Q and A-plus a Haircut. Installment 8 of Cold-Blooded, book 2 in the Mattie Saunders Series is not a free read on Wattpad.
https://www.wattpad.com/1657622943-cold-blooded-book-2-in-the-mattie-saunders-series?utm_source=web&utm_medium=facebook&utm_content=share_reading&fbclid=IwY2xjawUVsRlwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR7FtO0TdCJz9iI2zISXR_diEsvPuht-ZjEYPrnBZiSkzaS8K1VXTRgG_Ev4AQ_aem_Ln8qqpG_JvfPBKXhA6QqDg
#freeread #readingcommunity #mystery #animalrescue #herps
The Mattie Saunders Series is now a free read on Substack. 5 books, 2000-word installments every other day. #Romance, #mystery, plus learn about the devastating effects the exotic pet trade has on parrot and reptile populations.
Subscribe for free at
https://www.rodraglin.substack.com
#exoticpettrade #reptiles #herps #birds #parrots
New Friends, Old Issues. Part 7 of Cold-Blooded, book 2 in the Mattie Saunders Series is now free read on Wattpad.
When compassion turns dangerous, trust can get you killed.
Mattie Saunders has always believed in saving creatures no one else will—wounded birds, abandoned parrots, all the wild things left behind. So, when Liz, an old high school friend, asks for help housing reptiles from a refuge under police investigation, Mattie doesn’t hesitate. But this time, her generosity drags her into something far darker than animal rescue.
When two drug squad detectives come knocking, Mattie learns the Reptile Refuge was a front for criminal activity—and Liz may be in deeper than she admits. As the secrets untangle, Mattie must decide where loyalty ends and survival begins.
Torn between her instincts to protect and her growing sense of betrayal, she discovers that “cold-blooded” doesn’t just describe the reptiles. It describes the people willing to use friendship, trust, and even love to their own ends.
With tightly-wound tension and emotional depth, Cold-Blooded is a compelling story of morality, betrayal, and the cost of caring too much—proof that doing the right thing can sometimes mean losing everything. Fans of strong female leads, modern mysteries, and character-driven drama won’t want to miss this gripping second installment in the Mattie Saunders Series.
Click on the link to read Installment 6
#freeread #mystery #readingcommunity #animalrescue #herps #mattiesaundersehttps://www.wattpad.com/1656235085-cold-blooded-book-2-in-the-mattie-saunders-series?utm_source=web&utm_medium=facebook&utm_content=share_reading&fbclid=IwY2xjawUMqY1wZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4bInSGwWt4BcHDmMWJC1DovlaTY_XjhPtn8UiDyJeoY0XmpZV28WS8hZImCg_aem_3FtfRHvUrsq2mZpFTzO-IQ
I’m a member of the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism’s (FAIR) International Writer’s Group and want to encourage local members to join.
The FAIR Writers’ Group is a monthly online, discussion-based community for early and mid-career writers hosted through Fair for All (FAIR in the Arts). Here’s the link for more info
The FAIR Writers’ Group is a space for writers to share and talk about their work without self-censoring. We understand that throwing words onto a blank page is a challenge in and of itself, but it’s even more difficult when a writer is concerned about offending publishers and critics due to identity politics. Writers shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not they have the right to pen a novel about a Latino protagonist if they themselves aren’t from Latino roots. They shouldn’t have to ask “will I be accused of being antisemitic if my short story’s villain is Jewish?”
Overall, writers shouldn’t have to worry about being categorized and criticized because of their religion, ethnicity, sex, physical abilities, politics (or perceived politics), and personal experiences. The only thing that should matter is the writing.
The FAIR Writers’ Group is a supportive, discussion-based community of early and mid-career writers from across the world (with sessions in English). Current members hail from Australia, United States, and UK. We meet once every month online to provide input and discussion on each other’s work that is in development. Our focus is solely on writing in which our intention is to support each writer’s unique goals with positive, thoughtful, and objective feedback and discussion.
To find out more or get involved, contact the FAIR Writers’ Group Directors Karen Howes and William Barker.https://www.fairforall.org/british-columbia/
A rescue gone wrong pulls Mattie into a chilling mystery of corruption and betrayal—where even good intentions can get you killed.
The first instalment, “What to do with a van full of reptiles?” is a free read now on Wattpad at
https://www.wattpad.com/myworks/414986514-cold-blooded-book-2-in-the-mattie-saunders-series
“This piece is so well done. It’s such a beautiful gut punch”.
“This is bleak, but I love it. It feels real.”
Read it and the work of other fine poets, at
https://larotondereview.substack.com/p/no-one-wants-to-know
La Rotonde Review is curated by Karina Longo, a neurodivergent Brazilian-Italian poet based in Milan. Longo founded La Rotonde Review to “create a space where poetry and prose poetry with a timeless sensibility can thrive. We value passion, emotional depth, and craft above credentials or background—anyone with fire and dedication”.
La Rotonde Review takes its name from the famed Montparnasse café that was frequented by famous writers and poets such as T. S. Eliot and Ernest Hemingway. The aim of this online publication “is much the same: to publish and celebrate high-quality poetry, supporting poets from all backgrounds and across a wide range of styles in an inclusive space.”
Blooms briefly bejewelled by raindrops. Click link to watch the slideshow
https://animoto.com/play/igM1L8JPrVtxdLxgNYhIIQ
More photos of summer gardens at https://rodraglin.smugmug.com/Flowerswith-attitude
#summergardens #summerflowers #raingarden #raindrops
Sunset Drama: A of Ten Vancouver Sunset Photographs now featured on Open Arts Forum
More sunsets and other stuff at https://rodraglin.smugmug.com/
Two of my photographs have been selected winners in Lumen Art Gallery’s, WILDFLOWERS International Art Competition.
Wildflower Chaos – The Creatio Magna Certificate
Singled Out – The Emerging Virtuoso Certificate
It’s an honour to have these two images included with some remarkable works by an impressive group of international creatives.
According to the gallery, this competition “received an extraordinary number of submissions from around the world” making it one of “our most vibrant and inspiring competitions to date.”
The gallery notes describe the exhibition as reflecting “the beauty of wild flowers themselves—each unique, each growing in its own way, each contributing to a breathtaking landscape of creativity.”
To view the entire exhibit, visit https://www.lumenart.gallery/winners-of-wildflowers?utm_campaign=4931167c-213d-442e-96f2-ffac555d93fe&utm_source=so&utm_medium=mail&cid=0bc30318-0c6b-43d0-98b4-f4ebed9bda05
Lumen Art Gallery is a platform that invites talented artists to participate in monthly competitions.
To view more of my photographs including landscapes (nature and urban), birds, sunsets and more blooms check out my portfolio at https://rodraglin.smugmug.com/
#wildflowers #ArtCompetition #Winners #LumenArtGallery #ContemporaryArt #InternationalArtists #photography
Writing (and Photography) - the experience 