The Red-Haired Witch
Considering my Mortality, Debating my Legacy
Two of my cousins have forced me to look my mortality in the face. A maternal first cousin, who was like a big brother to me in my girlhood, has been iahnosed with multiple cancers. My[paternal first cousin died unexpectedly of a heart attack. He was only a year my senior. Naturally the combination of these events has has me crying for my kinfolk and contemplating my own mortality. What legacy have I left to future generations? In 200 hundred years will anyone know or care that I existed? Have I left the world a better place than I found iy?then I found it?
If St. Peter at the Prarly Gate is mote than just myth, will he unlock the gate and let me in when the time comes?
IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE IKNOW on Facebook has written one or more novels. I know that’s an exaggeration, but that’s how it feels. I’ve yet to write a novel, let alone the dozens I expected to produce when I was younger and much more naïve. It occurred to me that after I am dead and gone, David A. Riley of Parallel Universe productions could assemble a posthumous collection of my phantasy stories. It occured to me that The Red-Haired Witch would be an appropriate name for such a book, both because many of my characters are redheads and magic-users, and because I am a redhead who indulges in the witchery of wordsmithing.
THE RED-HAURED WITCH
What would sUch a book contain? Abrief biography, perhaps written by my offspring, perhaps adapted from my Wiikipedia page if I ever rate one.
“The Poper’s Wife,” from Sword & Sorceress #30 (my first sale at pro rates)
“Erzabwt and the Gladiators” grom Heroic Fantasy Shott Stories (my first hardcvber publication) {Someday, I hope to turn this story into the beginning og a novel, Escape from Jandarra}
“As Prophesied of Old” from Alternative Truths, a modern Arthurian tale )which earned a bit of money for the ACLU)
“The Selkie Who Liked Buttermilk Biscuits” tom Tales from OmniPark
“”The Ling-Ma’s Tests” from Sirius Science Fiction (ok, technically SF, since it’s steampunk)
“Zle and Zedril” from Swards and Sorceries Tales of Heroic Fantasy. I’ve only published one Z&Z story so far, but more are planned.
“Sir Bedrich” unpublished as yet,Bbut it’s gotten two encouraging personalized rejection slips. I’m vain enough to think it’s worth publishing.
“Ebony Black,” fractured fairy rale, also unpublished yet.
“Journey 6o SaLLum,” the story I am supposed to be workingoin today instead of spending all day on a misspelled blog. The sheer number of typos in this is embarrassing.
Enough of N UNpUBLISHED book. Back to the center of the uniberse!
If St. Peter met me at the gate and asked what have you done done to merit entry here, what could I Tell him?
I was a reacher. I taught several young children the Stop, Drop, and Roll Song. I showed dozens of older children how to do the nine times table trick on their fingers. I wrote a handful of fanfic stories that violated copyright but amused my readers for a few minutes. I baked cookies for the high school knowledge bowl team.
I raised two kids that I think turned out pretty well. Both are literate, lawabiding, and kind-hearted.
I haven’t committed any major sins. Like anyone, I m guilty of a handful of minor sins.
I have been a volunteer at my children’s schools, at assorted Highland Games, and at the MidSouth Renaissance Faire. I wrote a children’s book about RenFaire
Considering my Mortality, Debating my Legacy
Two of my cousins have forced me to look my mortality in the face. A maternal first cousin, who was like a big brother to me in my girlhood, has been iagnosed with multiple cancers. Mypaternal first cousin died unexpectedly of a heart attack. He was only a year my senior. Naturally the combination of these events has has me crying for my kinfolk and contemplating my own mortality. What legacy have I left to future generations? In 200 hundred years will anyone know or care that I existed? Have I left the world a better place then I found it?
