There must have been a thousand lights
At least that’s what it looked like to her
Mesmerized by the flames of the candles
Blending together, everything was a blur

With every flicker, she became more enrapt
Her eyes, focusing on the dancing yellow
Not hearing his footsteps come from behind
He caught her off guard, this quiet fellow

He smiled ever briefly, then tipped his hat
Explaining why he was there, that day
Lighting a candle, for his wife, who passed
He gently knelt on the altar, to pray

Feeling a strong connection to this stranger
He, a man, who surely loved his wife
She was compelled, to kneel down beside him
And contemplate her own fate, in the afterlife

December Writing Prompt – Transfixed by the lights, she never noticed he was there – Day 13/31

©2018 Dorinda Duclos All Rights Reserved
Photo via Pixabay CC0

Welcome to another of the Christmas book promotions and the next book is for those in your close circle who enjoy paranormal thrillers. Anita Dawes and Secrets.

About Secrets

SOME SECRETS WILL KILL YOU…
and some are about someone who is already dead.
A mother must find the truth before the secrets destroy her family…

One of the recent reviews for the book

I have had this book on my kindle for a while, but just found some spare time to pick it up. I read it over a day and it’s a really thought provoking book. The relationships between the child, Danny, and his invisible ‘friend’, kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next. The characters are really well written and although I have read other books by this author, they’ve all been completely different…

Since the purchase of my house, I’ve amassed more tools than I ever thought I would want or need.  I’ve got a good cordless drill, a decent set of drill bits, a socket set, screwdrivers of all sizes, pliers, hammers, channel locks, needle nose pliers, etc, etc.  The list goes on… and on.  

BUT when faced with a situation where the toolbox is not conveniently close at hand, the first thing I reach for is a table knife.  

This is the perfect Multi-Use Tool.  

I thought about this fact just this morning while using a knife to pry open a cardboard box.  The knife worked great and my fingernails are all still intact.  🙂

Think about it.  The table knife can be used in SO many instances!  

I’ve used the knife for a digging implement.  I’ve used one as a pry bar to…

In spite of the rainbow that had greeted our arrival in Cumbria, the skies looked none too promising as we gathered beneath the shelter of the park gate in Penrith. The chill winds of December had brought showers, but at least, for the first afternoon, there would be a little cover. We could only hope that the following day would bring better weather.  Not that rain would stop us. Since the downpour we had encountered in Scotland, we had accepted that rain was a natural benediction… a blessing and a cleansing beyond the gift of Man and, therefore, a perfect way to start a weekend of spiritual exploration.

We had chosen to begin at Penrith Castle, built between 1399 and 1470, probably on the site of a much earlier Roman encampment, as part of the defences against raiders from Scotland. Once thought to have been first built by William Strickland…

Hi gang, Craig here today. We rotate our Friday assignments, and today it’s my turn to share a book with all of you. So far, we’ve shared various novels that we’ve enjoyed, but that streak ends today.

Story Empire is all about helping other authors, and sharing what we know. One of us doesn’t know as much as all of us – that kind of thinking. This means that today I’m sharing a craft book with you guys.

Screenwriting Tips for Authors is not as widely known as some of the other texts out there, but it meant a lot to me. I found it after I’d written several trunk novels, and the timing was perfect. I still use some of the lessons I learned here to this day.

This is where I picked up storyboarding as being preferable to outlining. The author spends quite a bit of time showing…

I am broken before you
The pain of loss
Brings me to my knees
Your mercy and grace
Heal me

© 2018 Jason A. Muckley

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
– Psalm 51:17 (English Standard Version)

Welcome to the first of the Twelve Days of Christmas party where guests will share their best ever Christmas presents ever…and there will be food, drink and of course music and to get you into the spirit of the season.. here are some choristers with particular appeal..

I tried to remember the first Christmas that I was aware of as a child. I must have got the general idea of the concept of presents quite young as at age seven when we moved to Malta I began the practice of putting a pillowcase on the end of my bed from around mid-October…. I think this ticked my mother off somewhat because she sat me down at the beginning of December and told me that Father Christmas did not exist and that from now on I would have my presents around the tree like my two sisters who were in their…