Jester Queen

Even the gulls

jesterqueen — Thu, 23 May 2013 00:01:47 +0000

Evelyn partitioned the tomato into round slices. “You know, they make a tool to cut it all at once these days.” Her granddaughter Joan shifted from foot to foot.

“It’s called a tomato slicer.” Evelyn thumped her knife down harder than she had intended. “They had them in my day. I never cared for them.” She set aside the cutting board and picked up tongs for the bacon. A grease bubble popped in the skillet. “Ouch!” She jerked her arm out of the way.

“You could cook it in the microwave.”

Evelyn eyed the girl. “You don’t say.” She got ice for her scalded hand.… Read the rest

I Saw Everything

jesterqueen — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:48:21 +0000

“Have fun!” I waved Scott out the back door, false smile plastered on my face. Dear God, I thought he’d never leave. And yet, he’s ten minutes early. “Kids, good news! You’re having a play date with Kristopher.”

“When?”

“Now.” Linda’s van honked from my driveway. I herded my children out front. “Hurry up.”

They couldn’t see my hands shaking as I shooed Sam to sit beside Kristopher. They couldn’t feel my heart racing as I kissed them goodbye. They had no idea what I was about to do. “Don’t forget Sam’s six o’clock meds.”

Linda held up the pill bottle.… Read the rest

Honoring Mikaela Lynch: Autism and Drowning

jesterqueen — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:34:22 +0000

For those visiting for the first time from the Honoring #MikaelaLynch link up, my kids are Caroline and Sam. Both have Asperger’s syndrome, and they attend a school for children with Asperger’s, HFA, ADHD, and similar diagnoses. The experience described below took place during their class’s field trip last Wednesday. The picture is not from the trip.

“Before we go on our sensory hike, pair up with a classmate. Buddies, now!” Half the children dashed to stand by a friend. The other half stood waiting for an instruction that made sense.

Sam later told me, “Ms. Pair was not on the field trip, Mom.… Read the rest

Loma’ai audiocast

jesterqueen — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:00:58 +0000

I’m flying really high right now. If you know me on Facebook or Twitter, you know why. But for those of you who have NOT been bombarded by my bragging yet, a short story of mine was published, not just published, but audiocast. When the amazing producers at Cast of Wonders accepted my piece, I had no idea how extraordinary they truly were. The reader, Tina Connolly, has brought Loma’ai to life in a way I never even dreamed possible. My GOD, Tina’s novel Ironskin … Read the resthas been nominated for a Nebula. A Nebula! And she’s reading my story for Cast of Wonders.

The Girl Who Hated (almost) Everything

jesterqueen — Thu, 09 May 2013 01:57:44 +0000

I raised my hand. “I hate writing.”

Mrs. McMullen came to my desk. “Do it anyway.”

“I’ve been to the zoo once. In Kindergarten.” I scowled at my worksheet.

“Write about that trip, then.”

“I got lost.”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something, Jessie.”

I wrote, “At the zoo, we saw the monkeys. They were very very very very very funny.” I made the ‘very’s’ huge so I wouldn’t have to cover the whole page.

Mrs. McMullen returned it. “Do over.” She kept me in from recess.

I wrote, “I hate the zoo. I got lost. It was NOT fun, and I missed lunch.… Read the rest

Of Fire and Wood

jesterqueen — Wed, 01 May 2013 17:06:31 +0000

I found a high school photo of my sister this morning. Five years dead, and I hadn’t seen her for a year before that. So I shouldn’t be shocked that I barely recognized her. Oh, I know the picture; it hung in my Lexington office. And truly, she looked exactly as I expected. Yet the curve of her jaw, the angle of her nose, the set of her eyes, all of those things were unfamiliar to me, like an artist’s renderings of shapes known only by touch.

I’m a firecracker. Short fuse; loud bang. I never cross a bridge but that I burn it.… Read the rest

Random

jesterqueen — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:29:22 +0000

Some random facts for a Monday.

1) Sandra Tyler from A Writer Weaves A Tale puts together an ezine called Woven Tale Press. She did me the honor of including my prose poem Hope Is in the second issue. I’m touched and honored by her recognition. The other pieces in the ‘zine are all excellent, and each one has a link back to the blogger’s homepage. This is not the same as reblogging , which I abhor. Sandra has edited these pieces (with the permission of and collaboration from their authors) and enhanced them with illustrations. She’s formatted pages and created an amazing publication.… Read the rest

Hellhound

jesterqueen — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 03:49:59 +0000

This week finds us back in the car with Kelly and her daughters Luna and Amber. (Amber doesn’t have a role tonight. But she’s still there.) Although this should stand alone, you can follow the previous link to get the first part oft the story. Right after the last part ended, they were attacked. We return to the vehicle in the aftermath to address this week’s word from Trifecta: ecstasy.

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HELLHOUND

Beast’s blood splattered Luna’s face. “Pegged him!” she cheered as Kelly braked the car.

“Good girl.” Kelly took a crystal ball from her daughter and smeared the dog’s blood on her own face and shirt, then sent her mind questing.… Read the rest

Charge

jesterqueen — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 04:09:58 +0000

And this, the lost century, we charge against our souls, holding aloft the future like some cosmic credit line. Reckless, we spend to abandon. We do not expect the bill to come due in our lifetimes.

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Those crazy cards over at Trifecta gave us three words, asked us to add 33 more, and challenged us to post the results. Mine don’t feel very original (and yes, I’m one of those writers; I refuse to accept that all of the stories have been told; I refuse to merely hope for a unique way to retell an old thing; I hate it when I feel repetitive or wheel-reinventive), but it was a lot of fun to dig up a ton of things we should have shredded ages ago and put them in the picture.… Read the rest

Bandha UP

jesterqueen — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:48:03 +0000

“The mirrors are a distraction. Focus on what you feel.” MJ lay back on her mat.

I did not. “I feel a lot of things. I can’t tell which is right until I see how I look.”

My Yoga teacher tucked her ass up and hoisted her back towards the ceiling. “Try for that.”

“How will I know I look like what you look like if I can’t see what I look like?”

She sat up and pushed me into a reclining pose. “Concentrate on your Mula Bandha. Tilt your pelvis to make that flat back. Then lock it into your Uddiyana Bandha.… Read the rest