Snippet.

"You said that you're working on a novel... can you share a small excerpt of what you're working on?"

I'm having a hideous brain-fog of a day today so I'm taking the easy way out and going with this writing prompt, courtesy of a curious friend across the pond.

Traveling in the Between is a lot quicker than over land or by air: you just focus on where and when you want to be, and you sort of shimmer your way through various layers of existence until you pop out close to your chosen location. I did exactly that, riding the shimmer until I was just on this side of the Ever so I could make sure that I didn't interrupt anything when I stepped through. One of the main reasons why so many people are leery about spirit beings is that most of us tend to just jump out to say whatever's on our minds, and that ends up frightening bodied folks out of their wits. Ada, the woman I had come to speak to, was sitting and reading at her kitchen table, a steaming mug of something or other within easy reach. I always loved the colourful chaos of this room, with its eclectic decor and herb bundles hanging to dry in between ancient cast iron and copper pots. If I were able to smell anything in this realm, I'd probably catch whiffs of deliciousness from every corner.

"I know you're there, so you might as well just come out and say whatever it is you came to say."

If there's one great thing to be said for seers and magic folk, it's that we don't have to tiptoe around them for fear of freaking them out: they can either sense us a mile off, or had advance warning that we'd be showing up. I stepped through into her kitchen and smiled in greeting. She arced a brow and pursed her lips at me in turn.
"You again? Mighta known you'd be back 'round these parts eventually."

"Nice to see you, Miss Ada. Am I interrupting anything?"

She held up the book just long enough for me to see the rather torrid cover before plopping it down on the table. "No more than usual. I'm assuming you need something?"

(c) Catherine Winter, 2014