I finished the A to Z challenge. I feel like I stumbled across the finish line in much the same way I stumbled into the challenge. I did not start off with a clear cut theme.  It was not until H that I caught my stride. I am glad I did this even if it did pull me out of my much needed edits. Tomorrow, I will enter the world of Aerda and I do not intend to come out again until I have wrangled an agent.

Here is the break down of my last week in the A to Z challenge.

Monday – Ugly Shack Pub – #AtoZChallenge  The story explored a pub that allowed those in despair, near suicides to recover and find themselves again.

Brewery: Unibroue  (Quebec, Canada) Beer: Trois Pistoles  Type: Belgian Strong Ale

Tuesday – The Volcano Tap #AtoZChallenge  A tavern where monkeys are the wait staff is at the base of a newly active volcano that houses a dragon.

Brewery: Victory Brewing (Downingtown, PA) Beer: Golden Monkey Type: Tripel (3 x malt than average brew)

Wednesday – The Wayward Tavern #AtoZChallenge This was a bit of a cheat. Taverns play a huge part in my fantasy series, Idylls of Alleysiande, and I introduced one of those taverns in a bit of a preview.

Brewery: Westbrook Brewery (Mount Pleasant, SC) Beer: Dark Helmet Type: Schwarzbier(i.e. Black Beer)

Thursday – Xanthe’s Refuge #AtoZChallenge  Xanthe means stranger in Greek. This story finds a group of people having beer with a kind stranger after the apocalypse. For myself, I have always wanted to have a beer with Jesus. I figured post-apocalypse will be my best shot, provided I am not proven to be a goat.

Brewery: Cervejaria Kaiser (Brazil (no X breweries found) Beer: Xingu Black Beer Type Schwarzbier

Friday – Yellow Rose #AtoZChallenge  In this tale, a young woman is finally going to meet a mysterious person who has been sending her yellow roses once a year since she was thirteen.

Brewery: Yellow Rose (San Antonio, TX)  Beer: Buffalo Butt Type: American Dark Wheat Ale

Saturday – Zero Hour #AtoZChallenge  – In this story, a woman makes a decision about the path her life is on, and decides to do something other than the safe and easy path. So many I know struggle with this every day, and it is a theme I always seem to find in my writing. A feeling that society is not quite right, that it has become a steel trap instead of something that nurtures all of our potentials. Ah well, it is a fitting conclusion to my A to Z journey.

Brewery: Zephyr (Denver, Co) Beer: Naked Blonde  Type: American Blonde Ale