Hello fellow Big Closeteers,

my last story didn't turn out as well as I would have liked. Would like to figure out why I'm regressing in my storytelling ...

I don't know exactly when it is that I gave up, but it seems very difficult to find that will to fight that I once had. It has cost me greatly: it has cost me health, freedom, and happiness.

Well, here I am once more able to read stories on BC/Top Shelf. I have been out of the country "many moons", as some of my ancestors might say. I was not in a position to be able to use my own laptop(not allowed, plus no signal strength where I was located), and I sure as heck was not going to be using a government one, except for my official duties. Since the Manning and Snowden "show", personal use is highly frowned on.

It has been brought to my attention that Pope Francis is considering appointing the Irish theological scholar Linda Hogan as the first woman cardinal of the Catholic church. I wonder if he got the idea from the story I posted here many years ago.

Melissa Tawn

I went a little hog-wild whilst writing my latest work, Battle for Earth and in addition to the usual cover images I went a bit further and created 16 character portraits to accompany the story. These aren't something that I've hand-drawn, but rather composite photos which have been extensively edited to create unique images that resemble cut out portraits. Some of them, particularly the ones I made of Duvak, Vakrexid, and Velspatt (the alien characters) were quite difficult to produce, but some of the others took less than an hour each to produce.

As I promised in my last blog I posted my emotional story 'Brother's Request' last week. I knew that story was a real tearjerker and thought for a second story I'd post something a bit lighter and sentimental. I think 'Mystic Godfather' fills that role pretty well.

Hey folks just a quick word of apology. I was hoping to have the regular chapter of Twice Removed done on Monday and work well underway for the new chapter of Alex in Wonderland and Copycat's story in the Hyperverse. Sadly I've been stuck in bed sick since Sunday and it's taking me a while to feel up to moving, let alone writing or even thinking creatively. I do have the new chapter of Syryn's Song half finished but alas it too will have to wait until I'm feeling better. I don't want to try to right anything while I'm sick and do a half-assed job at it, my readers deserve better than that.

Had a funny moment yesterday getting an oil change for my car. I was waiting in the lounge when a guy came in with a clipboard containing paperwork and a set of keys. He saw me, and continued to look around the lounge, and realizing I was the only one there he looked rather confused.

Finally, I said to him, "Is that for my car?" He looked at me, looked at his sheet and asked tentatively "T...Todd?" I smiled and nodded and he gave me the keys.

It seems clear to me that he saw me as a woman to the point he couldn't believe my male name belongs to me.

Wrote a little belated happy-birthday story for Drea, and its up now.

Huggles, Tante!

Hi everyone

This is for those few who still like the old fashioned way of reading - PAPER BOOKS

I have just published two more of my existing novels as paperbacks through FEEDAREAD.COM