Something new that popped up in our area this summer that I think is truly amazing is Grant County Rocks. Kids (and adults) paint rocks and hide them all over the county (and other counties and states). Then other kids and adults go out and find them and rehide them :)
This doesn't sound like all that much, does it? Well, let me tell you what I've noticed.
Kids are using their imaginations. They are coming up with some of the most interesting things to make their rocks into. Emojis, pie, pizza, even cool inspirational sayings. So many ideas so many fun things appear on these plain old rocks.
Then after they've painted their rocks, they go out and hide them. No place is too unconventional. Parks, stores, police stations, ect. They are turning up everywhere.
Guess what?!? Then these same kids go out and find someone else's rocks to rehide :) Of course, they first post a picture of them on the Grant County Rocks facebook page :)
I love how this has gotten kids back outdoors and using their creative energies. I hope this continues for years to come :)
This doesn't sound like all that much, does it? Well, let me tell you what I've noticed.
Kids are using their imaginations. They are coming up with some of the most interesting things to make their rocks into. Emojis, pie, pizza, even cool inspirational sayings. So many ideas so many fun things appear on these plain old rocks.
Then after they've painted their rocks, they go out and hide them. No place is too unconventional. Parks, stores, police stations, ect. They are turning up everywhere.
Guess what?!? Then these same kids go out and find someone else's rocks to rehide :) Of course, they first post a picture of them on the Grant County Rocks facebook page :)
I love how this has gotten kids back outdoors and using their creative energies. I hope this continues for years to come :)
Excerpt from Into the Darkness...
Raven awoke with a start. A single candle penetrated the darkness that engulfed her. Her body began to tremble as she assessed her strange surroundings. She could smell Dragon. He was close she could feel it as her body hummed its need for him. What had happened tonight? Where was she now?
The bed beneath her was large and comfortable, much nicer than her own. The room had no windows. A solid mass of stone made up the walls. “So no one can kill you while you sleep,” she huffed as her thoughts instantly fell on Dragon’s friend, Tristan.
Then as she remembered the events of the night before a tremor washed over her. What had she gotten into? Vampires? Witches? Whom were they trying to fool? Moreover, for what purpose?
The heavy scent of Dragon filled her senses drawing once again her craving for blood. If she was, the daughter of a vampire as Tristan would have her to believe then why did she too not have fangs?
The deep rich scent of Dragon called to her again. Her body felt the urgency of her desires as the wetness between her legs dampened her skin. Damn him, even now she craved the pleasures he stirred in her.
She began to move from the bed only to have a strong arm wrap about her waist holding her in place. “You told me you wanted to spend the morning with me.” Dragon’s deep voice groaned sleepily.
“That was before I knew you were a vampire.” Her angry words caused him to release her rolling to his back as he slid an arm under his head.
“I’m sorry, Raven. I should have told you.”
“There is a great deal you should have told me. Do you think for one moment I believe you or Tristan are these…these fictional creatures you would have me to believe? And better yet, do you believe for one moment I believe I am the daughter of not just one of these fictional characters but a witch as well.”
Dragon lay there silently. His breathing coming in even undisturbed sighs. “Are you listening to me?” The demand in her tone was harsher than Dragon had ever heard come from her lips. He lit a lamp on the table beside him illuminating his face to hers.
“Are you done ranting?”
“Ranting, ranting!!! You make fun of something that frightened me so gravely and you have the audacity to say I am ranting.”
His hand came to her cheek instantly replacing anger with need. “Stop it, Dragon. You know what your touch does to me. I want answers and I want them now.”
Dragon withdrew his hand rising so the black satin sheet fell exposing his bare chest. Raven turned her head quickly fighting the tremendous urge to ravish him. “I mean it. I want answers.”
“Raven, I have never lied to you, nor have I ever made fun of you. I meant it when I told you I love you.”
“What are you saying? You and Tristan are vampires. And I thought I was the crazy one.”
She suddenly sensed the pain of his heart, a deep penetrating pierce that caused her to cling to her chest as if to ease its pressure. When her eyes finally returned to him, she gasped at the sight that awaited her.
“Touch them,” he demanded harshly. “I said touch them.” He grabbed her hand and forced it to his open mouth. The sharp points of his fangs poked at her fingers.
Raven ripped her hand from his grasp. “Stop, Dragon. You’re frightening me.”
“I know I smell your fear. Look deep inside yourself. Fear is not the only emotion that drives this craving for the taste of blood. Your lust for me is stronger.”
She studied his eyes closely. She read the stream of mixed emotion that pooled in their deep darken depths. Her head cocked as his voice sounded out in her ears yet his lips never moved.
“See you do hear me. Can a mortal woman hear what a man says within his head?”
He dragged his naked body from the bed. Raven gritted her teeth against the glorious sight of him. Every muscle chiseled to flawless perfection. The heat between her legs grew uncomfortable. Damn him for making her want him even now.
He went to a small wooden table across the room and poured them each a drink. What was it? It smelled rich inviting even. Her mouth watered as the sensation consumed her. He came back to stand beside the bed extending a glass toward her.
“What is it?”
“Proof.”
The scent of the liquid aroused her but she held her ground. “What is it?”
“Drink it.”
“And if I don’t,” she shot back before taking the glass from his grasp and placing it on the bedside table in a show of her defiance.
Before she realized what was happening Dragon had drank down the glass in his hand. He ripped her from the bed. His lips crashed down on hers. The liquid he had just drank still rich on his lips and tongue.
Raven found she was unable to control herself. She clung to him desperately. She devoured his mouth against hers. The taste of the liquid fueled the fire that was burning in her soul.
Dragon pulled her from him. Her hands quickly reaching for the glass he had brought her, bringing the glass to her mouth as she drank down the warm soothing liquid in one large gulp. He watched as her tongue wiped at the remnants that had dripped from the sides of her mouth and proceeded down her chin. His anger rose in his chest with each drop she took in.
“I believe it is you who needs to answer my questions now. Mortal women do not crave blood, my dark angel.”
Raven’s hand went to her mouth as her stomach lurched. Dragon grabbed the chamber pot just in time as the contents of her stomach resurfaced. “You bastard!” She screamed at him even as her taste for the dark soothing liquid returned in much greater force than before.
Into the Darkness is available in paperback, ebook, and audio.
The bed beneath her was large and comfortable, much nicer than her own. The room had no windows. A solid mass of stone made up the walls. “So no one can kill you while you sleep,” she huffed as her thoughts instantly fell on Dragon’s friend, Tristan.
Then as she remembered the events of the night before a tremor washed over her. What had she gotten into? Vampires? Witches? Whom were they trying to fool? Moreover, for what purpose?
The heavy scent of Dragon filled her senses drawing once again her craving for blood. If she was, the daughter of a vampire as Tristan would have her to believe then why did she too not have fangs?
The deep rich scent of Dragon called to her again. Her body felt the urgency of her desires as the wetness between her legs dampened her skin. Damn him, even now she craved the pleasures he stirred in her.
She began to move from the bed only to have a strong arm wrap about her waist holding her in place. “You told me you wanted to spend the morning with me.” Dragon’s deep voice groaned sleepily.
“That was before I knew you were a vampire.” Her angry words caused him to release her rolling to his back as he slid an arm under his head.
“I’m sorry, Raven. I should have told you.”
“There is a great deal you should have told me. Do you think for one moment I believe you or Tristan are these…these fictional creatures you would have me to believe? And better yet, do you believe for one moment I believe I am the daughter of not just one of these fictional characters but a witch as well.”
Dragon lay there silently. His breathing coming in even undisturbed sighs. “Are you listening to me?” The demand in her tone was harsher than Dragon had ever heard come from her lips. He lit a lamp on the table beside him illuminating his face to hers.
“Are you done ranting?”
“Ranting, ranting!!! You make fun of something that frightened me so gravely and you have the audacity to say I am ranting.”
His hand came to her cheek instantly replacing anger with need. “Stop it, Dragon. You know what your touch does to me. I want answers and I want them now.”
Dragon withdrew his hand rising so the black satin sheet fell exposing his bare chest. Raven turned her head quickly fighting the tremendous urge to ravish him. “I mean it. I want answers.”
“Raven, I have never lied to you, nor have I ever made fun of you. I meant it when I told you I love you.”
“What are you saying? You and Tristan are vampires. And I thought I was the crazy one.”
She suddenly sensed the pain of his heart, a deep penetrating pierce that caused her to cling to her chest as if to ease its pressure. When her eyes finally returned to him, she gasped at the sight that awaited her.
“Touch them,” he demanded harshly. “I said touch them.” He grabbed her hand and forced it to his open mouth. The sharp points of his fangs poked at her fingers.
Raven ripped her hand from his grasp. “Stop, Dragon. You’re frightening me.”
“I know I smell your fear. Look deep inside yourself. Fear is not the only emotion that drives this craving for the taste of blood. Your lust for me is stronger.”
She studied his eyes closely. She read the stream of mixed emotion that pooled in their deep darken depths. Her head cocked as his voice sounded out in her ears yet his lips never moved.
“See you do hear me. Can a mortal woman hear what a man says within his head?”
He dragged his naked body from the bed. Raven gritted her teeth against the glorious sight of him. Every muscle chiseled to flawless perfection. The heat between her legs grew uncomfortable. Damn him for making her want him even now.
He went to a small wooden table across the room and poured them each a drink. What was it? It smelled rich inviting even. Her mouth watered as the sensation consumed her. He came back to stand beside the bed extending a glass toward her.
“What is it?”
“Proof.”
The scent of the liquid aroused her but she held her ground. “What is it?”
“Drink it.”
“And if I don’t,” she shot back before taking the glass from his grasp and placing it on the bedside table in a show of her defiance.
Before she realized what was happening Dragon had drank down the glass in his hand. He ripped her from the bed. His lips crashed down on hers. The liquid he had just drank still rich on his lips and tongue.
Raven found she was unable to control herself. She clung to him desperately. She devoured his mouth against hers. The taste of the liquid fueled the fire that was burning in her soul.
Dragon pulled her from him. Her hands quickly reaching for the glass he had brought her, bringing the glass to her mouth as she drank down the warm soothing liquid in one large gulp. He watched as her tongue wiped at the remnants that had dripped from the sides of her mouth and proceeded down her chin. His anger rose in his chest with each drop she took in.
“I believe it is you who needs to answer my questions now. Mortal women do not crave blood, my dark angel.”
Raven’s hand went to her mouth as her stomach lurched. Dragon grabbed the chamber pot just in time as the contents of her stomach resurfaced. “You bastard!” She screamed at him even as her taste for the dark soothing liquid returned in much greater force than before.
Into the Darkness is available in paperback, ebook, and audio.
Check out the other authors participating in Don't Let Summer End blog hop:
M.K. Scott
Lisa Caviness
LaNora Mangano
Teresa Keefer
M.K. Scott
Lisa Caviness
LaNora Mangano
Teresa Keefer