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:

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.

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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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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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!

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. ;-)

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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.