I’m feeling happy and giving tonight, so I thought I’d host a contest! My real-life buddy just ran an AWESOME one on finding inspiration and I would have entered if I hadn’t already owned the prize. ;-) BTW, if you don’t have The 3 A.M. Epiphany, check it out. Regan (the aforementioned friend) bought it for me when she first heard I was starting to write and it has awesome exercises in it. Yes, she’s an awesome friend, in case you were wondering.
Now, the contest.
I am sucker for novel beginnings, so I thought I’d cater to that since…well…it’s my contest and I’ll do what I want to.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO?
- First: Follow me on twitter because I want followers, what can I say? Like I said…my contest…my rules! :D I say SUPER insightful stuff every day. Okay, not really, but I’m a nice girl! If you don’t have Twitter, don’t worry about it (or if you are super picky about who you follow, that’s fine, too – I won’t tar and feather your entry).
- Second: Enter the title and up to the first 250 words of a WIP into the comments section of this post. Please only enter once! You are welcome to give a small blurb about the plot after your entry if you want. It might help to mention the genre, too. Make sure you include a real e-mail address because that is how you will receive your prize!
You have until Saturday night (March 13, 2010) at 11:59 EST to enter. Entries after that not be entered.
WHAT DO YOU WIN?
I’ll have two winners.
- The first winner will be selected by some unbiased writerly friends whom I’ve asked to judge. That person will win a $25 gift card to Amazon*. This way it’s not just my opinion that counts.
- The second winner will come from a public poll. It will begin Sunday, March 14, 2010 at noon. It will close Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at noon. The winner of the public poll will win a $15 gift card to Amazon*.
Both winners will be announced Tuesday, March 16th. It will probably be in the evening.
Spread the word!
*If you are morally opposed to Amazon or something, I can do one to an online book store of your choice, just let me know.
This contest is approved by my cutie-patootie son in his Easter outfit:

Posted in contests |
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I really haven’t had a lot to say lately. *hears collective gasps from anyone who knows me in real life*
But, I AM writing, which is a yay moment. Can I get a woot-woot? Bueller? Bueller? Anyone?
I really do see light at the end of the tunnel and I can’t wait to start editing! I sent my first ten pages to Weronika Janczuk and I kind of had to laugh when I read it back over. Apparently, I was a fan of adverbs when I started writing VINTAGE. So yeah, I’ll be fixing those.
Lastly, be sure to enter my friend Regan’s contest!!!!!!! The book she’s offering up to the winner is a great help. She bought it for me at the vveerryyy beginning of my journey and I really have appreciated it.
I had an awesome picture of a blue ribbon winning pickle (contest, get it?) I was going to add, but Getty Images is being dumb. Try to get a mental image because it was an awesome picture.
Posted in ramblings, the process |
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I went through a spell the last few weeks where I had no motivation to write. None. Nada.
My friend, Regan, hounded me relentlessly, but I just couldn’t seem to make myself do anything. Granted, my twitching eyelid (that still hasn’t stopped, thank you very much) made staring at a computer screen…well…uncomfortable, to say the least.
It’s weird what your mind can do. I started doubting everything, wondering if it made sense to spend so much time writing when you hear such dismal discussions across the internet about the industry.
I guess it comes down to just getting back to why I started – because I like it.
When I started to write, I didn’t tell anyone and did it simply for creative expression. I needed to do it. I needed to get the words out.
Then I started learning about the industry, everything that goes into it, etc. It got me really excited at first, but then I started seeing posts and tweets about how much junk is really sent to agents. I questioned myself. I admit it. It’s hard not to when you are taking time away from family to pursue something.
But I had to have a come to Jesus talk with myself. It just doesn’t matter! I needed to get back to writing for the reasons I started – fun!
So, I’m back, Jack! I know that I will have these droughts and struggles again, but hopefully, I can get back to my happy place. :-)
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Posted in teaser tuesday |
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Ok, I’m a sucker for some romance and love. I can’t help it. Give me a chick flick over an Oscar winner any day of the week.

As such, writing about love is one of my favorite things to do. I get a thrill out of watching a relationship unfold and go through all of the awkward and goofy stages, through the intense beginnings of a real romance, and then watch it settle into a mature and timeless love.
It’s funny because I find myself giggling and getting giddy right along with my characters as they develop a crush or have that first kiss with someone. It is challenging to try and make it authentic without being over the top.
I write YA, so teenagers do get that intense, hormone-ridden attack when they first dive into a relationship, so it’s hard to show that without making the character seem vapid or immature. By the same token, you have to give credit to teenagers and their emotions – they know how they feel and don’t want anyone to tell them otherwise. I’ve had a crush on my husband since I was thirteen years old and we’ve been dating since I was sixteen, so at least I feel I can relate to a real teenage love. I did have experiences that I thought were love at the time, but now realize belong in a different pocket, so I can use that, too. 
I also enjoy showing love in a nonromantic way too, such as between a parent and a child. I think it’s an important element in a piece of writing and one that really needs to be done justice. I think this has gotten a bit easier since becoming a parent because you don’t quite get a grasp on how much your parents love you until you are one yourself. I know I didn’t, anyway.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine’s Day!

The rest of the AW Blog Chain:
Aimeelaine – www.aimeelaine.com/writing/blog
Harri3tspy – http://spynotes.wordpress.com
Charlotte49ers – http://www.amandaplavich.com
AuburnAssassin – http://clairegillian.wordpress.com/ <– Next!
Breddings – http://boozingear.com/blog
*RomanceWriter* – http://staceyespino.blogspot.com/
Claire Crossdale – http://theromanticqueryletter.blogpost.com
Collectonian – http://collectonian.livejournal.com
FreshHell - http://freshhell.wordpress.com
Lostwanderer5.blogspot.com – http://www.lostwanderer5.blogspot.com
David Zahir – http://zahirblue.blogspot.com/
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Posted in teaser tuesday, vintage |
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Lots of great things come in halves:
Pizza, because I tend to eat too much if I have a whole one to start with

Limes, just because

Glasses of water for your dentures (does this really need an explanation?)

Avacodos, because you can’t see that bally thing otherwise:

And lastly, this ticker:

Why the ticker? Because it’s my goal counter for the first draft of VINTAGE. Woot-woot! I’m on the downward slope and there is light at the end of the tunnel finally! Yay!
Posted in the process, vintage |
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So, seeing as how I’m new at this whole writing bit and all, there have been various things that have happened that I didn’t expect.
Here is the one that hit me in the last day or so: I don’t want the twist revelations to happen.
I have SO much fun building the suspense, tension, mystery, etc. that I don’t want it to end. I mean, I have a bunch of twists and turns to still come about, but this was the first biggie that I’ve hit. I didn’t write it for days because I just didn’t want to. Isn’t that silly? I’ll never finish a book if I don’t, you know, write it. :/

That’s it.
You were expecting something mind-blowing, weren’t you? Sorry to disappoint. ;-)
Posted in the process |
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Posted in teaser tuesday |
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So, you know my fabulous writing weekend I was talking about? Well… (the other) Amanda and I got iced in before we even left Georgia. As to avoid this:

we decided to cut our loses and stay home. There will be tears tonight once it all sinks in, I promise. At least the other three made it okay and will have a good time. Make a toast for us, ladies!
Stupid, stinking, winter.
Posted in ramblings |
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