Bronte Follower: Stories

What do a canceled talk, an ice-cream cone, and an odd noise have to do with a widowed mom or with Kris' boyfriend? This story came to me when I read the teaser for another SOL story. As I usually do, I took the idea and ran with it in a perpendicular direction.

A story in the Beth Universe
This is a continuation of Beth (which see), picked up the day after the end of Beth, but with a different format. Having read Beth will greatly help readers understand this sequel, but, except, perhaps, at the beginning, may not be all that necessary (given the length of Beth). This story will take Beth and the rest of the girls through some changes to their lives, some of which are engendered by Beth's mother, Sandy. Readers of Beth will expect some surprises due to that last sentence.

A story in the Beth Universe
Despite her shyness, a girl has been carrying anger for years about her mother leaving her father and her, but that anger has been mellowing of late. Unfortunately, a change... a long-awaited and looked-for change... has come upon her, but her father's reaction to that change has caused her to think of the change as bad rather than good. Can her teammates help her? What about those two team assistants she's had her eye on? Codes to be added as story progesses.

A story in the Beth Universe
Sandy is all grown up, has been married for nearly 20 years, and has a daughter, a daughter who has brought her a veritable host of additional daughters... and three wives. This story primarily covers Sandy's experiences in the Fall of 2018 when she accepts a temporary assignment as a fill-in branch manager for the banking corporation for which she works. Experience with the story _Sandy_ is not necessary; experience with the story _Beth_ would be helpful, but not particularly necessary.

This idea came to me upon reading the teaser of a new story posted recently to SOL. I thought I’d use that teaser, but take the story in the opposite direction. Or, at least, AN opposite direction.

What do Halloween, The Little Mermaid, four semi-anonymous women, and Mister Wonderful have to do with each other? Find out in this coming-of-age tale that did not quite meet the requirements of the Halloween contest rules.

A story in the Beth Universe
Something of a coming-of-age story of a bright, well-adjusted, modern girl, this story is long. It begins with her mother's infidelity, an act that becomes the impetus for a plan to further her ambitions in a particular direction: her hunk of a father. The plan does not come apart so much as expands to encompass much more than she planned... just as the actual writing did.

A story in the Beth Universe
What do parents consider most important? One father is in a quandary. Beth readers should recognize the characters and, obliquely, the situation, in Chapter 1. After the fact, I decided to give the story's title subject more air time, although I'll retain the third-person POV. Any sex is offscreen and involves only adults.

A story in the Beth Universe
While writing Beth, I sometimes find myself going down rabbit holes. While such are always fun, those bits often wind up in places I don't want the story to go. Rather than delete them, I've saved them, possibly for future stories; I have borrowed pieces for other parts of Beth. These will all be short or a bit longer and may have beginnings and/or endings being abrupt, unconnected. Savvy readers can probably find where many of them started, but others, not so much.

A story in the Beth Universe
Sandy's story, as imparted to her family. While reading Beth first would be a bit helpful and provide context, it's not necessary, although the juxtaposition of past and present in Sandy will be more decipherable with at least some exposure to Beth. The Beth story will see references to Sandy's story.