D WAS for Dystopian Fiction

Now D is for Dreadful Doughnut Drive

Oh yes, I think this will take a bit of explaining. I was visiting 2 hours from my home when I had a flat tire. Luckily I was near my brother’s house and he was able to come and change it because no matter how much I jumped on the tire iron I couldn’t get my nuts off. By the time he was able to get there and change it for me it was rush hour and I was NOT in the mood to try and get home through that. I stopped at another friend’s house and stayed for dinner before I headed home. The trip that would normally, over highways, take 2 hours took much longer. My doughnut is only rated for 40 MPH and the straight shot roads have a minimum speed of 55. So the long way it was. I can’t actually tell you how long it took because if I looked I am sure I would start crying. Needless to say I was unable to get my D post out because of my Dreadful Doughnut Drive.

Blogging From A to Z

The plan to save my A to Z is to add an extra day, probably on sunday or if one of the flash fictions are particularly short. I really want to share my dystopian fiction with you so I am not skipping it. Even though it made me uncomfortable to write and reread.

Dystopian Flash Fiction

“Emily are you excited to participate in Black Friday this year?” Asked her mother Alexandra.

“Yes mama, I like to stay up late and I want to go to the mall,” said Emily as she got out of the car.

“Now dear, don't get her all worked up. Black Friday can be intense,” said her father. “I'll go grab a cart.”

“Oh, I'm so glad they have carts at the mall now. It makes moving the stuff so much easier,” said Alexandra.

“Come on, let's get in line fast. I wanna be through the gate first,” Emily said pulling her father's arm.

“Alright, alright, we're coming,” he said as they walked through the empty parking garage toward the mall entrance.

The family lined up behind the roped off area outside the mall and settled in to wait for the doors to open and the pandemonium to begin. They talked, laughed and joked as the hours ticked away. It seemed like a wonderful bonding experience, but Emily knew they would have their work cut out for them when the doors were thrown open.

Opening time of five a.m. was almost at hand. The line was around the corner and out of Emily’s sight. People who had been lounging on the ground or leaning against walls a mere half hour before were now standing tall as they looked over each other's heads and scooched as close to the threshold of the mall as they could. They were all enthralled in a frenzy that was building and seeking the maelstrom that is Black Friday.

An employee clicked the lock and it seemed unusually loud, almost like a starting gun had been fired. Two other employees pushed open the doors while trying to scurry out of the way with frightened, but determined faces. This was it, we are first. Emily and her mother ran for the woman’s department. The news reports had been saying all week it was supposed to have the most action this year and it had always been her mother’s favorite anyway.

Emily pushed her cart around the corner and stopped by the edge of the counter. She excitedly looked back at her mother as she pulled an exquisite cashmere coat out and held it up. She looked down into the pit. The woman waiting there were already shoving each other and jockeying for position under the hanging coat. Emily shook it and they responded like ravenous dogs. The lady directly in front of Emily punched the lady to her left in the face causing blood to pour from her nose, but not stopping the bloody woman from jumping for the coat. Emily tossed the coat into the bedlam and was delighted at the squealing and screaming her trinket had brought.

Emily turned back to her mother who was smiling and handed her a pair of Gucci heels and said, “We have spared no expense here on your first Black Friday. I want you to really enjoy what this event means. Make sure you throw them way into the center so the poor girls who got here later have a chance to enter the fray and get some goodies as well.”

“Yes mama,” Emily said as she took the beautiful shoes.


Dystopian fiction is a very popular genre at the moment, but I remember reading George Orwell's 1984 in high school so it has been around a long time. Let me just say that book scared the crap out of me. Are you a fan of Dystopian fiction? What books would you recommend in this genre?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group

I am worried I bit off WAY more than I can chew. Though perhaps if I stop chewing on the computer it would work better. I LOVE writing challenges, but rarely get through to the end with a victory. I need to figure out how to set better priorities and stick to goals. I am also having a bit of a problem with that life thing getting in the way constantly, but it seems to happen often to me. I am not entirely sure if it just happens to everyone a lot and I am busy putting out proverbial fires and don’t notice or if the Fates have placed some sort of kick me sign on my back. Hey, be a friend and pull it off my back if you see it there, thanks. I also worry about the quality of my work. I read so many awesome blog posts, excerpts and flash fictions during these writing challenges that I feel woefully inadequate. What do you do to stay on task? How do you feel when you share your work?

ROW80 Rundown

I missed stating my round 2 goals on Monday the 4th so I am playing catch up here, too. My goals are mostly the same as last round. Wish me luck.

To make the check-ins on Sundays and Wednesdays - This is the first Wednesday so YAY I made it.
To visit 5 fellow ROW80 bloggers each check-in - Didn’t manage to visit anyone since Monday.
To write 667 words every day to keep up with my Camp NaNo goal - I hit this goal on Monday, but not on Tuesday. I fell short by less than 200 words on my flash.
To post every additional day in April for A to Z - I barely made it Monday and missed Tuesday, but have high hopes for the next check in period.

Orange Prompt Type Winner

Orange prompt: Sensory Prompt a prompt that makes you use one of your five senses. A smell, a taste, a sound, touch, something visual

Thanks to those who helped me by participating. I like this suggestion, there were 4 really good choices and I am happy to start making new prompts. The first Orange Sensory Prompt was created by my daughter. I really need to do a LOT more research before I try another contest because I didn’t get much participation, but that is a post that will need to wait until April is over. Do you have any tips for running contests to get me started thinking about what to do better next time?

What do you do when you have bitten off too much? Do you spit some of it out or try and choke it down even though it may cause the quality of tasks accomplished to diminish?

For some reason I couldn't find the ROW80 code to add the linky list to my post so click here to see the others who posted today.

Photos by Pixabay.

Pacing And Dialogue Make Me Insecure

It's the first Wednesday of the month so that means it's time for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. The purpose is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Together we are going to rock the neurotic writing world!

One thing I feel insecure about is the pacing of The Most Magical Place. I mean how long should one scene be? In my outline i had a scene taking up one slot, but as I started writing it grew. It is now extremely long and looks like it could be broken in 2 or even 3 places. What details are too trivial to include and which flesh out the characters or settings? I am also wary of an info dump because a character who has been dealing with the situation my hero has just been dropped into has come on stage. I'm sure some of it will get cut and I'm trying not to worry about it now, but man it's feeling a little out of control. What do you do when a scene seems packed with things you want to share with your readers, but is getting too long? How do you rearrange things to make room for a new scene you didn't anticipate?

Another thing that is giving me trouble is dialog. When I envision my characters talking to one another it always seems smooth and well put together, but somehow that doesn't translate onto the page. Often when I reread what I wrote the characters that aren't interacting. They are just standing or sitting there talking at each other. In my mind's eye they are moving and doing stuff or at least showing some sort of reaction to what they've just heard. Other than rolling their eyes. I don't want my beloved characters to become automatons. How do you remember to make your characters move around as well as speak? Do you have a guide to how much dialog you use?

The last thing on my neurotic writer list is my inner editor. Oh, this lady has some nerve! I am forever gagging (Which always ends up with garish red lipstick all over my hands.) and tying her up then shoving her in a closet. Unfortunately somehow she finds her way out again and back into my head. When I tell her to get the hell out she just laughs. I think I need to find a new strategy for dealing with her. Maybe I will take her pointy red glasses and poke the lenses out or maybe I could see if her beehive hair do has enough product in it to set on fire. What strategies do you use to get past your inner editor? What does your editor look like to you?

Please be sure you leave a comment to say hello. Don't forget to let me know where you are visiting from so I can follow you back and see what you're up to.

ROW80 August & September Goals Rundown

1. Write 2 Poms every day.
I wrote on Sunday and Monday, but skipped Tuesday. I had an MRI in the early evening and the sedative they gave me made me very distractable. Just in case you didn't know being shoved in a tube is not fun.

2. Post for every ROW80 check-in.
I'm here and I'm doing it. Keeping it moving and making sure I am keeping myself accountable is a big part of my plan, but ROW80 has taught me to be flexible and not beat myself up when I make a misstep.

3. Spend 1 Pom per day visiting ROW80 friends.
I did go and visit some of you. I only had time for 5 of my wonderful ROW80 friends, but I spent my pom which was my goal.

4. Post to Twitter on ROW80 days.
Still keeping up with this and not letting it stress me out anymore.

Photos by Pixabay.

Camp NaNo Makes Me Insecure

It's the first Wednesday of the month and that means it's time for this month's edition of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. They are a great group of very supportive people who are working hard to make it in the writer world or who have and are sharing their success to inspire. It's a place writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. So glad to have you join me and feel free to hop over to their link and see what other's have going on.

The thing I am most insecure about today are my fears about Camp NaNo. That's not to say I don't have a lot of other things chasing it down, but it is firmly in the lead. I have been planing to write The Most Magical Place story for a while. Other things came between us and I even lost a huge amount of previous work from my first ever NaNoWriMo attempt back in January. (Same old PSA always remember to back up your writing often.) I thought about just moving on and tried to make that happen, but I kept thinking about those characters and wondering what they would be doing next. So here I am back with them. I was aiming for about 55 scenes total, but only have 34 planned in detail and it is almost go time. The other thing about Camp NaNo that is worrying me is that I have not yet made it across a NaNo finish line. I always have the best of intentions, but follow though is not my strong suit. There is a huge drawer and several closets stuffed full with half finished craft projects that will attest to this fact.

I am still working deciding what my ROW80 goals will be for the upcoming 3rd round. I should have put more effort into them by now, but I have been so distracted. Of course I always feel distracted. I saw a post today that said something like: I was trying to get my ducks in a row, but then I realized that I have too many ducks. This is me dead on. I need to decide what to cull from the flock and what to nurture, This means also deciding what is most important to me. Nuclear family and homeschooling are top on the list, but I want to put writing very closely after and have let things other people want push it further down the list. Now to figure out how to eliminate or at least reduce the guilt of telling people and things NO.

Well, I am off to start my Camp NaNo. Wish me luck.

Going Rogue

Today is the first Wednesday of the month and so it is time again for the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Oh so many are the reasons to be insecure and especially when writing. My biggest problem still is making time for the writing thing. I suppose I might have other problems if I made more time.

I haven't made much progress, but it hasn't been that long. My bad guy is being snotty, but I guess that's a good thing because he's... the bad guy. I had plans for his first interaction with the heroine, but he seems to have a completely different idea. It feels like I'm dealing with a 4 year old who won't listen. I have never had such an unruly cast. Of course I've never successfully finished a novel either. Maybe there isn't enough time in a short story for things to get so out of hand. 

Have you ever had a character just ditch what you planned and go rogue? What did you do and how did it turn out? Please leave me a comment and tell me who the mascot for your most recent post is, but also make sure to let me know where you are visiting from so I can follow you back. 

ROW80 Rundown:

1. Spend 2 poms on plotting using Hiveword.
I was able to sit down and write Monday, but Tuesday was so crazy and I didn't get there.

2. Spend 2 poms on posts for this blog.
I probably spent 1 pom in the last few days brainstorming and I responded to the lovely and encouraging comments so probably got this one.

3. Spend 1 pom on social media for blog posts.
I posted a link to my Nope post on my Author Facebook page and on Twitter, but that is all I was able to accomplish.

4. Spend 1 pom on visiting other ROW80 bloggers.
I did this on Sunday and Monday, but again I fall on the Tuesday was crazy sword.

Photos by Pixabay.

A is for Aspiring Author

Today is the first day of April which releases The Blogging From A to Z Challenge. I have been trying to get ready for a while now, but as per usual it's go time and I am still trying to get ready. I'm sitting down to write this post and am still not really sure exactly what I'm doing. I did find this really cool article about 10 Safe April Fools Pranks. I think they are hilarious, but best of all they won't hurt anyone. It's just good fun. I probably should have been using my time more productively, but sometimes you just need a break.

A is for Aspiring Author. I always wanted to be an author. I guess it runs in the family. When my dad passed away we found lots of books on how to become a writer among his things. Sadly we didn't come across anything he wrote himself. I am not even sure he ever got to the point of writing. It's a big scary leap! So here I am an aspiring author. I have put a lot of work into my story already and haven't even really started writing. 

I am feeling a little overwhelmed because I signed up for so many things none of which I've completed in the past. However, I am also feeling excited because everything has come together in this month. Besides A to Z, I am jumping into Camp NaNo. It's also the first Wednesday of the month making it time for the Insecure Writers Support Group. There are so many amazingly supportive and knowledgeable people bouncing around in these challenges. It makes me hopeful that I will find the help and support I need to make it across the finish line, all the finish lines. Please drop me a supportive comment and let me know where you're visiting from, with a link if you can, so I can follow you back and cheer you on as well. We will get through this together and come out better and stronger because of it.  

A is also for Attractive protagonist. Do you tend to write your protagonist with above average appearance? I actually can't recall reading a book where the protagonist was not handsome unless it was a major aspect of the plot. For example Beauty and the Beat, Hunchback of Notre Dame, A Spell For Chameleon and so on. All of mine tend to be smokin' hot and randy. Maybe it's because I like to read stories with a strong romance plot even if it's subordinate. I'm not sure if this is a problem or something that just is. What do you think?

PS: There actually was an awesome article about 10 Safe April Fools Pranks and I swear this one will not get you cheezy Eighties music. So click with confidence and happy April Fools.

Photos from Pixabay

Eternally Juggling

Like most people I am struggling, I meant juggling. Well, maybe some of both. My routine has become as hectic as an octopus standing on land heaving flaming torches while balancing a sword on his head and trying to eat an angry crab. Oh, he's also being kicked from behind, at random, by a woman in stilettos.

Writing torches in the air for this post:

• A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80)
• The Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG)
• Prep for A to Z 2015 Blogging Challenge
• One Year Reading Challenge 2015

IWSG:

Okay, so I may be over committing myself, but I really like joining challenges. Some people can do these things on their own, but I am not that competent or organized. I need the people to help me stay motivated and to bounce things off. I love that you all are so bouncy and supportive.

Things have been keeping me from writing or maybe I have not been trying hard enough. It isn't the big things. Everyone recognizes major challenges when they arrive and pushes the pause button on non-essential goals. It's the little things that pilfer my time without me even realizing it's gone. The Facebook is chief among those time sucking miscreants, but you can't overlook more mundane things like housework and homeschooling. Why, I feel all thin, sort of stretched, if you know what I mean: like butter that has been scraped over too much bread.

What do you do when you feel like a eleventy-one year old hobbit?


ROW80 rundown: 

1. Write 500 words per day on any project.
Sunday: 631
Monday: 374
Tuesday: Sleep and snuggling sick kids, but no words.

2. Blog at least every Wednesday and Sunday.
I am thinking these are a win.

3. Check out at least 10 posts from each new ROW80 linky before the next one comes out.
I got to 8 and midnight hit and I decided to work on my post.

4. Use Twitter at least once per day.
I was not able to get to Twitter Tuesday.

5. Post on my author Facebook page at least 3 times per week.
I am going to have to think about changing this goal. I have only been able to get it done once since I jumped in. Let us see how it goes for the rest of the week and then I will decide.

6. Read 1 book per week.

With Sherlock out of the way I move onto The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. It will be fulfilling my "book over 100 years old" category. I am only a few chapters in, but am liking it. I guess I should have read these classics long ago. I will let you know how it goes.

Thanks for all who stopped by from the different groups. Leave me a comment and say hello so I can follow you back and see what you are up to.

photo credit: _DSC9593 via photopin (license)
photo courticy of Pixabay

Insecure Writers Support Group February

This is the first Wednesday in the month so it is time once again for the IWSG. So last month, I must say, I did not meet the goals I set for myself in ROW80. I was in the hospital for 10 days and unable to work on my novel. I feel so inadequate at this time. I wish I was more dedicated, but I know that I have to take care of my health before I can get back to tormenting my characters. However, I also know that sometimes if I don't make myself write I will just be lazy and not do it.

What do you do to keep yourself motivated?

photo credit: Olivander via photopin cc

The Insecure Writer's Support Group

Last year I read a lot of posts about the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. It is held on the first Wednesday of each month. I found the idea very interesting so I joined. If there is something I am really good at it's complaining, but I don't think that is exactly what this is for. The home page also says something about neurotic writers uniting so I figured this is just the place for me.

I reread some of my manuscript and man am I going to have my work cut out for me when I go back to edit. NaNo is about pounding out the words with no editor, but I am not sure if that is the best way to work. I realized while I was so busy getting down what they did, saw, heard and smelled that I forgot to write what they looked like. So I know that I have to go back and add the physical descriptions of the characters. It is not like I didn't know what they looked like yet it is just that I forgot or didn't do it. My question for anyone out there reading is do you gently work in what they look like in little bits or should I just dump it on the reader when they are first introduced?

Another thing I am having trouble with is naming cities and towns. This is a fantasy so I have to make up the map and I have a rough sketch and idea where things are, but not names. I keep writing things like ***NAME THE DAMN CITY ALREADY*** and ***THE LITTLE TOWN TO THE NORTH THAT WILL NEVER HAVE A FREAKING NAME***. I am not sure if it is helpful, but it makes me feel better. Especially when I am writing and feel like I am screwing up because I haven't named some of the vital elements and people. If there are any fantasy writers out there how do you name your characters and towns?

photo credit: AlicePopkorn via photopin cc