I am very sad today as my cat passed away. She was a sweet affectionate cat and I will miss terribly. Celeste rest in peace, I miss you and I was glad that I was able to give you love.

I've renamed The Lanyon Chronicles to The Jekyll Legacy:

The Jekyll Legacy by Jaye Michael and Levanah Greene

Victorian alchemy meets modern science and magic.

I just worked a nine hour day straight, no lunch, and I'm completely bushed.

Transgender 101: 15 Things to Know

This is an interesting article at Huffington Post.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nicholas-m-teich/transgender-1...

well, I'm making some progress on my "quest" story. I've now done 20 chapters, almost 30,000 words. I've also got a "road map" so I know basically where the story is going from here. The way I see it, it should take 5 more chapters to wrap things up, and if I can average just over 2,000 words per, I'll go over the magic 40,000 word mark, and have an honest-to-goodness novel on my hands.

New video games, so the more writing intensive stories like The Season of Change and Blood, Dust, and Silver are being put on the back burner for a while.

I'll still be working on them, but probably not going to get much done. Might get a new BD&S by friday, as I'm already halfway done with the new chapter.

Luckilly I've had the Minion Eighteen story brewing for a while, so I can probably knock those out pretty quickly.

Firstly, just to let everyone know what I'm up to.

Something that really annoys me (and I know it will annoy many of you) is to be reading an enjoyable story that is never finished.

I plead guilty to doing just that... too often for my own liking, so I apologise to all who desperately want me to finish several of my stories.

I make no excuses, as I just get carried away with too many new ideas.

I am making this Blog post for two reasons, one; to keep you updated and so you will know why I'm not posting any new material for a while,

and

First off, thank you all for the twenty responses I got and for the responses Grover got on his thread. That was very cool and gave me a warm fuzzy. I did kind of need that.

As for the surgery itself, it went great. They got the majority of the stones on both sides, easily getting the larger stones, and leaving some of the smaller, more easily passable stones. It took the full two hours to accomplish as there was a lot to do. The docs really worked hard to take care of me and do it right.

My grandnephew came through surgery just fine! His new heart is working just fine, his color is good, he has good circulation in his extremities, in short everything is positive!

Hello, it's a beautiful day. I just finish my income taxes and both of "my" prime minister want MORE of my money. No I didn't vote for theme, not that the options are any better.
The car in the shop for several small things.
The washer is starting to act up, so probably more money that way (or is it way MORE MONEY).
Brother dearest is still not paying any thing.
And the pay check is not getting bigger to compensate.

So not good for any clothing, therapy, i don't even thing about meds.
Still in the closet for most part.

Health is not bad, my cat is lovely and i envy her.

Heather too. She goes into surgery this morning for her kidney stones at about an hour and a half from now.

Big Hugs Heather!
Grover

My 11 yr old grandnephew is in surgery as I write this; he is having a heart transplant.

These pictures can be disturbing, be warned. :)

Gender Bent

Well, yesterday I went to the trans group pot-luck, and it was good, but apparently, my friends there are worried about me. They told me they can see both the manic and the depression, and that I need to get it under control, or I risk something bad happening.

Now, the person I was would have said, "Serves me right for opening up. I try to be honest, and they think I'm nuts." and would have withdrawn from the group.

But I'm trying to be a better person now, and sometimes, that means I have to be able to know when people are trying to tell me hard truths to help me.

In the past 5 months I have realized I am as a flower ... like a seed planted in the ground I only existed, struggled with my life and hid from myself. Potential was there, waiting for me to realize living was not a punishment, but a gift from god. When my spirit was woken the seed cracked and I became aware of myself and a little of my surrounding. As time progressed the sprout broke through the ground and I was no longer hiding from myself and my surroundings. However, it was not until I formed my bud that I realized the true potential I had in my life.

You may be familiar with a poem called "Footprints" where a person looks back on their life and realizes how often God carried them through hard times. Well, God has been walking me through some "footprints" moments the last little while. Not so much about hard times, but just how He has put me in just the right place at just the right time to receive a blessing. I could give lots of examples, but two really stand out for me. First is the very existence and presence in my life of my daughter.

Above is the next outfit Charlie will try on in Episode 6 - The Tennis Uniform

Recently my Crossdressing Charlie series seems to have gathered a wee cult following around the TG hemisphere. All i can say is thank you all for favouring the series. Thanks to all the comments and reviews. I appreciate that the most! Keep reading and I promise you all that you won't be disappointed.

Got a piece of fantastic mail today!

That is now my official name... and this is a huge step forward now.

So, Hi everyone, from my newly legal self,
Diana Michelle Howe

The post the other day about the Anglicans putting 'ex-gay' ads on the buses made me react when I saw this news item this morning.

Turns out that the, um, individual that wrote a key article supporting ex-gay therapy is now admitting he was wrong. Not in so many words, but it's a step back in the correct direction.

Funny how these so-called 'objective experts' find them selves tied up in knots trying to justify their own bigotry.

Last night (Thursday) my inbox disappeared. This morning it is back.
Did something go wrong on the site? I got a frantic email from rachel76 about cleaning out her inbox, but couldn't do it.

There's going to be a delay in my writing for a bit. I've got this really bad toothache and its hard to concentrate---let alone write. I'm hoping it will be gone soon but until then I'm busy brainstorming ideas.

Chapter 13 of Season of the Witch will be delayed even after I get back to writing but don't worry I've got something good planned that I think people are really going to love :)

So the last week has been a little slice of hell...Mixed with a little slice of affirmation(leavened with some idiocy). Anyway, step 1 of getting hubby healthy has been accomplished. Full mouth extraction(Which his cardiologist insisted on prior to surgery to repair a congenital Atrio-Septal Defect). He tried to chicken out and I had to gently bully him into going.

The surgery itself went just fine, although he almost didn't survive check-in. Not from any medical issue aside from my intense desire to strangle him...

Oh dear me
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/12/christian-anti-g...

A friend forwarded this on to me for comment, and so I thought I would seek opinion from the women here. A company named Chrysalis has launched the first lingerie line designed for, and by, transgender women.

http://www.chrysalislingerie.com/

http://www.lingerietalk.com/2012/03/26/lingerie-news/were-do...

Because of family pressures, she is an MTF crossdresser and very much on a journey that I so hope results in her transitioning because I know that is where her heart is.

Firstly let me apologise for seeming to commit a type of blackmail in order to extract some response through the comments system.

However, I genuinely did not know whether to continue with DREAMER, as it finishes in a place that might seem appropriate. Her life is all ahead of her, and although I agree, there is mileage in the various challenges she will face, they are relatively ordinary and the sort of thing that everyone could face.

I am truly humbled by the amount of comments and the passion displayed in some of the responses.

This is a British Airways sponsored short film starring Timothy Spall. There is one of my story titles embedded (literally) in it, and it is about cycling, but there is no TG element.

Well, Singing to the Moon is finally finished. Mainly because I kind of ran out of things to do to -- umm, do with Cindy just now. I'm sure my muse will find other interesting things in that nature as time goes on, though.

Now, Carmilla has been waiting patiently, or at least as patiently as she can, for her turn again, and Dahlia has been beating me about the head and shoulders with chaos to get attention. So I'll get back to those two for the time being just to keep the peace.

Historian Bettany Hughes relates the story of the contribution of women to the origins of religion and spirtual beliefs before they were written out of history by a male dominated society. Part one has the intriguing title, 'When God was a girl.' Starts tonight at 9.00pm BST.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01g8dd2

An article by Bettany Hughes was in today's Guardian. The wisdom of women written out of history.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/apr/10/wisdom-w...

Angharad.

Following on from last months release of Gaby Book 1, 2nd edition I'm pleased to announce the availability of Book 2 in revised format!

well, I'm a little shaky thanks to a conversation with someone on the support site I belong to. She told me she was being used by her own father for sex, something she described in some detail, and she refused any idea of reporting him or stopping him.

I ache in grief for her, but I had to let her go because considering my background, it was all I could do to not throw up while she was talking, and I got very upset at her lack of interest in helping herself.

Ah, well.

How time flies!

Seven years ago, plus a little bit, I signed up for this account. My first chapter of Amazon was posted here shortly thereafter.

It's been interesting.

Special thanks to Erin who keeps this madhouse running ... ;-)

The Guardian has caught up with this story at last and details what's happening from next year. Nice piccy of the young woman involved.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/apr/10/miss-universe-...

Alien Invasion

I was hoping you, the good folks of BCTS, could help me out with a slight dilemma.

Well, had a couple of very nice moments yesterday. First, while taking out the garbage before going to work, and the person who lives at the end of my row came out with a small dog, who had to give me a sniff. He said, "Dont worry puppy - she's a nice lady."

Now, I was dressed in my work shirt and pants under my coat, no wig, no makeup, and this guy who has no idea about me called me a lady which made me actually start to cry with happiness, and then when I got to work a co-worker complimented me on my hair which just about sent me over the moon.

Things are getting better, yes?

It's been one of those days! I had been writing a very effective dialogue between two people and it was just clicking along. I couldn't get over how well the story was coming along...and then, kaaaapooooowwww! I got the blue screen of death! Lost it all...sigh! Trying to remember what I typed once again...remember, save early, save often!!!! Gah!

This one caught my eye this morning.

Cat being a cat

Of course, we're all used to the phenomenon of cats walking across keyboards and generating *perfect* passwords, this just takes it to the logical next step!

Penny

BigCloset is not a social media site, it's not chaos and it's not a place without rules. One of the rules is don't post as a story something that isn't a story. A piece of a story that doesn't have a title yet, that's perhaps posted to draw comments and be developed later into a story should not be posted as fiction. It should go probably as a blog or as a forum post under one of the writing categories. There are places here for such posts but they don't belong with the stories.

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE AT BIG CLOSET TOP SHELF

we'd all like to know how we did with our first real action chapter. Please give it a read and let us know?

Thanks everyone.

Cathy, Erin, Maggie and Grover.

I seem to have lost track of a story I wrote a few years ago. I think I published it here as "Construction Diva", and it was one of the few stories that I have written that actually attracted negative comments with a few people insisting that it could not happen in real life. LOL Well, I beg to differ, something quite similar DID happen to me.

The Family Girl Blogs (aka "The New Working Girl Blogs") Blog #42: Easter Backyard Picnic To see all of Bobbie's Family Girl Blogs, click on this link: http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/book/28818/family-girl-blogs

I am a second-generation Italian-American (well, one-half of me is), and I am sure that those of you who have Italian roots and celebrate Easter in the traditional way, you'll know that the big deal thing is (aside from the morning High Mass) is lunch.   Lasagna, hard-boiled eggs and green salad with asparagus (or salads with tuna), and then roast beef and lamb and roast potatoes, and for dessert - sweet Easter bread and chocolate eggs, and then ending with an espresso or a nice cappucino.

But, of course, none of that for me this time as I'm not at home. Darn...

Well, today is the highest and holiest day in the Christian calender, Resurrection Sunday, when Jesus rose from the dead. May the day bring you joy and peace, and much blessings to all from Dorothy.

Last week I wrote part one of my new series Ithycca. After writing the beginning I needed to find a way to keep myself from getting bored. I guess I'm one of those people that like to read the good parts of a story and sometimes get turned off if a story drags along.

So, I decided to write the story in a different way. Basically I'm writing the good parts in my head first, and then adding in the parts leading up to them as I go along. I actually find it rather enjoyable this way.

Of course that means I have chapter 4, 5, and 8 done, before I even got to chapter 2, but eh.

Finally finished "The Dead Kid." Its the last time I put up a story here without actually finishing it, as people probably gave up on the story. Ah, well.

Work has been taking a bit too much of me lately, so I've been trying to be very consistent about carving a piece out of each day to write.

I'm working on a three-part story that was inspired by the current contest, and it's great fun to work on.

Due to getting biologically assaulted by an 4 year old viral carrier of what must be the Monkey Plague I don't feel like writing. It seems in some circles some parents who shall remain nameless think it's acceptable to bring a knowingly sick child and have then climb and body tackle all over perfect strangers. I'm sorry if I offend but I have the Monkey Plague and am therefore bitchy.

for the 2nd time in the last 3 days I had a nightmare. I thought all the rape counseling and stuff was supposed to help me with this crap?

Jenna Talackova the Canadian Miss Universe contestant that was disqualified, then allowed to complete is on 20/20 tonight;

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/04/06/transgender-be...

Yeah, finally completed the first book of Legacy of the Anari. Hope everyone enjoys it. Has taken a lot longer to do than I planned but I think it's worth it. Now all I need to do is finish moving house, geta new job, carry on with book 2 while working on revising LoA 1 for possible publication and prepare the submission for it. Not too much of a list then. Lol

Thanks everyone for the support and occasional poke to let me know people were waiting for the completion. The story is nowhere near fininshed yet but this is the end for the time being. Thanks again and enjoy.