Thought of the moment....

No matter how hard you try, you will NEVER control anyone else's attitudes, actions, or outcomes. The only person that you have the ability to directly impact is you, and it is your responsibility to learn how to do just that...to utilize the knowledge, skills, and abilities you have been given to impact the world in the most positive way that you can EVERY chance you get!



Friday, October 29, 2010

Crutch pt 2

I started writing something new and posted a snippet of it on Wednesday, but usually post on Fridays anyway...so for the weekend I am going to post another mini-installment of Crutch. Each post is around 300 words. I apologize in advance for any violence or language that may be offensive to my readers...but this is me.


     When Tess pulled the car in the drive the house looked vacant. All but the dim light shining in the living room window shadowed behind the drawn curtains. That is the way he like them – closed.  So the neighbors nor anyone driving by could see what went on behind them.
 
     Aaron didn’t always used to be like this. A car accident five years ago took the real Aaron away. The one who used to buy her cards for every occasion and none in particular. He was injured with sever head injuries that he was never capable to overcome.
 
     Somehow a switch inside his brain flipped and now he bounces between his own alternate worlds. One where he is controlled and behaves properly when he takes his medications properly and is not over-stimulated by the children or life in general.
 
     The other he become a monster who loves to belittle the entire family until he makes everyone cower down to him – especially Tess. He’s his own Jekyll and Hyde. When he is Jekyll he is fine to be around, but when he is Hyde…you do just that.
 
     It took Tess several minutes before she had enough confidence to shut the engine off and step out of the car. She left the keys in the ignition just in case she would need to make a quick departure.
 
     She slowly walked up the path toward the door and reached for the handle and froze looking through the window for any kind of movement. She wasn’t sure that she was brave enough for a confrontation but would interact if she had to.
 
     Her heart was racing, the pounding was so loud in her ears it made it impossible to hear anything else. A lump formed in her throat, she couldn’t swallow. She gripped the handle firmly and started to twist it until the latch clicked.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Write It Out Wednesday -- Crutch pt 1

Ok I am trying something new today and am disclosing a little snippet of work that I don't normally do. I apologize if anyone is offended by content or language. I also do not guarantee that I will post something every Wednesday, but will try. Enjoy!


  “Where’s the money, Tess?” His breath was heavy in the phone.

     She knew that the answer didn’t matter. She knew the minute she moved the money out of his reach that she signed her own death warrant but she no longer cared. She was tired. Tired of him being able to control her. Holding money over her head as her only means of survival, crippling her without it. Making her need him around to help support her.

     “It’s safe.” Her voice quavered a little. Letting out a small sigh and bringing her chin up she tried to sound stern. “You’re obsessed with the money, Aaron. It’s always about the money. I am not going to let you control me with it anymore.”

     “I’m not obsessed, that’s ridiculous. It’s not your money. It’s my money.” He started when she cut into him.

     “Our money! Everything is about you. How hard you work, what you’ve been through, your needs. You don’t give a damn about me or the kids…it’s always about you.” She was becoming heated and wanted to show him that she was no longer scared of him or this threats.

     “You shut up; just shut your fuckin mouth right now. You don’t talk to me like that. That only gets you in trouble and you know it.” Aaron’s voice boomed through the phone.

     Tess shuttered at the thought but tried to hold her ground. “This is over. You need to pack your shit and leave. Be gone before I get home with the kids.”

     She knew he wouldn’t be gone, but she also knew she had no plans on taking the kids back to the house with her either. She was going to stash them with her mom until she could get something a little more secure. This was going to be a long terrifying night.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Celebrate and join us.

Blogfest to celebrate the wonderful community website at Writer’s Digest for writers: YA/Crossover to mingle, converse, get advice and just hang out. Thanks to Nathalie Bleach who is a very active member in the writing community, there is a place for us to gather. We are commemorating reaching 100 members by having this little blogfest.


I was new to Writer’s Digest in March this year and I was embraced with open arms into the community as I wondered around to different groups to find the support and other members that I could relate to. I stumbled across Nathalie’s YA/Crossover group and love the support and commentary that everyone gives to one another in there. I am not always active on the boards, but that doesn’t mean that I am not silently stalking somewhere. LOL.

Several of us support each other in blogging, facebook, twitter and are critique partners and beta readers for each other. I like to think that we are a family here in the YA/Crossover community because the writers are reaching out into a genre that aren’t yet fully embraced by agents.

I love how supportive we are of each other and motivate one another to keep going or to strive to better. I know that is how everyone there makes me feel and if you have any questions everyone is so easy to talk to and very approachable. So I beg you, if you are writing YA or even contemplating dabbling in it, you really need to look at dropping by the YA/Crossover group in Writer’s Digest and say Hi. I guarantee that you will stay.

Here are some of our members that have blogs that you can stop by and visit and my find yourself following in the future. I know that I do. I have also posted their twitter handle for you to follow if you are a twitterverse fanatic. You can alos check out the YA/Crossover badge to the right. Thank you for all that you do for the writing community and the support that everyone has shown me along the way. You all have made me a better writer for it.

Susan Anthony or tweet @lampsreincarnat
T Romel Blossom or Tweet @tromelblossom
ML Mansfield
PK Hrezo
Lucy Briand @RogueL
Claire Dawn  or tweet @ClaireDawn
Lizz Squashic
Jannett Fuller
Lauren Saga or tweet @Laurensaga
Bekah's Stories
Nathalie Bleach or tweet @bleacher1099
Tammy Mckee
Trisha Leaver or tweet @tleaver

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

The Versatile Blogger Award

I am humbled and very happy to receive this award from one of the most talented bloggers I know. PK Hrezo!! Whoot! Whoot!





ver·sa·tile - capable of or adapted for turning easily from one to another of various tasks, fields of endeavor, etc.: a versatile writer.

variable or changeable, as in feeling, purpose, or policy: versatile moods.

And I thought it was because I’m borderline ADD that I switched subjects so often and can never stay on task. I am in no way making fun of anyone so please do not take offense. I am serious that I am this way! I embrace it, because it makes me who I am today…whoever that is :D

Anyway…back to this wonderful award. Once you receive this award you are to tell five things about yourself and pass it onto five fellow bloggers.

1.     I pretty much gave away the fact that those of you that know me already know that I am borderline ADD. I have way too many irons in the fire and I thrive on chaos. My mind does not shut off. It literally does not stop clicking along. It could be the most random things or it could be story ideas and I have no where near the amount of hours in the day to take care of every thing that floats around in there.

2.     I don’t have any brothers. I wanted one, but never got one. So if anyone wants to be my adoptive brother, please email me and let me know. I have three sisters and I really need a brother. It is not too late, reallyJ

3.     I can’t live without music. If you shut off the music or noise for that fact then all the noises in my head will take over. Music helps me focus on one thing at a time. I need noise of some sort to focus. I hope that is not too crazy.

4.     I write more than one genre. I have about 16 projects going on right now (the muse just doesn’t stop) ranging from Paranormal romance, mystery, dystopian, YA, Adult, Mainstream and I don’t know how to classify some.

5.     I love to beta read. I don’t always know my own plot, voice, tenses, and so on so forth, but love to read for others and just give them my thoughts about what they have written and keep them motivated to keep going.

 

So now here is who I am passing this award along to because I have been following these people and they have wonderful blogs that I love to read and if you haven’t checked them out you need to go do that now.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Squee, squee, and super squee.

Ok, short post here. I have just got my hands on an signed uncorrected proof of ARCHVILLAIN by Barry Lyga. He tweeted about giving away books on your blog and I sent him an email and my book to give away came today...

I am super, uber excited. I just need to figure out what kind of contest that I am going to have to give it away. It has to be something fabulous. So I am going to stew on it for a little bit and just be thrilled that I am holding a piece of greatness for right now. Take care of you.

Friday, October 8, 2010

What is your favorite holiday?

Zombies as portrayed in the movie Night of the...Image via Wikipedia

Since I just wrote about my favorite month being OCTOBER, I have to tell you about my favorite holiday…*drum roll* Yeah, I know I already told you in the last post it was Halloween, but I was just checking to see who was really paying attention.

Yes, I love Halloween. I love to decorate with all the stringy cobwebs, ghoulish décor and scary music. I have more Halloween decorations than Christmas decorations…go figure. I love every aspect of it. I don’t scare easily and love the horror films, terrifying books, ghost rallies and tractor rides.

My daughter’s birthday is in late October and every year since she was little we always had a huge Halloween themed party to celebrate…bobbing for apples, flashlight tag with the occasional scary man in the woods (hubby) coming after you and the occasional friendly cop coming out and flashing his lights upon the horrifying set up. Lol

Ok, ok, it was never the ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’, but boy would I love for it to be. Now the kids are older, 17, 15, 15, 13 and 6. Now the 6 year old won’t be able to participate in most of the gore if I turn the barn into a bloody nightmare, but the older ones can. (Yes, in case some of you don’t know me…I have a dark side. She can be very dark and evil. But for all intents and purposes I try to keep her locked away for everyone’s safety.)

I’ve never had adult Halloween parties because I just haven’t had time; I focus all of it on the kids. I have thought about it several times and have talked about it to the hubs. But Halloween if for the kids…for now.


So tell me what is your favorite holiday...Christmas, Easter, St. Patty's Day or Valentines?
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Wednesday, October 6, 2010

What is your favorite month? Why?

Yep, it is writing prompt time again. I haven’t done it for awhile since I have been slammed with life and editing so I am going to throw my little brain for a loop and let it seethe with something different for a change.

Well…we are now in my favorite month. OCTOBER. There are so many things about October that make me love this month. Starting with the fact that here in Indiana the trees start to change colors. The hues of the leaves are breath taking around this time of year and the air is a little more crisp and clears my head.

I am a sweatshirt and jeans kind of girl so this type of weather makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. It is also such a welcoming feeling to be able to come outside and sit in the swing and write for awhile without being chased by bugs, or get too hot and sweaty.

This is also the time of year that I take fall picture of the kids. We take our own pictures here on the farm because I am too cheap to pay for the expensive school pictures. Yep, I am. And when you have a big family (5) like I do, you know that adds up. So, you can see that I love my kiddos enough to make sure that they are photographed appropriately. Lol.  They pick their own places and most of their own poses. 


Brandon
Brittany
Sadie
Tanner
Logan



Lastly I love October because it contains my favorite holiday…Halloween. Yep, love the spooky stuff. But that is another post all in itself.

So do you have a favorite Month? If so which one and why?

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Music as your muse?

Human (Skye Sweetnam song)Image via Wikipedia
How many times have you heard a song on the radio and instantly played a scene out in your head or gotten an idea for a manuscript? Ok, you can stop jumping up and down and put your hand down if this happens to you.

I do this all the time. Most of my scenes are related to music of some sort. I think in most part because I have music on at all times of the day. I cannot survive without it. I think I am one of those people who’s considered afraid of silence. No, it is not the silence that frightens me. It’s all the thoughts that scream out and sound like a bunch of people talking at one time. (No matter how annoying, I do love them all.)

Music helps me focus on one or two of those voices at a time so that everyone gets their turn in the spotlight. Some of my more dark, sinister muses have to be put on the back burner a little longer because they can take my whole mood to a place that I don’t want to be unless I have time to be there to develop the story or release the characters for play time.

Music is my binding agent. No matter where I am in any of my stories (and I have too many going on for my own good), I can always remember where I was and what I was feeling by the music that I was listening to for that scene. When I play the song it is like a mini movie playing in my mind and it all floods back to me again and my AH HA moment kicks in.

Skye Sweetnam has a song called “Music is my Boyfriend”. Some days that is my theme song I guess if I were to have one.

So tell me fellow bloggers…does music inspire you?

Help you differentiate your scenes?

If you had a theme song, what would it be?
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