I had hoped to post this chapter yesterday but my hip was hurting but the copy, paste, and adding lines between paragraphs takes concentration that when my hip hurts I don't have. These kidnappers have begun to realize in this chapter that they have a buzz saw on their hands. Thanks goes again to Ashleigh for her editing skills which helps me look better and hopefully a more enjoyable read.
Guys this is a short chapter but it seemed like a good place to stop. I have the same flutter of nerves that I had with the very 1st chapter I posted way back when maybe because it has been almost a year. That and I have a brain injury that makes sequencing difficult means that I don't really understand parent child tree relationship works. So I'm liable to get it out of order and have to get Erin to help me. After I get a semblance of a schedule going then I can sort of mimic what I need to do.
I want to thank Ashleigh for pushing through her illness to finish editing what I've written and I also want to thank all of you that wrote and asked about Atalanta and apologize for the sometimes slow replies. I do hope you all enjoy the chapter, story, and the rest of her (mis) adventures as it unfolds. This will be the last book in the Whateley world and I now know the direction I want for her.
But now to this chapter not a lot action wise happens, information is gathered, characters are staged for action that happens in subsequent characters. If the good Lord is willing and the creeks don't rise I'll have another chapter posted no later than Wednesday and another next weekend. The previous chapter has the trio arriving in town with Manny and Atalanta dining with a former contact in General and Mrs Nelson where the girls are kidnapped from the parking lot.
I'm sorry it has taken me so long to post more chapters about Atalanta's continuing adventures but a lot of things contributed to that. Ashleigh my editor has been fighting an illness as I have which in the last month has worsened with pinched/inflamed nerves in my back and hips and now COPD. And my husband is in nursing care and decided he wanted to recuperate in his home state; two states away. Stuff happens but you can't quit.
I apologize for not providing any updates for Atalanta's Story and leaving you hanging but I didn't really know what the future was. I've had a variety of RL situations come at me; finance,health, and relationships and a fried computer and a busted water line and... As well as my editor falling ill and I didn't know if that information was mine to share or when they would be up to editing. And my muse hid from me too.
As a reminder in chapter 20 Atalanta Manny, and Sam left for Washington DC stopping in Baltimore for Sam to visit an old friend. Action picks up in this chapter. This is a long chapter but I didn't want to cut it up into smaller ones as I can't seem to post on a regular schedule. I want to thank Ashleigh again for her editing skills. I really hope you enjoy this chapter.
This is the first chapter of Spring Fling the second part of Reaching Home. This and the last chapter are transitioning from winter to spring. Atalanta spends her spring break in Washington DC. Trouble finds her in isolated places. What can possibly go wrong in a city of several million people?
This chapter is unedited as Ashleigh hasn't been feeling well and I wrote this after she had edited the next 50 pages coming up. So I'm to blame as I kind of write back and forth in the timeline and I felt like the second part of this story needed a lead-in. You also get to see how much I need Ashleigh. As in real life plans change when Atalanta is called into Mrs. Carson office along with Sam and Manny who are told they will be...
These two chapters represents the end of part 1: Winter Solstice. Part 2 Spring Fling follows and it is still up in the air whether this book is a two-parter or if it is in three parts. It all depends on how much trouble our hellion gets into and wiggles out from under. Speaking of which I have jumped back and forth in the timeline and Ashleigh has edited 49 more pages but I've written 7 pages in between that is not yet edited. She hasn't been feeling well and I may post them unedited revising that chapter when she is doing better. An editor is worth her or his weight in gold especially in my case when I don't all the time know what Atalanta will do next. Or when. So Ashleigh if you're reading this thank you again.
I added an additional image that I hope illustrates a point. Let me know if you like an occasional image ot if this one helped or hurt.
We find out what plan Atalanta has or indeed if she has a plan at all and instead is making it up on the fly. Harvard puts in an appearance after all why not it is an institute of higher learning but he is a very special bird and he can...no that would be telling! I hope you enjoy.
Since I didn't have any problems posting the last addition I thought I'd add this chapter by itself as it sets up the next two chapters. The much anticipated field trip begins as the group of high schoolers attend a lecture on the theatre. Atalanta gets an idea but it is not one either school will like. I also want to thank Ashleigh for her fine editing skills, she makes my writing a lot better.
I'm sorry it has taken me this long to post but I'm terrified I'll mess up the chapter listings or something and I procrastinate. Then real life has thrown plenty of change-ups at me in the last 30 days. And I didn't want to get too far ahead of Ashleigh.
We learn that Nikki is helping Atalanta in some small ways to learn to blow off magic that she attracts. Atalanta learns she'll be going on a field trip to a local liberal arts college to gather ideas for her play. What could possibly go wrong with that plan it seems Dr. Bellows and Carson never learns. Anyway it ought to be fun!
Again I apologize for the delay and I do hope you enjoy the story.
Can someone help me figure out why my latest chapter is listed as solo. I've edited to change the page weights to different tags but I must be missing something.
Any help will be appreciated. It seems like every other chapter I post is an adventure.
This chapter hopefully explains what happened last chapter. There's a fair amount of tension between the school and Atalanta with Manny siding with Atalanta and leaving Sam walking a fine line.
As always I want to thank Ashleigh for her editing skills. It would be mostly unreadable without her as grammar is not my strength.
I do hope you enjoy this chapter and I will appreciate your comments and answer any questions you have and of course kudos.
This was an absolutely fun chapter to write and read; this chapter is all about action and I do hope you'll find it enjoyable. Atalanta cuts loose a bit and consequences be damned.
I also want to thank Ashleigh again for her editing prowess as editors are the backbone of a story and I know she hasn't been feeling well.
This chapter is not too long but I feel it should be looked at separate from the next chapter but I'll try and post it in the next couple of days because they fit together.
Guys sorry about the spotty posting but my husband went into rehab on April 15th and I've been super busy. I'm not sure about my schedule going forward as on Friday I learned his Ins. Co won't talk to without his permission--every time. So I need to look into a legal/financial framework for us. That'll be fun--not. I have most of this story written; it is in two sections and I'm working on connecting them and adding finishing touches to the ending.
First I want to thank Ashleigh for her editing skills and making it readable. I've included 4 chapters as they're kind of short. Dr. Bellows wants Atalanta to do what? Mischief happens in the bathroom. Nikki has a theory about Atalanta's use or abuse of magic.
I included two chapters since each was short. Again I want to thank Ashleigh to help my writing readable. And I hope you enjoy this installment enough to comment or send a kudo. And I went back to the original picture.
The prisoners are safely handed over, Atalanta learns what her commission actually says and means. Atalanta has a tense meeting late with Carson and later Carson and Delarose exchange ideas.
I have a few minutes and I thought I'd post this chapter early while the posting procedure is fresh.I'm not sure what time I'll have going forward. As always Ashleigh thank you for your editing.
I thought I might try another image for this chapter. I'd appreciate if you all will tell me if you you'd rather I keep one image or change up occasionally to meet the action.
In this chapter Atalanta and her crew meet both the fugitives and the wolf pack.
I found a copy I had saved to google at the last moment so here is chapter 2. Atalanta leaves camp with new responsibilities leading a small group to capture the fugitives. Thanks again to Ashleigh for her editing skills.
Alan as a boy was effeminate in appearance and manner. After the transformation while his body definitely became more feminine his mannerisms became more masculine. How did the change occur?
I planned on another chapter today but somehow when I went to copy the edited chapter to a separate document that document doesn't note the changes (it looks the same) and in the edited version every word has a line through it. Its a mess. I've asked Ashleigh to send me another copy so it should be resolved soon.
A boy and his mother move to New Mexico for a new start after her husband and his father goes down over Iraq. The "Land of Enchantment" gives him more than he bargained for.
Guys it has been a while since I've posted anything so hopefully everything goes smoothly. Once again I want to think those that encouraged me by pm asking about Atalanta. I also want to than Ashleigh for agreeing to edit and help me with it. Today is my birthday so at least I'll remember when I started posting this story.LOL!
To recap a bit; Atalanta is cataloguing the wildlife on the Medawihla reservation for Fish and Game to keep their secret,secret. Mrs. Carson is glad Atalanta is off campus from Friday to Monday. Atalanta is glad to make some extra cash and avoiding trouble. Of course if they only knew... but that would be giving the game away.
First I want to thank all of you that asked when the this third installment of Atalanta was coming and apologize for its lateness. Portions have been written for over two years but there are/were several reasons for the delays. Logistics played a big part in the delay as Atalanta was being considered for canon at one point but after deliberation she was turned down and that's okay. 18 months ago my daddy passed away and that drained my creative urges for a time.
I just read an sample on Amazon of a story that I read here. I don't remember the name here or the author here but this Amazon 'author' has placed 5 books in the last month; two in this series. The story is about two secret agents with the sidekick swapping consciousness with a woman and goes undercover as her. It was a story I never finished but he/she is sold to a drug lord on a ship.
An update to the Atalanta series that many of you asked about. My Muse finally woke up after a year hiatus and I've written more (5k words) in the last week than in the past year due to a combination of factors. I finally have an editor (thanks Ashleigh) and a you tube video on a unrelated matter that fired me up. So I hope to start posting chapters in the next month on Atalanta's further adventures at Whateley Academy. And I'm breaking my rule about not having the story finished before I start posting each chapter.
And I need your help and the reason for the title.
What the rescuers find when the morning comes. Probably some more campfire tales!
This chapter ends this second book. The next one is being written. I want to thank Bill and Asheligh for their help and to those that PM'd me. I also want to thank everyone for reading and your comments.
Where-oh-where can Atalanta be? The school and the Reservation is in a panic looking for her. Another exciting chapter as our heroine goes missing! LOL! Melodramatic yes but it is a lot of fun.
As Atalanta prepares for another run up the Devil's Washboard and Christmas Eve day's festivities she borrows a horse and goes exploring the forest. Later at the party....
I am working on the third book now and in this one I left open the possibility of Atalanta taking the Theater class. I can "see" some fun in her as well as myself learning the stage and plays. But I'm ignorant about the whole production angle, the plays, and even the costumes.I don't know enough to ask what I don't know. But one of the questions are what plays are used in high school and which of those could contribute to any sort of mayhem?
Because with her something unexpected always happens.
I'm sorry I seem unable to post a chapter on a regular time table but some many things are claiming my time. I do appreciate that you have stayed involved in the story. In this chapter Sam takes Atalanta to spend Christmas on the Reservation with the Donners. It is a quiet chapter but things always seems to happen when Atalanta is around. I do hope you enjoy this story.
I want to thank Bill and Asheligh for their help and encouragement and to the readers and their comments. It really is appreciated. I hope to get into regular postings--one or two chapters a week.
Dr. Bellows suggests a class change for Atalanta. Atalanta and Hank sit on the steps at Poe until Mrs. Horton runs them inside. Atalanta and Manny talk about Whateley and later she has a talk with her mom and we learn a little more about Audhilde.
I'm sorry I never meant to be this late posting the next chapter. I know how irritating it can be to be reading a story and have it go missing for a month and you have go back and read up. The fallout from my daddy's passing and one sister's refusal to talk sucked all creative energy from my heart.
Last week I started writing a trashy erotic story that I have no intention of posting in its current version but there's nothing like sex and sex scenes to spark my creative muse.. Again I apologize for the delay and will finish the posting for this book in the next two weeks.
As a gentle reminder in the last Chapter Atalanta was introduced to the Medawihla Indians who she is to spend Christmas with. While there she almost creates a diplomatic incident when she almost kills a visiting Were Moose and ends with the group back on school grounds.
Back at the school Mrs. Carson gets a call and a visitor and Atalanta reconnects with an old friend.
While I have a few minutes of down time I thought to post an additional chapter. I'd like to say that I can return to a regular habit of a chapter every few days but I just don't know. Writing and posting Atalanta's Story has been a type of therapy so I appreciate that you like the story. I also want to thank Bill Durr who encouraged me and Ashleigh.
Atalanta, Sam, Nikki, and Hank visit the Medawhiia tribe and as usual something happens unexpected. As usual Atalanta finds herself in the mix of something she didn't start.
I'm posting this earlier while I have some time. Atalanta starts her class assessments and meets Dr. Bellows for the first time. She also meets a group of bullies and ends up with more face time in security. And she make the acquaintance of Mr. Hawthorne! I hope you enjoy this chapter.
I meant to post this chapter on Monday but my hear wasn't in it. My daddy was brought home under hospice care on Tuesday and it is only a matter of time. This a shorter chapter and I will try and post the next chapter tomorrow or Monday.
Mrs. Carson makes some calls and Atalanta gains a running partner. Hope you enjoy this chapter.
Atalanta clears up a misunderstanding and answers some questions. Meanwhile Mrs. Carson reaches out to learn all she can about Atalanta and makes her plans. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
I meant to post this chapter Friday but I was sidetracked writing the sequel. I tend to immerse myself in my writing and it takes me time to emerge from it and dry off. And I do want to thank Bill for his encouragement and editing book one and Ashleigh for her editing this sequel.
Atalanta is tested for her powers and the results are mixed and surprising. She also reveals her code-name and drops a bombshell on Bardue and Nikki.
I wrote this story about 5 years ago and it was my first attempt but then I wrote Atalanta's origin story which took well over a year to finish. Some things in this story had to be changed to fit what happened in that story. I wrote two versions one with Team Kimba and one with new characters and is the reason there are no dates listed; it is inferred.
These three chapters are a little longer than ideal but the next chapter is about the same size as these three but it seems like a logical place to pause. Atalanta meets fellow Poe residents, her first meal in Crystal Hall where she exchanges greetings with a bully. Mrs. Carson flexes her authority and accuses her of being an artist. Her testing results are mixed and unpredictable. I hope you all enjoy these chapters.
Warning Disclaimer: This is the very first story I ever wrote and it was written about 5 years ago and completely reworked three times. The last version is to make this story naturally flow from the first book. I tried to be accurate in the WU but I've learned at lot about Whateley since then but as I was focused on telling the story it never entered my mind to review Whateley physics/facts and my editors weren't familiar with it either . Until it was brought to my attention. As such there maybe errors but I've worried this story to death as it is and I hope it is not too much of a distraction.
Mrs. Carson and Atalanta reach an understanding and Atalanta is taken on a condensed tour of the school.
I really appreciate the help that I received in writing Atalanta and to y'all for reading it. The pic is a one off I wanted to show a older version with a hint of bad girl thrown in and this is the best I could find.
A plan doesn't go as expected and Atalanta receives support for her meeting with Mrs. Carson.
I want to thank everyone that helped me with this story. And I also want to thank everyone for reading and kind comments. Believe me they are appreciated especially this one as I have wavered between three versions.
In this chapter Harvard leads Atalanta to meet new friends and school days draws closer.
I meant to post this Saturday but life kept getting in the way. Mostly though its myself as I want to rewrite it again. Again I want to thank all the people that helped me.
Plans are being put in place while Atalanta goes exploring.
Again I want to thank my co-conspirators in getting this story posted. I'm not sure if I need to mention that this is copyrighted and the characters are from my imagination.
The plan starts to come together and Atalanta finds she has more resources that she thought. This offering has some explanation and one of my favorite scenes. See if you can guess that scene; I believe that is starts to give some insight into who she is.
Again I want to thank everyone who helped get this far; Bill for his encouragement, thanks to Ashleigh for editing and Todd for reading it. I've included an image of her that I feel captures her her spirit in the wild.
Atalanta makes camp and reaches out to an old friend for help.
