Viola Russell's Blog

Check out my post on a friend's blog:
https://cdhersh.wordpress.com/2021/04...

Overthrow of a Utopia:

Millions of years ago--in a distant galaxy--a planet existed that boasted an advanced technology fueled by intellectual curiosity. The citizens of Utopie had undergone many changes since the founding of their government. At the founding of Utopie, a small group had dominated others. The Dominante came in many physical types; some were small of stature while others were tall. They possessed blue skin that glowed like coal on fire, and their golden eyes penetrated the darkness. The Nascente were once the natives of the land, but when the Dominante arrived in flying ships powered by the wind, the Dominante usurped the Nascente's land with their superior weapons and glowing eyes. The Nascente were a people of superior hunting skill; however, they lacked the Dominante's deadly weapons and soon succumbed to the cannons, poisoned gas, and expanding bullets of their enemies. The Nascente soon inhabited only a small part of the prosperous planet, living in squalid conditions; however, many of the Dominante envied their raven tresses and glowing bronze skin, making concubines of their women.
As the Dominante progressed, their leaders searched for other ways to enhance their expanding economic power. They invaded other planets, particularly that of Lebensmittel, and enslaved the people there. These people were tall and majestic, marked by their burgundy skin, taut bodies, and green eyes. They were relegated to rural areas and worked on elaborate tenant farms, enabling the ruling Dominante to build an exclusive and elitist socialization system.
Eventually, leaders emerged from the ranks of both the Lebensmittel and Nascente people who fought for the rights of their people. One man in particular, Reverend Fromm, preached reconciliation among the people while he demanded their rights and paid respect to the country's gods. Even when a deranged Dominante assassinated him, he achieved equality for those who faced discrimination. Soon, many leaders of the Dominante heard the pleas of the oppressed. Injustices were rectified, and the various peoples progressed towards unity.
Some Dominante, however, were unwilling to relinquish a stranglehold on their power. A leader emerged from the Dominante who would stroke their unease. This being was one of the Dominante, but he possessed glazed eyes that no longer shone brightly, and his blue skin had turned to gray ash. He was of the most elite class that controlled every major infrastructure n the planet. During state festivals, he donned elaborate robes and appeared with his chosen concubine at the balcony to wave at the masses. His supreme concubine was not of any race on Utopie. Hass, the Agitator who would be Ruler, selected his concubines from a planet populated by females of porcelain skin, gray eyes, and tails like that of wild horses. These females walked upright , but their tails railed behind them. Hass seized power and worked to eliminate the rights guaranteed to the many classes.
Soon, another leader emerged who sought to reconcile a divided Utopie; Heilige, a Dominante, rose from the ranks of the people to demand a legal election. At his side was a female from the Nascente, named Apostel. Together, they would restore justice to Utopie, but Hass would not concede defeat. He gathered his forces at the foot of the Capitol housing the planet's leaders and bellowed to a small number of enraged Dominante that he had been dethroned unjustly and that their rights, culture, and way of life would vanish under Heilige and Apostel. Carrying weapons and chanting "Death to Nascente and Lebensmittel," they stormed into what was once a seat of justice and attempted insurrection until a combined force of enlightened Dominante, Nascente, and Lebensmittl warriors subdued them. Alas, the steps made toward justice and equality would be forever shattered in Utopie.

When we went on lock down, I was already feverishly writing one manuscript. I then began another that was only a small blossom in my brain and began a third, an even smaller seed. I am now preparing to teach again and am concentrating furiously on my job; however, I am still making time for writing. This calls for balance. Oh, did I say I was taking German class as well? Or that I have a full-time husband?

The manuscript I concentrated most fully on is the third in my "Jude Mooney" books. Those characters are dear to my heart. When I started "From Ice Wagon to Club House," I didn't think I would write a series of books. I'm still not sure (almost 70,000 words in) just where it will take me, but the characters speak to me in ways I'd never anticipated. They will not let me sleep, but like most families, the Mooney clan live through several eras and go through many changes. I'm not sure that I can take the Mooney family to the places they deserve to go in 100,000 words. Will I need another book? I don't know at this point.

The other manuscript takes place during 'The Troubles" in Northern Ireland. This manuscript began as a short story I wrote for a contest, but the story held great potential. I've loved that troubled land for a long time, and wanted to explore the divisions and causes that define the Republic and the Six Counties. Both of these manuscripts require a great deal of research, and lately, I'm heavy on research and at a pause in the writing--at least somewhat. Of course, I write a scene that leads me toward action, but while I work as a teacher, I can't beat myself up if I haven't written an absurd number of words in a day.

The third manuscript I have wisely placed on hold. It is the story of a pandemic, and at this stage, we have no resolution, no ending. Maybe when the losses we've suffered aren't so raw, I'll write that story. Maybe then.

From Ice Wagon to Clubhouse: The Life of Jude MooneyFrom Ice Wagon to Clubhouse: The Life of Jude Mooney

This appeared in my blog also:
The Land of No Dissent:

Many years ago, a planet existed that boasted great diversity among its creatures. Creatures of every type existed, and the planet was divided into units. One unit, Tiarnai, gained supremacy over all others because of its diversity and existed as a planet leader. Though it was diverse, the wealth of this unit was unequally shared among its creatures. For many years, the Geal held the best positions, obtained the best education, and controlled the most resources. These creatures were orange with green veins running through their skin and believed that their beauty was unequaled. The other creatures in this diverse population were the Ruaim and boasted many rainbow-like colors, but they all shared the same green veins as the Geals. All of the creatures walked upright, and their hair was like the mane of unicorns. Ruaim creatures often worked more than Geal creatures but did not share equally in the wealth of the unit. This unit prized itself on a document that protected all its citizens, and this sacred document guaranteed all creatures the right to free speech and peaceful protest.

Because of these guarantees, Ruaim achieved a measure of equality with the Geals, but some Geals resented sharing the wealth with the Ruaims and passed repressive laws to keep the Ruaim in their place. Both sides argued their position with passion within courts and within documents that would become law, and the Ruaim eventually stood equal to the Geals within the unit. Sadly, distrust still remained within some individuals and groups. However, as technological advances grew and as each group blossomed through education, the walls of injustice crumbled. Some ignorant Geals held onto their regressive views and committed violent acts against Ruaims—who were now neighbors and equals under the law. Many Geals and Ruaims socialized, married, and held the same jobs in the highly skilled Tiarnai work force.

However, at times, some ignorant creature abused this peaceful co-existence and committed an act of brutality seen by masses of people all over the planet and in other units. Such an act disturbed the peace of Tiarnai one day when the unit was already in a state of turmoil because of a plague that had swept the land. A few years earlier Geal leader rose to the seat of leadership and wanted to advance his political power by inciting disaffected Geals resentful of the gains of the Ruaim. This leader, Leathcheann, convinced his followers that the plague that killed millions of the creatures all over the planet was merely a plot to discredit him. He stamped his feet and cried like an infant of the tribe when crossed or contradicted. He told his followers not to worry as the plague took its toll on millions of creatures in the unit. Any creature of intelligence and science that contradicted the Supreme Dictator’s view received a sentence of banishment.

Tensions were high when a confrontation erupted between a Geal in authority and a regular Ruaim. In the dramatic conflict between the two, the Ruaim died. Millions of Ruaims and many fair-minded Geals took to the streets. They demanded justice and even more reform. Many of their demands were met, but a faction of disaffected creatures from both the Geal and the Ruaim clan decided that they wanted to end Tiarnai society and the damage brought by Leathcheann. The dictatorial leader justifiably repulsed these reformers, but in protesting against the dictator, they wanted to erase the history of the planet and the past that had brought both pain and enlightenment. In doing so, they denied their youngsters the education brought by past mistakes and triumphs. They labeled anyone with an unpopular opinion as unjust or unfair and called for boycotts of their work. Factions developed within the Ruaims and within the Geals. Factions within each group burned books and films that could educate but instead were lost for all time.

Tiarnai split into factions that drifted to other units within the planet. The great ideal of diversity within the unit collapsed as creatures labeled each other as traitors when anyone said anything against a popular movement. Any creature uttering an unpopular opinion was cast out from the group after being rolled in smoldering ash and pelted with rocks. The outcasts joined the ranks of those who had offended the Supreme Ruler. The Supreme Ruler eventually fumed at dissenters and supporters alike, stamped his feet, and wailed like an infant. During one tirade, steam erupted from the top of his head, sending the false violet hair he wore to the ceiling and revealing the pointed horns jutting from his skull. His skin took on the color of cigarette smoke as he dissolved into the mist; however, his narcissistic, divisive reign had inflicted lasting harm on the unit.

This also appeared on my blog:

A Very Grim Fairy Tale:

Once upon a time in a faraway planet named Orwell lived creatures who were similar to humans in many ways. They were male and female but each being boasted multi-colored hair and high cheekbones that added to their aesthetic beauty. A tall, regal male creature with orange hair wearing a black robe dominated over the beings and governed with what he termed justice; however, his justice was unequal. He administered stringent rules and harsh justice to female beings while sparing males from suffering few or any consequences.

Male and female children received separate and different educations. They attended separate schools and had separate roles. Even though the females were expected to work for the communal good, their standard of living was inferior to that of the males. They also were expected to reproduce with approved partners, appointed by ministers to the Robed One. Females were sent to the School of Reproductive Certainty while males attended the School of Arts, Language and Science. Fraternization among beings other than those approved by the Robed One and his associates was forbidden.

Though the school could not teach the females what the males learned, the School for Reproductive Certainty attempted to nurture the spirit and intellect of its females charges. Many of the female teachers included some instruction limited to males and lobbied for the students to have more advantages. The Robed One did not appreciate any challenge to his authority. He bribed several of the compliant female teachers to spy on others, informing him that some of the adult females had grown to love each other too much.

The Robed One then sent or outsiders from the planet Ifreann to preside over the School for Reproductive Certainty. These beings hailed from the planet Luzifer. The creature appointed as head master was named Schikarieren. He wore a long tail which he rolled into baggy trousers so as conceal his true identity from the female beings. Before taking the position, he sawed the antlers on his head to make himself look like an Orwellian male. Unlike the hair of the Orwell residents, his was a dull white streaked with gray. With him came a female from Luzifer named Hundin. She also had a tail, which she concealed in a knot within a loosely fitting skirt. She’d dyed her hair a pale blue, similar to many of the females in the school, and she’d styled it in waves that concealed the small horns jutting from her head.

Schikarieren boasted a booming voice even though he was small of stature, unlike the Orwellians. He demanded adoration of himself, Hundin, and the Robed One, holding long diatribes on video about how the Robed One did not receive the proper respect from a planet that showed no gratitude. Hundin, who was very skinny, brought giggles to the females when she appeared in the video. Her voice squeaked, and the students often pointed at the bulge in her backside, so unlike them. Sometimes, her hair fell, revealing her horns. The two Luziferians then began to harass the female Orwellian teachers who loved too much. They found fault with their teaching methods, their ideology, and the way they worshipped the god supported by the Robed One.

The two outsiders banished the females who loved too much to isolated planets, but then, the empire they hoped to construct fell apart. Schikarieren and Hundin fought for control of the school, and too many beings had complained to the Robed One of the pair’s cruelty. The Robed One sent a spy to work in the school, his sister, Faisneiseoir. Schikarieren disliked her and thought she was one who loved too much. He complained about her role as head of religious studies and verbally assaulted her when he didn’t think the students showed proper piety. She reported her treatment to her brother, and both Luziferians were banished.

The school soon withered, destroyed by oppression and hypocrisy. Some females vanished to neighboring planets. Others simply drifted around Orwell without any focus, refusing to reproduce with those approved by the Robed One or reproducing with those who were unsuitable. Of the banished women, some died while others raised an insurrection, toppling the Robed One and his oppressive regime.

The Progeny: The Legacy of Jude Mooney
The Sequel to "From Ice Wagon to Club House," continues the fight for Irish unity as Jude's sons also flee to Ireland from New Orleans. They become enthralled with the quest for one Ireland and fight for the land they love as IRA men. Later, they join the Allied fight against Hitler.

On April 29, 1916, a valiant group of Irish rebels abandoned their position in the post office they had held in an attempt to gain independence from Great Britain. They were taken into custody by British forces and later executed. This defiant act, which began on Easter Monday and lasted one week, resulted in the war that would free twenty-six of the thirty-two Irish counties. The twenty-six southern counties became the Republic; the six that Britain retained became known as Northern Ireland. Their citizens stayed "British," much to the chagrin of some of their residents. In my novel, "From Ice Wagon to ClubHouse," Jude Mooney, a young man brought up in New Orleans but of Irish parents, takes part in the fight for Irish independence when he falls for a beautiful Irish woman in Belfast. Jude has to flee to his native land when he runs afoul of his parents, disgracing them when he finds work in New Orleans' infamous Storyville. In Ireland, he is embraced by his Irish family and the fiery love of his life, Maeve. Ireland plays a major part in many of my novels, but none more than in "Ice Wagon" and its sequel, "The Progeny." The Mooney clan never forget their Irish roots, and the land pulls them as it does me. This country of beauty and tragedy forms my characters' lives and their destinies.
https://www.amazon.com/Ice-Wagon-Club...

I teach full-time and write like a madwoman when I can. Staff, students, and teachers were told not to report to school for one month on March 13. That date has been extended endlessly. I am still working as a teacher. I post assignments and information for students, and I miss the kids as well as the camaraderie with my fellow teachers.

When this quarantine began, I had very unrealistic expectations. I was working on two WIP, and I had some insane idea that I would finish them both within a month. Well, I was never one to rest as an underachiever, so I also figured I'd start another romance with a pandemic in the background. Needless to say, I have not finished any of these works. I HAVE made a great deal of progress, but I have not FINISHED any. The books require a great deal of research, and that's where budgeting comes in.

Oh, did I mention I have a full-time husband. My husband and house also require my attention. We have no maid. I cook and clean my own house. I work in the garden. He's someone I will not neglect, and we take walks and communicate over coffee.

So how to budget time? I have to check on student progress every day. To do this efficiently, I check emails and student work at least three times a day. I spend maybe an hour each time. I then work on promotion through my various social media outlets. I allot certain days to write and read. I devote the better part of my day to them. Most importantly, I DO NOT BEAT UP ON MYSELF when I don't finish everything. Unless you sit at the desk all day and have no other life, you will not finish a book in a week--not one at least that requires research. I no longer beat myself up but try to budget my time. .

My husband sees a bright spot to this whole pandemic. As a scientist, he s all too aware of the destruction this disease inflicts on the human body; however, he likes having his teacher wife home and loves that I'm cooking more.

Of course, we go to the grocery in the kind of protective gear you used to wear when you dealt with hazardous material. We calculate what we will need for a week or two but are careful not to hoard. (I, personally, hope these people holding all the toilet tissue find their places in hell!) What to cook? When should we support local businesses by buying takeout? I'm sharing a recipe today for my meat sauce.

Ingredients:
1. shallots
2. onion
3. Ground meat
4. Green bell pepper
5. Butter
6. Oregano
7. Bay leaf
8. Salt
9. Pepper
10. Parsley (Hubby doesn't like this; some do)
11. Thyme

How to prepare;
1. Sauté shallots, onion, and bell pepper until brown.
2. Add ground meat and cook until the pink is gone.
3. Add tomato paste (small can)
4. Fill the can and add about 7 cans of water to the pot.
5. Add oregano, salt, pepper, parsley, and thyme
6. Stir and simmer until done, approximately one hour or 1 1/2 hour.
(My grandmother and mother were famous for this recipe. My grandma was also very like the mother in Love at War. )Love at War
















Love at War

I'm a teacher in my other life. The school year so far ended abruptly on March 13, 2020. Our principal announced (some students already saw this on their phones) that the governor of Louisiana had suspended school until at least April 13.

Since the announcement came and our leaving, we have all experienced a whirlwind of emotions. i'm doing more reading, writing, and gardening. Even more cooking--to my husband's delight; however, I miss the students and the possibility of saying goodbye to them.

What will I do? I'm going to cuddle in the mornings with my hubby and really concentrate on those books I'm writing. At times, I'll also think of my students, particularly the seniors, and miss them.