Tag Archives: Short story

Write a Story with Me # 33 – What? OH NO! She didn’t! by Danielle Ackley McPhail

Posted on March 4, 2013 | 8 comments

Last week Janelle took off — literally, leaving the old lady with Mommy bleeding to death and in a ton of trouble. What’s gonna happen? Here’s Danielle Ackley McPhail’s first contribution to our story!

33- Danielle Ackley McPhail – Wait, she’s who? What? OH NO! She didn’t!

Morana watched her unsuspecting daughter go, her lips tightly set and her eyes sad. She remembered more than a time before the faeries were looked on as vermin…she remembered when they had been kin with humans. When all kind were linked and not separate.

How dark and grim the world had become since that time.

With a sigh she turned back to her patient. Poor Natalia, forsaken by all and sundry; all but Morana, and now that the last witness was gone it was time to see to mother and babe.

Queen Morath of the fae shed the weight of her borrowed years, shed her human form, the aches and pains and the blurring of her eyes. All fell away like flakes of skin to dust leaving the most beautiful and powerful of fae standing over the human woman, who sprawled upon the floor in her own blood, the babe’s cord still trailing from her body, wet and glistening.

“tsk…let’s clean you up, my lovely, shall we?” Nearer to human height than the diminutive size the fae had become in the after-time, Morath bent gracefully down, folded the delicate membranes of her wings back and safely away from the mess on the floor before reaching out one ivory-pale hand to trail through Natalia’s hair and down the curve of her back. Magic sparkled in the air at the touch as like recognized like deep within the two races now drastically different. Queen of life and death as well as fae, Morath ordered the woman’s lifeblood back within the confines of her veins and wicked away both sweat and blood normal to the birthing of children, and with it the memory of that night’s ordeal…all of it. Natalia remain unconscious—blessedly so—as the faerie queen scooped up the woman’s son to cradle in immortal arms.

The child cooed and burbled, making the faerie queen laugh before she grew somber once more. “Come, Verval. For your own safety and theirs, you need be the price for my healing.”
And Morath rose in a cloud of glittering motes, secreting the foretold boy away before any harm might come to him or his parents for bearing him.

Write a Story with Me is a group endeavor just for the fun of it. A different writer adds a new 250 words each week. It is the ultimate Flash Fiction Challenge!

If you’d like to sign up, come on over. There’s always room for more!

Part One – Jennifer M. Eaton

Part Two – J. Keller Ford

Part Three – Susan Roebuck

Part Four – Elin Gregory

Part Five – Eileen Snyder

Part Six – Mikaela Wire

Part Seven — Vanessa Chapman

Part Eight — Ravena Guron

Part Nine – Vikki Thompson

Part Ten — Susan Rocan mywithershins

Part Eleven — Kate Johnston AKA 4AMWriter

Part Twelve — Julie Catherine

Part Thirteen — Kai Damian

Part Fourteen — Richard Leonard

Part Fifteen — Sharon Manship

Part Sixteen – Shannon Blue Christensen

Part Seventeen — Bryn Jones

Part Eighteen — Jennifer M. Eaton

Part Nineteen — Shannon Burton

Part Twenty — J.Keller Ford

Part Twenty-One — Susan Roebuck

Part Twenty-Two — Elin Gregory

Part Twenty-Three — Aparnauteur

Part Twenty-Four — Vanessa Chapman

Part Twenty-Five — Ravena Guron

Part Twenty Six — Susan Rocan

Part Twenty Seven — Kate Johnson AKA 4AMWriter

Part Twenty Eight – Julie Catherine

Part Twenty Nine — Kai Damian

Part Thirty — Richard Leonard

Part Thirty-One —Sharon Manship

Part Thirty-Two — Shannon Christensen

Part Thirty-Three — Danielle Ackley McPhail

Don’t forget to stop by next week to see what happens next.

Siv Maria Ottem— TAG! You are “It”

Give that Publisher What They Want Dernit! #4: Formating #2 (Advanced) (jennifermeaton.com)
Give that Publisher What They Want Dernit! – Keep It simple (khrystleraineduste.wordpress.com)
Give that Publisher What They Want Dernit! #4: Formating #2 (Advanced) (rakesroguesandromance.com)

8 Comments

Posted in Write a story with me

Tagged anthology, Arts, author, beta partner, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Fairy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, group writing, jennifer M. Eaton, Literature, Manuscript, novel, Online Writing, point of view, Protagonist, Short Stories, Short story, shortstory, Word count, write a story with me, Writing and Editing, Writing help

Write a Story With Me #32 – Janelle’s Choice with Shannon Christensen

Posted on February 25, 2013 | 3 comments

Last week the baby finally arrived, but it looks like Mommy is in big trouble! Will she be okay? Let’s find out!

Take it away Shannon!

32- Shannon Christensen

Janelle hesitated.

If she followed Morana’s instructions to get help, Natalia might live and the boy might grow up healthy, wealthy, and destructive. This baby could destroy them all – fairies and humans, regardless of Janelle’s help.

She considered this. The boy could turn out to be like Marci, and could be helpful to Janelle’s people. Then again, maybe not. If he were more like Bethany, then all the risks and sacrifices made by Marci, by Sian, by Janosc, by herself and so many others would be futile.

She did not have to help. She should not have helped earlier by bringing Morana. Certainly, the humans would not have helped a fairy mother. She could simply leave Natalia and the boy in Morana’s care and let luck or fate have her way.

Natalia moaned again and Morana pleaded.

Janelle watched.
As a mother, Janelle sympathized with the compulsion to care for an infant. As Marci’s friend, Janelle sympathized with the potential loss of a family member. As the new queen of the fairies, however, she understood that her own feelings were nothing compared to her peoples’ needs. She had accepted this when she ate the leaf. She had not expected to have to act so quickly on this new prioritization.

Janelle sighed. She would do what was best for the many, and not only the few.

“No.”

“But, you must!”

“No. I must not.” Janelle turned and flew away from the house for the last time.

Write a Story with Me is a group endeavor just for the fun of it. A different writer adds a new 250 words each week. It is the ultimate Flash Fiction Challenge!

If you’d like to sign up, come on over. There’s always room for more!

Part One – Jennifer M. Eaton

Part Two – J. Keller Ford

Part Three – Susan Roebuck

Part Four – Elin Gregory

Part Five – Eileen Snyder

Part Six – Mikaela Wire

Part Seven — Vanessa Chapman

Part Eight — Ravena Guron

Part Nine – Vikki Thompson

Part Ten — Susan Rocan mywithershins

Part Eleven — Kate Johnston AKA 4AMWriter

Part Twelve — Julie Catherine

Part Thirteen — Kai Damian

Part Fourteen — Richard Leonard

Part Fifteen — Sharon Manship

Part Sixteen – Shannon Blue Christensen

Part Seventeen — Bryn Jones

Part Eighteen — Jennifer M. Eaton

Part Nineteen — Shannon Burton

Part Twenty — J.Keller Ford

Part Twenty-One — Susan Roebuck

Part Twenty-Two — Elin Gregory

Part Twenty-Three — Aparnauteur

Part Twenty-Four — Vanessa Chapman

Part Twenty-Five — Ravena Guron

Part Twenty Six — Susan Rocan

Part Twenty Seven — Kate Johnson AKA 4AMWriter

Part Twenty Eight – Julie Catherine

Part Twenty Nine — Kai Damian

Part Thirty — Richard Leonard

Part Thirty-One — Sharon Manship

Part Thirty-Two — Shannon Christensen

Don’t forget to stop by next week to see what happens next.

Danielle Ackley McPhail — TAG! You are “It”

3 Comments

Posted in Write a story with me

Tagged beta partner, critiquing, editing, Family, Fiction, Flash Fiction, getting published, group writing, Janelle, literary fiction, Manuscript, Mothers, Online Writing, Parent, publish, Publishing, self publishing, Short Stories, Short story, shortstory, Word count, write a story with me, Writers Resources, writing, Writing and Editing, Writing help

Write a Story with Me Part 30 – To Janelle’s Horror “What?” – With Richard Leonard

Posted on February 11, 2013 | 8 comments

Surprise! I’m changing the day for “Write a Story with Me” from Tuesdays to Mondays. Why? Well, ’cause I can! Here we go!

It’s been nearly a month since we saw Marci’s poor mom go into labor all alone! Richard Leonard throws it back to the birth string this week. Will Janelle get help in time? Take it away, Richard!

30 – Richard Leonard

Janelle was already out the bedroom door before realising the old woman was still fumbling for her walking stick. She watched helplessly as Morana shuffled unsteadily across the short distance from the bed to the other side of the night-stand where her walking stick rested, using the night-stand for support. Janelle’s mood fell as she realised how frail the old lady now was. Her magic could only do so much.

“I’m sorry, Morana. I wasn’t aware you cannot -”

“I can do this, Young Fairy. I must do this”, Morana said.

Janelle, said nothing, guilt building within her. To drag this weak old dear out into the cold night to help a woman giving birth seemed to be a cruel irony. Patience, Janelle, patience. At the same time she needed to hurry. The longer Natalia was without proper assistance the more dangerous the situation becomes.

Morana finally had the support of her stick and began a steady rhythm of shuffling towards the door and out of the house. Janelle, to ease her impatience and peace of mind, would fly up and down the street and patrol the area while Morana hobbled slowly towards Natalia’s residence. At the end of every run she would check on Natalia through the window, carefully ensuring she was still in a stable condition, sometimes offering reassurance that help was on its way.

On the way back she would arrive with relief to find that Morana had made significant progress walking up the street. This continued for several shortening laps until, to Janelle’s horror,

Oh! The mid sentance stop! What a way to leave it. Someone’s quaking in their booth figuring out what Janelle saw!

Write a Story with Me is a group endeavor just for the fun of it. A different writer adds a new 250 words each week. It is the ultimate Flash Fiction Challenge!

If you’d like to sign up, come on over. There’s always room for more!

Part One – Jennifer M. Eaton

Part Two – J. Keller Ford

Part Three – Susan Roebuck

Part Four – Elin Gregory

Part Five – Eileen Snyder

Part Six – Mikaela Wire

Part Seven — Vanessa Chapman

Part Eight — Ravena Guron

Part Nine – Vikki Thompson

Part Ten — Susan Rocan mywithershins

Part Eleven — Kate Johnston AKA 4AMWriter

Part Twelve — Julie Catherine

Part Thirteen — Kai Damian

Part Fourteen — Richard Leonard

Part Fifteen — Sharon Manship

Part Sixteen – Shannon Blue Christensen

Part Seventeen — Bryn Jones

Part Eighteen — Jennifer M. Eaton

Part Nineteen — Shannon Burton

Part Twenty — J.Keller Ford

Part Twenty-One — Susan Roebuck

Part Twenty-Two — Elin Gregory

Part Twenty-Three — Aparnauteur

Part Twenty-Four — Vanessa Chapman

Part Twenty-Five — Ravena Guron

Part Twenty Six — Susan Rocan

Part Twenty Seven — Kate Johnson AKA 4AMWriter

Part Twenty Eight – Julie Catherine

Part Twenty Nine — Kai Damian

Part Thirty — Richard Leonard

Don’t forget to stop by next week to see what happens next.

Sharon Manship — TAG! You are “It”

8 Comments

Posted in Write a story with me

Tagged anthology, Fiction, getting published, group writing, Humor, literary fiction, Literature, Manuscript, Online Writing, Recreation, Short Stories, Short story, shortstory, Walking stick, Writers Resources, writing, Writing and Editing, Writing help

Do I read what I write? Umm… Huh? Do I have to answer that?

Posted on December 22, 2012 | Comments Off

Are ya looking for Romancing Your E-Reader? 25 Ebooks Up for grabs! Click Here to Enter!

Yep, I’m still hopping around in cyber-mayhem promoting “For the Love of Christmas” and

“Make Believe”. Today I am guest-posting on Jenny Keller Ford’s site, so please hop on over so I don’t get lonely. I’m talking about breaking the rules a little. Shhhh! Don’t tell anyone.

Come on over!

I love to see familiar faces!

Why all the hullabaloo? Well, it’s to promote my two new releases “Make Believe” and “For the Love of Christmas”

That’s why!

And don’t forget to click on “Enter to Win” for a chance to win your choice of the two titles! Yay!

Oh, I almost forgot… A few random commentors along the tour path will win their choice of anthologies, too. So be sure to hop on over and say “Hi”

ChristmasFiligree

Hop on over and send me some love!

Jenny Keller Ford‘s blog- Why I don’t read what I write.

Visit my Anthology buddies! They are celebrating too!

JenniFer_EatonF

GIVEAWAY: Win an ARC of Make Believe! (jabelfield.wordpress.com)

That Christmas Star (leytesamardaily.net)
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas; The Festivities List. (thriftingthrulife.wordpress.com)
Spa City marks holiday season’s start with 26th annual Victorian Streetwalk (troyrecord.com)
It’s Christmas be an elf (ourhumbleopinions.wordpress.com)
Christmas Song Review: Baby, It’s Cold Outside (murverse.com)

Comments Off on Do I read what I write? Umm… Huh? Do I have to answer that?

Posted in Author Interview, Senseless Ranting

Tagged art, Christmas, Fiction, Holiday, Holidays, Literature, Opinions, Poetry, Recreation, religious, Short story, South Jersey

Have you ever made a promise you never expected to keep? A review of “Beginning of Forever” by Terri Rochenski

Posted on December 19, 2012 | 15 comments

Yes, I am still on my blog tour for “Make Believe” and “For the Love of Christmas” but today is one of those great days when I can hop back here and share a little love.

This was a crazy idea, but at the time it seemed like a good one when I agreed. Terri Rochenski, who is an anthology buddy from “Make Believe” is also in a Christmas anthology that was just released. “Christmas Magic” is available now for your Snuggly holiday reading pleasure.

Anyway, we decided to review each other’s stories on the same day. (Yeah, no pressure) So, to read her review of my story “Connect the Dots” from the “For the Love of Christmas” anthology, click HERE to hop on over to Terri’s site. I’ll be jumping over there in a minute with you to see what she said.

But in the meantime, let’s Chat about Terri’s story.

Now, Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy, right?

DON’T SAY NO! I LOVE CHRISTMAS!

Anyway, this is my conundrum: I’m reading “The Beginning of Forever”, ready for an uplifting romance… and it starts off on page one with the love of her life DYING.

Where’s the love? Where’s the joy? What’s going to happen to that dinner she has in the oven?

Dang, I was bawling my freaking eyes out!

I could not, in my right mind, figure out where she was going with this… and then “it” happened. I figured it out.

This is not really a story about Christmas.

It is not even really what I would consider a Romance.

This is a story about coming to grips with life, and finding a way to cope. This is a story about moving on, about self-discovery, and using your past to guide your future.

Terri realistically weaves this 50’s based historical “romance” into a story that will leave you wiping the tears from your eyes and turning pages, begging for everything to turn out all right.

As for the title of this review: Have you ever made a promise you never expected to keep? I need to keep that to myself because it’s a spoiler… but that is also what this story is about… Keeping promises because you have to, not because you want to, and then dealing with finding out you want to keep your promise after all.

This is a wonderfully spun tale that Rochenski should be very proud of.

My only gripe is that it is sandwiched in an anthology of more whimsical tales, and I’m not sure the readers of the “lighter” stories enclosed will “get” the depth of emotion and strength of this story. This is not a light fun read. This is more centered to someone who enjoys something with more serious content. Absolutely well done.

Okay… now I’m hopping over to see what she said about mine… Coming with me?

Are ya back? I hope what she said was nice. As for comments, let’s keep with the title… “Have you ever made a promise you never expected to keep?” Well, have you?

Friday News and Reviews – First review for The Christmas Ball (susanmacatee.wordpress.com)
Grace Filled Christmas Blog Tour with Elaine Marie Cooper (reflectionsinhindsight.wordpress.com)
The Top 10 Children’s Christmas Books (michaeljholley.com)
REVIEW~~ A BLUESTOCKING CHRISTMAS by Monica Burns… (mybookaddictionreviews.com)

15 Comments

Posted in Book/Movie Review

Tagged Arts, Christmas, Holiday, Literature, Online Writing, Reading, Romance, Short story

So, am I a grumpy bear, or a morning person? What are you?

Posted on December 15, 2012 | 13 comments

If you are craving some insanity from me today, hop on over to Rebecca Heart’s blog for a great interview with little old me. Some fresh questions… thank goodness. (Like wether or not you’d like to be around me in the morning) 🙂

But don’t forget to scroll down below first… to be whisked back to the time of castles and dragons with Fantasy Author, Jenny Keller Ford.

Yay! Go Dragon Girl!!!!!

Hi fellow antho-buddy! Thanks for having me as a guest today. I’m über excited to be here to talk about the Make Believe anthology, and more particularly, my short story, THE AMULET OF ORMISEZ.

Oh yeah! Totally into it! You know me… give me a hot guy in armor and I’m all a-gush. I’m wondering what the heck in that picture inspired a classic Fantasy with knights and castles?

I wish I could say I had something or someone that inspired me to write The Amulet of Ormisez. In all honesty, I was lost for weeks. I just stared and stared at that photograph (which is now the cover), not knowing what I was going to write about. Then one day, I opened a vein and ‘bled’.

Ewe. Okay, I’m grossed out…

Ha! Sorry. When I first saw the photo, my first impression was “red against white” – contamination/blood against purity/snow. There was a castle in the background. I immediately thought how perfect this was, especially for the fantasy writer in me. What fantasy elements could I bring into play? At first I thought dragons, but the thought was replaced almost instantly with selkies, and the thought stuck.

After several weeks/months of no inspiration, a thought came to me. With only a few weeks to spare to meet the publisher’s deadline for submission, I sat at my computer and started writing. I don’t know where the idea came from, but I got this vision of a man, riding horseback over frozen terrain, his cloak flapping behind him. Before I knew it, there was a story emerging. I let the characters take me where they wanted to take me.

That’s totally cool. It’s like going on a ride, right? Do you always write like that?

I’m not a planner. I finished the story in a couple of days, edited it and threw it out to beta readers. They all came back and said the first half was great…the second half needed lots of work. I agreed, and so I went back to work. It was literally hours before deadline when I made the final edits, closed my eyes and hit the “submit” button. I can’t tell you how thrilled I was that J. Taylor loved my story and wanted to publish it.

Their belief in me encouraged me to write more short stories and continue on with a YA fantasy trilogy I’ve been writing. I hope to see a lot more of my stories, including my first novel, published in 2013.

Yay! I hear you may have a dragon hidden under your sleeve. 🙂

I’m not telling [wink]

Awesomesauce! Cannot wait! But for now, feel the Fantasy love with J.Keller Ford’s THE AMULET OF ORMISEZ in the Make Believe Anthology. Oh Yeah!

Why all the hullabaloo? Well, it’s to promote my two new releases “Make Believe” and “For the Love of Christmas”

That’s why!

And don’t forget to click on “Enter to Win” for a chance to win your choice of the two titles! Yay!

Oh, I almost forgot… A few random commentors along the tour path will win their choice of anthologies, too. So be sure to hop on over and say “Hi”

ChristmasFiligree

Hop on over and send me some love!

Don’t forget to hop on over to see me today?

Click on over to see my interview with Rebecca Hart

Visit my Anthology buddies! They are celebrating too!

Muse-Sings December 2012 Special Feature & Giveaway (juliecatherinevigna.wordpress.com)
Author Love: J. Keller Ford (jabelfield.wordpress.com)
Make Believe Blog Tour: An Interview with Contributing Author, Jennifer M. Eaton (rebeccahartwriting.wordpress.com)
Exciting Announcement! (jennykellerford.wordpress.com)
Benefits of Writing Short Stories (teacherlingo.com)

13 Comments

Posted in Author Interview

Tagged Amulet of Ormisez, Christmas, Dragon, Fantasy, Fantasy Author, Make Believe, Publishing, Short story

A Florida Heat Wave from the Snow? Huh?

Posted on December 13, 2012 | 9 comments

Hidee-ho! If you are looking for me, today I can be found lurking and fessing up on more fun and maybe embarrassing Christmas stuff over at Books Books and More Books. There’s a giveaway there too, so hop on over!

But here in the safe lands of my cuddly site…

We are hosting the lovely and talented Lynda R. Young, Author of “Birthright” from the Make Believe Anthology.

Here is the “Back Cover Blurb” for Lynda’s story:

Birthright by Lynda R. Young
Christa can mask the pain and hide the scars, but running from a birthright is impossible. She’s tried to escape her grief by fleeing to a small town in Florida. Much to her frustration, the locals think they recognize her even though she’s never been there before. To make things worse, a man named Jack spouts outrageous theories about her. Both spur Christa to bolt, to start fresh yet again, but there’s something about Jack that intrigues her enough to stay. The only problem? Someone else wants her to leave, and they won’t stop until she’s dead.

Wooooo Creepy vibes, Miss Lynda… So how the heck did you come up with that out of a chic in red standing in the snow? What was going through your mind when you saw the picture prompt?

My initial reaction when I first saw the prompt for the Make Believe Anthology was one of delight. I instantly fell in love with the image, the feeling of isolation it portrayed and the powerful contrast of the red cape against the snow. I stumbled on the image right at a time when I needed a break from the novel I’d been working on. I love writing short stories so I dove right in.

How did you develop the idea for your story?

Even though the red cape in the image inspired me, I didn’t end up using it in the story. As I mentioned, it was more about the contrast of the red against the purity of the snow. The red cape became blood, which became the true seed for my story. I asked myself, ‘How did the blood get there? Whose blood is it?’ I loved the contrast in the image so much that I expanded it even more and started the story in the furthest place possible from a snowy setting. I chose Florida in the middle of a heat-wave. I still wanted snow in my story so the next problem I had to solve was, ‘how?’ To discover how I did it, you’re going to have to read the story 😉

What’s next?

World domination. In the meantime, when I’m not working on my young adult novels or other short stories, I’m hanging out in the blogsphere, Facebook, and Twitter. I also spend my time reading, daydreaming, eating chocolate, and doing something creative like photography or digital art. I live in Sydney, Australia, with my sweetheart of a husband.

You can find my blog here: http://lyndaryoung.blogspot.com

Twitter: @LyndaRYoung http://www.twitter.com/LyndaRYoung

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LyndaRYoungAuthor

Thanks so much for stopping by Linda!

Make Believe is available now!

Stop on by your favorite bookseller and download a copy today! (Wink)

Why all the hullabaloo? Well, it’s to promote my two new releases “Make Believe” and “For the Love of Christmas”

That’s why!

And don’t forget to click on “Enter to Win” for a chance to win your choice of the two titles! Yay!

Oh, I almost forgot… A few random commentors along the tour path will win their choice of anthologies, too. So be sure to hop on over and say “Hi”

Hop on over and send me some love!

Visit my Anthology buddies! They are celebrating too!

Muse-Sings December 2012 Special Feature & Giveaway (juliecatherinevigna.wordpress.com)
Win an ARC of the upcoming anthology, MAKE BELIEVE (jennykellerford.wordpress.com)
GIVEAWAY: Win an ARC of Make Believe! (jabelfield.wordpress.com)

9 Comments

Posted in Author Interview

Tagged Facebook, Jack, Love of Christmas, Short story, Sydney, Twitter, Young-adult fiction

Wanna see what my desk looks like? [If you dare]

Posted on December 10, 2012 | 7 comments

Kelly Said and I are swapping blogs today as part of the Make Believe blog tour. She had the greatest idea for my post!!!! She wanted to know what my desk looked like.

So…. out comes the camera, and **CLICK** there it is in all its disastrous glory! Click on over to Kelly Said’s website for a gander into the insanity of my writing life.

Now, for Kellie’s post here… I asked her what she thought when she saw the picture prompt for Make Believe. Honestly, I was surprised.

Take it away, Kelly!

When I first saw the picture prompt for J.Taylor Publishing’s call for submissions for their MAKE BELIEVE anthology, I was curious why that girl was standing in the middle of a snowy field. See, when I looked closer, I noticed there were no snowflakes clinging to her red hooded cape. Her arms were bare, like, she wasn’t expecting the abrupt weather change, and she was carrying a basket – what’s in it? There were no footprints in the snow, so how did she get there? She seemed in tune with nature somehow by the way she was moving through the field, like, maybe there was something magical or mythical about her.

I started thinking about the reasons why she traveled, alone, towards what I imagined was a castle in the background surrounded by spindly, dead-looking trees. I concluded that someone in that castle on high needed help and had the ability to send a summons to call her forth. So how did he do that, call to someone who had no telephone or physical address? And what did he need help for?

When I finished studying the cover for MAKE BELIEVE, so many questions popped up, and the more of them I answered, the more the story began to unfold, until I found a King in distress, a healer with a broken heart, a Prince uncovering a mystery and a girl searching for her place in the world. I had a lot of fun writing this short story, I hope readers enjoy it. 🙂

Thanks so much, Kelly Said!

Why all the hullabaloo? Well, it’s to promote my two new releases “Make Believe” and “For the Love of Christmas”

That’s why!

And don’t forget to click on “Enter to Win” for a chance to win your choice of the two titles! Yay!

Oh, I almost forgot… A few random commentors along the tour path will win their choice of anthologies, too. So be sure to hop on over and say “Hi”

ChristmasFiligree

Hop on over and send me some love!

Click on over to Kelly Said’s website

Visit my Anthology buddies! They are celebrating too!

Muse-Sings December 2012 Special Feature & Giveaway (juliecatherinevigna.wordpress.com)
Yuletide in Telluride Contest (kendeldavi.wordpress.com)

7 Comments

Posted in Author Interview

Tagged Christmas, Fiction, J. Taylor, Make Believe, Short story

Road to Publication #21: Completing your first interview

Posted on October 29, 2012 | 11 comments

Okay, to be honest, I am writing this up after completing many interviews. The questions just keep flooding in. Such wackiness, I swear!

If you were on a train in Alabama, and the lights went out and the sky turned green, what would you do?

Seriously? You really want me to answer that question?

Okay, I made that up, but some of the questions are like this. A lot of the questions are very much the same though, and it’s hard to keep them sounding “Fresh”

While I was filling out a set of questions last night, my son (The Monomanical Middle Grade Reviewer) Leaned over my shoulder and told me I was boring.

I read it over, and decided he was right. I thought about some of the interviews that I’ve done here, and laughed at myself. Boring interviews are the reason that the Little Blue Lady from Mars was created… to add a little spice and fun into it.

He pointed out the last question, and told me I didn’t even really answer it. I looked it over. Yep, he was right. I danced around it.

“Okay,” I said. “I’ll answer it.”

With a big smile on my face, I answered the question… I answered it with him in mind… Using all the magical powers of a science fiction author.

Within a few keystrokes, my son was chuckling. I was too… and I found that this time, I really DID answer the question. And it was funny. More “me”.

“You are just too cool, Mom,” the MMGR said.

You know what? I AM COOL Dernit!

Why hadn’t I done all of my interviews like that? It made me want to go back and re-do all of the interviews I’d already done. Unfortunately, I’d sent them all out already.

Lessons Learned.

For you guys… when you do your interviews, don’t get all “tight” and “boring”. Remember your “voice”… remember who you are. You only have about 250-500 words to get someone who has never heard of you to like you.

Use those words wisely. Have fun and be yourself.

What do you like/hate about guest posts and author interviews?

11 Comments

Posted in Author Advice, Road to Publication

Tagged anthology, author, author interview, editing, Interview, Manuscript, marketing, Publishing, Short Stories, Short story, shortstory, Writing and Editing, your first interview

Flash Finish Contest for a FREE COPY of “For the Love of Christmas”– Part of the Still Moments Halloween Blog Hop

Posted on October 22, 2012 | 20 comments

This post is just supposed to be a spooky story, but I decided to bend the rules a bit and have fun. Yes, this is a giveaway.

One random participant will receive a free copy of Still Moments Publishing’s “For the Love of Christmas”, so you can cuddle up with my Holiday Tale “Connect the Dots” as soon as it is available.* Yay! It’s so cool to be giving away something I wrote! Wahooo!

Oh Yeah! By entering here, you will automatically be entered into Still Moments’s main prize drawing, where you can win one of the prizes listed here: Click me to see the pretty jewelry PLUS books too!!

Okay. Rules. Don’t worry, I’ll make it easy.

Click here to follow me on Goodreads (Extra brownie points if you add my book to your “to read” list

Follow this blog (Easy. Just press the follow button on the right)

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Okay. Now the fun part. I’m going to start a short Halloween story. All you need to do is finish the story in as few as one line, or as many as 100 words. (I won’t count your words 🙂 )

NOTE: YOU MUST INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN YOUR COMMENT TO BE ENTERED INTO THE GRAND PRIZE DRAWINGS

Winners will be chosen at random from everyone who’s followed the rules. (Which means this isn’t rocket science. We are out to have fun here, by golly!)

Oh Yeah! By entering, you will automatically be added to Still Moments list of participants, where you can win one of the prizes listed here.

Okay… The spooky story all ready for you to finish… Here we go!

The hinges creak as I push the door open with trembling fingertips. The light from my candle casts an eerie glow throughout the chamber. I set the taper down, and search the room. Where had that sound come from?

A dull thud from behind chills the very blood in my veins, cooling my heart and transfixing me. No one else should have access to this hall.

The glow of the candle flickers over the poker leaning against the fireplace, the only weapon close enough for me to …

A footstep sounds behind be, and cold fingers wrap around my arm.

***

There you go! What happens? It could be one sentence, or a few. I can’t wait to see what you come up with. Have fun!

The contest will close October 26th and I will announce a winner soon after.

Note: Still Moments will draw their Grand Prizes from all participants across the entire blog hop. Please feel free to visit the other participating blogs to increase your chances. Grand Prize drawings will take place on October 26th. Email Addresses are required for the Grand Prize drawings. Entries without email addresses will be discarded.

Want extra chance to win? Hop along the Blog Hop trail below, and good Luck! (I want that stinking necklace… so cool!)

Participating SMP Authors:

October 22, 2012
Terri Rochenski – http://www.terrirochenski.blogspot.com/
Jennifer Eaton – http://www.jennifermeaton.com/
Ceri Hebert – http://cerihebert.wordpress.com/

October 23, 2012

Liv Rancourt – http://www.livrancourt.com/
Denise Moncrief – http://denisemoncrief.blogspot.com/
Dani-Lyn Alexander – http://www.danilynalexander.com/blog.html

October 24,
2012
Mackenzie Crowne – http://mackenziecrowne.com/
Maggie Devine – http://maggiedevine.blogspot.com/
Liberty Blake – http://libertysspells.blogspot.com/

October 25, 2012

Darlene Henderson – http://dandwh.wordpress.com/
Em Epe – http://www.emeperomances.blogspot.com/
Clara Waibel – http://www.pomadness.blogspot.com/

*Note: “For the Love of Christmas” Will not ba available until December, BUT I’M GOOD FOR IT! — PROMISE!

It’s an Elle’s Studio Blog Hop! (rogerskk.typepad.com)
The Scariest Part of Halloween: Consumer Spending (mint.com)
DIY Dollar Store Halloween Village (bedifferentactnormal.com)
Happy October! (ordinarylifeisextraordinary.wordpress.com)
Let terror, then, be turned into a treat… (chickenandfrog.com)
More From the Dabble Magazine Halloween Tablescape Shoot…. (courtneyoutloud.wordpress.com)
Happy Birthday, Evernight! Now Let’s Party with a Blog Hop! (lilashaw.com)

20 Comments

Posted in Writing Contests

Tagged blog hop, Christmas, contest, Facebook, free stuff, giveaway, Goodreads, Halloween, Holiday, Literature, Opinions, Shopping, Short story

Tag Archives: Short story

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