Friday, August 7, 2009

Guest blogger Mary Ricksen

Please join me in welcoming fellow TWRP author, Mary Ricksen, as my first guest Blogger. Mary is the author of Tripping Through Time, a touching love story set in Lake Champlain. When asked to talk about her favorite subject, Mary selected this tale about her DH. The toilet and the butterfly- effect. She's also enclosed an excerpt from her book. Thanks again for stopping by Mary!
Susan



"Well I had an interesting weekend. It started off quiet and I didn't expect
anything, although in hindsight I should have know better. My husband
decided to fix the toilet. Now right now money is tight, just like for
everyone else. So if he can fix it, he will try. Problem is, well I'm not
sure what the problem is.
I should have realized when he took a blow torch into the bathroom. I
decided to ignore it what could he do in the bathroom? If he couldn't fix
that leaky pipe below the toilet we'd just have to call a plumber. So I went
back to sleep. It was a late night for me, trying to finish a book.
It started when my husband and the dog were making noise at 8:00am. I
ignored it, until he came running in yelling. "Mary, Mary, the dog is in the
pool chasing a raccoon!" I ran to the sliding glass doors just as the
raccoon pooped in the pool and ran up a tree. The dog was wet. I quietly
handed him a large towel, told him to wipe the dog and clean the poop out
and went back to bed. If not for him yelling outside, I probably would have
fallen asleep. I went in, turned the pool on and went back to bed.The
raccoons stay away when the fountain is running. It was 8:15am.
At 8:30am my husband began in the bathroom and I settled for a snooze. At
8:45am I smelled smoke and I thought naw, can't be Well the dog, a huge,
loud, dog, began to bark, and my husband began to yell. "Mary, Mary, the
toilet seat is on fire!!" After putting the dog in the the bedroom I shut
the door, and ran to the kitchen. A pan of water in hand I ran to the
bathroom. My husband had a face mask and gloves on and the toilet was
smoking. I never did ask him why. You know those soft toilet seats have wood
inside? Well a lot more water and a promise to clean up, sent me back to
bed. In a little while I heard him in the closet taking out tools. Naw,
ignore it I thought, he'd already had one catastrophe today.
At 9:00am I heard my car start in the driveway. I got up and asked what he
was doing. "Nothing much," he answered. "Working on the the fuel injectors

and the bitsco beater." Yeah, Yeah, whatever, went back to bed. At 9:15am I
heard him yelling. "Mary, Mary, call 911, call 911, the car is on fire!"
Hmm. two fires in one day. He's broken a record today. I ran outside and he
was running around still yelling to call 911. I hate when I have to call
them back and say forget it, so I'm glad I waited. He turned the car off and
I handed him a hose. Who knew a catalytic converter could catch on fire?
It's 9:30am and I go back to bed. Hoping... At 9:45am I heard him yelling.
"Mary, Mary! No stop, Junior, leave the kitty alone, his head is stuck!"
This was of course at the same time the big, big, dog is barking. But his
bark has a different timbre. I ran outside, still in my nightgown, and held
the dog by the collar. My husband pulled the dog out from under his car. The
cat ran like the devil out from under the car. Hair standing on end, it was
awful. So at 10:00am I went back to bed.
Well at 10:15am the phone rang. It was my neighbor. I thought I had heard my
husband yelling, "Mary, Mary." But I thought I dreamed it. But her phone
call confirmed it."Your husband is chasing the dog down Flagler Drive. The
dog has a mouse trap on his tail and he looks scared. My husband is running
down the street after him. And I was trying to sleep. You know Saturday. Day
off and sleep late kind of thing." At 10:30am after I apologized, I ran for
his car, mine I didn't trust just yet. Oh Lord now he's got the neighbors
involved! By the time I got back it was almost eleven. So I got dressed, and
I hoped I could sleep late on Sunday. The toilet seat is on fire. It could
have been worse.

So I had another interesting weekend. How about you? And somebody asked me
what DH meant and I told them dear husband. Ha!!"


TRIPPING THROUGH TIME


In the waters of Lake Champlain there is magic, and a Celtic Ring with a
mystic spell proves that love is truly timeless.

For years Keealyn McCalley has been under her father's commanding thumb.
After a young child dies in her arms, Keealyn leaves nursing school despite
his disapproval. She ends up staying at a camp on Lake Champlain, in
Vermont.


Depressed and overwhelmed she takes her first drink and before she knows it
she is stoned. Hungover and not thinking clearly she jumps into the lake.
Her misguided act leads her to find an ancient Celtic ring with a spell on
it. Putting it on sends her back to the year 1869. Found on the shore by
Ryan Wolf, she is immediately attracted to his misty green eyes, hard body,
and compassionate nature.

She must learn to trust him not to abuse her, save her heart, and teach her
the powerful healing power of unconditional love.



EXCERPT

Finally, her father left, furious and disgusted

with her. He gave her a non-refundable bus ticket

and his last words echoed in her mind.

"Take your choice, either come home with this

ticket, or go back to school immediately. I'm finished,

do whatever you want, I really don't care. The only

reason I came is your mother made me. As far as I

am concerned you were our biggest mistake."

"To you I am a mistake, but I am a mistake that

has a mind, feelings, and the right to choose how I

want to spend my life. You can't make me into what

you want me to be."

"That's for sure, you can't even come close. Try

living without any money, let's see if you dare to

speak to me like that when you are begging for my

help."

"Dad, I will never beg for your help, I'd rather be

dead. You will not hear from this mistake ever

again."

"Good." Her father shook his head, the look of

disgust on his face apparent. He turned and walked

out of her life forever.

After she left the police station, she ripped the

ticket into small pieces and watched wistfully as the

small pieces blew away in the wind. Finally

emancipated, it was over-bittersweet because now

she could never go home again.



Slowly her thinking became less coherent and

her lungs screamed for air.

The longer she held her breath underwater, the

slower her thoughts came, her mind now numb,

jumbled. She saw fish dart by above her and

followed them with hazy eyes. One seemed to stare

into her face, before swimming to the bottom. It

circled below her, as if trying to get her attention.

She saw something on the bottom. Bright gold,

it glowed, its radiance attracted her and she realized

it was a ring. At that point, she felt indifferent, so it

must have been reflex, or providence, that coerced

her to reach down, pick it up, put it on and then

open her mouth to end it all.

Before the water could fill her lungs she felt a

shock, her body tingled and her blood burned

through her veins. A bright flash of light surrounded

her for a moment and she passed out with a last

thought. I hope I don't go to hell for this. That

Catholic rhetoric they'd drilled into her head still

made her question her actions. Why was I ever born?

Darkness filmed her mind and she gave into the

respite of it.

14 comments:

Susan St. Thomas said...

Hi Mary. Thanks for stopping by today. I'd heard your working on a sequel to Tripping Through Time? Can you tell us a little about it?

Mary Marvella said...

Mary! I laughed so hard I hurt!

Your story does sound wonderful and must leave my TBR pile and get into my "read next" stack. It's much shorter.

Mary Ricksen said...

Thanks MM, I have a stack of them too. Since I finished the sequel I have been reading some of them.
Susan, thanks for asking. The sequel is called Burned Into Time. My heroine's sister receives an inheritance, the Celtic ring which is the means by which the time travel is accomplished, is a part of it. A horrible accident is the reason she uses it to save her life. This time she ends up in Stowe, Vermont, a beautiful place, and then the story begins. I hope they publish it! (grin) Waiting to hear takes forever. You start to wonder if it's awful or what. Wish me luck!

Toni V.S. said...

The mental image of DH chasing that poot rat-trap caught dog down the street made me laugh outloud--and I don't do that often! Great blog, Mart!

Anonymous said...

Hi Mary,
Boy, you sure have some stories to tell! A toilet on fire. A dog with a mousetrap on it's tail! What a life.
Can't wait for you to finish book two. I need another good book to read.
Patrice Wilton

Mary Ricksen said...

Thanks Toni, If you got a laugh out of it, it was worth it.
Patrice thanks, I needed that.

Mona Risk said...

Mary, the morale of the story is that you should never lazy in bed in the morning. Just kidding!!!

I laughed so much while thinking, Mary should write funny romantic comedy. That story is so good.

P.L. Parker said...

Sounds like your house is a madhouse like my house. I think our husbands are brothers under the skin. Hee hee. I think it the long run, it'd be cheaper to have it fixed, other than paying for all the fixes.

Patsy
P. L. Parker

Emma Lai said...

Poor, Mary! I hope this weekend is better for you. Tell your husband to cool it on the home repairs until you're up and about.

Tripping Through Time is a beautiful romance filled with emotion. I can't wait to read the sequel!

Mary Ricksen said...

This weekend I have my local chapter meeting. So to get there I'll be up at 7:00am. No sleeping in tomorrow.
I think he wants my attention that's why he does it.

I hope it gets published! Thank you Emma.

My washing machine was here when I moved in, 1982. My dishwasher is 20 yrs old. Refrigerator about 28. I get a lot of use outta my appliances and electronics, but he is no carpenter, painter, or wood worker. Only things that plug in. (grin) If there is electricity in it, he can fix it.

Karen Michelle Nutt said...

My goodness what a day. You had me laughing. And I thought you had to have an imagination to write comedy. Hmm, you could just pick a Saturday in your life. lol

I wish you a restful Sunday!

Stacey Joy Netzel said...

Mary, I'm amazed you tried to go back to sleep after the second incident, much less the third and fourth. :) Best of luck with Tripping Through Time! And here's hoping you hear on the sequel really soon!!

Jane Richardson said...

LOL Mary, that was hysterical. I don't know who to fel most sorry for, the dog, the cat, the dh, or you! Very, very funny indeed. :) All the very best to you with your writing,

Jane x

Mary Ricksen said...

Thank you Jane!
Stacey, I'm persistent when I am tired.Ha!
Karen, Let me know is you need materiel.
Thanks guys!