A. L. Kaplan

Tag: holiday

  • Little Squirt – Illustrated in Miniatures on Candid Canine

    Laila’s 2020 Halloween Photo

    It might be a little be after Halloween, but take a look a this post on Candid Canine.

    I love the way Christina Verstraete illustrated my story, Little Squirt, with miniatures. Very clever. Make sure you visit and check out her other creations.

    Halloween in #Miniature: Happy Halloween! Trick or Treat!

    STAR TOUCHED

    STAR TOUCHED

    Sometimes it’s hard to be who you are meant to be.

    Especially when your powers can get you killed.

    Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers eight years after a meteor devastates earth’s population.

    Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble.

    Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends…and herself.

    WOLF DAWN

    WOLF DAWN

    A Hidden Past – A Deadly Secret

    Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers.

    But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.

  • THE MOUNTAIN

    Find out what ruined this couple’s holiday.

     

    Could it get any better than this?” said Jake. He sipped his drink, then gazed across the lake at the white capped mountain. “Clear blue skies, clean crisp air. It’s as spectacular as everyone said.”

    “Hon, I hate to break it to you, but we need to pack up and leave right now.”

    “What?” he said, nearly choking on his cocktail. “What for? This place is perfect.”

    “Apparently not. I just got a message that it’s no longer safe. They’re closing the park, effective immediately.”

    “No!” Jake shook his head. “Just because some bureaucrats can’t do their job doesn’t mean they have the right to spoil our vacation. It’s the first we’ve had in ages.”

    “It’s more than politics and you know it. The infestation is creating havoc. They have no choice.”

    He pointed at the view. “Look at that flawless peak, delicately dusted with powdered sugar. They’re going to ruin it.”

    “No, they won’t. I promise we’ll come back as soon as things settle down.”

    “Right, sure we will,” said Jake. “Remember Pompeii? Completely buried. Atlantis? Sunk along with all the unicorns.  Mars? Uninhabitable. Before that it was Quirinus. That planet’s nothing more than an asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.”

    “Okay, maybe you have a point. We still have to leave.”

    “I suppose,” he said, gathering his belongings. “but this place better still be here after the fumigation. Damn humans. Every time we think those parasites are gone they spring up out of the ooze like a virus.”

     

    Don’t forget to pick up your copy of Wolf Dawn and Star Touched.

    Wolf Dawn 13

     

    Gifted with the ability to wolf-talk, Kara has lived with the wolves since she lost her memories eight years ago. Now at sixteen, snippets of her past send her searching for answers. But the warm welcome she receives in the human village hides more danger than life with the pack.

     

     

     

     

     

    Startouched AL Kaplan

     

    Eighteen-year-old Tatiana is running from her past and her star-touched powers. Her power to heal may be overshadowed by more destructive abilities. Fleeing the persecution of those like her, Tatiana seeks refuge in a small town she once visited. But this civil haven, in a world where society has broken down, is beginning to crumble. Will Tatiana flee or stay and fight for the new life she has built? Only by harnessing the very forces that haunt her can Tatiana save her friends and herself.

  • WOLF NOTES: An Uncommon Interview – Debbie Kaiman Tillinghast

    081

    Welcome to WOLF NOTES, where interview questions stray from the rest of the pack. It’s nice to know the usual stuff like where an author gets their inspiration and why they write, but sometimes we need a little fun in our lives.

    DSC_0157Debbie Kaiman Tillinghast is the author of The Ferry Home, a memoir about her childhood on Prudence Island, a tiny island off the coast of Rhode Island. Debbie began writing as she embarked on a quest to reconnect with her island roots, starting with a cookbook for her family.

    She has been published in Country magazine, and her poetry has been published in three anthologies published by the Association of Rhode Island Authors, Shoreline, Under the 13th Star and soon to be released, Selections.

    Debbie, a retired teacher and Nutrition Educator, now enjoys volunteering as well as writing, gardening, biking and spending time with her children and grandchildren.

    Wolf: Thank you for participating in my oddball interview. You’ve just been turned into a plant. Describe yourself.

    Debbie: I am a vine, climbing over an arbor and flowering year round in shades of pink, purple and blue. My hypnotic scent brings love and happiness to anyone who takes the time to stop and smell the haunting fragrance.

    Wolf: That sounds lovely. Do you consider yourself a cat person, or a dog person?

    Debbie: I am definitely a cat person, and I love their independence, affection, and soothing purrs. Over the years our cats have sprawled across desks as my boys did their homework and snuggled their soft warmth next to me when I was ill. Whiskers, my childhood pet, didn’t mind when I dressed her in a doll dress and bonnet, covered her with a blanket and took her for a walk in my doll carriage.

    Wolf: She sounds like an extraordinary cat. While walking in the woods you come across…

    Debbie: A hidden, deep, blue pool and a doe with three fawns frolicking at her side. The doe raised her head, gazed directly in my eyes, and I felt her trust as she returned to grazing in the emerald grass. I turned to leave, but my feet wouldn’t move. She looked into my eyes again and I heard her breathe, “Stay, you are one of us now.”

    Wolf: Cool. If you could have a super power, what would it be?

    I would be able to fly at warp speed, bypassing traffic and making short, but frequent trips to see my grandchildren in NY, MD and TN. I would take a leisurely flight, soaring over the ocean and countryside, or on a whim, zoom to Holland to see the tulips in bloom.

    Wolf: Fun. There is a door at the end of a dark, damp corridor. You hear rumbling. What do you do?

    Debbie: In my mind I would open the door and investigate. In reality I would probably turn around and run as fast as possible in the other direction.

    Wolf: The world is about to end. What is the first thing you do?

    Debbie: Call each of my three sons and tell them I love them. None of them live nearby and the phone is our connection between visits.

    Wolf: Which of your characters is your favorite?

    FerryHome_V9-2 copyDebbie: Since my book is a memoir, I changed this question to, “Which story is your favorite?” I love the story called “Sleds and Sundays.” The island where we lived year-round was more isolated in the winter. Since the population dwindled to about fifty, my sister and I had fewer friends nearby, and my father’s store was closed so my dad worked fewer hours. My winter memories are cozier and more intimate than summer ones.

    Wolf: What is your favorite body of water and why? (river, ocean, waterfall, puddle, bottle…)

    Debbie: Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island where I grew up on a tiny island in its midst and learned to swim along its rocky shore. It is still my favorite spot for a swim, from May when the water has yet to warm until the October chill arrives. I love walking along the island clam shell beaches, watching the changing colors of the bay and listening to the waves, whether whispering or crashing on the shore.

    Wolf: Brrrr. What story are you working on now?

    Debbie: I’m in the midst of a romance novel as well as a collection of essays and poems.

    Wolf: Glad to hear you’re delving into fiction. Your answers were super creative. What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

    Debbie: I love the outdoors and travel that includes a new place to hike. At home I enjoy walking, biking and gardening as well as reading and cooking.  Most of all I like to spend time with my three children and four grandchildren.

    Wolf: Thanks for stopping by. Connect with Debbie at https://www.facebook.com/debbiekaimantillinghast/?ref=bookmarks

    Books make great gifts

    Start the holiday season out right

    Pick up your copy of

    STAR TOUCHED

    book gift jpg

    Do you have the courage to be who you are meant to be?

     

  • A HUMBLE REPAST

    Snow flew across the room as the door swung open, bringing with it the cold Mary and Frank had just driven away with their meager cup of hot soup. A few people barked obscenities even after the door closed. Frank’s arm tightened around her as a hulking figure stared at the empty kitchen counter. Nowhere felt safe since they became homeless.

    “Go away,” someone yelled, as the figure shuffled across the old linoleum floor. “There’s no food and no room for anyone else.

    Even from their distant corner, Mary could see the despair in the eyes of the grime covered figure. His shoulders drooped further when empty floor space vanished as he neared. That was no way to treat anyone, especially during the holidays. Mary made space by snuggling closer to Frank. The man nodded, then squeezed against the wall, clutching his long legs in tight.

    Both she and Frank had saved the crackers that came with their soup and muffin. Who knew where their next meal would come from? She pulled the two precious packages from the pocket of her threadbare jacket and handed them to the man.

    “Here,” she said. “It’s not much, but you’re welcome to them.”

    Tears pooled in the man’s eyes and he smiled. Mary returned the look, wishing everyone could be thankful for simple crackers. Exhausted, she and Frank drifted off to sleep. The stranger was gone when they woke. As they left the shelter, Mary discovered a large roll of cash in her pocket.