There is a lot of new snow out there, the beautiful kind that clings to trees. I love hiking in this sort of snow and not being able to is making me sad. Monday I have to go back and have the blood flow in my leg reexamined as it might be failing post surgery.

I have more of These Haunted Hills for you again this week. Brendan and Josh are off on their next ghost hunting adventure in this scene.

“Do you think this is truly a ghost town?” Brendan eyed the dense knot of pines and exposed limestone as Josh drove the curvy road. “I don’t see too many signs there was ever much more than the hotel out here but there had to be something, right?”

“Not a lot,” Josh agreed, peeking at the rear view. The rest of the team followed close behind them in two more vehicles as they headed for the hotel to do their first walk through as a team. He regretted now not waiting for them but he couldn’t have stopped himself from showing off to Brendan if he tried.

“I’m sure there was a general store, some homes maybe even a church. I haven’t been able to find a lot of turn of the century photos.” Josh scowled. “I guess I should say turn of the last century. It still feels like 1900 is the turn of the century as if 2000 never happened or is that just me?”

“It’s not just you. I haven’t found anything either, not for a lack of trying. I guess it allows me freedom to make stuff up. I like to be accurate.”

The Rainbow Snippet group can be found on Facebook. It’s a fun low-pressure snippet sharing group for LGBTQ+ fiction. Come join us. https://www.facebook.com/groups/RainbowSnippets

I’m already falling behind on my resolution to do this more regularly and well just have more of a presence online. Things are still pretty rough but I’m coping (I hope).

We’ll be continuing with These Haunted Hills where Josh is still talking to his BFF Cassia about his new relationship with Brendan. Since it’s been a while, Brendan is a young adult fantasy author whose series Cass and Josh are huge fans of. Vince was Josh’s favorite character.

“Have you asked him yet why he killed Vince, really killed him?” She smiled, moving them to less weighty topics.

Josh wanted to kiss her for it. “Yes, though it’s what he said in interviews. I told him I was still traumatized by it.”

She laughed. “What did he say to that?”

“There was mention of a please forgive me blow job.” Josh shot her a Cheshire cat grin. “I need to collect on that.”

“And you promised not to make me picture things.”

“I said I wouldn’t go into details. That’s not a detail.”

“Are you sure?”

“Pretty sure but if I don’t stop picturing it, there might be graphic demonstrations.”

She jabbed his arm with a chopstick. “I’ll send you in for priapism treatment. Hint ice cold enemas and needles play a role in that.”

“And there goes any boner I might have had a chance of having…for a week.”

“And my night is made.”

The <a href=”https://www.facebook.com/groups/RainbowSnippets“> Rainbow Snippet group</A> can be found on Facebook. It’s a fun low-pressure snippet sharing group for LGBTQ+ fiction. Come join us.

I still haven’t gotten to where I want to be editing wise. I need to balance my hours in the day better. I want to try and get These Haunted Hills in for consideration in the next few months. It’s been done for more than a year but my injury took up all of last year.

So have some more of Cassia and Josh talking about his relationship with Brendan.

Cassia turned her attention to the tv, popping a piece of tofu into her mouth. She chewed slowly before asking, “Do you think it’s possible that his son is haunting him?”

“God, I hope not. He’s never said that he thinks so, but he keeps Connor close. That pendant he wears, it contains a little bit of Connor’s ashes.”

“That’s somewhere between beautiful and depressing as hell.”

“That’s a perfect description of Brendan, truth be told.”

She bumped his shoulder. “Are you happy, Josh? I mean you’re usually very upbeat. Are you going to be able to handle this relationship?”

He shook his head, wishing to hell he could say yes without reservation. “I wish I knew. All I can do is try, right?”

Welcome to 2022. I have no real big resolutions other than maybe to be more present on my social media and do a little better job of editing my stuff because last year was a wash. Given the fact I spent months hospitalized I think I can give myself a break though.

I’m picking back up with <i>These Haunted Hills</i> Josh is talking to his BFF Cassia about being an official couple with Brendan (and her bashing on his idea to grow a beard)

Josh chuckled. “I think I’ll get Brendan’s opinion on the beard.”

“Don’t make the poor man flee in horror!”

“Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure the ghosts will do that. Brendan seems…skittish is the word for it.”

“Some are,” Cassia agreed. “Of course, you have gone to a pretty scary place alone.”

“That’s where he first kissed me.” Josh let his head drop back against the couch pillows.

“Are you serious?”

“Shocked the hell out of me. And the ghosts didn’t like it one bit.”

I have been so pressed for time I’ve missed almost a month of these snippets and haven’t been reading any. I will catch up some. I promise.

Have a little of an older Christmas story of mine from Ninestar Press, a little steampunk. The Glow of Luminiferous Aether on Tinsel

A union suit and woolen uniform trousers should have been enough to keep out the December chill, except his metal prosthetic leg, a miracle of spring-work technology, conducted the cold straight through his stump, up into his jewels, and even made his bladder ache. His slow path around the ship’s deck as he kept watch did little to warm him.

He had one sure way to feel warmer: thoughts of a certain Dr. H. Alphus Troyer waiting for him back home. Theirs was a strange and beautiful relationship. He’d never understand why a man as smart as Al would want to be with an air corps man like himself. Al argued that Jacob, as the onboard tactician, possessed intelligence in abundance. Though it would seem not enough to figure out a way to avoid guard duty in the middle of the frigid night just before Christmas.

The Glow of Luminiferous Aether on Tinsel