K.E. Skedgell

E rr, or maybe not. We all know what 2020 has been like so I'm not going to go there. However...ugh! It was the beginning of the new Roaring Twenties. It was supposed to be a good year. Only it has been so tiring, so frustrating, so...so... Anywhooie! Back in May I attempted fate and sent out my query letter to seven agents. Five rejections and two CNR's was the result. I know it wasn't very many to judge by what my failure could have been. Maybe wrong timing, maybe it wasn't the query letter but the sample pages that made them go, not for me. Who knows? Agents don't usually tell you why they reject, if they even respond. I have been wanting and meaning to rewrite the query letter but my desire just hasn't been there, especially after going back to work at the end of May, and work for the past few months had been chaotic to say the least. Things are simmering down though, and now I'm starting to think about that query again. This time of the year should hope...

N ope, not a chance. I'm not popular enough to have gotten enough votes to win, but at least writing the story for the Gaelsong contest was good practice. So now I will share my entry with you all: Betty by K.E. Skedgell     Every Halloween, Betty took delight in watching the neighborhood children dressed in costumes go door to door for treats. And every year she hoped at least one child would stop at hers. From her parlor window, she watched a young bee begin to waddle up her sidewalk, but the bee's mother grabbed hold of their arm and said, “No, not here. This is the home of that old witch.” Betty sighed and her heart sank as all the children passed by her lighted porch. Another year without handing out candied apples to even one child. Every year she said, “Why do I bother?” She looked about her home to her favorite things: her collection of owl statues, the crystal balls she used to read fortunes from, now gathering dust, her books of Shakespeare and Poe, a...

For my friend Rhonda, who likes to mash. Ha ha! The Monster Mash -- Bobby "Boris" Pickett Album -- The Original Monster Mash (1962) The Monster Mash--With Legos! I was working in the lab late one night When my eyes beheld an eerie sight For my monster from his slab began to rise And suddenly to my surprise He did the mash He did the monster mash The monster mash It was a graveyard smash He did the mash It caught on in a flash He did the mash He did the monster mash From my laboratory in the castle east To the master bedroom where the vampires feast The ghouls all came from their humble abodes To get a jolt from my electrodes They did the mash They did the monster mash The monster mash It was a graveyard smash They did the mash It caught on in a flash They did the mash They did the monster mash The zombies were having fun The party had just begun The guests included Wolf Man Dracula and his son The scene was rockin', all were diggi...

György Ligeti -- Requiem, II Kyrie Composed 1963-65 Hungarian composer György Ligeti's work at its most creepy. This is the second part of a four part work called Requiem. This part is used in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey, as well as other works from Ligeti.

The Cure --Lullaby Album -- Disintegration (1989) On candy stripe legs the Spiderman comes Softly through the shadow of the evening sun Stealing past the windows of the blissfully dead Looking for the victim shivering in bed Searching out fear in the gathering gloom and Suddenly! A movement in the corner of the room! And there is nothing I can do When I realize with fright That the Spiderman is having me for dinner tonight! Quietly he laughs and shaking his head Creeps closer now Closer to the foot of the bed And softer than shadow and quicker than flies His arms are all around me and his tongue in my eyes "Be still be calm be quiet now my precious boy Don't struggle like that or I will only love you more For it's much too late to get away or turn on the light The Spiderman is having you for dinner tonight." And I feel like I'm being eaten By a thousand million shivering furry holes And I know that in the morning I will wake up In th...

Jill Tracy -- The Fine Art Of Poisoning Album -- Diabolical Streak (1999) It's quite an elaborate scheme The fine art of poisoning The dose to comatose Slyly administered Not for the frail of heart The vengeful must play their part A friend to the bitter end Or so they say Nice and slow Misfortune will flow Peril in the nursery It seems a tainted pastry One bite what a dreadful fright She was such a delicate little dish A pleasant parlour gathering Quicksilver concealed in a ruby ring Two lumps or three I have always adored bergamot tea Nice and slow Misfortune will flow But who will know?

T he autumn season is my favorite and I always look forward to the color change of the leaves, the autumn blooming flowers, the coolness in the change in weather, but most of all, the holiday of Halloween. So I decided that through the month of October I will post music that has a bit of flavor for the holiday. Today I'm posting one of my favorite songs from Ozzy, though the song isn't intended to be Halloweeny, it still has that bit of flavor. The others that follow will have a more dark and Halloween feel to them. Hope you enjoy! Ozzy Osbourne -- See You On The Other Side Album -- Ozzmosis (1995) Voices, a thousand, thousand voices Whispering, the time has passed for choices Golden days are passing over, yeah I can't seem to see you baby Although my eyes are open wide But I know I'll see you once more When I see you, I'll see you on the other side Yes, I'll see you, I'll see you on the other side Leaving, I hate to see you cry Grieving, ...