Jamie DeBree's Blog, page 41
May 21, 2012
Weekly News, Goals & Prompt - May 21, 2012
Prompt o' the Week: A street
vendor is closing up shop for the night, and notices a homeless woman
sitting in a nearby alley. Struck by her thin frame and matted hair, he
makes up a couple of hot dogs and takes them to her with a bottle of
water. At first, she doesn't respond, but when she finally looks up, his
heart breaks when her eyes meet his...
[image error]
I
jinxed myself last week, thinking I could get a bunch of stuff done
while my husband was out of town. Alas, it seems that I was meant to
clean out my refrigerator instead, as evidenced by the defroster
thermostat going out Tuesday night. Long story short, it was noon on
Friday before I had refrigeration again, and there was a lot of cleaning
and cleaning out to do in the interim. All of my plans to write, revise
and edit up a storm? Gone with the refrigeration.
It
is kind of ironic that one of the episodes of Dr. Quinn I watched last
week centered around a scam involving investments in a new-fangled "home
refrigeration unit" that was just a box with a chunk of ice in it...
Needless
to say, aside from a clean fridge and my normal serial scenes, I don't
have much to show for last week. But I did get my new camera, and it's
*awesome*. Clear pictures, all the time, even with my rather shaky grip
(as you can see by the wolves above). That alone was worth the expense.
Now I can start updating my nail art blog again, and bothering everyone
with pics of my yarn and clay experiments...
And
I did spend some time at ZooMontana on Saturday for our local Geranium
Festival, which was fun. That's when I snapped the wolf picture - lazy
pups. Talk about a head-rush laying downhill like that, eh?
So this week, I really need to step things up. I did actually revise the first chapter of Indelibly Inked
last week, so if I can continue working on that a bit at a time, at
least it will be progress. And I'm so very close to the end of Irish Cream
I can nearly taste it (Bailey's, anyone? Mmm...Bailey's). If I can
finish that one, and get another...say...three chapters (?) of II
revised, I'll consider the week a success.
I've
decided that posting on Saturdays just isn't going to happen - I'm too
busy crafting and playing offline for that to really be feasible. So
I'll leave Tuesdays open (for now), and my new "Writer At Play" feature
will slide into the Thursday spot, starting this week. I actually have
two posts already written and ready, I just haven't gotten them posted,
so I think this will work better.
Goals for the Week
- Four serial chapters (finish IC if possible)- Revise three chapters of Indelibly Inked- Catch up all blogs- Work on a better post-writing schedule (I've gotten lazy - need to remedy that)
- Finish updating web sites
- Start checking/using calendars regularly again - Return emails owed- Catch up Goodreads shelves (I'm so far behind!)
That's it for the week...happy reading and/or writing!
vendor is closing up shop for the night, and notices a homeless woman
sitting in a nearby alley. Struck by her thin frame and matted hair, he
makes up a couple of hot dogs and takes them to her with a bottle of
water. At first, she doesn't respond, but when she finally looks up, his
heart breaks when her eyes meet his...
[image error]
I
jinxed myself last week, thinking I could get a bunch of stuff done
while my husband was out of town. Alas, it seems that I was meant to
clean out my refrigerator instead, as evidenced by the defroster
thermostat going out Tuesday night. Long story short, it was noon on
Friday before I had refrigeration again, and there was a lot of cleaning
and cleaning out to do in the interim. All of my plans to write, revise
and edit up a storm? Gone with the refrigeration.
It
is kind of ironic that one of the episodes of Dr. Quinn I watched last
week centered around a scam involving investments in a new-fangled "home
refrigeration unit" that was just a box with a chunk of ice in it...
Needless
to say, aside from a clean fridge and my normal serial scenes, I don't
have much to show for last week. But I did get my new camera, and it's
*awesome*. Clear pictures, all the time, even with my rather shaky grip
(as you can see by the wolves above). That alone was worth the expense.
Now I can start updating my nail art blog again, and bothering everyone
with pics of my yarn and clay experiments...
And
I did spend some time at ZooMontana on Saturday for our local Geranium
Festival, which was fun. That's when I snapped the wolf picture - lazy
pups. Talk about a head-rush laying downhill like that, eh?
So this week, I really need to step things up. I did actually revise the first chapter of Indelibly Inked
last week, so if I can continue working on that a bit at a time, at
least it will be progress. And I'm so very close to the end of Irish Cream
I can nearly taste it (Bailey's, anyone? Mmm...Bailey's). If I can
finish that one, and get another...say...three chapters (?) of II
revised, I'll consider the week a success.
I've
decided that posting on Saturdays just isn't going to happen - I'm too
busy crafting and playing offline for that to really be feasible. So
I'll leave Tuesdays open (for now), and my new "Writer At Play" feature
will slide into the Thursday spot, starting this week. I actually have
two posts already written and ready, I just haven't gotten them posted,
so I think this will work better.
Goals for the Week
- Four serial chapters (finish IC if possible)- Revise three chapters of Indelibly Inked- Catch up all blogs- Work on a better post-writing schedule (I've gotten lazy - need to remedy that)
- Finish updating web sites
- Start checking/using calendars regularly again - Return emails owed- Catch up Goodreads shelves (I'm so far behind!)
That's it for the week...happy reading and/or writing!
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
May 20, 2012
Weekly Round-Up May 14 - 19, 2012
Posts I found particularly interesting/intriguing/entertaining this week:
Things You Shouldn't Show Strangers on Planes from Don't Pet Me, I'm Writing
Critique Partners from Piedmont Writer
Man Candy Monday: Vin Diesel from The Sound of Rain
Recap of Events from the Beginning to Today from Ford Forkum
I'll Just Check Email Real Quick from Zoe Winters
The Business Rusch: The "Brutal" 2000 Word Day from Kristine Kathryn Rusch
What Makes You Love a Character? from B. J. Daniels
My own posts, for anyone who missed them and might want to go back:
Fiction:
The Minister's Maid, Ch. 52 - romantic suspense
Animal, Ch. 30 - thriller
Irish Cream, Ch. 15 - erotic romance
Falling in Public, Ch. 51 - romantic suspense
Non-fic:
Writer's Notes: After the Wedding (Variety Pages)
Happy Reading!
Things You Shouldn't Show Strangers on Planes from Don't Pet Me, I'm Writing
Critique Partners from Piedmont Writer
Man Candy Monday: Vin Diesel from The Sound of Rain
Recap of Events from the Beginning to Today from Ford Forkum
I'll Just Check Email Real Quick from Zoe Winters
The Business Rusch: The "Brutal" 2000 Word Day from Kristine Kathryn Rusch
What Makes You Love a Character? from B. J. Daniels
My own posts, for anyone who missed them and might want to go back:
Fiction:
The Minister's Maid, Ch. 52 - romantic suspense
Animal, Ch. 30 - thriller
Irish Cream, Ch. 15 - erotic romance
Falling in Public, Ch. 51 - romantic suspense
Non-fic:
Writer's Notes: After the Wedding (Variety Pages)
Happy Reading!
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
May 18, 2012
Serial Novel: Falling in Public, Ch. 51
This serial novel is posted in draft form every Friday.
Ch.1|Ch. 2|Ch. 3|Ch. 4|Ch. 5|Ch. 6|Ch. 7|Ch. 8|Ch. 9|Ch. 10|Ch. 11|Ch. 12|Ch.13|Ch. 14|Ch. 15| Ch. 16| Ch. 17|Ch. 18| Ch. 19 | Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22 | Ch. 23 | Ch. 24 | Ch. 25 | Ch. 26 | Ch. 27 | Ch. 28 | Ch. 29 | Ch. 30 | Ch. 31 | Ch. 32 | Ch. 33 | Ch. 34 | Ch. 35 | Ch. 36 | Ch. 37 | Ch. 38 | Ch. 39 | Ch. 40 | Ch. 41 | Ch. 42 | Ch. 43 | Ch. 44 | Ch. 45 | Ch. 46 | Ch. 47 | Ch. 48 | Ch. 49 | Ch. 50 |
Falling in Public
Chapter 51
Eddie followed the highway until he saw the blanket bundle he'd abandoned earlier. Turning onto the dirt road, he stopped long enough to retrieve his supplies and then continued into the corn field, the dim headlights illuminating only a few feet in front of him at a time. He knew he needed to turn off into the field soon, but the truck was old, and he wasn't confident that it would be able to navigate the soft topsoil while mowing down six foot stalks. At least he'd be driving with the rows, instead of across them.
Moving as slow as he dared, he watched the right shoulder for a shallow pitch into the field. When he found it, he turned the wheel sharply and guided the truck into the corn, hitting the gas hard enough to give it a push, but not so much it would dig the rear tires in. Still, his forward momentum slowed to nearly nothing, and he fought the urge to gun the engine, switching into a lower gear instead.
Slowly the vehicle inched forward, and he carefully gave it a little more gas, letting the tires shift until they found a path. Finally they settled between the rows where the dirt was slightly more compact, and he put his foot down, mowing down a two-row path through the corn.
The headlights were nearly useless, blocked by the crops, but a beam of light shining taller than the field caught his eye as it moved slowly back and forth. It had to be coming from the plane - it was too close to be another farm, and too low to be an aircraft in flight. But why would Holly be drawing attention to herself?
He pushed the truck as hard as he dared, watching as the light stopped moving briefly, and then plummeted to the ground.
"No," he whispered, pushing harder on the gas. "It couldn't have been her. She just dropped the light, is all. It wasn't her." He gripped the steering wheel tighter, all of his muscles contracting as he tried to convince himself that everything was okay.
But why had she been holding the light in the first place?
The trip felt like hours, though he knew it wasn't. When he finally saw the slide lit up in front of him and hanging limp directly below the hatch, he thought his heart would stop.
Leaving the engine running, he got out of the truck.
"Holly!" He ran to the slide, checking every side and covering as much ground as he could. "Holly? Holly, answer me! Where are you?"
He couldn't find her, but there was no answer from overhead either, and his pulse pounded with fear. Widening his circle, he peered as far as he could in the dark down each corn row, scanning the ground for footprints or anything that might give him a clue for where she was. Surely if she'd fallen, she'd be near the plane...it was a small piece of hope, but a motivating one.
On the tail side of the plane, he found scuff marks and smaller footprints in the soil, and he ran back toward the truck, positive they had to be hers. She couldn't have gone too far with her leg, but if she was moving across the rows rather than with them, it would make everything much harder.
He frowned as he got closer to the truck, thinking he must be more tired than he'd originally thought. It seemed like the headlights were moving toward him, but that couldn't be...or could it?
Thinking back, he remembered getting out of the truck, but leaving it running for the light. A quick pat of his pockets told him he didn't have the keys.
The engine revved, leaving no room for doubt. But if Holly had gone the other way...who was behind the wheel?
The truck was coming fast, and Eddie dove to the side, scrambling around the back-side of the slide just in time. Gaining his feet again, he sprinted toward the tail end of the plane and the rows where he'd seen Holly's footprints. He had to get to her before whoever was in that truck did.
Ch.1|Ch. 2|Ch. 3|Ch. 4|Ch. 5|Ch. 6|Ch. 7|Ch. 8|Ch. 9|Ch. 10|Ch. 11|Ch. 12|Ch.13|Ch. 14|Ch. 15| Ch. 16| Ch. 17|Ch. 18| Ch. 19 | Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22 | Ch. 23 | Ch. 24 | Ch. 25 | Ch. 26 | Ch. 27 | Ch. 28 | Ch. 29 | Ch. 30 | Ch. 31 | Ch. 32 | Ch. 33 | Ch. 34 | Ch. 35 | Ch. 36 | Ch. 37 | Ch. 38 | Ch. 39 | Ch. 40 | Ch. 41 | Ch. 42 | Ch. 43 | Ch. 44 | Ch. 45 | Ch. 46 | Ch. 47 | Ch. 48 | Ch. 49 | Ch. 50 |
Falling in Public
Chapter 51
Eddie followed the highway until he saw the blanket bundle he'd abandoned earlier. Turning onto the dirt road, he stopped long enough to retrieve his supplies and then continued into the corn field, the dim headlights illuminating only a few feet in front of him at a time. He knew he needed to turn off into the field soon, but the truck was old, and he wasn't confident that it would be able to navigate the soft topsoil while mowing down six foot stalks. At least he'd be driving with the rows, instead of across them.
Moving as slow as he dared, he watched the right shoulder for a shallow pitch into the field. When he found it, he turned the wheel sharply and guided the truck into the corn, hitting the gas hard enough to give it a push, but not so much it would dig the rear tires in. Still, his forward momentum slowed to nearly nothing, and he fought the urge to gun the engine, switching into a lower gear instead.
Slowly the vehicle inched forward, and he carefully gave it a little more gas, letting the tires shift until they found a path. Finally they settled between the rows where the dirt was slightly more compact, and he put his foot down, mowing down a two-row path through the corn.
The headlights were nearly useless, blocked by the crops, but a beam of light shining taller than the field caught his eye as it moved slowly back and forth. It had to be coming from the plane - it was too close to be another farm, and too low to be an aircraft in flight. But why would Holly be drawing attention to herself?
He pushed the truck as hard as he dared, watching as the light stopped moving briefly, and then plummeted to the ground.
"No," he whispered, pushing harder on the gas. "It couldn't have been her. She just dropped the light, is all. It wasn't her." He gripped the steering wheel tighter, all of his muscles contracting as he tried to convince himself that everything was okay.
But why had she been holding the light in the first place?
The trip felt like hours, though he knew it wasn't. When he finally saw the slide lit up in front of him and hanging limp directly below the hatch, he thought his heart would stop.
Leaving the engine running, he got out of the truck.
"Holly!" He ran to the slide, checking every side and covering as much ground as he could. "Holly? Holly, answer me! Where are you?"
He couldn't find her, but there was no answer from overhead either, and his pulse pounded with fear. Widening his circle, he peered as far as he could in the dark down each corn row, scanning the ground for footprints or anything that might give him a clue for where she was. Surely if she'd fallen, she'd be near the plane...it was a small piece of hope, but a motivating one.
On the tail side of the plane, he found scuff marks and smaller footprints in the soil, and he ran back toward the truck, positive they had to be hers. She couldn't have gone too far with her leg, but if she was moving across the rows rather than with them, it would make everything much harder.
He frowned as he got closer to the truck, thinking he must be more tired than he'd originally thought. It seemed like the headlights were moving toward him, but that couldn't be...or could it?
Thinking back, he remembered getting out of the truck, but leaving it running for the light. A quick pat of his pockets told him he didn't have the keys.
The engine revved, leaving no room for doubt. But if Holly had gone the other way...who was behind the wheel?
The truck was coming fast, and Eddie dove to the side, scrambling around the back-side of the slide just in time. Gaining his feet again, he sprinted toward the tail end of the plane and the rows where he'd seen Holly's footprints. He had to get to her before whoever was in that truck did.
Enjoy
this post? Support your author: Tempest
| Desert
Heat | The
Biker's Wench
| Flash Fiction
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will be moderated.
May 16, 2012
Writer's Notes: After the Wedding
[image error]If you read here regularly, you probably know I've been mainlining old episodes of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. When only the first season was available online, I went ahead and *bought* the entire series on DVD. I go on these binges, you see...normally, it's a week's worth of non-stop Harlequin Blaze books, back to back until I just can't read anymore (considering I read at a fairly quick pace, I can read a lot of those in a week when I'm on a bender). Less often it's erotica (or subsets of the genre), but I burn out on those within a couple of days.
I've no idea why it had to be Dr. Quinn this time...except I was craving romance, and doing my nails, and decided to load up the pilot "for old time's sake" one Saturday night. I'm not going to tell you how many weeks it's been...I've been trying to overdose myself so I can move on, but sometimes you just have to go with it until it burns out, you know?
Anyways...I realized something fairly early on - I never actually watched all six seasons of the show back when it was popular. As a matter of fact, I stopped fairly soon after the wedding episode. This was a "thing" with me in my younger years - I figured after the two main characters got married, the story was over. Nothing else to see here, move along to the next romance. Because what could possibly be romantic about being married?
*Ahem* Yeah, I know. Needless to say, I hadn't gotten married yet.
In any case, now that I've been married for quite a few years, I have a slightly different outlook on married life, and romance in general. And now that I've watched past the point of the wedding in Dr. Quinn and I'm watching episodes I missed out on before due to my general naivete, I'm wondering why there aren't more romance novels that deal with what happens *after* the happily ever after.
Heck, for that matter, I'm wondering just why TV writers in general can't keep a storyline going after main characters decide they like each other on a weekly show. I mean, relationships are so layered, so complex, and yet so simple at their very core...there's plenty of area to explore and delve into from that first look all the way through the various stages that follow. Why doesn't romance encompass more of what it means to be in love long-term?
I know for me, the romance didn't end when I got married - in fact, it's as strong now, if not stronger, than it ever was. Maybe that's not true for all couples, but in fiction, we can make it so. So why don't we?
Why don't I?
Needless to say, I have some new ideas percolating...
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
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note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
May 14, 2012
Weekly News, Goals & Prompt - May 14, 2012
Prompt o' the Week: A golden lab tugs the leash out of his owner's hand and runs off, owner
in hot pursuit. Out of nowhere a man tackles the dog, and after a brief
struggle on the ground, runs off as the owner catches up. While checking
the scared pup for injuries, the owner finds something attached to the
dog's collar...
I
trust you all had a good weekend, whether you were celebrating or not.
Personally, I dropped off a gift for my mom on Saturday, and then stayed
home Sunday to avoid the well-intentioned but misplaced holiday wishes I
seem to get merely by virtue of my gender. Women don't have to be
mothers to be complete and happy with their lives...yet every year I get
the "but you have dogs" or whatever, so you're still a mom. Um, no. I'm
a dog owner (one who loves her dogs very, very much, but I'm not their
mother). Implying that I simply must be a mother of "something" simply
because I'm female is a bit insulting, to be honest, though I'm
generally polite to those who just don't get it (which seems to be most
women). I made a conscious choice *not* to be a mom, so implying I must
be whether I want to or not sort of diminishes that choice, in my mind
at least.
ANYways...now that half the women who read
here have clicked off in a huff...back to more fun subjects. Like books
and clay and cameras and vacations...
Last week
went pretty darn well, if I do say so myself. I got my serial chapters
done (though I didn't finish the story I'd planned to...it just wasn't
"there" yet), got a new camera ordered ('bout time), and started
updating my web graphics and sites. I even finished the new cover art
for The Minister's Maid - I think it turned out quite nicely!
[image error]
Saturdays
are turning out to be my "crafting" days (though this summer my husband
has informed me we're building a shed, so my crafting may get
superseded for a few weeks), and I have to say, I am enjoying every
minute. I do still get twinges of guilt for not doing something
business/writing related, but when I sit down to write on other days
now, it seems like my head is clearer, and it's easier to focus. So
while I may be less productive as a writer than I would otherwise be, I
think it's a good thing overall. This past weekend I made my first
polymer clay coaster, some little mushrooms, and a bookmark prototype
that I think will need more work before I get the pattern down right.
The coaster still needs to be finished as well, but I'm pretty happy
with how it's coming along, and I'll post pics when it's done.
Speaking
of pics - I'm very excited about the new camera I ordered! It's a Sony
Cyber-shot (insert a bunch of letters & numbers here) with
capability for video and 3D images as well. Unfortunately it won't be
here until next week, but I think it will be worth the wait. I miss
having a good camera to share pictures with.
My
husband is leaving for Las Vegas tomorrow - his pool team is playing in
a tournament down there this week. That means five days alone for me -
and while I'll get really tired of that by about day 3, I'll have a lot
of extra time to get things done. My plan is to do revisions on a
novella that I'd like to release this spring, and finish one or two of
my current serial drafts so I can get those into editing/revisions as
well. I'm taking tomorrow off work so I can take him to the airport (at
4am, thank you very much), sleep in, and have some more dental work
done, but I should be able to start my writing blitz then too. Fun!
So then, that said...here's my list for the week:
- Four serial chapters
- Finish 1 to 2 serial drafts
- First revision of Irish Cream, then send to editor
- Complete revisions on Indelibly Inked, send to editor
- Finish web site/blog updates
- Update Goodreads
- Finish the clay coaster I started
- Re-watch the last episode of Castle
That's
going to be *plenty*, but considering the TV season is over, I'll have
the TV off most of the week, and aside from eating and working out, my
time is my own, so I should be able to get it all done.
Here's to a productive week all the way around!
in hot pursuit. Out of nowhere a man tackles the dog, and after a brief
struggle on the ground, runs off as the owner catches up. While checking
the scared pup for injuries, the owner finds something attached to the
dog's collar...
I
trust you all had a good weekend, whether you were celebrating or not.
Personally, I dropped off a gift for my mom on Saturday, and then stayed
home Sunday to avoid the well-intentioned but misplaced holiday wishes I
seem to get merely by virtue of my gender. Women don't have to be
mothers to be complete and happy with their lives...yet every year I get
the "but you have dogs" or whatever, so you're still a mom. Um, no. I'm
a dog owner (one who loves her dogs very, very much, but I'm not their
mother). Implying that I simply must be a mother of "something" simply
because I'm female is a bit insulting, to be honest, though I'm
generally polite to those who just don't get it (which seems to be most
women). I made a conscious choice *not* to be a mom, so implying I must
be whether I want to or not sort of diminishes that choice, in my mind
at least.
ANYways...now that half the women who read
here have clicked off in a huff...back to more fun subjects. Like books
and clay and cameras and vacations...
Last week
went pretty darn well, if I do say so myself. I got my serial chapters
done (though I didn't finish the story I'd planned to...it just wasn't
"there" yet), got a new camera ordered ('bout time), and started
updating my web graphics and sites. I even finished the new cover art
for The Minister's Maid - I think it turned out quite nicely!
[image error]
Saturdays
are turning out to be my "crafting" days (though this summer my husband
has informed me we're building a shed, so my crafting may get
superseded for a few weeks), and I have to say, I am enjoying every
minute. I do still get twinges of guilt for not doing something
business/writing related, but when I sit down to write on other days
now, it seems like my head is clearer, and it's easier to focus. So
while I may be less productive as a writer than I would otherwise be, I
think it's a good thing overall. This past weekend I made my first
polymer clay coaster, some little mushrooms, and a bookmark prototype
that I think will need more work before I get the pattern down right.
The coaster still needs to be finished as well, but I'm pretty happy
with how it's coming along, and I'll post pics when it's done.
Speaking
of pics - I'm very excited about the new camera I ordered! It's a Sony
Cyber-shot (insert a bunch of letters & numbers here) with
capability for video and 3D images as well. Unfortunately it won't be
here until next week, but I think it will be worth the wait. I miss
having a good camera to share pictures with.
My
husband is leaving for Las Vegas tomorrow - his pool team is playing in
a tournament down there this week. That means five days alone for me -
and while I'll get really tired of that by about day 3, I'll have a lot
of extra time to get things done. My plan is to do revisions on a
novella that I'd like to release this spring, and finish one or two of
my current serial drafts so I can get those into editing/revisions as
well. I'm taking tomorrow off work so I can take him to the airport (at
4am, thank you very much), sleep in, and have some more dental work
done, but I should be able to start my writing blitz then too. Fun!
So then, that said...here's my list for the week:
- Four serial chapters
- Finish 1 to 2 serial drafts
- First revision of Irish Cream, then send to editor
- Complete revisions on Indelibly Inked, send to editor
- Finish web site/blog updates
- Update Goodreads
- Finish the clay coaster I started
- Re-watch the last episode of Castle
That's
going to be *plenty*, but considering the TV season is over, I'll have
the TV off most of the week, and aside from eating and working out, my
time is my own, so I should be able to get it all done.
Here's to a productive week all the way around!
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
May 13, 2012
Weekly Roundup - May 6-12, 2012
Here are the posts that caught my attention in the my feed reader this week:
Harlequin Fail at Newbie's Guide to Publishing
Bunnies! It must be bunnies! from Painted Lady Fingers
Awesome nail art from Polish Galore
Picking Up Letters from B.J. Daniels
And here's what I was writing/posting this week:
Non-fiction
Writer's Notes: Men, TV, & Mental Orgasms
Spring Pink, Frugal Dad & the Great Camera Search
Fiction
The Minister's Maid, Chapter 51 (romantic suspense)
Animal, Ch. 29 (thriller)
Irish Cream, Ch. 14 (erotic romance/bdsm)
Falling in Public, Ch. 50 (romantic suspense)
If you're a mom, I hope you had a great holiday...and if not, I hope you had a fabulous Sunday!
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
Harlequin Fail at Newbie's Guide to Publishing
Bunnies! It must be bunnies! from Painted Lady Fingers
Awesome nail art from Polish Galore
Picking Up Letters from B.J. Daniels
And here's what I was writing/posting this week:
Non-fiction
Writer's Notes: Men, TV, & Mental Orgasms
Spring Pink, Frugal Dad & the Great Camera Search
Fiction
The Minister's Maid, Chapter 51 (romantic suspense)
Animal, Ch. 29 (thriller)
Irish Cream, Ch. 14 (erotic romance/bdsm)
Falling in Public, Ch. 50 (romantic suspense)
If you're a mom, I hope you had a great holiday...and if not, I hope you had a fabulous Sunday!
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
May 11, 2012
Serial Novel: Falling in Public, Ch. 50
This serial novel is posted in draft form every Friday.
Ch.1|Ch. 2|Ch. 3|Ch. 4|Ch. 5|Ch. 6|Ch. 7|Ch. 8|Ch. 9|Ch. 10|Ch. 11|Ch. 12|Ch.13|Ch. 14|Ch. 15| Ch. 16| Ch. 17|Ch. 18| Ch. 19 | Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22 | Ch. 23 | Ch. 24 | Ch. 25 | Ch. 26 | Ch. 27 | Ch. 28 | Ch. 29 | Ch. 30 | Ch. 31 | Ch. 32 | Ch. 33 | Ch. 34 | Ch. 35 | Ch. 36 | Ch. 37 | Ch. 38 | Ch. 39 | Ch. 40 | Ch. 41 | Ch. 42 | Ch. 43 | Ch. 44 | Ch. 45 | Ch. 46 | Ch. 47 | Ch. 48 | Ch. 49 |
Falling in Public
Chapter 50
She'd jumped too far out.
Time slowed, like in the movies as she felt gravity pulling her down, the slide's angle too steep for her momentum. Flailing, she stabbed desperately with the knife, knowing the only way to slow her fall was to penetrate the thick layer of rubber and create friction. Time was running out quick, and each stabbing motion brought her closer to the plastic material, but not close enough.
Swinging her arm out to the side, she pushed the serrated edge into the seam where the side bolsters met the bottom, and dragged it hard and pushed her other shoulder into the rubber bottom, finally anchored just as her feet hit the bottom barrier. She bounced back up, the uneven angle of the inflated side throwing her off balance as she was catapaulted out to land in the dirt ten yards away.
"Ow," she said, keeping her voice low and curling up into a fetal position. Every part of her body hurt, and as some of the initial hurt dulled, she forced herself to wiggle her toes and fingers. Satisfied that they were okay, she tested her larger joints. Luckily it didn't feel like she'd broken anything.
"You never were very graceful, were you Holly?"
Sean's voice floated at her from somewhere above. He hadn't left the plane yet. That meant there was still time, if she could find her way back to the slide in the dark.
Bright light swept over the ground just inches from her position. The damn flashlight. If she could just avoid it and get to the bolsters from behind, she might be able to do some damage. The plastic knife had gone flying when she'd bounced off the bottom edge, but something sharp was poking into her hip. Moving carefully, she rolled over and felt the ground with her fingers. The pointed edge of a small rock pressed into her palm, and she picked it up - a far more effective weapon than plastic utensils.
"Come out, come out, whereever you are!" Sean's taunt sent shivers down her back as the beam of light moved closer. He was sweeping the ground with it, going side to side in a steady motion, to his detriment. She waited until it reached the farthest point away from her, then pushed to her feet and ran toward the plane, using the point where the flashlight was for reference. Unable to see, her knees hit the end of the slide and she fell, unable to hold back a grunt of pain as she scrambled around to the other side. Bent over with her hands on her knees, she breathed for a moment, safe from the light, at least. Then she turned and jammed the pointed rock into one of the inflated edges as hard as she could and pulled down, relieved to hear a small ripping sound followed by the hiss of air escaping. She ran to the other edge and did the same thing, the slide already beginning to fall toward her.
Slipping the rock into her pocket just in case, she tried to remember which way Eddie had gone earlier. She had to hide - the deflated slide would only slow Sean down, not stop him. But if she went the wrong way, she could easily get lost in the corn field. The highway was a nearly straight shot from the center of the plane, but that would be too obvious. She took a few deep breaths, shoved the pain to the back of her mind and started walking as fast as she could in a straight line through the tall stalks under the plane's nose.
Ch.1|Ch. 2|Ch. 3|Ch. 4|Ch. 5|Ch. 6|Ch. 7|Ch. 8|Ch. 9|Ch. 10|Ch. 11|Ch. 12|Ch.13|Ch. 14|Ch. 15| Ch. 16| Ch. 17|Ch. 18| Ch. 19 | Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22 | Ch. 23 | Ch. 24 | Ch. 25 | Ch. 26 | Ch. 27 | Ch. 28 | Ch. 29 | Ch. 30 | Ch. 31 | Ch. 32 | Ch. 33 | Ch. 34 | Ch. 35 | Ch. 36 | Ch. 37 | Ch. 38 | Ch. 39 | Ch. 40 | Ch. 41 | Ch. 42 | Ch. 43 | Ch. 44 | Ch. 45 | Ch. 46 | Ch. 47 | Ch. 48 | Ch. 49 |
Falling in Public
Chapter 50
She'd jumped too far out.
Time slowed, like in the movies as she felt gravity pulling her down, the slide's angle too steep for her momentum. Flailing, she stabbed desperately with the knife, knowing the only way to slow her fall was to penetrate the thick layer of rubber and create friction. Time was running out quick, and each stabbing motion brought her closer to the plastic material, but not close enough.
Swinging her arm out to the side, she pushed the serrated edge into the seam where the side bolsters met the bottom, and dragged it hard and pushed her other shoulder into the rubber bottom, finally anchored just as her feet hit the bottom barrier. She bounced back up, the uneven angle of the inflated side throwing her off balance as she was catapaulted out to land in the dirt ten yards away.
"Ow," she said, keeping her voice low and curling up into a fetal position. Every part of her body hurt, and as some of the initial hurt dulled, she forced herself to wiggle her toes and fingers. Satisfied that they were okay, she tested her larger joints. Luckily it didn't feel like she'd broken anything.
"You never were very graceful, were you Holly?"
Sean's voice floated at her from somewhere above. He hadn't left the plane yet. That meant there was still time, if she could find her way back to the slide in the dark.
Bright light swept over the ground just inches from her position. The damn flashlight. If she could just avoid it and get to the bolsters from behind, she might be able to do some damage. The plastic knife had gone flying when she'd bounced off the bottom edge, but something sharp was poking into her hip. Moving carefully, she rolled over and felt the ground with her fingers. The pointed edge of a small rock pressed into her palm, and she picked it up - a far more effective weapon than plastic utensils.
"Come out, come out, whereever you are!" Sean's taunt sent shivers down her back as the beam of light moved closer. He was sweeping the ground with it, going side to side in a steady motion, to his detriment. She waited until it reached the farthest point away from her, then pushed to her feet and ran toward the plane, using the point where the flashlight was for reference. Unable to see, her knees hit the end of the slide and she fell, unable to hold back a grunt of pain as she scrambled around to the other side. Bent over with her hands on her knees, she breathed for a moment, safe from the light, at least. Then she turned and jammed the pointed rock into one of the inflated edges as hard as she could and pulled down, relieved to hear a small ripping sound followed by the hiss of air escaping. She ran to the other edge and did the same thing, the slide already beginning to fall toward her.
Slipping the rock into her pocket just in case, she tried to remember which way Eddie had gone earlier. She had to hide - the deflated slide would only slow Sean down, not stop him. But if she went the wrong way, she could easily get lost in the corn field. The highway was a nearly straight shot from the center of the plane, but that would be too obvious. She took a few deep breaths, shoved the pain to the back of her mind and started walking as fast as she could in a straight line through the tall stalks under the plane's nose.
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May 9, 2012
Writer's Notes: Men, TV, & Mental Orgasms
I'll do my best to do this without spoilers, but you should know
that part of today's post deals with this week's season finale of Castle .
Also know that if you've made it this far without seeing the episode or
having someone spoil it for you, I'm insanely impressed that you've
managed to avoid such a huge part of writerly pop-culture for this long.
So. I was sitting there watching Castle
with my husband Monday night. Ladies, you might be surprised to know
that men (or mine, at least) don't watch this particular show for the
same reasons we do. They actually watch *more* for the crime-solving
aspect than the romantic tension. I know, I know...it's weird, but
that's just the way they are. I'm fairly certain my husband likes the
humor as well...
(Note that I'm not implying we
women don't care about the mystery...because I certainly do. But the
character chemistry is largely what keeps me coming back to this
particular show, crime dramas being a dime-a-dozen on TV, and others
having more interesting cases than this one.) Where were we? Right. Watching Castle.
So
the writers are doing their level best (and a damn fine job too, IMO)
of pulling the emotional tension so tight that it grabs us and won't let
go. The Black Moment (that moment when we *think* things might work
out, and then they just get much, much worse instead) is perfectly
executed and I'm hanging on every word, allowing myself to be strung
along like some druggie badly needing an adrenaline fix. Things are
ratcheting up to a fever pitch, and it looks like all is lost, but we
still have hope because we can't help but trust the writers. Not because
writers are normally trustworthy in these situations (quite the
opposite, in fact), but because we *simply can't help ourselves*. That's
how strong the emotional connection is between us and the characters.
Finally the defining moment is almost here.
That one moment where all the tension and conflict that's been so
carefully built up over the past weeks and months (heck, years!) is
going to either pay us off, or let us down in the worst way possible.
Women across the globe are sitting in their chairs, eyes riveted to the
screen, waiting, hoping, praying... completely wrapped up in the
emotions of two characters whose actions from here on out have the power
to define our mood for the rest of the *week*....
And
then it happens. Endorphins rejoice, that "feels-so-good" feeling
starts to calm the desperate need and happiness flows through our veins.
It's perfect, and passionate, and everything we hoped it would be. For
once, the writers came through, and we're ready and willing to throw
ourselves wholeheartedly into the arms of the next man to even look at
us the right way, because we're primed and ready for romance. Love, contentment, peace, passion...it's all there, taking over not only our minds, but our physical responses as well. Some might even call it orgasmic.
And at that exact, too-perfect moment, my
darling husband says, "Wow, that was quite the thunderclap in the
background, wasn't it?" (or something to that effect)
Seriously? Seriously?!
Just
like that, all that lovely tension, all the "feels-so-good" feelings
disappear, and I'm left with...nothing. Emptiness. All that work, all
those emotions, all that wondering and waiting and hoping...squashed
flat under the weight of one insanely well-timed, mood-killing comment.
Naturally this is followed by more inane or "meant-to-be-humorous"
comments throughout the most important scene of the entire show, not
that it matters by then.
*sigh*
He can't help
it, I know. And from what I've heard, he's not the only one who does
this sort of thing. I love watching TV with him, really I do...I love
that we share an interest in the same shows, but this one little thing
is such a *big* thing sometimes...and basically means I end up
re-watching shows by myself to recapture that emotional "high" that was
ripped away from me the first time.
There are
really only three options for dealing with this that I can see - one is
duct tape, which could work, but I'd be worried about him suffocating.
The second is just not to watch shows with him where I'm emotionally
invested in the characters, so there's nothing for him to "rip me away"
from. That's my strategy with the Dr. Quinn series as I re-watch it...I
watch alone, so he can't ruin the payoff moments for me.
The
third is what I normally do with TV shows, and that is to just assume
that any strongly emotional moment will inevitably be hijacked, and plan
to re-watch the show again later without him. It's not nearly as
satisfying, because the second time will *never* be as good as the
first, but...well...we make compromises in relationships. That's how
they work.
Ladies, does this happen to you? What's your solution?
Men,
do you do this? And if so, has it occurred to you that you could just
as easily take advantage of a woman in this state, instead of ripping
her away from a mental orgasm?
Oh, and just
FYI - this happens with books too. So if you interrupt her, and she
gives you the Death Glare of Doom, you may want to find somewhere else
to be for awhile. That kind of a tease is no laughing matter. Really.
Enjoy
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May 7, 2012
Weekly News, Prompt & Goals - May 7, 2012
Prompt o' the Week: A wall of televisions on the back wall of an electronics store all display different images, the bright colors flashing madly as a sea of people flows by. The crowd thins, and a man stops to watch, examining each screen in turn. When he reaches the last one, the display changes with a personal message just for him...
Ah, organization. Where have you been this spring? I missed you so...
Skipping the long psychological analysis that's probably not all that interesting to anyone but myself, I've been in a slump lately. Simply put, my brain needed a break from...well, as much as it could get, so I've been focusing on just doing the bare minimums and calling it good. And I kept thinking the slump was lifting, only to fall backward again. Annoying and frustrating, to say the least. But this week is definitely different. As I write this (early, for the first time in weeks), the laundry is done, my chores are done, and our house is cleaner than it's been in several weeks. I got some crafting done this weekend, some errands run, and most of the bills are paid. I feel good about all of that.
These are very good signs. I'm optimistic that I'm back on the upswing, and my mind is finally coming back from it's self-imposed vacation. Poor little brain. I do beat up on it rather more than I should sometimes. With any luck, I should be able to finally get some of those things I've been meaning to do for the past month *done*, rather than just thinking about it.
And I have a new story idea I'd like to explore one of these days too. A romantic suspense plot I'm quite enamored with...and unfortunately, it might bump the short stories I was planning to do aside for awhile. We'll see.
I'm one, maybe two scenes away from finishing my latest erotic romance story, which is always really exciting. And I think I'm "over" my little writing crisis from last Wednesday's post too. So...tequila all around!
In any case, here's what's going on in my world this week:
- Four serial scenes (hopefully finish one story)
- Design the new cover for The Minister's Maid
- Finish up the polymer clay mushrooms & coasters I started this past weekend
- Newsletters
- Blog posts all around
- Update the Google calendars & start using them again.
- Update blog & web site (finally)
Here's to a decent Monday for all - and good luck with your "to-do's" this week as well!
Ah, organization. Where have you been this spring? I missed you so...
Skipping the long psychological analysis that's probably not all that interesting to anyone but myself, I've been in a slump lately. Simply put, my brain needed a break from...well, as much as it could get, so I've been focusing on just doing the bare minimums and calling it good. And I kept thinking the slump was lifting, only to fall backward again. Annoying and frustrating, to say the least. But this week is definitely different. As I write this (early, for the first time in weeks), the laundry is done, my chores are done, and our house is cleaner than it's been in several weeks. I got some crafting done this weekend, some errands run, and most of the bills are paid. I feel good about all of that.
These are very good signs. I'm optimistic that I'm back on the upswing, and my mind is finally coming back from it's self-imposed vacation. Poor little brain. I do beat up on it rather more than I should sometimes. With any luck, I should be able to finally get some of those things I've been meaning to do for the past month *done*, rather than just thinking about it.
And I have a new story idea I'd like to explore one of these days too. A romantic suspense plot I'm quite enamored with...and unfortunately, it might bump the short stories I was planning to do aside for awhile. We'll see.
I'm one, maybe two scenes away from finishing my latest erotic romance story, which is always really exciting. And I think I'm "over" my little writing crisis from last Wednesday's post too. So...tequila all around!
In any case, here's what's going on in my world this week:
- Four serial scenes (hopefully finish one story)
- Design the new cover for The Minister's Maid
- Finish up the polymer clay mushrooms & coasters I started this past weekend
- Newsletters
- Blog posts all around
- Update the Google calendars & start using them again.
- Update blog & web site (finally)
Here's to a decent Monday for all - and good luck with your "to-do's" this week as well!
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
May 4, 2012
Serial Novel: Falling in Public, Ch. 49
This serial novel is posted in draft form every Friday.
Ch.1|Ch. 2|Ch. 3|Ch. 4|Ch. 5|Ch. 6|Ch. 7|Ch. 8|Ch. 9|Ch. 10|Ch. 11|Ch. 12|Ch.13|Ch. 14|Ch. 15| Ch. 16| Ch. 17|Ch. 18| Ch. 19 | Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22 | Ch. 23 | Ch. 24 | Ch. 25 | Ch. 26 | Ch. 27 | Ch. 28 | Ch. 29 | Ch. 30 | Ch. 31 | Ch. 32 | Ch. 33 | Ch. 34 | Ch. 35 | Ch. 36 | Ch. 37 | Ch. 38 | Ch. 39 | Ch. 40 | Ch. 41 | Ch. 42 | Ch. 43 | Ch. 44 | Ch. 45 | Ch. 46 | Ch. 47 | Ch. 48 |
Falling in Public
Chapter 49
Holly stayed as still as possible, not wanting to attract attention as the beam from Sean's flashlight explored every surface. When he turned away, she eased her healing leg out of it's position, moving her foot mere millimeters just to make sure it would hold up when she had to move.
"Holly! I know you're here - I heard you earlier. Where are you?"
Sean's yell startled her, and the involuntary twitch nearly sent the supplies on her lap to the floor. She managed to catch them just in time, but the resulting movement had already drawn the light back to her little cubby hole.
Sean chuckled. "There you are. When your body wasn't in the cockpit, I knew you had to be somewhere out here. You were talking in your sleep earlier - did you know you do that? Clear as a bell, calling out for Mr. Rock-Star-Stud himself. Musta been some dream, Holly-bear." He laughed again, apparently finding himself funny.
Holly was not amused. "Why didn't you just die?" the words just slipped out, and she regretted them immediately, knowing it would only fuel his anger. Considering he had the only weapon, it was a bad decision.
A loud click rang out through the cabin just before he jumped across from the doorway to the row of seats she was sequestered in. She looked up, catching a quick glimpse of a black barrel pointed at her before the flashlight beam joined it, effectively blinding her. Turning away, she held up a hand to block as much of the light as she could.
"I don't know about you, but I'm tired of this plane. What do you say we get ouf ot here? I just activated the emergency GPS tracker in my watch, so another team should be here to pick us up soon."
The light moved and she looked up to watch him surveying the hole she was in.
"I think you can shimmy through that space beween the seat backs to get to the slide. Let's go."
She thought about refusing just to test his resolve, but considering the lengths he'd already gone to
in order to kidnap her, she was fairly certain he'd just shoot her and leave. If she could get outside and on the ground, she'd probably have a better chance of getting away too. Pushing the supplies and blankets to the side, she shimmied around and through the space between the seats and the ceiling, her heart racing when she nearly fell out the open hatch. Finally she found stable footing on the edge and lowered herself carefully to sit with her feet on the slide.
"Stay right there," Sean said from somewhere above her. "I'm coming down."
Holly ran her fingers over the surfaces beside her, hoping to find something, anything that would make a good weapon. The only thing she found was the plastic knife she'd tossed away earlier. Running her thumb over the thick teeth, she wondered if it would penetrate the inflated sidewalls of the slide if there was enough force behind it.
Only one way to find out.
Taking a deep breath and fisting the knife point out in her hand, she launched herself over the edge of the hatch.
Ch.1|Ch. 2|Ch. 3|Ch. 4|Ch. 5|Ch. 6|Ch. 7|Ch. 8|Ch. 9|Ch. 10|Ch. 11|Ch. 12|Ch.13|Ch. 14|Ch. 15| Ch. 16| Ch. 17|Ch. 18| Ch. 19 | Ch. 20 | Ch. 21 | Ch. 22 | Ch. 23 | Ch. 24 | Ch. 25 | Ch. 26 | Ch. 27 | Ch. 28 | Ch. 29 | Ch. 30 | Ch. 31 | Ch. 32 | Ch. 33 | Ch. 34 | Ch. 35 | Ch. 36 | Ch. 37 | Ch. 38 | Ch. 39 | Ch. 40 | Ch. 41 | Ch. 42 | Ch. 43 | Ch. 44 | Ch. 45 | Ch. 46 | Ch. 47 | Ch. 48 |
Falling in Public
Chapter 49
Holly stayed as still as possible, not wanting to attract attention as the beam from Sean's flashlight explored every surface. When he turned away, she eased her healing leg out of it's position, moving her foot mere millimeters just to make sure it would hold up when she had to move.
"Holly! I know you're here - I heard you earlier. Where are you?"
Sean's yell startled her, and the involuntary twitch nearly sent the supplies on her lap to the floor. She managed to catch them just in time, but the resulting movement had already drawn the light back to her little cubby hole.
Sean chuckled. "There you are. When your body wasn't in the cockpit, I knew you had to be somewhere out here. You were talking in your sleep earlier - did you know you do that? Clear as a bell, calling out for Mr. Rock-Star-Stud himself. Musta been some dream, Holly-bear." He laughed again, apparently finding himself funny.
Holly was not amused. "Why didn't you just die?" the words just slipped out, and she regretted them immediately, knowing it would only fuel his anger. Considering he had the only weapon, it was a bad decision.
A loud click rang out through the cabin just before he jumped across from the doorway to the row of seats she was sequestered in. She looked up, catching a quick glimpse of a black barrel pointed at her before the flashlight beam joined it, effectively blinding her. Turning away, she held up a hand to block as much of the light as she could.
"I don't know about you, but I'm tired of this plane. What do you say we get ouf ot here? I just activated the emergency GPS tracker in my watch, so another team should be here to pick us up soon."
The light moved and she looked up to watch him surveying the hole she was in.
"I think you can shimmy through that space beween the seat backs to get to the slide. Let's go."
She thought about refusing just to test his resolve, but considering the lengths he'd already gone to
in order to kidnap her, she was fairly certain he'd just shoot her and leave. If she could get outside and on the ground, she'd probably have a better chance of getting away too. Pushing the supplies and blankets to the side, she shimmied around and through the space between the seats and the ceiling, her heart racing when she nearly fell out the open hatch. Finally she found stable footing on the edge and lowered herself carefully to sit with her feet on the slide.
"Stay right there," Sean said from somewhere above her. "I'm coming down."
Holly ran her fingers over the surfaces beside her, hoping to find something, anything that would make a good weapon. The only thing she found was the plastic knife she'd tossed away earlier. Running her thumb over the thick teeth, she wondered if it would penetrate the inflated sidewalls of the slide if there was enough force behind it.
Only one way to find out.
Taking a deep breath and fisting the knife point out in her hand, she launched herself over the edge of the hatch.
Enjoy
this post? Support your author: Tempest
| Desert
Heat | The
Biker's Wench
| Flash Fiction
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will be moderated.
