Voodoo in Saint Pete and Storytelling via Tarot Cards

In previous blogs, I've demonstrated various, out-of-the-MFA tactics to develop my novel. Yodeling along with country music legends, watching Ahhnuld fight Wilt Chamberlain, interrupting random people's lives in other states. So of course it should come to no surprise that I would use mysticism to conjure up a scene.

You never want to give up the entire story too early, so you gotta lay treats along the way, to build up to The Big Reveal. This is foreshadowing. And I thought, instead of planting dialogue or narrative, why not have two characters do a tarot reading on my protagonist?

For my practiced readers, I used the Modified Celtic Cross spread, because I wanted to convey a big picture foretelling. For those that have yet to dabble in Tarot (and I totally recommend you should!) this reading allows for an interpretation of the conscious and unconscious state of being, and the limitations and outcomes that may develop, depending on how the issue in question is played out. For the foreshadowing subplot, I powwowed with my spiritual companions, and we came up with the spread in the photo gallery above. Pretty cool right? If you're interested in how Tarot readings work, and what the pictures on the cards mean, visit Psychic Revelation or Aeclectic Tarot or even better, go to your nearest mystic. Heck, Gulfport alone, you can't throw a pebble without hitting at least two practiced Tarot card readers!

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Continuing to the summer book challenge, I completed Casino Royale a couple of weeks ago. My favorite paragraph of the entire book is in Chapter 15, and the dialogue in all of Chapter 20 reminded me of a novella I wrote a year ago. Now, I am in the throes of Live and Let Die. I chose Fleming's Bond series because I've been a fan of the 007 movies since childhood, and as a writer, thought I'd explore the source of my favorite films. This is me late to the party I realize, but I did not know that Fleming wrote about Pinellas County! His characters have connections with sponge divers in Tarpon Springs, marina henchmen in Saint Petersburg, blue haired women in Treasure Island. This wasn't highlighted in the film version, at least, for what I recall at the time of blogging. So I find it rather cool that Fleming and I, for a moment along the time-space continuum, are sharing the same view.

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Last night was another fun venture at Crum's Bar and Grill. I performed Stopping By The Masters Grave and an untitled work. Have to give a heartfelt shout out to those who came to support us performers! It's enjoyable to emote in good company. Salutations to Tony Gaud, TJ from Broken Stars, and my new friend Pedro el Poeta. A warm thanks to the lovely emcee, Maureen McDole, for letting us loose. I think I'll check out Ruby's Elixir in June. They are hosting an open mic every Monday throughout the month.