Daryl Devore's Blog

Daryl Devore's Blog

Tuesday, 31 October 2023

A short spooky read for your Halloween enjoyment #HappyHalloween #shortstory

 

Image by Gerhard Janson from Pixabay

The Slice of a Blade

 

Trembling with giddiness and feverish with anticipation, I wrap my fingers around the drawer handle. The metal is cool to my touch. The drawer glides open. An army of razor edged stainless steel lies before me. Smallest paring knives on the left up to the sleek chef’s knife and the king of the drawer – the butcher knife  - on the right. My fingers hover over the butcher knife’s handle. No, tonight is not the night for you. Must restrain myself.

I grasp the 30 cm French-style chef’s knife’s handle and lift it. Honed and sharpened to exquisite exactness, it is not heavy, but well-balanced and rests in my palm with my fingers curled around the ebony black grip. Experimentation has taught me a longer blade will allow a longer single stroke. A longer single slice.

Longer.

Single.

Slice.

No more beautiful words exist.

Longer.

Single.

Slice.

I close my eyes and picture it sliding – s-l-o-w-l-y  t-h-r-o-u-g-h. Perfection.

Casting a critical gaze over the blade, I check for the slightest of imperfections which would dull the edge therefore marring sharpness and the moment. A ray of light reflects off the sleek steel. Memories flit through my mind of this knife’s edge effortlessly slipping through it’s prey. It is the perfect choice. The event will be sublime.

I rip the knife through the air, imagining the smooth gashes through It. My heart pulses in my chest. I spin and slash, spin and slash, spin and slash. A high giggle bursts from my lips. Such joy.

Stop.

Restraint.

Respect the moment.

Respect the act.

Lowering my head, I close my eyes. A small bow to the performance that is about to begin. I lift the knife, gripping with both hands. Holding it before me, I press a small kiss on the bolster. A homage to the beauty of this piece.

I glance back at It. Lying on the table, waiting. Waiting for it’s moment to become the star of my performance. A concerto of cutting, slashing and gouging. Screams would enhance the decadence of the moment. But the walls are thin. Nosey ears listen.

I must remain calm. Savour the moment. That first slice. A shiver slithers down my spine. I inhale, close my eyes and revel in the thrill of anticipation. I pause. Forcing myself to wait. To enjoy. Don’t rush. Ease into each action. Savour the sensations. Writhe in the bliss this act will give.

The moment has come. I step closer to It then lift the blade to my left and in one swift move slash across. The sensation of the knife ripping through It filters up through my handle to my arm and to my brain. A jolt of dopamine is released. Strength – confidence – joy – lust - power - surge through me. I release the knife from where it lays buried in It - lift and slash again.

And again.

And again.

Again.

Again.

It lays gutted. Open and exposed. I reach inside and grab at the entrails. With wild abandon, I rip out handfuls. Grab. Rip. Toss. Grab. Rip. Toss. Grabrip. Toss. Grabriptoss. Grabriptoss. Grabriptoss. Grabriptoss.

Sweat drips down my cheek. Loud gasps fill the void between the heavings of my chest.

The entrails drip from my fingers, the chair, the table and the edges of It.

It is beautiful. A masterpiece. My masterpiece.

It is so perfect.

It is perfection.

Trembles ripple through me. They build. The room sways. Hysterical laughing erupts.

With reverence, I place the blade on a towel, knowing it will be lovingly cleaned after It has been properly looked after.

I turn, once more to look at my masterpiece. Tears of joy stream down my cheeks at the beauty. I am struck numb by it. I know not how long I will stay here gazing at It. I want this moment never to end.

But it must.

 

The freezer lid drops with a solid thud. Orgasmic relief floods through me. Another carving. A smile hints at the corner of my mouth as I walk back upstairs. No one knows. No one suspects.

 

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Friday, 27 October 2023

On Daryl Devore's My Books My Blog My Post - What is so important about a flower? #Rose #Tulip #romance #author #books

What is so important about a flower?
 

 For instance, this red rose is the symbol of love given by Prince Hawkyns to Derry on the day of their betrothal  (The Last Dragon). (Spoiler alert to those of you who haven’t read it)

It was the wrong time of the year for roses to be in bloom, but when a faerie queen is on your side – magick can happen.

 

With a serene smile, the abbot turned to Hawkyns. “Clasp hands and face each other.”

Hawkyns held out his hands and grasped Derry’s. “I wish I could give ye a token of my love, but 'tis too early for—”

A single red rose floated downward. Hawkyns grabbed it then handed it to Derry. He looked up. “Thank ye, Fira.”

Returning his gaze to Derry, he said, “I will build ye a garden full of red roses. And each petal will represent my love for ye.”

“And I will cherish each petal with all my heart.”

 

Red roses symbolize romance. They are one of my favourite flowers. I have a scented red rose bush on my deck. The colour and the fragrance bring such joy to my heart. But they are not the only flower I have used in my stories.

 

In another book – The Gift – it’s a tulip that’s center of the story. Why? I don’t remember other than the line that is repeated throughout the story and in 2 languages is basically the opening sentence- "When was the last time you were offered the gift of a red tulip?"

 

The tulip represents whatever the reader wants it to. That’s the mystery of this quirky little story. I never explain the tulip. I never explain a lot of things in the story. I left that for the reader’s imagination.

 

Flowers are important to me. I tend my flower garden in the summer. In the winter, I watch Gardener’s World and read gardening books and dream of amazing flower displays. While on top of a mountain this past summer, I was taking photos of the flowers rather than the “majestic view” before me.


 


 

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Monday, 9 October 2023

Daryl Devore answers - Has a book or movie ever been based somewhere you've lived? on the #OpenBook Blog Hop #writers #DarylDevore


 Welcome to the Open Book Blog Hop! This week’s theme -

Has a book or movie ever been based somewhere you've lived? How did it compare?

The Eddie Murphy movie - Beverly Hills Cop. At the beginning of the movie Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) is a Detroit undercover police office and the situation goes south and there is a wild car chase scene. That scene was shot in Detroit, Michigan. I grew up across the river in Windsor, Ontario Canada, not exactly in Detroit but close enough. 

The area where the scene was shot was where the '68 riots occurred and to this day a lot of it still looks as bad as when the movie was filmed in the 80s. Gentrification is happening so some areas are being cleaned up - but it is still a depressed area.

Now, please visit the other #OpenBook Blog Hop writers. You can find their posts at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXxx

 

 

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Friday, 6 October 2023

The week on Daryl Devore's My Books. My Blog. My Post. Slowly - very slowly - sliding back into social media and promotion. #DarylDevore #romance #author



 Sometime in June I stepped away from my blog, my groups, social media and promotion. I had been blogging about 360 days a year for years. Then Musk bought Twitter and then killed Triberr which was a fabulous and simple way for lots of blog views. Hundreds and hundreds of blog view crashed to a dribble.

I saw it as another knife in independent artists backs. Being seen is impossible in social media. I am a little fish in a very big pond. I have done everything that everyone said to do and none of it helped. I - obviously - did it wrong. 

So instead of repeatedly banging my head on a wall hoping for a different outcome - I am changing what I do.

I will still write. I will still independently publish. But I am no longer going to jump on every bandwagon that comes along. I spent hours setting up the thing that was called the latest and greatest thing for sales - with people crowing - I had so many sales. Me - de nada. 

Then the next thing came along and I jumped on that ship.

I am done jumping. See the photos above. I had way better things to do this past summer than sit inside and uselessly pound on my keyboard.

Welcome to the new me. 

 

The one thing I am keeping is my Author Group - Daryl Devore's Musings. If you wish to join - click on the link. There is a free ebook to all who join. https://www.facebook.com/groups/738845900663510

 




Sunday, 1 October 2023

Now it is up to love to fix what time cannot mend. Circles Interlocked - Now in Audio - on Weekend Writing Warriors #romance #dancer #audio #8Sunday #WeWrWa

 

Welcome to Weekend Writing Warriors! Where writers share an excerpt of their writing on Sunday.  Visit other participants on the list and read and comment on their 8sunday posts.

Spread the word. Twitter hashtag #8sunday.

WWW

Hi. I am back from my hiatus from social media. I am stepping back in - slowly.  I truly enjoyed being away from the blogs and promo, so I am only going to post a couple of times a month.

This week's excerpt is from my contemporary dancer romance - now in audio book – Circles Interlocked.

Scene Set - Julie has spent a quiet week with her friend at his cottage. Her best friend (his sister) drops by.

Excerpt

"Your chauffeur's here." Vincent's sister, Cheryl, bounded onto the deck. "I've come to rescue you from the wilds of nature and return you to smog filled civilization." Cheryl's eyes scanned her friend. "Don't take this personally, I hate you."

Julie gasped.

"Look at you." Cheryl flipped the car keys in her hand. "You're gorgeous. That ponytail ends in a perfect little flip. Your eyelashes go on forever, and your legs stop at your neck. I have paintbrushes fatter than you. And you've got a gorgeous tan." She stepped closer. "So, did you and Vincent... you know?"

Julie shook her head. "We haven't been dating that long. This was just a vacation. I think he needed an excuse to get out of the office."

"Luggage is in the car." Vincent held the door for them. As he settled into the back of the long, white, company limousine Julie sat next to Cheryl.

"Why are you here?" asked Julie. "I thought the chauffeur would be sent when Bart left."

"You don't like Bart?"

Julie turned to check on Vincent. He was involved in a cell phone conversation. "No," she whispered. "He's creepy."

"Well, knowing my brother's lack of a driver's license and your sore knee, I thought we could spend the time chatting."

"Vincent doesn't have a license?"

Cheryl shook her head.

Julie continued, "I never thought about that. His not driving us was because he's rich enough to have a chauffeur. Why drive?"

"I think he's scared of driving, just and prefers to hide in the back seat."

The roar of a motorcycle caught everyone's attention as it sped past to take the lead. "There's a guy I'd like to get to know." Cheryl nodded in the direction of the motorcycle. "He's dating Corina Kroft, the stunning blonde who owns the blue Cape Cod cottage up the beach. Heiress to a small fortune. Estimated to be in the several billions. Vincent says she's lethal in business. The dumb blonde theory didn't rub off on her. There have been marriage rumours about motorcycle-man and her."

"Would you like to know his name?"

 

Blurb and buy Links

How do people get into the situations they find themselves in?

Having been betrayed by the man she assumed she was destined to be with forever; Julie Anderson is heartbroken that her love affair didn't end with the fairy tale Happily Ever After. She leaves town to pursue her dream of being a dancer only to find herself trapped in a job she no longer loves, confined in a relationship with a loveless man, and living day by day regretting what she has become.

Bouncing from failed relationship to failed relationship, Robert Holiday consoles himself with the lie that he sacrificed his happiness so Julie could live her dream.

As fate has a curious sense of humour, eight years later, they wake up in bed together. Now it is up to love to fix what time cannot mend.

 Amazon

UBL

Audio

BookBub

GoodReads

Pinterest


 

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