Friday, September 2, 2011

Blog Chain: It's Writing Time!


It's blog chain time again already! This round started just yesterday with Christine.
Since we are all writers, I thought it was about time for us to stretch our creative muscles and do a little writing. So, take the following topic and go crazy! Show us what you've got. Your story can be as long or as short as you choose. 
 The topic: A dark and stormy night.
This is a possible scene from my currently on the back burner WIP, Descent. I say possible because most of it is still in my head and the plot is unclear at this point. I know it's rough. I just whipped it out this afternoon, so I apologize in advance if it's awful. I can never be objective about something I've just written.
 ***** 
I winced as a branch slid off Ethan and snapped me in the face. Again.
“Almost there,” he said for the thousandth time. Apparently, he only thought he knew where we were going. “Sorry it’s taking so long, Brynn. I’ve never hiked it in the dark.”
Another apology. He should change his name to Repeat. I took a deep breath. My crappy situation wasn’t his fault. Unfortunately for him, he just happened to be in the line of fire. And he was being way too nice about it.
“It’s okay,” I said, forcing a tight smile. “You’re sure Luke’s there? Because if he’s not…” Out of money and things to sell, this was my last chance. If Luke wasn’t there, I couldn’t afford to get home. Not that there was any reason to go back without him.
“He’s there.” Ethan put his arm around my shoulders—like he’d known me more than four hours—and gave me a half-hug. “Maybe seeing you will help him remember something.”
“Maybe.” I slipped out from under his arm and trudged ahead. If Luke really had memory loss, that would explain why he never came home, but it still stung that he could forget me so easily.
“So…” Ethan said, stumbling behind me. Good thing we didn’t need to be quiet. “Are you like Luke?”
“What do you mean, like Luke?”
“Uh, you know…”
I did know, but I didn’t want to talk about with him.
He cleared his throat. “Can you fly?”
“No.” We all had unique abilities, but that was none of Ethan’s business. If Luke wanted to tell random strangers he could fly, that was his choice.
The path ended abruptly, opening into a clearing in front of a small, wooden building. It was completely dark except for one narrow window illuminated by a dim, flickering light. I peered through the glass, my whole body trembling, and there he was, staring into the fire.
Luke was alive. A weight I hadn’t noticed slipped from my shoulders.
“You wanna…?” Ethan stopped behind me as a cute brunette walked into the room. “What’s Daisy doing here?”
Daisy? She wrapped her arms around Luke’s waist. He didn’t hesitate before he returned the embrace and kissed her on the forehead.
I barely noticed the biting wind that picked up, swirling around Ethan and me. A distant thought told me this was something I should be concerned about, but all I could see was Luke with that girl. He glanced up at the ceiling as freezing rain began to drum the metal roof. It quickly turned into a downpour, drenching me in seconds.
Ethan tugged on my arm, saying something about going inside, but I didn’t really hear him. I just stared, unable to move, as Luke pulled Daisy closer. How could he forget me so completely? Thunder rumbled in the distance. She slipped her hands into his dark hair and pulled his lips to hers.
Lightning struck a tree to my right. Then the tiny porch. That got their attention. And mine.
“Crap,” I mumbled.
“What the hell?” Ethan backed away from me, pointing at the tiny arcs of electricity crackling over my fingers. “You are like him.”
*****
Thanks for reading!
Want to participate? Feel free to take the topic and post your own story on your blog. Be sure to leave me a link so I can check it out. 
Don't miss Amparo's post tomorrow. :) 
Have a great weekend, everyone! 

Photo credit

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Blog Chain: Changes in Publishing

The blog chain is back! This round was started by Sandra. She asked:

Have the recent changes in the publishing industry affected your writing plans/career? If so, how?

At this point, I'm going to say no. I haven't queried anything in quite a while, so I'm still in that delusional "I'm going to get published no matter what, because I'm awesome" mindset. Well, most days anyway. Today isn't one of those days, but yesterday was, so I'm sure I'll get back to that soon.

I'm really close to the end of my rewrites, so maybe I'll change my mind later, but for now I'm hoping to go the traditional route. Besides, I want to be able to hold my book, and I really want to see my book on a shelf in a bookstore with a pretty hardcover. Aim high, right? ;)

So what about you? Have the changes in publishing affected your writing plans?

Be sure to check out Christine's post from yesterday and Amparo's tomorrow. :)

Friday, August 26, 2011

Totally Random Friday: Tagged

I've been tagged by the very awesome Rebecca Knight. The rules state I have to tell you 10 random facts about myself and then tag four other bloggers. I've done this a few times before, so it was harder than I expected to come up with some new stuff, but here's what I got:

1. I'm left-handed, but I still feel more natural doing a lot of things with my right hand. Like throwing a ball or a punch. Or shooting a rifle. Tennis. Serving the ball in volleyball. Though I do bat and play miniature golf left-handed.

2. #1 makes me sound like an athletic person, which is really funny, because I'm about as far from athletic (and coordinated) as a person can get.

3. When I was in fifth grade I wrote a report on... um... I don't remember what it was about, but I was particularly proud of the writing. My teacher returned it with a lot of red marks and the words "Don't copy from the book" (I didn't, jerk teacher) written in big letters across the top. Turned me off on putting any effort into anything I wrote for a very long time.

4. I love paper. Especially the particularly heavy paper that feels all soft and smooth between my fingers. And scrapbook paper. I think the only reason I ever started scrapbooking was so I would have an excuse to buy the paper, because it always made me sad to have to cut it up and actually, you know, scrapbook. ;)

5. Same with books. I enjoy reading them, but I LOVE the way they look on my shelf. :)

6. I met my husband when I was nineteen at a Beastie Boys concert. Dated for two months. Engaged for three months. We'll be very happily married sixteen years in November.

7. When I was a kid, my brother and sister and I started a band called Electric Zodiac. Our instruments: the flute and the piano. Totally rockin', right? We were going to learn how to play the guitar and the drums. Someday. Maybe. For some reason we never actually made any music. ;)

8. Also when I was a kid, my brother and sister and I decided we were going to write a book. I don't think we ever made it past "It was a dark and stormy night." Yeah. Awesome.

9. I prefer to eat fried chicken cold, the day after it's made.

10. If I'm listening to music on shuffle, it drives me crazy when someone scrolls through and selects a specific song, interrupting the shuffle. Feels like they're messing with the natural order of things.

And that's it. Super exciting stuff, I know. Okay, now for the taggees. I'm going to pick on some of my newest bloggy friends:

AveryMarsh
Katrina Lantz
JRuud
Rachel Brooks

Happy Friday, everyone! :)

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Brain Science According to the Experts

I was going to do a Word Tip Wednesday post today, but I'm too lazy. And with my kids home it would probably take me a solid ten hours (not exaggerating) to put it together, so I'll wait. School starts Monday, so next week, for sure. :)

This episode of Look Around You goes along with the post I did on Monday, and though it's absolutely ridiculous, it's too awesomely hilarious not to share. Enjoy!



Happy Wednesday, everyone! :)

Monday, August 22, 2011

WANTED: Stream of Consciousness Recorder


Recorder should be especially accurate in capturing the perfect phrasing for my query letter that runs through my mind right before I fall asleep. I need it as soon as possible, so if you have a Stream of Consciousness Recorder I can borrow or you know where I can get one, please let me know in the comments. ;)