Lisa Procter's Blog

Today’s short story challenge is from an image I found on Google. I got an idea and ran with it, I hope you enjoy!

The Forgotten Friend

It’s a strange feeling. A state of limbo, somewhere between existing and not.

But that’s the life I was born into, an everlasting uncertainty, no promise of tomorrow, just the errant thought of a young boy.

It started when he was three. Like most young boys he loved cars, had hundreds of them stacked away in the house. Though the majority were in his room, tidied away in to toy boxes, it wasn’t unusual to find them in unexpected places. One of his favourite hiding places was between the sofa cushions, waiting for an unsuspecting bottom to sit on them.

There was no denying, Tommy loved his cars.

The Christmas after he turned three, I was born. Hidden in the pile of presents waiting for him when he woke up, was a race car driver. His racewear was made from the finest leather, rows of neat hand stitching at the seams. His helmet was a glossy black, shining in a way that was only achieved when something was really new. His gloves sat snug on his fingers, almost rubbery to touch but a key element in the completion of his outfit.

Now don’t go getting the wrong impression, I was not that doll. However, my existence required the idea of that doll, the imagination of a little boy and the sheer will to live.

Mr Racer soon became Tony the Speedy. Unbeatable, highly skilled and competitive and the very best friend of one Tommy Michaels. He played with the doll at an given opportunity, sat with him at meal times and hugged him close at bedtime. Tony and Tommy became quite the dynamic duo and as such, Tony became ‘real’.

A child imagination is a wonderful thing and a powerful tool. In their minds they can create the most magical of beings, fear the scariest of monsters and befriends those that don’t exist. When Tommy believed in the friendship that Tony gave him, I emerged. An exact replica, invisible to all but him. But real. I was so real.

Soon, there was no doll that occupied the chair next to Tommy at the dinner table. I sat in the unoccupied chair, I was served my own dinner and his parents spoke to me. When it came to playtime, we whizzed around his room, making our own car noises, becoming champion racers. At bedtime, although there was no room in the bed for two of us, I lay on the floor and kept him company until he fell asleep.

We had a good deal, Tommy and I.

Over the years, things changed a little. Instead of the racewear, I got upgraded to astronaut, after that an explorer, I even spent some time as a swashbuckling pirate. Our games changed and our dreams grew together. But we were still best buddies. Even when he played with the other boys and girls in his school, he made sure to include me and his friends accepted me as part of their group. Only one or two could see me though, the ones that truly believed.

Nothing lasts forever though and the older Tommy grew, the less he remembered Tony the racer. The old doll that was once a prized possession was shoved to the bottom of a box, long forgotten. And the real Tony? He went along with the toy. With no one left to believe in me, I was dying.

The last time I saw him, Tommy was gone. In his place was Tom. Tom who was thinking about the pretty girl in his class, the chances of his football team winning the league and the prospect of his future after school.

My friend was gone.

It’s a strange feeling. Almost a state of limbo. The feeling of knowing you exist and yet having no one to believe in you.

Until next time,

Lisa x

Our libraries are diminishing in numbers, did you know?

It’s a sad but a very real fact. I’ve addressed this issue before but it was a fictional story for the 30 Day Challenge. So I decided to make another post, this time more based on the fact and this weeks story of interest

So let’s start with the services generally offered by public libraries, just briefly for now, no doubt I will go into more detail later.

Of course there’s the books. Thousands of titles, hundreds of writers. From fiction to poetry, self help and biographies, travel guides and dictionaries, I can’t think of a genre of book that a decent library doesn’t stock and what’s better, you can borrow these books absolutely FREE of charge.

I mean, where is the downside to that?

Over the last ten years or so libraries are becoming equipped with computers and internet access. For a start, there’s always a catalogue of the libraries volumes on the computers system. Which for those of us who are always on the go, saves a little shelf browsing time. And then there’s the internet and all it has to offer. An unthinkable number of different websites, right there at your finger tips.

Most libraries I have encountered offer services to mothers too. Changing facilities, breastfeeding rooms and a little respite for babies who wants some peace. I am sure a lot of you have seen the different viral videos and images making their way through cyber space, but breastfeeding mothers tend to get a lot of slack for feeding in public. For those who appreciate the privacy, libraries offer these services without shaming or ridicule.

Got an old record player but no vinyl’s to play? Bet your local library does. Along with DVDs, CDs, Blu-Rays, Console games. They’re usually at your disposal. Forget Blockbuster and other rental places who charge you, the library will let you borrow them for FREE! I’m seeing no downside here.

They offer different courses. In the different places I have lived, I’ve seen computer courses, language courses, literature courses. I’ve seen people arrange tea rooms, book clubs and children’s story times. There are reference services, bulletins about the local community, an abundance of historical documents…. There’s poetry slams, book readings, chances to meet up and coming writer, chances to meet established writers, hell my local library even had showcases for new bands. An opportunity to give them their first gigs.

And all this is available to you COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE. I honestly don’t understand why more people don’t take advantage.

Now, in today’s modern society it is easy to argue that most of these services are available in the comfort of your own home and for the most part it’s true. It is unusual that a household isn’t connected to the internet via at least one device. With it’s endless amount of information the WWW seem to be the go to place for anything. Amazon will sell you books, Youtube will offer music – even the old stuff. You cant rent movies from Lovefilm and teach yourself almost anything with the various different self help websites. Really, big fan of the internet.

But I ask you, is it really the same? Everything is so… technological these days. Even the book is being replaced by a slab of different computer parts… or whatever it is. I aint no computer whizz, I have no idea what they’re called. (For those who don’t speak idiot, I’m trying to describe an e-reader!). So popular are these devices that there apps to download on your phone, tablet, computer. I’m pretty sure you can even get the Kindle app on a Kindle. And I see the appeal, I really do, but they don’t beat opening the first page on a book and breathing in that book smell. (I know there’s other book nerds out there, you know you smell books).

Walking into a library is something that I find hard to describe. It’s not the same as walking into any other building. It hums. It gives off this great aura, like you’re in the midst of intelligence and creativity. The shelves are stacked, there is SO much there to discover. There’s the smell, of course. Old books, new books. There’s the noises. General whispers, the beeping as the librarian checks out books, the odd cough that ALWAYS happens. Going to a library is an experience. It’s not just about the services it offers, but the people you meet, the sense of community, the over all feeling of being somewhere you belong.

Okay, I’m going to stop there. I think we get it, the library offers a lot and Lisa really digs it.

So now, let’s look at some facts and statistics (I apologise to non British readers as this information is for the UK, but hey, I bet there’s some interesting stats in your country….).

First, 10% of public libraries are in danger of closure. Now while that may not seem a lot, that’s roughly 500 libraries in the UK.

Some of this is down to funding or lack of as the case may be. But there is a legal obligation for local councils to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service, so really, the funding should be there. There are suggestions from councils that libraries should become volunteer run. While a nice thought in theory, librarians have to uphold a professional and ethical standard under the data protection act. And even if this wasn’t an issue, who has the time to volunteer when the rising cost of living demands busting your ass off all hours of the day to make a buck?

30% of households are without internet access. The closure of so many libraries means that these people have no access to the internet. Now in a generation where Facebook dominates, Youtube entertains and the Kardashians are only a click away, this might not seem like the worst thing in the world. But for Joe Bloggs who is pressured to find work, he’s losing out on a valuable tool in job hunting. For Jane Doe who has homework due on The Battle of Hastings, she’s losing out on a plethora of research.

To follow on from that, even the Internet has its limitations. Certain things are only going to be found in libraries. Librarians retain older collections, literal pieces of history and you’re never going to find them on the internet, they’re not going to be reproduced.

There are a lot of low income houses in the UK and sadly, people without homes at all. In 2014, the statistics showed that 21% of the UK were in low income families. Growing up, I was part of that percentage. My dad struggled as a single parent and substituted the inability to buy new books with the free services from the library. Every Saturday afternoon, without fail I was taken to the library to borrow some books, broaden my interests. He encouraged my reading and gave me the most fantastic gift. It is sad to think that other young children (and adults too) could possibly be denied the gift of reading simply because they cannot afford the literature.

In a technological driven society, have we made the library the dinosaurs of our age and driven them to extinction?

It’s sad, but we are well on our way.

As a last note, for those of you who are interested in reading more about the closure of libraries and what you can do, please visit Voices for the Library where I got some of my information.

Until next time,

Lisa x

Sources

http://www.voicesforthelibrary.org.uk/

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics

For all of you who know anything about me, you will know I repel technology. It takes one look at me and just dies. I don’t even have to touch it.

About a year and a half ago I bought a laptop. And aside from losing a couple of the buttons, it has lasted me well. It’s doing its job and we have a very loving relationship.

But despite things going so well, it has failed me for the last couple of weeks. I’ve had no charger. And now having a charger back, my battery is shot. Laptop only works with a charger (so lucky I have a charger now huh?).

So I apologise for the lack of posts, I’ve actually had a couple of messages from people on Facebook asking if I’m okay. And yes! Yes, thank you, I am. I just have rotten luck.

Anyway! Hopefully things will pick up over the next week and I’ll be back to usual posting. Just playing catch up with myself.

So yup, that’s it. Not so horrific at all… unless you’re a writer trying to build up your blog…

Until next time,

Lisa x

Top 10 Gilmore Girls Moments.

For those of you who are Gilmore Girl fans…. have you heard the news? Netflix is reviving the series! Hallelujah!!

Honestly, I could not be happier. I need to know the fate of my favourite ladies because the series ended on both a high note and a frustrating need to know more. I am now re watching the entirety of the series to remind myself why I love that quaint little town of Stars Hollow and so it only made sense that for my Just For Fun Thursday, I share with you my favourite moments.

For those who have not watched the series, I’m sorry this post may not be for you, but if you’re going to read on, there are spoilers ahead!

Number 10 – “Big success tonight.”

For the majority of the run of Gilmore Girls, Lorelai and Emily seem to relearning how to be

mother and daughter again, how to actually get along. It takes time and effort on both parts and there are a lot of frustrating moment in between. But rarely, you see the two of them acting as mother and daughter should, see how much they do love each other. I could have chosen a lot of different moments, but I chose the following because I think it actually symbolises what I was trying to say.

It’s the fall fashion runway charity event for Rory’s school and Lorelai has offered up her services. Teamed with Emily, they are asked to model a mother/daughter outfit. Initially, Lorelai is reluctant to join in the festivities but as their moment continues, those barriers break and the two of them actually have fun together. So goes their relationship quite often.

Fall Fashion Extravaganza

Number Nine – “I’m here Jess, I’m always here.”

When Luke’s nephew comes to stay with him, he quickly establishes himself as the town’s bad guy. Sullen, with a chip on his shoulder, Jess made it a point not to make friends with anyone and alienate as many people as he could. He succeeded. After a series of events, Luke reluctantly shipped Jess off after months of trying to help. Jess disappeared for a while before eventually coming back into the series for his mothers wedding. Still has sullen as ever, he had appeared to grow up a little and by the time the series ended, he was a successful young man having published his own book and gotten his life on track.

He tributes his success partly to Luke. It’s the following moment that I believe was a turning point for Jess. And him thanking Luke makes my number Eight.

Jess thanks Luke

Number Eight – Once Luke Danes is in your life, he’s in your life forever.

Luke and Lorelai have broken up. Lorelai is now married to Rory’s father, Christopher. The fragile friendship Luke and Lorelai are starting to build again is put to the test when Lorelai is asked to write a character reference for Luke for a custody battle over his daughter. What she writes comes from the heart, it is beautiful, touching and really highlights just how much she values Luke as a person. Love it.

Luke’s character reference

Number Seven – “We wrote a hit song!”

Lane Kim was Rory’s best friend and the daughter of a very strict, very proud Korean woman. Mrs Kim raised Lane to be a devout Christian and although she meant well, it often pushed Lane away. When Lane moved out of her family home to become a drummer in a band, she falls in love with fellow band mate, Zach. Fast forward a little and the two have become engaged – without telling Mrs Kim. For a woman who has made it her mission to find her daughter a suitable Korean boy, she was surprisingly supportive when Zach told her he wanted to marry Lane. She gave her blessing as long as he could prove he could provide for Lane. Equipped with statements from his bank manager and his boss, Zach is confident he’s proven himself worthy. Mrs Kim refuses him on account of him not following his passion – music. For someone who has tried so hard to stamp out the part of Lane that loves rock and roll, she sits down with Zach and helps him write a hit song. I love this moment because despite being such a hard ass, it really shows that in the end, Mrs Kim only wanted the best for Lane.

Hep Alien’s greatest moments (including described scene at 2:05)

Number Six – “You jump, I Jump, Jack.”

When Rory met Logan, she took an instant dislike for him. This soon turned to intrigue when she uncovered Yale’s mysterious secret society, The Life and Death Brigade. Having done her research like any good journalist, she realised the history of the society dated back throughout different generations of Logan’s family. Deciding to do an expose, she is eventually invited by Logan to one of the events. Each event always has a ‘big stunt’ and this time, Rory is involved.

The reason I like this scene and the reason I like Logan as a partner for Rory is he always encouraged her to try new things, to step outside her comfort zone. There’s a lot of arguing and debating among fans over the best guy for Rory and while a lot of people dislike Logan, I dunno… I’d pick him over Dean.

“You jump, I jump Jack.”

Number Five – “For tonight, my name is Bill.”

Emily and Richard. Sigh. They may be frustratingly irritating at times, but there is no denying their love for each other. When Richard had angina, Emily demanded she got to ‘go’ first, implying she couldn’t cope without him. In their brief separation, Emily tried dating and afterwards when she was finally alone you could see how much it hurt her. It wasn’t long before the two reconciled and renewed their vow. Richard makes a toast before their first dance, recalling a memory from when Lorelai was younger and Emily had teased him about a song. It is one of my favourite moments of theirs and my number five.

“For tonight, my name is Bill.”

Number Four – “Not crying.” “Crying a little.”

Rory is graduating from highschool and is named valedictorian for her class. Although initially bugged that she had to write yet another speech, when she takes the podium she speaks with all the grace and poise we have come to know from her. While also making our hearts ache. With a beautiful tribute to both her grandparents and mother, she reminds us all just how much her family inspires and motivates her.

“I don’t know if she ever realised the person I most wanted to be, was her.”

Number Three – “It takes a remarkable person to inspire all this…”

Lorelai has never had a particularly strong bond with her parents. So any time that she has a ‘moment’ with them, my heart aches a little. Because underneath all the sarcasm and bitterness, these people really do love each other. In this particular scene Richard expresses exactly how he feels about his daughter in a way we have only briefly touched upon in previous episodes. Given that this was the final episode, it was made that much more tear inducing.

Richard’s pride for his daughter (and bonus speech from Rory)

Number Two – I Will Always Love You.

It’s karaoke night in Stars Hollow. Patty and Babette and jonesing for the win when Lorelai steps up to the mic. Singing for Rory, she breaks into a rendition of I Will Always Love You, inspired by Dolly Parton. Clearly not taking herself very seriously, it is only when Luke walks in that the tone of the song changes. From a silly dedication to her daughter, to a heartfelt message to the man she loves, it never fails to bring me to tears.

It doesn’t hurt that Lauren Graham actually has a pretty good voice too!

I Will Always Love You.

Number One – “I’m in, I am all in.”

Luke. Lorelai, it has been an emotional journey. You are possibly one of my favourite TV couples which is why you made it to the two top spots.

For fans of the series, it is no secret that Luke has pinned for Lorelai. Every one in town knows it, people who have just met them know it, we as viewers know it. The only person who seems oblivious is the leading lady herself. Although there is undeniably chemistry, Lorelai seems completely blind to the fact Luke is nuts about her, or at least reluctant to admit it.

From the first moment we see them on screen together with her begging him for a cup of coffee, I have loved these two. But it is this moment that myself and possibly many others became hardcore ‘shippers’.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Horoscope.

So there you have it, my personal list of top Gilmore Girls moments. A few honorary mentions that are still favourites but didn’t make the cut:

Any moment between Jackson and Sookie

Luke staying up all night to build a tent for the Gilmore Girls. (Honestly, most of my actual top 10 moments are Luke and Lorelai moments but I contained myself)

Lane dying her hair purple to go against her mother, then freaking out and immediately changing back.

The first and last scene.

I’d love to hear about some of your favourite moments too!

Until next time,

Lisa x

Earlier this week, we were shocked and saddened by the tragic news that the world had lost one of it’s greats, the immeasurably talented David Bowie. I debated about posting a tribute to him on my blog but figured I could never do him justice and so shared my grief on my Facebook author page.

A few hours ago, I heard the news that has shocked and saddened me beyond belief.

The tragic passing of another legend and gift to the world, Alan Rickman.

As a child he was my perfect Severus Snape (and as an adult too) and now I’m all grown up, I have come to respect and admire him for the wonderfully talented person he was.

I wish I could say more, write something beautiful and fitting for both men but I find myself much too saddened.

So, instead, I say RIP to both Alan and David, and my thoughts and prayers are with their families at this devastating time.

Until next time,

Lisa

The Blurb for my WIP , One Fine Deity is todays WIP Wednesday. The image of the Greek God Dionysus was taken at the Museum of Scotland where the inspiration for this story came.

I hope you all enjoy.

Once worshipped and adored by his followers, Greek god Dionysus now finds himself in the modern world, where the Olympians are nothing more than a distant memory. With his powers diminished and his worshippers gone, the god of wine and ecstasy wanders throughout the mortal world, craving the attention of… well, anyone.

After successfully acquiring her dream job of museum curator, Ivy is constantly surrounded by artefacts that speak of exciting tales spanning the ages. But the young custodian of these relics stumbles across something she shouldn’t have, something that has remained hidden for centuries without number. Without realising it Ivy has put her life, her very existence, in the gravest of perils. Years ago, a chance meeting brought Dionysus and a school age Ivy together. Their fragile friendship, built upon each others insecurities, lasted until Ivy’s high school years. The needy Dionysus was unable to compete with boys, parties and all manner of teenage angst. The friendship faltered, and the two drifted far apart.

But now Ivy needs Dionysus more then ever.

Can the god put aside his misgivings to come to her aid and help her solve the mystery and in the process, save her life?

Until next time,

Lisa x

Challenge 27: Write a story about a romance beginning, or a romance ending.

As part of short story. I am revisiting the 30 Day Writing Challenge. Not sticking to any particular order, I’m going to write just as inspiration hits. Earlier today I was shopping and while waiting for the bus stop, cold reddened hands gripping on to my shopping bags, I watched an exchange between two people. It wasn’t anything particularly exciting, nor did it have the makings of juicy gossip. Just a reuniting of old friends, I presume. In any case, as I was looking through the challenges I had left to write, the beginning of a romance made me think of the exchange I had witnessed.

So here it is in fictional form.

I hope you enjoy.

A Chance Encounter.

In all my many years, I have been witness to all manner of emotional exchanges. In my youth, I watched as my parents grew apart and eventually fell out of love. Their parting was amicable, they remained friends, but the way they now interacted was new territory. In my mid teens, whilst at a birthday meal, I was in awe as a young man declared his love for the woman he was dining with, dropping to one knee and asking her to be his bride. It had filled my heart with warmth, only for it to be extinguished on the ride home when our car was forced to stop as a very public argument spilled out into the road.

In my mid twenties, my grandfather died and I was introduced to the raw grief one can feel at the loss of a loved one. My mothers eyes had remained empty and emotionless in the weeks that had followed and my own heart felt hollow. The following year I met and fell in love with my husband and shortly after we welcomed our daughter in to the world. In that moment I felt the strongest emotion of all. Unconditional love and devotion in a way I had never experienced before. It was awe-inspiring, heart achingly sweet and all consuming.

I watched my raven haired beauty grow and flourish, until somehow the years had flown by and she was a woman making her own way in the world. In that time, though I hadn’t noticed at the time, I had become an old woman with a lifetime of memories and emotions under my belt.

Each one was mapped on my face as I looked in the mirror each day, the lines on my face a journey of my life. The crinkles at the corner of my eyes were the times I had laughed, shared joy with my husband and daughter. The wrinkled bags under my eyes told of the sleepless nights after the loss of my parents when the world had seemed a darker place. The worry lines of my forehead were in thanks to my daughter and the illness that had plagued her as a child. They were the constant financial troubles, the uncertainty of the future and the evidence of family life.

When one gets older,, the inevitability of death becomes a much more daunting prospect. It had only been a year since I had lost my husband and I expected I would follow him soon after. There is no cure for a broken heart after all and the desire to be with him once more outweighed the the ability I had to live. However, I was not brave enough to leave on my own terms and so I stayed I watched. With all the uncertainty about life after death, it was comforting to know that life would continue after I left this world.

But this is not my story.

I arrived at the bus stop much too early, the appointment with the doctor having taken less time than expected. Across the road, the inviting smell of the coffee shop met my nose, carried towards me by the wind that battered my body. The cold had been biting into my fingers despite the thick gloves that covered them and while the coffee shop beckoned me with warmth and comfort, I knew my legs would never make the short journey.

I took shelter in the bus shelter and while the cold was not beaten, I at least had protection from the harsh winds. I glanced at the empty space on the bench, watched as others shuffled along to make more room and I grimaced. Although the idea of sitting was appealing to my aching limbs, the prospect of the cold metal against my rear gave me pause for thought. However the need to take the weight off my legs outweighed my objections and with thanks to the others, I took a seat.

Immediately I wish I hadn’t. The cold spread from my buttocks down my legs causing each ache and pain to increase in intensity. This wasn’t the relief I had been seeking but it was a momentary discomfort as my body either became accustomed to the temperature or simply went numb. I couldn’t tell which.

As I settled in for my long wait, I glanced longingly at the coffee shop once more, consoling myself with the idea of a warm tea once I got home. Perhaps I’d even treat myself to a bourbon biscuit, though I could already see my doctor shaking his head in disapproval.

Beside me, a lady of my age shivered and pulled her coat further around her small frame. Despite my own discomfort, I was ready to offer my own coat to her as added protection. However, being an old lady myself, I knew that we were tougher than we looked and even as the words formed on my lips, I bit them back. It wouldn’t have mattered anyway, her bus came moments later and she was soon settled and protected by it’s warmth.

Her seat was replaced by a much younger woman pushing a pram in front of her. Though her eyes were glued to her phone, her perfectly manicured nails racing across the screen, she manoeuvred the pram like a pro.

Unable to resists, as we old ladies are apt, I peeked inside to gaze at the sleeping beauty laid there. Perfectly content and protected from the elements, she slept peacefully apparently unconcerned with her mother smacking a piece of gum between her lips. I, on the other hand, found the noise rather irritating. I had just opened my mouth to say something when another bus, unfortunately not my own, pulled up. A young woman stepped off with a shriek, joined by the woman beside me. The noise was enough to hurt even my aged ear drums and it was with a relieved sigh from me that they walked off together. Somehow, Sleeping Beauty still slept soundly.

Behind the shrieking girl was a young man who looked to be pushing thirty. As he departed the bus, he looked around and grimaced no doubt as unhappy with the weather as I. He reluctantly began to move before doing a double take, glancing back to the far end of the bus shelter. I followed his gaze to the pretty girl leaning against the wall of the shelter. Ignoring the disgruntled noises from his fellow passengers behind him, he changed directions and approached the girl.

Curiously, I watched as he lightly touched her shoulder, noting the nervous chuckle as he apologised for startling her.

“Are you Melanie Crossbird?” I heard him ask, noting his grin as she nodded. Unfortunately as the bus rumbled back into life, I missed his following sentence, his low tones drowned out by the noise of the vehicle. But as her eyes widened in recognition, I guessed they were old friends, perhaps from school. She tucked her hair behind her ear and gave him a tentative smile.

Not wanting to pry on their moment, I dragged my eyes away and looked down at my watch. Although it had seemed time had stood still, the bus I had been waiting for was drawing ever closer. I thought back to the warm beverage waiting for me but found it was no longer holding my attention. Instead, my eyes were drawn back to the couple at the end of the shelter.

Now exchanging phone numbers, I caught the light blush on her cheeks and the excitement in her eyes. Her expression was one of both awe and affection and I felt warmth spread through my cold body.

I had seen that look before. In the earlier days of my parents marriage, before things had started to go wrong, it was a look my mother often gave my father. It was the same expression my daughter had upon bringing her boyfriend home for the first time and I was sure it was the same way I gazed at my dearest husband.

It was the look you gave a person when your soul recognised it’s counterpart in an other. As I watched, the young lady glanced down at her watch and chewed her lip before nodding. I guessed that she was putting off previous engagements to spend more time with the man she had been reunited with.

As the walked off together, their arms brushing against one another, my bus finally pulled up. I forced myself to stand, ignoring the protests from my limbs and clambered on to the bus. As I settled myself in the seat, I looked over to the coffee shop and caught my last sight of them. He held the door open for her like a perfect gentleman. As the bus started moving, they became lost in the sea of people crowded for a cuppa. Despite the warmth that still lingered in my heart, by the time I arrived home I had forgotten them, more concerned with the promise of a cup of tea and bourbon biscuit.

Until next time,

Lisa x

In 1964, after 5 years of construction, the Verrazano Bridge was completed and Staten Island became the fifth borough of New York. Before then, the island mainly consisted of farmlands and dense woods. With its sparse population and a huge amount of unused space, the island became a popular dumping ground. Indeed, it boasted of the largest garbage dump and supposedly this was taken advantage of by mobsters who disposed of items of a more… sensitive nature. Staten Island was where you went to fulfil bad ideas.

Around the borders of Greenbelt forest, which is situated in the center of the island, boy scouts gathered around camp fires to listen to the the tales of Crospey. An urban legend told in whispered tones up and down the Hudson Valley, Crospey was a cautionary tale. Supposedly a crazed doctor disfigured long ago in a camp prank gone wrong, he lurked in the trees of the forests with his bloody axe to snatch up wandering children to take his revenge!

As with most legends, the details varied from each camp site. In some stories he was a doctor, in others a judge. Some say he wielded an axe, while others swore he had a hook for a hand. In all the legends though, he lived in the basement of an abandoned mental asylum.

Sea View hospital was huge collection of buildings. With a morgue and it’s own cemetery, special wards for contagious diseases and even a tuberculosis ward, there was plenty of reason to believe Crospey was haunting the area. But it was Willow Bank State School that was at the heart of most stories.

Strictly for those with mental illnesses, Willow Bank was in dire conditions. In 1972, Dr Michael Wilkins reached out to a journalist to expose Willow Bank for what it was. In a frank expose, the journalist uncovered all manner of problems. In building six, there was one attending for every 50 children. So it was no surprise that upon entering the building, the journalist found everything just a bit unsettling. Children were found laying naked in their own faeces, rocking back and forth. They cried out mournfully all at once, some louder than others. The journalist reported that the place smelled of filth, disease and death. One person even went as far to say that the building wasn’t a school at all but a ‘dark place to throw children who aren’t pretty to look at.’

Even after the very shocking expose, it took a further 10 years for the place to be shut down. While some patients were transferred to various homes, others were left to fend for themselves. In their confusion, and looking for familiarity, some found their way back to the abandoned buildings of Willow Brook, making homes for themselves in the tunnel system below.

At this point, Crospey was just a legend, a story camp leaders used to scare children, an idea that worried parents utilised to keep their children out of harms way. And with the history of the place, it is easy to see why it was so believable.

It was only after children began to go missing that the legend became a reality people were forced to believe in.

In 1987, Jennifer Schweiger disappeared from outside her family home. Witnesses report seeing her walking with lead suspect, Andre Rand. After a 35 day search, her body was found in a shallow grave around the Willow Brook area by members of the search group ‘friends of Jennifer’, founded by Donna Cutungo. Rand was arrested and eventually charged with kidnapping, receiving 25 years to life in prison. Interestingly, the judge ruling his case was forced to drop any murder charges against him as there was no physical evidence linking him to any murder, only eye witness accounts, which do not hold up in court very often.

However, this was not Rand’s first offence against children, he had a previous arrest for suspected sexual assault on a 9 year old girl and had also abducted a bus full of eleven children who had been hanging around the local YMCA. He took them to Newark Airport, fed them a meal and then to Willow Brook park for no apparent reason. One of the boys on the bus, Thomas Jenkins suggests that Rand had been ‘attempting something he couldn’t accomplish…’ in kidnapping the children and knowing he could not get away with it, had returned them without injury. However, Thomas also suggests it gave Rand the idea to ‘work on his prey’.

With Rand’s incarceration, and his previous incident involving young children, cold cases of missing children were opened back up. Alice Pereiva was fifteen when she went missing in 1972, fifteen years before Jennifer. She was followed by Holly Ann Hughes (7) in ’81, Tiahease Jackson (10) in ’83 and Hank Gafforio (21) in ’84. Although there was no evidence to suggest Rand had any part in their disappearances, he was linked to each of the missing children.

Rand’s aunt lived in the same building as Holly and on the same day Rand was visiting, Holly disappeared, never to be seen again. Hank was reported to have been in a diner with Rand before his disappearance, and his brother swears on Rand’s guilt. Rand was the maintenance man in the building where Alice lived with her mother and Tiahease had been left by her brother talking to a man fitting Rand’s description on the day of her disappearance. It is also interesting to note that all of the missing children either had, or were closely related to someone with mental disabilities. While Jennifer had Down Syndrome, Hank was slow and had the IQ equivalent to a 15 year old. Alice’s mother suffered with MS and Tiahease had learning difficulties. The only exception seemed to be Holly. It was revealed by his sister in the 2009 documentary ‘Crospey’ that Rand’s mother was institutionalised .

A previous minister who housed Rand before his trial for the murder of Jennifer Schweiger had said of Rand that he was possessed and demonised. The minister also reports that Rand had told him personally that he had taken Jennifer because he believed she was unwanted and mentally handicapped people shouldn’t be alive. He believed it was his mission to cleanse the world of imperfect children.

Aside from Jennifer, the bodies of the children were never found. However, in 2004, four years before his original release from prison, Andre Rand was convicted for the kidnap of Holly Ann Hughes and given 25 to life. He will be eligible for release in 2037, when he is in his nineties.

There are a lot of elements to the five missing children cases that have never been proven nor disproved. Those that knew Rand suggest he was framed or at least had accomplices. There are rumors that he was involved in necrophilia and that his tunnel dwelling friends also benefited from his strange perversions. A letter written to Jennifer’s mother also detailed that the children were being sacrificed in satanic rituals. The letter suggested that Rand never committed any of the murders, but he did play his part in the sacrifices.

The only person who knows the absolute truth is Rand himself who refuses to talk to anyone who approaches him for interviews. Though he has been pleaded with to at least give up the location of the bodies so families can have proper burials for their loved ones, he is keeping quiet. However, in response to a question about the residents of Staten Island, he was recorded saying they were all guilty of slander and propaganda.

Andre Rand became the real story behind the legend of Crospey and is this weeks story of interest. My heart goes out to all those affected by Andre Rand and I hope that one day you will all find the answers you’re looking for.

Until next time,

Lisa x

Sources.

2009 documentary film, Crospey by Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio.

Wiki Page – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andre_Rand

http://cropseylegend.com/urban-legends

Well, it happened. The master plan that I had for this weeks blog went tits up when I decided to fall asleep at my keyboard on Monday night. Since then I have been playing catch up with myself and failing miserably. Who knew housework and you know, parenthood, would take up so much time!

Anyway, I’m chalking this week up to a false start. It happens. All the greatest athlete’s have experienced it, that moment when you’re so ready you leap forward before it’s time. That is what’s happened here, I was so preoccupied with the whole “Hey it’s New Year, better make a change!” bullshit mentality I get myself into, that I leaped before the whistle was blown.

And I’m not entirely sure that made any sense.

However!

I have been hard at work the last couple of days writing up next weeks posts in advance (Why did I never think of such a simple organisational tool before?! Preparation, who’d have thought it?) and it occurred to me, I never did explain what was happening on this blog. Which I was supposed to do at the beginning of the year. Naughty me.

So consider this my apology and my introduction of things to come.

Mondays.

Mondays have suddenly become my favourite day in the world. “Why?” I hear you ask in shocked tones (oh yes, I can hear the tones of your reading!). Well I’ll tell you. Mondays will now be known as Inspiration Mondays. The beginning of the week is always sluggish, alarms going off in the morning after a weekend of unwinding is never a pleasant experience. And personally for me, I struggle too form coherent thoughts, never mind being creative or whatever.

And so, Inspiration Mondays are born. Each week, I will post a something of interest. Could be a story from years ago, could be something in the newspaper I’ve seen. One week I may go into detail about the origins of Vampire lore, the next I may write about serial killers. Whatever piques my interest and hopefully yours too.

The aim of Inspiration Mondays is to hopefully share something that sparks the imagination in some way. For example, next weeks post (already written up by the way, go me!) is about a serial killer in the 80s. The content is a little hard to swallow, but the writer in me saw the potential for a crime novel or a horror story. It doesn’t mean I will now go and write a book based on this particular situation, but the events, however upsetting, could inspire a new character etc.

You get my point.

Tuesdays.

Continuing on from the 30 day writing challenge back in December, I’m keeping the short story element to my blog. For the first few weeks I’ll probably post the continuation of the challenges and then use writing prompts to come up with further short stories after that.

However, I will try and stick to the rule of writing a complete story in a day. I loved the challenge of it all and I work better with deadlines. Also, I honestly think that if I allow myself longer than a day, (which I swear will only happen on the rarest of occasions.) I’m just not going to get anything else done. And as well as keeping up with this blog, I have plenty of WIPs I need to work on!

Wednesdays.

Talking of WIPs… Wednesdays are now dedicated to just that. I’ll post short extracts from current projects or explain some of the background of where the ideas came from.

Closer to release, I’ll most probably use this day for cover reveals. Basically anything related to WIPs will be posted on Wednesdays unless there’s a special event on the blog. (More about that later.)

Thursdays.

We’ve hit midweek, hurrah! (Of course I’m talking about a seven day week here.) On Thursdays we’re going to have a midweek break. A little down time. The posts will be more relaxed and just for fun. We could have my top 10 authors one week and a review of an awesome game the next. It’s going to be a wild ride of unpredictability and so not to be taken seriously.

Fridays.

Nearly the weekend! Friday’s are the ones I am looking forward to the most, I think. Although I’m pretty sure I just said that about Mondays. Ah well, I’m a fickle person.

Friday’s are dedicated to my web series. The first one I’ll be kicking off with is End of Days. A story set in the Zombie apocalypse. Each week they’ll be a new installment until its completion, whenever that may be and then I’ll start of something else. Oh it’s such fun actually knowing what I’m doing!

Saturdays.

Selfie Saturdays. Okay before you all start groaning and clicking off my page, STOP!! Don’t worry, I’m not going to be spamming you with selfies of myself every week. Or barely ever, really.

Selfie Saturday is more so I can share a little bit of my life with you all. It’s not a particularly exciting life, but hey, I like connecting. This weeks post is already being written in my head as I write this, (hey I can multi task with the best of them!) and it concerns my journey to quit smoking…. again. But more on that later. It’s a more personal day where I will most likely rant about something that has happened in the week, which will hopefully entertain you while I rip out my hair in frustration.

Sundays.

Ah Sunday. End of the week. One step closer to Monday (yay!). Sunday’s are just a short post summing up the week, giving you a heads up for whats coming next time and… well, just that really.

Although each of these things will happen each week, I am going to try to put more content on my blog. If I happen to read a really good book, I’m going to write a post to recommend it to you all and it could be posted whenever. When the release dates of my books get closer, there will also be more posts on top of the daily blog including competitions, release dates and details etc.

I’m hoping that I can turn this blog into something I can be actually proud of instead of the train wreck it became in my hiatus.

Anyway, I think that’s everything. I’ve wittered on for long enough and I’m out of coffee. So…

Until next time,

Lisa x

The beginning of 2016 has been an interesting one for me. For one, I haven’t been home and my sister commandeered my laptop to binge watch Supernatural. And I won’t lie, I joined her in the watching. However, that meant my laptop was hooked up to a tv set and not on my lap. But never mind. I got stuff done the old fashioned way – pen and paper!

Wahey.

Anyway, I think I finally have myself all organised for my blog and so on and I have to admit, I’m kinda excited.

First, a note. I know a lot of people say new year new, new me. But that’s not me, I’m still going to be the same old person, just hopefully more organised and motivated. A new year is always an incentive for self improvement and I am such a stickler for new starts. Be that a new week, new month etc. So despite the new year having been and gone, a new week is here and now so am I. And I am rambling.

Anyway! This was just a short post to say I’m back, it was supposed to be posted yesterday, but as previously mentioned, my laptop was stolen. I’ll be posting again in a short while with today’s post.

It’s all go people!

Until next time,

Lisa x