We now communicate via the meme

August 10, 2023

Over the past several years, we the people have become uncomfortable with speaking our real and true opinions, and we certainly don't post them online. There is always someone lurking about who is delighted to tell you how wrong you are. I'm too exhausted to listen to them. I'm not about to change my mind on core issues. 

I enjoy a witty meme. I found the one pictured on Twitter...excuse me...X... and it took me down a musical memory lane. Those five words say a lot. In my youth, I loved the music of Simon & Garfunkel, and The Sound of Silence remains a favorite. The song has weathered well the test of time. Go listen to the Simon & Garfunkel version. No one else does it as well and they did write the song. 

And the people bowed and prayed to the neon god they made. And the sign flashed out its warning in the words that it was forming. And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls and echoed the sound of silence."

It got me thinking about all the memes filling up my Twitter and Facebook feeds. I know someone who never posts any sort of update about her life. It's a political-themed meme or nothing. She gets flamed continually and I think she likes the abuse. Maybe she thinks any attention of whatever form is good. I disagree. Showing your ass and saying, "LOOK AT ME!" is never in good form. 

Freedom of speech is the first right given to us by our Constitution. Congress, that is to say, our government, is to make NO law prohibiting freedom of religion and speech. Cancel culture has made the exercise of that right so onerous, that we now communicate through the meme. 

You dislike a particular politician? Post a meme. 
You hate your job? Post a meme.
You like to drink alcohol? Post a meme. 
You want to bash the police? Post a meme.

You want to support abortion? Post a meme.
You want to bash fat/skinny/old people? Post a meme. 
You want to talk about heaven? Post a meme.
You want to tell everyone to rescue a dog or else? Post a meme. 

This is how we avoid having conversations. If we try to have a conversation, we get attacked, often unfairly. We are entitled to have an opinion. 

I'm as guilty as the next person of withholding my opinion. I get annoyed when I read things like "ALL conservatives/liberals [fill in the blank]." 

Not many of the memes I see are like the one pictured above. They don't take us back in time or remind us with melodic words we still have work to do to improve society. Today's memes more often than not based on an underlying hatred of someone or something. This is what disturbs me the most about them. 

You'll have to excuse me if I don't join you in your hatred. Have you ever considered keeping it to yourself? 

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, meme, contemporary gay romance, romance books for Kindle, Sound of Silence, Constitution, First Amendment, freedom of speech, counter-culture, a writer's life, rural living, m/m romance

July 2023: My version of a newsletter for the month

August 3, 2023

We made it through July! It was a hot month here, but July always is. Historically, in my location, it is the hottest month of the year. We're suddenly into August, and like flipping a switch, it's cooler and a lot less humid. This year, I'm missing the yellow leaves that always began to fall off the big poplar tree that was just outside my sunroom office window. I could mark the first of August by the first leaves dropping. I miss the tree, but not the threat it posed to the house.  

July was a big month tending the garden. Everything was growing and it was time to feed the plants, as well as water the plants every day. I was able to start harvesting tomatoes, but not the ones I'd hoped for. I planted seeds purporting to be Beefsteaks, but were cherry tomatoes instead. I wasn't pleased but I made use of them in pizza sauce. 

I made good use of our little pool, too. Deuce enjoyed splashing around in his little pool for a couple of days, but then he lost interest in it. Thankfully, he abandoned it before I purchased him a larger pool. 

The writing didn't go as well as I'd hoped, but it never does. It's a mystery how if I can type a solid 60 words per minute, I can't type 3600 words an hour. The math doesn't prove out! The upside is the current work-in-progress IS progressing and I did get the cover completed. I really need to expand my knowledge of the Photoshop program I have, but that takes time. I hope to have the "blurb" written soon and a book page posted. 

One of the storefronts I use is now offering a service for book covers. I won't pay upwards of $100 for one cover and not have it be significantly better than what I can make, which they are not. 

I spent waaaaay too much time on Twitter in July, so this month I'm on a bit of a Twitter... excuse me... X...holiday. I'll allow myself to check in once in the morning and once before I retire for the night. That should suffice. I didn't spend enough time on Facebook putting up promos. I doubt I'll do much better in August, but we'll see. 

I'm actually going back to work soon. My replacement is expecting a baby in mid-September, and I'll be filling in for her while she's on maternity leave. I agreed to help on the condition I could do the bulk of the work at home. That was approved. I hope I'm not too rusty to actually be a help! 

July flew by! I accomplished something every day even if I did jump from chore to chore and project to project like a squirrel. Life has taught me that sooner or later, it all gets done.

Here's to August! May we all stay safe and healthy!

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, newsletter July 2023, contemporary gay romance, LGBT, m/m romance, a writer's life, romance fiction, book covers, rural living, country lifestyle, romance books for Kindle

I tried not to snicker at the letter, honest I did!

July 27, 2023

Periodically, our local power company sends out a report to its customers informing them of how their energy usage stacks up against one's neighbors. Here are some facts:

• My house is 40+ years old
• There are two cranky retirement-age adults in the house 24/7
• We have two desktop computers running eighteen hours a day (his and hers and never the two shall be shared)
• We keep the thermostat on 74F year-round. 
• We have a freezer and a freeze-dryer.
• We have a washer and dryer.
• I can fruits and veggies so the stove runs a lot.
• We run a dishwasher three or four times a week.
• We have a fully wired shed/workshop with all the things.
• There is a TV set to a music channel eighteen hours a day.
• We just have all the things! 

We do not do anything special to conserve. We turn off lights when not in the room. We don't leave exterior doors hanging open. We don't leave outside garden hoses run. You know - we pay attention but we don't skimp on comfort. We haven't made upgrades to the windows or insulation, either.

Ten years ago, when we received one of these letters, it said we used over 20% more energy than our neighbors. We have done nothing and yet now we use 4% less than the "efficient" homes in our neighborhood. It's a mystery! 

Here's one thing that is not a mystery. It comes straight from a public report. Our local power company generates 29% of its salable energy from coal and 31% from natural gas. A whopping 34.5% comes from nuclear plants. Only .26% comes from solar. That's right - only 1/4 of 1% from solar. Only a total of 5.42% is from renewable energy. 

We know people who work at the local power company and they are taking steps to become more relevant in today's political climate. They know the government is going to put restrictions on them that they cannot meet. Their customers will be shut off from power. 

When that happens, well, I thank the good Lord I live on a mountain and have a wood stove and a private water source. People in the cities will suffer more than I will. 

It's time to be reasonable about people's lives and what it really takes to survive. These "feel good" letters don't protect us from anything. We need coal, natural gas, and oil to create electricity. 

Will we ever get to the place where more than 5.42% of our local electricity comes from renewable sources? I believe we will. But I also believe we need to take care of people as we work toward that goal, and our current government doesn't care about people. 

Allowing people to have the secure energy to live a good life as we transition to more renewable energy is the right thing to do.  People living in dark misery under a cloud of uncertainty suffer.  The more you make people suffer, the less likely they are to work or think of innovating. No letter in the world can fix that. 

Without people, nothing will be accomplished, and that is where we are headed. 

    _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

 

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, renewable energy, energy costs, contemporary gay romance, m/m romance, coal, natural gas, efficient homes, rural living, a writer's life, gardening

I hope you win

July 25, 2023

Elon Musk and all that nonsense aside, I'm enjoying spending time reading my TWITTER feed. These days, it's full of shiny AMERICAN MUSCLE CARS that are truly eye candy to someone who grew up in and still travels in circles of car culture.  I'm not sure how I managed to get all that on my feed, but I'm willing to go with the flow.

My TWITTER (I don't care for the X idea) feed also pops up the occasional meme that actually contains a pearl of wisdom. 

"I hope you win the war 

you tell no one about."

Wow. That gave me pause. I stared at that for a few moments and let it speak to me, and speak to me it did. 

"I hope you win the war you tell no one about."

Who among us hasn't fought a private war? Maybe you, like me, are waging a private war right now. Mine is not a battle for health, thank God. It's more a battle of reconciliation with self. 

It's not the first battle of my life, and I doubt it will be the last. It's disturbing to have reached this point in my life and still be waging war with myself, though. 

I'm not sure I won every battle. My first marriage was a disaster. My current partner is increasingly difficult to live with. What do I need to do for my own sanity? 

That's a glimpse into one of my wars. There are many. None of us are so singular that we don't have battles to fight on many fronts. Many people have fights larger than mine, and I do wish them victory, especially with physical and mental health.

Being able to persevere is a blessing. We second-guess ourselves into exhaustion. We hide behind meeting the needs of others instead of ourselves. No matter what, we can't outrun the battle. We must address it as the enemy it is. And we must persevere at all costs.  

Sometimes my tunnel is very dark. I think of all that's happened in my life - I was kidnapped at age seventeen, my home burned to the ground, my ex-husband got another woman pregnant while married to me, I buried my father, and I lost the last years of my mother's life to Alzheimer's Disease. I was unable to have children. I lost good jobs when companies failed. I've had friends betray my confidence. I've lost two old lovers, one to cancer and one to Covid.  

I look back at all this and I know I will win this war, just like I have the others before it. I know this because I learned the lesson of perseverance. 

Keep going. If you feel too tired to continue - keep going. If you feel too alone to continue - keep going. You will win your war if you don't give in or give up.  

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, perseverance, personal struggles, mental health, internal wars, Twitter, American Muscle Cars, a writer's life, contemporary gay romance, m/m romance, 

I think it takes a lot of intentional time

July 16, 2023

Once upon a time...

Now what better opening than that one for a writer to use? 

Once upon a time, I decided to set up a YouTube channel so I could share videos of Deuce on his blog, Deuce's Day.  This also worked for my partner, who is now in a wheelchair, to see what I've been up to as I run amok here on the Manor. 

We enjoy watching quite a few of the YouTubers. Catherine Gregory comes to mind immediately as she travels to places we'll never visit in person. The partner suggested I make a few vids of life on our little estate, so I did. To my surprise, there have been a few folks who have watched them! 

It was enough to make me seriously consider adding content, but there is one big problem with that. I'm also doing what I do. Setting up my phone and recording what I do is time-consuming. 

If I'm going to actually make videos to share, I will need to be very intentional about it. This may sound silly because I'm not an "old" woman, but I wonder if I'm too old to delve into this any deeper than I already have. Hmmm. Food for thought. 

Is a quiet, ordinary rural life worth recording? Perhaps future generations will be interested in how some of us lived waaaaay back in 2023. Even now, a segment of our youth will never understand how it can be fun to jump on a John Deere 370 and mow the grass. And own a big dog like a Labrador Retriever? And walk it yourself? Train it to pee-pee outside and not on a diaper pad? That may already seem foreign to dedicated city dwellers. 

The big question is whether or not I want to take the intentional time to create half-way decent videos. And what about podcasts? They may be more feasible. I could also read one of my shorter books and put that up on YouTube. Many are doing that. How much time do I want to dedicate to new and/or continuing projects?  

Maybe being retired has given me too much time on my hands. Actual writing takes up but a small portion of it. What an interesting dilemma to have. 

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, contemporary gay romance, m/m romance, YouTube videos, a writer's life, retirement options, LGBT romance books, social media, intentional actions

Apparently, it's called theft, too

July 14, 2023

My inbox is always full of surprises. Some are good, some are bad, and some confirm a suspicion I've had. The latter came in the form of a letter from The Authors Guild.  

The Authors Guild is calling on the CEO's of AI platforms to obtain consent and compensate - fairly compensate - authors for the use of copyrighted materials used by their AI products. They have provided the opportunity for authors to add their digital signatures to the letter. There are numerous well-known authors on the list of those who have done so, including Nora Roberts, Jodi Picoult, and Diana Gabaldon to name just a few. The list is so long it crashed my browser when I tried to scroll through it. 

If my poor understanding of AI (artificial intelligence) is anywhere near correct, I get it. 

AI tech is built on models. Where did the models come from? What was used to create the models? From the writing found on the Internet. What writings are found on the Internet? Yours and mine, fellow authors. Yours and mine. 

I do know how to read and put two and two together. AI mines the Internet for data and it doesn't make any distinctions or allowances as to where it finds it. It has no conscience, no awareness, no morality. 

Were you paid anything when your words were pirated? Because that's what just happened. And that is, plainly put, theft of intellectual property. 

I'm glad The Authors Guild is taking up the fight. I don't expect much to come of it. Follow the money and you'll understand why I feel that way.    

    _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, AI, artificial intelligence, piracy, intellectual property theft, contemporary gay romance, m/m romance, Authors Guild, 

Creating the cover: Sumner's Garden

July 9, 2023

If you saw the previous post, you know the name of the current work-in-progress. Chapter 9 is in the can, so to speak, and as it looks like rain, I may get part of Chapter 10 done today. Before that happens, I thought I'd share a bit about creating the cover.

Back when I did a newsletter, I included a section called "Fun With Photoshop" where I talked about my process of making a cover. I'm sure real graphic artists will scoff at how I do it, but I've found that I need to manipulate the images several times to see if my ideas translate to the computer screen.

Finding a guy to buy is probably the most difficult part of the process. Hundreds of thousands of guys are available on the stock photo sites, and I only need ONE. I spent hours searching for the perfect Andy but he was worth it. Background images are easy because I take a lot of snapshots with my phone just for the purpose of having a file of freebies to choose from. Even with a file like that, I sometimes have to go search for open images, although it's common. I've learned that even a small corner of a photo can be cropped out and made to look like something entirely different. 

Once I have several images I use Photoshop to overlay them. I know that my guy will cover a good portion of the final background but I still want that background image to be finished and reflect some element important to the story. 

I do apologize for feeling the need to "watermark" those photos. I didn't always do that and later discovered an image I'd created had been pirated by another author. It's easy to recognize photos you've taken with your camera in your backyard! 

It's cumbersome to merge four or five photos, but the end product is worth it. Once I see the cover, I get energized to wrap up a story. 

That's the plan for this afternoon. It's supposed to rain with the possibility of a thunderstorm. A rainy day is always a good day to write. 

    _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, Sumner's Garden, Shine a Light, contemporary gay romance, m/m romance, romance books for Kindle, book covers, writer's on writing, Photoshop, LGBTQ books

How this pantser plots

July 2, 2023

Are you a "pantser" or a "plotter?"

That's a frequently asked question when writers are congregated in one spot such as Twitter or Facebook or any social media platform. People weigh in on this or that side, but the truth is it doesn't matter much. Your writing process is unique to YOU, but I think everyone is a bit of both. 

I start as a definite pantser. That's "fly by the seat of your pants" in writer's speak. I get an idea and I bang out an opening. Once that's on the page, I usually back up and do a bit of character bio so I don't forget pertinent facts that may have come out in the opening paragraphs. Then it's a bit more of being a pantser to incorporate additional ideas.

But there comes a place in every story where the characters have developed to the point that I know exactly where they're going. It's then that I stop and jot down a plot sequence. And for some reason, I can't seem to get going forward again until I've got the cover drafted. Forward just doesn't happen for me until the basic cover concept becomes reality. I reached that point this past week with Sumner's Garden, and this morning, I finally hit on a basic cover I can live with. 

I want to add one more element but I have two options. Both are up on my second screen and I keep glancing at them while working on screen one. Sooner or later, I'll gravitate towards one and that will be what I add to the final cover. 

Now that the cover is settled, it's time to expand on the plot points and push on to The End. Some of the plot points may change a bit, depending on what the characters tell me. But one thing about this story is unusual. 

This story has already given me the ending and it's not at all where I thought my guys were headed - it's better. Sometimes you have to listen to them. They are manifestations of your thoughts, after all. 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, contemporary gay romance, LGBT, m/m romance, romance novels for Kindle, writers on writing, pantser v. plotter, social media, book covers, writing methods, 

What's up? June 2023.

June 28, 2023

Several years ago I studiously produced a quarterly newsletter, beginning in March 2017 and ending with the spring 2021 edition. I enjoyed doing it. Each edition contained a word from me, a bit about what works were "in progress," a section about my best boy Deuce, an "interview" question, Fun With Photoshop, and ended with a meme of some sort. It was something I could produce during quiet moments at the day job. The old Sitebuilder software I used for a website made it sooooooo easy to upload a .pdf, and then all I had to do was announce it or link to it. That all changed when support for Sitebuilder was pulled. 

I thought I could still do a newsletter and simply load it as a page here at Between the Keys. That didn't really work. If a newsletter isn't delivered to an inbox, folks don't seem to take the time to click and go read it. 

I used to have a mailing list, which was a Yahoo Group. That worked until Groups went bye-bye. 

By mid-2021, we were still struggling with COVID-19. I had settled my stepfather's estate and begun my countdown to retirement. My husband's health was in decline. My mother is in a facility with Alzheimer's Disease. My best friend, whom I met in the third grade, had abandoned me and moved a thousand miles away. My writing partner, Christiane France, had died. I was alone and exhausted. Keeping up a newsletter was not feasible. 

Now, that's not a plea for you to say, "oh, you poor thing!" It was simply my season of trial, and as with all things, it has passed. 

On our morning walk, Deuce and I discussed whether or not I should restart the newsletter. Well, I talked and he listened as is his way. He never gives me bad advice. He simply lets me speak and lets me know he loves my voice. No one else has ever listened to me as intently as he does. But I digress...

I talked myself out of doing a newsletter. I have Between the Keys and it's time I utilize it the way I once did. Maybe one day I'll change my mind - it's been known to happen! But until then, this is still the place where I share my writing world. Thanks for stopping by!

KC Kendricks/Rayne Forrest

Social media links:

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Between the Keys, KC Kendricks, contemporary LGBT gay romance, m/m romance, Deuce's Day, a writer's life, writing newsletters, writers on writing, rural living, walking, mailing lists, listening, bestselling author

Maybe it's only tongue-in-cheek

June 20, 2023

Yesterday I did something I rarely do. We were checking out at a store and the cashier asked me, based on the T-shirt I wore, if I was a writer. I told her yes, we chatted, and I gave her a business card. It seems that since I retired, I'm a lot bolder about letting that fact be known.

I've never hidden the fact I'm a published author from family and friends, but I do confess their reactions have been mixed. Total strangers seem to be a lot more interested. Family and friends never ask me about it now, after over twenty years. Maybe they follow along online but I'll never know. 

I left the house wearing the T-shirt. Never gave it a second thought. The T-shirt is old and a bit ratty, and I generally only wear it around the house. If I clean the house or mow in it, it doesn't need to be seen in public. But the trip yesterday was just a quick in and out, so we just hopped in his van and took off. We didn't even take Deuce, which I'm sure caused a bit of howling. 

Perhaps I should upgrade the T-shirt to a new model and wear the new one more. I enjoyed chatting with someone, even a stranger, who seemed genuinely interested in finding a new author to read. 

I no longer have to worry about my employer finding out and all the drama that revelation would have involved. Yes, I'm still under contract with them as a consultant, but it's not the same as being a public representative of the organization. 

I'm not ashamed of being a writer, but I prefer a more low-key life. I have no desire to walk down the street in my hometown and be followed. Nor do I want my picture plastered everywhere. I simply want to write a story I would enjoy reading. 

But times change. Now really is the time to be careful. You really might end up if not in my novel, in my blog! 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, a writer's life, contemporary gay romance, GLBTQ, m/m romance, meeting the public, writing career, writing options, retirement, T-shirt

It's getting stranger

 

June 16, 2023

Self, I said, you need to step back from this manuscript for a couple of days. 

There comes a time when a writer needs to take a mental break. Now, I'm sure a lot of people will nay-say that, but this writer has found it to be true. I no longer espouse the "rule" of write something every day. I try to be a bit kinder to myself. I'm more of a believer that sometimes it's necessary to be about the business of writing beyond the manuscript. 

Earlier this week I visited the Facebook groups and did a bit of promo and my blog stats exploded. Too bad sales didn't follow. People in Singapore speak and read English, right? 

Eight THOUSAND hits from Singapore in one day. I don't know if I should laugh or contact Blogger. 

    _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, contemporary gay romance, m/m romance, LGBT gay, a writer's life, Blogger, social media, Facebook, finance, social commentary

The Centerville Muscle series

 June 10, 2023

I love muscle cars. 

I always envisioned Bored, Stroked and Blueprinted to be the start of a series. I didn't think it would take this long to get it going, but life, death, pandemic...

Now that I have the series started, I've no clue where it may end, but I can tell you some of my all-time favorite cars, and some true classics, will land on the pages. 

Bored, Stroked and Blueprinted

Memphis

July Heat

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 KC Kendricks

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Some thoughts on writing in the first person style

 

June 9, 2023

There was a great thread on Twitter recently that caught my interest. The writer generating the thread asked how to hide the "I" when writing in the first person. As about ninety percent of my writing is in the first person, I was naturally curious. It had never occurred to me I needed to hide the "I."

Most of the responses spoke to the need to be aware of the usage and to restructure sentences when the usage of "I" gets too frequent or heavy. I certainly concur in most instances. Instead of saying, "I watched the rain overflow the gutters and splatter on the concrete," say "The rain overflowed the gutters and splattered on the concrete with a staccato beat." You're writing in the first person so it's all happening from that character's point of view. Using the second sentence engages his/her senses and therefore the senses of the reader who may have a memory of such a sound. 

One thing to be cautious of is falling into a pattern of passive voice when your character is not being introspective. If he/she is in a reflective mood, saying, "I watched the rain fall..." is an appropriate tool to bring the reader into the emotions of the moment. 

Writing in the first person gets tricky, for sure. I prefer it for writing M/M because when writing M/M in the third person, you end up with a lot of "he," "him," and "his," and if you're not careful, the reader can lose track of just which character HE is. The alternative is using a character's name repeatedly, and that can become annoying to a reader. I know. I am a reader, too. 

But, to me, writing in the first person is a more personal way to tell that character's story. You have to step inside that character and go deep. There is no head hopping back and forth between points of view. You're in that POV and you stay there. 

Writing in the first person isn't a better or worse way of writing a story. It's equal to the third person and the more narrative style of writing. It's a writer's preference and when done well, the reader hardly notices. I think I've done okay in most instances, with the Amethyst Cove and Sundown series being exceptional examples. 

I'm of the opinion that the writer who generated the thread on Twitter is on the right track. She didn't imply that one style is better than another, which is a frequent topic of many who I suspect can't write first person. She asked for a few tips to improve her first person writing and that is always appropriate. I was also impressed at how civil, for Twitter, responses were. 

For me, the bottom line is that you should write your story your way and that a writer should never stop in the quest to improve. And now I should take my own advice and finish the current WIP.

    _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, writing styles, first person, LGBTQ gay romance, writers on writing, M/M romance, narratives, Twitter, Amethyst Cove, sentence structure

The dilemma of artificial intelligence (AI)

 June 4, 2023

The current WIP stands at about thirteen thousand words and our heroes are about to get friendly, at least sort of friendly. I haven't decided just how friendly they're ready to be, but something will happen. Will it bring them closer or shake them up? That's the point I'm pondering. 

I'm "pondering" many things these days. "Ponder" is a word I grew up with, and I don't often hear it used now. People today say they're going to "think about it," but ponder, to country folk, has a deeper meaning. To ponder is to focus on a problem, issue, or question until you understand it from several angles. Pondering takes time and often prayer, prayer being a sort of meditation. 

AI, or artificial intelligence, is in the news. The pros and cons of AI is being widely discussed on social media. Hell, Congress is even having discussions about it for all the fucking good that will do. Twitter is lit up with authors discussing and questioning the validity of adding it to their body of work. 

If you use Artificial Intelligence to create a short story, poem, novella, or novel, can you claim to have written that piece of work? 

If you use AI to create a work of fiction and don't disclose the fact, is that dishonest? 

If you use AI to create a work of fiction, who actually owns the copyright? Do you own it or do the creators of the application used own it? 

If you use AI to create a work of fiction and then you market the book without owning the copyright, are you in violation of plagiarism laws? 

If you use AI to create a work of fiction and it's determined both you and the creators of the application share the copyright, do you then have to share the royalties? 

My poor little questions are the tip of the iceberg. 

Using AI to create a work of fiction, a love story for example, may not have much impact on society, but what if AI is used to generate works that are marketed as TRUTH? I read the works of Clive Cussler and David Wood, action-adventure stories that contain a smattering of facts to make the story more believable. They market those books as fiction, of course, but what if someone else begins to write in that genre and markets it as a true adventure, one that really happened? What if people believe it really happened and the lie becomes the truth? 

Call me a Luddite if you want to, but I'm not at all convinced AI is a good thing. Avarice will taint this thing. I fear the desire some hold to be famous and rich will warp all common sense, casting many into a pit of their own making. The need to be part of the "in crowd" and on the cutting edge has been the downfall of many. Folks, don't hop on any bandwagon until you know for sure where it's headed.  

It will be years until the AI fallout is fully recognized. It may not be in my lifetime. But I see one thing as certain. I will be on guard and I will be vigilant about it.

And for now, I'll be adding a note to my copyright notice in every new book that it was NOT created using any AI beyond the inescapable spellchecker. 

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 KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, m/m romance, AI, artificial intelligence, copyright, gay romance, LGBTQ, spellchecker, Congress debate, social media

Series overview: The Southern Cross series

June 1, 2023

 

Summer is almost here and many of us are looking for "beach reads." A little surf, a little sand, and a lot of warm sunshine are the perfect companions for finding a new favorite book - maybe five! Step into the world of the Southern Cross and discover romance.  

From St. Lucia to Ocracoke Island, what brings lovers together is as constant and 

as ever-changing as the sea.

Each story in the Southern Cross series stands alone, but the characters introduced in Netting Neptune have cameos in subsequent stories. For those who like to read a "series" or a "collection" in the order in which it was written, follow the order laid out below.

And no - the sea god reference has nothing to do with fantasy romance. These are contemporary stories. 

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Netting Neptune
Contemporary gay romance

(book one)

Theron Bowman is in the throes of a life crisis. Wanting to leave his past behind he splurges on a two-week vacation in the Caribbean, and like everything else in his life, things quickly go awry and he ends up working at the Southern Cross resort to pay for his room.  

Colby Denton drifted until he came to rest on the island of St. Lucia. With nothing to lose, he rolled the dice and bought a run-down hotel and turned it into a popular resort. To celebrate his tenth year on the island, and his birthday, Colby arranges for a series of festive beachside parties. When Theron swims out of the ocean in front of him, Colby has a brand new birthday plan – netting his sexy Neptune.

For more information and to read an excerpt from Netting Neptune, click here. 

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Taming Triton

Contemporary gay romance 

(book two)

Austin Michaels accepts his brother’s standing invitation for a Caribbean vacation at his island resort. Some time in the sun is just what he needs to map out a plan for his future. He gets lucky and meets a handsome teacher willing to have a little vacation fling with him, as long as they can keep things fun. 

Steve Guthrie’s secret longings have haunted him all his life. It’s time to face his questions and find the truth of who he really is beyond a staid college professor. His love of the sea prompts him to take a vacation at a Caribbean hideaway for relaxation and reflection. A sexy stranger with a Triton's trident tattoo tempts Steve to abandon his plans, enticing him to share a vacation romp. 

Now Steve’s the student in a high stakes class of one, and to pass the course, he has to tame his very own Triton.

For more information and to read an excerpt from Taming Triton, click here. 

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Poseidon's Pleasure

Contemporary gay romance 

(book three)

Brett Houston triumphed over his early life. Raised by an abusive father, Brett sacrificed his personal happiness to keep the ones he loved safe. Ready to make big changes in his life, Brett treats himself to a Caribbean vacation. To his surprise, he ends up at a seaside ball, wearing a G-string and presiding over the festivities as Poseidon, the God of the Sea.   

Mark Matthews left behind his hometown, and his first love, to put down roots in California. With vacation time to use, or lose, Mark books a holiday on the island of St. Lucia, unaware of the surprise reunion Fate has waiting for him. 

Brett cautiously examines the fractured bonds of the past, while questioning the possibility of a renewed future with Mark. It’s simpler for Mark. He won’t settle for anything less than a future tending to Poseidon’s pleasure.

For more information and to read an excerpt from Poseidon's Pleasure, click here. 

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Between the Moon and the Deep Blue Sea

Contemporary gay romance 

(book four)

Chad Collier’s had enough of providing stud service to rich men. It’s true he’s had more fun than any one man deserves, but now it’s time to make a plan for the rest of his life. At the urging of a mentor, he takes a leap of faith and breaks with his old ways. A job interview lands him smack in the path of Darcy Paulson, the sort of rich man Chad vowed to avoid. 

Darcy Paulson came of age as the prodigal son in a wealthy manufacturing dynasty. Every man he’s ever met has been after his money until Chad Collier shows up on his doorstep. Darcy finds Chad prickly, standoffish, and utterly irresistible. Smitten by Chad’s dark good looks and determination to stand on his own two feet, Darcy is happy to give him an opportunity. It doesn’t take long for them to figure out that some private, no-strings fun is what they both need. 

An unexpected event brings them face-to-face with the truth. The magic that happens between the moon and the deep blue sea is something a man can’t own, and it can be fully experienced only in the arms of a lover...

For more information and to read an excerpt from 

Between the Moon and the Deep Blue Sea, click here. 

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Catching Fireflies

Contemporary gay romance

(book five)

Dale Langley longs for some triple R time - rest, relaxation and rejuvenation. He accepts his cousin’s invitation to winter over on Ocracoke Island, far away from the hustle and bustle of life on the mainland. He’s always loved being a rolling stone, traveling for his job without the worry of a place to call home, but it’s time for something different. Now Dale anticipates several blissful months to learn how to be still with no demands on his time while he prepares for the next phase of his life. 

Aubrey Zimmerman came to Ocracoke to attend a friend’s commitment ceremony. Never one to settle down, Aubrey’s had enough of involvements that took him from man to man without a place to call home. He needs a break - and a little solitude. House sitting while his friend is on his honeymoon is the perfect way to clear his head and catch up on his sleep. At least it seemed that way until Dale arrived and Aubrey realized sleep is the last thing he needs. 

Fate has changes in store for Dale and Aubrey, the sort neither one knew they wanted. Sometimes the more you wander the closer to home you get. 

For more information and to read an excerpt from Catching Fireflies, click here. 

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For more information, please visit the individual book pages

Go back to KC and Rayne's bookshelf -click here. 

The Southern Cross series:

Book 1:  Netting Neptune

Book 2:  Taming Triton

Book 3:  Poseidon's Pleasure

Book 4:  Between the Moon and the Deep Blue Sea

Book 5:  Catching Fireflies

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 KC Kendricks
http://kckendricks.com

My real home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys