Pamela Schloesser Canepa's Blog, page 70
July 4, 2017
#FlashFictionforAspiringWriters. I Took the Fall.
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Photo credit, Kecia Sparlin.
I headed back to the yard with my garden hoe. I hate killing living things, but this bugger looked poisonous. He was further back in the brush.
“Sure, you keep your distance now.” I sat on the ground, sweating.
“You would too, Missssssssss.” His tongue darted out.
I jumped. “What?”
“Yesssss. It’ssss me. Come on, I am alwaysss judged by my outer cover, my ssscales sssso to sssspeak. It’sss not fair. All because of Hisssstory, mythology, whatever.”
“I’m sorry.” I looked at him through new eyes. It had to be a he, though who could tell?
“Yessss. Imagine what it’sss like. Way back when, Armadillo sslipped up. You know he’s a good candidate to stand for evil. But no, I defended him. I took the fall for him.”
He actually looked sad.
It seemed he’d started to trust me. He’d slithered out from the bush. The garden hoe was resting next to me, forgotten.
Suddenly, he sprang at me, and I was overcome, knocked down.
“S-ssssucker!”
I took the fall.
~The end~
(c) Pamela Schloesser Canepa
****Approx. 170 words.
From Fffaw: This is a flash fiction challenge (stories in 100-175 words or less) and each story should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Therefore, no serial (continuation) stories. They become too complicated for our readers.
A prompt photo is presented every Monday, and the challenge runs to the next Monday. Add your story to the InLinkz Link-up (Blue Froggy button). Please let me know if you need link-up instructions. See other instructions at https://flashfictionforaspiringwriter...
July 3, 2017
Mixed Tape Monday!
In my search today for teacher/writer ideas for writing prompts, I came across this idea: Mixed Tape Monday. It goes like this: If you had to choose three songs that represent your life, what would they be, and why? Sounds fun! Hopefully the videos come through for you! I submit for my first entry, Chumbawamba’s Tub-Thumping. Why? Well, the band title and song title made me laugh the first time I heard them!
Not only that, this song is AWESOME! (Probably why I mentioned it in my recent novel). It also came out in 1997, a very memorable time for me. I was twenty-seven years old and a new mom. I was back to working full-time, and my job was stressful. So was my marriage. I felt like I was always cheating some other part of me by being anywhere that I was in any given moment. Who was I? Wife, mom, sales manager. I didn’t really have time to be anyone else’s friend. Well, eventually I made a friend, and we’d go to lunch and scream to the chorus of this song with its catchy beat and winning attitude. Yes, in my business blouse and skirt, after picking up an Arby’s sandwich, I’d scream to this song on the way back to work. It made me laugh, it made me forget that I wished I was somewhere else, and it made any given day better. “I get knocked down, but I get up again.” These were pivotal years for me. Indeed, I did get back up. Now, that is something to celebrate. I’m no longer married to him, I no longer work there, and I have a good relationship with my grown son who doesn’t give me guilt if I’m doing my own thing. On to #2…
(It is second in the playlist)
“King and Lionheart,” by Monsters and Men. This is a recent song; of course, answering this prompt in 1985 would have yielded a much different result, but you would tire of my teen Madonna obsession. 
July 1, 2017
#WeekendCoffeeShare, Feels Like Summer!
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Welcome to the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Emily at nerdinthebrain.com. If we were having coffee today on July 1st, I’d tell you that:
*I still drink hot coffee, despite how warm it is outside, and that warmth seems to glide through the windows. Heaven help me though, I cannot thrive in a blacked-out room. There are some days I’ll put an ice cube or two in my coffee, though. How about you?
*It’s been another week of book promotion and finding people who will review my book, which means contact numerous book bloggers. You know, I did a LibraryThing giveaway, and I keep wondering when those reviews will trickle in? I should not be so hasty, though. This book is at least twice the length of the books I have published in the Made for Me series. I just don’t know what to expect, and I felt like I started ahead of time as needed. Oh well, start sooner next time! Got it.
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I’ve been doing more visual promo graphics for Detours in Time with Canva, and I posted a few here: https://pamelascanepa.wordpress.com/2017/06/28/detours-in-time-visual-book-promo-fun-with-canva/ I plan to make a visual book post once a week here.
Here is one that sets some character background:
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Find a few more here: https://pamelascanepa.wordpress.com/2017/06/28/detours-in-time-visual-book-promo-fun-with-canva/
*I have not been writing much because of all the promo attempts and writing author interviews. Okay, that is writing. I haven’t been doing the fiction writing that I love. I did, however, write a short story for the Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers prompt. Check it out: https://pamelascanepa.wordpress.com/2017/06/26/fffaw-the-search-ends-at-daylight/
I also wrote an eerie short story last night. I am not sure when I will drop it on the world, but I had to get the thoughts in writing, and I feel better for doing so.
*Other than that, there has been a lot of family time. My mother and my son currently don’t drive, but I think things are coming together. At any rate, I get to spend a lot of time with them and our dog this summer. I also had a little getaway with my boyfriend for his birthday weekend. I wrote a short post on these happy glimpses of summer as well: https://pamelascanepa.wordpress.com/2017/06/29/summer-glimpses-beyond-book-stuff/ This includes my goal of yoga two times or more a week, which I’m proud to say I am doing!
*I spent an hour yesterday visiting an elderly lady from my church. I volunteered to do this; I do a few volunteer things through my church. I was nervous when I first started visiting two years ago, but she is so kind. She has memory problems, but she is in a really nice Assisted Living community. When I got there yesterday, one of the directors had been urging a few of the wheelchair bound patients to move down the halls in their chairs. She had been doing that too, so I continued to wheel her around. She loved it. Movement is so good for anyone’s mind. Then, we sat out back in the shade, just a short while. She seemed so much happier than usual. I am glad she has some good days, but I can even tell on not-so-good days that she is so appreciative of my visit, and she offers help to any others there; though I don’t think she could get up and fetch a glass of water, by gosh, she would try. That’s part of memory, forgetting certain things you can no longer do. I learn so much about attitude from her. I learn a lot about the mind, as I have learned from the nervous breakdown of one of my family members. I am not an expert on the brain, but I am learning that some things can spark a healthier brain, and I am learning to listen, even when things don’t make sense.
So, there’s my week in a nutshell! That kind of fits, whith my hazelnut coffee! How was your week? Leave me a comment, and go and check out other coffee shares at http://www.nerdinthebrain.com/weekendcoffeeshare-the-one-with-a-big-ol-announcement/
Perhaps you will share your own? Click on the link up button and follow the steps.
Have a great week!
June 29, 2017
Summer Glimpses, Beyond Book Talk
I am getting a little time for rest, relaxation, fun, and self-improvement this summer. That’s what summer is for! And while I’m working like mad to promote my book and have decided I’ll teach a Creative Writing class in addition to 6th grade English this year, I’m working on my sanity, as I should!
I’m spending time with my son and our dog at the park, before noon. Note the wonderful trees! (I promised my son relative web anonymity). Family time is good for the soul.
Speaking of family time, I’ve already mentioned the mom time, since she is on the mend. We’ve enjoyed a lot of Rom/Com.s together. My favorite: Kate and Leopold. (A time travel rom.com. Of course I love it)!
There’s nothing like a beach getaway. My significant other had a birthday, and we’re starting to make the birthday beach getaway a tradition. This is the guy who sings Bohemian Rhapsody with me. Not in public (not yet).
June 28, 2017
Detours in Time, Visual Book Promo. (Fun with Canva)
Yes, this post is about book promo graphics and a little bit about my new book. I’ve had fun making them with Canva for my new sci-fi release, Detours in Time, a tale of two steadfast friends who take a life-changing journey to the future that becomes a challenge course in difficult decisions. This post is also about the characters from my book. I think each post says something about them that is important to the story.
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The above says the characters are human. They make mistakes. They know there are rules to follow and that time travel can be very sticky. Yet, each individual has their own standard for abiding by rules. For instance, would you break a rule to save a life? Where would you draw the line? If you change something in the future, is it actually changed at all? What if you found out too much about the future?
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This graphic above screams romance. Yet, my book is not classified as romance, since I think romance is my man joining me in goofy song when I sing Bohemian Rhapsody. Is there even a genre for that? However, let me say this, the best time traveler* usually has a steadfast companion. This graphic gives some insight into what Pinky thinks of Milt. While the guy pictured does not look as Milt is described in the book, he has a youthful smile, and so does Milt. In my opinion, an awkward scientist with youthful curiosity is definitely appealing. Milt was fun to write.
June 26, 2017
#FFfAW The Search Ends at Daylight
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Finally, June found his car at a building in the Arts district, where warehouses and concrete were peppered here and there with trees. She had almost given up, when she remembered a party they attended here months ago.
A few cars were parked outside, though no thriving business lived here. Obviously, there’d been a party, though she no one mentioned it to her. Apparently, a few people were unfit to drive home. She shook her head. Those two were no good for each other.
How could she keep Lori away from Jack? It seemed near impossible. They were both driving her mad, when she should be focusing on college applications and admissions essays. She sighed and opened the door.
People were sprawled around on worn couches and a stale smell of smoke and spilled alcohol permeated the air. Was that Lori in the back?
“Lori? Jack?” She called before thinking. Of course, they’d be mad she didn’t call them by Mom and Dad.
*163 words. Flash fiction for aspiring writers presents a new photo prompt weekly for writers to use as inspiration for a flash fiction story between 100-150 words, give or take 25. It’s fun to see the different perspectives of the same image. Photo credit must be given to the photographer, who, this week, is Foot and Foodie. If you want to join up, look for a new prompt on Tuesday, and find the rules and instructions at the site. Visit this past week’s challenge at:
June 24, 2017
#WeekendCoffeeShare. Of Books, Dogs, and Yoga.
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Welcome to the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Emily at nerdinthebrain.com. It goes like this, If we were having coffee today, on the 24th of June, I’d tell you that:
I actually worked on a book manuscript today! (Not the one I just published). Well, the draft is already written, but little bits and pieces have been coming to me, and today I finally decided to add them in. I can’t tell you my word count, because I only do that during NANOWRIMO. I’m sure I’ll be adding more to this one. It felt so good, because it seems such a long time since I’ve done that. You see, I’ve been working on promoting my new sci-fi release, and most of my writing efforts have gone into that. I must say, though, I really miss entering the Flash fiction challenges, and I need to get back into it. The Weekend Coffee Share has been my one semi-regular post in the blogger community. [image error] Photo: Detours in Time is my new sci-fi release. Buy link is in my footnote!
You see, I’ve been writing blog guest posts and answering interview questions in order to get featured on other blogs. I’ve been contacting book bloggers about reviews and writing those e-mails, as well as searching my book for some really good teaser quotes to add to my Canva graphics. I published a post earlier this week that explores part of the background in Detours in Time, which is the 1990s. Find it here: https://pamelascanepa.wordpress.com/2017/06/21/10-reasons-the-1990s-were-not-so-bad/ This week, I was also part of a blog tour that I signed up for through a blogger in Ireland. Each day, a different part or element of my book was revealed. Friday, my first page was featured at https://thefirstpageblog.wordpress.com/2017/06/23/419/ Please do go and check it out!
[image error] The book promo graphic that I made on Canva and posted Thursday. It’s a quote teaser from Detours in Time. If you couldn’t tell, it’s a time-travel book.
June 22, 2017
Fun with Graphics, a #DetoursinTime promo teaser
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Made with Canva.com. Find Detours in Time, my latest sci-fi novel, on Goodreads and on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0711ZW6XF
Available in Kindle format, Kindle Unlimited, and paperback!
Blurb: On a whim, feisty Tabitha takes a trip to the future with her trusted friend Milt, an awkward Science professor. Wonders and curiosities abound. However, their fun journey soon leads to a challenging maze of danger and difficult decisions. On an unplanned “detour,” the two set events into action that could save one life and destroy another. Can these friends of completely different mindsets agree on a course of action? Detours in Time starts as a fantastic escape and grows to present many moral dilemmas that could either ruin the best friendship or bring two people closer together.
I’m having fun with these graphics. What do you all think of the blurb? It is a tweaked version of what I had put on Amazon. Of course, it is still in progress. *sigh*
Have a nice weekend!
June 20, 2017
10 Reasons the 1990’s Were Not so Bad…
In honor of my new sci-fi novel that was just released last week, Detours in Time, I’d like to talk about the 1990s. My main characters live in 1997, and they travel fifity years to the future. I loved thinking about all the technology I lived without in the 90s, and used that as I imagined what my characters would run into in 2047. It was easy to set them in the 90s, as it was so pivotal for me. I sort of grew up and stepped into my own shoes in that decade (see #7). So, this post is in honor of the 1990s, and everything that was great about it:
This song by Chumbawamba! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H5uWRjFsGc&list=RD2H5uWRjFsGc
Seinfeld was on the air for most of the decade! [image error] Photo: Bing Creative Commons
Jeans were very forgiving on the days we happened to be bloated; they hid our muffin top…On the other hand, they did use a LOT of material, not so great for those of us living in Florida. [image error]
Everything was relaxed, or short, short hair was back in, or long, but if it was long, it was casual. It was almost a re-birth of 60’s fashion, and that was great. Of course, Grunge took it and ran, but that’s their perogative. [image error]
On the subject of music, we had Karma Police, Creep, …. Again, it felt a lot like a revivial of the sixties, except for Nirvana. They were unlike most of the others. Then, we also had the “gourd” bands. Smashing Pumpkins, Blind Melon, did I miss any? It didn’t matter. They were fresh, and unique. Headbangers still had their fun, too. See the aforementioned Nirvana, and there were a few others that were still kicking in the 90s, though the headbanger bands are not my expertise. Then, there was Beck. That man was, is, a dynamo. Come to think of it, 90s music rocked!
Most of us did NOT have cell phones. We called each other or went over to a friend’s house, sometimes unannounced. When we got together, we looked at each other while conversing. I kind of miss that…
There was Titanic, there was Val Kilmer looking great in several movies, there was Nicholas Cage in a movie every time you turned around, and the Lion King warmed our hearts. Movies were a big hobby for me, as I wasn’t going to concerts or getting out much as the 90s moved on, so thank goodness we had cable. In that decade, I: graduated from college, met a man who I married, bought a house with him, had a son, potty-trained that son of mine, worked full-time, got divorced, continued raising my son. The 1990s were such an important time, and I was seriously busy. I’d unwind at night watching the NASA channel with a slushy margarita. Really! [image error]
If you were in college, you went to the book store to buy your books. Well, even if you weren’t in college, you went to buy books at the store. In the library, you used a physical “card” catalog. By the way, did Amazon even exist back then?
Most of us did NOT have a home computer, and no one had ever heard of tablets. This was great, because you know, Y2K was just around the corner. I’ll address that in the sequel to Detours in Time.
Re-blogged, See the Book Trailer for my new #scifi novel, Detours in Time
Watch the book trailer for my new sci-fi novel, Detours in Time! Now available in Kindle format, Kindle Unlimited, and paperback at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0711ZW6XF
Detours in Time
by
Pamela Schloesser Canapa
