Robin D. Owens's Blog
June 24, 2020
All Excerpts of Staying At Home Stories deleted
Dear Folks,
All excerpts of my DRAFTS of my staying at home stories have been deleted due to Amazon's rules.
All excerpts of my DRAFTS of my staying at home stories have been deleted due to Amazon's rules.
May 23, 2020
Stone in Zanth's Paw: Staying At Home Story 2
Stone in Zanth's Paw. This was posted on a website,some or all of you might have seen this before, but it's been revised. It is 14 pages/days long. I hope to have the story collection, Hearts and Stones, up by then. Again, 1 page a day (and this is the final form since this has already been through copy and line edits).
**426 Years After Colonization, Ash Family Beach House, South of Druida City, Summer**
Zanth, top Familiar Companion Cat of all of the planet Celta, stomped down the path from his house to his beach. He should not have to do duty on this beautiful, sunny morning.
But Mother Turtle, Swift-In-The-Sea, had mentally contacted him a week ago. She’d told him she wanted to inspect her daughters she’d sent two years ago to be cared for by the animal Healer, Danith D’Ash. Danith was one of Zanth’s humans.
After two years, the two littlest of the hatchlings now stood and stretched twice as big as he. Still talked in baby-talk, though. Less than half-baked in Zanth’s opinion.
Zanth had informed his Family of Mother Turtle’s request. Then the whole Ash Family, T’Ash, and D’Ash and their two sons and two daughters, had come to this southern estate and the large house near the beach where the turtles had cracked out of their shells.
Zanth had saved them then, so now he seemed stuck with them. Mother Turtle had not wanted to meet Danith, like most animals in all the planet of Celta should. Otherwise Danith would be doing this duty and not Zanth. He grumbled low in his throat.
Even worse, two of Gwydion Ash’s mob of gray housefluff bunnies decided to follow Zanth and turtles from the mansion to the beach. Zanth disliked the fluffs.
Anyway, it looked like he led a parade of fools. That detracted from his status.
Still, he kept his tail high and waving.
As he approached the first dune, he could smell the patch of herb he liked to sleep in. Far away from the scary and restless big water. To his nose, the spicy groundcover smelled sweeter than ever. From the buzzing of the insects that liked to sit on the leaves, the herb had spread since last summer into a nice, big mat for him.
**426 Years After Colonization, Ash Family Beach House, South of Druida City, Summer**
Zanth, top Familiar Companion Cat of all of the planet Celta, stomped down the path from his house to his beach. He should not have to do duty on this beautiful, sunny morning.
But Mother Turtle, Swift-In-The-Sea, had mentally contacted him a week ago. She’d told him she wanted to inspect her daughters she’d sent two years ago to be cared for by the animal Healer, Danith D’Ash. Danith was one of Zanth’s humans.
After two years, the two littlest of the hatchlings now stood and stretched twice as big as he. Still talked in baby-talk, though. Less than half-baked in Zanth’s opinion.
Zanth had informed his Family of Mother Turtle’s request. Then the whole Ash Family, T’Ash, and D’Ash and their two sons and two daughters, had come to this southern estate and the large house near the beach where the turtles had cracked out of their shells.
Zanth had saved them then, so now he seemed stuck with them. Mother Turtle had not wanted to meet Danith, like most animals in all the planet of Celta should. Otherwise Danith would be doing this duty and not Zanth. He grumbled low in his throat.
Even worse, two of Gwydion Ash’s mob of gray housefluff bunnies decided to follow Zanth and turtles from the mansion to the beach. Zanth disliked the fluffs.
Anyway, it looked like he led a parade of fools. That detracted from his status.
Still, he kept his tail high and waving.
As he approached the first dune, he could smell the patch of herb he liked to sleep in. Far away from the scary and restless big water. To his nose, the spicy groundcover smelled sweeter than ever. From the buzzing of the insects that liked to sit on the leaves, the herb had spread since last summer into a nice, big mat for him.
September 19, 2019
Celta Thursday, Cut from Heart Sight
Celta Cut from Heart Sight, Vinni and Avellana on religion and emotional blackmail, so you are warned!: Vinni-Religion
Avellana said, "I will not give up my faith. Not if you or your whole Family, the whole city or planet demands that!"
"I would never ask that of you," Vinni stated calmly. "Your spirituality is your own and essential to you as it is to each of us. No one in my Family will penalize you for your faith."
"They do."
"Who?" His brows rose. "Tell me and they will be disinherited from our Family. Like the High Priest and Priestess of Celta, I will not allow such pernicious beliefs that will divide our Family, in our Family. We respect others. Always. I will have a Hopeful Chapel built for you. I will attend certain rituals important to you with you, in respect. If you will do the same."
"I don't want to be a divisive force in your Family."
"It's not you, it is that particular warped member of the Family. Family stands for certain qualities, our Family, my Family is inclusive not divisive. If one is divisive one should find a different Family."
She stared at the arrogance of that statement. "That sounds good, but it feels like what I've been threatened with all my life. Be a Hazel, the right kind of Hazel, not the Hazel you are. If you are the person you are, you don't belong in the Family."
He stared right back at her. "You can't think your parents would ever disinherit you. They love you."
"But you said you would disinherit someone who doesn't think like the Family and you love them. Don't you love them even though they are flawed?"
"Don't ever call yourself flawed. I will not have it!" Sudden anger flushed his skin.
"We're not talking about me, but about hypothetical Vine members."
"They aren't hypothetical if you are worried about alienating them if you come into the Family. And I want those names. Respect for all is important. Disrespect for you translates to disrespect for every other member of the Family, if another member of the Family crosses this person. That's emotional blackmail, Avellana, and you – I – no one can give into emotional blackmail, because like all blackmail, it never goes away."
Avellana said, "I will not give up my faith. Not if you or your whole Family, the whole city or planet demands that!"
"I would never ask that of you," Vinni stated calmly. "Your spirituality is your own and essential to you as it is to each of us. No one in my Family will penalize you for your faith."
"They do."
"Who?" His brows rose. "Tell me and they will be disinherited from our Family. Like the High Priest and Priestess of Celta, I will not allow such pernicious beliefs that will divide our Family, in our Family. We respect others. Always. I will have a Hopeful Chapel built for you. I will attend certain rituals important to you with you, in respect. If you will do the same."
"I don't want to be a divisive force in your Family."
"It's not you, it is that particular warped member of the Family. Family stands for certain qualities, our Family, my Family is inclusive not divisive. If one is divisive one should find a different Family."
She stared at the arrogance of that statement. "That sounds good, but it feels like what I've been threatened with all my life. Be a Hazel, the right kind of Hazel, not the Hazel you are. If you are the person you are, you don't belong in the Family."
He stared right back at her. "You can't think your parents would ever disinherit you. They love you."
"But you said you would disinherit someone who doesn't think like the Family and you love them. Don't you love them even though they are flawed?"
"Don't ever call yourself flawed. I will not have it!" Sudden anger flushed his skin.
"We're not talking about me, but about hypothetical Vine members."
"They aren't hypothetical if you are worried about alienating them if you come into the Family. And I want those names. Respect for all is important. Disrespect for you translates to disrespect for every other member of the Family, if another member of the Family crosses this person. That's emotional blackmail, Avellana, and you – I – no one can give into emotional blackmail, because like all blackmail, it never goes away."
April 4, 2019
Celta Thursday, Heart Choice Cover
Heart Choice cover. First, for more notes and pics regarding Straif, Drina, T'Blackthorn Residence, see here: https://www.pinterest.com/robindowens/heart-choice/.
And I found in my ancient files: what might be the inspiration for the cover (MY DEEPEST APOLOGIES TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND ARTISAN OF THIS BRACELET, I DID NOT SAVE YOUR INFORMATION).
And I found in my ancient files: what might be the inspiration for the cover (MY DEEPEST APOLOGIES TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND ARTISAN OF THIS BRACELET, I DID NOT SAVE YOUR INFORMATION).
March 30, 2019
Belated Celta Thursday: Heart Duel's Cover
Belated Celta Thursday: Heart Duel Cover story: Below is the Heart Duel cover I have in my files. I never got the revised version that ended up on the book. When I wrote Heart Duel, I left a spot in my manuscript that read [describe sword on cover art here] which apparently flummoxed the copy editor and made my editor laugh when she told me about it. I think I got cover flats so I could change the description from a round diamond to a ruby in the final page proofs.
All the online stores and ebooks have the cover below, only the mass market paperbook copies have the ruby cover. The description in the book is: Holm summoned the ceremonial HollyHeir sword from his suite. The intricate hand guard and central ruby gleamed. “I see you are collecting swords today,” Holm said.
All the online stores and ebooks have the cover below, only the mass market paperbook copies have the ruby cover. The description in the book is: Holm summoned the ceremonial HollyHeir sword from his suite. The intricate hand guard and central ruby gleamed. “I see you are collecting swords today,” Holm said.
March 14, 2019
Celta Thursday Cut bit, Last performance of Firewalker (Script of the Heart)
Celta Thursday: Cut, last performance of Firewalker: That night his play ended to furious applause, an outrageous number of curtain calls, and even a couple of “Bravos” from theater critics. He’d given this last show his all, as had the rest of the cast, and they partied on their own, with friends and family including Giniana and Thrisca and Melis and other Fams…but without the producer and his lover. Like others in the cast and the business, Johns would think a long time before signing on to work with that guy again, and he’d make sure the contract held a cancellation penalty if the play was making gilt and the man closed it down. Most people didn’t close down a profitable run to jump to another, iffy, one.
March 7, 2019
Celta Thursday, Cut scene from Script of the Heart
Celta Thursday, Cut from Script of the Heart: As you know, I write out of sequence so I have scenes that I think might make it into the book that don't. This scene was right after the climax at the summerhouse. Johns (hero) originally was contacted by Thrisca FamCat since (heroine) Giniana was so distressed: Laughter from the FamCat Thrisca rolled down their more open bond, along with, **Come, here!** She sent him a black and white visual of Giniana’s back garden.
He didn’t think he’d trust that FamCat.
But he did teleport to the outer gate of T’Spindles. “Greetyou SpindleGuard Radican,” he addressed the man in the guardhouse.
The older, heavily boned man pursed his lips. “Greetyou MasterLevel Actor St. Johnswort.” His body language showed Johns all too clearly that the guard believed he’d hurt Giniana.
Translocating some tickets from his cache at the theater, Johns bowed, offered a crooked smile along with the tickets in his hand. “Here’s a pair of tickets to Firewalker. It’s closing at the end of the month.” He cleared his throat. “I’m here to visit FamCat Thrisca.”
“Ha.” A bark of a laugh, but the guy stepped out of the elegant small guardhouse box to take the tickets. “Thanks, St. Johnswort.”
“You’re welcome.”
At the sound of a long cough, they both turned to see Thrisca FamCat behind the curliques of the greeniron gate. Radican Spindle waved his hand and the tall gates swung silently open.
**Thank you for allowing My guest to visit Me,** Thrisca stated politely on a communal telepathic channel. **Giniana and I will be leaving shortly by glider.**
**What?** Johns demanded of the FamCat privately. **Where?**
She simply turned her skinny body and walked down the path toward Giniana’s cottage.
He didn’t think he’d trust that FamCat.
But he did teleport to the outer gate of T’Spindles. “Greetyou SpindleGuard Radican,” he addressed the man in the guardhouse.
The older, heavily boned man pursed his lips. “Greetyou MasterLevel Actor St. Johnswort.” His body language showed Johns all too clearly that the guard believed he’d hurt Giniana.
Translocating some tickets from his cache at the theater, Johns bowed, offered a crooked smile along with the tickets in his hand. “Here’s a pair of tickets to Firewalker. It’s closing at the end of the month.” He cleared his throat. “I’m here to visit FamCat Thrisca.”
“Ha.” A bark of a laugh, but the guy stepped out of the elegant small guardhouse box to take the tickets. “Thanks, St. Johnswort.”
“You’re welcome.”
At the sound of a long cough, they both turned to see Thrisca FamCat behind the curliques of the greeniron gate. Radican Spindle waved his hand and the tall gates swung silently open.
**Thank you for allowing My guest to visit Me,** Thrisca stated politely on a communal telepathic channel. **Giniana and I will be leaving shortly by glider.**
**What?** Johns demanded of the FamCat privately. **Where?**
She simply turned her skinny body and walked down the path toward Giniana’s cottage.
February 28, 2019
Celta Thursday Cut from Heart Sight
Celta Thursday, cut from Heart Sight (Vinni & Avellana's story): "Life is a journey, and one you – I – learn from," she said.
"Life is a storm, one you survive," he replied flatly.
She looked at him, really looked at him for the first time in a long time. And if she narrowed her eyes, blurred her vision, stared at him with that other sight she used for subjects of her holo paintings, she saw chaos.
He moved in chaos – through chaos, as if the air around him eddied in storm and lightning, ready to strike at any moment.
How strong he was.
"Life is a storm, one you survive," he replied flatly.
She looked at him, really looked at him for the first time in a long time. And if she narrowed her eyes, blurred her vision, stared at him with that other sight she used for subjects of her holo paintings, she saw chaos.
He moved in chaos – through chaos, as if the air around him eddied in storm and lightning, ready to strike at any moment.
How strong he was.
January 31, 2019
Celta Thursday, Script of the Heart unused scene
Warning: Not sure where I was going with this, so it may lead to unanswerable questions. I do know that it takes place after Johns visited the Daisy's Summerhouse and "argued" with Giniana.
Laughter from the FamCat Thrisca rolled down their more open bond, along with, **Come, here!** She sent him a black and white visual of Giniana’s back garden.
He didn’t think he’d trust that FamCat.
But he did teleport to the outer gate of T’Spindles. “Greetyou SpindleGuard**,” he addressed the man in the guardhouse.
The older, heavily boned man pursed his lips. “Greetyou MasterLevel Actor St. Johnswort.” His body language showed Johns all too clearly that the guard believed he’d hurt Giniana.
Translocating some tickets from his cache at the theater, Johns bowed, offered a crooked smile along with the tickets in his hand. “Here’s a pair of tickets to Firewalker. It’s closing at the end of the month.” He cleared his throat. “I’m here to visit FamCat Thrisca.”
“Ha.” A bark of a laugh, but the guy stepped out of the elegant small guardhouse box to take the tickets. “Thanks, St. Johnswort.”
“You’re welcome.”
At the sound of a long cough, they both turned to see Thrisca FamCat behind the curliques of the greeniron gate. The guard waved his hand and the tall gates swung silently open.
**Thank you for allowing My guest to visit Me,** Thrisca stated politely on a communal telepathic channel. **Giniana and I will be leaving shortly by glider.**
**What?** Johns demanded of the FamCat privately. **Whose glider? Where?**
She simply turned her skinny body and walked down the path toward Giniana’s cottage.
Laughter from the FamCat Thrisca rolled down their more open bond, along with, **Come, here!** She sent him a black and white visual of Giniana’s back garden.
He didn’t think he’d trust that FamCat.
But he did teleport to the outer gate of T’Spindles. “Greetyou SpindleGuard**,” he addressed the man in the guardhouse.
The older, heavily boned man pursed his lips. “Greetyou MasterLevel Actor St. Johnswort.” His body language showed Johns all too clearly that the guard believed he’d hurt Giniana.
Translocating some tickets from his cache at the theater, Johns bowed, offered a crooked smile along with the tickets in his hand. “Here’s a pair of tickets to Firewalker. It’s closing at the end of the month.” He cleared his throat. “I’m here to visit FamCat Thrisca.”
“Ha.” A bark of a laugh, but the guy stepped out of the elegant small guardhouse box to take the tickets. “Thanks, St. Johnswort.”
“You’re welcome.”
At the sound of a long cough, they both turned to see Thrisca FamCat behind the curliques of the greeniron gate. The guard waved his hand and the tall gates swung silently open.
**Thank you for allowing My guest to visit Me,** Thrisca stated politely on a communal telepathic channel. **Giniana and I will be leaving shortly by glider.**
**What?** Johns demanded of the FamCat privately. **Whose glider? Where?**
She simply turned her skinny body and walked down the path toward Giniana’s cottage.
January 24, 2019
Script of the Heart Cut
Script of the Heart Cut:
This is a rough draft of a scene I’d planned between Johns and Del D’Elecampane (heroine of Heart Journey), some of this passage DID make it into the book, but I ended up not writing a scene at the Garden Party that I’d originally contemplated.
Date: 27th-32 of Vine
His perscry rang…his standard tune for unknown callers. He picked it up (from where?) and rubbed his thumb on it. Del Elecampane’s narrow face sprang into holographic view, her blond hair springing in cheerful contrast to her serious expression and a line between her brows.
“Greetyou, Johns. I’d like to meet with you.”
Absolutely no flirting on either of their parts. Seeing her and Raz Cherry together yesterday at breakfast at the Thespian Club had clued him in that the pair were lovers. Even more, though Raz hadn’t seemed to know this, they were HeartMates.
But he liked her, a solid, honest woman, so he gifted her with his best smile.
She didn’t seem to notice, which made him grin. “What can I do for you?”
“You’re interested in this play by Amberose.”
“That’s right,” he said cautiously.
“New, important play that can make careers?” she asked, then murmured. “I like her work as long as she doesn’t do deep drama and angst.”
“I’ve heard the script described as a romantic suspense,” he paused, then added. “With the villains caught and happy endings all around.”
“Two romantic couples. And the leading lady someone like Lily Fescue,” Del repeated what Johns had told her the morning before.
“Yeah, but as I said, Amberose is demanding artistic control at the moment and no standard producer will do the show with such strings attached.”
Spacing her words, Del asked, “Do you know where I might find Amberose’s agent?”
A spark of hope firerocketed through Johns. “Formal or informal setting?”
Her head tilted. “I think, informal?” Another question as if she asked his advice on a meeting.
“Sounds good.” Johns culled through all the gossip he’d heard in the last day. “Pretty sure Amberose’s new agent will be at a garden party this afternoon.” He pulled up his calendarsphere, he’d been invited, and reeled off the information to Del.
“Many thanks, later” she signed off.
He’d heard the gossip about the mapmaker, friends of one of the FirstFamilies, connected to them by Family somehow. And very, very wealthy in her own right. And she was Raz’s HeartMate…
Johns didn’t know much about HeartMates. He didn’t have one, though he couldn’t imagine loving any woman more than he did Giniana, of bonding with anyone closer.
***
He met with Del that evening?** [one of the mornings after she and Raz had returned from Gael City]. Always confident, wearing her manner of knowledge that she was the best mapmaker on Celta, she still moved differently. She glowed with an inner fire
She’d be changing her life on the road to compromise with Raz. She wanted to give him what he wanted,
SPOILER CUT
This is a rough draft of a scene I’d planned between Johns and Del D’Elecampane (heroine of Heart Journey), some of this passage DID make it into the book, but I ended up not writing a scene at the Garden Party that I’d originally contemplated.
Date: 27th-32 of Vine
His perscry rang…his standard tune for unknown callers. He picked it up (from where?) and rubbed his thumb on it. Del Elecampane’s narrow face sprang into holographic view, her blond hair springing in cheerful contrast to her serious expression and a line between her brows.
“Greetyou, Johns. I’d like to meet with you.”
Absolutely no flirting on either of their parts. Seeing her and Raz Cherry together yesterday at breakfast at the Thespian Club had clued him in that the pair were lovers. Even more, though Raz hadn’t seemed to know this, they were HeartMates.
But he liked her, a solid, honest woman, so he gifted her with his best smile.
She didn’t seem to notice, which made him grin. “What can I do for you?”
“You’re interested in this play by Amberose.”
“That’s right,” he said cautiously.
“New, important play that can make careers?” she asked, then murmured. “I like her work as long as she doesn’t do deep drama and angst.”
“I’ve heard the script described as a romantic suspense,” he paused, then added. “With the villains caught and happy endings all around.”
“Two romantic couples. And the leading lady someone like Lily Fescue,” Del repeated what Johns had told her the morning before.
“Yeah, but as I said, Amberose is demanding artistic control at the moment and no standard producer will do the show with such strings attached.”
Spacing her words, Del asked, “Do you know where I might find Amberose’s agent?”
A spark of hope firerocketed through Johns. “Formal or informal setting?”
Her head tilted. “I think, informal?” Another question as if she asked his advice on a meeting.
“Sounds good.” Johns culled through all the gossip he’d heard in the last day. “Pretty sure Amberose’s new agent will be at a garden party this afternoon.” He pulled up his calendarsphere, he’d been invited, and reeled off the information to Del.
“Many thanks, later” she signed off.
He’d heard the gossip about the mapmaker, friends of one of the FirstFamilies, connected to them by Family somehow. And very, very wealthy in her own right. And she was Raz’s HeartMate…
Johns didn’t know much about HeartMates. He didn’t have one, though he couldn’t imagine loving any woman more than he did Giniana, of bonding with anyone closer.
***
He met with Del that evening?** [one of the mornings after she and Raz had returned from Gael City]. Always confident, wearing her manner of knowledge that she was the best mapmaker on Celta, she still moved differently. She glowed with an inner fire
She’d be changing her life on the road to compromise with Raz. She wanted to give him what he wanted,
SPOILER CUT
