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A Saintly Soul Abducted

Day 2 of a 5-day short story series by K.G. Watson

“My second collection of evidence supporting the claim that Patrick’s reputation was abducted is this,” Liam said as he laid it out.   “Gene expression can be affected by social situations.  The field is evolving, but there is enough evidence to support that the Irish have been trying to break free of oppression since the get-go.  I use Brian Boru to illustrate even though he is from about 1002 CE – 600 years after Patrick. But he makes my point.  Irish had been struggling long before then, and I think that fighting for national identity was alive and well when Patrick was walking the hills.”

McNeil looked askance at the packet that Liam had picked off the floor.  “The topic is called ‘Epigenetics.  It was not known until about 50 years ago, but it gains credibility with yet more evidence every day.  I offer these results from Holland.” Thud!

“By using these data in my thesis, I am bringing the field out of the realm of legend and opening new avenues for future research.  You told me that should be a goal of my research.”

McNeil nodded agreement but hated the fact that he could no longer keep up with his pupil if he opened that door.

“You’ll get a lot of pushback going that route, young man.”

“Well, I thought this was supposed to be a research project,” Liam stressed the adjective. “If established authority is only going to accept its own evidence, does it not stop being what it was required to be?”

“I’m simply saying,” McNeil blustered.  “Go on.”

“Well, new research will come up again, but more obliquely.  Let me come back to it later.”

Liam paused to get his thoughts back on track.  “In every Irish case I’ve read, the hero is one who supports independence of thought.  Patrick stands out for the souls he has rescued by bringing them to the Christian God rather than his bringing disparate tribes together.  Oddly, those first references are from ecclesiastical sources who would benefit from having such a hero on their side.   Here’s a person of such stature that he is a national hero.  On the one hand, he is claimed to be almost messianic in his godliness; on the other, he is revered for standing against forces of oppression that the first side definitely was.  The defeat of pagan religion was the objective of the early Christian Church in Ireland.  To do that, they chose to defeat their adversary by making him seem to become one of them.   He drove the poisonous snakes from Ireland, say those looking to credit him with a miracle.  We know from centuries of scientific study there never were any there.  Those who sought to control Ireland had pasted a veneer of stories over him as they turned him into a hero of the oppressors.”

And they wrap up their arguments by referring to written records, often from centuries later, as proof of how virtuous Patrick was.  Those writers and readers had forgotten the source of the Irish national wisdom.  Willfully blind, they gazed past evidence which we can now see and which reveals their abduction.

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A Saintly Soul Abducted By K.G. Watson

It’s the week leading up to St. Patrick’s Day, so I thought it would be fun to share a 5 part story by none other than our very own K.G. Watson. Each day when you visit our website, http://www.pandamoniumpublishing.com, you’ll get to enjoy another part of the story from March 13-March 17.

Also, K.G. Watson has a brand new book titled Found Money, which is available right now for order through Amazon.com! American Friends, get your copies here: Amazon.com: Found Money: 9781989506684: Watson, K.G.: Books

For our Canadian friends, the listing should show available stock in the next few days, so add it to your wishlist in the meantime! Found Money : Watson, K.G.: Amazon.ca: Books

Here’s part 1 of A Saintly Soul Abducted by K.G. Watson

“ A  SAINTLY  SOUL  ABDUCTED” read the title on the candidate’s paper.  “A correction of historical perceptions of the life and preaching of a Saint,” read the subtitle.

Dr. McNeil groaned inwardly as he raised it and lifted his eyebrows for an explanation.

“Well, Patrick was awarded ‘honourary saintly’ status not just because he arrived before the criteria were written down,” said the earnest red-haired and freckle-faced young man, “but because he won many hearts, then died.  The reference to his soul and the ‘abduction’ claim is consistent with historical references.”  McNeil scanned the lines of small print at the bottom.  He was wondering if he’d taught his student too well.

“I footnoted each item at the bottom.  I don’t think he was captured by Irish pirates, though that is what his legend claims.  I think he preached to the rebel’s justification in fighting for their identity.  Others took over his memory and twisted it to their ends.  I contend that the St. Patrick we think we know today, is not the one who lived about 400 CE in Ireland. ”

McNeil could see this would be a longer discussion than he had intended.  Did he really need such an angular thinker?  Could he even continue to supervise him as a PhD candidate?  Maybe it was his penance that he’d been assigned to be Liam’s mentor.  His thoughts were blown away by the logical brickwork that was stacked in the lad’s lap and on the floor by his chair, ready to be laid out on his desk.  He suggested they move to his conference table, and swept it clear.

“My arguments rest on three lines of research,” Liam began.  “First there is the written record.”  He laid down a small sheaf of reprints like a dealer at a poker table.  “Pātricius, was his name in the earliest writing naming him.  There is no agreement on his place of birth or actual date but the best data supports him having a northern British or Scottish ancestry in the late 300’s CE.  Rome was in retreat from England.”  

“Patrick’s father, Calpurnius, is described as a decurion (Senator and tax collector) of an unspecified Romano-British city, and as a deacon; his grandfather Potitus was a priest from Bonaven Tabernia in central England.  What slips between the lines however, is Patrick’s confession in later life was that he was not an active believer in his youth.” Another page was added to the pile.  

“My point is that, young Patrick’s reluctance to go to Church at a time of political unrest, when his family was deeply involved in The Roman administration, could have been life-saving.  The family were probably identified as ‘Collaborators’.”  Liam let the negative consequences of that conclusion settle before continuing. 

“Dad and Grandfather had sold their souls for the benefits of supporting Roman Rule.   It makes more sense to me to see Patrick a nationalist.  His abduction to Ireland wasn’t any such thing.  Patrick escaped there to distance himself from the retribution that would follow as soon as the soldiers left.”  McNeil was getting a growing feeling that Liam’s assertions were going completely off the rails.  Perceiving the disgust his mentor was signalling, Liam was already peeling out his next photocopy.

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Photo Prompt

October 13, 2021-October makes me want to snuggle up with a good book and a piping hot cup of coffee. There’s something about the temperature dropping, the sound of crunching leaves underfoot, and pumpkins lining front porches, that gets me in the zone for not only reading a cute cozy romance but to write as well.  The writing challenge for today is simple yet beautiful.

Instructions: Using the photo prompt above, write a 1500 word short story about coffee. It can be in any genre you choose. Will you write about the taste and smell of freshly ground beans? Will you write about how coffee gives you superpowers? Will you write about an encounter in a coffee shop around the corner from your house? Will you write about the historic discovery of coffee on the Ethiopian plateau? The sky is the limit!

If you’d like to submit your work for publication consideration, send us an email at pandapublishing8@gmail.com or if you’re interested in taking any of our writing classes, click here for more info: Children’s Book Writing Master Class Pandamonium Publishing House
Best-Seller Bootcamp – Pandamonium Publishing House
Neuromarketing for Authors Course – Pandamonium Publishing House
Transitioning from Writer to Author (An Introductory Course) – Pandamonium Publishing House
Novel Writing Course – Pandamonium Publishing House
Course: Get Your Book Noticed and Increase Your Sales – Pandamonium Publishing House

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Girl in the Red Coat

December 15, 2020– A few weeks back we posted a writing prompt of a little girl in the snow with a pair of skates draped over her shoulder. We asked our readers to submit their work for the chance to be featured on our blog. Check out K.G. Watson’s story, Girl in the Red Coat below:

“Hey!  Girl in the red coat.” The call rang across the snow. She’d been spotted.  She walked on pretending not to hear.  Another call. “Please don’t go.  We need another player.” She turned to see who, in the group, had called.  It sounded like another girl but everyone was in hockey gear, skating circles and passing a puck on the newly-frozen pond.   The caller was short, like herself.  “I see your skates and you were watching us.  Can you come and play three-on-three?”  The speaker hopped the snowbank and walked up the bank as she spoke. “These are figure skates,” she said as the other girl got close.   She nudged them with resignation. “I see that.  They’ll do.  You were watching us for a while.  You are coming from a lesson?” “Yep.” “Can you skate backwards?” “Of course.” The girl in red replied indignantly.  Her cold hands holding skate laces under her velvet collar slid into her pockets.  Mittens should have been there.  They were home, clipped to the hot air register. The hockey girl noticed.  “I have a pair of mine inside hockey gloves, and a spare stick and helmet.”  She nodded towards bags at the log where the kids had been lacing their skates. “I’ve always wanted to try hockey besides in the driveway when my brother is out.  Mom says it’s a boy’s game.   And I’m too small.  I have to take figure skating.”  She watched the others.  “Poor skaters,” she decided. “Well …  Can you stay?” “Mom dropped me and I took the bus home.  I live over there.”  She nodded at the mansion on the edge of the park as she checked her phone.  “She took my brother to his hockey game.  He won’t be home for half an hour.” As they walked down the bank, her hockey hostess explained how she could start easily.  “You can play defence. We have no goalie, just two forwards and a defence.”  She pointed to the piles of snow that marked off the goalposts.   “If you can skate backwards, stay just to the centre side of anyone coming at you.  They’ll cut outside along the boards.  Just back up, keep in place and angle them into the snow.  When they fall, shoot the puck to a forward.” The others turned to welcome her; ponytails and stray ends peaked from under helmets; they were all girls.  She appreciated the warmth of the woollen gloves lining the padded hockey ones that were set beside her while she laced up.  She hefted the battered hockey stick.  “Same as my brother’s,” she decided and glided into position.  The other team was bringing the puck up from their end. Her greeter met the attack early but was late with a stab to free the puck.  It shot to the other forward who cut inside theirs for the pass and was under-speed as she crossed centre ice, bearing down on the girl in the red dress coat.    Red stepped to the attacker’s right leaving an opening on her left. The forward took the bait.  But she hadn’t expected the quick response.   With a little more speed, she’d get around the guard.  A couple fast strides.  The girl in red remained, preventing a shot on goal.    She made one more spurt and ran out of ice at top speed; the puck slid free and … The girl in red stopped. “Are you OK?”  The other girl was struggling up in a cloud of snow.  “Never had that happen. Where did you learn that?” “What?” “You really deked me out.  I was sure I could get around you. You let me commit and then moved me over like my dad’s dog herds sheep. The next try was unsuccessful too.  The attacker stopped short but the girl in red poked the puck free and flipped it over the teammate’s stick to her own forward who sent a long lead pass to their player racing around their defence to score. She was complimented on the lift she put on the puck to get it past the opposition.  “You handle a stick well.  This isn’t your first time.” “My brother plays,” was all that Red said.  As the sky slowly darkened, the girl in red learned stick tricks to block passes or poke checks.  The streetlights were on when a van pulled into a parking place. “That’s my Dad.  We have to go.” The girl in red looked at her watch,”. “Oh-oh.  I’m late.”  When she realized she still wore a borrowed helmet it was hard to find her red hat in the snow at the end of the log. “Maybe we can do this again,” the hockey player said.  “What’s your name?” Laura,” said the figure skater.  “What’s yours?” “Haley,” she said.

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The Four Types of Writing Styles…

September 18 , 2019– Did you know that there are four types of writing styles? Every time we (writers) pick up a pen, we’re on a mission! Knowing all four types of writing styles and how to use them is essential for getting your message across to readers.

  1. Narrative– The style that we all know and love! The main purpose of the narrative writing style is to tell a story. Novellas, Short Stories, Biographies, Poetry, and Novels are all good examples of this style. Simply put, narrative writing style answers the question, “Then what happened?”
  2. Expository-This style explains or informs. The opinion of the writer is usually left out of this type of writing and it’s very subject-oriented. Textbooks, How To Instructions, Manuals, and Recipes are all good examples of expository writing.
  3. Persuasive-Persuasion is the main purpose of this style. It always contains the opinions/biases of the author and it’s meant to convince the reader of something.  Advertisements, Opinion Columns, Resume Cover Letters, and Reviews are common persuasive styles.
  4. Descriptive-Descriptive writing focuses on the details of a character, event, or place and it often incorporates the five senses. Good examples of this style are Poetry and Journaling.

So now that you know the four styles of writing, which style do you use most often? I challenge you to step out of your comfort zone and write in a different style this week!
X LLB

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Publisher’s Corner…

July 19,2019- Let’s check out our Publisher’s Corner question of the week!

Q: “Lacey, I don’t read a lot of books because I don’t have tons of time, I know you’ve said in the past that reading directly influences writing, so I’m wondering what I can do to make more time to read! Any suggestions?” 

 A: “Ah, yes. This is a huge problem in society at the moment! We are living in such a fast-paced world that we barely have time to do anything pleasurable or just for fun. But, making time to read is essential! Not only does reading lend to our ability to write, but it also makes us better writers, better storytellers, and more empathetic toward our fellow humans. The average Canadian adult has approximately 5 minutes per day to read!  That’s it. I admire your commitment to reading more and I’m so happy to help! Here’s how I squeeze in time to read”: 

1) I wake up an hour earlier or go to bed an hour later. Carving out this hour to read is essential to my happiness and to my business as I usually read things that are relevant in my field such as trade magazines or what’s trending on the best seller’s list. This hour before or after allows me to be uninterrupted.

2) I listen to audiobooks. Audiobooks are portable and you can listen to them everywhere. I travel a lot so this format of book allows me to get my reading done in the truck, on a plane, in the airport, on the treadmill, or wherever else I am. You wouldn’t believe how much time is wasted while travelling and waiting!

3)I read novellas, short stories, poems, and magazine articles. Reading anything is better than not reading anything at all! I’ll pick up a book shot by James Patterson for a quick, action-packed read that satisfies my craving for a good story in a short time.

Getting your daily dose of reading is only a matter of scheduling and preparing! Happy reading and writing! X LLB

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Photo Writing Prompt…

May 27, 2019– It’s been a while since we’ve done a photo writing prompt so what better day than today? It’s the middle of the week and we could use some excitement:) Using the photo below, come up with a 500-word short story. Submit to pandapublishing8@gmail.com for your chance to be featured on our blog.  Happy Writing! X LLB

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Writing Prompt

February 12, 2018- Today’s writing prompt can be found below. I find this particular prompt very intriguing and I think that I might challenge myself to write a short story about this just to flex my creative writing muscles! Happy Writing:)

Bee & Puppycat. The thing you're talking about. It's Bee and Puppycat