Caroline Gerardo : apple

Monday, February 8, 2016

Apple for the Pony

My last novel in progress Soothsayer is in the submission stage.
I'm waiting for answers from Publishers.
Query is not fun. My pitch is simple and straight.
Buy this book.
Put that coffee down C G - coffee is for closers.

Meanwhile I'm working on two short stories and
about 20000 words into the next long form novel.
The next novel, working title Missing is about
life after suicide.
One short is completed - the other just a draft.
By the time I have heard back from publisher
I will have the next book first draft and five short
stories for an anthology.

Images taken on Tejon Ranch. The landscape is
like the Great Drought the location of Soothsayer.
This brown pony found me hiking on the wrong
side of electric fences (also like the novel).
A Golden Pippin apple was in the bottom of my day pack.
I cut it in half thinking we would share then along
trotted another full sized mare. She got the other half.
Rather than hear solo footsteps echo I was joined by the
pals for about three miles until the end of the gate.
They let me give the horse a soft rub down the
ridge of her nose, a stroke and a nose to nose
with the pony.
As I walked on I could hear them call me to
return.
Wish I brought more than one treat for myself.

Caroline Gerardo
Copyright 2/8/2016

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Scion Wood For Heaven Novel

I wrote 69811 words towards a next novel in November.

#Nanowrimo doesn't produce fruit that is ripe,

now I have to prune, graft and water.

The book is unfinished.

Next step - rough edit and outline review. Then line review.

Then speak to characters and check scene events.

And then the revision. Next share with beta readers.

It's about life after suicide.

A bit of heaven, finding beauty in culled wood.

I lost these photographs and had one image on my iphone4.

Accidentally today I loaded an old memory chip - and there were

fabulous images of my youngest, our college tours of the Northwest

and these Corot and Van Gogh (esk) images of

this Fallawater apple orchard shorn down.

Ever had a memory chip ghost old images layered?

Heirloom and extinct varieties of fruits are of interest to

an off the grid gardener.

Apples are not genetically replicated by seed planting.

The mother's genes partially contribute to a new tree.

Like roses - field testing takes time.

Grafting replicates an apple variety.

Cider made from this fruit is amazing.

When I was seven I was in a Johnny Appleseed play.

I was John Chapman with a pot on my head.

If you know the title of the play, please let me know,

I can't recall.

The folk hero spread the Harrison apple.

An apple now extinct, used to make hard cider,

and applejack brandy, laced with his own versions

of Christianity and sustainability.

Prohibition ended the varieties of apples and

many of the Native American medicinal herbs

he used to distill.

Now the trunks become sweet aroma firewood.

Branches are beautiful in wreaths,

but the grafters waited too long.

Did they flame up in a blaze where sparks touch heaven?

Like my current work in progress a haunting image that is part

of us - earth, fruit, life, death and joy.

Sparkler in dead chill ~ winter scion clings to heartbeat ~ we connect in veins.

Taking submissions for title ideas

The Orchard End

Caville Blanc d'hiver

White Winter Wood

Scion Wood

Scion Wood For Heaven

P.S.: Scion is not referencing the car ---
"young shoot or twig of a plant, especially one cut for grafting or rooting as in new life."

Also welcome your thoughts.

All my heart to you.

Thank you for reading