Great News!

I'm so very excited to announce that I'm a finalist in the 200 word limit novel contest through 'Gearin' Up To Get an Agent' (GUTGAA)! The competition was FIERCE, goodness, I've never seen so much creativity in one place! Click here if you're interested in checking out the rest of the finalists! It's a privilege to have made it this far, and good luck to all!

Also, do you remember how I told you about my two eldest joining the swim team? If not, you are welcome to read about it here and here. Well, guess what? My 8 y/o, who is the worlds biggest sissy and wouldn't leave the side of the wall, let alone let her face get wet as of last summer, has managed to make it not only to A Regionals, but then went on to qualify for State! So, this Friday we're going on a road trip! Tomorrow night she'll walk in a parade-like at the Olympics, and then on Saturday she gets to race!

This is the final stretch of a very long road for us, and a memory I know she'll hold dear the rest of her life.

Hope everyone has a wonderific rest of the week!

Week 2: Story Chain

Hey everyone! 'Gearin' Up to Get an Agent Blogorama' is now on its second week. It's not too late to join in the rest of the festivities, just click the logo on the sidebar if you're interested.

This time we're working on a story chain. I had a lot of fun with this and it has been a pleasure to work in collaboration with such talented writers! For the post before mine, click here. Or click here to start at the very beginning of our tale!

The holly bush in Dio’s front yard broke her clumsy fall from the sky. Still, not too shabby for her first time in the air. She scrambled up from the bush; plucking sharp leaves from her dress and hair. Her dress was wrecked, torn and covered in grease and soot from the motorcycle earlier.

But the dress would have to wait; she had more important things to contend with. She marched into the house, straight to the study. It took her all of a second to realize the book wasn’t there. She quickly scanned the bookshelf again, searching for its purple cover, her fingers tapping the empty space where she could have sworn she’d left it.

Without the book how would she ever get out of this mess? She sagged to the floor. It was over. Hopeless.

Then an idea came to her. One she quickly shooed away. She wouldn’t, couldn’t do what she was thinking. Her father had died getting her out of there--poisoned from the toxin of a fairy bite. He was the one who’d saved her from the creatures in Nefnia Forest, from the makers of the Wish Granter book.   She couldn’t go back, asking for help, not now, especially with the book she’d stolen from them having gone missing.

“They’ll surely kill me,” Dio whispered into the empty room. She shook her head.  She had to try. This time would be different; she was stronger now, she’d arm herself with salt, she’d use her light. They really hate the light.

And then they’d be forced to do her bidding, they would have to help her find her parents.

Dio slowly came to her feet and headed upstairs to change. She picked her outfit carefully. A t-shirt and shorts, sneakers. Light and unrestrictive, the perfect attire for the task ahead. She knew once she hit the sandy bank at the edge the forest, she’d be running as if her life depended on it. 

My assignment was: With the knowledge the MC has gained (see last post) help her make a plan to get what she wants. Your words are: bank, t-shirt, salt. 

Click here to continue the story! 

I Just Had To Ask...

Gearing Up For An Agent, most graciously hosted by Deana Barnhart,  is now underway!  I hope everyone has fun! I'm super excited and totally nervous. Sort of like that feeling you get your first day at a new school, like you're afraid you're going to trip on air and fall flat on your face in front of everyone.

But I'm safe from all that embarrassment because Deana, in all her wisdom, has made our first objective pretty simple. All we have to do is to ask a question. Really, how hard can that be for someone like me? I'm a nosy, highly opinionated individual with more to say than the day has hours. However, as is my luck, every time I searched for a good meaningful question, my head only echoed back my to do list: laundry, vacuum, mow the cursed yard. Huh. Not what I want to hear right now! (or ever)

But then I remembered a post I'd read by our dear Jane Friedman, entitled "5 Things More Important Than Talent." Number 2 on Jane's list is community, where she stresses the importance of a support network. Which got me thinking (hopefully by the end of this, my tedious to do list will be buried deep under all these more important thoughts, never to surface again) about my own support network. While I have friends and family who are encouraging, I get more of that same echo when I need serious writing help. Sure there's a smorgasbord of terrific agents and other literary professionals who kindly post great tips online, but by their very nature they are forced to be more generalized.

So, my question is this: What is the best way to reach out to other like minded writers? Both to help, and receive help?