Showing posts with label #dogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #dogs. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Missing by Rick Haynes

Missing


My life was as empty as a cracked piss-pot. And with each day merging into the next I had no idea of time. With my best friend, Cissy, missing, my world had collapsed. The taste of any food was like chewing cardboard. It made me retch, but being so weak, I had to force myself to eat something. Eventually, I opened a can of baked beans; with hot sauce the taste was palatable. Starving to death was no longer an option but I still cried every day. 

Why did she disappear? Is she still alive? How did I allow this to happen? No matter what I thought, the idea of me being responsible never left me. Trips to her favourite place, attaching posters to telegraph poles and placing pictures in shop windows, all failed to produce any results. Even the police showed little interest.

A week passed. The telephone rang. A man with a deep voice spoke in harsh tones. His English was poor and he frequently repeated himself. He demanded money. I was worried about how Cissy was coping without her medication and without thinking, I instantly agreed to his demands. He gave me specific directions about where and when we should meet and I was warned that Cissy would die if I didn’t comply. The bank asked questions about my withdrawal of £1000 in cash, but my insistence paid off.

The relief in knowing that Cissy lived was like a lottery win that didn’t exist. I was overjoyed she was safe, yet terrified I’d never see her again if I made a cock up. I imagined she was tied up, blindfolded, perhaps tortured. Nothing else mattered. My lass had disappeared and as long as I followed the instructions, all would be well.

Going over his directions one last time, I set out to be reunited with my beloved, Cissy.

The clouds had finally decided to play elsewhere. After my long climb through the forest, I could now see the top of the disused lighthouse. Inhaling deeply, I took in the clean air lightly scented with salt. Weathered steps of stone curled around the stone colossus but that wasn’t the route I was instructed to take. Looking to the right, I saw another track overgrown with thick bushes and low slung branches.

Once more my mind wandered. Would she be waiting? Would she be unharmed? It was time to make the last ascent. Slowly, like an old man in fear of falling, I placed one foot in front of the other and followed the track towards my destiny.

A shaft of light arrowed through the greenery before instantly disappearing. Would it be my star of hope? Without thinking, I quickened my pace. Calling her name made me want to believe she would greet me at the summit. Faster, I told myself as I ploughed on. The treeline ended and all trace of the shadows vanished as a sunray illuminated the small clearing in front of me.

And there she was, securely tied to an old tree. I looked around, saw the empty bag, placed the cash inside, untied Cissy, picked her up in my arms, kissed her and quickly retraced my steps. Little did the kidnapper know I had left a tracer inside the bag and spread a little poison over the notes.

Rot in hell, I mumbled as I walked back down the slope.

No one steals my dog, my best friend, Cissy, and gets away with the crime.

Thursday, May 9, 2019

Caesar And The Bluebells by Cindy J. Smith

Caesar And The Bluebells

Caesar lives on a farm with his owner, Lori. Caesar is a retriever who loves playing in the field of bluebells while protecting the farm. Lori puts two gnomes in her garden for decoration. Caesar thinks something is not right about them. The next May when Lori and Caesar visit their bluebell field, it is destroyed. The fairies are worried. Their queen is missing! Caesar knows the gnomes are involved. Can Caesar find the Queen and fix the mess?


A friend from high school wanted a story about her dog and her bluebell field. I explained to her that I just write poetry and the project was beyond my abilities.

The voices do not like it when I say I am unable to write things.  Despite having absolutely no idea how to connect a dog and a bluebell field, Oscar and the Bluebells, was fully developed within a week. 

Unfortunately, my friend wanted to change everything.  Heartbroken to think it was so terrible it needed to be rewritten by someone else, I took it back.  I changed the name of the dog, the owner and the location of the field. Then I forgot all about it being on my computer. 

Several years later, I was "organizing" my laptop and gathering all my poems written in various documents into one file.  When I came upon it, I decided to ask a fellow author what she thought of the story.  I was surprised to find she loved it and in fact had started coming up with illustrations for it!

The initial version was published by Erika M. Szabo at Golden Box Books with her illustrations.



I decided I would write another story and that I wanted to have the illustrations more lifelike.  I hired Daniela Frongia of Cais Arts to redo my book. This is the version currently available. 


SNIPPET:

I am an old retriever named Caesar
Lori Simpleton is my owner
We live in Ohio on a farm
It is my job to keep all from harm

When not working, I run, hunt and play
My favorite time is early May
'Cause that is when the sweet bluebells bloom
Delicate end to Winter's deep gloom

I am very lucky, for you see
Lori has a field of them for me
When we're there I jump and roll around
Then cool off in mud puddles I've found

I chase bunnies and beavers I track
For following trails I have a knack
My owner just laughs with such delight
When the turkeys and pheasants take flight

She enjoys the pretty flowers there
Takes pictures of beauty everywhere
But, she can't see the tiny fairies
Lori thinks they're just large bumblebees!

BUY LINK:

REVIEWS:

"When the world suddenly loses its charming bluebells, Caesar comes to the rescue. Written with a light rhyme scheme, Caesar and the Bluebells is a wonderful tale of a dog who solves the mystery by snooping on the yard gnomes. My grade school grandkids love this story!" WhittyOne


"Terrific for boys and girls alike!! A truly beautiful book!

I absolutely loved this book! The story is wonderful, mysterious and fun! The illustrations are beautiful and go along perfectly with the story!! This is definitely a must have for your child, niece, nephew or friend's child...I am purchasing one for my great nephew and my best friend's granddaughter!!

This book was given to me for my honest opinion! So thank you for that...it was refreshing and a true pleasure to read as well as review! " Kim Page


"This unique and wonderful children's book is full of life and poetry that's perfect for apparent to share with their child. The adventure Caesar goes on to help the fairies and deal with the gnomes is delightful from start to finish. If you have a young one at home, like I do, this book is the ideal bedtime reading that you all can bond over."  Jeremy Croston



Featured Post

Online Magazines