, Speak Flowers and Fans was a reminder of why we read: not only to escape, but to rediscover how extraordinary the ordinary can be when we look closely.

My Takeaway:

Teagan’s work embodies the joy of creation — bold, imaginative, and life-affirming. This book is a celebration of how symbols carry meaning, and how creativity opens up new languages to us.

Thank you, Teagan, for sharing this imaginative treasury. I know I’ll return to it often.

Rebecca

#Communication #Fanology #Floriography #InTheCompanyOfBooks #OnTheRoadBookClub #SpeakFlowersAndFans #TeaganRíordáinGeneviene

The Rabbit Hole: A Unique Retelling of a Timeless Classic

by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene‘s “The Rabbit Hole – A Short Story” offers an exciting retelling of the timeless classic, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll. In this reimagining, readers are taken on a journey through a fantastical realm, guided by Teagan’s distinctive narrative style and imaginative storytelling.

“The Rabbit Hole” introduces a fresh perspective to the beloved tale, weaving together whimsical elements with the rich tapestry of Carroll’s original work. Through Teagan’s creative lens, the familiar characters and settings of Wonderland come alive in a way that both honours the essence of the original story and adds new layers of depth and intrigue.

With skillful prose and an evident reverence for the source material, Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene’s retelling invites readers to rediscover the wonder and magic of Wonderland while experiencing a unique and enchanting literary adventure.

I invite you to listen in to Teagan’s

“The Rabbit Hole – A Short Story!

.

https://anchor.fm/s/4e4af350/podcast/rss

The Rabbit Hole – A Short Story can be found on Amazon.

Meet up with Teagan on Teagan’s Books

https://rebeccasreadingroom.ca/2024/06/23/s4-e7the-rabbit-hole-a-short-story-by-teagan-riordain-geneviene/

#Episode7 #Season4 #ShortStory #TeaganRíordáinGeneviene #TheRabbitHoleAShortStory #WriterSSalon

It is said that sometimes the universe works in mysterious ways, guiding us towards the things we need, including books. Whether it’s a recommendation from a friend, a book that seems to jump off the shelf, or a topic that keeps coming up in conversation, these serendipitous moments can lead us to meaningful reads.

Dead of Winter by Teagan Riordain Geneviene was one of those serendipitous moments.

“Dead of Winter” offers an intriguing blend of fantasy and societal conflict, with a compelling protagonist facing challenges due to her unique abilities. Emlyn’s journey alongside the Deae Matres – a society of intelligent women – promised a storyline filled with discovery and resilience. This combination of fantastical elements and societal themes was truly magical.

I read “Dead of Winter” on a winter visit to Ottawa. The timing and location was atmospheric. A huge snowstorm covered the city, matching the deepening winter encountered as the adventure evolved, journey by journey.

Safely ensconced in our hotel room, I revelled in sound of howling wind and relentless snowfall . Without question, the time and location enhanced my reading experience. It’s amazing how the surroundings can intertwine with the narrative of a compelling book.

My Takeaways from “Dead of Winter”

The loyalty of friends shines through as a source of strength for the protagonist, serving as a reminder of the power of genuine connections. Dead of Winter is a testament to the notion that challenges, however formidable, are instrumental in fostering resilience and fortitude. Teagan imparted the valuable message of holding onto hope, steadfastly believing in the arrival of a brighter future, and facing it with unwavering courage. These timeless themes form the bedrock of Emlyn’s journeys, which resonated with my experience and left a lasting impression on my heart and mind.

Embrace the opportunity and see where this adventure takes you!

Dead of Winter Link

https://rebeccasreadingroom.ca/2024/05/24/reading-dead-of-winter-in-the-dead-of-winter/

#DeadOfWinter #RebeccaSReadingRoom #Spring #TeaganRiordainGeneviene #Winter