Checked Out, page 14
::Wynona first.::
“Nap.”
::Wynona second?::
She was inclined to be generous. “Yes.”
::What about Warrior Nun?::
If you give a mouse a cookie, Peri thought. “All right, first episode. But when Lisette gets here we’re going to do whatever she wants.”
Nomisma positively smirked. ::You’ve already done that.::
“You’re making it weird again.”
::Two episodes?::
All I know passes on and I endure. Despair calls as a siren’s song, tantalizing and potent. I resist because within me is the magic of Aphaea Artemis and the Beloved, and all those I have turned toward their love. I endure.
Darkness cannot be stopped from coming, yet it is as weak as a lit match. This knowledge I find once again on the darkest, coldest of nights that heralds the natural return of light and warmth. The return of the light is the default of Nature herself, of my Beloved, and of the smallest seed and largest whale.
Love is the certainty of Light, and in its service I find purpose.
A spark of love can transform a life and so the world. These women, when they learn that their fight is for Light, they become the Forever that knits the world together. And so we endure in the only way possible. We endure together.
…
This story is dedicated to public librarians. They stand up for the right to read and to read in privacy and are once again under siege.
Thank you for an honest review or rating of this story.
You make the book world turn.
A Jingle Jangle Playlist
I once laboriously made a mix CD with nothing but covers of The Christmas Song because I’m fascinated by stylistic takes on the same music. From November 1 to December 26 I’ll have rock and metal versions of all sorts of traditional songs.
For this playlist, I focused on covers of the classics and a few relatively unknown songs that I think show off sparkling musicality and playful vocals in genres from jazz to Dixieland, pop to swing.
It ends with the quintessentially pagan celebration of the turning seasons, Here Comes the Sun. Composer George Harrison wrote in his autobiography I, Me, Mine (1980), “…It seems as if winter in England goes on forever, by the time spring comes you really deserve it.”
Regardless of where you are in the world, I hope you are receiving all the light you need to thrive.
You can hear this 55-minute playlist at Spotify. Search for me as “Shades of Karin” and look for the cover of Checked Out.
# # #
Jingle Bells: Composed and written by James Pierpont. Arranged by Mercer Ellington. Performed by Duke Ellington.
We Wish You a Merry Christmas: English West Country Traditional. Performed by Atlantic Five Jazz Band.
Frosty the Snowman: Composed and written by Walter Rollins and Steve Nelson. Performed by the Dukes of Dixieland.
Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town: Composed and written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie. Performed by the Dave Brubeck Quartet.
Danser autour du sapin vert: Composed and written by Johnny Marks with translation into French by Marcelyne Claudais. Performed by Marie-Élaine Thibert.
Kris Kringle Jingle: Composed and written by Bobo Thomas Cooper, Christine M Blazier, and Robert Eugene Blazier. Performed by Ollee Owens.
If I Were a Bell: Composed by Frank Loesser. Performed by The Manhattan Jazz All Stars.
White Christmas: Composed and written by Irving Berlin. Performed by Lionel Hampton.
The Gingerbread House Song: Composed, written, and performed by Kyle Harrington.
Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let is Snow!: Composed by Jule Styne and written by Sammy Cahn. Performed by Ella Fitzgerald.
Santa Claus Llegó a La Ciudad: Written by Haven Gillespie and J. Fred Coots. Adaptation into Spanish by Édgar Cortázar and Juan Carlos Calderón. Performed by Luis Miguel.
We Three Kings: Composed by John Henry Hopkins Jr. Performed by Paul Horn.
Mele Kalikimaka: Composed and written by R. Alex Anderson. Performed by Bette Midler.
Skating: Composed by Vince Guaraldi and performed by the Vince Guaraldi Trio.
Deck the Halls: Welsh Traditional. Performed by Herbie Hancock.
FA LA LA LA LA: Composed, written, and performed by MJ Sungstress.
Jingle Bells: Composed and written by James Pierpont. Performed by Booker T. & the M.G.'s.
O Swing All Ye Faithful: Based on Adeste Fideles, which has numerous claims of authorship of the tune dating from the 1600s. Arranged by Andrew Morgan Smith and performed by Andrew Morgan Smith and the Lifetimers.
Winter Wonderland: Composed by Richard Bernard and written by Richard Bernhard Smith. Performed by Ella Fitzgerald.
Here Comes the Sun: Composed and written by George Harrison. Performed by Imaginary Future.
Libraries Safeguard Our Essential Freedom to Read
The systemic harassment of a small-town librarian under the aegis of the Patriot Act is based on real life instances dating from its enactment after 9/11. Fast forward to today, and librarians all over the country are nothing short of heroic in resisting book bans and censorship, even in the face of threats to their jobs backed up with threats of violence.
The Freedom to Read is a right vigorously championed and protected by the American Library Association since 1954. Their recent poll shows that over 70% of Americans, across party lines, are opposed to book bans. In concert with journalists and researchers, they believe a handful of people, perhaps 12 out of 332,000,000 — that’s 12 people in total — have filed the vast majority of challenges to books about racial injustice or strong black historic and fictional characters, or that contain a hint of LGBTQ+ existence. In many cases these 12 people are egged on by politicians and talking heads who profit from the attacks on our lives.
The freedom to read whatever we want when we’re mature enough to seek it out is essential to our freedom to define and think for ourselves. Full stop.
Get to know your local library, and request the books you want to read. Check them out. That’s the most powerful and easiest way you can support librarians who want their library to reflect the needs of their entire community.
— Karin Kallmaker, 2023
Acknowledgments
I am profoundly grateful to every librarian who helped me check out books, especially back in the days of handwritten checkout forms. The incident that Lisette relates of herself as a child watching a librarian deal with a would-be book banner is from my own childhood. Between that valiant librarian and Mary Poppins, well, it’s no surprise I’ve always believed women are awesome.
Thank you for letting me tell you this story!
Your support and the word of mouth you spread with ratings and reviews mean everything. When you purchase from the publisher or author more of your dollars reach the people who write and produce the stories you love.
Print, eBook, and audio versions of my novels, plus many digital short stories, are available from Bella Books and the usual major online retailers — and from libraries via Libby or Hoopla. Signed print copies, background information, and additional digital short stories — including free reads — are available at Kallmaker.com.
Please connect with me in the way that works for you. At Facebook, Bluesky, or visit my blog at Romance and Chocolate. Search for “Kallmaker” — there’s only one.
Click here to sign up for Karin’s Private Mailing List!
It’s private: Karin or a trusted helper are the only people with access to it. Emails and her site are ad-free.
It’s treasured: It will never be given away, shared, or sold.
It’s to the point: It will be used infrequently and only to let you know specifically about the availability of Karin’s writing. Fewer than 12 ad-free emails a year.
It’s your choice: Unsubscribe at any time. We don’t keep track and won't be offended. Your mailbox is your business.
Scan this QR code for an easy jump to the sign-up form.
Sample from Book One: Velvet in Venice
I begin.
Made in fire and hammered to life, I was born in the shadow of Mons Mykali. My molten heart was cooled in the sacred spring that flows to the Icarian Sea.
I was made for the Beloved to mark the beginning of Forever, as granted by Aphaea Artemis, she of wisdom and compassion for all that endures. I am the promise between two equal spirits.
Three millennia have I flowed from hand to hand to find the Beloved again. I have found many beloveds, but not her whom Aphaea Artemis blessed, and in whose hand I will rest again.
I breathe fire into one who hides her heart behind walls of marble.
EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER ONE
As Artie settled her satchel along the front of her torso, she heard fresh music coming from the Casino di Venezia cabaret. The prime of the evening had been occupied by an eternally popular ABBA tribute act that had made her meal all the more pleasant. This music was a softer, bluesier sound that was purely American. Or sounded so to her ears.
Beguiled by the unexpected melody, she decided she could afford the glass of wine it would cost her to listen. She realized she was homesick, something she hadn’t thought possible.
The moment she crossed the threshold into the cabaret, her gaze was drawn to the vocalist. Her dark brown skin shimmered with red highlights in the stage lights. A glittering blue dress wrapped around her shapely, ample body to frame broad shoulders. Dark gold cornrows ended in neon orange, lime, and raspberry beads that sparkled as she swayed to the music she made. Her hands danced over the keyboard as her voice rippled like cool water on marble stones.
Artie found a seat at a tiny table without taking her gaze off the singer’s face. Thick, red lips nearly brushed the microphone in front of her. Large, dark eyes widened and flashed as the melody rose and fell.
It took a moment for Artie to realize that the woman was singing “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” The transformation into a minor key filled the words with longing and loneliness. It seemed an odd piece for a casino cabaret, but it segued seamlessly into a more upbeat “Walking in Memphis.” By the third piece the singer had fully hit her stride with a saucy, sultry rendition of “Route 66.”
Artie was sorry when the set ended. There was no way she could stay for the woman’s next set at eleven o’clock. She had a tour tomorrow morning and ought to be home trying to sleep by then. The cantante had a full, sensuous figure, though, and her parting smile was lively and genuine — and abruptly very tempting.
Another hour spent gazing at it while under the spell of that lush voice would be restorative, a small voice inside argued. But the prospect of an early morning followed by kilometers of walking after only a few hours’ sleep was dismal enough to have her regretfully leaving a five-euro note in the jar on the piano and walking home at last.
The heat of the day had diminished to a tolerable level. The expected breeze had come up as well, making the fifteen-minute walk to her apartment on the Rio Terà dei Biri almost pleasant. The family on the second floor, also her landlords, had had grilled fish and polenta on their balcony, or at least it smelled like that had been dinner.
The children were still playing a game on the landing and called, “Ciao, Artie!” as she passed them on her way to the third floor and its only door. Her apartment was a large, undivided attic room, save for the water closet in one corner, and she had thought it best not to ask if the owners had ever gotten the necessary permits for the heat and running water. Permits in Venice — it was a can of worms only a fool would open.
“Don’t forget Winona, Kingman, Barstow…” She dropped ice cubes from the tray in her tiny freezer into chilled sparkling water from the bottle in the icebox. Ice was a luxury, and she didn’t take it for granted. She woo-woo-woo’d her way from the utilitarian kitchen to the comfortable sofa that had been in the apartment when she’d arrived and would still be here when she left. Nobody moved furniture in Venice if it could be avoided.
Sitting down, legs stretched out onto the coffee table, felt wonderful. After a half hour spent on her laptop confirming and updating tour bookings, she was in a surprisingly good mood and decided on a cool bath before bed. She emptied her pockets onto the bureau next to the bed. They were full of the usual things from a day of touring — receipts for tickets, a gum wrapper, loose change, and a coil of folding money that had been tips from the group. She tucked the bills into the back of the top drawer to go toward the rent. The rent had become all the more reasonable when she’d offered to pay in cash. A little more cash than that had purchased her landlord’s Wi-Fi password.
As she scooped the coins into her change bowl, she realized that one she’d thought was a two euro at the bodega wasn’t ringed in silver. She looked more closely but couldn’t make out the country of origin. The face of the coin featured two figureheads, bent close together as if conferring. It was quite old and rubbed shiny across the faces of the figures. It was possibly worth more than two euros.
In better light she might be able to discern its origins. She’d take it to the library the next time she went, maybe, and use one of the magnifiers they had on hand for reading tiny scripts. In the meantime, she’d keep it on the bedside table. It was definitely intriguing.
Her skin cool and clean, she finally curled up in bed and fell asleep humming bars of “Route 66.” In the morning the first thing she saw when she woke up was the coin, gleaming in the sunlight. It was so beautiful that she dropped it into the small, zippered pouch where she kept the key to her flat and headed out to the first tour of the day.
____________
Available at all the usual retailers. Direct from the author at a discount:
Other Works by Karin Kallmaker
All links take you to Karin’s website where you’ll find excerpts, reviews, readings, and more. For a complete list, start here: All About Everything or browse the sample of titles below.
Wind in Her Hair: A Coin of Love Romance
Longing to escape from her conventional, constrained life, Irene finds herself with a car of her own for the first time in her life. A missed exit, a pulp novel, and a little town called Mariah change everything. (Lesbian Historical Women’s Fiction Long Novella)
Knight of Nights: A Coin of Love Romance
In a time of forgotten pasts and uncertain futures, two strong hearts must find the path to each other. I Heart SapphFic Historical Romance of the Month (Lesbian Historical Romance Short Novel)
Velvet in Venice: A Coin of Love Romance
In a time of forgotten pasts and uncertain futures, two strong hearts must find the path to each other. I Heart SapphFic Historical Romance of the Month (Lesbian Historical Romance Short Novel)
Cowboys and Kisses
Abandoned in a small frontier town, Darlin’ has no expectation of a long or happy life — until she sees a familiar longing in the gaze of a townswoman. I Heart SapphFic Historical Romance of the Year (Lesbian Historical Romance Short Novel)
Simply the Best
Cynical New York journalist Alice Cabot isn’t about to succumb to the charms of California’s beaches, fake Hollywood glamor, or simply perfect Pepper Addington. Golden Crown Finalist (Lesbian Romance - Women’s Fiction Novel)
Because I Said So
Josie and Paz want to get married, but their respective guardians scoff at the very idea of love at first sight. So they arrange for Kesa and Shannon to meet… Golden Crown Award Winner (Lesbian Romance Novel)
My Lady Lipstick
Diana Beckinsale is the most alluring woman Paris Ellison has ever met, but Paris can’t condone her madcap plans. Not when Diana is a completely different woman every time they meet. It’s all fun and games until somebody loses her heart. Golden Crown Award Winner (Lesbian Romance Novel)
A Fish Out of Water
The 77th daughter of the Mer queen is irrevocably bound to a human woman by a deadly curse. Stripped of her voice, Ariel must find a way to save them both. (Lesbian Romance and Fantasy Novella inspired by The Little Mermaid)
Castle Wrath
When an ingénue inherits a remote, storm-drenched castle in a foreign land, she doesn’t expect romance, sex, and intrigue as part of the inheritance. Or a curiously attractive caretaker. (Lesbian Romance Novella inspired by Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey)
Captain of Industry
What happens when passionate attraction gets in the way of cherished dreams? Strong women like Jennifer Lamont and Suzanne Mason can have everything — except each other. Golden Crown Finalist. (Lesbian Romance Novel and companion to Stepping Stone)
Love by the Numbers
Dr. Nicole Hathaway needs an assistant. Down-on-her-luck socialite Lily Smith needs a job. Who cares if they hate each other on sight? Lambda Literary Finalist. (Lesbian Romance Novel)
Comfort and Joy
Home from Afghanistan to surprise her mother, Milla doesn’t expect more than the best apple pie in the world and the bliss of unrationed hot showers. She’s not counting on futures — or meeting a woman like Tyna. (Lesbian Romance Novella)
All the Wrong Places
A steamy look at sex and the single girl as Brandy weighs her free-for-all life against her growing feelings for her best friend. Lambda Literary and Golden Crown Finalist. (Lesbian Erotic Romance Novel)
Roller Coaster
Laura Izmani is glad of her new client, a wealthy actress who needs a private chef for her twins. She's also grateful that Helen Baynor doesn’t remember their first meeting on a roller coaster ride that changed their lives. Golden Crown Finalist. (Lesbian Romance Novel)
Above Temptation
Kip Barrett does her job as a financial investigator very well, and nothing can tempt her from following the rules, not even her boss’s boss’s boss, Tamara Sterling. Golden Crown Award Winner. (Lesbian Intrigue-Romance Novel)
