<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2931265237006837693</id><updated>2011-12-06T05:48:56.031-08:00</updated><category term='romance'/><category term='lending'/><category term='reading'/><category term='adventure'/><category term='mortgages'/><category term='short story'/><category term='city'/><category term='vacation'/><category term='books'/><category term='family'/><category term='love story'/><category term='fall'/><category term='danger'/><category term='banking'/><category term='fairies'/><title type='text'>A Silver Thread</title><subtitle type='html'>Chapters from short stories and novels I am currently playing with in my head.</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>TC Cooksley, Realtor</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06069357915731463480</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7P7odGAry-k/ScjlK45I24I/AAAAAAAAACA/JGvat06dLRs/S220/IMG_5164.JPG'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>13</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2931265237006837693.post-7914332692904322025</id><published>2011-12-06T05:48:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2011-12-06T05:48:56.038-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Bauer Financial rates Fredericksburg-area banks - Business Browser</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://blogs.fredericksburg.com/businessbrowser/2011/12/05/bauer-financial-rates-fredericksburg-area-banks/#.Tt4dQVs9z1k.blogger"&gt;Bauer Financial rates Fredericksburg-area banks - Business Browser&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2931265237006837693-7914332692904322025?l=tcparker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/feeds/7914332692904322025/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2011/12/bauer-financial-rates-fredericksburg.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/7914332692904322025'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/7914332692904322025'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2011/12/bauer-financial-rates-fredericksburg.html' title='Bauer Financial rates Fredericksburg-area banks - Business Browser'/><author><name>TC Cooksley, Realtor</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06069357915731463480</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7P7odGAry-k/ScjlK45I24I/AAAAAAAAACA/JGvat06dLRs/S220/IMG_5164.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2931265237006837693.post-2580307498248289596</id><published>2011-12-03T02:46:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2011-12-03T02:46:53.360-08:00</updated><title type='text'>Countdown to Christmas - Schedule - Week 1 | Hallmark Channel</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/christmas/movies#.Ttn-GModAAY.blogger"&gt;Countdown to Christmas - Schedule - Week 1 | Hallmark Channel&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2931265237006837693-2580307498248289596?l=tcparker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/feeds/2580307498248289596/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2011/12/countdown-to-christmas-schedule-week-1.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/2580307498248289596'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/2580307498248289596'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2011/12/countdown-to-christmas-schedule-week-1.html' title='Countdown to Christmas - Schedule - Week 1 | Hallmark Channel'/><author><name>TC Cooksley, Realtor</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06069357915731463480</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7P7odGAry-k/ScjlK45I24I/AAAAAAAAACA/JGvat06dLRs/S220/IMG_5164.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2931265237006837693.post-3936013420337109018</id><published>2011-04-02T05:50:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-04-02T05:50:03.305-07:00</updated><title type='text'>GameFly: How It Works</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://www.gamefly.com/Features/HowItWorks/"&gt;GameFly: How It Works&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2931265237006837693-3936013420337109018?l=tcparker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='related' href='http://www.gamefly.com/Features/HowItWorks/' title='GameFly: How It Works'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/feeds/3936013420337109018/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2011/04/gamefly-how-it-works.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/3936013420337109018'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/3936013420337109018'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2011/04/gamefly-how-it-works.html' title='GameFly: How It Works'/><author><name>TC Cooksley, Realtor</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06069357915731463480</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7P7odGAry-k/ScjlK45I24I/AAAAAAAAACA/JGvat06dLRs/S220/IMG_5164.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2931265237006837693.post-8048993067423763229</id><published>2011-02-11T04:56:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2011-02-11T04:58:23.696-08:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='banking'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='mortgages'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='vacation'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='lending'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='family'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='fall'/><title type='text'>Have You checked out your bank?</title><content type='html'>&lt;span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; "&gt;&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "&gt;The FDIC will not name the banks at risk for fear of triggering mass client withdrawals – but consider the fact that you know nothing about your bank’s lending or borrowing policies – or even if you bank is &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;officially&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; at risk. Do &lt;u&gt;&lt;strong&gt;not&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/u&gt; make the mistake of assuming your bank is too big to go under (consider Lehman Brothers) – here are 5 major US financial institutions at risk:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;table width="600" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"&gt;&lt;tbody&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td width="200"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;-Goldman Sachs Group&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong class="red" style="color: rgb(118, 3, 0); "&gt;-AT RISK&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td rowspan="9" align="right"&gt;&lt;img src="http://www.capitalconservator.com/images/riskybanks.gif" width="181" height="130" alt="Our books are balanced. 50% of our numbers are real and 50% are made up." title="Our books are balanced. 50% of our numbers are real and 50% are made up." /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td width="200"&gt; &lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt; &lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td width="200"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;-Morgan Stanley&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong class="red" style="color: rgb(118, 3, 0); "&gt;-AT RISK&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td width="200"&gt; &lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt; &lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td width="200"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;-J.P. Morgan Chase&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong class="red" style="color: rgb(118, 3, 0); "&gt;-AT RISK&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td width="200"&gt; &lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt; &lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td width="200"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;-Bank of America&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong class="red" style="color: rgb(118, 3, 0); "&gt;-AT RISK&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td width="200"&gt; &lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt; &lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;tr&gt;&lt;td width="200"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;-Citigroup&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;td&gt;&lt;strong class="red" style="color: rgb(118, 3, 0); "&gt;-AT RISK&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/tbody&gt;&lt;/table&gt;&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "&gt;The above banks temporarily lowered their debt levels just before reporting in the past five quarters, making it appear their balance sheets were less risky – understating the debt levels used to fund securities trades by lowering them an average of 42 percent at the end of each period. The banks had &lt;strong&gt;increased&lt;/strong&gt; their debt in the middle of successive quarters and &lt;strong&gt;refused&lt;/strong&gt; to comment on their actions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2931265237006837693-8048993067423763229?l=tcparker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/feeds/8048993067423763229/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2011/02/have-you-checked-out-your-bank.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/8048993067423763229'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/8048993067423763229'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2011/02/have-you-checked-out-your-bank.html' title='Have You checked out your bank?'/><author><name>TC Cooksley, Realtor</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06069357915731463480</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7P7odGAry-k/ScjlK45I24I/AAAAAAAAACA/JGvat06dLRs/S220/IMG_5164.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2931265237006837693.post-1019297102784624672</id><published>2010-07-17T04:16:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-07-17T04:16:20.156-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Google Bookmarks</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="https://www.google.com/bookmarks/l#%21threadID=BDQAAAAAQAA"&gt;Google Bookmarks&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2931265237006837693-1019297102784624672?l=tcparker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='related' href='https://www.google.com/bookmarks/l#!threadID=BDQAAAAAQAA' title='Google Bookmarks'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/feeds/1019297102784624672/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2010/07/google-bookmarks.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/1019297102784624672'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/1019297102784624672'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2010/07/google-bookmarks.html' title='Google Bookmarks'/><author><name>TC Cooksley, Realtor</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06069357915731463480</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7P7odGAry-k/ScjlK45I24I/AAAAAAAAACA/JGvat06dLRs/S220/IMG_5164.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2931265237006837693.post-2407677023938917739</id><published>2010-04-06T06:34:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-04-06T06:35:31.416-07:00</updated><title type='text'>A Silver Thread by T.C. Parker | ISBN # 978-1-60799-815-0</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://www.tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978-1-60799-815-0"&gt;A Silver Thread by T.C. Parker ISBN # 978-1-60799-815-0&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Sign me up!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I'm available for book signings &amp;amp; readings.  Just ask.  Check me out on the above link.  I'm in the process of creating an audio of the book!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2931265237006837693-2407677023938917739?l=tcparker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/feeds/2407677023938917739/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2010/04/silver-thread-by-tc-parker-isbn-978-1.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/2407677023938917739'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/2407677023938917739'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2010/04/silver-thread-by-tc-parker-isbn-978-1.html' title='A Silver Thread by T.C. Parker | ISBN # 978-1-60799-815-0'/><author><name>TC Cooksley, Realtor</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06069357915731463480</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7P7odGAry-k/ScjlK45I24I/AAAAAAAAACA/JGvat06dLRs/S220/IMG_5164.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2931265237006837693.post-3497811232498131086</id><published>2010-03-18T11:14:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2010-03-18T11:27:15.368-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Help for Home Owners in need!!!</title><content type='html'>&lt;strong&gt;Feeling discouraged&lt;/strong&gt;?  Under water on your home?  Don't walk away until you've called T.C. Cooksley, Realtor, direct: 540-455-1086&lt;br /&gt;1st Choice Better Homes &amp;amp; Land!&lt;br /&gt;1302 Bragg Rd, Fredericksburg, VA 22407, office: 540-798-0088x111, fax: 540-798-9977, email: &lt;a href="mailto:tccooksley@mac.com"&gt;tccooksley@mac.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Have you heard of Loan Modification? the lender may consider renegotiating the terms of your current mortgage loan. &lt;br /&gt;You may have tried this on your own, and been discouraged.  T.C. may have another avenue.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Short Sale? You sell your home for less than owed with the lender's blessing &amp;amp; cooperation!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What other options are there?  That depends on your situation.  Don't wait until your savings is gone, and your behind!  Call today!!&lt;br /&gt;How do you find out more information?  Call and talk to T.C., the answers maybe there for you!  Moving out in the middle of the night may not be your only option.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2931265237006837693-3497811232498131086?l=tcparker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/feeds/3497811232498131086/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2010/03/help-for-home-owners-in-need.html#comment-form' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/3497811232498131086'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/3497811232498131086'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2010/03/help-for-home-owners-in-need.html' title='Help for Home Owners in need!!!'/><author><name>TC Cooksley, Realtor</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06069357915731463480</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7P7odGAry-k/ScjlK45I24I/AAAAAAAAACA/JGvat06dLRs/S220/IMG_5164.JPG'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2931265237006837693.post-5073614006906537008</id><published>2009-07-16T06:19:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-07-16T06:19:44.863-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Short Sales vs Foreclosure</title><content type='html'>&lt;a href="http://hubpages.com/hub/Short-Sales-vs-Foreclosure"&gt;Short Sales vs Foreclosure&lt;/a&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2931265237006837693-5073614006906537008?l=tcparker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='related' href='http://hubpages.com/hub/Short-Sales-vs-Foreclosure' title='Short Sales vs Foreclosure'/><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/feeds/5073614006906537008/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2009/07/short-sales-vs-foreclosure.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/5073614006906537008'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/5073614006906537008'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2009/07/short-sales-vs-foreclosure.html' title='Short Sales vs Foreclosure'/><author><name>TC Cooksley, Realtor</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06069357915731463480</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7P7odGAry-k/ScjlK45I24I/AAAAAAAAACA/JGvat06dLRs/S220/IMG_5164.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2931265237006837693.post-5634602981490877352</id><published>2009-06-14T08:32:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-06-14T08:36:40.176-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='romance'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='danger'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='fairies'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='books'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='adventure'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='city'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='reading'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='love story'/><title type='text'>A Silver Thread</title><content type='html'>&lt;a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7P7odGAry-k/SjUYlA0xMoI/AAAAAAAAACw/QO6byTNpMPI/s1600-h/DSCN2825.JPG"&gt;&lt;img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7P7odGAry-k/SjUYlA0xMoI/AAAAAAAAACw/QO6byTNpMPI/s200/DSCN2825.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5347207156727886466" border="0" /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br /&gt;This fast moving novel is scheduled to hit the shelves this fall!  Are fairies living among us?  Can a country girl make it in a big city world?  Will a knight always come to the aid of a maid?&lt;br /&gt;You'll have to read the book to find out what it's about.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2931265237006837693-5634602981490877352?l=tcparker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/feeds/5634602981490877352/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2009/06/silver-thread.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/5634602981490877352'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/5634602981490877352'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2009/06/silver-thread.html' title='A Silver Thread'/><author><name>TC Cooksley, Realtor</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06069357915731463480</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7P7odGAry-k/ScjlK45I24I/AAAAAAAAACA/JGvat06dLRs/S220/IMG_5164.JPG'/></author><media:thumbnail xmlns:media='http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/' url='http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7P7odGAry-k/SjUYlA0xMoI/AAAAAAAAACw/QO6byTNpMPI/s72-c/DSCN2825.JPG' height='72' width='72'/><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2931265237006837693.post-7786375534501292453</id><published>2009-04-17T17:39:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-04-17T18:38:34.939-07:00</updated><title type='text'>excerp for Lost &amp; Found</title><content type='html'>&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;The Aftermath,&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;  &lt;/span&gt;She had a nice one-bedroom, second floor apartment across the river from Albany in a quiet side street in Troy.  The community was predominantly small single-family homes.  He constantly wondered, 'Why did she push him away?'&lt;br /&gt;  Marie explained a little for his benefit, "A's been hurt."&lt;br /&gt;  "You mean Will's death?"&lt;br /&gt;  Marie shook her head and looked down at her shoes.&lt;br /&gt;  "What aren't you telling me, Marie?"&lt;br /&gt;  She shrugged, " She should be the one to tell you."  She turned away to chat with someone else.  Scott waited for her to resume their conversation.  When she didn't, he grabbed her upper arm, to get her attention as her &lt;span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"&gt;maneuvered&lt;/span&gt; her away from the crowd.  "What gives, Marie?"&lt;br /&gt;  "It's not my place to say."&lt;br /&gt;  "Do you think she'll tell me?"&lt;br /&gt;  Marie smirked, "No," she admitted with a sigh, as she chewed her lip thoughtful.  "OK.  She came back from a visit to her Aunt's in Pennsylvania about three or four months before she and Will broke up."  She glanced around to be sure no one was listening.  "You must have noticed she doesn't live in the best part of town."&lt;br /&gt;  Scott nodded, waiting for her to continue.  "Will worked nights back then for UPS.  He and A had a first floor apartment.  Adrianne enjoys walking the few blocks to and from the Methodist Church she attends in the neighborhood.  Will is always telling her she should drive, or at least ride her bike, but she didn't listen."  Marie paused to look at him as she blurted out the next sentence.  "She was raped walking home from church one evening, Scott."&lt;br /&gt;  He stood aghast for a moment, as her words poured over him.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2931265237006837693-7786375534501292453?l=tcparker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/feeds/7786375534501292453/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2009/04/excerp-for-lost-found.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/7786375534501292453'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/7786375534501292453'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2009/04/excerp-for-lost-found.html' title='excerp for Lost &amp;amp; Found'/><author><name>TC Cooksley, Realtor</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06069357915731463480</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7P7odGAry-k/ScjlK45I24I/AAAAAAAAACA/JGvat06dLRs/S220/IMG_5164.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2931265237006837693.post-1808589017750263143</id><published>2009-03-24T06:37:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-03-24T06:40:06.034-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Lost &amp; Found</title><content type='html'>...Driving back, he turned the radio on, and drove without speaking.  They rode up the elevator in silence, with his arm around her waist.  Adrianne opened the small refrigerator and offered him a bottle of white wine, and a corkscrew, which he accepted without comment.  She found a music station on the T.V. as he poured them each a plastic cup of wine.  He raised his in toast as he handed her one; she touched his.  “To reuniting.”&lt;br /&gt;    “Should I have come?”&lt;br /&gt;    “Years ago.”  He admitted as they sipped their wine.  He sat down on the bed and removed his shoes before sitting back against the headboard.  She slipped onto the other side cross-legged facing him. &lt;br /&gt;    “You are making everything so easy,” she admitted remembering how natural it had been to flirt with him.  In her youth she had not imagined flirting was foreplay, it was simply fun. Smiling she recalled how hard it had been not to touch him all those years ago!  He was still irresistible!&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2931265237006837693-1808589017750263143?l=tcparker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/feeds/1808589017750263143/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2009/03/lost-found.html#comment-form' title='0 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/1808589017750263143'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/1808589017750263143'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2009/03/lost-found.html' title='Lost &amp; Found'/><author><name>TC Cooksley, Realtor</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06069357915731463480</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7P7odGAry-k/ScjlK45I24I/AAAAAAAAACA/JGvat06dLRs/S220/IMG_5164.JPG'/></author><thr:total>0</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2931265237006837693.post-4105919425521737936</id><published>2009-03-24T06:04:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-03-24T06:06:17.701-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='vacation'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='fall'/><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='short story'/><title type='text'>How could this happen?</title><content type='html'>Keiva opened her eyes to unfamiliar surroundings.  She lay on a double bed in a cluttered room with a large window that had the shades drawn.  The walls were covered with a mosaic wallpaper she had never seen before.  Her head throbbed on the left side as if she had taken a mighty fall.  Where could she be?&lt;br /&gt;    Turning to the right she found a bank of built in bookshelves covering the wall, what was this place?  A library?  There was no hearth to warm her hands, no carpet to mask the sounds of her footfalls.  How had she come to this place? &lt;br /&gt;Flashes of being in the meadow during a torrential rainfall ran through her mind.  She saw herself slip in the mud as she tripped over the hem of her aqua blue dress.  She felt herself fall, and then no pain, only darkness. &lt;br /&gt;    An imp of a child with long, dark hair popped into her line of sight.  She smiled as she held a cup of tea out towards Keiva in offering.  “Would you like?”&lt;br /&gt;    Keiva struggled to slowly slid up to rest her back against the papered walls.  “Yes,” she responded as the child handed her the steaming cup with a devilish grin.  “And who might you be?”&lt;br /&gt;    “Your darling daughter, Nasiba,” came the reply.  “Papa said you had a bad fall and may not remember any of us.”&lt;br /&gt;    ‘What?  How many children?’ ran quickly through her mind as her eyes grew wide, and she hid her face in the cup.  She did not wish to hurt this dear child’s feelings by agreeing with Papa.  “How could I forget such a beautiful daughter as you,” she responded as she lowered the cup to her plate?&lt;br /&gt;    Nasiba smiled proudly.  “Are you hungry?  Can I get you anything?”&lt;br /&gt;    Keiva shook her head.  “How about you choosing a book, and come sit and read aloud to me.”  A broad smile lit Nasiba’s elfish face as she stood before the bookcase.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2931265237006837693-4105919425521737936?l=tcparker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/feeds/4105919425521737936/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-could-this-happen.html#comment-form' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/4105919425521737936'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/4105919425521737936'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2009/03/how-could-this-happen.html' title='How could this happen?'/><author><name>TC Cooksley, Realtor</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06069357915731463480</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7P7odGAry-k/ScjlK45I24I/AAAAAAAAACA/JGvat06dLRs/S220/IMG_5164.JPG'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2931265237006837693.post-3312354242697649570</id><published>2009-01-11T12:25:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2009-01-11T12:28:39.785-08:00</updated><title type='text'>A Silver Thread</title><content type='html'>Opening clip of the first chapter of my upcoming novel:&lt;br /&gt;I love honest feedback&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;    Tanya Louise Gilbert opened her violet-blue eyes; eyes that darkened depending on her emotions; to a clear, autumn afternoon, an afternoon in which she lazily stretched, and her eyes were a clear violet-blue.  She blinked into a bright, beautiful, blue sky, with few puffy white clouds overhead, outlined with colored leaves in the trees, high above, and thought of perceptions.  The sky seemed blue, because people were taught the color was blue; the moss was green, because that was the name given the color of a blade of grass.  But was moss any more tangible than a cloud?  Could one lay their head on the billowy, white clouds and float about with them, as one could lay ones head on a bed of moss without dirt underneath?   Hmmm, the rich, pungent odor of the moist moss, just beneath her head, mixed with the smell of decaying leaves, dogwood, hemlock, and other pungent autumn wild flowers, like skunk weed, and trilliums, were near at hand.  Scanning the treetops with her eyes as the fog lifted from her thoughts, sunlight danced among the leaves like crystal gems.  No, a cloud was less tangible than moss.  The sunlight reminded her of other fairies dancing in the mist of Evald in their iridescent colored outfits, which matched their wings.  In Evald her-own wings were iridescence blue-green-purple, the colors of a river fairy.  Some of the river fairies had pink or orange mixed in their wings.  Those from the depth of the forest had darker shades, and some had gold and browns mixed in with the dark blue-green-purple.  Time seemed intangible in Evald, just as the clouds were wispy in the sky.  Each year she saw fewer and fewer fairies, and elves, and trolls in her homeland, they were fading away, across the great water, all but forgotten. &lt;br /&gt;    She thought of the solitaire woodland elf that resided near Gosymonity.  Nateria was a beautiful woodland elf that dressed in woodland colors or a pale lacey flowing gown in the twilight in her bare feet when women of men would put out milk during harvest season for all the spirits who could bring a great harvest.  Nateria had fallen for a Prince of Man in his youth; his eyes could actually see her clearly even with the passing years, so great was his love for her.  It was highly unusual for a human to acknowledge elves, let alone for this unlikely pair to fall in love.  Though he married a Princess, as was his calling, he often road out through the fields near his castle, and ventured into the tangled wood near Gosymonity and waited for her to appear to him.  More than once Nateria had dared fate by bringing him into Evald to lay under Gosymonity with her.  He would spend what seemed only a few hours in Evald with Nateria. Though, much to his surprise, he would discover he had been gone for several days. &lt;br /&gt;    Nateria had blessed the fields near her wood for many a season with futile soil, and abundance, and requested in return the farmers rest the fields every seven years.  It had been so in the Prince’s Father’s time, and now it was so in his time.  While Tanya sat with M**** under the shade of Gosymonity she had witnessed Nateria communing with the two children of the Prince of Man.  One was a strawberry blonde girl with a head of curls, the other a serious, sandy blonde boy, with long slender fingers that could almost be half elf.&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2931265237006837693-3312354242697649570?l=tcparker.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='replies' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/feeds/3312354242697649570/comments/default' title='Post Comments'/><link rel='replies' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2009/01/silver-thread.html#comment-form' title='1 Comments'/><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/3312354242697649570'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/2931265237006837693/posts/default/3312354242697649570'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://tcparker.blogspot.com/2009/01/silver-thread.html' title='A Silver Thread'/><author><name>TC Cooksley, Realtor</name><uri>http://www.blogger.com/profile/06069357915731463480</uri><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='21' height='32' src='http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7P7odGAry-k/ScjlK45I24I/AAAAAAAAACA/JGvat06dLRs/S220/IMG_5164.JPG'/></author><thr:total>1</thr:total></entry></feed>
