Happy Independence Day!

It's been a busy summer with releasing a free short story on my website and a Twin Release of two poetry books on Amazon. But there's more to come.

Keep an eye on Twitter (@CassandraUlric1) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/CassandraUlrichAuthor) for mid-summer deals.

Here's to celebrating Indie (Writers, Movie makers, and the like) Independence!

Cover Reveal and Twin Release

So, chock it up to grieving process (a close friend is being laid to rest today), I inadvertently released my two poetry books in print on Amazon today. (There goes my nicely planned out schedule of Cover Reveal on 6/27/16 with Releases on 7/4/16.) The Kindle version is on its way. I think she would have liked that two books about Encouragement and Love got released the day of her funeral. She was never much for staying sad, always on to the next thing.

Hope you enjoy the poems which are deep-rooted in Love, Friendship, Faith, and God. Please do leave reviews.

Thanks, Karen, for the fun times we shared together.

First Day of Summer Short Story Release

Friends for Life

Adelle leaned over the side table, the one with wadded up paper stuffed under one of the legs shoved up against the mauve wall, and stared at the name on her cell.

Brandon.

She picked up the phone and swiped to answer.

“Hi.”

“Jenny broke up with me. Can I come over?”

She glanced up at a photo they took at Coney Island when they were both twelve, the day they hooked pinkies.

Friends for life.

“Sure.”

“Uh, did I wake you?”

“No, it’s cool. I’m up.”

“Thanks. Be there soon.”

She lost count of the number of times he’d called to request some moral support, but he’d had three breakups to her zero. Heck, she’d never dated anyone.

Yeah, friends for life. Then hugs and giggles.

Not even ten minutes had passed before a knock echoed through the door.  She urged her feet across the plush, dull-brown carpet. Her toes pinched softness with each step. She sighed when her fingers wrapped around the knob. With a quick look in the mirror hung next to the door, she smoothed down a few flyaway, ebony strands. She sighed again and tugged at the knob. His musky scent wafted up her nose and into a place of deep longing.

“You sure this is okay?” he asked. Eyes red from crying set in a face worn from grief pierced her heart.

“Yeah, come in.” She led him to the sofa and sat Indian-style.

He plopped down on one leg bent at the knee, the other leg stretched out on the floor toward her. His frown gnawed at her.

“So what happened?” she asked.

“I wasn’t paying enough attention. ‘Aloof’ and ‘lacking romance’ are the words she used. Why can’t I keep a girlfriend?”

The response froze in her throat. His question had to be rhetorical. She stared at his mouth as he kept talking, but barely comprehended a word. Her reluctance to look away was unwarranted. She’d memorized his lips enough to sketch them in her drawing pad over a dozen times. Two determined blinks brought her back to the present.

“How’s your mom?” he asked.

She gulped. “She’s fine. She and Gus are thinking about getting married. And your mom?” No way did she want to dwell on the inevitability of getting a stepfather. It had been two years since Dad died, but Adelle wasn’t ready. However, that wasn’t what bugged her. Even her mom found someone.

“She’s good. We’re talking again,” he said and smiled.

Painful memories lingered. When both moms divorced their fathers twelve years ago, she and Brandon were thrust into separate cities with their dads. That summer promise survived written letters and phone calls. Their decision to live in San Francisco for the past two years reconnected them and pulled them apart at the same time. Brandon found girls to love. She had sketches of his lips.

“Thanks for being here whenever I call.”

“What are friends for, huh?” She paused, attempting to smile. His gaze unsettled her. 

***

What do you think so far? Do you wish there was more? What do you think happens next? (Don't give away the ending if you've already read on my website. Just write the PG-13 adjective that best describes it.)

Please leave your comments below.

To read how it ends, click here.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Cover hiccups

Why should I be surprised that I'd have some difficulty creating the cover for the second of two soon-to-be-released poetry books. The first one (about friendship)...uploaded without a hitch. The second (about love)...first the dpi isn't high enough for the design I want...then the server it's being uploaded to has issues (you know it's bad when the message "Uh Oh!" is displayed)...and finally, a new day with a fresh reboot was met with a "still working" circle turning around and around and around. Ugh! (Labor of love, all right.) Now that the upload is complete, it remains to be seen whether the review team will give a thumbs up to the files.

Stay tuned as I journey towards this twin release.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

In addition to taking the time to remember the sacrifice of men and women is service to their country on this Memorial Day (USA), I spent some time proof-reading through poetry written eons ago. Memories of past friendships, heartaches, and determination flooded my mind, rehashing emotions I'd pushed aside. The age at which I wrote some of this stuff shocked me. Amazingly enough, I actually made it through two poetry books I hope to release this summer with cover reveals not too long in coming. I'm considering a twin release. What do you think?

More details to follow. 

Mddle School Student Review of "Buddy" by M.H. Herlong

A very Sad Story.

          “Buddy” was a very sad story about a boy who lost his dog in hurricane Katrina. And When the boy got a new dog he always tried to get Buddy (The old dog) back. Will he ever get his dog back?

          I don’t really like this book because it is a sad story through out. This book is riddled with things happening to one family. I would not recommend this book to people who want a fun read.

Tai, 7th Grade 

Battle in the Mind of an Author

[Disclaimer: This scene merely represents reality and is not an exact replay of what occurred.]

(Author is writing scene for the first time with a male and female character.)

He kissed her. After a few moments, she pulled away.

“No. I can’t do this,” she said.

He frowned. “Why?”

(Author pauses her typing.)

Female character: I don’t know.

Male character: You don’t know? We were just making out and you don’t know why you stopped me?

Female character: She hasn’t written that yet.

Male character: What? Who? What are you talking about?

Female character: The author. She hasn’t written my history yet, so I don’t know why I can’t do this with you.

Male character to author: Why doesn’t she know?

(Author raises her brow.)

Author: Well, she hasn’t lived it yet.

Male character: Well, hurry up and write it ‘cause I’m dying here.

Author: You don’t understand.  I can only write what you do.

Male character: I thought writers created the world their characters live in, like with outlines and stuff.

Author: Some authors do.

Male character: (shakes head)  What kind of author are you?

Author: Panster.

Male character: A what?

Author: I write what you guys live out in my head. When I get stuck, like now, then I go back, do some research, listen to music, or whatever else inspires me to think up a history. For now, I’m just riding along wherever you take me.

Male character: You’ve got to be kidding me. So, I have to wait until you’re inspired before I can be with her?

Author: Well, uh, not exactly. She gets to decide whether you can be with her, and right now, she doesn’t want to, so…

Male character to female character: Is that true? I thought we had something here.

Female character: We do. I totally enjoy being with you, but I don’t want to do this right now. I just don’t know why yet. Maybe it has something to do with my ex.

Male character: What the-?

Author: Keep in clean. I got young eyes reading this too.

Male character: (takes deep breath) Fine. I’ll wait, but don’t take too long. I’m on fire here.

Author: Um. Will see. Can you do me a favor?

Male character: What?

Author: Could you stay out of my head so I can, you know, work, take care of my family, and stuff? I got things to do.

Male character: Ha! No guarantees here. I’m eager to get going, and I’ve already waited three years to see where this goes.

Author: My brain. My rules.

Male character: (sighs) I’ll do my best. Better not mess with the writer, huh?

Author: Don’t worry. I won’t write you out of the story. I like you too much. I just need time to think this out, okay?

Male character: Okay.

Author: So, what should I write next?

Male character: Well, I’m frustrated, so I’m going to sleep on the couch. Write that.

Author to female character: And you?

Female character: I’m going to have me a good cry because I really hurt him.

Author: Got it.

(Author commences typing and ends scene with...)

“Fine. I’ll sleep on the couch.” He opened the door and stepped out.

Right when he shut the door, tears streamed down her cheeks.

(Author saves file and walks away. She needs some time to recover from this battle. Problem is, the war is far from over. The song “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley comes to mind.)

Happy New Year! 2016 is here!

Didn't 2015 just start? It's crazy how fast time seems to move along. I'm glad to embark on a new year, though. 2015, a year filled with positive changes, was also dotted with painful farewells. I said good bye to one writers group and attended another, changed career direction, and quit a choir I've been a part of for over a decade. None of these were easy decisions and with those changes, I risked friendships, most of which have survived. There were even times I considered quitting this writing career, but so many of my readers stepped in to encourage me to keep going. I'm doing just that, one day at a time. I'm pushing past the negativity I've encountered both internally and externally, so I can embrace more. More what? Well, that's what starting a new year will show me, day by day, and I'm looking forward to it. So, whatever challenges you're facing, don't give up. I've learned that sometimes the bigger prize is just over the other side of the rough-ridged mountaintop. Worse case scenario, I gain some wisdom via the painful process. For me, the prize was meeting a group of people so supportive, I think I'm in a beautiful dream. I know it's still possible to still encounter painful experiences, but I'm super grateful that there are more friends to help me through those times, and I can be there for them too. Happy New Year!