Be sure to head over to Elana Johnson's blog to check out the other entries. :)
Have a great weekend, everybody!
Showing posts with label blogfest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogfest. Show all posts
Friday, September 24, 2010
Bad Blogger
Be sure to head over to Elana Johnson's blog to check out the other entries. :)
Have a great weekend, everybody!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Share Your Darlings Blogfest
Michelle Gregory is hosting the Share Your Darlings Blogfest today! :)
Finding a scene to post for this blogfest was a lot harder than I thought it would be. It's not like I don't have a whole manuscript of cut scenes from my current WIP, Embrol, but going through them, it was difficult to find one that (1) I loved, (2) didn't give too much away about the story, since I'm currently doing a full rewrite, (3) the writing wasn't awful, and (4) wasn't way too long. So, I finally settled on another discarded opening. This one I liked, but it just wasn't working as an opening.
Enjoy!
*******
My art teacher says the eyes are the window to the soul. Apparently, I don’t have one.
I studied the self-portrait lying on my desk. Dull, lifeless eyes stared back. Definitely soulless—next thing I knew, I’d be wandering the streets in search of brains. The stiff paper crumpled beneath my fingers. Why can I draw anyone, anything else, but I can’t draw myself?
I pulled a drawing of my mother from my portfolio. Maybe I could pass it off as me. Her straight, auburn hair was only slightly darker than mine, and her deep blue eyes had the same shape and color, but I knew Mr. Harper would see it for the fraud that it was.
Olivia, this isn’t the quality of work that earned you a full scholarship to Pratt, he would say and frown. In his mind, everything I drew had to be a masterpiece.
Whatever. I pushed my chair back. I don’t care anymore. One F shouldn’t affect my grade that much.
A faint shimmer lit up the air around me as I got to my feet. I blinked to clear my vision, thinking I stood up too fast. The shimmer thickened, coalescing into a gelatinous mass around my legs, then my arms and hands, slowing their ascent as I lifted them to my eyes. It felt like my mind was stuck on fast forward, as if time had slowed down, retarding my movements but not my brain—or my heart, hammering against my ribcage.
“Wake up, Livy,” I mumbled, trying to pull my arms free. It’s not real. Just a nightmare. A very realistic nightmare. “Mom!” It should’ve been a scream, but only a strangled whimper escaped. I twisted my body as the glistening mass moved upward, molding itself to my chest, my neck. Wake up. Tears rolled down my face, my breath coming in short, erratic bursts. Wake up! I fought to breathe, forcing a deep, shuddering breath. “MOM! Hel—”
In an instant, the mass solidified, expanding to cover my entire body. It filled my gaping mouth, tasteless and smooth like a glass marble on my tongue. My heart pounded in my ears as the mass pressed against me, halting the trembling waves coursing through me. My eyes rolled and burned as they rubbed against the iridescent surface, slick with my tears.
Seconds passed, maybe it was minutes. It could’ve been an eternity for all that it mattered. Escape was hopeless.
Not real. I fought the fog forcing its way into my mind. A heavy ache spread through my chest as shadows crept in around me. My heartbeat slowed. Just have to… A cloud passed over my eyes. Wake up.
I thought I heard my name, muffled, like hearing it through a wall. Mom. Help. One last beat of my heart and darkness overwhelmed everything.
*******
Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out all the other entries here.
And registration is open for WriteOnCon, the fabulous online writing conference happening next month.
Finding a scene to post for this blogfest was a lot harder than I thought it would be. It's not like I don't have a whole manuscript of cut scenes from my current WIP, Embrol, but going through them, it was difficult to find one that (1) I loved, (2) didn't give too much away about the story, since I'm currently doing a full rewrite, (3) the writing wasn't awful, and (4) wasn't way too long. So, I finally settled on another discarded opening. This one I liked, but it just wasn't working as an opening.
Enjoy!
*******
My art teacher says the eyes are the window to the soul. Apparently, I don’t have one.
I studied the self-portrait lying on my desk. Dull, lifeless eyes stared back. Definitely soulless—next thing I knew, I’d be wandering the streets in search of brains. The stiff paper crumpled beneath my fingers. Why can I draw anyone, anything else, but I can’t draw myself?
I pulled a drawing of my mother from my portfolio. Maybe I could pass it off as me. Her straight, auburn hair was only slightly darker than mine, and her deep blue eyes had the same shape and color, but I knew Mr. Harper would see it for the fraud that it was.
Olivia, this isn’t the quality of work that earned you a full scholarship to Pratt, he would say and frown. In his mind, everything I drew had to be a masterpiece.
Whatever. I pushed my chair back. I don’t care anymore. One F shouldn’t affect my grade that much.
A faint shimmer lit up the air around me as I got to my feet. I blinked to clear my vision, thinking I stood up too fast. The shimmer thickened, coalescing into a gelatinous mass around my legs, then my arms and hands, slowing their ascent as I lifted them to my eyes. It felt like my mind was stuck on fast forward, as if time had slowed down, retarding my movements but not my brain—or my heart, hammering against my ribcage.
“Wake up, Livy,” I mumbled, trying to pull my arms free. It’s not real. Just a nightmare. A very realistic nightmare. “Mom!” It should’ve been a scream, but only a strangled whimper escaped. I twisted my body as the glistening mass moved upward, molding itself to my chest, my neck. Wake up. Tears rolled down my face, my breath coming in short, erratic bursts. Wake up! I fought to breathe, forcing a deep, shuddering breath. “MOM! Hel—”
In an instant, the mass solidified, expanding to cover my entire body. It filled my gaping mouth, tasteless and smooth like a glass marble on my tongue. My heart pounded in my ears as the mass pressed against me, halting the trembling waves coursing through me. My eyes rolled and burned as they rubbed against the iridescent surface, slick with my tears.
Seconds passed, maybe it was minutes. It could’ve been an eternity for all that it mattered. Escape was hopeless.
Not real. I fought the fog forcing its way into my mind. A heavy ache spread through my chest as shadows crept in around me. My heartbeat slowed. Just have to… A cloud passed over my eyes. Wake up.
I thought I heard my name, muffled, like hearing it through a wall. Mom. Help. One last beat of my heart and darkness overwhelmed everything.
*******
Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out all the other entries here.
And registration is open for WriteOnCon, the fabulous online writing conference happening next month.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Breaking the Rules Blogfest
Elizabeth Mueller is hosting the Breaking the Rules blogfest today. The idea is to post your rule breakingest stuff. Now, I'm not one to break the rules very often, but I did have one rebellious moment. ;)
This is one of the many discarded openings for my current WIP, Embrol. Some of you might remember it, since I posted it here about a year ago. I was pretty pleased with it then. Funny how much my perception has changed.
In this one short scene, I broke the don't begin with a dream rule, don't begin with waking up rule, and don't begin with dialogue rule. Plus the writing's pretty crappy and the dialogue's pretty lame, so you have been warned. And besides all the rule breaking, there are several reasons this opening didn't work, including at least one plot hole. So it was banished to the darkest corner of my hard drive, and I honestly thought it would never see the light of day again. Yet, here it is. :)
○○○○○○○
“Faster. You must move faster.” The deep voice echoed through the void, propelling me forward, giving strength to my weary legs.
Terror coursed through me. I had to keep moving. Protection of the medallion enclosed in my hand was crucial. Sharp points dug into my palm as my grip tightened. I raced toward the light ahead, the darkness close behind, devouring everything in its path. The medallion grew heavier as I neared my destination. I struggled to maintain my speed. Failure meant the end of everything. I was sure of that. Almost there.
“Livy.” The world around me wavered at the sound of my mother’s voice.
My eyes swung to the right, then the left, searching for her. A sheer drop-off, on either side, marked the edges of my narrow path. My breath caught, but I didn’t slow down. The urgency to reach the light intensified.
“Livy, wake up.”
The world wavered again and disappeared.
I opened my eyes and groaned at the video camera hovering inches from my face. “Ugh. Go away.” My hand closed around the lens, and I shoved it back, pulling my pillow over my head. The pounding in my chest slowed, her presence reducing my anxiety.
My mother laughed. “On this day, eighteen years ago, Olivia Noelle Ryan was born to Thomas and Lily Ryan in the great state of Arizona. And there was rejoicing throughout the land! Today she is officially an adult. Would you like to add anything, Livy?”
“Can’t I sleep in for once?” I lifted the corner of the pillow and opened one eye. “In fact, to celebrate the joyous occasion, I should probably stay home from school. Turn the light off on your way out.” I waved my hand toward the door, letting the pillow drop. Would I have succeeded if she hadn’t woken me? Why do I care? It was just a dream.
“Don’t be such a spoilsport.” She laughed as she pulled the blanket off me.
I reached for it too late, and it fell to the floor. “Hey, it’s freezing!”
“Come on, time to get up.” She gave me a quick swat on my backside. “You’re going to be late for school. Being an adult means being responsible.”
“Seriously, Mom. Are you starting on that already?” I pushed myself up to a seated position and rubbed my eyes. “Would you please turn that stupid thing off?”
“You used to love this part of your birthday.” Her lips pulled down as she turned the camera off, her smile reappearing a second later. “I made you some birthday French toast, if you’re interested.”
I covered a yawn. “Tell me again. What makes it birthday French toast?”
“Because I made it on your birthday, silly girl. Don’t be too long. It’s getting cold.”
“'Kay. I’ll be down in a few minutes.” I studied my palm as she left the room. Three tiny drops of red marked where the medallion had pierced my skin, forming the points of a perfect equilateral triangle. I wiped away the blood, and it seemed I wiped away the wounds as well. That’s not possible. I shook my head. Like wounds from a dream are possible. Figures I’d lose my mind on the day I finally turned eighteen.
○○○○○○○
Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out the other entries here. :)
This is one of the many discarded openings for my current WIP, Embrol. Some of you might remember it, since I posted it here about a year ago. I was pretty pleased with it then. Funny how much my perception has changed.
In this one short scene, I broke the don't begin with a dream rule, don't begin with waking up rule, and don't begin with dialogue rule. Plus the writing's pretty crappy and the dialogue's pretty lame, so you have been warned. And besides all the rule breaking, there are several reasons this opening didn't work, including at least one plot hole. So it was banished to the darkest corner of my hard drive, and I honestly thought it would never see the light of day again. Yet, here it is. :)
○○○○○○○
“Faster. You must move faster.” The deep voice echoed through the void, propelling me forward, giving strength to my weary legs.
Terror coursed through me. I had to keep moving. Protection of the medallion enclosed in my hand was crucial. Sharp points dug into my palm as my grip tightened. I raced toward the light ahead, the darkness close behind, devouring everything in its path. The medallion grew heavier as I neared my destination. I struggled to maintain my speed. Failure meant the end of everything. I was sure of that. Almost there.
“Livy.” The world around me wavered at the sound of my mother’s voice.
My eyes swung to the right, then the left, searching for her. A sheer drop-off, on either side, marked the edges of my narrow path. My breath caught, but I didn’t slow down. The urgency to reach the light intensified.
“Livy, wake up.”
The world wavered again and disappeared.
I opened my eyes and groaned at the video camera hovering inches from my face. “Ugh. Go away.” My hand closed around the lens, and I shoved it back, pulling my pillow over my head. The pounding in my chest slowed, her presence reducing my anxiety.
My mother laughed. “On this day, eighteen years ago, Olivia Noelle Ryan was born to Thomas and Lily Ryan in the great state of Arizona. And there was rejoicing throughout the land! Today she is officially an adult. Would you like to add anything, Livy?”
“Can’t I sleep in for once?” I lifted the corner of the pillow and opened one eye. “In fact, to celebrate the joyous occasion, I should probably stay home from school. Turn the light off on your way out.” I waved my hand toward the door, letting the pillow drop. Would I have succeeded if she hadn’t woken me? Why do I care? It was just a dream.
“Don’t be such a spoilsport.” She laughed as she pulled the blanket off me.
I reached for it too late, and it fell to the floor. “Hey, it’s freezing!”
“Come on, time to get up.” She gave me a quick swat on my backside. “You’re going to be late for school. Being an adult means being responsible.”
“Seriously, Mom. Are you starting on that already?” I pushed myself up to a seated position and rubbed my eyes. “Would you please turn that stupid thing off?”
“You used to love this part of your birthday.” Her lips pulled down as she turned the camera off, her smile reappearing a second later. “I made you some birthday French toast, if you’re interested.”
I covered a yawn. “Tell me again. What makes it birthday French toast?”
“Because I made it on your birthday, silly girl. Don’t be too long. It’s getting cold.”
“'Kay. I’ll be down in a few minutes.” I studied my palm as she left the room. Three tiny drops of red marked where the medallion had pierced my skin, forming the points of a perfect equilateral triangle. I wiped away the blood, and it seemed I wiped away the wounds as well. That’s not possible. I shook my head. Like wounds from a dream are possible. Figures I’d lose my mind on the day I finally turned eighteen.
○○○○○○○
Thanks for reading! Be sure to check out the other entries here. :)
Monday, June 14, 2010
The Share Your Darlings Blogfest and WriteOnCon
We've all heard the term "Kill your darlings". Well, I've heard it, at least, so that means everyone else has, right? ;) Anyway. Now you have the opportunity to share those beloved scenes you had to cut because they weren't moving the story forward. Michelle Gregory of beautiful chaos is holding the Share Your Darlings blogfest on July 1st. She's even added a book giveaway, so be sure to check it out. You can add your name to the link list here.
Here's a button I made, if you'd like to post it on your blog to help get the word out. The code for a sidebar button is below. And if you'd prefer one without blood spatter, you can find that on Michelle's blog. :)
<center><a href="http://michellegregory.blogspot.com/p/share-your-darlings-blogfest.html"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKeqi83F4PiSYtaRHNF1RmTsYJCVls938pGeBzeQiDzzww3NVfA4sIbfSys-rOsMSGE2x55IU1UjW17HiFBvtySLuM0eFWqOWRBFfQXoyWYhMjMB1BBrSrR6Pm1U2L_YI6JPT6mCwB1k/s1600/share+your+darlings2+sm.jpg" /></a></center>
Also, in case you haven't heard, be sure to check out WriteOnCon for some awesome news about a FREE online writers conference. Here's a vlog with all the info.
Be sure to stop by the blogs of all the organizers for a chance to win some cool prizes. :)
And Tere's contest ends on Wednesday, so make sure you get over there and enter.
Happy Monday, everyone!
Here's a button I made, if you'd like to post it on your blog to help get the word out. The code for a sidebar button is below. And if you'd prefer one without blood spatter, you can find that on Michelle's blog. :)
Sidebar button code:
<center><a href="http://michellegregory.blogspot.com/p/share-your-darlings-blogfest.html"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSKeqi83F4PiSYtaRHNF1RmTsYJCVls938pGeBzeQiDzzww3NVfA4sIbfSys-rOsMSGE2x55IU1UjW17HiFBvtySLuM0eFWqOWRBFfQXoyWYhMjMB1BBrSrR6Pm1U2L_YI6JPT6mCwB1k/s1600/share+your+darlings2+sm.jpg" /></a></center>
Also, in case you haven't heard, be sure to check out WriteOnCon for some awesome news about a FREE online writers conference. Here's a vlog with all the info.
Be sure to stop by the blogs of all the organizers for a chance to win some cool prizes. :)
And Tere's contest ends on Wednesday, so make sure you get over there and enter.
Happy Monday, everyone!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Let's Talk Blogfest
And this is my first attempt at writing a teenage male protag, so if the narrator sounds too girly, I would love to hear your thoughts.
---------------------
“Dude, are you crying again?” I laughed. “You are such a girl.”
“So what if I am?” Devan’s back stiffened and his gaze darkened, but those were definitely tears.
Kid needs to toughen up. I shook my head as he stormed out of the room and turned my attention to Emery. “What do you want for dinner?” I held up a dented can of chicken noodle soup and a can of beans. “We got a wide selection here.”
“You're so mean!” Her tiny hands balled into tight fists, and her nose wrinkled as she glared up at me.
“What’s your problem?” I jerked my head toward the bedroom. “You got a crush on the little girl in there.”
She stomped out after Devan, screaming as she went. “Boys are so stupid! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!”
Whatever. I dropped into the chair next to the fireplace and used my knife to pry the top off the soup can. If they didn’t want to make any of the decisions, that was fine with me. Though I could've used some help figuring out what to do next. We were sitting ducks in this house. If we wanted to survive, we needed to find more people, whether Devan agreed to go with us or not.
“Michael?” Emery tugged on my sleeve, pulling me from my thoughts. “I'm sorry. I don’t hate you. Promise.” She sniffled and wrapped her arms around my neck.
“I know, kid. It’s okay.” I pulled her onto my lap and hugged her. “How’s your boyfriend doing in there? He suck it up yet?”
“You should be nicer to Devan. There might be stuff you don’t know about him that you’ll feel bad about later.”
“What kind of stuff?” I set her down next to me, holding her shoulders. “You can’t be keeping secrets from me. Did he do something to you?” If that creep laid one finger on my little sister…
“No.” Her eyes widened. “Don’t be mad. He didn’t do anything real bad.”
“What do you mean, he didn't do anything real bad?” I jumped up, my chair scraping across the floor, and threw open the bedroom door. “What the hell’d you do to—”
Devan stood in front of the dresser mirror with his shirt off. Tight, white bandages covered most of his torso.
My jaw clenched. “When were you going to tell me, you little cretin? When’d you get bit? Yesterday? Was it before we got here?” I pounded my fist against the wall, cracking the drywall. “You could turn on us at any minute and you don’t have the decency to warn us?”
He just stared, his mouth hanging open.
“Emery and I are leaving first thing tomorrow.” I jabbed my finger in his direction. “Without you.”
Emery flinched as the door slammed shut behind me, echoing through the small house. She curled up in a ball on the couch, her bottom lip trembling. I grabbed the shotgun and paced in front of the fireplace. Don’t know where we’re going, but we gotta get out of here before idiot boy in there turns into one of them.
---------------------
Thanks for reading! All honest thoughts are welcome. :) Be sure to check out the other posts here.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Last Line Blogfest
This is the end of the first chapter of my YA sci-fi novel, Embrol. You can read the beginning of this chapter here. Check out the other Last Line Blogfest posts here.
Just a little setup. The MC, Olivia, and her mother have just been in a car accident that flipped their car. Olivia’s feeling a little disoriented for some reason. ;) And I’ve been told by a couple of betas that this scene is a little graphic, so you have been warned. Enjoy!
----------------
“Mom?” Was that shrill voice mine?
She didn’t answer. Her upturned hand lay in front of my face amid a mass of auburn hair—mine or hers, I couldn’t tell. Blood oozed into the gaps, pooling around her hand. I reached a trembling hand out to hers. My fingers brushed her palm and recoiled, my stomach lurching.
How can she feel so empty? The image of her face as her head struck, flashed in my mind—her eyes, so blue and so vacant.
A whimpering rose within me. This isn’t real. This isn’t happening. I clawed at the steering wheel, the frame of the windshield, trying to free myself from the nightmare around me. My legs refused to cooperate, and every movement brought more pain, shooting through my torso and radiating out to my arms and my neck.
“Be calm. Help is on the way.” A woman crouched in front of the windshield and patted my hand. I jerked it away. That was how Mom’s hand should’ve felt—warm, pulsing with life. Tears formed in the woman’s eyes before she stood and walked away. She spoke to someone in a low voice, but I couldn’t make out the words. Clouds crowded my vision, dark shadows creeping into the corners. Sound came in spurts. Sirens, soft in the distance, then nothing—they blared closer, then nothing. An invisible weight pressed down on my chest.
Something warm brushed my hand, pulling my eyes open.
The face of a beautiful, blue-eyed angel hovered before me, the jagged edges of the windshield creating a halo around his golden curls. I opened my mouth to ask who he was, but my subconscious whispered I already knew the answer. If I could just remember…
“Olivia,” he said, his deep voice soft and comforting. The chaos around us faded away, as if only the two of us existed. My eyes slid closed, and for a moment, I was there beside him, examining the wreckage. I saw myself, my head pinned between the seat and the roof of the car, blood trickling a grisly mask over my face, my body bent in places it wasn’t meant to bend. Mom hung next to me, her petite frame held upside down by her seatbelt. Her body was clean, no blood except for the puddle around her hand. Her head rested against the roof, twisted at an unnatural angle, her eyes open, staring.
Pain shot through my chest, yanking me back to my body as a scream—my scream—shredded my eardrums. Piercing agony worked its way into every cell, throbbing with each beat of my heart. The clouds thickened, blanketing my vision, and I hovered somewhere between the light and the dark. The thread holding me there, the one I clung to so desperately, slipped in my grasp. I could think of nothing but the pain, and how it would all disappear if I could only let go.
“Olivia,” the angel whispered. Warmth flowed into me from his fingertips against my cheek. “Come back to me.”
He pulled his hand away, and the world turned black.
----------------
Thanks for reading! :)
Just a little setup. The MC, Olivia, and her mother have just been in a car accident that flipped their car. Olivia’s feeling a little disoriented for some reason. ;) And I’ve been told by a couple of betas that this scene is a little graphic, so you have been warned. Enjoy!
----------------
“Mom?” Was that shrill voice mine?
She didn’t answer. Her upturned hand lay in front of my face amid a mass of auburn hair—mine or hers, I couldn’t tell. Blood oozed into the gaps, pooling around her hand. I reached a trembling hand out to hers. My fingers brushed her palm and recoiled, my stomach lurching.
How can she feel so empty? The image of her face as her head struck, flashed in my mind—her eyes, so blue and so vacant.
A whimpering rose within me. This isn’t real. This isn’t happening. I clawed at the steering wheel, the frame of the windshield, trying to free myself from the nightmare around me. My legs refused to cooperate, and every movement brought more pain, shooting through my torso and radiating out to my arms and my neck.
“Be calm. Help is on the way.” A woman crouched in front of the windshield and patted my hand. I jerked it away. That was how Mom’s hand should’ve felt—warm, pulsing with life. Tears formed in the woman’s eyes before she stood and walked away. She spoke to someone in a low voice, but I couldn’t make out the words. Clouds crowded my vision, dark shadows creeping into the corners. Sound came in spurts. Sirens, soft in the distance, then nothing—they blared closer, then nothing. An invisible weight pressed down on my chest.
Something warm brushed my hand, pulling my eyes open.
The face of a beautiful, blue-eyed angel hovered before me, the jagged edges of the windshield creating a halo around his golden curls. I opened my mouth to ask who he was, but my subconscious whispered I already knew the answer. If I could just remember…
“Olivia,” he said, his deep voice soft and comforting. The chaos around us faded away, as if only the two of us existed. My eyes slid closed, and for a moment, I was there beside him, examining the wreckage. I saw myself, my head pinned between the seat and the roof of the car, blood trickling a grisly mask over my face, my body bent in places it wasn’t meant to bend. Mom hung next to me, her petite frame held upside down by her seatbelt. Her body was clean, no blood except for the puddle around her hand. Her head rested against the roof, twisted at an unnatural angle, her eyes open, staring.
Pain shot through my chest, yanking me back to my body as a scream—my scream—shredded my eardrums. Piercing agony worked its way into every cell, throbbing with each beat of my heart. The clouds thickened, blanketing my vision, and I hovered somewhere between the light and the dark. The thread holding me there, the one I clung to so desperately, slipped in my grasp. I could think of nothing but the pain, and how it would all disappear if I could only let go.
“Olivia,” the angel whispered. Warmth flowed into me from his fingertips against my cheek. “Come back to me.”
He pulled his hand away, and the world turned black.
----------------
Thanks for reading! :)
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Holy Frijoles, There Are a Lot of Blogfests Going On! And Some Contests Too...
On the contest front:
1. Don't miss Steph Bowe's contest. It ends Friday, and if she reaches 1000 followers, she's giving away SIX prizes. She's super close, so go now!
2. Palindrome is having a contest, but you must be a follower by May 1st to participate. Check out the details here.
3. Shaun Hutchinson is giving away an ARC of his novel THE DEATHDAY LETTER. Drawing to be held on May 1st. He's also up today in the blog chain, so be sure to check out his post. :)
4. Sarahjayne Smythe at Writing in the Wilderness is giving away awesome gift cards to celebrate reaching 150 followers. Ends April 30th.
5. Awesome contest over at GotYA. Enter to win a 30-page critique from Taylor Martindale of Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. Ends April 30th.
6. Rachel Bateman is giving away signed copies of THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH by Carrie Ryan, AS YOU WISH by Jackson Pierce, and THE SECRET YEAR by Jennifer Hubbard. Ends April 30th.
7. Stina and Steena are having a joint contest to win some cool stuff, including gift cards! Ends May 3rd.
8. Terresa Wellborn at The Chocolate Chip Waffle is having a fun contest to win some cute hair bows. Ends May 3rd.
I know there are more, but this post is getting SO long. These are the ones that I know of that are ending soon. I'll do another post next week with more.
And look at all these blogfests:
1. Lilah Pierce is hosting the Last Line Blogfest on Saturday, May 1st. If you haven't signed up yet, there's still time.
2. Charity Bradford is hosting the Baking Blogfest on Saturday, May 1st. Post your favorite cooking scene. :)
3. Raquel Byrnes is hosting the Primal Scream Blogfest on Wednesday, May 5th. Post your most heart pumping scene.
4. Andrew Rosenberg (Iapetus999) is hosting the Bad Girl Blogfest on Friday, May 7th.
5. Mia is hosting the Deleted Scene Blogfest on Monday, May 10th.
6. The Alliterative Allomorph is hosting the Internal Conflict Blogfest on Wednesday, May 12th.
7. Critique This is hosting the Flirt Fest Blogfest on Sunday, May 16th.
8. Roni at Fiction Groupie is hosting the Let's Talk Blogfest on Tuesday, May 18th. This is your chance to show off your awesome dialogue skills. :)
9. Katie M. Stout is hosting the Man, I Love College Blogfest on Wednesday, May 19th.
10. Bryan is hosting the Logline/Hook Line Blogfest on Saturday, May 22nd.
11. Amalia is hosting the Dream Sequence Blogfest on Friday, June 4th.
Did I miss any? If you want me to add something, let me know in the comments or email me using the Contact link above. :)
1. Don't miss Steph Bowe's contest. It ends Friday, and if she reaches 1000 followers, she's giving away SIX prizes. She's super close, so go now!
2. Palindrome is having a contest, but you must be a follower by May 1st to participate. Check out the details here.
3. Shaun Hutchinson is giving away an ARC of his novel THE DEATHDAY LETTER. Drawing to be held on May 1st. He's also up today in the blog chain, so be sure to check out his post. :)
4. Sarahjayne Smythe at Writing in the Wilderness is giving away awesome gift cards to celebrate reaching 150 followers. Ends April 30th.
5. Awesome contest over at GotYA. Enter to win a 30-page critique from Taylor Martindale of Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. Ends April 30th.
6. Rachel Bateman is giving away signed copies of THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH by Carrie Ryan, AS YOU WISH by Jackson Pierce, and THE SECRET YEAR by Jennifer Hubbard. Ends April 30th.
7. Stina and Steena are having a joint contest to win some cool stuff, including gift cards! Ends May 3rd.
8. Terresa Wellborn at The Chocolate Chip Waffle is having a fun contest to win some cute hair bows. Ends May 3rd.
I know there are more, but this post is getting SO long. These are the ones that I know of that are ending soon. I'll do another post next week with more.
1. Lilah Pierce is hosting the Last Line Blogfest on Saturday, May 1st. If you haven't signed up yet, there's still time.
2. Charity Bradford is hosting the Baking Blogfest on Saturday, May 1st. Post your favorite cooking scene. :)
3. Raquel Byrnes is hosting the Primal Scream Blogfest on Wednesday, May 5th. Post your most heart pumping scene.
4. Andrew Rosenberg (Iapetus999) is hosting the Bad Girl Blogfest on Friday, May 7th.
5. Mia is hosting the Deleted Scene Blogfest on Monday, May 10th.
6. The Alliterative Allomorph is hosting the Internal Conflict Blogfest on Wednesday, May 12th.
7. Critique This is hosting the Flirt Fest Blogfest on Sunday, May 16th.
8. Roni at Fiction Groupie is hosting the Let's Talk Blogfest on Tuesday, May 18th. This is your chance to show off your awesome dialogue skills. :)
9. Katie M. Stout is hosting the Man, I Love College Blogfest on Wednesday, May 19th.
10. Bryan is hosting the Logline/Hook Line Blogfest on Saturday, May 22nd.
11. Amalia is hosting the Dream Sequence Blogfest on Friday, June 4th.
Did I miss any? If you want me to add something, let me know in the comments or email me using the Contact link above. :)
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Like a Gazillion Contests and a Blogfest
First, I want to say thanks to Laurel at Laurel's Leaves and Sarah McClung at The Babbling Flow of a Fledgling Scribbler. I recently won prizes on both of their blogs. :) Thanks, ladies!
Now for the contests. These really stacked up while I was unplugged, so there are a TON, but some really cool prizes are being given away so be sure to check them all out.
And I think my spacebar is going out on my keyboard (ACK!) so I hope it doesn't crap out on me before I'm finished. Otherwise, things might get a little difficult to read. ;)
1. Christine Danek at Christine's Journey is having a contest to celebrate reaching 100 followers and she's giving away a copy of Hooked by Les Edgerton, a $10 gift card for B&N or Amazon, plus some other really cool stuff. If you're a new follower over there, be sure to let her know I sent you. HURRY! THIS ONE ENDS TODAY.
2. Hilary Wagner is having a contest to celebrate reaching 300 followers and the prizes include a critique or a phone call from her agent, Marietta Zacker! But that's not all. Be sure to check it out. HURRY! ENDS THURSDAY, APRIL 8TH.
3. Danyelle Leafty is giving away a copy of The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy. HURRY! ENDS THURSDAY, APRIL 8TH.
4. Talli Roland is giving away some cool stuff, including an Amazon gift card, to celebrate reaching 112 followers. Ends Monday, April 12th.
5. Jackee at Winded Words is having a Wonderful Won-hundred Followers Party and giving away a gift basket. Ends Saturday, April 10th.
6. And don't miss Lisa and Laura's Totally Epic 500 Follower Contest. They're giving away a ton of awesome prizes, but you have to pick a side. :) Go check it out.
7. Roxy at a woman's write is giving away a $50 Nordstrom's gift card and two $25 B&N cards to celebrate her blogging buddies. Tons of ways to earn extra entries. Ends Friday, April 16th.
8. Susan Fields is having a contest to celebrate reaching 100 followers. She's giving away three gift cards ($30, $20, and $10) to either Barnes & Noble or Borders (your choice). Ends April 24th.
9. Beth Revis is giving away a SIGNED copy of Inside Out by Maria Snyder, plus cool bookmarks. Ends April 10th.
10. The First Novels Club is also giving away a SIGNED copy of Inside Out by Maria Snyder. Ends April 12th.
11. Don't miss Stepanie Thornton's Motherload Contest. She's giving away three books and a Roman coin! Ends April 11th.
12. Shannon Messenger at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe is having a contest to celebrate signing with an agent. Congrats Shannon! She's giving away six book to SIX WINNERS! Be sure to check it out. Ends Saturday, April 10th.
13. Nisa at Wordplay, Swordplay is giving away a cool prize package. Winner announced April 12th.
14. Lady Glamis at The Innocent Flower is having a short story contest. Prizes include manuscript critiques and gift cards. Ends June 1st.
Blogfest: Lilah Pierce is hosting the Last Line Blogfest on May 1st. And don't let the name fool you. It doesn't have to be the last line of your story. It can be the last line of any scene or chapter and you can include a few lines that come before. Be sure to check it out.
Wow. That's a lot.
And Karen's contest at Novel's During Naptime is still going, so be sure to enter if you haven't, and if you're hosting a contest and I missed you, let me and I'll add you to the list.
Have a great Wednesday, everyone! :)
Now for the contests. These really stacked up while I was unplugged, so there are a TON, but some really cool prizes are being given away so be sure to check them all out.
And I think my spacebar is going out on my keyboard (ACK!) so I hope it doesn't crap out on me before I'm finished. Otherwise, things might get a little difficult to read. ;)
1. Christine Danek at Christine's Journey is having a contest to celebrate reaching 100 followers and she's giving away a copy of Hooked by Les Edgerton, a $10 gift card for B&N or Amazon, plus some other really cool stuff. If you're a new follower over there, be sure to let her know I sent you. HURRY! THIS ONE ENDS TODAY.
2. Hilary Wagner is having a contest to celebrate reaching 300 followers and the prizes include a critique or a phone call from her agent, Marietta Zacker! But that's not all. Be sure to check it out. HURRY! ENDS THURSDAY, APRIL 8TH.
3. Danyelle Leafty is giving away a copy of The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy. HURRY! ENDS THURSDAY, APRIL 8TH.
4. Talli Roland is giving away some cool stuff, including an Amazon gift card, to celebrate reaching 112 followers. Ends Monday, April 12th.
5. Jackee at Winded Words is having a Wonderful Won-hundred Followers Party and giving away a gift basket. Ends Saturday, April 10th.
6. And don't miss Lisa and Laura's Totally Epic 500 Follower Contest. They're giving away a ton of awesome prizes, but you have to pick a side. :) Go check it out.
7. Roxy at a woman's write is giving away a $50 Nordstrom's gift card and two $25 B&N cards to celebrate her blogging buddies. Tons of ways to earn extra entries. Ends Friday, April 16th.
8. Susan Fields is having a contest to celebrate reaching 100 followers. She's giving away three gift cards ($30, $20, and $10) to either Barnes & Noble or Borders (your choice). Ends April 24th.
9. Beth Revis is giving away a SIGNED copy of Inside Out by Maria Snyder, plus cool bookmarks. Ends April 10th.
10. The First Novels Club is also giving away a SIGNED copy of Inside Out by Maria Snyder. Ends April 12th.
11. Don't miss Stepanie Thornton's Motherload Contest. She's giving away three books and a Roman coin! Ends April 11th.
12. Shannon Messenger at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe is having a contest to celebrate signing with an agent. Congrats Shannon! She's giving away six book to SIX WINNERS! Be sure to check it out. Ends Saturday, April 10th.
13. Nisa at Wordplay, Swordplay is giving away a cool prize package. Winner announced April 12th.
14. Lady Glamis at The Innocent Flower is having a short story contest. Prizes include manuscript critiques and gift cards. Ends June 1st.
Blogfest: Lilah Pierce is hosting the Last Line Blogfest on May 1st. And don't let the name fool you. It doesn't have to be the last line of your story. It can be the last line of any scene or chapter and you can include a few lines that come before. Be sure to check it out.
Wow. That's a lot.
And Karen's contest at Novel's During Naptime is still going, so be sure to enter if you haven't, and if you're hosting a contest and I missed you, let me and I'll add you to the list.
Have a great Wednesday, everyone! :)
Friday, April 2, 2010
First Page Blogfest
It's blogfest time! This is the first page of my novel, Embrol. Be sure to follow the link below to Kelly Lyman's blog and check out the other posts. :)
-------------
1 The End
Three seconds. That’s how long it took for my life to end.
Well, it was an end of sorts. And it might’ve taken longer. I suppose it depends on which point was the actual end. Some might say it was the first or second or third time I died. For me, it was the moment I saw that truck barreling toward us. A girl really should have better memories of her eighteenth birthday.
The day started gray—beautiful and dark. A rare occurrence in Mesa, Arizona, and my absolute favorite kind of day. Okay, so it actually started with a stomach ache, but I did my best to ignore the lump in my gut as I walked to my locker after second period. I always had that something-isn’t-right feeling on the days I officially became a year older, but something about this year was different, though I couldn’t figure out what.
“How’s my favorite redhead on this lovely December morning?” Trevor hooked his arm around my neck and gave me his cheesiest grin. Fat drops began to fall from the sky, drumming the metal roof and muffling the chatter of the students filling the outdoor locker area.
I popped two more antacids in my mouth and slammed my locker shut, catching the tip of my finger. “Dang it! Lovely December morning?” I said, sucking on my finger. “What are you? Forty?”
“Not cool, Livy. You make me promise to be nice and when I do, all I get is crap from you?”
“Yeah. Nice for one day. That’s it. Not a complete personality change. I love you just the way you are.” Those words came out more from habit than anything else, but I regretted them as soon as they left my lips.
“Heh. That was way easier than I thought it would be.” His hand curled around my upper arm, and he let out a high-pitched whistle that made me wish I didn’t have ears. About a million heads swung toward us.
If only I could melt into the concrete on demand.
---------------
That's it! :) Check out the others here.
-------------
1 The End
Three seconds. That’s how long it took for my life to end.
Well, it was an end of sorts. And it might’ve taken longer. I suppose it depends on which point was the actual end. Some might say it was the first or second or third time I died. For me, it was the moment I saw that truck barreling toward us. A girl really should have better memories of her eighteenth birthday.
The day started gray—beautiful and dark. A rare occurrence in Mesa, Arizona, and my absolute favorite kind of day. Okay, so it actually started with a stomach ache, but I did my best to ignore the lump in my gut as I walked to my locker after second period. I always had that something-isn’t-right feeling on the days I officially became a year older, but something about this year was different, though I couldn’t figure out what.
“How’s my favorite redhead on this lovely December morning?” Trevor hooked his arm around my neck and gave me his cheesiest grin. Fat drops began to fall from the sky, drumming the metal roof and muffling the chatter of the students filling the outdoor locker area.
I popped two more antacids in my mouth and slammed my locker shut, catching the tip of my finger. “Dang it! Lovely December morning?” I said, sucking on my finger. “What are you? Forty?”
“Not cool, Livy. You make me promise to be nice and when I do, all I get is crap from you?”
“Yeah. Nice for one day. That’s it. Not a complete personality change. I love you just the way you are.” Those words came out more from habit than anything else, but I regretted them as soon as they left my lips.
“Heh. That was way easier than I thought it would be.” His hand curled around my upper arm, and he let out a high-pitched whistle that made me wish I didn’t have ears. About a million heads swung toward us.
If only I could melt into the concrete on demand.
---------------
That's it! :) Check out the others here.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Yes. More Contests. You Guys Tired of These Posts? Keep 'Em Coming?
I've been sort of offline (mostly lurking) this week, trying to be good and get some words down. I got a little bit done, but not nearly enough. Next week, I will be unplugging completely, so I won't be posting or commenting or reading. {:-( Except for the First Page Blogfest next Friday. There's still time to sign up and join in the fun. My 4,107th version of my opening will be up. Okay, so maybe there aren't that many versions, but I really have lost count of how many times I've rewritten it.
Now for the good stuff. :D
1. Sarah at Falen Formulates Fiction is having a writing contest to celebrate reaching 100 followers and she's giving away a ton of cool stuff! HURRY! This one ends today! (March 26th)
2. Karen at Novels During Naptime is having a fun Spring giveaway to celebrate reaching 101 Followers. She's giving away some very cute office supplies! I don't know about you, but I LOVE office supplies. Ends April 17th. Be sure to let her know I sent you. :)
3. Jennifer at Unedited is giving away THREE $10 gift cards for Amazon to celebrate her birthday and reaching 300 followers. Ends March 29th.
4. Frankie Diane at Frankie Writes is having a contest to celebrate reaching 400 followers and she's giving away personalized, signed copy of The Body Finder plus other fabulous goodies! Be sure to let her know I sent you. Ends March 30th.
5. Several of the contests I blogged about last week are still going, so be sure to check those out if you haven't yet.
UPDATE:
6. Fun giveaway by Summer at And This Time, Concentrate... to celebrate completing her novel. Ends March 31st.
That's it. Have a great week, everyone! See you all next Friday! :)
Now for the good stuff. :D
1. Sarah at Falen Formulates Fiction is having a writing contest to celebrate reaching 100 followers and she's giving away a ton of cool stuff! HURRY! This one ends today! (March 26th)
2. Karen at Novels During Naptime is having a fun Spring giveaway to celebrate reaching 101 Followers. She's giving away some very cute office supplies! I don't know about you, but I LOVE office supplies. Ends April 17th. Be sure to let her know I sent you. :)
3. Jennifer at Unedited is giving away THREE $10 gift cards for Amazon to celebrate her birthday and reaching 300 followers. Ends March 29th.
4. Frankie Diane at Frankie Writes is having a contest to celebrate reaching 400 followers and she's giving away personalized, signed copy of The Body Finder plus other fabulous goodies! Be sure to let her know I sent you. Ends March 30th.
5. Several of the contests I blogged about last week are still going, so be sure to check those out if you haven't yet.
UPDATE:
6. Fun giveaway by Summer at And This Time, Concentrate... to celebrate completing her novel. Ends March 31st.
That's it. Have a great week, everyone! See you all next Friday! :)
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Fight Scene Blogfest!
I was really sad I missed out on the kiss and almost-kiss blogfests. All the good stuff always happens when I'm gone. Boohoo. I know. Poor me. ;)
So I'm excited that I get to participate in the Fight Scene Blogfest. Thanks for the linkage, Tere!
This is a scene from my old version of EMBROL, so I'm not totally happy with the writing. Though I don't seem to be happy with much of my writing lately, so yeah. We'll save that discussion for another day.
Just a little background: The heroine, Olivia, has gone to the hospital to visit her friend who was injured by the bad guy, even though Jack (the hero) is certain the bad guy, Kole, will be there waiting for her and says he won't allow her to go. Besides being furious with Jack for trying to control her, her loyalty to her friend supersedes any fear she might have of Kole, and she sneaks out of the house without Jack's knowledge. She is just discovering her powers and is not equipped to protect herself against someone with training. This scene starts as she reaches the parking lot after visiting her friend. Her best friend, Amber, is supposed to be waiting for her to drive her back to Jack's house.
****
At first, I didn’t see the man standing in front of Amber, hidden by the van next to her truck. She looked like she was talking to someone, but I thought she was on her cell phone.
I waved my arm, trying to get her attention. “Amber?”
She spun around, her eyes wide, terrified. That’s when I noticed him. Tall and dark, his black eyes full of cruelty and hatred. I took an involuntary step back. Kole.
Amber took a step toward me. “Run, Li—”
Kole slammed her head into the side of the truck without even touching her. Her limp body slumped to the ground.
Before I could react, an iridescent strand of air flew out from his hand, expanding to envelop a car twenty feet away in a thin, shimmering sheet of air. The car hurtled toward me. Abrupt movement to my right drew my attention. A second car flew up and collided with the first, pushing it away from me at the last possible second. I jumped out of the way, but not before it grazed my arm, knocking me flat on my back. The cars crashed down with a resounding crunch of metal and glass not far from where Kole stood near Amber’s truck. A sudden, steady pulse of blaring car alarms filled the air. My chest tightened at the thought of Amber being in the line of that. I had to get her away from there.
A warm stickiness slid down my right arm. A long, deep gash ran along the top of it. I glanced around as I pulled myself up on my hands and knees, my shoulder throbbing with every movement. He was nowhere in sight. I clambered to my feet and ducked behind a nearby van, falling to my knees again.
I crawled along the ground, struggling to catch my breath, and listened for his approach. I was exhausted, like I’d been running for miles with no rest. My heart pounded in my ears, and gasoline fumes burned my nose with each erratic breath. I fought to calm down, to get a better assessment of the situation.
The car alarms abruptly ceased, leaving complete silence. My throat constricted at the sound of quick footsteps.
A man in a security uniform stepped around the front of the van, holding a stun gun. “Are you okay? You need to get out of here. There was an explosion or something. It’s not safe.”
I shook my head and shooed him away. “You need to get out of here.” I nodded toward the stun gun. “That thing isn’t going to help you.”
“Come out, Olivia.” Kole’s deep voice had a singsong quality to it. It made my skin crawl. “Let’s finish this. Then I’ll leave your insignificant human friends alone. You’re only hurting them by remaining hidden.”
The security guard inched toward me.
“Go,” I whispered. “Please.” Tears of frustration poured down my face. What have I done coming here?
The security guard tugged on my arm, refusing to leave without me. I fell back as the van lifted into the air.
Kole’s lips curled up as he wound a shimmering strand of air around the man’s neck. A shiver went through me at the sound of bones cracking.
“Stop! Please!” I reached out, without thought, and struck Kole with a wall of air, knocking him back. The van crashed to the ground less than two feet from me. The realization came to me that I’d been the one to block the car he tried to kill me with. Every time I used my powers, I felt more drained, and my energy was fading quickly.
I ran to the man’s crumpled body and placed my fingers on his neck. The faintest pulse beat against my fingers. Relief flooded through me. I delved deeper, repairing the damage to his neck and his windpipe. His eyes didn’t open, but his pulse was stronger. I stood, hoping I’d done enough to save him. My head swam with exhaustion. I found a hiding place behind another car a little closer to Amber. The smell of gasoline was stronger there. I looked down to see it pooling around my feet.
Slipping around the front of the car, I made my way to Amber. I tried to be quiet, but my feet sloshed as I walked through the ever growing puddle. I kept my body low as I came around the front of her truck. Amber lay unconscious, her clothes drenched with gas. She had a long cut down the side of her face and her blood mixed with the fuel, making a swirling red halo around her head. I squatted and lifted her head, placing my fingers on her neck. Her pulse was weak but present, and her chest rose and fell with breath, much to my relief.
I put my hand to the wound on her face and felt for the damage. The bone wasn’t broken, but the wound extended high up into her hair, and I could feel the swelling on the inside of her skull. I closed my eyes, repeating what I’d done earlier with Jack. When I opened my eyes the wound was closed. Amber stared up at me.
I put my finger to my lips and motioned for her to get up. “We have to get out of here.”
“What is going on, Livy?” She stumbled getting to her feet.
“I’ll explain everything, but I can’t do it here. Just stay behind me.”
She looked so confused, but there was nothing to do about it. Our only hope now was escape. Everything else could wait. Sirens sounded in the distance. I have to stop him before he hurts anyone else. But how?
“You’re a lot stronger than I anticipated, you little twit.” Kole growled every word as he came around the back of the truck. “But I knew the stupid humans would be your weakness.”
“What do you want? Why are you here?” He must have some vulnerability. I need more time. The sirens grew steadily closer.
“I want you dead. I thought I’d made that clear.” His mouth turned up into a sinister smile, and excitement shone in his dark eyes as he stepped closer to me. “But first, let’s have a little fun.” He pointed his finger at the sky and a tiny green flame appeared above it.
Amber cowered behind me. “That’s not possible.”
“Please, don’t hurt her.” I put my arm out, as if that would somehow protect her. “You can have me. I’ll do whatever you want. Just let her go.”
“But don’t you see, Olivia?” The cold amusement in his voice swept over me in a wave of nausea, washing away any remaining hope to stop him. “The only thing I want from you is your life, and I can take that right now. So why would I give up a little bit of fun in exchange for something I already have?” He pointed his finger at the ground and fire shot out, igniting the gasoline.
In half a second, it seemed the whole parking lot was on fire. Amber screamed in agony as the flames moved up her gasoline soaked pants almost to her waist. Before my weary brain could process what was happening, the fire sucked away and pulled into a tight ball around Kole, engulfing him.
“Let’s go.” Jack’s furious voice never sounded so perfect. “We don’t have much time.” He grumbled something incoherent at the sight of my bloody arm but didn’t say anything else.
Amber whimpered and writhed in pain as Jack lifted her. Most of her pants had been burned away and severe burns coated her legs. I stayed close as I followed him to his truck, turning back only once to see Kole, still surrounded by flames. He’d formed some sort of shield to protect his body from the heat and watched us through the flames as we climbed into the truck.
Amber shivered and moaned next to me, her face twisting with pain. I placed my hand on her leg, and she screamed.
“Don’t touch it, Livy! It hurts! Please, don’t! Just take me into the hospital.” Her cries rang in my ears as Jack tore out of the hospital parking lot. Seconds later, three police cars and a fire truck came wailing around the corner ahead of us.
“I’m sorry, Amber.” Tears flowed down my face. I closed my eyes, trying to block out her shrieking and imagined the tissue repairing itself. It took much longer than any of the other healing I’d done, but when I forced my eyes open, her skin was smooth and unscarred.
Amber panted, watching me with a horrified expression. “What did you just do?”
“I fixed you.” My voice sounded exactly as I felt—drained, like I hadn’t slept in days.
“What do you mean, you fixed me?” She looked so confused.
I’d have to explain everything. She deserved that much after everything that happened, but I couldn’t think of where to begin.
“I’m sorry, Jack.” I leaned against his arm. I just needed to rest for a minute before I did anything else. The need for sleep overwhelmed me, and I quickly slipped into unconsciousness.
****
That's it! Thanks for reading. Be sure to check out the rest, linked here.
So I'm excited that I get to participate in the Fight Scene Blogfest. Thanks for the linkage, Tere!
This is a scene from my old version of EMBROL, so I'm not totally happy with the writing. Though I don't seem to be happy with much of my writing lately, so yeah. We'll save that discussion for another day.
Just a little background: The heroine, Olivia, has gone to the hospital to visit her friend who was injured by the bad guy, even though Jack (the hero) is certain the bad guy, Kole, will be there waiting for her and says he won't allow her to go. Besides being furious with Jack for trying to control her, her loyalty to her friend supersedes any fear she might have of Kole, and she sneaks out of the house without Jack's knowledge. She is just discovering her powers and is not equipped to protect herself against someone with training. This scene starts as she reaches the parking lot after visiting her friend. Her best friend, Amber, is supposed to be waiting for her to drive her back to Jack's house.
****
At first, I didn’t see the man standing in front of Amber, hidden by the van next to her truck. She looked like she was talking to someone, but I thought she was on her cell phone.
I waved my arm, trying to get her attention. “Amber?”
She spun around, her eyes wide, terrified. That’s when I noticed him. Tall and dark, his black eyes full of cruelty and hatred. I took an involuntary step back. Kole.
Amber took a step toward me. “Run, Li—”
Kole slammed her head into the side of the truck without even touching her. Her limp body slumped to the ground.
Before I could react, an iridescent strand of air flew out from his hand, expanding to envelop a car twenty feet away in a thin, shimmering sheet of air. The car hurtled toward me. Abrupt movement to my right drew my attention. A second car flew up and collided with the first, pushing it away from me at the last possible second. I jumped out of the way, but not before it grazed my arm, knocking me flat on my back. The cars crashed down with a resounding crunch of metal and glass not far from where Kole stood near Amber’s truck. A sudden, steady pulse of blaring car alarms filled the air. My chest tightened at the thought of Amber being in the line of that. I had to get her away from there.
A warm stickiness slid down my right arm. A long, deep gash ran along the top of it. I glanced around as I pulled myself up on my hands and knees, my shoulder throbbing with every movement. He was nowhere in sight. I clambered to my feet and ducked behind a nearby van, falling to my knees again.
I crawled along the ground, struggling to catch my breath, and listened for his approach. I was exhausted, like I’d been running for miles with no rest. My heart pounded in my ears, and gasoline fumes burned my nose with each erratic breath. I fought to calm down, to get a better assessment of the situation.
The car alarms abruptly ceased, leaving complete silence. My throat constricted at the sound of quick footsteps.
A man in a security uniform stepped around the front of the van, holding a stun gun. “Are you okay? You need to get out of here. There was an explosion or something. It’s not safe.”
I shook my head and shooed him away. “You need to get out of here.” I nodded toward the stun gun. “That thing isn’t going to help you.”
“Come out, Olivia.” Kole’s deep voice had a singsong quality to it. It made my skin crawl. “Let’s finish this. Then I’ll leave your insignificant human friends alone. You’re only hurting them by remaining hidden.”
The security guard inched toward me.
“Go,” I whispered. “Please.” Tears of frustration poured down my face. What have I done coming here?
The security guard tugged on my arm, refusing to leave without me. I fell back as the van lifted into the air.
Kole’s lips curled up as he wound a shimmering strand of air around the man’s neck. A shiver went through me at the sound of bones cracking.
“Stop! Please!” I reached out, without thought, and struck Kole with a wall of air, knocking him back. The van crashed to the ground less than two feet from me. The realization came to me that I’d been the one to block the car he tried to kill me with. Every time I used my powers, I felt more drained, and my energy was fading quickly.
I ran to the man’s crumpled body and placed my fingers on his neck. The faintest pulse beat against my fingers. Relief flooded through me. I delved deeper, repairing the damage to his neck and his windpipe. His eyes didn’t open, but his pulse was stronger. I stood, hoping I’d done enough to save him. My head swam with exhaustion. I found a hiding place behind another car a little closer to Amber. The smell of gasoline was stronger there. I looked down to see it pooling around my feet.
Slipping around the front of the car, I made my way to Amber. I tried to be quiet, but my feet sloshed as I walked through the ever growing puddle. I kept my body low as I came around the front of her truck. Amber lay unconscious, her clothes drenched with gas. She had a long cut down the side of her face and her blood mixed with the fuel, making a swirling red halo around her head. I squatted and lifted her head, placing my fingers on her neck. Her pulse was weak but present, and her chest rose and fell with breath, much to my relief.
I put my hand to the wound on her face and felt for the damage. The bone wasn’t broken, but the wound extended high up into her hair, and I could feel the swelling on the inside of her skull. I closed my eyes, repeating what I’d done earlier with Jack. When I opened my eyes the wound was closed. Amber stared up at me.
I put my finger to my lips and motioned for her to get up. “We have to get out of here.”
“What is going on, Livy?” She stumbled getting to her feet.
“I’ll explain everything, but I can’t do it here. Just stay behind me.”
She looked so confused, but there was nothing to do about it. Our only hope now was escape. Everything else could wait. Sirens sounded in the distance. I have to stop him before he hurts anyone else. But how?
“You’re a lot stronger than I anticipated, you little twit.” Kole growled every word as he came around the back of the truck. “But I knew the stupid humans would be your weakness.”
“What do you want? Why are you here?” He must have some vulnerability. I need more time. The sirens grew steadily closer.
“I want you dead. I thought I’d made that clear.” His mouth turned up into a sinister smile, and excitement shone in his dark eyes as he stepped closer to me. “But first, let’s have a little fun.” He pointed his finger at the sky and a tiny green flame appeared above it.
Amber cowered behind me. “That’s not possible.”
“Please, don’t hurt her.” I put my arm out, as if that would somehow protect her. “You can have me. I’ll do whatever you want. Just let her go.”
“But don’t you see, Olivia?” The cold amusement in his voice swept over me in a wave of nausea, washing away any remaining hope to stop him. “The only thing I want from you is your life, and I can take that right now. So why would I give up a little bit of fun in exchange for something I already have?” He pointed his finger at the ground and fire shot out, igniting the gasoline.
In half a second, it seemed the whole parking lot was on fire. Amber screamed in agony as the flames moved up her gasoline soaked pants almost to her waist. Before my weary brain could process what was happening, the fire sucked away and pulled into a tight ball around Kole, engulfing him.
“Let’s go.” Jack’s furious voice never sounded so perfect. “We don’t have much time.” He grumbled something incoherent at the sight of my bloody arm but didn’t say anything else.
Amber whimpered and writhed in pain as Jack lifted her. Most of her pants had been burned away and severe burns coated her legs. I stayed close as I followed him to his truck, turning back only once to see Kole, still surrounded by flames. He’d formed some sort of shield to protect his body from the heat and watched us through the flames as we climbed into the truck.
Amber shivered and moaned next to me, her face twisting with pain. I placed my hand on her leg, and she screamed.
“Don’t touch it, Livy! It hurts! Please, don’t! Just take me into the hospital.” Her cries rang in my ears as Jack tore out of the hospital parking lot. Seconds later, three police cars and a fire truck came wailing around the corner ahead of us.
“I’m sorry, Amber.” Tears flowed down my face. I closed my eyes, trying to block out her shrieking and imagined the tissue repairing itself. It took much longer than any of the other healing I’d done, but when I forced my eyes open, her skin was smooth and unscarred.
Amber panted, watching me with a horrified expression. “What did you just do?”
“I fixed you.” My voice sounded exactly as I felt—drained, like I hadn’t slept in days.
“What do you mean, you fixed me?” She looked so confused.
I’d have to explain everything. She deserved that much after everything that happened, but I couldn’t think of where to begin.
“I’m sorry, Jack.” I leaned against his arm. I just needed to rest for a minute before I did anything else. The need for sleep overwhelmed me, and I quickly slipped into unconsciousness.
****
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