Cheerleaders Aren't Just For Football...

“We deceive ourselves when we fancy that only weakness needs support.  Strength needs it far more.” ~ Anne Sophie Swetchine

I’ll be the first person to admit I’m my own worst critic.  I’m self-deprecating, masochistic, and an all-around pessimist.  But I’m also stubborn, determined and a complete dreamer of dreams. 

How is that even possible?  Trust me, it is.

I try to believe in myself.  I push through the negativity to prove to my evil alter-ego that I can do it, even when she’s telling me I don’t stand a chance (she can be really snarky).  Sometimes, she wins and I go to bed deflated, defeated and ready to give up.  Sometimes I win, and she shuts up and scowls while I smile sweetly and pat myself on the back.  I don’t win enough, though. 

That’s where my support system comes in.

Don’t get me wrong, some people succeed on their own, with no support system, and I give them major kudos for being able to do so.  But only a few like that succeed.  Many others give up.  And come on, who doesn’t appreciate a pat on the back?  Whether you are on a sports team, part of a band, or a soloist like me, everyone should have somebody behind them.  To cheer you on and encourage you to push the limits of your potential, someone to slap you out of a funk or to pick you up when you’ve lost a round (because everyone loses sometimes) and tell you “Good job, go do it again”.  Everyone needs that validation that someone there believes in them, too, even the most egotistical and narcissistic. 

Why?  Without the support of others, the road to success could be much, much harder.  It’s easier to travel that road with company.  Whether it’s two people, two hundred, or two thousand, you’ll be amazed at how much better the journey is with them behind you.  It’s also more fun to celebrate successes with those people who were at the start line with you.  After all, it’s a little piece of success for them, too.

Support systems can be made up of all variations of the people in your life, such as: 

• Spouse/partner
• Parents
• Siblings
• Extended family members
• Friends
• Colleagues
• Neighbors
• Fellow writers, athletes, artists, etc.
• A mentor

Even people you meet online can become your supporters and allies.  It doesn’t matter who they are in relevance to your life and/or goals, as long as they are people who you are comfortable sharing your goals with, who believe in and respect you, and can be there to say “You can do it” when you need it.  That’s one criteria needed.  

The other criteria would be the ability to ask for that support.  I know first hand that people can assume you don’t need them, so it’s important to remind them when you do.  I also know how hard it can be to say when you need someone, so I’m telling you right now, swallow that pride—it can be rather useless when you feel like quitting.

My support group is made up of many parts.  So that I don’t offend people, I’ll spare you the pie chart (even though I’d really love to put one up because I love pie charts) and provide you a list instead:

• My husband, Bob:  I’d be lost without him most days.  He picks me up when I’m down, dusts me off and kicks me in the pants (sometimes a little too hard, haha) and tells me everyday that he believes in me.  He also knows when to give me a proper reality check.  Bob’s my beta reader, my sounding board, my shoulder to cry on, my ear to yell into when I’m frustrated and my #1 supporter. 
• My parents: They’ve come over almost every weekday the past year to watch my little guy so that I could work, and who are there to say (along with my husband) that I need to pursue my dreams.  They haven’t read a word I’ve written (I’m actually quite shy about my work and refuse to share with them until it’s in print), but they think I’ve got the talent to succeed and promise to be first in line to buy my books. 
• My extended family and friends:  This large and eclectic group of people in my life provides varying levels of support, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that. 
• Fellow writers:  Along this journey, I’ve met an amazing group of multi-talented people from all walks of life, and through their opinions, advice and support, I’ve seen myself and my writing from a much different perspective.  Most I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting in person, but we have a mutual respect and belief in one another’s goals.  To be embraced by the writing community like that and to be able to offer that embrace back is a wonderful thing.
• My followers:  The fact that you come here to this blog, follow my Twitter and/or Facebook and read my ramblings, comment on them, share them, and take the time to show interest in what I’m doing is not only flattering, but astounding (in the best way possible).  It helps me believe in myself.  It makes me feel worthy of someone else’s time, and for that I have so much gratitude and appreciation for each of you.  I love reading your emails, your tweets and comments, and I love hearing how my work has made you feel/think.  That validation for me as a writer is crucial to succeeding, and you’ve helped to give me that.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
• Critique givers:  They’ve read my work, given me the good and the bad, and in the end, they still encourage me and tell me to go for it.  Enough said.

These people have gathered together along my road to success.  Without them, I would have thrown in the towel a LONG time ago.  I look forward to celebrating with them when the time finally comes.  *Prays that it will come quickly*

Family, friends, workout partners, critique groups, classmates, strangers, the mailman, or the guy who sits a cubicle away from you.  There are so many options for support out there.  All you have to do is get out your “road to success” map, decide who you want with you and tell them where you’re heading.   

How did I write a book?

“How did you write a book?”

It’s probably the question I’ve been asked as much as what my book is about.  To me, it’s like asking why the sky is blue.  The truth is I don’t have a straight answer.  Telling people about my book in 140 characters on Twitter is easier than telling them how I wrote it.  But because I can’t leave a question unanswered, I am going to tell you how I actually wrote it and what I do while I write.

I’ve told the story before, but I’ll tell give you the abridged version on how I came to write my first book.  For those who want to read the full story, here’s the link to my very first blog post in which I go into more detail: http://crowleykt.blogspot.com/2010_10_01_archive.html

Back in 2009, I broke my ankle, leading to me spending LOTS of time sitting around.  I started thinking up stories and one story idea just stuck with me.  6 weeks later, I’d completed work on my first draft on Unnatural, the first novel in a series I’ve created.  Fast forward to the present where I’m in the 5^th and (hopefully) final draft of Unnatural and slowly sending out queries to agents after many, many rounds of edits and critiques, buffing and polishing my manuscript to a nice shine.

Now I’ll tell you what I needed in order to write Unnatural and what I still need to write to this day.

The Process:

As I’ve mentioned before, music is a muse and a must-have element in my writing process (not so much in the creative process, because that just happens on its own.  I’ll talk more about that later).  Some days I’ll know exactly what I need to listen to and others I have to scroll through the thousands of tracks I have until one sets the mood.  If I don’t have time to scroll (like when I’m trying to squeeze in some writing during my son’s very short naps), I have “go-to” artists I’ll put on, such as Paramore, Muse and The Bravery.  These in particular almost always help to set the mood for my writing time.

Once I’ve got my music going, I focus on clearing out the static around me; no twitter, facebook or email, no phone calls and no husband and baby (love them to pieces, but frankly, I can’t get anything done with them around).

So I’ve got my music going, I’m static-free, what next?  I need something pretty and inspiring to look at when I need a moment of reflection.  If I’m writing during daylight, I open my blinds.  I have a decent view of rooftops, trees, small mountains and endless sky to look at.  It’s not a fantastic, million-dollar view or anything, but it’s enough for me.  If it’s nighttime—which has become my temporary writing time until January—I google a picture of the area the current story takes place in.  Visual aids are very helpful during the wee hours.

To be as accurate as possible, a lot of writing requires research, so I pull together any reference guides I may need, any research that I’ve done that will help and keep them handy to avoid disturbing my flow.  Who wants to be in the middle of a scene and have to get up from their seat to search for a book or scour the web?  Not me.  Like a boy scout, I’m always prepared.

Then, if I’m being candid—which I always am—I stare.  I stare at my work-in-progress or a blank word document until my fingers start typing.  To avoid hours of just sitting and staring, I have notes written out on a pad of paper or in another word document on my second monitor and reference them for a mental kick.  (For those of you who’ve never used a dual-monitor set up, I HIGHLY recommend it if you’re like me and have several pages open at once on your PC and need to reference them often).  That usually gets the ball rolling, but if it doesn’t, I wait until my creative juices start flowing naturally. 

I don’t force my writing because when I do, it usually ends up being deleted.  It could take minutes or hours, but I always wait it out.  I think of my stories as real and my characters like real people; would I force a friend to tell me their story?  To relay a problem their having or a past event to me in specific, intimate details when they’re not ready to?  No.  So I don’t do that to my characters.  Otherwise, they go on strike and then I’m really stuck staring at a blank screen for days, possibly weeks until they feel I’ve been punished enough and decide to forgive me.  I don’t push them and they don’t push me (usually).

And that’s it.  That is my process.  To some it may seem simple, to others complicated.  But none of this matters without the creativity, which leads me to the second part of this blog post.

The Creativity:

I can’t say where my ideas come from.  I know, it sounds like a cop-out, so I’ll elaborate.  I take a topic I like, such as paranormal elements, and the characters introduce themselves to me.  Then I let it play out in my mind like a movie.  If the reel sputters then fails, I know the story is not worth my attention.  But if it plays smoothly and on repeat, new elements showing up with each playback, then I have a story to be told.  Or if I have a character that simply won’t leave my thoughts, I know I need to work with them to get their story out. 

I may get some eye rolls for this, but I’ve been doing this for so long that my mind is now on auto-pilot, and the ideas just come to me, unexpectedly, no prompting needed.  And out comes the laptop (or pen and paper, or eyeliner and napkin, whatever I can get my hands on when it needs to be written).

What I can say is where my creativity happens.  I get most of my ideas and do my best thinking in the shower and while driving my car; the two places a laptop can’t be of use.  I guess those are the places I relax my brain enough to let my mind open up to story/character invasions.  When I don’t have so much on my plate, I also get ideas while trying to fall asleep at night, another place my laptop is not welcome (though my husband now understands that it’s more effective for me to use a netbook I keep on my nightstand than having me run back and forth from my bedroom to my office).

And that’s my best answer to the question that kicked off this blog post.  I could have posted a more technical answer about how to write dialogue and structure a story, but I think I’ll save those topics for later posts. 

I’d love to hear what my fellow writers do when you write and how your creations are born, so if you’re willing to share, leave a comment below or send me a tweet or email at the right.  I’m interested to hear all about it, especially any strange rituals or practices that are a must to make it happen for you.

If you’re thinking about writing a book but don’t know where to start, start at the beginning; read reference books on writing and stories in the genre you want to write in.  Carry a notebook with you for when ideas strike.  Create an outline or a summary of the story you want to tell.  Or be like me and just dive right in, writing from beginning to end or write scenes as they come to you, piecing everything together and filling in the cracks later.  Figure out what works for you.  Get in your own zone and go for it, just let it happen.  My best piece of advice to offer is to stay dedicated.  It’s all on you.  After all, the story isn’t going to write itself.  ;-)  

I’ll be back next week with a post on a writing support system and its importance.  Stay classy, readers.  <3

What's Up, Grammar??

Before I give you my thoughts on grammar, I have some more news to share. 

Over the past three weeks, I’ve pretty much disappeared from the online scene (and from life itself, really).  Shortly after I posted my big news about my pregnancy, I got some bad news.  It turns out baby Crowley #2 won’t be joining us after all.  As you can expect, my husband and I are experiencing a range of different emotions.  Sadly these things happen, though, and there is no explanation for it.  We’ve come to terms with it—mostly—and still believe that everything happens for a reason. 

I’m not going to lie; it’s been tough.  I’m a really strong person, (to a fault, actually), but nothing prepares you for something like this, even if in the back of your mind you know it’s a possibility.  We’re still grieving, but all we can do now is look forward and hope that if we’re lucky enough to have another pregnancy, it doesn’t happen again.

As for something less depressing, my newest protagonist has turned into a real attention-hogging diva.  She demands I write about her and her alone, all the time, which has left Lexi to feel a bit neglected.  They had a catfight about it yesterday—there was name-calling, hair pulling, it got ugly.  Lexi won, surprisingly. 

Wouldn’t you just love to be inside my head while all this goes on?? 

My new protagonist and I have been fighting over her name, and since we can’t come to an agreement, I may hold a vote to decide it.  I may even make a contest out of it.  With the vote, I hope to quiet her down.  I’ll keep you posted.

Now back to why we’re here—grammar.

Grammar to me is like a little gnat, worming through my brain.  As I write, I try to stay conscious of it, but it’s not easy.  I don’t consider grammar my friend.  The problem is I’m an “organic” writer, meaning if the words and creativity are flowing, I’m not stopping the train until it runs out of steam, which in turn means I’m not paying attention to anything but the story I’m creating.  I go back and edit later. 

Besides, if I’m writing the next best seller, why should grammar be an issue?  An editor can take care of that for me.

Wrong.  Not everyone’s writing is going to be perfect (I'm sure my blog posts are riddled with errors haha), but a fantastic story can be ruined by poor writing, therefore be rejected by an agent or editor.  It’s your job as the writer to present a clean and well-structured story.  Grammatical errors can be a turn-off (minor ones may be okay to some, but why chance it?), and can easily be avoided and/or corrected by doing your homework.

This doesn’t mean you should harp on yourself or shove bamboo shoots under your nails until you get it right from the starting gate.  Grammar is intense; so many rules and strange words, it’s overwhelming.  And let’s face it, grammar wasn’t our only subject in school, so if you didn’t have the A-Z guide to grammar tattooed to your brain by graduation, there’s nothing wrong with that (if you did, consider me jealous).  If you don’t know it now, you can learn it by tomorrow and apply it from then on.   

Fortunately, my grammar isn’t terrible.  Like most, I have my weak points, but I spend a good amount of time researching my own grammar faux pas, and you should too.  The more you learn about the errors you’re making, the better writer you’ll become—as long as you apply what you’ve learned about your errors to your writing and stay aware of your weak points.  At the end of the day, wouldn’t you rather teach yourself to write sentences correctly?  I know I would.

Here are some suggestions for those of you who struggle with grammar and want to improve, but are at a loss as to how to:

• When in doubt, google it.  If you’re in the middle of a sentence and can’t figure out if it’s supposed to be “Allude” or “Elude”, “I” or “Me”, or whether or not there’s supposed to be an apostrophe, the answers truly are just a click away.  Simply pull up your preferred search engine, type in your query and the correct answer will pop up in dozens of forms with detailed explanations.  There are also some great sites and blogs that offer helpful advice and are worth checking out.  Here are some I’ve discovered:

1. http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/
2. http://writeonteens.blogspot.com/2011/08/basics-possessive-pronouns-with-gerunds.html (this is a great site for teen writers and the author of this particular blog post on grammar is one of my favorites to follow)
3. http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/
4. http://www.grammarerrors.com/category/grammar/
5. http://www.grammarphobia.com/grammar.html

·    Pick up a guide.  The classic “The Elements of Style” by Strunk and White is an essential tool for writers, and I highly recommend reading it if you haven’t already. (Stephen King recommends it in his book, “On Writing”, which is another good read for writers.) 

I also recently purchased “Sparknotes Ultimate Style: A Concise Guide to Grammar, Usage, and Style: The Rules of Writing” at Barnes and Noble online for, get this, less than $1.  It’s just about 130 pages and is organized alphabetically.  There’s not much to it, but it addresses the most common grammar issues, like misused words and expressions, rules of punctuation, etc.  It’s a great (and quick) reference guide to keep with you, especially if you don’t have access to the internet every time you’re writing. 

There are tons of books out there on grammar (and editing, and writing, and dialogue, and…well, the list goes on and on) so make sure to do your due diligence.  Read reviews, ask fellow writers/editors for recommendations, etc., and make sure not to overwhelm yourself by purchasing too many reference books on one topic.  I stick to 2 or 3 at the most.  If you don’t want to commit to purchasing them, see if you can borrow them (that’s what makes the library so great).  *wink*

• Take a class.  Okay, this one is a bit extreme, but if you really feel like you need the help, check to see if your local colleges or adult education centers offer classes.  There are also some online.  For some writers, you may feel silly, like “I should know these things”, but there is no shame in brushing up and bettering yourself in the way of education, especially if you plan to make writing your career. 

• Ask someone for help.  If you’re in a critique group, have a crit partner, or know someone who’s pretty good with grammar (and you’re comfortable sharing your work with them), ask if they’d be willing to look at your work and point out your grammar weaknesses specifically—with a BIG RED PEN.  This is a good idea if you’ve done your homework and still feel a bit leery as to whether or not you’ve gotten it right (like me).  It never hurts to have a fresh pair of eyes re-examine what you’ve already poured over countless times.   

Don’t know anyone?  There are a lot of great freelance editors out there who may be able to help you.  Depending on your budget, not only can an editor help you with your grammar issues, but again, a fresh pair of eyes reviewing your story can never hurt.  Again, do your due diligence—ask fellow writers for recommendations, request a sample of the editor’s work, collect references, etc.  Make sure you and the editor are clear on exactly what you need from their services before starting.         

I also want to add if you’re one of the fortunate with good grammar (and/or spelling, for that matter) please don’t make a point of correcting someone else in a less than constructive and helpful way.  No one likes being criticized for a mistake they may not be aware they made, it’s discouraging.  We’re all trying to better ourselves and support others like us, right?  So if it has to be done, let’s do it the encouraging way.  Be polite about it; say something to that person privately if you really feel it needs to be corrected.  (I know when I’ve been corrected, it’s mega embarrassing, but the nicer you are about it, the less idiotic I feel.)  You may be surprised at how grateful and appreciative that person may be for you catching their error.  If they’re not, well then at least you tried to help and were kind about it.  No harm, no foul.

If you have any grammar questions I can help with, or advice you feel would help other writers you’d like me to post, feel free to send me an email or leave a comment.  I’d love to do a full blog post dedicated to specific grammar FAQs tailored to my readers. 

I’m off to do some reading.  Peace out, folks. 

Well, That Was Unexpected...

In my last post, I talked about it being July already.  Now, it’s August.  Seriously, can time slow down, just a little bit? 

My vacation was great, relaxing and fun.  I only snuck online a couple of times, until my husband hid my laptop and phone from me, only giving it to me for good behavior.  What can I say, workaholics don’t take a break.  For those of you who had placed bets, I was online first thing Tuesday.  At least I made it through a long weekend before cheating on my vacation. 

My husband and I brought our son to a beautiful beach town north of where we live that Monday (hint: it’s where they filmed part of the movie “The Proposal”), and even though I sat in the shade the whole time we were on the actual beach, I still managed to turn as red as a lobster (that was three weeks ago, and my skin is still recovering)!  With that aside, it was so much fun watching my son play in the water and enjoy the sun and sand.  The next day we stayed at home and had a little pool party/BBQ, just the three of us.  Then we took a day trip to Rhode Island, spent some time with some special relatives who hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting my little guy yet.  That was a really special day.  Thanks again to my Aunt and Uncle for hosting us, it was such a treat.  The rest of the week was spent swimming, shopping and just spending time together.  It was exactly what we needed.

Then I learned something quite interesting on Saturday…  Something totally unexpected and really, really surprising… 

I’m pregnant again!

Now, before you go worrying that this blog is going to turn into a mommy-to-be gush fest with all the deets of my pregnancy and subsequent delivery over the next eight months, you can relax.  Besides dropping a line here and there to keep the folks who are interested up-to-date, this blog is going to continue to be about my journey to becoming a published author.  It won’t change until that happens—then it will become about being a published author, should I be so fortunate.  If enough people show interest, maybe I’ll start a separate blog documenting it—maybe.   

Anyway, I was totally shocked, as was my husband.  If I thought the pressure to success was intense before, I was way off.  Knowing that I have another little one on the way is super exciting (especially after what I went through to have my son), but I’m also freaking out.  Writing is a career I’ve chosen to pursue, but until I get a deal, I’m working for free, and a deal isn’t a guarantee.  Can’t feed two kids and pay a mortgage on that salary.  On top of it all is finding the time to work; my time before was limited with taking care of one child, now I will have two under the age of two as of March 2012.    

I’m pretty sure I just heard an “Oh boy”.

I’m remaining optimistic and I believe that everything happens for a reason.  Maybe this is just another nudge I need to push me to query as I’d planned to this month.  I always find time to work, though; I’ll have to be more creative with my days and nights. 

If you missed my announcement on Twitter, I’m going to be writing at night now.  Due to a situation out my control, I’ve lost my daytime sitters for a short time.  It works out though, because my son’s schedule is changing again and this will give me time to adjust and figure out what works best for everyone involved by the time they start sitting for me again.  As long as I get some time to write, I’m happy.

Which brings me to something else I did on vacation—those times I snuck online and got my computer back for good behavior?  I used that time to start another YA series.  It was one of the half-dozen ideas I’d been developing, but it just struck me Tuesday and I had to write what had come to me.  I have the beginning and the ending done.  I can’t wait to work on it some more.

All in all, I’d say I had a pretty successful—and eventful—vacation.  I’ll be posting next week (if all goes as planned) my thoughts on grammar.  Until then, I burn the midnight oil. 

Wish me luck.       

Summer, Summer, Summertime

It’s July.  *Pauses for reaction* I know, I can’t believe it either.  Summer is in full swing here in the States and that means BBQs, pool parties and trips to the beach are mandatory, because summer is synonymous with vacation. 

Apparently, summer didn’t get the memo that aspiring writers such as me don’t get vacations when deadline clocks are ticking.

Not that I’m complaining--I love what I do.  I get to escape reality through my writing, everyday.  The summertime weather has made my writing productivity skyrocket, and I’ve been in a good mood for weeks.  Why would I want to put the breaks on that high-speed brain train barreling toward my career goals, just to sit on a beach and enjoy a lazy day with my family? 

I think it’s important I address the whole “taking a break” rule.  Everyone needs a break, even me, the workaholic hermit.  Maybe even especially me, since I haven’t taken a real vacation in about 5 years.  A day or two off here and there are great refreshers, but sometimes you just need to shut down and fully recharge your batteries. 

Next week, my husband and I are taking the whole week off.  I can’t promise that I’ll stay true to my word and not work (I’m an artist, and if inspiration hits, I have to run with it), but I’m REALLY going to try.  *Crosses fingers* I swear, I’m going to relax and enjoy some lazy time for once.

You can start taking bets now.

Now for an update on Unnatural:  I was chatting with a writer recently about my difficulties getting my first full-length novel perfect.  “I don’t know what I’m missing, but there’s something I’m not seeing and I just want to get it right finally.  I’m so close!”  I said. 

In a few sentences, she made me realize exactly what I’ve been missing this whole time. 

See, I’ve written a dual genre book (paranormal romance).  I’ve been so focused on editing the romance that I’ve neglected reviewing and editing the paranormal without meaning to.  The paranormal is what headlines this book, the romance is just the side show; hence why it comes second in the genre listing.  Since talking with her, I’ve been looking at Unnatural with brand-new eyes, and I have to say, with a renewed excitement, too.  In my gut, I feel like I’ve finally done it. 

Of course, an agent could tell me differently, but for the first time since getting my critiques back, I don’t feel lost in all the little tweaks and tune-ups.  I now know my novel is my best version of “perfect”.  I can only hope someone sees it that way, too, and wants to help me make this manuscript a published book.   

With any luck, I could be officially querying by August.  I’ll make sure to let you all know how possible that really is, after my vacation next week.  *Winks*

This could be the best summer ever…

The Sequel Finally Has A Name!

You’ve all been waiting for it (some more patiently than others).  The long awaited working title to the 2^nd novel in my Unnatural series is:

1 Step Forward, 2 Steps Back

Right now, I hate my manuscript.  I love it, but I hate it.  Confused?  Let me explain.

Versus Challenge FINAL Reward

I can't believe it; it feels like I started this challenge yesterday and here we are at the end.  What I thought was going to take a long time to finish, actually wrapped itself up pretty quickly!  Big thanks to everyone who helped spread the word about me and my journey; I appreciate it more and more each day, so much so that I have no words to descibe exactly how grateful I am.  Please continue to do so, as the support has really helped me along, especially on my "I want to quit" days (more on those later).

 

As always, I hope you've enjoy the snippets of my novel.  I'm hard at work on the sequel, which brings me to the big reward promised at the beginning of this challenge.  So who was the winner, Twitter or Facebook?

Versus Challenge Reward #8

Wow- only one more to go!  Here's the 8th reward:

Versus Challenge Reward #7

First, Happy Mother's Day weekend to all the Mothers out there.  I hope you have an amazing day.

So here is the 7th reward.  I'm so excited! 

Versus Challenge Reward #6

Here's your 6th reward...  17 until the next!

Versus Challenge Reward #5

Challenge update:  Twitter is STILL killing the competition!  There are 4 more rewards to go until the end of this challenge.  Will there be an eleventh hour take down? 

Here's your 5th reward...

"The End" is just the beginning...

I love writing.  It’s not just something I do; it’s something I live for.  Writing is a way for me to escape my own world and live in one polar opposite to my own.   Writing fiction is especially fun because I can create whatever kind of world I want and have my characters do whatever they want.  But when I’m all done, that’s not it, there’s more to do.  I come to what is, for me, the dreaded part: editing.

Versus Challenge Reward #4

Challenge update:  Twitter is killing the competition!  Come on, Facebook; show us why you still reign supreme in social networking!  ;-)

Here's your 4th reward...

Versus Challenge Reward #3

Hey everyone, sorry this is late-crazy weekend.  Here's your reward.  18 until the next one!

Versus Challenge Reward #2

I've filled in the first missing line.  25 to the next one!

Are those flowers in my yard?

Spring is starting to awaken and the snow is dissipating.  Isn’t it amazing how the change of seasons can flip your overall mood?  I can understand why some animals hibernate all winter long; it’s a cold and cranky time of year and all I want to do is sleep through it too.

Versus Challenge Reward #1

First, thanks and WELCOME to my new followers!  I appreciate your support!

Second, I’ve redecorated the blog for spring!  Maybe now it will actually show up, humpf. 

So we’ve reached the first mark in this new challenge I’m calling “Versus”.  Before I get to the fill-in-the-blanks excerpt, remember, whichever site has the most followers at the end of this challenge gets the exclusive reveal of the working title for Unnatural’s sequel-3 days before I post it here.  Twitter is in the lead by 20.

 

Okay, here it is.  Remember, I’ll be filling in the blanks as the rewards from this point on. 

My eyes fluttered open. ********************* where the air was moist and smelled musty. I could hear someone talking, but I didn’t recognize the voice. It sounded like they were talking to someone on the phone, the conversation one-sided.

“******************.... *****************…. I can’t believe they were so careless, left her unprotected… *******************…”

********************, were they talking about me? Did they know about my visions?

I looked down the long, dark hallway for an exit; I had to get out. **************************. I could see a slit of light at the end, light from under a door. I ran full speed down the concrete hall, terrified for my life.

“Stop her!” Someone yelled.

A new voice came from behind me, sounding familiar, but I didn’t stop to see who it was. I stumbled, regained my footing and kept pushing forward. I made it to the door, ********************. It was huge. I’d never seen one that big, it looked too heavy for me. My hands brushed the cool metal handle as suddenly ********************…*

Only 18 to go until I fill in the first blank.  New blog post coming tomorrow.

Inside Look Finale Reward!!

The excerpt you’ve been waiting for is finally here!  Drum roll please………

 

My hands shook so hard I thought they might break. I knew what was going to happen, I had seen it-but could I stop it?

I could see Hayden walking down the street and I knew I had to make a decision, fast. But if I was wrong, how would I explain myself? I would have to tell him the truth and I knew what it would mean if I did. It’d mean the world I knew could come crashing down around me, piece by painful piece.

There wasn’t much time to act. My hands gripped the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turned white. My whole body was trembling now.

Would Dell really do it? He couldn’t, could he? It has to be a mistake, a glitch in my vision.  I had to be wrong, this one time. Please, let me be wrong. 

After convincing myself I was, I went to start my car to leave when the headlights in my rearview mirror made my decision for me.

Thanks to everyone who participated in this challenge; it went by so much faster than I anticipated! 

Now, on to the next challenge!

I am going to do this one a bit differently.  I’m going to post another excerpt, but this time, lines will be missing.  For every 25 followers, I’ll fill in the blanks.  Here’s the big twist: I’ll still use the combined totals, but, whatever site gets the most followers in this challenge (Twitter, Facebook, or this blog) wins an extra little something at the end.  I’ll reveal to those followers exclusively the sequel’s working title, 3 days before I post it to the blog for the world to see.    

So where’s the fill-in-the-blanks excerpt?  You’ll see it-*smiling devilishly* once we reach the first 25. 

Let the games begin!

Inside Look Follower Challenge Reward #5

This is the last "Inside Look" reward before the big one!  Only 4 away-great job!

Here it is.  Enjoy:

That’s when I lost all sense of control. Standing on my tiptoes, I threw my arms around his neck and started kissing him. My blood boiled, the mere temperature of it alone should have melted my skin off.

Now I know I had said I'd let you in on the next challenge, but, I'm deciding whether or not I want to mix it up next time.  Stay tuned; I'll be sure to post it once we've reached the final 4!