Mangled is being Edited for a Horror Anthology

Mangled is a short story that will be submitted for an anthology set to be released in Autumn 2023. I am currently editing the project based on a few actual events, technology, medicine, and warfare. The narrative is a science fiction, paranormal horror story. 

Have you ever heard of a morgue's black toe tag? Pray that one is never issued to you.

Here is the synopsis: 

The only survivor of a roadside bomb, Specialist Sarah Mitchell lives most people's nightmare. Her entire squad is killed. In the bustle of a busy emergency triage center, she is forgotten. 

 

Worse than being ignored, once she is reevaluated, she is then abandoned by the medical personnel. In order to take care of other soldiers who might live, she is given a black morgue tag, left tied down on a gurney where she waits for death in a dark corner of a foreign hospital.

When she survives until morning, others come to claim her. One by the use of technology and the other by energetic consciousness, but both manipulate the quantum singularity. In an experiment to merge human consciousness with machine, which will consume Sarah, what will she do? 

Will she continue to serve her country in another capacity? Or, will she choose the unknown and walk into eternity with a complete stranger?

No matter what Sarah decides: living forever has its consequences.

For more information and upcoming news, be sure to visit Mangled here on Undawnted. 

This story is a part of Undawnted's Exclusive Legacy Universe. The short story version will be released in the anthology. The novelette will be dropped in spring 2024. 

Have a great and wonderful day!

Undawnted's Newsletters are Expanding

Recently, Undawnted began A Novelist Idea, then added the forthcoming WordWalker, professional writer's courses. 

As an added bonus: Undawnted's resident creative spark, DL Mullan has a newsletter of her very own. She is a gifted polymath. She can discuss the topics of the day as well as many other subjects from news, medicine, arts, dyi, science, spirituality, and much more. 

Join her on her epic journey as a student of the universe.

Convergence

I added a link to the site: Convergence. 

This blog is my hub of all my other blogs! I needed to get them all in order so I would stop forgetting to update certain ones. I am forgetful.

So have fun seeing my posts of politics, art, science, medicine, and mysticism. 

Good thing I have that all straight now.

Have a great and wonderful day!

Recovery, It's Not Just for Addicts

I am trying to recover from biotoxin illness. 

My immune system collapse due to employer negligence with industrial chemicals including the misuse and overuse of pesticides.

As I was getting back on my feet, my family allowed a leaky sink to cause my second collapse with toxic black mold.

...but my real medical, clinical symptoms and skeletal condition were just in my head. That is what I was told repeatedly.

Now that my family disowned me, I am recovering inch by inch with miles to go. Every inch is sweet. Of course, every set back is frustrating too. 

When you have a chronic and debilitating illness and people like your family make fun of you, it is really difficult to want to have camaraderie again. I have noticed that when someone is at a distance, I feel better. Our relationship is good.

But when someone is in touching distance of me, well, I am uncomfortable. I guess when someone is abused as I have been that being shy of close connection is not unusual. It's a survival mechanism. 

And, I am a survivor. 

If you do not understand the illness, then support the person the best you can. Be positive but not harassing. Believe me, the ill person will be grateful you care, but do not be disappointed that the ill person remains ill. 

My family thought that I should be able to run around and do chores for them. Or, do all my chores. So when I did not get better from their constant hounding and negativity, my family told others I was an addict and psychotic, which no one with an M.D. or Ph.D. could ever prove even with blood tests. Many terrible things were done to me as a result.  

But recovery from a prolonged illness has many of the hallmarks of recovering from an addiction. First, all your friends are not your friends anymore. Most, if not all, your family ignores you. Your requests for help and support go largely unanswered except for people who are paid to help and support you.

The only difference between being ill and being an addict is understanding from society. Addicts get support groups and therapists. I don't. Addicts receive adequate medical care. I don't. Addicts get legal services and protection under the law. I don't. Addicts have people who they can turn to... well, you get the picture. 

I am not ill by choice. Others chose this path for me. I hope one day people with invisible disabilities like chronic, lifelong illnesses will receive the same societal understanding and respect as others do already. 

It's not a crime to be ill, but it sure does feel like it. I had to go through a Disability Review recently, which I passed because I am truly ill, but the treatment I received placed my health and life in jeopardy. The situation was not fun and I nearly died. 

I am not okay with what happened to me especially since my family tortured and imprisoned me. 

Like Kermit the Frog said: It's not easy being green."

So, what will you do to help your elderly or sick neighbor? They could really use your helping hand at least once a month. If your whole neighborhood assisted others who cannot help themselves, America would be a much brighter place.

Thank you!

A Voice for Your Generation

I've been writing for my local newspaper and my own blog for a little while now. 

I have learned to balance the needs of the community with my own. What I cannot cover, I make sure to link to independent news episodes in order to keep everyone current. Or, if I need some time off because my brain is fried or I am: a video it is!

On a personal blog, it's not that easy. I have to write something, right? Something!

I got to thinking: where are the voices of my generation? Where the hell are all the Gen Xers anyway? Did they all succumb to corporate and family life? What happened to our rebellious spirit?

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one out here. That thought led me to the epiphany: I have become the voice I've been searching for. An odd statement for sure, but a true one.

It's not an ego statement. I am doing that job here and with the Gazette. I finally found my voice. 

It shouldn't be a voice for a generation; it should be voices. Where is your voice on the current state of affairs in politics, government, medicine, health, food/water/air safety? Where are you?

You don't have to be Generation X to get a blog, website, youtube channel or the like. 

Just start saying something. Anything. Be the voice you have been waiting for. It feels good to make a difference in the world.

So what topic makes you verbal? Speak out. Live out loud. It's not too late to become that person your teenage self always wanted you to be. An idealist. A commentator. A rebel. 

A role model.

Be the change you want to see in the world and the world will change to meet you. I've had it happen to me. Stories gravitate to me. When you are on your right path, everything falls into place.

Now to finish my fiction and nonfiction books... then we'll be getting somewhere there too!

Sick, well, or in between, you can make this world a better place. Trust me. The universe is on your side when your heart is pure and you love what you're doing. 

So go out and be: A Voice for Your Generation.

Have a great and wonderful weekend!