by Sarah | Jan 29, 2013 | Books, Changing Tracks, Hump Day Hook, Writing
Another Hump Day Hook! Once again I’m bringing some Jane and Cole to the party. I don’t have my official release date yet, but I know that it will be out next month with Secret Cravings Publishing!
This is from early in their relationship, before they’ve even kissed. A fun little scene, but I can only show you a little of it 🙂 :
Setting down the orange she’d been holding, she straightened. “Well, I’m afraid I have a list of things to do today. And you know what? I could search all day and amusing Cole Mitchell would not be found there.”
Saucy. What a challenge she could be. He doubted she could be tamed, but he’d love to try anyway.
*~*~*
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by Sarah | Jan 28, 2013 | Books, Challenge, Hybrid, Tuesday Tales, Writing
I’ve joined another weekly writing challenge called Tuesday Tales. I get a prompt every week and write what comes to mind. This first part flowed so well, I’ll probably try to continue the story, using prompts along the way.
As of now, this is untitled. It’s not my usual style to write in first person, so I’m on a learning curve, but it’s how the story wanted to be written.
Please keep in mind that this story is coming in short pieces and is all first draft, so spelling and grammar issues are possible.
This weeks prompt: Light.
The high pitched whine of a delivery truck’s brakes penetrated the sanctuary of peace I’d built. Heavy footsteps plodded through the snow, a shadowy form growing larger through the intricate frosted glass.
Tension started to wind its way through each of my relaxed muscles. The calm center I’d managed to find popped like a bubble at the peal of our insanely loud doorbell.
So much for meditation.
With the kids at school and husband at work I thought maybe I could manage to find peace and quiet for five minutes. That’s what I get for making plans.
“I could try again.” Even as I said it, I knew it was just too much work.
Besides, curiosity tugged my attention toward the door. Despite last year’s mad obsession with the home shopping channels, I’d been very good about not buying a whole lot this year. I couldn’t recall ordering anything in the past week.
Maybe Darren had ordered something.
I snorted as I rose to my feet. Darren wouldn’t order anything online. Doesn’t trust the internet, big brother, or the space needle. I have always thought it was adorable, really. The man didn’t even own a smartphone.
Everyone owns smartphones. Even everyone in the government he’s so afraid of.
I pulled open the door and found a small box, hardly worth shipping via the big shipping company. Addressed to Carolyn Riese. Me. Return address, oddly smudged until unreadable.
My hackles raised and I glanced around the quiet neighborhood.
Nothing out of the ordinary caught my eye, but my nerves stayed on edge. Winter covered every naked branch and home, covering the world in white silence. A loud scream from a hawk made me jump out of my skin. I found it high in a tree.
Despite the risk of a neighbor seeing I let my third lid blink so I could see beyond the normal. The moment the membrane restored my inhuman sight the world around me changed. Light shimmered and echoed through each snowflake until the ground itself was as blinding as the sun.
Rays of red light streamed down from the tree, echoing sun-dogs in its effect. The red-tailed hawk had revealed itself to be a phoenix.
They were watching me.
If I ignored the package, the consequence could be great.
“It’s only been fifteen years.”
The phoenix turned its head at my complaint, fiery wings flapping before it lifted into the air and soared toward me.
I snatched the box from the porch and slammed the door before he got too close. The box settled in my lap as I sank to the floor. It couldn’t be.
There was still an option to ignore the box, but if I did they’d turn my life upside down in worse ways than I could imagine.
I couldn’t let that happen.
*~*
Hope you enjoyed it! Click on the Tuesday Tales badge to see more excellent entries!!
by Sarah | Jan 15, 2013 | Books, Changing Tracks, Hump Day Hook, Writing
Time for another Hump Day hook! Edits on Changing Tracks are done. I have since written another short story and sold it, and am about to dive into an hours push of writing on Into a Mirror Darkly again.
Since I don’t quite have my cover art with the publisher logo back yet, I’ll refrain from another snippet from Changing Tracks until next week. If I don’t have it by then, I’ll use a random picture from my files. 🙂
So, just for kicks I’m going to post one of my favorite snips from Book 2 in the Dominion Falls series, Derailed. My main character, Jane…preparing for…well, you’ll see:
Simple. No petticoats, no corset. One well cut layer of fabric.
Plain. Rough black wool. No adornments, not even a visible button.
A dress of death. Her death.
Pale skin shone back at her in the mirror. Shaking hands pulling her tresses back into a simple bun. No hat, no coat. The bitter cold temperatures would mean little to her welfare. Illness wouldn’t claim you if you were already dead.
Hump Day Hook asks authors to post one paragraph of one of their stories, whether a WIP, one contracted, or already published. Please visit and comment on the participants – you might just stumble on the next great read for your library! To see more participants, click on the HDH banner below:
by Sarah | Jan 8, 2013 | Books, Hump Day Hook, Morgana Chronicles, Writing
Time for another Hump Day hook! I spent the past week shoulder deep in massive edits for my February release – and my first instinct was to post an excerpt from my new additions to it…but then my publisher emailed me and they’re putting the publisher logo on my cover now…so I thought I’d wait until I get the finalized cover to post again…or until I come up with something else to use in its place.
So we’re back with the ever marvelous Into a Mirror Darkly. Now that the bulk of my editing week is behind me I’m anxious to get back to work on this one. Red always makes me happy.
But for this week, I thought I’d introduce Junior to you. That’s Ronald Stiltskin, Jr.:
Junior – he was far from careful. He stumbled out of the brush carrying a bow twice his size. The man barely came to Red’s belly button, with proportionate limbs but a large head. His face looked like it had been flattened in a great vice, his eyes and lips barely two fingers apart, scrunched up tiny above and below the long pointed nose.
Large ears that folded over and pointed out away from his head with a bit of fur at each tip bounced with each racing step. His large feet skidded to a halt when he spotted her at the gate. “Red! Let me in quick!”
Hump Day Hook asks authors to post one paragraph of one of their stories, whether a WIP, one contracted, or already published. Please visit and comment on the participants – you might just stumble on the next great read for your library! To see more participants, click on the HDH banner below:
by Sarah | Jan 1, 2013 | Books, Hump Day Hook, Morgana Chronicles, Writing
Time for another Hump Day hook! I worked up a mock-up cover for Mirror Darkly this past week. I do have such fun with these. So, since I’d played with the cover, I thought I’d use it for HDH.
Of course, it helps that I started my 500K Challenge and so have been working on this one again!
And now, without further ado, an exchange between Rose Red, the bounty hunter & Wulfric, the great hunter:
“I’m sorry. Did you say you called Queen Melisandra, the vilest of Morgana’s queens, Mellie?”
“Should have seen her. I thought she was going to breath fire.” Green eyes twinkled to match his laughter as he tugged her stiff body closer to him. “Solange heard about it and came to get me out. That’s why I owe her.”
“Solange had to get you out?”
“Apparently I’m not charming.”
“And you’re no prince.” Red’s lips twitched in her efforts to hide the laughter bursting up from her belly. In a last ditch attempt she snatched the lower lip between her teeth and tried to keep her glare in check.
Hump Day Hook asks authors to post one paragraph of one of their stories, whether a WIP, one contracted, or already published. Please visit and comment on the participants – you might just stumble on the next great read for your library! To see more participants, click on the HDH banner below:
by Sarah | Dec 31, 2012 | 500k, Books, Challenge, General, Writing, writing tips
A week ago my joy and confidence was bursting forth.
I said that after 2012, I was ready for 2013. I laughed in the face of danger (yup, quoting Lion King here, times are desperate). I told 2013 to “Bring It”.
I made the monumental and overwhelming decision to join the 500k in 2013 writing challenge.
In brief it doesn’t look so bad. 1370 words/day? Easy peasy.
500k? Holy cow what was I thinking?
Then a couple of days ago my confidence was squashed under a thumb and my muse got grumpy and I got grumpy and I pretended the challenge wasn’t real.
My confidence is still a little shaky, but I am determined to work through it. I have my new series to work on, and with 500k staring me in the face I could write 5 books in the series with that much playroom.
It’s a lofty goal that I’m certain I could accomplish if I got in “the zone”. After all about 3 years ago I wrote about 500k in 4 months time when I really got into my stories.
So off I go. Send caffeine, chocolate, and prayers for my sanity.
Because if the 500k doesn’t make me insane – my characters’ trauma drama will!!
Another Hump Day Hook! Once again I’m bringing some Jane and Cole to the party. I don’t have my official release date yet, but I know that it will be out next month with Secret Cravings Publishing!