Oh, woe is me! It’s been so bloody long since I’ve posted on one of my favorite online writing exercises. I sporadically participate in this exercise and there are always so many wonderful posts. I love to read every one of the entries. Now that I’m dedicating my Fridays to my own writing, I will do what I can to include “Write Everything“s Fiction Friday. This week:

Start your story with a game of hide and seek.

My Entry:

Jimmy crouched inside the old wooden trunk, trembling and doing his best not to sneeze from the dust he stirred by climbing inside…dust he felt sticking to the tears that had stained his red cheeks.

“Jimmy! Where the hell are you!”

Jimmy felt only slightly relieved that his father’s voice sounded distant. Perhaps this hiding space would work after all.

“Jimmy, when I get my hands–”

Jimmy’s eyes went wide when he heard what sounded like a grunt and some stumbling. This was the first time he had stood up to his father and hearing his father fall, he was sure he was going to live to regret it. Jimmy had only grabbed the nearest thing he could get his hands on…the small pick hammer in the connecting garage. Playing baseball, he grabbed it like the bat and swung, not thinking about what would happen if he actually hit his father with it. He only meant to scare him away so he could run. But that’s not how it happened. The pointed end had come into contact with his father’s knee. Jimmy swallowed down the bile that came up in his throat as he remembered the sickening “crack” sound.

Silence. After what sounded like his father falling, he hadn’t heard anything more, except the thundering of his heart in his ears. Was it safe to come out?

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DOH! 5-minute timer went off! That’s the ending of this post!!

That’s my two pence…

Arial ;)

Again, I am blessed to have such amazingly talented friends!!! I met Trish Albright about 2 years ago at an RWA meeting and purchased her first book, and over the last couple of years, we only met on one or two other occasions. I had the pleasure of spending a lot more time with her at the recent RT convention and she is just a joy to be around…truly a kindred spirit.

Having a little more time on my hands recently, I was able to DEVOUR her romantic adventure, “Siren’s Song” and could not put the book down! Wow! What a page-turner! No exaggeration here, it was a fabulous adventure!

Continuing my blogs on my experience at the Romantic Times Book Lover’s Convention 2009 (in Orlando, FL), it was my greatest pleasure to speak with so many writers about the craft and the process in which people craft their own stories. I LOVE to hear all the ways that people come up with their story ideas and what brings them to that last page where they type our favorite words….THE END.

I realize the publisher will be the one to design the cover, but I’m a visual kinda gal and I like to SEE things happening! So, I’ve designed a new cover for my first book – MIDNIGHT CONQUEST. Why? Well, though I like what I did before, it doesn’t LOOK like a paranormal romance. While at the RT convention, I saw the covers that immediately drew me to them because they LOOKED like a paranormal romance novel. So, I don’t think there will be any mistaking this for anything BUT a paranormal romance…

I had the pleasure of meeting a profound artist at the Romantic Times Book Lover’s Convention by the name of Robert Quill. Charming, witty, talented and downright hilarious, Robert was a joy to meet and converse with. I loved hearing his voice – a kind of cross between rogue and tv announcer.

Genella and I are friends because I enjoy her ideas and what she writes…outside of the fact we also have so much in common. THANKFULLY I don’t have one of those friendships with her where I adore her, but I hate her writing. What a conundrum that would be! “Gee, Genella…um…cute story?” I’m blessed with a very talented friend who knows how to tell a good story and she never fails to yank those tears from me!

Fiction Friday Challenge

I’ve been out of the circuit for a little while due to how busy I’ve been, but I’m going to try to get back into it. Here’s the Fiction Friday challenge for May 1st:

A secondary character says this somewhere in your story; “He’s the cutest little boy. Makes it that much sadder, doesn’t it?”

Greetings!!

Well, my desktop computer crapped out on me before I left on the trip, so I didn’t get to post the images of the prizes I gave away at the Romantic Times (RT) Book Lover’s Convention. Fear not, however, I took some pictures while I was in Florida and I’m posting them on my web site, so be sure to go there and check it out. (They’re too big to post in the blog)

In my last post prior to the convention, I said there was a 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize. Well, it didn’t turn out that way. I gave one item away each day over three days. By the way, congratulations to our winners!! Following the items I gave away will be the names of the winners:

Aye, my third day at the Romantic Times Book Lover’s Convention, the sex, scandal and mayhem began! I met a very famous and well-loved author (she-who-shall-not-be-named) during my initial RT Virgin orientation and volunteered to help her with moving some of her promotional materials. As we walked down the halls of the convention center, she insisted on stopping by and hugging another well-known author (another she-who-shall-not-be-named), who…with MUCH excitement and enthusiasm…hugged my new-friend-famous author…and promptly began humping her leg with an expression of ecstasy on her face.

Hey, Gang!

Sorry no recent updates! Been busy getting ready for the upcoming Romantic Times Book Lover’s Convention! Even though I’m very much looking forward to the event, I don’t think the excitement of it has hit me just yet. I’m running around like a crazy woman getting all my promotional materials and give-aways made and ready for the event. More on that in just a moment.