Categories
Excerpts Fun Hops

Antique Vase #WEPFF Challenge featuring Even I Know #amwriting #flashfiction

Two White Teacups on Black Tray by Pixabay via Pexels.com

Even I Know

Silvia was the best, but even I know, the best things never last. I bet her funeral was lovely if the reception afterward was any indication. I was so pleased to be placed front and center as family and friends entered to sign the memory book. I didn’t much care to be filled with Styrofoam, but at least the silk Lilies were a nice touch. Many of the guests even rubbed my brass handles. I wondered how many of them thought they’d have a chance to take me home.

In the end, though, I was just as shocked as the rest of the family when Silvia bequeath me to her irreverent granddaughter. It took less than a week for her to seek an appraisal and then sell me off to a gallery. While I tried to enjoy the prestige and glamour of my new home, even I know when trouble is on the way.

When I first came to the gallery, I was placed in Regina’s, the curator’s, office while she decided whether to keep me for esthetic enrichment or sell me to the highest bidder. From the moment she saw me, she knew there was something more to me than my antique status and my brass and ebony inlay. Within thirty days, her revenues had increased fifteen percent. That’s when I was granted my own tinted glass display case, just outside the reach of direct sunlight, but in clear view of all who visited the gallery. I even gained a golden nameplate letting all interested parties know that I was not for sale.

Another month later, the first of Silvia’s relatives arrived to make an offer on me, explaining my long history and connection to their family. Regina was not moved and did not consider their offer. Still, more of them came and each time they appeared more desperate. Finally, the granddaughter herself arrived, offering twice was she’d received for me to get me back.

When the curator turned her down, security was called to keep her from trying to break my display case and carry me off. She yelled and kicked and screamed. “You don’t understand. It belongs with my family. We won’t make it without it. Please, we need that vase!” The next day, the curator took me to her summer home on an island to which even I’m unsure of the exact location.

From that point forward, my days were a blur of sunrises and sunsets. Nestled between teacups and similar tribal art, no one ever came to visit, and no one got to see my pretty designs. Regina was definitely not the best, but at least she kept me safe. At least until her wealth got the best of her. Even I know that someone like Regina is likely to be her own demise. I believe I heard the movers say it was an over-weighted private jet that eventually took her down.

Then came Marley, a half-brother Regina never mentioned to other people. He sold off her entire estate and moved to a wildlife reserve in Hawaii. I have no idea why he kept me. Perhaps he knew how special I was.

I was not excited about my new home at first, but in time I grew to appreciate the low-key atmosphere. I was on display next to the guest sign-in book at the resort adjacent to the reserve, which Marley apparently owned. I liked being filled with glass pebbles and silk Tulips. I felt very secure, just out of reach for small children but easily admired by discerning adults checking in and out. Within a few weeks, all the animals and staff were healthier than ever, and more guests were staying at the resort and spreading the word about the great work Marley was doing. It was a lovely time of peace and prosperity.

Then one day, Silvia’s granddaughter showed up. She did not look well. She wandered around the lobby and stopped and stared when she saw me. Her skin appeared stretched across her bones and her lips cracked with dryness as she shuffled towards me. When the desk clerk saw her, he immediately ran to her and asked if she needed help, calling to a co-worker to bring water. In an instant, she reached out her hand to grab me. When she missed, just barely grazing the tips of her fingers across my brass base, she collapsed to the floor.

A month later, Marley placed me in the center of a small round table and invited all his friends and family to gather around me. He told them all how special I was and that he’d drawn up a will to make sure I always remained in the family. It was a nice gesture and made me feel loved and appreciated for all the prosperity I bring with me everywhere I go.

Still, even I know that a will and good intentions only last for so many generations.

~

Updated 4-21-20 to address some typos. 

FCA- 828 words- Even I Know 2020 Copyright © Toinette J. Thomas

 Please visit other entries in this hop and enjoy some funny, scary, touching, and thought-provoking stories. You’ll be so glad you did.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Categories
About Toi Holiday

2020 Means Clear Vision

Happy New Years Around the World

Every time I hear someone say 2020, instead of two thousand twenty, I think of eyesight. I haven’t had 20:20 vision for quite a while, but I do feel like I have a pretty clear vision of what I want in the coming year.

First, let’s look back a bit. Yesterday (still going today) I spent most of the day catching up on the last WEP challenge entries. I went out of town for the holiday and wasn’t able to get good Internet service. I was able to access a few things on my iPad, but even that had limitations. So, the rest of this week is catch-up time and next week my New Year will truly begin.

In 2019, I really started to make strides in my efforts to host a book fair by getting my name and idea out there. I attended 3 author/vendor events and narrowed down my ideal venue to two locations. I will spend all of 2020 fundraising so that the 2021 event will be all that I hope.

Below is a breakdown of all that I read in 2019. Click here to see the Goodreads page that displays all the lovely book images and links or visit my Lit Carnivale blog to view it without going through Goodreads.

  • Novel length books = 28
    • Adult Fiction = 11
    • YA Fiction = 3
    • Middle grade = 8
    • Novella/Short Stories = 2
    • Nonfiction = 5
    • Anthology/Collections = 3
  • Graphic Novels = 18
    • Fiction = 15
    • Nonfiction = 3
    • Anthology/Collections = 2
  • Children’s/Picture Books = 25
    • Fiction = 23
    • Nonfiction = 2

In 2019, I also watched a lot a TV and Movies that I should have shared on my YouTube channel. In 2020, I’m going to do better about sharing things and not letting my lack of production value keep me from doing so.

Writing goals for 2020 include publishing a picture book about my dog, at least one short story collection, and hopefully a collaboration. I plan to keep submitting to anthologies and collecting rejection messages. I hope to complete the rewrite of my original paranormal series, though I seem to have hit a wall with it. Even if I complete the rewrite in 2020, the publication will still be a ways off.

Reading goals for 2020, 75 titles (includes nonfiction and fiction: novels, picture books, and graphic novels). I plan to share more of my book reviews than ever before. I also plan to read books written by authors from my local area as well as books by bloggers I’ve followed for some time. I will be sharing much of that experience over at my Lit Carnivale blog.

The last thing I plan to do in 2020, starting today, is going back to revive an old blog series called, Count My Blessings.

I don’t have the new graphic ready yet, but it’s coming. Today I am blessed to see a brand new year filled with new possibilities.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

Categories
About Toi

All About Me Monday No. 02 #thetoiboxofwords #geek

I’d like to start the day off by counting my blessings. Here’s number 25.

blessings

Currency (printed or coin money)

While working on a story, set in a time of little technical and social-economic advancements, I begin to realize what a blessing currency is. I’m not talking about a love of money and the pursuit of it; this isn’t about greed. I’m talking about economic exchanges. While the barter system will never go out of existence, it’s nice to not have to depend on it daily.

Currency gives us options and opportunities. If everything we acquired in our lives was based on trading, I don’t believe many of the riches people in the world would still be so rich (this could be a good thing or a bad thing). Currency eliminates the need to always have something that someone else wants in order to get what you want or need. If I had to carry chickens with me everywhere I went in order to pay for clothes, fuel, entertainment, etc. I don’t think I’d be going out very much, not that I do anyway. I’m blessed to live in a world with currency, even if it isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.

Now it’s time for some inspiration with My Geekdom 25: Hellboy

geekdom2
Pins from Pinterest that inspire me and indulge my geekness.
Click image to visit my boards

Pinterest board
My Geekdom

You may or may not have noticed that I have a thing for angels, demons, and other similar creatures. For me, Hellboy is the ultimate misunderstood hero. As much trouble as the Hulk has to face, Hellboy may actually have it worse- I mean “Hell” is in his name.

So let’s break this down into the most basic quandary. He’s red (that’s not normal). He has horns and a tail all the time, not a shapeshifter (that’s really odd and scary). He has a hand that looks like a brick wall (that’s really intimidating). Oh and he’s the spawn of hell, an actual demon, but still a good guy (see why adoption and proper care is so important).

I like heroes that break the norm and challenge people to look at themselves and face their own demons, so to speak. Even with the current popularity of superheroes, in general, there are still many people who won’t even consider reading about or watching anything related to Hellboy. I think that’s part of the reason some people won’t pick up my Eternal Curse Series, but there’s more to it.

In any case, people who do give Hellboy a chance soon find that the wise-cracking, cat-loving, monster to be a true blue hero who just happens to be more than a little rough around the edges.

Now it’s time to get a little personal with my Top 5Animated Comic Book Movies (24).

sample This is a list of my top five something. Most of the time my lists are pretty static, but sometimes I do change my mind. While I do try to apply some logic to my choices, sometimes I pick things that make no sense and for no good reason other than “I like it.”

Wikipedia

Animated Comic Book Movies

1. New Frontier, DC

2. Batman – Red Hood, DC

3. JLA Paradox, DC

4. Planet Hulk, Marvel

5. Next Avengers, Marvel

If DC could consistently do with their live action films what they’ve done with their animated features, and some of their TV shows, maybe they could have a movie monopoly like Marvel. As of right now all they currently have is one good Superman movie that they are trying to use as a bridge to bring in a new Batman and all new Justice League down the road. Until recently, you’d think Batman was the only hero in the DC universe because of the success of past movie franchises, but hopefully that will all change soon.
BTW- I <3 Batman!

So now, it’s time to end things on a more biographical note with my Listography of: My Guilty Pleasures (24).

listography

These are the lists that tell my life story. They are in no particular order and some of them are very personal. Please be nice, and if you want to share, I’d be glad to take a look at what you have.

My Guilty Pleasures & Vices

– White Cheddar popcorn and chocolate together

– Violent Foreign Films (not sure why they have to be foreign, but violent US films don’t appeal as much)

– Saying I’m “pissed off”. (I rarely am, usually only annoyed, but I need to find a better way to express myself.)

– Shifter love stories (though finding non-erotica or non-YA ones is becoming harder, I might lose this GP)

– Dog and puppy videos any time of the day.

– Cursing when I’m angry (I’ve actually gotten better at this, and all my anger issues in general, but until I get complete control of my tongue, it’ll always be on my list).

– Robot/Android/Cyborg, etc… movies, books, shows, whether A-list or D-list. Can’t get enough of em.

While I’m no monster, I’m definitely not a saint, but this is all I can think of right now.

Listography are books and a website dedicated to helping you write or consider your autobiography through the process of making lists.

Go ahead, add your two cents. I’d love to know about you.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords