Books - Carmen Kern

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THE LUCIFER CHRONICLES SYMBOL

FALL OF THE GODS

Persephone: The Fall of the Gods Book 1

Hades: Fall of the Gods Book 2

Thanatos book three of the Fall of the Gods series

THE LUCIFER CHRONICLES

Satan's Historian book cover

THE WATCHER BOOK COVER

The Fallen book cover

SHORT STORIES

Postcard Stories cover

Cover for Postcard book

Field of Bones cover

Instagram

The young man walked to the edge of the tree line

The young man walked to the edge of the tree line after dinner, his gut full of tacos from the food truck down the road.
For five nights he came, waiting for the purple hue of evening. And more importantly, for the woman in a wool poncho, high rubber boots, and a faded yellow daisy tucked behind her ear. The first time he saw her in the woods, picking mushrooms in the shadows of the cedar trees, he thought he dreamed her. He finished splitting the wood he needed for his fire and when he looked for her again; she was gone.
Four nights in a row, the young man chopped wood and glimpsed the beautiful woman. On the last night, she smiled at him from behind the branches of the eldest of the trees before disappearing once again. There was a change in the air, a feeling of departure, of absence, and loss.
He didn’t know why, but he didn’t like it. Not one bit. He finished loading the wood into his trailer and left for home. With his woodshed full, he didn’t need to go back to that place, but after three sleepless nights and unproductive days, he drove to the clearing beside the trees. He waited, drinking black coffee from a thermos, sitting on his tailgate and running through conversation starters in his head. He wasn’t good with words. Never had been. But if he were to make a fool of himself here, only the trees would know.
It wasn’t until he packed up his thermos and closed his tailgate that he saw her. This time he didn’t wait for her to disappear. He called out to her from the head of the trail, “Hello.” She glanced up, placed the delicate mushroom in a bag she carried, and said hello right back. Years later, they would tell the story of how they met to their children and show them the picture of the place where they fell in love.
The photo, old as their love, carried the stains of coffee, fingerprints, and the inked year in which they took the picture. It was, and is, one of their most precious treasures.

#happyeverafter cause we all need some of that

Creativity is a wonderful and frustrating beast. S

Creativity is a wonderful and frustrating beast. Sometimes I feel that the urge, the want to make something is a curse, other times it is pure joy. The past year, as I've pulled back from social media, I've been trying to figure out a balance between the two.
I'm playing with the idea of retuning my photographic voice. I feel the need to explore something new...but I don't know what or how. Not yet, anyway.
While I try and figure things out, I want to thank all of you, my creative friends, for inspiring me with your words and images and imaginations. You remind me why this world needs creatives. You bring light and color into a world that needs it. So thank you. I appreciate all you do!

Addy wasn't an expert at many things. At eight yea

Addy wasn't an expert at many things. At eight years old, there were many things she hadn't tried or even heard of, but she could tell you what made a good chocolate cookie. And she was eating one of the best she'd ever had, walking along the leaf-strewn path. She wasn't altogether sure how she ended up in the forest, breathing in fresh mountain air, pockets of sun warming her freckled cheeks while clouds rose and fell around her. She couldn't tell you where the cookie came from either, but it didn't bother her, not in the least.
She finished her cookie, wiping her hands on her jeans, leaving a chocolate stain on her thigh. Auntie would give her heck, but she was quick to forgive, unlike Addy's mom.
The light was warmer here. A pleasant warmth, one she felt on the inside but didn't make her hands sweaty or burn her face. Mist swirled at her feet, covering her red high-top shoes, and then dancing away, as if playing a game. Addy chased after it. Skipping and feeling better than she had since...since...
She remembered a light, a bluish, round light surrounded by cold metal. She was eating her cookie and forgot to look both ways before crossing the street. There was an awful screech like a flock of angry birds and then...
She twisted away from the memory and ran off to dance with the clouds until she was close enough to the light to touch it. Addy reached out with a
chocolaty finger, as if testing the consistency of a dream. The world fluttered like hummingbird wings. The light began to sing, loud enough to drown her, a death hymn for the ages. But it felt like life. A brighter life, shiny as a newly minted penny and smelling of fresh bread out of the
oven. This dream was wild and strange, stardust and rainbows, and golden. So very golden.
A familiar voice called out to her, "fresh bread's waitin' for ya, girly."
It was a call to come home. Addy skipped and twirled with the clouds, finally bursting through the veil of light and into heaven.
#heavenonearth

One of the best feeling is to type 'the end' on th

One of the best feeling is to type 'the end' on the last page of my manuscript. I was over my projected word count but I'll see if I can shave a few off in editing.
The first draft is done! The Gunslinger made sure of it.
#amwriting

How many geometrical shapes can you find? I'm glad

How many geometrical shapes can you find? I'm glad this wasn't a question on my college geometry final...
#geometry

If any of my Phoenix friends are looking for somet

If any of my Phoenix friends are looking for something to do this weekend, I'd love to see you at the Fountain Hill's Tour d' Artistes, March 4-6, 10:00-5:00. There are over twenty artists on the tour at various venues. For artist bios and a map of the locations, check out the link below.
I'll be there with my Postcard Books, postcards, canvases, journals, prints, and other postcard-related merch, along with my collaborative partner and
jewelry maker, Veronique Benoit. She continues to amaze me with her creative pieces inspired by the images and stories in my books.
Come visit us if you're in the area!
http://fountainhillsartleague.com/

This past week I've been getting my products ready

This past week I've been getting my products ready for the Fountain Hills Art Tour that takes place the weekend of March 4-6. I ordered postcards from my favorite place, moo.com and they turned out fabulous as usual. I really recommend the company if you're looking for business cards, or any other stationary products. Designing the packaging and placing orders has been a nice break between writing sprints. I'm pumped about how everything is turning out!
Happy creating, my friends!
#hashtagmoo

There's some seriously cool vibes happening around

There's some seriously cool vibes happening around Phoenix. There's so many new murals popping up, adding to the colors and textures of the city. I feel like businesses are just getting way more creative with signage and decor. Thanks to all you artists out there contributing to the scene!
#muralstreetart

It's Valentine's day, the perfect day to remind yo

It's Valentine's day, the perfect day to remind you that you are amazing! Happy heart day to all of my creative friends!
After a week of being sick together, me and my hubby are celebrating the day with a walk in the sunshine. This will probably be one of the Valentine's days we remember the most, just feeling good and walking in the sun...no candies needed.
#valentine

I see you... Happy Monday! #streetartistry

I see you... Happy Monday!
#streetartistry

They say seeing is believing. I didn't know what t

They say seeing is believing. I didn't know what that meant until that night. I was coming home late, later than I should, and I knew I was going to catch heck. Momma didn't even pretend to be patient when I wasn't home in time for dinner. I'd made it to the end of our lane, a pot-holed dirt drive that had seen two floods already this spring. I jumped in the closest puddle, splashing mud up my legs. If I was getting a whoopin', I'd make it worthwhile.
That's when I saw it. A ghostly white barn that had no business being on our land. I'd never seen it before. Not ever. I crossed the drive, pulled closer by its heavy-lidded window eyes. A small sign sticking out of the grass said Hinterland, carved with a knife blade. Something in my gut told me to turn around. Turn around and I'd be safe. I wanted to, but my feet kept walking
toward the open door. Slipping through the opening, my feet finally came to a stop. Inside, an old woman sat beside a roaring fire. She was close enough to
burn, but she didn't. "Come here, boy," she said. I found myself next to her, drinking from a flask she offered. The drink was sweet but left me more thirsty than I'd ever been. "I've been waiting for you. You done took your time." She swatted my ear, tsked, and then said, "Out yonder is a boat. Get
to it. Be polite to the Ferryman and you just might make it back. He'll take you where you need to go."
"But...but where am I going?" I asked, the same way I'd ask anything in my dreams. The old woman swatted me again. "Just git." So I did, my feet sloshing in my wet shoes as I followed the narrow path to the water. "See
you in a few months," the old woman shouted after me.
I came back seven months to the day I went missing. That's when I finally made it back home. And momma didn't whoop me. She hugged me so tight I thought I might die. But I didn't. And I never saw that barn again, except
in my dreams. And when anyone said I must have imagined the whole thing, I smiled. Hinterland was real, I tell them. I've seen it.
#storyteller

At the beginning of every year, I pick a word that

At the beginning of every year, I pick a word that I want to subscribe to. An anchor word, a mantra to keep me on track, and keep me focused.⁠
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This year I picked the word VENTURE. As in venture on, venture upward, and venture bravely. Webster defines it as: ⁠
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ven·ture | verb : to do something new or different that usually involves risk.⁠
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2022 is a year of big change for my family. We are moving into a rental while we build a small house on an acre of land at the end of a dirt road, surrounded by desert. I've had a love/hate relationship with the desert since moving to Phoenix in 2008. My creative eye wants color and lush forests...pretty much the opposite of our surroundings. But I'm slowly beginning to see the beauty here. And while the appeal of experiencing a simpler lifestyle in a rural setting is a little unnerving, it's also an exciting change.⁠
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Everything about this year is uncertain, as I'm sure many of you are feeling. But without venturing forward and taking a few risks, I feel as though I might miss out on something that could challenge me in a good way. So for me, this year is about making some life changes.⁠
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How about you? Do any of you have a word of the year? What are the biggest changes you're looking forward to in 2022? ⁠
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Moon image used in my composition courtesy of my buddy Jay Beckman of Crosswind Images.
#wordoftheyear

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