Christine Rains's Blog, page 117

The Magic 8 Ball Meme

Thank you very much to two lovely ladies, Jaybird and Kathleen Doyle,
for passing on this meme.
Here's the rules:1. Post the button and link to http://blog.jayceedelorenzo.com (following would be nice, but not required).
2. Share an excerpt from your current WIP, perhaps something you're struggling with, are stuck on, or just can't "get right."
3. Ask a question about your excerpt. It can be something easy such as "What do you think?" or something more in-depth, such as "Can you suggest a better way to word such-and-such," or "How can I make the emotions in this scene more realistic?"
4. Tag 8 people. (I'm not tagging anyone in particular since I see this meme is going around. Please take it if you'd like some help with a story or query, and let me know so I can pop over to see your post.)

This is the beginning of a steampunk short story I'm writing for a YA anthology. I rarely write for anyone other than adults. I have two questions for you:
1) Does it sound too adult? I'm trying to give it a YA feel. I don't know how well I am succeeding with it.
2) This is the beginning I have now. Yet I wonder if I should start in the middle of a fight. I'm biased a bit because I love action, and when I don't have an explosive beginning, I think maybe I'm not hooking the reader. Would this beginning make you want to read more? Or would you rather start it with a fight with a mechanical scorpion?

Here's my excerpt:

Walking on sand was the worst. Mercy's ankle had no movement, and no matter how heavy her pants, the grains got into the gears. Every now and then, her knee joint uttered a dry huff similar to the ones coming from the animal behind her.
“I see it ahead.” Edwina called from atop her mount. The giant jack hopped forward with more enthusiasm, and Mercy leapt to one side to avoid it.
Mercy tapped the stud on her right nostril and breathed in the heat. Mixed in with the faint scent of hot sand was the rich fragrance of life. Water, vegetation, people. No mirage this time. Turning off her sense of smell – it wasn't smart to waste energy out there – she ran as fast as her leg would allow her.
The jack bounded ahead of her over then down the dune with Mercy close behind and skidded to a stop before plowing into the massive mound. Edwina fell off one side, only keeping to her feet because she still had a hold of the reins.
Running past them through the skinny trees and the front of the mound, Mercy went down to her knees beside the water and scooped up a handful. Fresh and cool, it eased the dryness in her throat, and she felt she could speak now and not sound like a grandmother tortoise. Good thing, too, because when she looked up, the welcoming committee had joined them.
With their long spears and forks, welcoming was too friendly of a word for them. It was more of a we-might-kill-you-if-you-make-another-move committee. Mercy's hands didn't listen and went immediately to the guns at her hips.

Wicked Wednesday - sexy accents

I love nothing more than a man with an accent. It makes me weak in the knees. A lot of paranormal romance involves old beings like vampires, demons, and gods from hundreds or even thousands of years ago. They have old accents, or even just European ones. Sometimes the characters are from our modern day and from the southern US or from a little island in the ocean. Any way to get that butterflies-in-the-tummy feel from an accent.
Yet it isn't easy to write accents. In fact, if you aren't intimately familiar with the one, don't do it. A badly written accent is a turn off. You don't want your Scottish vampire in the kilt to sound like he's from London. If you're going to give it a go, make sure you research the accent and the dialect. Different regions have several.
A recent article in Romance Writers Report (RWR) listed a number of great sites to help when writing accents and dialects. Here's a few for you:Accent and DialectA British-American English DictionaryRegional Dialects in the USAmerica's Regional Dialects, Holding FastRegional Accents of AustraliaBritish Accents
I do my best to avoid writing characters with accents. I might have a light British one, but that's only because I watch at a lot of the BBC and grew up with neighbors who were from England.
Have you ever written a character with an accent? Was it one you knew or did you have to research it?

Teaser Tuesday with Urban Shaman and Ocean Stories

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
Grab your current read Open to a random page Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that pageBE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!This is a good urban fantasy so far. Urban Shaman by C.E. Murphy stands out from other books in the genre. It has Native American folklore mingled with ancient Celtic legends. It creates a cool mix.
Here's your teaser:
"Normal people don't start burning and smoking when you stick a knife in them. The guy who stabbed me this morning was definitely not normal." (page 105)

Here's another teaser for you for the anthology, Ocean Stories. I have a short horror story in it. One of the authors, Gregory Norris, put together a fantastic post with a little tidbit from each writer. I think it a great way to promote an anthology. Please stop by his blog and check it out!

Interview with M. Pepper Langlinais

I'm excited to have my friend and talented writer, M. Pepper Langlinais here with us today. She recently self-published her novella, St. Peter in Chains. A subtle thriller and love story. You can read my review of it here. There's a gift waiting for you at the end of the interview. Sit back and have some tea. Enjoy.

Welcome M. It's great to have you here. Congratulations on your new novella. It was a wonderful read. What is the genesis of your story - what was the inspiration or what prompted you to write it?

I inhabited Peter--or he inhabited me, I'm not quite sure--for a few months before I began actually writing the story. I'm not sure where he came from, though. The story is all his; he's in every scene because everything is seen and felt through him. I remember sitting at my desk and feeling it out, honestly feeling what Peter was feeling as I wrote each scene. It was a singular experience, one I've never actually had when writing before.
Peter is an intriguing character. Why do you like to like to write character studies?

I find character to be key. People are interesting. They way they act and think and feel. I have a background in psychology, and I like to think about people, and what they do or how they act or react in situations.
I feel the same way. What is your writing process like?

I have a regular schedule. I used to be a late-night writer, but now that I have kids, no more late nights for me! I really need my sleep. So I write in the afternoons and sometimes into the evenings. I have to make myself sit down and do it, though. I get distracted easily.
Long before I get to the writing part, I mull my stories over. I have this weird ritual of lying in bed with my stuffed dog and just letting my mind wander. I come up with several scenes in my head and then begin stringing them together into something bigger.
You have three young children. What tips can you offer other parents who are writers?
It's so tough to balance the writing with the kids interrupting you every few minutes. Find a time and place that is kid-free. It's essential. Maybe that does mean writing late at night sometimes. But real writers have to write. To make it as a writer, you have to produce. Set deadlines for yourself and stick to them.
We do have to write. You've taken some writer getaways to England. (I'm still jealous!) Are you an Anglophile? What do you love about England?
I am an Anglophile. Is that bad? It's probably very trendy these days, but I grew up watching British television (thanks to my dad), so my sense of humor and drama have definitely been influenced by a British sensibility. My mom, too, loved British comedies and Jane Austen novels. I'm very comfortable whenever I'm in England. I've been in places here in the U.S. where I feel more foreign than I do when in London.
One day I hope to visit England too. I also know you're a big Sherlock Holmes fan and I can see a little bit of him in Peter. What is the appeal of Sherlock Holmes for you?
He's an interesting character. You know, Watson is the sympathetic character, the one the reader is meant to identify with; you live the stories with him as he recounts them. But I always identified more with Holmes. My dad was a big, big Sherlock Holmes fan, so that influenced my childhood. And my dad is honestly brilliant, so I understood Holmes in the way I understood my dad.
What's your favorite Sherlock Holmes story, and why?
I always liked "The Copper Beeches" but this has more to do with having seen the Jeremy Brett version as a child. It made a big impression on me. I was watching those shows before I was able to wrap my brain around the written stories, which I didn't read until I was a little older, maybe age 11.
You have one of those wonderfully clever minds. What are you working on now?
My first paranormal romance novel! It's called The K-Pro, and I'd say it's a romantic comedy with a magical twist. It's set on a film set and has been a lot of fun to write.
Oooh! I can't wait to read that one. Thank you so much for stopping by, M. Cheers!

M has generously offered her ebook for FREE on Smashwords to all my awesome readers. Click here and use the code: TY26F. It expires the first of September.

M. Pepper Langlinais is the author of The World Ends at Five and Other Stories and Letters to Rob, as well as a produced playwright and active screenwriter. She is also the creator of the fictional world of AElit.
M is a full member of the Dramatists Guild of America. Please visit her site.
St. Peter in Chains is available on Amazon.Blurb: Peter Stoller is a consummate professional--as a British intelligence agent, he's at the top of his game and has never had trouble separating his work from his personal life. But when he meets cabbie Charles Toulson, his personal life takes a turn he wasn't expecting.

Fabulous awards

I want to thank the wonderful Unikorna forthe Fabulous Blog Awardandthe One Lovely Blog Award.
For the Fabulous Blog Award, I must name five of the most fabulous moments of my life.
1) The birth of my son. After 2.5 days of labor, it was fabulous to be done! Plus, he was fabulously cute.2) When my husband first told me he loved me. Isn't it fabulous when a man says it first?3) When my son first told me he loved me without prompting. My heart fabulously melted!4) When I finished NaNoWriMo for the first time. I still get that fabulous feeling every time I finish a novel!5) When we bought our house. It was the first time I've ever lived in a house, and not an apartment or condo. It's fabulous not having neighbors directly beside you or above you!
I'm feeling fabulous now. Ribbons for all of you!

Saturday Six for July 7th

1. I've been without air-conditioning for a week. We might have it fixed on Sunday. Maybe. IF what the guy says is wrong with the unit is the only thing that's wrong. I can't think in the hot weather. I can't write. I'm barely tolerable. So no writing was done. It's incredibly frustrating. I'm so far behind where I want to be. Please excuse me that I didn't do much commenting or emailing this past week. Sitting at the computer drains me in the heat.

2. I haven't finished my steampunk short story. I'll have to pick something else to submit to my writer's group for critique this month. I might send in the first chapter of my newest project and get their opinion. Though I'm very nervous about doing so because I don't know if I'm living up to my standards writing from the male POV. Yes, perhaps I will send it in. The more nervous I am, the more it says I need to get it critiqued.

3. Don't forget I'll be interviewing M. Pepper Langlinais on Monday. She has a gift for all my awesome readers. Please join us!

4. We're having a garage sale with some friends today. We brought over a load of stuff to sell to their house and priced them. Then one friend dared to ask if we'd be selling any books. (Because everyone thinks our house has too many books! HA!) My husband and I looked at each other and laughed. Sorry, we're never selling any of our books.

5. Yesterday I took my son to McDonalds for the first time. The first time I've been in one in decades. (I kid you not!) I decided to go there because it's the only place in town with an indoor AIR-CONDITIONED playground. Not much of a playground, and it was more for older kids, but the boy had fun. He got nuggets, ice cream, and playtime in a nice cool place. We did spend an equal amount of time at the library before we went, so I think that makes up for me taking him there!

6. My husband, son, and I had a fun Fourth of July. We took the boy to his first parade. At first, he was put off by the crowd and wanted to go home. Yet the moment he got his first piece of candy, he was hooked! He loved the marching bands most of all. We all then napped, spent two hours at the pool, and met with friends in the evening for ice cream. Yum!

Guest post with R. Mac Wheeler and Wild Life photos

Please welcome my talented guest blogger today, Take it away, Mac!
If you're an avid reader , you may care that I’m an author of character-driven SF/F/paranormals filled with quirky sorts who lug a lot of baggage, in worlds that aren’t that far out. If you love nature, or photography in general , you may care that I have the photo addiction, and weekly post pictures I take during my outings. Christine has generously invited me to share some of my favorites today. Stop by my blogs on Sunday evenings…I almost always have a new set. Please visit, leave a note. I love the company…I don't get out much.

There you'll find pix like these, in and around Tampa, Tampa Bay, Hillsborough Bay, the Hillsborough River, University of South Florida, and Tampa University:  (hint: if you aren't in a news-reader...click on a photo to drop into a Lightbox presentation)


















 -R. Mac Wheeler

Candle Dark FREE on Amazon

The lovely Carole Anne Carr's ebookCandle Darkis FREE on Amazon from July 6th through the 8th!
Blurb: Joshua was nearly eleven and he’d worked down the Blists Hill coal pit since he was seven and a bit. He hated it down there. He hated working in the dark, he hated the rats and the stink of the tunnels, and he especially hated it when the mine flooded and his wet boots rubbed his feet raw.

Then on the day that Bradley the horsekeeper gave him another beating so bad he ached all over, he made up his mind to run away and find work on the Severn trows. But what would happen to poor Drummer, left behind in the dark? What would happen to his mum and sisters if he left them to the mercy of the evil Isaac Whitlock? And how could he sail to Bristol, when his dad had been set to work in the most dangerous part of the mine?

Afraid of the river gangs and worrying about his dad, Joshua must decide whether to run for his life, or to stay in Coalport and try to protect his family.

Insecure Writer's Support Group - July 2012

The Insecure Writer's Support Group is Alex J. Cavanaugh's brilliant idea. Once a month, writers share their fears and offer encouragement. Please visit some of the other participants in the group and offer up your support. It really does mean a lot.

I'm feeling anxious about my lack of time recently. I've been putting a lot into networking. I did all the research and set up new accounts on Facebook and Twitter. I've been doing a lot of blog posts and reviews. I'm keeping up with emails too.

But have I been writing? Not very much. It's not because I don't want to. It's because I keep put everything else first. When it's finally done and I'm ready to write, my son wakes up from his nap or it's time for me to go to bed.

I keep telling myself I need to balance it all. Balance is the key. I haven't managed to find it yet. I feel like a horrible person if I don't give every commenter a return comment. I feel guilty if I don't do everything else, but what is everything else for if I don't have anything written? I already feel bad that I don't get around to as many blogs as I would like.

How do you find balance between your writing and other activities?

Happy Independence Day 2012

Happy Independence Day!To all my American friends and family,have an awesome day!