If you’re not into any kind of writing, then this is highly likely to not be the blog for you.
Ya think???
How and Why Does Writing Speak to Us?
The written word is something that we have in common with the ancient Egyptians, with people on the other side of the planet, and with celebrities who we will never meet.
Fiction writing, in particular, bridges gaps in the world, and through time. Have you ever read something written by an author who is long dead?
Whether it’s Jane Eyre or The Art of War, we can hear the author’s voice as we read (and yes, I am well aware that The Art of War isn’t fiction. I’m kind of tired, okay?).
But I digress.
Independent Writers Do It All
When we do it well, and we do it right, the indie author wears many hats. Researcher. Editor. Planner. Marketer. Cover artist (or at least hirer of the cover artist). Bookkeeper. Advertiser. Tax Preparer.
Indy writing is a small business. So, like it or not, you’ve got to know these things, or be able to hire someone who does.
Past, Present, and Future Authoring
One of the best things about authoring is the concept of eternity. Now, I don’t honestly expect anything I write to end up being studied in college or becoming movie fodder. But it is still there, and it can be there forever if you can (and are willing to) preserve it.
This is why I encourage publishing, by the way, even if you never make a dime.
I wrote 1960s Temporal Crimes by the seat of my pants. But I don’t think it shows its seams too badly.
Review – 1960s Temporal Crimes
Welcome back to my universes, time traveling bounty hunter (at times) Sharon Ensley.
I wrote this story during first quarter 2023. It’s kind of long. So, I’m not so sure it qualifies as a short story. Maybe it’s a novella? I don’t know. I just work here. 😉
Background
It was maybe half a year after I had been working closely with a critique group. It went all right, but they were on the west coast. When time switched to daylight savings, I could not make the meetings any longer.
One of the stories was about a Jewish gangster. This may very well have been on my mind when I dreamt up small time Jersey thug Ray Hall.
Plot
On her first solo trip in time, Sharon Ensley’s tech cracks. Unable to get home, she enlists the help of small time mobster Ray Hall. Sharon has to capture criminal Marcus Vandermore and bring him back to their time. And the only way she’ll be able to do that is to take Marcus’s tech.
But the trip to 1961 New Jersey isn’t all it seems, because Ray isn’t what he seems. For Sharon to do the right thing, but also do her job, it’ll take some fancy footwork. Is the rookie time traveler up to it?
Characters
The characters are Sharon Ensley, Ray Hall, Peggy O’Shaughnessy and her father Declan, Marcus Vandermore (in the past, he calls himself Victor), mob boss Les Hargreaves, and mob lieutenant Ralph Appleton.
I really enjoyed giving the hoods such all-American/nonethnic names.
Ray also refers to nurse’s aides named Rosalie (with her son, Jean-Paul) Baptiste, Juanita Rodriguez, May St. John, Micheline St. John, and Deborah Toussaint.
“Oh, no, you don’t. Don’t be changing the subject on me. How can I help you? Tell me, flat out, the whole truth.”
Peggy arrived with the fries. “The complete, flat out, whole truth is these were reheated.” She winked at Sharon. “But you never heard me say that.”
“Of course not.” Sharon took a still-hot fry and tasted it. Good Lord, real potatoes are amazing. I don’t even care that they were reheated. These people have no idea what they’ve got.
Once Peggy was gone again, Ray leaned over, closer to Sharon. In a low voice, he asked again, “What’s the whole truth? You know, so help you God and everything.”
Sharon sighed. If this wasn’t my first time soloing, I’d probably have a good answer for that. So, I guess my only choice is to tell the truth. “The guy I’m looking for, Vandermore, can be dangerous. I figure you can put your hand on weapons if you ever have to.”
“And?”
“And part of my taking him back is taking possession of his tech.”
“Er, why? Don’t you have some sort of a machine or whatever of your own? Otherwise, how could you have gotten here in the first place?”
“I do. But it’s not working quite right.”
“Ah, and there it is.” He stole one of her fries. “You’re afraid you’re stuck here.”
“Well, yeah. And you’ve got fries of your own.”
“I prefer a little petty larceny. But in all seriousness, there are other people you could have turned to. So, I repeat, why me?”
“When I scanned you, I found traces of Vandermore’s DNA. Ray, you met him.”
Rating for 1960s Temporal Crimes
The story has a K+ rating. There is no real violence, although there are hints of it. Also, there is some swearing, but not too much.
Takeaways for 1960s Temporal Crimes
Like a lot of my stories, I am not too thrilled with how it ends. So, I will most likely start to think of an alternative one of these days.
It was fun bringing Sharon back. This story works particularly well as a prequel to A Chance Encounter in Time. But since both stories involve her being stuck due to her tech failing, I should probably rethink the pretext as well.
Want More of my Short Stories and Novellas?
If the story of Sharon Ensley collaborating with a small-time hood resonates with you, then check out my other articles about my shorter works.
Short Stories
For a complete list of my shorter works, please be sure to check out the Hub Page—Short Stories.
Out of the Work Camp Frying Pan could have been just another escape story. But I think it’s a bit more.
Review – Out of the Work Camp Frying Pan
I wrote this story during second quarter 2021. This was a year when I was writing every day, and I started the year off with various short stories. These were mainly from one-word prompts I wrote myself. For this particular story, the prompt word was X-axis.
Background
The vast, vast majority of the short stories from 2021 had no outline. There was no background, and no plan. I was flying by the seat of my pants.
But then again, so were the characters.
Plot
When four humans escape from a Ziranqui forced work camp, they do so in a stolen alien craft. They don’t understand the written language, and the instruments are unfamiliar.
And, they don’t even know how to point the craft toward Earth. But at least they’re free.
And then, they come across a planet…
Characters
The human characters are Chris Delaney, Lana Marshall, Zach Peyton, and Gail Aronovich. Tronian characters include White Wing, Golden Beak, Gray Down, Bright Plumes, and Gentle Whisper. If you haven’t guessed it by now, the Tronians are birdlike.
The story is from Lana’s point of view.
Memorable Quotes from Out of the Work Camp Frying Pan
Outer space is three dimensional. If you really want to get technical, all space is. But driving along on a country road on Earth, even if the road goes up and down in altitude, all you really need to know are two dimensions. Horizontal, the x-axis. And vertical, the y-axis. All the myriad variations on that particular theme are our directions. West, east, north, and south.
But space has more up and down, no matter what your garden variety science fiction show might lead you to believe. The familiar compass rosette goes in all directions, almost like a dandelion that’s gone to seed.
And so, our breakout from the forced labor camp is an extraordinary thing. I won’t deny that. But Delaney really has no idea where we’re going. I would tell him to pull over and ask directions, but I doubt speaking the right language for asking is possible. Or anyone knowing directions, anyway.
Or even effectively and semi-safely pulling over, for that matter. I’m sure he really doesn’t know how to fly this thing. We could be flying the alien version of going backward, and we would never know.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t blame Delaney, and I don’t mean to sound so critical. He got us out of the camp, and that was truly amazing all by itself. We all owe him a debt of gratitude. We all owe him our lives. But never has the expression ‘going from the frying pan to the fire’ ever been more apropos.
Rating
The story has a K+ rating. The characters have just gotten out of a horrible place. But they don’t really talk about it all that much.
Takeaways for Out of the Work Camp Frying Pan
One rather subtle bit is a callback to another short story I wrote in 2024, Alix’s Apocalypse.
When Gail mentions the Earth being hit with a ‘poisoned radiation beam’, it’s the exact same weapon which hits the planet in Alix’s Apocalypse. I like to think of them as being in the same universe and timeline.
Maybe Chris, Lana, and the others can come back and save Alix in some possible future sequel? I currently have no intention of writing a sequel. But never say never!
And as for the bad guys, the Ziranqui? I’ve used them in a few different stories, and I do believe they will show up in the third Obolonk trilogy as well.
Want More of my Short Stories and Novellas?
If this story resonates with you, then check out my other articles about my shorter works.
Want more stories featuring the Ziranqui? Then be sure to check out:
I like Frozen Assets, as it’s a latter-day crime adventure, with a twist or two. In some parts, it’s almost like a caper story. Plus, I bet there are people who have really thought of doing this.
Certainly, after the killing of CEO Brian Thompson of United Healthcare, it’s obvious that a lot of people take exception to America’s current healthcare system and insurance coverage in general.
Review – Frozen Assets
I wrote this story during third quarter 2021. This was a year when I was writing every single day.
Background
Medical bills are outrageous in the United States. And what’s more expensive than organ transplants? But what if, somehow, that could change?
And would you help change it if it turned out the means were less than legal?
Note: I wrote this story long before Brian Thompson’s murder.
Plot of Frozen Assets
Grace and Theo stare down bankruptcy when Grace’s mother dies, leaving them with nearly a million dollars in unpaid medical bills. Complicating matters is the fact that Grace’s mother sometimes used her daughter’s insurance card, and Grace and Theo cosigned on the bills.
This means the debt survives even though Dottie did not. And it’s bills for procedures and transport like a transplant and a Medevac (medical evacuation via helicopter). That is some really big bucks, right there.
As they consider their next financial moves, Theo and Grace realize the solution to their financial issues is staring them right in the face: harvesting organs and selling them on the black market.
And that’s when the fun begins.
Characters
The characters are Grace (the story is from her point of view) and Theo Barton, retired doctor Max Schulman, Max’s daughter Laurie Drew, Robbie Drew, Gina Chun, and Max’s friends, Ben, Louie, Ken, and Harry.
Oh, and a winning Standardbred sulky horse named Alaskan Holiday.
Memorable Quotes
Laurie folded her arms. “He needs to nap.”
“Can we wait?” asked Theo.
“No. He’s got to nap now.”
Max’s shuffle had become unmistakable in the months they’d been getting together—and Grace could hear it.
So, why are you protesting all of a sudden?
And then Grace knew.
The holidays are coming up. And I bet you’re lonely.
“Laurie, would you like to come with us?” Grace blurted out as Max arrived.
Theo glanced over at his wife. Grace tugged on her right earlobe. It was an old signal they’d agreed upon decades ago. It meant tell you later. Theo nodded once.
“I’m sure Laurie would find our meetings dull,” said Max.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Laurie said. “Why don’t you let me judge for myself?”
“Er, okay,” said Theo. “Do you want to ride in our car, or should we take two?”
“Two, I would say.” Laurie looked at her father. “You need a sweater.”
“Bet you do, too,” Max said.
When they were in their car and had started driving, Theo turned to Grace and asked, “Why’d you invite her along?”
Grace put on her turn signal. “She won’t be happy until she can check us out. All we have to do is make the whole thing incredibly boring to her—but harmless.”
“So, we’ll be talking about the weather?” He snapped his fingers. “And we can discuss the finer points of the Designated Hitter rule.”
“Don’t make it so boring that even Max will be done with us.”
“I’m a retired accountant. I’m professionally boring.”
Rating
The story has a K+ rating. While nothing violent happens onscreen, there are a number of illegalities. And… you don’t want to know what’s in the ice cream truck.
Takeaways for Frozen Assets
The price of organ transplants and the existence of a black market are both very real issues these days. And while I don’t recommend a life of crime, something’s got to give.
Here’s where art imitates life. For I wrote A School for Scavengers while I was working part-time for an educational technology (edtech) company called Lexia.
I wrote this story during third quarter 2024. This is a quarter when I was writing every day.
Background
I had created the Ziranqui before and felt there could be more occasions to use them. This story turned out to be perfect for them. And I will most likely use the Ziranqui again!
After a devastating alien germ warfare attack that takes out nearly all of the adults, untrained Ava takes up the daunting task of teaching the surviving children around her how to read.
Characters
The characters are Ava Hillman, Randy, Troy, Tina, Frankie, Christy, Debby, and Sally. Eventually, I add a character named Jake. Ava is the main character, and I tell the story from her perspective.
I named Ava after my first grade teacher, Mrs. Hillman. Apparently, her first name was Marjorie. She also drew a picture of a bump and a stick figure to illustrate her name for the kids who couldn’t yet read.
But back to Ava. She’s only alive because she was in a special program. But other adults were not so lucky.
Memorable Quotes
“Yeah, I guess it was. But let me get back to what was going on just before the Ziranqui arrived. See, we had ways of communicating over vast distances. Before anyone asks how we how that works, my answer is: I haven’t the foggiest.”
“Why don’t we have these things now?” asked Christy.
“Blame the war,” said Ava. “All the stuff needed to keep that stuff going? It just fell apart.”
“Will it ever go back to the way it was?” asked Sally.
“I don’t know. I hope we can at least get some of it back.” God knows I would love for there to be electricity again before I die.
“You were talking about these communications things,” said Troy.
“Yes. Well, even from outer space, the Ziranqui could hear a lot of the signals we were broadcasting. So, they started to manipulate it. And, in turn, they started to manipulate us. They did so by spreading what’s called misinformation. They cause one country to think another one was going to attack them. They did that a lot. So, a lot of countries went to war.”
“Why did they do that?” asked Sally.
“They did it because, fundamentally, the Ziranqui are lazy. They didn’t want to have to trouble themselves with conquering us if they could have us take care of the first third to half of our destruction all by ourselves.”
Rating
The story has a K rating. While it is post-Apocalyptic, the characters are all decent people. Ava swears maybe one time.
Takeaways for A School for Scavengers
This one has two possible endings. It’s really whether you want to end with something downbeat, or with something more positive. Frankly, while I’m a sucker for a happy ending, I think the downbeat ending is better.
The happier ending is a bit more tacked-on, I feel.
One of the more notable things about A Chance Encounter in Time is that it represents the first appearance of character Sharon Ensley. I grew to really like Sharon, and would love to create a series for her.
And, so far, I’ve got this one, 1960s Temporal Crimes, and …And the Walls Came Tumbling Down Again. Not bad for what was originally a throwaway character.
I wrote this short story during second quarter 2021. This was a year when I was writing every single day until November, when I switched over to NaNoWriMo.
Background
While I was not exactly looking for another way to use the Obolonk universe, it almost chose me. So, in a way, this story is a way to find other uses for that universe. After all, that universe is far too well-developed to just forget about it.
I also was not necessarily looking to write a story about the West Islip Public Library, but here we are anyway. With my mother’s death in 2023, any writing about WIPL is kind of special. It was her last employer.
Plot
Time traveler Sharon Ensley seems to be stuck in August of 2001 when her temporal disc cracks. But when she meets Tim Parker and he offers to try to solder her disc back together, the two start to work together.
But then Sharon uncovers a major change to the timeline which is clear proof that someone has tampered with the events of 9/11.
Characters
The major human characters are Sharon Ensley and Tim Parker. There are some more minor human characters who are Sharon’s colleagues. But the only one with any real screen time is Marlon. I may end up changing him anyway, to dovetail better with …Walls. We’ll see.
Obolonk characters are They Say This One is Very Efficient (her assistant) and They Say This One Holds Time Close. The latter runs the time travel organization. Again, this will likely be changed as I prefer Victoria Chilton from …Walls.
Sharon mentions a temporal sensitive like Josie James, but never identifies that person.
Memorable Quotes {Sharon Explains Hawhoa to Tim}
“The disc creates the field after I give it a command. And then away we go. But no matter what, I should tell you about Hawhoa.”
“Ha-what?”
Sharon smiled for a second. “We don’t use pure water anymore, not really. We use Hawhoa.”
“Use?”
“Yeah—to drink, bathe, flush, water the plants, you name it.”
“But don’t we need water to survive?”
“We sure do. But see, there’s a ton of space in atoms. And…”
“Excuse me? Aren’t atoms really tiny?”
“Yep. But there’s empty space in them. Hawhoa takes the two hydrogen atoms and the one oxygen atom in regular water, and it crushes everything together slightly.”
“How slightly are we talking about?”
“Smaller than bacterial flagella. To use the technical term, teeny weeny.”
“Technical, heh. Why is that done in the first place?”
“The very slight increase in density makes it possible to use fewer water molecules to accomplish whatever you want to do, like wash your socks.”
“Wait, so this is a form of recycling?”
“More like cutting waste, but yeah. It makes it possible for more people to live in one space or another.”
“So, the future is crowded?”
“Yep. And Hawhoa is a bit more viscous than regular water. Don’t want you to try to take a shower and think it’s just clear jelly coming out of the showerhead.”
Rating
The story has a K rating.
Takeaways
I really love some of the inventions that I came up with to move this story along, including multiphasic glyphs, Hawhoa (pronounced hey-whoa), and the Sapient Timeline Theory.
Oh, and Carter Bando’s Rules of Time Travel. There are also a transportation disc (I also call it a temporal disk), a utility disk, and an information disc.
The transportation disc is fitted with a semi-living organism that helps to direct time travel. In a way, it ends up giving more depth to the time travel technology which I showcase in Time Addicts.
Since Sharon is from a lot later than Josie (I may change that), it makes sense that the tech would change.
I like Sharon a lot and this is a great story to use as a springboard to maybe an entire series about her. We’ll see.
But the Obolonk universe is a mighty big tent. It would be a shame to waste it.
Want More of my Short Stories and Novellas?
If the story of Sharon Ensley collaborating with a 2001 native resonates with you, then check out my other articles about my shorter works.
In the quest to write the ultimate ‘fish out of water’ story, I wrote A Fairy Tale for Skeptical Adults.
I wrote this story during second quarter 2024. This was a quarter when I was writing every single day.
Background
I love the idea of someone just kind of being tossed into an odd situation not of their own making. Because that is precisely what happens to both Flora and Thomas.
Plot of A Fairy Tale for Skeptical Adults
When Flora Levy receives her inheritance, it’s just a stack of books. But one of them is Fairy Tales for the Skeptical Adult.
And when she starts to read the book out loud, a sudden crash alerts her to the fact that this has somehow summoned a character from the book.
Can a modern woman and a character from a book fix problems in two very separate worlds?
Characters
The human characters include Flora Levy, Florence Levy (her great-grandmother), Prince Thomas, King Richard, Queen Catherine, and Constance Selene. Animal characters include Auburn, Robert, Brownie, Quicksilver, and Swift.
Much like a lot of other fantasy tales, the animals talk. And to make them a bit like I suppose the Disney version of Cinderella, the animals even help out. Therefore, you see Auburn (a red fox) arranging Flora’s hair for a banquet. Robert the mouse is a scribe and does calligraphy.
In fact, the animals are considerably more trustworthy than a lot of the humans turn out to be. #spoileralert
Memorable Quotes
Flora cautiously crept toward the source of the crash. It was the next room—the Victorian house had a lot of small rooms—a place where she grew plants, both flowers and some vegetables.
She turned the corner in the small hallway and came face to face with the source of the crash. It was a man of perhaps forty, wearing breeches, stockings, brogans, and a brocaded cloak over a cambric shirt.
The two of them stared at each other for a few moments, open-mouthed. The intruder was… different.
You make no sense. Finally, she found her voice and, absurdly, brandished the thermos. “Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my house?”
“I, I,” he began, in an upper class British accent, “I’m the man of your dreams.”
Say what? “Buddy, you have no idea what is in my dreams.”
“I, I still am. It is I, your, your dream.”
“I’m not interested in some reject from a Renfest. And how the hell did you get into my house in the first place?”
Rating
The story has a K rating. Seriously, it’s a fairy tale, folks. Even though it’s technically for grown-ups, the language is tame. And the
Takeaways for A Fairy Tale for Skeptical Adults
I am not so thrilled with how I ended this one. It just kind of runs out of gas. But apart from that, I believe it works pretty well. Flora starts out a little like Sandra Bullock at the start of The Net. That is, she’s essentially alone.
I do like that this is one of the things that changes about her. But it’s not necessarily what a reader would expect.
Want More of my Short Stories and Novellas?
If this story resonates with you, then please check out my other blog posts about my shorter works.
Short Stories
Finally, for a complete list of my shorter works, please be sure to check out the Hub Page—Short Stories page.
A Show for the Galaxy takes place now or in the somewhat near future. When aliens challenge us, we expect a fight with soldiers, bombs, and guns.
But that’s not what the aliens have in mind at all.
I wrote this story during second quarter 2021. This was a year when I was writing every day, even when it wasn’t November.
Background
The Earth has two choices. Either participate in an interstellar arts competition, or lose an opportunity to join a huge intergalactic alliance. While it would not necessarily mean the end of the world, self-destruction would be inevitable without interstellar friendship.
Essentially, the fate of the world is going to be decided just like American Idol.
Plot
When the story opens, Charlotte (the narrator) describes the stakes and the production. A number of actors and behind the scenes people are chosen to represent the Earth in stagecraft.
There are other arts to represent the Earth, like sculpture and weaving. But the story is only concerned with treading the boards.
When the troupe is cut off from the grid, the cast falls into despair. They have no scripts! But then Charlotte pulls out her secret weapon—a small volume of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, which she always carries around for luck.
Charlotte has gravitas. She was already a retiree when the alien challengers chose her. And so, she ends up in a director-type role. But it’s also because she has the script.
Characters
The characters start with narrator Charlotte, who is playing Portia. The man playing Brutus is Chase Marquis, who was born Chuck McKay. Charlotte finds him attractive, but she keeps her hands to herself. After all, he’s young enough to be her son.
And, of course, there are the other people in the production and those who work behind the scenes. Plus, there are people who represent other arts on our planet. But Charlotte never names them.
There’s also President Menosky, although we only see him at the very end.
Memorable Quotes
All the others are far younger than I am. And—horrors!—we were cut off from the grid.
With no way to access scripts, my fellow thespians started to panic. That is, until I pulled out my secret weapon.
See, it was a gift from when I first started out. My acting teacher gave it to me. Now I realize she was probably hitting on me. But no mind. I kept it because I’ve always loved this play. And now, it’s the only game in town.
I’ve got a paper book. It’s Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. And thank God we can create an entire production around this little, humble book.
I was in several productions, and I’ve always played Portia, so of course I am playing her again. My Brutus is an afternoon snack of a man—Chase Marquis. Or, as he was born, Chuck McKay.
I’ve taken on a kind of director role; and thank God they all listen to me. We’ll put on the best and greatest production of Julius Caesar in the history of whatever.
Or we’ll die trying.
Rating for A Show for the Galaxy
The story has a K rating.
Takeaways for A Show for the Galaxy
I originally start to write Charlotte as almost a cougar. But then I decided she would drop anything frivolous and just concentrate on helping the troupe save the planet.
This story isn’t even 1500 words long, yet I feel it accomplishes its objective handily. I really should query this one!
I like Mandy Goes to Aspen because the character is so matter of fact about everything. Even the fact that she’s been hurt pretty badly. But then again, it’s nothing compared to what happened to other people.
This story was written during first quarter 2021. The initial prompt was a single word: avalanche.
It is the first of the short stories I wrote that year. My intention was to write every single day, and I followed through pretty well.
Background
These prompts were more or less random, and I had no plot or plan for this story. But I think it turned out pretty well. Still, the truth is, it did not start to truly come together until I changed Avalanche to A. Valanche.
And one of my favorite parts of this little story is the opening line:
Well, that sucked.
Plot
Somewhat ditzy and average-level talented Mandy Johnson goes to Aspen in order to schmooze with agents, acting coaches, directors, and other actors.
But things take a turn when Mandy is trapped in snow after an avalanche during skiing buries her.
With sardonic humor and a lot of very necessary ingenuity, this aspiring ingenue survives the big one.
Characters
The characters are Mandy (er, Amanda Catherine Johnson, to get technical) and Carol. I never give Carol a last name. There’s also Mandy’s agent, Arlene. But Mandy only mentions Arlene and we never see or hear her ‘on screen’, as it were.
There are also people in the lodge but again, Mandy only refers to them but the reader never sees them. Most of the story is more like a soliloquy.
Memorable Quotes
You know, those huge, slobbery dogs that I am totally afraid of? Those great big lumbering beasts. I hope they have tequila. Or is it brandy? Scotch? Can you tell them your preference?
I’d like a not too slobbery Saint Bernard. And put margaritas in that little keg thing they wear around their necks.
If I absolutely must sacrifice, then I suppose I will live without salt. So uncivilized.
Who am I kidding? I would kiss the first rescue dog I saw.
But not French; it’s not in my contract.
Rating for Mandy Goes to Aspen
The story has a K+ rating. After all, falling down the side of a mountain would make anyone swear.
Takeaways for Mandy Goes to Aspen
I like Mandy. She’s not only a survivor. She’s also self-aware enough to realize that she’s not going to win any prizes. Mandy would be lucky to get a part as Go-Go Dancer #3 in some screamfest. Most importantly, she can figure out how to solve a lot of her own problems.
I have no plans for a sequel or anything else. But I should probably clean this story up and submit it somewhere.
Consider Frances Miller Ashford, One of My Original Characters
Who is Frances Miller Ashford? And just why, exactly, does she matter to the story?
When Ceilidh gets a job to work for the Edwards, the first thing readers should notice is: it’s a really big house. There are obviously going to be other people working there. Lots and lots of them!
If you have ever watched Downton Abbey or Upstairs, Downstairs, then you know exactly what I mean.
But at the same time, I knew that not everyone would know the nuances of Victorian era living. Plus, I needed to have a good way to get across the look and feel of the Edwards House.
There would have to be a character who would, at least in part, behave as a kind of expository mouthpiece.
Enter Frances.
Margaret Qualley, who I see as Frances Miller. Image is intended for reference purposes only.
Where Did Frances Miller Ashford Come From?
I wanted very much to have an immigrant much like Ceilidh but better settled in the story.
Also, I needed for Ceilidh to have someone she could talk to. Frances fills the bill rather nicely in both areas. Furthermore, I love the idea of exploring a female friendship like this.
Further, I needed Ceilidh to have someone who had an English accent she could emulate. It didn’t seem realistic to have Ceilidh remember Captain Underwood perfectly for years. But Frances was a lot more plausible.
Originally, her last name was Marshall, but then I had too many scenes with a character named Barry Marsh. The names were starting to get confusing. And I could not change Marsh’s name, as he was named after someone I know.
Hence, Frances got a slight tweak. I also like the newer name better, because it flows much better with her (spoiler alert!) married name.
The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Frances Miller Ashford
An orphan who never knew her family, I never actually wrote about her extremely early life. But Frances could have been the child of people who died—perhaps of any of the many diseases flying around Britain at the time.
Or she could have been the child of an unwed mother, left at a church or even the orphanage where she grew up. Her mother could have even been a prostitute.
I don’t see her as a female Oliver Twist, the child who’s in the orphanage but should have been raised by their own wealthy family.
No. Frances was to be a real foundling, with a hard beginning. For an almost traditional look at someone who raised themselves up from their bootstraps, she is the one to look to.
Was Frances Originally Jewish?
The more I read about the Manchester Jewish Board of Guardians, the more I wonder if I could make her a Jewish child. Conversion of orphans in orphanages appears to have been pretty common at the time.
The Board of Guardians is developed in 1859, though, and I put her birth at 1858. But this can work for the story line.
So, prior to the creation of an appropriate orphanage to place a Jewish child in, the possibility is high that such a foundling would be put in a non-Jewish orphanage.
For a very young baby, which Frances would be, there really wouldn’t be anyone to object to someone just quietly baptizing her. But then again, who would ask about her ‘real’ origin, who would find out?
And why would it matter to them? It feels like a secret for the sake of having a secret. Which isn’t a good enough reason to include it. Ah, well.
Coming to America
In keeping with what really happened to some people, I wanted Frances to have kind of gotten to Boston in a roundabout way. Ceilidh means to go to Boston. But Frances? Not necessarily.
As she got older, the orphanage was clearly going to toss someone like her out on her ear. The orphanage wouldn’t necessarily care if she ended up working, married, turning tricks, or dead. They would simply want her bed for some other, younger child.
And so I decided there would be someone who would come and promise the older girls husbands if they left the country. This would be an irresistible offer for not only someone like Frances, but also for many other young girls like her and the orphanage itself.
But when they arrive in the United States, there are no waiting husbands. The promise was a false one. And so, rather, Frances and her cohorts become Lowell Girls, working for a mill in the area.
After she bides her time, eventually, she gets a day off and ventures into the big city of Boston. Frances has many advantages: a pleasant voice and demeanor, a high class-sounding accent to someone like Mrs. Edwards, and a willingness to work hard.
As a result, Frances gets a job in the scullery. She doesn’t keep in touch with the other girls, and has no idea what happened to them.
Her rise is slow, deliberate, and patient. I want it to feel believable. Frances knows the world does not owe her a living.
Frances Miller Ashford, a Description
So, Frances has dark eyes and dark brown curls. I always hear her as having a somewhat breathy voice. Her British accent is via Manchester. It is the kind of accent Americans generally think of when we think of British accents. Posh accents, that is.
She is not cockney and is not some latter-day Eliza Doolittle.
I recently decided on actress Margaret Qualley to be the face of Frances Miller. It was a bonus that Qualley appeared in a show called Maid!
The idea behind Frances is that she almost blends into the background in the beginning. But, of course, she ends up being a lot bigger and more important than that. Ceilidh is a big part of Frances coming into her own as, of course, Gregory Ashford is, too.
Quotes
Coming from Ballyvaughan, Ceilidh has never used indoor plumbing before. In this scene, Frances explains what to do: ~
Frances lifted the lid, and showed Ceilidh there was a lacquered wooden seat. “Now here’s all you do, see. You lift the lid like so and let it rest against the back here, see? And then you gather your skirts or your nightgown up and sit down, facing the back.”
“Right, yes, I see.”
“And you do your business, of course. Then you take a sheet of these papers and use it cleanse yourself.”
“What do you do with the paper afterwards?”
“You place it into the bowl, where you just did your business.”
“And then what do you do?”
“You see the lever, and the little frog pull?”
“Yes, ‘tis rather amusing.”
“You pull once and hold it for as long as it takes in your head, to say,” Frances giggled a little, “God Save the Queen.”
“Truly?”
“Truly!”
Relationships
Frances has two main relationships.
Plumber’s Assistant Gregory Ashford
Her romantic one is with her husband, Gregory Ashford. They meet when the plumber is called in, to clear away a clog in the bathroom shared by all the women servants. Gregory is the assistant. While fixing the toilet, he and Ceilidh talk a little. He asks her, “Who is the vision?”
Ceilidh asks for clarification, and he says the vision has brown curls. Ceilidh makes sure to tell Gregory that Frances is Miss Frances Miller.
For Frances, Gregory is utterly unexpected. She and Ceilidh are what anyone of the time would have called old maids. While Frances has always wished and hoped for a family, she is a practical person at heart. Her dreams of love would not necessarily come true.
And so Gregory is a pleasant surprise. He is also kind and gentle and truly cares for her. Frances gets a middle class life, and that is perfect for her.
Ceilidh O’Malley
The only other relationship (really) for Frances is her close friendship with Ceilidh. When Ceilidh arrives, unsure of whether she’ll get work, Frances is the one to help Ceilidh along and assure she gets a job as a scullery maid. Frances wants a friend, someone she can talk to.
No one else in the Edwards household can fill that need for her.
And so Frances kind of puts her thumb on the scale and rigs Ceilidh’s test to be hired. Without Frances and her help, Ceilidh would not have gotten such a good job. And certainly nowhere near as quickly.
The truest of friends, Ceilidh convinces Frances to give Gregory a chance, because plumbers will always have work, so she’ll never starve. Coming from grinding poverty, that’s an enormous plus, so far as Ceilidh is concerned.
The biggest bonus is when Gregory turns out not only to be all right, but to truly be an almost (this is the 1870s and 1880s we’re talking about) equal partner.
Other Servants
Just like Ceilidh and other women of the time, Frances is a victim of what today we would refer to as sexual harassment.
Donald Smith is nasty to everyone, and he leers at virtually every woman he sees. This comes to a stop when Gregory finally steps in and makes it clear that Frances is his girl. At least Donald backs off.
With the other servants, Frances is cordial but not overly friendly. There is nothing about the woman who Ceilidh ends up replacing. I never mention her by name, and neither does Frances. And so I feel we can conclude that the two women were not too terribly close.
Conflict and Turning Point
In the first book, The Real Hub of the Universe, the conflict and turning point for Frances are nearly the same as those for Ceilidh. Without getting too far into spoiler territory, the real issue is that both Ceilidh and Frances could have lost everything.
When Judge Lowell helps out, Frances realizes she’s come from nothing, but has come to have powerful friends.
Her gratitude goes beyond measure. She will do nearly anything to return the favor that’s been granted to her.
By the time the series ends, she has achieved a great deal of the middle class dream. In particular, in comparison to someone like the wealthy Margery Cabot Edwards, Frances has true happiness.
Continuity/Easter Eggs
Gregory’s Brighton, Massachusetts house ties in with, of all things, Mettle. It’s just down the street from the house where Craig and Mei-Lin find the solar panels—about 140 years later.
Also, as an expository character, she aligns somewhat with Ixalla from Untrustworthy. But only a little. Ixalla, after all, is well-educated. Frances, while she can ostensibly read and write, has what is likely what we would call dyslexic today.
Also, her name ties her directly to Josie James’s sixth-eldest sibling, Frances Farrah James Walsh.
But Francie is a professional ballerina, and has a divorce in her past. She shares custody of her daughter, Gina, with her ex-husband, Clayton. Francie Walsh lives on Titania, a Uranian moon. Her ex has main custody of Gina and they live on another Uranian moon, Umbriel.
And so Frances and Francie really just share a name, but nothing else.
Future Plans
I don’t really have future places for her, simply because the series is done. But never say never, for I did write a few short one-offs with her, Ceilidh, Gregory, and Devon. She may very well turn up again. Here’s hoping!
There are also enough hints that there could very well be a sequel series if I ever get a true plot together…
Frances as an old woman could be truly compelling. With her birth in 1858, she could conceivably live into the 1930s. Without it being too much of a stretch, that is. Her earlier, harder life could even give her an advantage during the Great Depression.
But she would still be about seventy-one when it starts, and that’s pretty old for that era. For a person with a difficult early life, even a survivor like Frances Miller Ashford might not live past her sixties, if that.
Frances Miller Ashford: Takeaways
Every main character needs a sidekick, a kind of bounce off person. Frances is that type of character. This survivor, against all odds, is still sweet and charming. This makes her one of the more optimistic characters I have ever written.
Frances Miller Ashford — because so many main characters need a true best friend.
Want More of Frances Miller Ashford?
If Frances resonates with you, then please check out my other articles about them, Ceilidh, Johnny, Devon, Frances, and everyone else as they work to prevent an alien war from destroying human civilization by way of collateral damage.
How was third quarter 2024 for writing? So, I spent the third quarter 2024 writing new short stories. Also, I spent time seriously considering the final Obolonk trilogy and its plot.
Another story was Message in an Odd Bottle. Also, there was the full-length novel story, The Duck in the Seat Cushion.
Then on Wattpad I posted nowhere, and really just went there in order to check on my stats.
Milestones
Also, I have written over 3.5 million words (fan fiction and wholly original fiction combined). So right now my stats on Wattpad for wholly original works are as follows:
• Dinosaurs – 42 reads, 11 comments
† How to NaNoWriMo – 26,183 reads, 340 comments (pulled from Wattpad due to their severing their association with NaNoWriMo)
• My Favorite Things (like kibble) – 992 reads, 133 comments
† Revved Up – 59,486 reads, 531 comments
• Side By Side – 21 reads, 2 comments
† Social Media Guide for Wattpad – 16,862 reads, 592 comments
• The Canadian Caper – 510 reads, 37 comments
† The Dish – 251 reads, 24 comments
• There is a Road – 189 reads, 28 comments
Published Works as of Third Quarter 2024
Also, I am amassing quite the collection of published works! So, here’s everything that has found a home so far.
Untrustworthy, which is my first published novel. So yay!
A True Believer in Skepticism, published in Mythic Magazine.
Almost Shipwrecked, a story in the January 2019 edition of Empyreome, a site which unfortunately is no more.
Canaries, a short story in the March 29, 2019, edition of Theme of Absence.
Complications, a story in the Queer Sci Fi Discovery anthology. So this is an anthology where the proceeds went to supporting the QSF website.
The Obolonk Murders Trilogy – so this one is all about a tripartite society. But who’s killing the aliens?
The Enigman Cave – can we find life on another planet and not screw it up? You know, like we do everything else?
The Real Hub of the Universe Trilogy – so the aliens who live among us in the 1870s and 1880s are at war. But why is that?
Mettle – so it’s all about how society goes to hell in a hand basket when the metals of the periodic table start to disappear. But then what?
Time Addicts – No One is Safe – so this one is all about what happens in the future when time travel becomes possible via narcotic.
Time Addicts – Nothing is Permanent – this is the second in this trilogy. What happens when time is tampered with and manipulated in all sorts of ways? It’s the ultimate in gaslighting, for one thing.
Time Addicts – Everything is Up For Grabs – as the timelines smack together and continue to diverge, it gets harder to tell the “real” timeline from all the newer fake ones. And what if some of the changes are for the better?
Prep Work
So currently, my intention, for 2025’s 30Day50k, is to write the third trilogy in the Time Addicts/Obolonks universe. But I need to iron out the plot! So a lot of this year has been spent on that. I have no name for this one yet. However, I think I’m getting closer….
It’s been quiet. But that has been by design. Right now, I just plain don’t feel like putting myself out there these days. There, I said it.
In Progress
As of third quarter 2024, the following are still technically in the running for publishing:
This list is the name of the story and then the name of the potential publisher.
† I Used to Be Happy – Gemini Magazine
• Justice – Adbusters
† Mettle – RAB
• Soul Rentals ‘R’ Us – A Thousand One Stories
† Who Do We Blame for This? – Sonder Review
But it’s highly doubtful any of them will become acceptances this late in the game.
Third Quarter 2024 – Productivity Killers
So it’s looking for work, what else? But third quarter 2024 is about to segue into this year’s 30Day50k. I. Can’t. Wait.
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