Tag Archives: Dog

Sunday Snippet from my Paranormal Romance Une Variante

Posted on January 6, 2013 | 8 Comments

Sunday_Snippets

Happy Sunday Snippets!

Today I decided to give you a snippet from a completed novella that I will be sending out to query sometime mid-January.

Une Variante is a Paranormal Romance, and I am really tickled with it.

Now, I am going to admit that I did the random-number thing here, but when I saw where it landed, I had to giggle, and I stepped up two lines just to get the whole scene in.

Yes, leave it to me to include going to the bathroom in a story.  I had a good reason though.  I needed her out of the room, and hey, when you gotta go, you gotta go, right?

Here’s 112 words from Une Variente. Amanda is getting water for another character who has an upset stomach.

swish swivel squiggle

She walked to the powder room and turned on the faucet. As the cup filled, her own stomach gurgled. Maybe the pizza got her, too. She set the cup down and closed the door, readying to do her business.

Amanda’s reflection stared back at her in the mirror, tracing every imperfection in her aging face. Jason was worried about his body, and he was absolutely beautiful…and look at her. So many little lines and a few silver highlights adding to her dark hair’s glow. My God, what does he even see in me? She hit the bathroom fan and flushed the toilet, scrunching her hair with damp fingers after washing her hands.

swish swivel squiggle

So what do you think?  Ever had a character stuck in the can? Do tell. :-)

Join me with your own Sunday Snippet.  Sign up here and we can bop around and giggle or be wowed by randomly selected snippets of whatever you want to post.  It’ll be fun!

Or post your snippet below.  Hey, I’m easy going.  Whatever makes you happy!

JenniFer_EatonF

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Posted in Six Sentence Sunday, Sunday Snippets

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Flash Fiction Tuesday – A picture under a door

Posted on April 17, 2012 | 5 Comments

Rich sat sobbing, leaning over a box, stroking the hair of a little brown ferret.  His friend.  His accomplice.  Ferris had been his best friend since his dog died eight years ago.  They played hide and seek.  They cuddled on the couch.  She always made him smile when he had a bad day at work.

Today was not a day for smiling, as he stroked her side, waiting for her to breathe her last breath.

A piece of paper slid under the door.  He ignored it.  His son was on the other side, peeking through the glass panes.

“Not now, Jason.”

Jason’s lip shot out in a five-year old pout.  He didn’t move.

Rich turned back to the box, grieving over his loss.  He ignored the child staring at him through the glass.  Jason was the problem kid.  He never knew when to leave his Dad alone.  This time was no different.

Jason pounded on the door.

“I said not now!”

Jason stood his ground, and Rich picked up the paper his son had slid under the door….  A simple drawing.  A stick-figure person, and a little brown animal…  A boy and his ferret.

Rich opened the door, and scooped his son up into his arms.  They sat on the couch, and cried… together.

I guess the fact I have the picture says it all.
Thanks for crying with me.

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Posted in Flash Fiction

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By Request: Who verses Whom

Posted on April 7, 2012 | 14 Comments

Before I get on to this, I have an overall opinion (I know, shocking)

The English language is evolving rapidly.  Whom is one of those words that is unfortunately falling into the realm of obsolescence.  Mainly, this is from lack of use due to people not understanding how to use it.

Also, when you do use it, whether or not you use it correctly, you end up sounding “hoity-toity” because it is one of those words that has become synonymous with “upper class” for some reason.

So, if you don’t mind sounding hoity toity, and you can stop in the middle of a sentence to figure it out… this is what you need to do:

Decide if the “who or whom” is replacing the word “he/she or him/her”

He/she=who

Him/her=whom.

***Let’s explore this, shall we?***

Who/whom fed the dog?

Eric (he) fed the dog. (Chloe is a happy puppy)

He=who

Therefore, Who is correct.  “Who fed the dog?”

Who/whom should I ask?

Should I ask for he? (NO) Should I ask for him? (YES)

Him=whom

So, Whom is correct.  “Whom should I ask?”

(yeah, like anyone is actually going to say that, right?  Do you hear the hoity-toityness?

Here is an example from Grammar Girl:

We all know who pulled that prank.

But

We want to know on whom the prank was pulled.

Now, let’s be serious.  Does anyone see what I’m seeing?  If you tried to use the second “whom” example in your novel, unless you are writing Historical Romance, people would laugh at you.  Who in their right mind is going to say “We want to know on whom the prank was pulled.”?

You guessed it:  no one.

My suggestion?  Use who, even if it is not correct… especially if it is in speech.  Unless you have a character that is a grammarian, I see no reason to use the word “whom” in realistic speech anymore.

Sad, but true.  Goodbye, whom.  We will miss you.  Please say hello to “whilst” for me.

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Posted in General Writing Tips

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Canine Good Citizen

Posted on February 8, 2012 | 12 Comments

This is my “Hundred and One-th” post.  I find that incredibly amusing.  When I started this blog 7 months ago, I had no idea what I was going to write about.  Now you can’t shut me up.  Who Knew?

Anyway… on with today’s rant.

Canine Good Citizen
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In a few different “I accept this award” Q and A sessions over the past month or so, I mentioned I had a Poodle, and that she was training for the AKC CGC test.  A few of you have asked how my little mischievous puppy was doing.  Well…

Today, after six weeks of training and practice sessions, Chloe passed her Canine Good Citizen test (Just barely… she refused to lay down for some reason, but the trainer finally got her to do it–It still counts, though!)

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this huge honor… The Canine Good Citizen is an award given to a dog by the American Kennel Club.  Now, not just any dog can get this.  You actually have to be tested for it by a representative from the AKC.  You have to meet their very stringent criteria.  It is the behavioral training “Bar Exam” for the canine community.

For weeks, we’ve been learning to walk correctly, how to meet a stranger properly, how to react to metal pans being flung against the floor, how to stay and come when called, and how to react with people and other animals, and how to act while left in a room without your owner for an extended period… tons of things.  Ten tests in all.  It’s an awful lot for a puppy that is not even a year old yet.  She even reacted well when the “test” dog snarled at her.  Yay!

We are very proud of our little girl.

Why do this?  Well, for one thing, I… um, Chloe is very competitive, and her litter mate, Kairos just won a ribbon for “Best Gun Dog” in a show, so we had to beat him at something.  (Yay, Chloe!)

Waypoint's Kairos: Pretty Boy with a ribbon

Waypoint's Chloe: Pretty Girl & Canine Good Citizen, in her ribbons

After the test, we celebrated with a romp around Pet Smart shopping for a new toy.  We walked in, I unhooked her from her leash, and she had a great time shopping.  She stayed right by my side.  Sans leash.  And everyone stopped to congratulate her when they heard the news.

Good Girl, Chloe.  Good Girl.

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Posted in Senseless Ranting

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