Just Popping In To Say Hi

"Hi!!" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

Hello, my darlings. I hope you've been enjoying your July. I've been going a hundred miles an hour at my real-world job, so on my days off, I've done pretty much NOTHING!! And now we're only days away from August, and it's time to get ready to go back to school.

I've been working on some writing projects. Other than just working on my blogs, I've also been working on another Promptly book and am in the process of rewriting a piece I'd done as a microfiction serial on a multi-author writing platform. And when I say rewriting, I mean I've taken the whole story and turned it on it's head. The same premise is there, but I'm writing it from a whole different POV. 

I've written a couple of Promptly books over the years, but haven't done much to advertise them. I need to change that. I have one on Amazon called Promptly Chronicled--300 writing prompts for the fiction writer. I have another one on Gumroad, but I'm fixing to move that over to Amazon in the near future as I've had absolutely no luck on Gumroad. 

The one I'm working on right now is called Flash Fiction 500--500 writing prompts to get the fiction writer moving. I started working on this little book several years ago, but ended up having to put it away for personal reasons. As I was looking through some of my old writings, I ran across it and decided to get it finished. I'm hoping to have it done and uploaded to Amazon by my birthday (September 17th).

The book I'm working on is called The Pin-Up Girl Murders. It's about a young Los Angeles detective who has a former detective's life work dropped in his lap. The younger detective's timeline is set in the late 1970s, while the older detective's work is set between the mid-1940s and the mid-1950s. I'm not sure when it will be finished, but I'm really hoping to have it published by the first of the year. 

I've also found several other pieces that I'm going to start working on as soon as I get through these. I don't want to get too many things going and then drop them all because of brain burnout. I have a bad habit of doing that. 

I've also been thinking about submitting some of my microfiction to various online magazines. I'll be honest, I didn't even think this was a thing anymore. I still remember the days of sending off stories to magazines through snail mail. I had several of those Writer's Markets books over the years. If I remember correctly, I had the 1993, '94, '96, '99, and 2002 editions. Pretty sure that's a thing of the past.

As I move into my golden years, I'm more determined than ever to continue making writing my chosen venue. I've been researching a lot about taking early retirement. I still have a few years to go, but it'll be here sooner than I think. I'm seriously thinking about taking an early retirement, then throwing myself into my writing. And the more I think about it, the more excited I'm getting. 

I still have no idea what the future holds, but I do know that mine will have some type of writing journey in it. I've been a writer for as long as I can remember, and I'll be a writer until I just can't physically do it anymore. 

What's your plan for the future? Have you been thinking about what you're going to do? Are you even at that point in life yet? 

May all your dreams come true.

Until next time, 

 

Calm Your Storm

"Calm Your Storm" by Christine Graves via NighCafe Studio

I planned to make the Sunday Morning thing go from week to week, but there's a problem. I have a real-world job, and it's been a long week. I won't go into a lot of details, but I've had my spirit tested multiple times this week. It's been exhausting.

As an older woman with high blood pressure, you'd think I'd know how important it is to stay calm. However, because I'm an older woman, I also have that wonderful thing called "Mental-Pause" happening. Anger just kind of comes with the affliction.

My job is very physically demanding. I am the department head, so I also have to deal with a lot of mental stress. It's my job to make sure everyone else gets their stuff done, has everything they need to do their jobs, and is doing their jobs correctly. At the end of the day, my nerves are shot.

This past week has been especially brutal. It seemed that no matter how hard I tried to keep things running smoothly, everything was falling apart. I actually broke down in tears today. I was angry, hurt, exhausted, and just tired of all the crap. I was broken.

Then a little voice in my head said something to me that I normally say to others. "Calm your storm". 

No, it's not a verse from the Bible, but a quote from a movie. In the 2010 version of Clash of the Titans, Perseus is about to fight the Gorgon, Medusa. In preparation, the goddess (?) Io reminds Perseus that he must "ease" his storm. Calm his anger. Get his thoughts in order and make his plan. 

Mark 4:39 says, "He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down, and it was completely calm."

It's easy to get upset in a situation that isn't going our way. I'm probably one of the worst about this. Getting angry instantly isn't going to fix the situation. A cool head and a steady hand is the way to go. Speaking from experience here. My getting upset over the situation only gave me a headache and chest pains. Once I'd calmed down, I was able to tackle the problem, come up with a solution, and get through the rest of the day. It wasn't a permanent fix, but I was able to get through the day. 

As you go through the rest of this week, remember to "Calm Your Storm" when you feel yourself getting upset over little things. Even with the bigger issues, keep your calm. Find that place within yourself that fights those negative feelings. Understand that getting upset isn't going to make things better, only worse.

Until next time,
Mom Graves!!!

 

Sunday Morning Moments

"Sunday Morning Moments" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

Hello, my darlings. I hope you are all well on this beautiful Sunday morning. Happy Father's Day to all the dads--and father figures. Also, happy Solstice. Yes, it's the first day of summer, and you know what that means, right? Yep, Christmas is right around the corner. Can you believe we're officially halfway through this year? 

I had a new idea for the site I'd like to try, and I hope you'll enjoy it. I want to start working on doing a weekly post that is all about light, love, and finding peace within yourself. A way to face the coming week with a positive attitude and a peaceful vibe in your heart.

The first thing you'll see is a quote from the Bible. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I am a firm believer in God. Religion as a whole? Not so much. I also believe that the Universe is a living, breathing entity. I've often said that the Universe speaks to me. No, I'm not a nutjob, and this isn't something I'll be trying to ram down anyone's throat.

Along with the weekly Bible verse, I'll also be giving you a week's worth of positive affirmations. A chance to start each day with a quick shot of positivity to get you on your way. It's non-fattening and filled with vitamins such as Humorousness, Sarcasm, and Shenanigans. It's not just to make you feel good, but to make you giggle a little as well. 

So, let's give this a shot, shall we? 

Sunday Morning Moments---June 21, 2026

Happy Father's Day and First Day of Summer. I hope it's a beautiful day wherever you may be. 

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Proverbs 17:6 — "Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children."

I'm a grandmother, and nothing makes me happier. I have four grandchildren, but only get to see two of them, as the other two live on the other side of the country. They are all part of my "crown". They give me a reason to keep going, even though I don't see them very often. I raise one of my grandbabies, one lives just down the street, but the other two I only see when we video chat.

I try to be the parent/grandparent that my children and grandchildren can be proud of. I work hard, keep myself out of trouble (for the most part), and live by the rules I set for others. I try not to be a "do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do" person. I want my kids and grandkids to know that it's okay to be yourself, but treat others the way you'd like to be treated. Accept responsibility for your own actions, but don't accept disrespect you haven't earned. 

On this Father's Day, I wish you and your families the same. I pray you enjoy the love and joy that can only be found in our children and grandchildren. I pray your children/grandchildren love and respect you and are proud to be part of your life. And I pray that even when negative issues appear, you find a way to get past them, learn from them, and keep your love alive.

Weekly Affirmations (June 21-27)

Happy Solstice. As we take our first steps into a new season, I thought this would be the perfect time to bring in some new ideas. These affirmations are meant to give you a reason to smile, no matter what day of the week it is. Whether convincing yourself to go back to work after a long weekend, or a mid-week boost to keep you going. Start each day with a fresh outlook in your mind and a little peace in your heart. 

Sunday: "I welcome the light of the solstice. I anchor myself in quiet peace, knowing my spirit is constantly being refueled by a boundless, loving source."

Monday: "As the busy week begins, I move with grace and steady focus. My strength is deeper than any demand placed upon me."

Tuesday: "I protect my inner sanctuary. No matter how chaotic the environment around me, the center of my mind remains calm and grounded."

Wednesday: "I am proud of the hard work I do, but I am defined by the peace I keep. I am capable, resilient, and sustained."

Thursday: "I give myself permission to take micro-moments of rest today. A deep breath, a warm cup of coffee, a quiet thought—these are my sacred resets."

Friday: "I celebrate my capacity to handle big things, and I honor my body’s need to slow down. I am carried by a strength that does not fail."

Saturday: "The weekend is here, and I reclaim my time. I let go of the rush, refill my creative well, and rest in the knowledge that I am enough."

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Yep, that's it. I hope you find something in here to bring a smile to your face and a song to your heart. Happy Father's Day and enjoy your first day of summer. Remember, tomorrow is another day and it's all what you make of it.

Until next time,
Mom Graves!!!!!

Treasures from the Past

 

"Distant Memories" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

So, an amazing thing happened to me this past week. I found a bunch of old articles and websites/blogs I'd created in the early 2000s. I even went so far as to find one of the very first HTML sites I put together back in 2001. I was gobsmacked, and I never even knew what that term actually meant.

As I've mentioned before, I've been doing this old-school blogging thing since the late 90s. My very first "computer" was a gadget that hooked up to my television called Web TV. I could only use it after 7pm when the long-distance phone rates dropped. Yeah, I'm that old.

My first two websites were FindingtheFather.com and PlantLore.com. Both sites were hosted through a place called Webseed.com. It wasn't anything fancy back then, and now that I look at them, I realize just how far we've come. I spent about three weeks locked in my bedroom, teaching myself how to do HTML, and was so proud of myself when I'd built my first sites. I thought I was the coolest person in my little one-horse hick town.

Once I'd found those sites, I found one I'd done called The Prompt Writer. The very first website I owned, made specifically for creating writing prompts. I did that one in 2007. I'll be going over that site and pulling all my old writing prompts and giving them new life.

I also found one called Creative Writing through a writing community called Today.com. To be honest, I didn't even remember doing that one. I need to really go through that site just to see what I wrote. I have no idea what's in there.

The one that really blew me away was finding a page for ChristineSenter.com. Yep, that was me back in the day. From the late 90s through 2013, I wrote under my former married name of Senter. I got remarried in December of 2013 and in January of 2014, I was writing as Christine Graves. 

I also found two Blogger blogs I'd forgotten I had. One was called Redhead Rants and the other was Must Write Again. The first one was started in 2007 and I have a lot of posts on it. At that time, I was doing a lot of "mommy blogging" and entering blog contests. I had a blast. That was back in the days of Blog Carnivals and Link Swaps. That got me into writing ad copy and it didn't take long for me to learn how to make money writing ad content on my blogs. 

Must Write Again came along between the end of marriage number 1 and number 2. I wasn't in a very good place mentally and that site was created simply to try and force myself to get back to normal. Didn't work very well. I abandoned that site fairly quickly, though I did go back in 2018 and tried again. Not very successfully, I might add.

So, what is a girl to do with all this old-school blogging fodder? You use to your advantage, that's what you do. LOL

I'll be going through all the old articles I found and breathing some new life into them, or at least the ones that are worth a damn. I'm sure there are some that are better left where they lie. I'll also be grabbing all those old writing prompts and giving them a new purpose. I'm kind of excited about those. 

As for the two Blogger blogs I found, I'm completely revamping them. Redhead Rants is now called A Mug of Musings and I'm still working on a plan for that one. However, I'm turning Must Write Again into a place I can be proud of, and am calling it Graves Tales. I'm going to be adding my fiction and poetry over there. I actually have a plan for that site.

Since I'm no longer writing on Medium, I'm planning on putting all my heart and soul into my blogs. I've always said I wanted to try and keep old-school blogging alive, and I think this is my sign to do so. It's been some time since I felt like I was writing for myself rather than writing to make someone else happy. 

No, this isn't something that's going to happen overnight. It's going to take some work, and I'm okay with that. I feel like this is the culmination of a lifetime of trial and error. And I've been given the chance to have all that work at my fingertips once again.

I hope you'll come along and see where we go from here. Let's bring back old-school blogging and enjoy writing again.

Until next time,
Mom Graves!!!!!

I've Said Farewell to Medium

 

Yes, it's true, I've parted ways with Medium.com. Okay, maybe that's a bit too strong. I haven't so much parted ways as I've opted out of the subscription service and won't be writing much on the site anymore. I don't want to say I won't be writing at all, as I'll end up making a liar out of myself. 

I began writing on Medium in 2018. It was a great place to write fiction, and there was a huge short-fiction community. I had a blast. But that all changed. There was a big change up in management, and those of us who wrote fiction saw a drastic drop in both views and monetization. I know it shouldn't be all about the money, but I went from earning an average of $30-$50 per month to less than $20 per year. That's not even enough to cover my subscription fee.

I will be leaving most of my work on the site, but I will be taking a lot of my stories and serials down, reworking them, and either publishing them as quick reads on Amazon or on my Ko-Fi site. Even if I only make a few pennies here and there, it's still more than they're making me on Medium.

Now, I'm not totally bashing Medium. They're still an amazing place for writers, but it's geared more toward non-fiction and opinion pieces. More power to those who write in that genre. I've done it, and it's not easy. 

I'm going to leave all my writing prompt posts on the site. You never know when someone might stray in and need something to write about. I'll also be leaving a few of my other posts, simply because they were posted in other people's publications. I would never pull something from their sites without letting them know first, and there are just way too many of them.

As I won't be posting on Medium anymore, I will be updating all my personal blogs a bit more. I'd like to say a lot more, but we all know that's not true. However, not having the pressure on me to be Medium worthy, I can let my creative side out a little more.

I haven't come up with a "posting" plan yet. I'm thinking that this blog will be for my fiction, poetry, and personal posts, and Graves Publications will be for all my writing-related posts and any other form of non-fiction I come up with.

Mystic Realms will be where I post about history and mythology. I'll always have a place in my heart for histories, mysteries, and mythologies. The ancient world was one of my earliest obsessions. And a lot of history has changed (thanks to archaeology) since I was a kid.

I'm not sure where I'm going to put my serial fiction. I have a short series started on Amazon, and I might do the same with some of my others. I haven't made up my mind on that one yet. I might just publish a few of them myself and sell them from my site. Can't do any worse than they're doing right now.

Though I'm still working on the final scene, I've already begun the journey. I hope you'll come along to see where this path takes us. If nothing else, it should be good for a laugh. 

Until next time,
Miss Chris!!!

I've Opened a Coffee Shop

 

Hello, my lovelies. I know it's been some time since I was last here, but I've had a lot going on. I have opened my own coffee shop. Okay, it's not a traditional, brick-and-mortar shop. I've opened my own KoFi shop.

I've mentioned in the past about creating AI images. I have so much fun making those images, but I realized I had a lot of images on my computer. To date, I have just under 20,000 images downloaded. I've put a few of them on my Pinterest page and am currently sitting at around 450K views this month. How flippin' cool is that?

My KoFi shop is called Mom Graves Creations, and I'm trying to turn it into a brand. I've created a header/banner and a logo to the site, as well as my Pinterest page, my Instagram page, my NightCafe Studio page, and my X account. 

I like the way KoFi is set up. I can upload images and/or packages to sell or offer for free. I can also upload some of my images to a gallery simply to show off. I'm still working on the gallery, but the whole site is still a work-in-progress.

I tried the tiers for a couple of months, but I'm not happy with them. I think it's easier to just offer certain items for sale and allow patrons to either pay a monthly subscription fee or simply leave a tip. I'm still working on how to market my site, but I can't let myself get that too deep into my head, or else I'll just quit.

Since ditching the tiers, I've been working on getting the shop itself up and going. I had made some phone wallpapers, some junk journal ephemera, and a few other printables to add to the tiers. Those are all now simply for sale in the shop. I also have some St. Patrick's Day clip art for free.

One of the coolest things about my KoFi shop is that I can sell my Amazon books without having to do a lot of work. All I have to do is add the Amazon link from my shop, and it leads from the shop straight to my Amazon titles. I'm pretty sure I could do the same with some of my Redbubble items, but I haven't tried.

In an attempt to bring in a few more followers, I've decided to go back to my tried-and-true: writing prompts. As always, those will be on the site for free. I've been doing writing prompts for my fellow writers since the mid-90s, and I've always tried to make them available to everyone. 

I haven't done a lot of writing in the past few months, mostly because my real-world job has dominated my life. I can't complain, though. I've got food in the cupboards, and my bills are paid. That's more important. 

I know I'll have a lot more to do with this site, but I'm having a good time putting it together. My goal is to make it a virtual coffee shop. A play where you can bring your coffee, find a nice story to curl up with or find some ideas to write about yourself. Take a stroll through the museum gallery, then stop by the gift shop on your way out. If you're going to dream, dream big.

Thanks for stopping by and let me know if you stop by the shop. I'd love to say hi. 

Until next time,
Miss Chris

The Portals of Lost Socks

 

"Master of the Portals" by Christine Graves via Leonardo AI

It was typical Sunday morning. I'd gotten out of bed and started my day. It was early and everyone else was still asleep, or so I had thought. I heard something in the laundry room, but I couldn't make out what it was. 

I went in to investigate, expecting to find my youngest child trying to hide from me or getting into something he shouldn't. But there was nothing nor anyone in the room. I chalked it up to not having my morning coffee and went on my way.

As the family began to stir, I got breakfast started and decided to do a load of laundry. I'd thrown a few things in the dryer the night before, mostly socks and undergarments, but never took them out to fold them.

I got one load started and pulled the other from the dryer. Nothing out of the norm, just threw them in a basket and took them to my room to fold. 

As I began to match up my socks, I realized that there were several that were missing. I always had a missing sock here and there, but this seemed different. Almost every single pair I'd thrown in the laundry the night before was missing its mate.

I barked at the kids, reminding them that they had to bring me ALL of their dirty clothes, to which they bellowed back that they had. I knew better. It sparked a full day of cleaning out closets, under beds, corners, and anywhere else I thought they may have left a lonely sock behind. To my dismay, we only found three.

At the end of the day, I got the kids bathed and off to bed. It was quiet in the house once again and I was set on enjoying a little of it before heading off to bed myself. 

As I sat in the silence, I heard something in my laundry room once again. I was sure my youngest had snuck out of bed and was into something he shouldn't be. I decided to sneak up on him and surprise him, but that's not what happened.

As I entered my laundry room, I noticed a tiny being digging through my dryer. I was stunned and a squeaky breath left my body. The sound jolted the being out of my dryer and I stood there staring at this creature before me. It looked like a tiny human, but had pointed ears and was wearing a red velvet cloak.

I could tell it was just as scared as I was, so I didn't make any sudden movements. We stood there for a few moments, then it reached out its hands to me. That's when I noticed it was holding most of my missing socks. 

"Forgive, please," it said in a tiny voice. "No hurt, please." The thought sent shivers down my spine.

"No, I won't hurt you if you promise not to hurt me," I whispered.

"Need socks," it said with its eyes turned down. "Need socks to go home."

I had no idea what it meant and it apparently realized this. It put most of the socks back in the dryer, except for one of my heavy woolen ones. The little creature held the sock up, closed its eyes, and began to chant in a language I'd never heard before.

The sock began to swirl and a portal formed in the center of my laundry room. I could see through the portal that a beautiful woodland lay on the other side. "Home," the creature said, pointing to the portal. 

I only nodded in silence, still to stunned to speak. 

"No come back," the creature said in a saddened voice. "No socks for to come back. I not mean bad for you. I go home now."

My heart felt as though it were being ripped from my chest. I watched as the little creature began to step through the portal.

"Wait," I exclaimed. The tiny creature stopped and looked back at me with apprehension in its eyes.

I slowly walked to the dryer and pulled the matching sock out and handed it to the creature. "You can come back and you can have all the old socks you want. All I ask is that you leave our newer and nicer socks alone."

The creature smiled and its eyes lit up. It stuck the sock in its cloak, bowed to me, then popped through the portal, which closed as soon as the being was through.

I wasn't sure if what I'd witnessed was real or if it was just an elaborate dream, as the next thing I remembered was waking up in my chair. 

My children are all grown up now and have children of their own. I live on my own and have a fairly good life. However, I still go out of my way to make sure I have extra socks and leave a few in the dryer for my little friend to come and go from their world into ours. I've never seen the creature since, but I'm always pulling socks out of my dryer and wonder where their mates have gone.

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Hello, my lovelies. I know it's been a hot minute since I last wrote. Life has a weird way of getting away from us when we're not looking. 

The above story is from a prompt I received from Gemini AI. I use Gemini a lot and it helped me get out of my slump. I mean, it's helping me get out of my slump, I'm not there quite yet. But this helped.

The prompt was a "what if" prompt. Here's the whole prompt:

What if the reason you can never find the matching sock after doing laundry is because all lost socks are actually consumed by a tiny, velvet-cloaked being who uses them to weave portals to the past?

As odd as it sounds, this was exactly what I needed to get back into writing. Gemini wanted me to do a freewrite--only write for 5 to 10 minutes--however, once I started, I couldn't stop. It just flowed. I haven't felt that in several months. 

I'm hoping to get back into the swing of writing again, but I've got to find my rhythm again. I know I can't do that overnight, but this was a great way to start. Thank you Gemini. You're the best.

My Redbubble Coffee Mug Collection

 

"Gone Fishin'" mug by Christine Graves on Redbubble

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I've been working on a little something I haven't really told anyone about...yet. I've been creating a line of coffee mugs, as well as notebooks and journals, stickers and magnets, and several other things. And I'm doing it all through my Redbubble shop.

When I first started using Redbubble, I had no idea what I was doing. I thought it would be a way to get some of my AI art seen and maybe sell a couple of T-shirts with my images on them. I started out just throwing out images and slapping them on whatever products Redbubble had to offer. And ironically, I didn't sell a damn thing. 

I got a little frustrated and walked away from the shop for a while. But when I went back, I had a different outlook. I removed a few of my uploads and tweaked a few others. I figured out how to edit my images to fit on the products better and add custom colors to enhance the product as a whole. 

Also, when I first opened the shop, I was putting my images on just about everything. Redbubble has a lot of stuff you can add your images to, such as T-shirts and hats, wall hangings, bedspreads, shower curtains, and even throw pillows. I was pretty overwhelmed.

However, I've gone back and changed a few things. I've completely removed the T-shirts. I know how weird that sounds, but I've decided to focus on just a few products. One of those being coffee mugs. I'm a coffee junkie. I drink coffee morning, noon, and night. It's my beverage of choice, all the time. 

Though I have several mugs already done, I've been working on a series of mug collections. Not on purpose, it just kind of happened. I was working on creating an image for something else entirely and was trying to create an illustration of a 19th-century gothic woman. I got some really cool images, but four of them stood out. There was just something about them that sparked a whole new idea. 

"The Nobility Collection" by Christine Graves via Leonardo AI

I absolutely fell in love with these images. Then, something told me to put these images on Redbubble. As I did, I knew I was onto something. I played around with The Contessa first. I edited the products and the image, and was over the moon happy with the final results. From there, I had to finish out the whole collection. The only downside is I can't showcase them as a collection on Redbubble, but I'll figure something out. 

I've also started promoting my products on Pinterest. I've got quite a few of my items listed, but still working on how I want them all presented. I have one board just for my coffee mugs and another for my notebooks and journals. They're not all in order yet, but I am working on it. 

I know I'm never going to get rich with all this, but I'm having so much fun. And no, I still haven't sold anything, but at least I'm giving myself a better chance of doing so. I'm getting better at shameless self-promotion, but it's still a struggle. 

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to work on my next collection, The Fisherman's Collection. The image at the top of the page is just one of four mugs in this collection. I'm also working on a Hunter's Collection, and Hunting Dog Collection, and a Waterfowl Collection. 

Until next time,
Miss Chris!!!

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Christine Graves has been writing online for nearly 30 years. She has written everything from fiction and poetry to reviews and ad campaigns. She runs four other blogs. Graves Publications, Library of the Mystic Realms, Promptly Creative, and Collected Keepsakes. She also writes for a platform called Medium.com  where she runs several publications. 

A Chatbot Helped Me Start a New Blog

 

"Chatbot Blogger" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

In my last post, I talked about my month-long journey into writing anything, just to say I'm writing. I've been doing quite well. I've managed to write something just about every single day, though there were a couple of days in there that I let my brain shut off.

I've worked to make sure all my blogs (including this one) were updated for the month. I know I should be updating more than once a month, but at least I'm keeping them updated. I've also written quite a bit on Medium this month. Still not making the money I used to, but that's okay. It's really not about the money anymore. Yes, there was a time when that's all I thought about with that place, but they fixed that issue for me. But that's for another time.

Other than writing, I also make sure to create at least one AI image a day. I love NightCafe Studio and some of the images I've created over the last two and a half years. I like NightCafe because they offer incentives to keep creating. For every day I create an image, I get five credits. Each five-day streak I get 25 credits and it goes on and on. I'm on day 275 and I'm on my way to 365. Yep, it's my goal to say I created something every day for a year.

Yesterday, as I was hanging out at NightCafe, I noticed someone had a badge that said something about LoRA. I had no idea what that was, but found out that there were a lot of LoRA badges. I didn't know where else to look, so I asked Google's chatbot, Gemini. (my favorite chatbot)

Gemini explained the whole thing to me in great detail. However, I'm an old broad and had no idea what the hell she was talking about, (yes, I refer to Gemini as a "she"). I had to have her dumb it down for me. Didn't work, I still had no idea what LoRA was but I did catch a few keywords that Gemini had offered.

I talk to Gemini like an old friend over coffee. I know it's weird, but I'm weird and I own that shit. However, as the chatbot was explaining LoRA, it said something about it all coming down to focusing on your image prompt". Oh, hey. I know prompts. I write prompts. Then, Gemini gave me some ideas on how to improve my image prompts. I didn't just fall down a rabbit hole, I jumped in with both feet.

I mentioned to the chatbot that some of my favorite styles or themes were Art Deco, Art Nouveau, and Victorian Era. Gemini gave me some ideas that blew me away. She said to try other styles such as Ukiyo-e (Japanese Woodblock print), Rococo, Russian Avant Garde, Papercut Art, and even Symbolism. 

She told me how to adjust the weights of my images and what that would do to them. Lower would create a more subtle image while a higher weight would create a more dominant image. I haven't tried that one yet, but will just to see what she means. I'm still a little confused on that one.

She told me to add mood and atmosphere to my prompts. Not just a situation, but a serene situation, or an ominous situation. Not just a sunset, but a peaceful sunset, or a breathtaking sunset.

She also said to try specific lighting details in my prompts. As if to look at the piece as a photographer would. Add the term "studio lighting" or "golden hour" to the prompt for ambiance. Also, think about the shot you want seen, such as a close-up or a panoramic view. She even used the term "snake's eye view". 

She said I should use known artists styles for my ideas. Though she threw her own ideas out there, I came up with a few of my own. Now I want to try some of these prompts in a Boris Vallejo style, or a Beatrix Potter style, or in the style of Rea Irvin. I could do a lot with those ideas.

Gemini went on to think about all the senses when creating my image prompts. She said to try different mediums in my prompts such as oil painting, colored pencils, or even CGI 3-D. She also mentioned adding textures to the prompt such as "weathered" or "gritty". 

Finally, she said to work on combining styles and descriptions. An Art Deco moonscape or an Avant Garde space opera. In the end, she said to "break the rules" and "avoid the norms". This was the best advice I'd gotten from my little AI friend.

I told Gemini that I enjoyed her weird ideas, and because I was one to embrace my weirdness, I was going to put together some weird combination. Gemini gave me a few examples to start with. Though I did save all of them, one jumped out at me. Her example was "an old man sitting in a salt desert knitting a scarf from the threads of the Northern Lights". I can't explain it, but that one grabbed me.

I explained to the chatbot that in my mind, I could "see" the image. I could see the salt desert and an eerie pink/grey haze in the air. The old man was sitting on a mound of salt a few feet away in the  distance and was knitting a scarf of light.

Gemini came up with a very detailed image prompt and said give it a try so I did. This is what came out of that.

"The Salt Elemental" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

We went on to discuss my being a writer and how the same prompts I would use to create my images could be used to create my stories. Not just use the prompt to create an image to go with the story, but use the prompt itself to create a story as well as an image. 

This morning, after having slept on the idea, I had a wonderful conversation with my friend, Julie Foss. As I was telling her about my prompt session, she came up with a wonderful idea. She said I should take all the information I'd gathered the night before and start a new blog. A blog for creative prompts that could be used by writers and image creators alike. And so I did.

I've spent most of the day working on this new blog, but I think I'm happy with it. Introducing my latest blog, Promptly Creative. I've got it nearly finished, though I'm sure I'll be tweaking it a bit as time goes by. I have added my first post, however. That's usually the hardest part of me starting a new blog, but this time it was natural.

I'm very excited about this new blog. I've made it my goal to keep blogging alive for as long as possible. I've always loved blogging and I think this is going to be a fun endeavor. I have a lot of ideas in the works. And when I get stuck, I'll call on my little AI friend, Gemini, for more wonderful ideas.

Until next time,
Miss Chris!!!

~~~*~~~*~~~

Christine Graves has been writing online for nearly 30 years. She has written everything from fiction and poetry to reviews and ad campaigns. She runs four other blogs. Graves Publications, Library of the Mystic Realms, Promptly Creative, and Collected Keepsakes. She also writes for a platform called Medium.com  where she runs several publications. 

Everyday Writing Every Day

 

"Dear Diary" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

I'm working on a personal mission. I'm trying to write a post a day on at least one of my sites or publications across the line. I missed posting something on the first, but I did do a freewrite on my Penzu account, so I'm counting that one. 

I posted three posts on Medium between the 2nd and 4th. And here it is the 5th, and I'm doing a post here. It's not about writing something amazing, it's simply about doing some everyday writing every day.

I didn't write much between the middle of March and the first part of May. I had so much going on in my personal life that I just had to step away. The problem is that I'm having a hard time getting back into the swing of things. But I am trying.

One of the reasons I'm doing this is because I'm trying to keep the art of blogging--true blogging as it used to be--from fading into obscurity. I know I'm only one person, but it could happen. I miss those days. I've always loved blogging and still do today. 

I've heard it said a hundred times. In order to be a great writer, you must write something every day. I get it and can see how this could be true. But that's not what this is about. It's simply about writing for the sake of writing. Finding joy in the written word once again.

I'm having a particularly hard time tonight as I'm wiped out from my new job. I've always been one of those people who feel they need to throw themselves into a project, mind, body, and soul. And did that and more today. I might be the boss of my department, but I'm using muscles I forgot I had. (If you ever stay in a hotel, please thank your housekeeping staff. They work their butts off)

My brain is mush at the moment. I have the desire to write, but it's hard to focus. I'm exhausted. But it's a good exhaustion, if there is such a thing. Yes, my mind is numb and my body hurts, but I love knowing that I put 100% of myself into my job.

This post is going to be short, but at least I got one done. It's not a post for the masses; it's just a grouping of words that form an idea. It won't gain me a fan base or any paying leads, but that's okay. This is just me getting a few things off my mind and onto the page. It's off my mind, off my chest, and put to the side. Time to move on to the next.

This won't be the last post for this month, I'm sure. If I want this experiment to be successful, I need to make sure to post something every day. 

Until next time,
Miss Chris!!!

~~~*~~~*~~~

Christine Graves has been writing online for nearly 30 years. She has written everything from fiction and poetry to reviews and ad campaigns. She runs three other blogs. Graves Publications, Library of the Mystic Realms, and Collected Keepsakes. She also writes for a platform called Medium.com  where she runs several publications. 

Focus on the Miracles

 

"Tiny Miracles" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

Hello, my darlings. I apologize for missing the entire month of April with my posts, but life has been going a hundred miles an hour lately and I'm still trying to get caught up.

In my last post, I talked about the craft fair I was making all those refrigerator magnets and other things for. Well, it was a gigantic FLOP. I made a whole $7. But, at least I tried.

Also, my granddaughter (who lives with me) turned 13. I am now officially raising a teenager. Somebody send help. She went from being my feisty little missy, to a full-blown hormonal bundle of disgust. Yay!!!

I started a new job this past month as well. After 11 years in the direct care service, I changed direction and went back to my roots. I am once again cleaning rooms in one of our nicer hotels. Okay, I'm not just cleaning rooms, I'm the Executive Housekeeping Manager. Yep, I'm the boss. Who'da thunk it???

Finally, my daughter and now son-in-law finally made it official and got married. It was a beautiful affair and my daughter and granddaughters looked gorgeous in their dresses. However, if anyone ever asks me about weddings again, I'm totally going to advocate for eloping. 

I've spent nearly two full months preparing for and going through some unbelievable changes. I could look at all the stress I've been through in the process, but I've actually been focusing on all the little miracles that I've been blessed to have witnessed. 

I believe that focusing on all the good things that have happened, rather than the bad, I'm making things easier on myself. Yes, there were some extremely stressful moments, but that's all they were--moments. The good moments far outweighed the bad.

Though I only made $7 on my first craft fair, I did make some money, and I got that first fair out of the way. My granddaughter turned 13 and turned into a typical moody teenager, but I'm getting to watch my grandbaby transform into a beautiful young woman right before my eyes. I started a new job later in life that comes with a lot more stress, but it's also a chance to set myself up for a more stable future. 

I spent an entire weekend living through the mood-swings and stresses of my daughter's wedding, but I also got to witness my little girl live out her dream of having the fairytale wedding. Even with everything that went wrong, it had a happy ending.

No matter what we go through in life, it's important to enjoy the brighter points. It's the little miracles that make life worth living. 

Until next time,
Miss Chris

Christine Graves has been writing online for nearly 30 years. She has written everything from fiction and poetry to reviews and ad campaigns. She runs three other blogs. Graves Publications, Library of the Mystic Realms, and Collected Keepsakes. She also writes for a platform called Medium.com  where she runs several publications. 

I Unplugged for the Whole First-Half of the Month

 

"Handmade Beauty" by Christine Graves via NightCafe Studio

~~~~~~~~~~

Hello, my darlings. I can't believe it's almost the middle of March already. I took the entire first half of this month off from any writing. Not because I'm done writing but because I've been on a creative energy burst that has completely swallowed me alive.

In a few weeks, I'll be doing my first craft fair. To say I'm nervous is an understatement. I'm in the process of making as much stuff as I can to try and sell. I'm afraid that I won't have enough to get me through the day, but at the same time, I'm afraid I won't sell anything and will end up bringing all this crap back home.

I do a lot of crafting, but my current crafty love is paper crafting. I make a lot of handmade gift tags and bookmarks. I've also made a bunch of refrigerator magnets that are all different and just gorgeous. 

My handmade bookmarks

My handmade refrigerator magnets

I've had a blast putting these together and have spent half of this month unplugged. Yes, I checked my email and stuff like that, but for the most part, I stepped away from the Internet and just let my brain run rampant. It's been so amazing.

I still have a lot of stuff I want to make. My biggest problem is that I have too many ideas and not enough hours in the day. I'm trying to focus on just a few products (the magnets, bookmarks, some gift tags, and a few greeting cards). If I try to make too many things, I'll burn myself out and won't get anything done.

I find it very relaxing to just sit and create little works of art while allowing my brain to wander off on its own. My hands and my brain seems to disconnect somehow and each one does its own thing. Sometimes it's a good thing, sometimes not. 

We spend every day of our lives tied into our digital lives. Doing something that requires only the human aspect allows me to reconnect with a time long ago. And I highly recommend it to anyone who needs to...unplug.

Until next time,
Miss Chris

~~~~~~~~~

Christine Graves has been writing online for nearly 30 years. She has written everything from fiction and poetry to reviews and ad campaigns. She runs three other blogs. Graves Publications, Library of the Mystic Realms, and Collected Keepsakes. She also writes for a platform called Medium.com  where she runs several publications. 

Christine is an avid collector of vintage anything and an arts-and-crafts kinda gal. She is a sucker for a garage/yard sale, secondhand stores, and auctions. Because of this, she's opened her first real online shop called Prairied Treasures and another that showcases her AI artwork called Pathways through the Past. 

Be sure to sign up for the Graves Publications newsletter to stay up with all the latest news. 

Soft Music and Ambiance

 

"The Coffee Shop" by Christine Graves via Leonardo AI

It's amazing what a little soft music and ambiance can do for the soul. I was sitting here trying to come up with something to write about and decided to jump onto YouTube for some soft music. I love videos that are just images with soft, instrumental music. I find it very relaxing.

I found one that showed an image of a cute little coffee shop (not the one pictured above) and some soft jazz. I love soft jazz. I thought, "Yep, this is the one". Little did I know I'd get swept up in the image itself and my mind would wander off into another dimension. 

As I stared at the picture, with what appeared to be a sweeping rain outside the windows, I got lost in a never-before-written story. In my mind, I ran that coffee shop and it was a cold and rainy night. A homeless gentleman entered the shop, simply to get out of the rain. There was something about him that told me he wasn't looking for a handout or was there to hurt me. He just wanted to get warm.

I offered him a cup of coffee and a muffin. Though at first, he declined, I convinced him to accept my offer. I told him to remove his wet coat and I'd throw it in the dryer (I'd, of course, live above the shop). I had some old clothes in the back room and found him a dry pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. 

I handed him the clothes, an old towel, and a bottle of hand soap. I showed him where the men's room was and let him go in and wash up. He explained that he couldn't pay me for the kindness, but I didn't care. I wasn't looking for any money, I just knew he needed someone to give him a chance.

When he came out of the restroom, he sat down and enjoyed his coffee and muffin. I poured him another cup and joined him. He told me his story. A veteran down on his luck, trying to find his way in society. I could hear the sadness in his voice.

I asked him what he did in the military and was surprised by his answer. He'd been a culinary specialist in the Navy. Then he told me what it was like cooking for hundreds of his fellow crewmen. I saw the gleam in his eye and the pride in his soul. 

He finished his coffee and thanked me for the muffin. I asked him where he'd be staying for the night and he said he was hoping I'd let him sleep in his car in my parking lot. I told him no. Instantly, his eyes dimmed and his shoulders dropped. 

He said he understood and thanked me for the coffee and muffin once again. As he stood to leave, I asked him to follow me out the back door. Out behind the coffee shop was a small building that had been converted into an apartment many years before. I'd often used it when family came to stay or if a friend just needed a place to sleep.

I let the gentleman know that there were pillows and blankets in the closet and the stuff to make coffee in the morning. He couldn't hide the shocked look on his face. He said he couldn't accept it as it was too much. I just smiled and reminded him that it was too wet and cold to sleep in a car. 

He finally accepted my offer and made his way to the apartment. I told him good night and locked up the shop. 

As I opened the next morning, the gentleman greeted me as he walked back from his car. He entered the shop and I poured him a cup of coffee. He smiled and thanked me, then asked me a curious question. He wanted to know what the pie of the day was. I'd never had a pie-of-the-day, but the idea sparked my attention. When I shared this piece of news with him, he offered to bake a couple of pies as payment for the room. I agreed.

The gentleman grabbed his coffee cup and headed for the kitchen area. As he rounded the corner...my cat jumped up on the desk and broke me out of my little trance. It was gone. The gentleman, the coffee shop, the pies...all gone. 

Oh well. It was all nothing more than a dream. Not a dream from sleep. Not a dream of success. Just a few moments in an image of a coffee shop filled with soft music and ambiance.

~~~~~~~~~~

Christine Graves has been writing online for nearly 30 years. She has written everything from fiction and poetry to reviews and ad campaigns. She runs three other blogs. Graves Publications, Library of the Mystic Realms, and Collected Keepsakes. She also writes for a platform called Medium.com  where she runs several publications. 

Christine is an avid collector of vintage anything and an arts-and-crafts kinda gal. She is a sucker for a garage/yard sale, secondhand stores, and auctions. Because of this, she's opened her first real online shop called Prairied Treasures and another that showcases her AI artwork called Pathways through the Past. 

Be sure to sign up for the Graves Publications newsletter to stay up with all the latest news.