Tag Archives: like mother like daughters

Give Them Peace

June 9, 2025 philgiunta@ptd.net Leave a comment

In March, my 30th short story, “Give Them Peace,” was published in Writing a Wrong, the latest mixed-genre anthology by the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group.

A mob boss with a nefarious retirement plan. A husband preparing the ideal breakfast for his wife. A young girl intent on visiting the neighbor’s turkeys—on her own. A mystery author who steals an idea for a novel and now, years later, faces the consequences. An essayist musing on a letter she would write to a friend she inadvertently upset. Writing a Wrong is filled all of these and more.

“Give Them Peace” is a ghost story featuring psychic-medium paranormal investigator Miranda Lorensen from my novels Testing the Prisoner, By Your Side, and Like Mother, Like Daughters. I hope you enjoy this excerpt. If so, consider grabbing a copy of the anthology in paperback or ebook. Proceeds benefit the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group and our work in the community.

Give Them Peace

by Phil Giunta

Crippling sorrow flooded Miranda Lorensen’s thoughts the moment she stepped through the door of Heldon Studios. Overlapping voices in her head pleaded for help, begged to be set free. Miranda ignored them for the moment as she and fellow paranormal investigator Marc Malkasian greeted the studio’s general manager, Stillman Ross.

“Thanks for rearranging your schedule for us on such short notice.” Stillman extended a hand. “Where’s the rest of your team?”

“Short notice means shorthanded,” Marc said. “You’re stuck with the two of us. Any more activity since you called?”

“Later that night, in fact.” Stillman nodded toward a row of offices down the hall. “We caught it on a security camera along with the other incidents I mentioned on the phone. I have the footage queued up.”

By now, the edges of Miranda’s vision had blurred and she winced against another torrent of desperation and grief. Closing her eyes, she tuned out the conversation between Marc and Stillman. I’m here. Tell me what you need.

A plaintive voice rose above the chatter. “Finally, someone who can hear us.”

“We’ve waited so long,” another added.

Both were women, but Miranda sensed that they weren’t the only spirits attached to the building, or perhaps the land. How can I help you?

“You’re a sensitive,” the first voice said. “As we were. That’s why he killed us.”

Who killed you?

There was no response.

Are you still with me? What’s your name? Again, Miranda’s questions were met with silence.

“Randy?”

A hand clutched her arm. Miranda’s eyes shot open and met Marc’s bewildered gaze.

“You okay? You wandered off without a word.”

Miranda took in her surroundings. She didn’t recall leaving the lobby, yet she now found herself in a wide corridor between two sound stages. “Right. Sorry about that.”

“Did you have a vision?”

“Not exactly.” As they started back toward the main entrance, Miranda shot a glance over her shoulder. “But the day is still young.”

***

All three tripods crashed to the floor, hurled across the room by an invisible force. In the security office, the astonishing scene played out on two wall-mounted monitors.

“That happened about four hours after we closed on the day I called you,” Stillman explained. “I thought it was one of my technicians playing a prank, but no one was in the building at the time. Of all the footage we captured, this scared the shit out of me more than anything.”

“I can see why,” Marc said. “These spirits definitely seem pissed off about something. Where did this happen?”

“Stage C. Last one on the right before you get to the storage room.”

“Hold on.” Marc pointed to the screen. “When the tripods hit the floor, they kinda resemble arrows, evenly spaced and perfectly lined up beside each other.”

Miranda cocked her head. “Arrows pointing toward the storage room, perhaps?”

“I’ll be damned.” Stillman slumped in his chair. “Since we converted this place from a warehouse, we don’t use that part of the building much. I’ve never been comfortable back there. Always feels like someone’s watching me from the mezzanine.”

“Maybe they are,” Marc said. “When you called, you mentioned a woman who appeared on film, but no one saw her in person. Can you show us?”

“Absolutely.” Stillman opened two video files and dragged each to its own monitor. He pointed to the left screen. “This was the first appearance, during an interview show. Watch for the middle-aged woman with the salt and pepper hair and bruises around her neck. There. See her standing off to the right behind the host?”

“Jeez.” Marc leaned forward. “Her gray eyes and blank expression aren’t creepy at all.”

“Check it out,” Stillman continued. “They cut away and back to the host… and she’s gone.” He stopped the video. “Now, let me draw your attention to the monitor on the right. There’s a company in the area that makes cleaning products. They use our studio to shoot their commercials. This one had three actors, four if you count the dog. Watch this beagle turn its head from the kid and stare at nothing until they cut away, come back, and bam—there she is again. Where she came from, no one knows.”

The beagle whined and stared up at the woman who gazed at the actors with a forlorn expression. Stillman paused the video just as she peered into the camera.

“She came from this place.” Miranda glanced from one monitor to the other. “Her soul is trapped here, and she isn’t alone.”

Stillman raised an eyebrow. “How many are there?”

“Something tells me we’re about to find out.”

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Blog, New Releases, Upcoming Projects

All the Irons in the Fire

May 6, 2025 philgiunta@ptd.net

We’re five months into the year and for me, 2025 is delivering a heaping tablespoon of stress and turbulence on a personal level but on the writing front, the outlook continues to be bright.

To recap, my SF adventure tale “In the Span of a Heartbeat” was published in January in Black Cat Weekly online magazine issue #176. This was my first time submitting and publishing with them. I’m pleased to report that at the end of April, Black Cat Weekly accepted a supernatural story from me called “Where Halloween Never Ends.” It will be published in one of their October 2025 issues. Stay tuned for more info. It’s an honor to work with editor and longtime genre writer John Betancourt.

The Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group, of which I’m a member, publishes a themed anthology every odd year. For 2025, the theme and title are Writing a Wrong and I’m pleased to have my ghost story “Give Them Peace” included. It’s the first short story featuring Miranda Lorensen, my psychic-medium protagonist from my novels Testing the Prisoner, By Your Side, and Like Mother, Like Daughters.

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In early April, I learned that I’d won two first place awards from the Pennsylvania Press Club—one for my novel, By Your Side, and one for a time travel story I wrote last year called “A Thorne in Time” about a scientist and detective who travel back twenty years to stop a serial killer. That story was published in Ruth and Ann’s Guide to Time Travel (Celestial Echo Press, August 2024). All first place winners in every category are forwarded to the National Federation of Press Women communications contest to compete against other state affiliates. Results will be announced in June.

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My next science fiction story comes out on May 20th. It’s called “Isaac Geary’s Instant Utopia” and will be published in a utopian science fiction anthology called Bright Mirror.

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So much of our science fiction is rooted in cynicism about what’s next, but Bright Mirror will delivery stories of discovery and promise.

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Retreat Anthology Cover showing an open gate in the middle of a forest with golden light shining down from above

Finally, I have a supernatural tale called “A Certain Magic” that will be included in a charity anthology later this year from Year of the Book Press in partnership with the Mindful Writers Retreat. The retreat takes place every February and October in Ligonier, PA nestled in the Laurel Highlands region of the Allegheny Mountains. I attend the five-day October retreat almost every year as the area is gorgeous in autumn.

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As a group, attendees of the retreat produce an annual themed anthology of stories and all proceeds are donated to charity. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Mindful Writers Retreat, the editors decided that the theme should be “Retreat” (any kind, not just writing) and this year’s charity of choice is House of Ruth Maryland. The release date of the book is TBA, so stay tuned!

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What’s next? Well, all new writing projects are on hold until I finish a series of home improvements through spring and summer. However, I’m compiling the first of a two-volume collection of my short stories that have been published over the past decade. I hope to have it out by the end of the year with volume two slated for 2026… if all goes well.

Once the renovations are over, I hope to resurrect a project I started two years ago—a sequel to Like Mother, Like Daughters. The first draft was nearly finished before I put the project aside to work on a spate of short stories for various publishers and deal with a series of personal and family matters. At least I’ll return to the project with fresh eyes, which can’t hurt.

I’ll be back with updates about Bright Mirror and Retreat in the coming weeks. I’ll probably post them to the “What’s New?” section on the front page of this site. Until then, be safe, be healthy, and enjoy a good book!

Blog, New Releases

Writing a Wrong – Launching in March!

February 24, 2025 philgiunta@ptd.net

I’m excited to announce that my ghost story “Give Them Peace” will be included in Writing a Wrong, the latest anthology published by the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group (GLVWG).

“Give Them Peace” is the first short story featuring psychic-medium single mom Miranda Lorensen from my three paranormal mystery novels (Testing the Prisoner, By Your Side, and Like Mother, Like Daughters).

Writing a Wrong will launch at the Write Stuff writers conference in Center Valley, PA. The conference runs March 13-15 at the Homewood Suites.

Blog, Writing Retreats

After Action Report: Mindful Writers Retreat – Autumn 2024

October 28, 2024 philgiunta@ptd.net

After a year’s absence, it was pure joy to return to Ligonier, PA during the third week in October for the Mindful Writers Retreat nestled in the Laurel Highlands region of the Allegheny Mountains.

Everything about the Mindful Writers Retreat is magical, the gorgeous fall foliage that surrounds us, the amazing writers who have become my tribe since I began attending in 2018, the guided meditations we practice each day, the peaceful sunrise walks through the woods, and of course, the hours of quiet writing time each day.

All of these elements come together at the Ligonier Camp and Conference Center, resulting in an extraordinary experience that keeps me coming back almost every autumn (I’ve missed only two since 2018).

My Home for the Week: Room 8 in Lamont Lodge

On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, I took sunrise walks through the endless woods and trails of the Ligonier Camp. As always, these beautiful excursions bring enormous peace to the mind, heart, and soul and, of course, they’re excellent for the body as well.

I spent the first two and a half days editing works written by fellow members of the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group. Every odd year, our group publishes a themed anthology of short stories, essays, and poems. I’ve been on the editing team for these anthologies since 2016. We’re gearing up for our 2025 anthology, Writing a Wrong. I managed to finish all nine pieces that were assigned to me by Wednesday morning.

The latter half of the week was spent on a sequel to a novella that I’d published in 2018 called Like Mother, Like Daughters. As I did with my first two novels, Testing the Prisoner and By Your Side, I plan to reissue Like Mother, Like Daughters along with its sequel in one omnibus edition. That might happen in 2025, but more likely the year after.

On Wednesday afternoon, I ventured into town with another writer, Lilan Laishley, to ship some items I had sold on eBay the previous Friday. While there, we took the opportunity to cast our votes in the town’s scarecrow contest. It’s a Ligonier tradition that some of the local businesses set up scarecrows around the center of town. Residents and tourists are then afforded the opportunity to vote on their favorite. In this case, there were about 25 scarecrows to choose from.

Afterwards, we stopped for ice cream at the Ligonier Creamery before heading back to the lodge for more writing time.

On Thursday afternoon, I walked down to the local creek where I meditated for a brief time and basked under the autumn sun. Thursday is our last full day at the retreat and in what has become a tradition, most of us took a break from writing to gather around the hearth in the evening.

However, one of our longtime members, Lori Jones, had the brilliant idea to take a night walk through the camp to some of the cabins scattered about the property. This turned into a quasi-paranormal investigation that ended in a breathtaking star gazing event.

Night walk through the Ligonier Camp and Conference Center

Lori Jones checking out the Alexander House like Nancy Drew!

The Mindful Writers Paranormal Investigators. Any evidence we find can and will be used in a story.

This year’s Mindful Writers Retreat was the most magical one yet. The weather was gorgeous for the entire week (it usually is), our group participated in our usual hijinks and shenanigans, and I managed to accomplish everything I’d planned for the week.

The only time I ever dislike a Friday is when I’m at the retreat because that is the day all of us part ways and return to reality. Deepest gratitude to Kathie Shoop and Larry Schardt for all they do to organize the Mindful Writers Retreat twice a year. I already look forward to next October!

Blog, Opinion, Upcoming Projects

Ain’t Got No Razzle-Dazzle

April 21, 2023 philgiunta@ptd.net

Sun-Maid Raisins prints nuggets of advice or motivation on their box tops. It’s typically a random mix. However, every message this week has been the same.

I sure as hell don’t feel that I have much razzle-dazzle, but I’m flattered that someone thinks so and reminds me on a daily basis.

The past seven months have delivered a steady supply of crises and complications in my professional and personal lives, all of which have affected my health.

In late September 2022, a colleague at my day job died suddenly at the age of 42. The ripples of that loss have not yet abated. We’re still feeling it and stress levels have been high, but we’ve brought in help and made enormous strides. That’s all I can say about that.

Unfortunately, a few weeks before he died, I began experiencing a few health issues, which have since been exacerbated by extreme stress. I’m managing it with help, but I’ve been in a dark place for seven months and counting. Anxiety and depression have been frequent companions for most of my life, but this is worst they’ve ever been. Every day I hold onto hope that it will get better with time, patience, and taking the proper actions toward recovery.

Of course, recovery would me much easier were it not for for a recent family complication that has landed on my shoulders. Again, I can’t say much about it, but this could evolve into a critical situation in the near future and erode even more of my writing time.

Another complication that presented itself even before all of the above was the 2021 announcement from the small press that published my paranormal mystery novels (Testing the Prisoner, By Your Side, Like Mother, Like Daughters) that they closed shop and are no longer accepting submissions. Although they’re leaving all current titles on the market for the time being, they are no longer working with the writers to promote, run sales, or otherwise keep the books viable.

In light of this, I’m preparing to publish second editions of Testing the Prisoner (2009) and By Your Side (2012) over the next year. I’m taking the opportunity to re-edit both books, tweaking them just enough to strike a balance between my writing style of the time and my writing style today. Both will undergo a facelift with brand new covers by a local comic book artist. As for Like Mother, Like Daughters (2018), I’ll tackle that once the first two are finished. Stay tuned for more info.

I am pleased to report that my detective story, “Pearl of Great Price,” will be included in the crime noir anthology, Hard-Boiled and Loaded with Sin by Hawkshaw Press (an imprint of Devil’s Party Press). The book is slated for release on June 26, 2023.

Also, my science fiction comedy tale, “See You Around the Cosmos, Sweet Cheeks!” took Honorable Mention in the 2023 NFPW Communications Contest. Click here for more information about the National Federation of Press Women.

I was disappointed to learn that Delaware publisher Cat & Mouse Press retired their annual Rehoboth Beach Reads short story contest after ten years. The contest had a fantastic run and I was honored to have two stories published in the contest anthologies Beach Nights (2016) and Beach Secrets (2021). I also had two stories included in Beach Pulp (2019), an open call anthology that pays homage to the detective and SF pulp magazines of the 1930s and 1940s.

Finally, my YouTube channel has not been updated with new content in nearly a year and is suffering from abandonment issues—again. I recorded a reading of “Pearl of Great Price,” which will posted to my channel when the book goes live in June or thereabouts. I plan to record other stories and updates that will go live soon as well.

That’s where I’ve been for the past several months. Peace of mind has been at an all time low, but as always, I press forward.

I hope all is well with you and yours and that you remain safe and healthy while navigating these bizarre and dangerous times. Don’t lose your razzle-dazzle!

Articles, Blog, Gratitude, Technology, Writing and Publishing

Pass a Microsoft Exam, Buy a Car…

June 4, 2022 philgiunta@ptd.net

I’m excited and relieved to report that on Tuesday, May 31, I passed the second of three Microsoft exams toward my Enterprise Administrator Expert certification. After taking the next week off to remind myself how it feels to have a life, I’ll begin studying for the third and final exam. If all goes well, I’ll schedule that for the end of July.

Later that same Tuesday, after months of research into various midsize SUVs, I traded in my 16-year-old Hyundai Santa Fe for a 2019 Hyundai Tucson. I’m still learning all of its “bells and whistles” and while it’s only a four-cylinder engine (where the Santa Fe was six), the Tucson is a smooth ride with excellent handling.

So what’s new on the writing front? Unfortunately, not much since the time I had previously dedicated to writing is now consumed by taking Microsoft courses and studying for exams.

However, I managed to complete a new ghost story in April called “Where the Skeletons are Buried” involving Miranda Lorensen, my psychic-medium character who was last seen in my 2018 novella, Like Mother, Like Daughters and her ghost hunting team introduced in my 2013 novel, By Your Side. Work with these characters again was like reuniting with old friends. “Where the Skeletons are Buried” is being shopped around.

I’m also re-outlining the next full length novel involving Miranda and her team. One of the original plot threads, while compelling, gave me pause in light of our current sociopolitical climate. The more I developed that part of the story, the greater was my discomfort. So, I scrapped it and am moving in a different direction.

Lastly, I’m waiting on responses about two different short stories from two different editors and a publisher that accepted a detective story from me last year for publication this year has completed their move from Delaware to California and should be ramping up their operations again in July.

Stay tuned for more updates on these projects.