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Rated: 18+ · Book · Personal · #1051691

Life, Adventure, Family, Writing what else is there? Random thoughts.

WELCOME TO:

GEMINI RISING

Banner for my blog, "Gemini Rising"
*Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1* *Flower1*

UPDATED INTRO 30 JUNE 2025:

Just a little about me. I've been married for 33 years this past NOV and currently live in Southern California, but I grew up in New Hampshire.

I've got 2 boys who are young adults.

I work as a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. I enjoy my job a lot. Still. If you can believe that.

I love to write. Thankfully both of my boys achieved Eagle Scout. My Scouting days are over and I'm back to focusing on my writing.

I like to get out in nature, drink coffee and watch football.

Here's a little bio about my zodiac.

GEMINI: Gemini, the sign of the Twins, is dual-natured, elusive, complex and contradictory. On the one hand it produces the virtue of versatility, and on the other the vices of two-facedness and flightiness. The sign is linked with Mercury, the planet of childhood and youth, and its subjects tend to have the graces and faults of the young. When they are good, they are very attractive; when they are bad they are more the worse for being the charmers they are. Like children they are lively, and happy, if circumstances are right for them, or egocentric, imaginative and restless.

Their good qualities are attractive and come easily to them. They are affectionate, courteous, kind, generous, and thoughtful towards the poor and suffering - provided none of the activities resulting from expressing these traits interferes too greatly with their own lives and comforts.

Geminians can be successful in many walks of life though their general characteristics tend to make them unreliable. They are often skilled manipulators of language, in speech and writing, and may be: debaters, diplomats (though in politics they are more interested in theory than practice), orators, preachers (brilliant rather than profound), teachers, authors, poets, journalists, or lawyers.


BLOG ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

SEPTEMBER 2025:

FORUM
It's WDC- 25th Birthday Open in new Window. (E)
7 day Challenge to celebrate 25 years of this successful writer's haven.
#2343390 by A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon


SEPTEMBER 2025:

FORUM
Earn the Badge - CLOSED Open in new Window. (E)
You want it? Earn it. How? Complete these simple tasks and the badge is yours!
#2133333 by Purple writing writing writing Author IconMail Icon


Merit Badges collected and earned from "Earn the Badge 2025"
Merit Badge in WdC Supportive Friend [Click For More Info] Thank you for participating in [Link To Item #2133333] . Congratulations on completing the September 2nd Daily Task. Merit Badge in Earn the Badge [Click For More Info] Thank you for your donation to [Link To Item #2133333] - from Purple Princess. Merit Badge in Music [Click For More Info] Thank you for participating in [Link To Item #2133333] . Congratulations on completing the September 3rd Daily Task. Merit Badge in Contests [Click For More Info] Thank you for participating in [Link To Item #2133333] . Congratulations on completing the September 1st daily task. Merit Badge in Growth [Click For More Info] Good job earning the Growth Merit Badge in [Link To Item #2133333] Merit Badge in Word Searches [Click For More Info] Great job participating in [Link To Item #2133333] and completing the September 5th task. Merit Badge in Teamwork [Click For More Info] Great job for picking a teammate and completing the September 6th Task at [Link To Item #2133333]


SUMMER 2025:

FORUM
BCoF 's Virtual 50 State Bucket List Open in new Window. (18+)
We're going to explore one unique place in each of the 50 states in alphabetical order.
#2342653 by A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon


Merit Badges Collected from Virtual Blogging &Virtual Blogging Friends:
Merit Badge in Let Dreams Take Wing [Click For More Info] To my upcoming virtual traveling blog companion. Dream big and fly high! Merit Badge in Normal Is Boring [Click For More Info] here's to another week of creating adventures! Merit Badge in Blog Camping [Click For More Info] Thanks for completing [Link To User elusive4lyn] July 2025 blogging vacation!! Great job!! Merit Badge in Travel [Click For More Info] Woohoo! We’re halfway through! Merit Badge in BCoF 2 [Click For More Info] Thank you for your participation in BCoF's 50 States Virtual Blogging adventure. *^*Heart*^* Lyn Merit Badge in Endurance [Click For More Info] 51 days of blogging takes commitment, and you rocked it. *^*Heart*^* Lyn


SEPTEMBER 2024:

I participated in the
FORUM
Blog Week Birthday Bastion 2025 Open in new Window. (E)
Blogging event from September 1-7, 2025. CLOSED
#2277665 by WakeUpAndLive~NOV Word Monger Author IconMail Icon
which was a big challenge for me due to my schedule, but I hunkered down and got it done. There's some great entries for the contest and the blog earned the following:

Merit Badge in Nonfiction [Click For More Info] Congrats on your Honorable Mention in Blog Week Birthday Bastion 2024

Big thanks to WakeUpAndLive~NOV Word Monger Author IconMail Icon for hosting the contest!

OCTOBER 2024 & 2025 :

I participated in the
FORUM
13 Poetic Days of Halloween Contest 2025 Open in new Window. (E)
Let your spooky poetry shine. Oct. 13th 12:01 am WDC time. - closes 11:59 pm WDC Oct 25th
#2328177 by A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon
in 2024 which honestly was a big challenge for me considering my schedule, and again I hunkered down and did it! Update October 2025: I had so much participating in the challenge last year, I did it again for 2025 and successfully completed it. There's some great spooky poetry to be found in October and the blog earned the following merit badges:

Merit Badge in Halloween [Click For More Info] Congratulations on completing the 13 Poetic Days of Halloween. Merit Badge in Determination [Click For More Info] You rose to the poetry challenges in 12 Poetic Days of Halloween in grand style. Merit Badge in Ghost [Click For More Info] Thank you for your successful completion of 13 Poetic Days of Halloween *^*Heart*^* Lyn

Big Thanks to A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon for hosting the contest!



Find me at:

WEBSITE:
http://www.stephanieburkhart.com

FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/StephanieBurkhartAuthor

GOOD READS:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4031660.Stephanie_Burkhart

YOU TUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/user/botrina?feature=mhee

*Exclaim* WARNING *Exclaim*

I intend to be open, honest, and forthright. No topic is off limits from religion to you name it, I'm going there. If you think you might be offended...back up now - this blog isn't for you. For those who "dare" *Wink* check out the "Gemini Rising..."


Another Signature
October 14, 2024 at 9:15pm
October 14, 2024 at 9:15pm
#1078308
I have all kinds of ideas for blog posts, but I never have enough time to really work on them, so I thought I’d give it my best shot this week.

My busy schedule could probably be a topic in and of itself, and maybe tomorrow I’ll do a blog on my “to do” list. Don’t laugh *Rolling*

Just some quick thoughts on researching.

I have 2 more stories left from my Victory Tales Press days that I’d like to publish: Gifts & Feast of Candles. Both are Christmas stories.

I’m working on Gifts right now, but I don’t know if I’ll be done in time for Christmas. This story takes place in Amsterdam. I used to go to Amsterdam semi-often when I was stationed overseas. Back then in the late 80’s, early 90’s, Amsterdam was something that I’d never seen before. I loved the canals and buildings. Didn’t know what to think of the topless ladies in the windows, but I wasn’t judgmental. I’ve been to the Keukenhof when the tulips were in bloom, and I’ve been to Enschede 5 times to take the driver’s test – passing on the 5th time. I’ve been to Enschede more than that, but it took me five times to pass that driver’s test. Yes, the land was flat, but the people were very nice and spoke better English than I spoke Dutch. So, when it came time to write for the Victory Tales Press anthologies, and they were looking for seasonal short stories 10-20K word count, I decided to go international if I could. Gifts would be set in Amsterdam during Christmas time. At the time, the Olympics were in the air and I’m a sucker for Ice Skating, so I made my main characters Pairs figure skaters who are trying to earn a spot on the Netherlands Olympic team.

Gifts was originally published in 2012 for the Christmas season. The plot was simple, two people (Christian Jenssen and Famke deVries) who know each other and are friendly, must quickly become a pairs figure skating team. They grow close and fall in love while dealing with the external pressure of side spins, death spirals and lifts.

Honestly, the original story is pretty solid and comes in around with an 11K word count, but as I read it, I thought I’d do a bit of content edit, adding some more personal moments and reflecting more on the internal conflict. That said, I needed to research a little about Pairs figure skating and what they go through. The best place to start? Gordeeva and Grinkov, IMHO, the BEST Pairs Figure skaters in the modern century.

So I’ve been watching some YouTube videos of the pair and I thought I’d reread “My Sergei” written by Gordeeva in 1996. I’m definitely taking away some inspiration.

The writing is not as fast as I’d like it to be, but I’m having a blast watching old performances. Here’s one of my favorites:



Sometimes researching can be sooo fun!

Who would I cast as Chris and Famke?

Chris is definitely Charlie White the Ice Dancer. Sasha Cohen, a female ice skater, comes to mind for Famke.

Who are your Ice Skating Favorites?





*Thought*  Comment   •   View 4 comments
October 14, 2024 at 8:14pm
October 14, 2024 at 8:14pm
#1078296
Goooood afternoon to all!!

Updated: 10/15 -- Wicked excited to share that this ballad earned a Poetry MB! Big Thank you A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon !!

Merit Badge in Poetry [Click For More Info] You rocked the Ballad challenge on Day 2 for Frankenstein, way to go!

Here is my Day #2 entry for the following contest:
FORUM
13 Poetic Days of Halloween Contest 2025 Open in new Window. (E)
Let your spooky poetry shine. Oct. 13th 12:01 am WDC time. - closes 11:59 pm WDC Oct 25th
#2328177 by A Warped Witch I Be Author IconMail Icon


Ballad --


The night was dark and oh, so weary
He worked through the hours, oh, so dreary
Sweat poured off his brow,
In the midnight hours oh, so eerie

Why did he slave so hard?
Why was his soul so scarred?

Lighting coils and high voltage displays
Rain thundering, mists sprays
The air is foul with stench
The stitches weak with frays

Why did he slave so hard?
Why was his soul so scarred?

Flesh all around
Skin on the ground
He sews with a storm in his heart
Ready for the final stitch, ready to astound

Why did he slave so hard?
Why was his soul so scarred?

Lightning rods in the air
Channeled into the lair
A bolt hits a pound of flesh to come alive
He stands stunned by the glare

Why did he slave so hard?
Why was his soul so scarred?

Hideous legs stand afoot
Sausage fingers flex, cardiac output
Beats an erratic tattoo.
It stands before him, naked and flatfoot.

Why did he slave so hard?
Why was his soul so scarred?

What will his creation do?
It lumbers awkwardly in the stew
Then destroys the equipment of life
Before leaving in the morning dew

Why did he slave so hard?
Why was his soul so scarred?

The creator stands shocked
Surrounded by stench, unable to walk
What part of his soul has he given away
To a monster that can’t be stopped?

**Author's Note: Daily happenings and musings will be a separate post.
*Thought*  Comment   •   View 4 comments


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