and I don't mean hugging my pillow.

I AM NOT PLANNING OR THINKING ABOUT DOING ANYTHING SERIOUS TO MYSELF!

Bear in mind as you read this, if you do read it, that I can be a long-winded bitch.

I think part of it is aging and knowing that I've been here longer than I will be going forward... and I don't feel like I've accomplished anything for having existed... except existing.

Every month Erin has to BEG on bended knee, for money to help keep Top Shelf functioning and with the exception of a few who regularly go far past what might be expected, the contributions trickle in with no real solution that could eliminate the problem.

Well, here's my solution. It seems painfully obvious to me, but I understand if it doesn't to everyone else.

There are in excess of TEN THOUSAND members on this site. If each of them would just contribute ONE DOLLAR, each month, it would eliminate any need for Erin to have to BEG for any monetary help.

I will freely admit that I am one of those people for whom misspelled words can take me out of a story.

Having said that, I KNOW that no one is perfect, myself included. LOL.

So... I AM willing to help authors by proofreading their work, with the understanding that I do NOT edit. I only proofread for spelling and usage errors. I can and will even proof stories that have already been posted here at Top Shelf.

PLEASE!!!! keep your political views and/or personal feelings about certain public figures to yourselves. The last time I posted this blog entry, it got demoted off the front page thanks to those political views and attacks, so please don't air them here this time?

If you're thinking about downloading the new version of Skype, be careful. more than a few people have lost either voice, video, or contact lists after starting it.

Whew! Like my old baseball hero, Mickey Mantle, said: "If I'd known I was gonna get this old, I'da taken better care of myself!"

Well, I'm not old... compared to trees, or mountains, right?

I hope everyone has a great day, and thanks all for your comments and friendship. Also, thanks to Princess Chelsea for the skype Birthday greeting.

Catherine Linda Michel

Several years ago The Scotsman posted two parts of a story called To Be The Best. Since then... nothing. No more stories from this author who had a damned good beginning in this tale.

If you're still out there Scotsman, please, please, PLEASE continue the story and/or write more. You had the makings of a really good storyteller and I know I'm not the only one who thinks that.

Catherine Linda Michel

I just finished re-reading an older story by Lisa Sartori, Like A Candle In The Wind, and I am somewhat disheartened by the lack of kudos and comments.

Could it be that because it is such an older story and those who read it before haven't bothered to re-read it? Lisa has updated it quite a bit and there is a different ending.

It's such a wonderful story that SHOULD speak to the fantasies and dreams of a lot of us, and it's so well written with great characters and a solid, engaging plot, and it makes me wonder.

Being the computer dummy I am, I've been searching for the Whately story(ies) about the Halloween invasion in which Cat McQuisten was killed. I have had NO luck, since I don't know the author nor the story title(s).

A little help please in the form of a link? Thanks folks.

Catherine Linda Michel

If you haven't yet read this story, you are missing something beautiful and wonderful.

Ricky has crafted a rare flower, filled with great characters and tender humor among some people who truly care for and about one another. You will laugh, you'll cry, you'll get angry and you'll wonder why people can't be like these folks in real life.

Go read it. Go experience it. With this story, IMHO, Ricky has inserted himself into the rarified air of really good authors. I loved it, even though I didn't think I would, judging from the title.

Catherine Linda Michel

So here we are, at the middle, well almost the middle, of December and once again I'm appealing to all of you to open your hearts and wallets (purses) to help pay some of the bills that Top Shelf generates.

I've been taken to task for my admittedly flowery language when pleading for monetary assistance to help keep the site somewhat solvent and I won't apologize for the language I use, nor for the endless appeals. The way I write is the way I write.

Okay. First of all this is NOT a complaint. That said, It is a plea to all the authors who contributed their remarkable talents to a marvelous universe of great stories.

So many of the tales there lay unsettled and incomplete. I completely understand running out of ideas of writing oneself into a corner, having been there myself, more times than I care to admit, but I'm not talking here about endings to all those wonderfully inventive stories. Just bringing them to a logical resting place so that the plots that were still ongoing could be brought to a close.

Wondering and worrying.

Catherine Linda Michel

For anyone not familiar with these two stories, here are some links to them.

https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/book/3006/transformers-sort

https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/book/10959/luck-be-lady

Due to a conversation I had with Erin, and deciding to publish the story, we decided that the original title COULD, MIGHT lead to some copyright issues...so... we brainstormed some new titles up and decided on SUITED FOR ADVENTURE for book 1 and SUITED FOR DANGER for book 2

So I did some fancy editing (well, fancy for my limited computer knowledge) and all the chapter titles and the main title have been changed to the new titles.

Well, it's been a loooong time since I've revisited this story, but today, a thought went through my mind. Yes, I know. The thought had a short, lonely time going through my mind.

Anyway, I think I might have come up with a way to not only finish the story, but a way to possibly tie it into Luck Be A Lady!

Ambitious? You betcha, but It's bothered me for a long time that I left those stories just kinda dangling there. So! I've already begun a first draft of a continuation of Transformers Sort Of and will be working on tying it in to Luck Be A Lady.

These critters are affected by this terrible flooding from Hurricane Harvey also. I've heard on the news that Alligators, snakes and other bayou critters have been flooded out of their normal haunts and are swimming around in the city STREETS. Yet another danger to those attempting to help and those fleeing from the floodwaters. I did hear that an alligator preserve was nearly flooded out and workers there were very much concerned that the flood waters would breach the wire fences that keep the gators penned in. Just one more reason not to drive or walk in flooded areas.

so, from me, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I know you're out there lurking, just waiting to spring another fantastic story on us and I can't wait.

Have a great day!

Catherine Linda Michel

I have been made aware that there is a program available for veterans whose income is very low. If you served during a time of conflict, and your income is below 1000 dollars a month,you can get financial help from the V.A. to bring it to that level. IF you are also disabled or unable to get out easily, there is another program called "Housebound" which can raise your income level considerably higher, and assistance to get things like blood pressure monitors, air conditioners, oxygen equipment and other necessities to help make your life a bit easier.

every damned month for help in keeping Top Shelf open and running smoothly! It pisses me off more than I can say and it frustrates me beyond anything else in my life and it hurts me that, because of a lsck of funds, Erin is reduced to not paying people that NEED to be paid and has bankrupted herself in the process of providing us with this wonderful place!

P.J. If you're out there somewhere, please message me.

Catherine Linda Michel

Bev, as one can gather from her blog, has been busier than the one legged woman in an ass kicking contest.

Nevertheless, her B'day should be celebrated, so here we go.

HAPPY BERFDAY BEVERLY!!! and many, many more.

Catherine Linda Michel

A few weeks ago... or so, someone pointed me via a blog entry, to this online seriel "Worm."

Whoever this was, I have alternately thanked and cursed you. The story is VERY well written and it's also VERY graphic, pulling no punches when it comes to violence. It's compelling and seemingly never-ending. I've read myself into a stupor, trying to reach an end that never seems to come, and yet... I cannot stop reading this damned story!

I'll include a url to access the story, but if you're not a superhero story fan, you'll probably not enjoy it very much. It's also not TG.

What follows is an interview with a very successful writer, Richard S. Prather, who sold 36 books and 4 under pseudonyms. His genre wasn't TG Fiction, but detective stories with a popular hero named Shell Scott. I've pasted the whole interview here, so ignore the parts that don't have much to do with writing and publishing your work, but DO pay attention to how he says he plotted and wrote what he wrote and how he wrote it.