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Tag Archives: Magazine

Excerpt from Manuscript – Snow

15 Saturday Apr 2017

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Excerpt from Manuscript - SNOW

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Author, Family, flowers, Graduation, high school, Literary Agents, Love, Magazine, Published, Relationships, Writers

Excerpt from SNOW:

8th Grade Dance 006

The sun was beginning to set behind the grayish-blue, Sierra Mountains. The murmurs of the afternoon voices continued to echo in her ears.

It had been an eventful afternoon, but January was exhausted. She had waited twelve years for this day and now it had finally come and gone, as if in a blink.

“Congratulations Young Lady.” Her grandpa extended out his shaky hand, suffering from chronic arthritis for most of his adult life, but obviously proud of his only grandchild.

“Thank you, Grandpa. I’m so happy you and Grandma were able to make it.”

“We wouldn’t have missed your graduation from high school…not in a million years.”

January smiled, politely dismissing herself.

She was distracted. She hadn’t seen Jack since the ceremony ended, almost thirty minutes earlier.

As she wondered out to the parking lot, she heard a car’s brakes screeching. She held her breath, waiting in anticipation for the final part, the sound of metal as it crashed into another car, or the thud the car made as it hit something or someone. She waited with batted breath, but nothing.

She relaxed, letting her breath out. Suddenly out of nowhere she heard footsteps coming up behind her.

Startled, she turned around, ready to scream out…”Jack! what they hell! You scared me to death. Where have you been…”

She didn’t finish her sentence, as he pulled her roughly into him, passionately kissing her with all the desire and wanting he had building up inside of him.

“I love you baby…that’s all I wanted to tell you.” Quickly extending his arm forward, revealing the most gorgeous dozen red roses she had ever seen.

“Oh, Jack! They’re beautiful and so are you. I love you too…more than words!”

“You can prove it to me tonight. Now go home and get pretty for me. I’ll see you tonight at eight.”

January watched with a smile upon her lips, as he ran down the street, jumping back into his white 1967 Camaro, that he had left idling in the middle of the street, and took off in a hurry down Main Street.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright July 26, 2016

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NINE LIVES – JCW

29 Sunday Jan 2017

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in POEMS By Jewels

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Adolescence, Author, Book, Broken, Children, Damaged, Death, Depression, Happiness, Help, high school, Hope, Life, Magazine, Mental Health, News, Novel, Poem, Published, Reach out, Social Media, Suicide, Support Groups, Teen, Therapy, Torn, Unpublished, Writer

NINE LIVES

nine-lives-jcw-02-19-2016

I just found this poem Jewels wrote, she wrote last February 2016. I think it’s probably one of the saddest of them all, but such a great insight into the mind of someone suffering from depression:

JCW
02/19/16

NINE LIVES

One:
Full of happiness
Giggles and laughter
Innocence is not lost

Two:
A new friend today
I am still young
Pure like clouds

Three:
Adolescence
Not all is happy
My smile is still big

Four:
You fill me with joy
Pure joy
I am happy

Five:
Gone, just like that.
I’m so confused-
Why am I getting so many chances?

Six:
Torn, ripped
Broken and bruised
Innocence is lost

Seven:
Happiness is gone
Let me give up
I’m so, so tired.

Eight:
Shaking, like I’m freezing
Can’t do this much longer.
Why’s life unfair?

Nine:
Damaged.
Nothing but bad memories.
I miss life one.

FINALLY, I AM DEAD.

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JUNE LAKE, CALIFORNIA

16 Sunday Oct 2016

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Photographs from Art Gallery

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Autumn, California, June Lake, Lakes, Magazine, Mammoth Lakes, Photography, Sunset Magazine, Travel, Vacation, Writer

JUNE LAKE

october-2016-277

Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright October 2016

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EXCERPT FROM MANUSCRIPT – DEAR PAXTON

15 Saturday Oct 2016

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Excerpt from Manuscript - Dear Paxton

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Tags

Arcata, Author, Break-ups, Love, Magazine, Photography, Published, Relationships, Unpublished, Writer

Dear Paxton

Humboldt County 03_edited-1

Lisa grabbed the beer, placing it to her lips, swallowing the bitter liquid. She had to concentrate, not to think about the distaste she had for the beer. She sat down, letting out the loudest burp ever to escape her lips.

“There! I did it.” She was really proud of her accomplishment. Keith and Ricky seemed proud too, handing her another Miller Genuine Draft.

“Ricky, let me have a drag of your cigarette.” Lisa took a hit. He had that inquisitive look again.

“What?” She asked.

“I didn’t know you smoked.” He said taking a long drag.

“I don’t. But, I just feel like being one of the boys tonight.” She sat back to relax.

“Lisa, you are too cool.” Keith was stunned.

Ricky tried to teach Lisa how to blow rings with the cigarette smoke. She tried and tried, laughing out loud with the pure lucidity of the evening.

“Shhhh… Don’t laugh so loud.”

“Sorry, Keith.” Lisa looked over at Ricky raising her eyebrows.

He rolled his eye, twirling his finger around in a circle next to his head. Lisa couldn’t help but burst out laughing again. She was feeling a little drunk.

“Shhhh….” This only made her laugh harder until she could hardly breathe, breaking into an asthma attack.

“Shhh… Quiet! I don’t want the neighbors to call the cops.” Keith was definitely paranoid.

“Shut up Keith! I can’t help it if I have to cough….. I have asthma.” She started coughing uncontrollably again.

“Shhhh…”

“Keith, leave her alone. She can’t help it if she has to cough.” Ricky defended her.

“I don’t want the cops to be called. If you guys don’t be quiet, then leave.” Keith was bugging her.

“Don’t be so paranoid, Keith.” Lisa lay back against the couch feeling the room spin under her.

“I don’t feel too good.” She said standing up. “Where’s the bathroom?”

“Lisa, are you ok?” Ricky took hold of her arm walking her over to the small, unsanitary bathroom in the back of the disarray bedroom. Lisa didn’t care that the toilet smelled of urine, sitting down on the floor, resting her head on the cool toilet seat. The coolness felt good on her clammy forehead.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright 2000

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A MONSTER UNDER MY BED

05 Wednesday Oct 2016

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Just a PERFECT Thought

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Tags

Author, Counseling, Daughter, Huffington Post, Magazine, Mother, Pain, Parents, Photography, Psychology, Relationships, Support, Teenagers

A Monster Under My Bed

img_3457

I tell her I’m getting better…well I was getting better.

Is it a lie when you want it to be true, but some how you fail, is it?

I tell her it will be okay, as I lay in my bed, late at night, gently rubbing my finger tips over the scars.

She asks me why I do it…I told her emotional pain is heavier on the soul than physical.

She just looked at me with a blank stare.

I knew she didn’t understand.

That’s okay…I understand.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright October 5, 2016

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Excerpt from Manuscript – SNOW

21 Wednesday Sep 2016

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Excerpt from Manuscript - SNOW

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Tags

Addiction, Agents, Author, Break-ups, Cocaine, Heartache, Love, Magazine, Photography, Published, Rehab, Relationships, snow, Travel, Unpublished, Writer

EXCERPT FROM MANUSCRIPT – SNOW

arcata-ca-july-2016-075

They both lay in bed, exhausted, but satisfied by their late night excursion.
January cuddled up closer into Jack’s arms, nestling her head in between the nape of his neck, just under his ear, as her slender fingers gently glided over the dark hair that now appeared on his chest.

At first, she had thought she would hate the thought of her man having a hairy chest, Jack had always been a clean-shaving guy, but over the past few years, he had let it go. January loved it.

“I love you, Jack…you know that, right?”

“Of course, Sweetheart. And I love you too, with all my heart.” He said, bringing her lips up towards his, kissing them tenderly this time. “Why do you ask?”

“I just get worried sometimes…that’s all.”

“Worried about if I love you?”

“No, worried that it won’t last. It’s all too perfect and when everything is perfect there is always something that comes along and ruins it. It seems like I am never completely happy and when I am, it is taken away from me.” January sadly said, stretching out her long legs from under the sheets.

“Baby, I love you now and forever. That’s all that really matters for right now. We have the present…that’s all we can be certain, we can’t foresee the future, Sweetheart.”

“I know that Jack…I just hope you’re right.”

“Trust me.”

Sadly enough, that was what worried her.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photography By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright September 21, 2016

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THE MONSTER UNDER MY BED

14 Wednesday Sep 2016

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Authors of the Week

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Tags

Addict, Author, Beaches, Book, California, Depression, Family, Help, Humboldt County, Literary Agents, Love, Magazine, Northern California, Published, Teenagers, Travel, Unpublished, Vacation, Writers

THE MONSTER UNDER MY BED

arcata-ca-july-2016-084

No one will believe me…I tell myself, as I try to drift off to sleep.

But sleep doesn’t come easy to me these days. I lay here in the dark, wondering if I would be happier, if I wasn’t me.

This is silly, I tell myself. I have people who love me. My mom loves me, but sometimes it feels as if she doesn’t understand me. But then again…what adult does truly understand a teenage mind.

One or two? I take that back. Zero.

Depression surrounds me, but I must not let it draw me in. I’m really trying, but there are days when I wonder if it is enough.

Written By: Unanimous Author
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright September 14, 2016

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Excerpt from Manuscript – Snow

24 Wednesday Aug 2016

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Excerpt from Manuscript - SNOW

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Tags

Addiction, Author, Books, Faith, God, Help, Hope, Love, Magazine, Manuscript, Novel, Published, Relationships, Religion, Short-story, Suicide, Therapy, Writer

SNOW

IMG_4798

“Oh my God, Jack. I am so sorry.” January had no words.

“It’s okay. I’m over it now.”

“Over it! How can you say such a thing. What happened is just terribly horrible. I don’t know what I would do, if that happened to me.”

“January, you are a strong girl. You would get over it and move on.”

“I don’t know.”

“Yes, you would and just like me. I know I sound heartless, but there are only two ways to go in a situation like this, you can either not accept it and go insane or you can accept it and move on. I am not the insane one, he was. I can’t beat up on myself for his poor choices and his insanity.”

“Gosh Jack…I don’t know if I could be as brave as you. That’s a lot of stress for a kid, you know.”

“January, we are not kids. We may be only 17 years old, but we are both much older than our years and very wise.” He reached down, pulling her face up to his, softly kissing her sultry lips.

“I love you, do you know that…do you Jack?” At that moment, she realized actually how much she really loved this man.

“I know that, silly girl. I love you too. You are my hero!”

She smiled sadly, knowing she would always love him and would do anything for him… she knew she would even die for him, but she hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: PMW
Copyright August 24, 2016

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Monster in my Closet

20 Saturday Aug 2016

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Authors of the Week, Just a PERFECT Thought

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Tags

Abuse, Articles, Assaults, Author, Awareness, Children, Crimes, Justice, Magazine, Protection, Public, Published, Short-stories, Teenagers, Writers

MONSTER IN MY CLOSET
08.20.2016 - Arcata CA July 2016 025

It was late. The sun had disappeared hours ago, casting a light glow from the moonlight, across the alley.

She wasn’t scared, but she was feeling the first signs of doubting herself. She knew better than being out in the night late and alone. Her mother had taught her the dangers of the city over and over again…so why was she not listening, especially now.

Because she had a gentle soul… a caring soul… she trusted people. She hated when her mother looked down on people, always judging them. Why was she always judging? After all, people were good… weren’t they?

Perhaps this was true or maybe it’s just from the mind of a thirteen year old girl.

Lost in her own thoughts, she didn’t hear the footsteps sneaking up behind her. Seconds before, she had decided to turn around and go home… consumed with her mother’s voice in her head.

“Hello.”

But it was too late. He stood there, in front of her, staring down at her, as if she were his prey.

All the blood drained from her face, as her breath caught in her throat.

“Shit!” Was all she could think to say.

Written By: Ask Ms Mandi
Photograph By: Ask Ms Mandi
August 20, 2016

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Visiting San Francisco

14 Sunday Aug 2016

Posted by Ask Ms Mandi in Photographs from Art Gallery

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Author, Books, Magazine, Northern California, Novel, Photographers, Picture, San Francisco, Short-stories, sunset, Travel, Vacation, Writer

Visiting San Francisco…

08.14.2016

I know I always say that this place and that place are my favorite places to visit…but San Francisco is truly one of my favorite spots in the world. If you ever visit California or already live in our Golden State, you must visit San Francisco.

Haight and Ashbury are a blast from the past. Walking down the streets is as if you are still living during the 1960’s. Jim Morrison, from the Doors and Jimi Hendrix appear to still be living, as you look up and into their faces on the side of buildings.

The Wharf and Pier 39 have all the shopping you could ever imagine, while you’re waiting for your boat trip across the bay to the legendary Alcatraz island. Alcatraz is a must see.

Union Square is for the more savvy shopping goer. It’s beautifully lined streets, looking up to the high rises; such as, Juicy Contour, Nordstrom and Ghirardelli Chocolates.

And we can’t forget the Financial District. This is where success is created.

Make sure you pack your shorts, sweaters, and jackets…you never know what the weather will be like in San Francisco…it’s as unpredictable as your decisions on where you should go to next in the great city of San Francisco.

Written & Photography By: Ask Ms Mandi
Copyright August 2015

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