Fight Blogfest scene

Here is my entry for Jc_martin's Fight blogfest Its not really great, but its another part of Andaya's trials so I hope it works. I have three classes today, so after I complete homework I will look in on everyone's stories.

This part of the story is near the beginning of Black Diamond City (which I have a small scene for up top on the bar as well)...so it came before the pixy for those who have been reading my other blogfest entries.

Enjoy and don't forget to click back and check out the other amazing authors participating in this...


Andaya stepped onto the stairs easing her way towards the spirits. She floated like a cloud in every step she took. Darkness moved in her peripheral vision...shadows. She turned and saw nothing. She stopped in between two large spirits.

            "Be careful of shadows the light may cast." The spirits said in unison levitating.

            She walked past the gatekeepers. Another breeze flew through her form. She turned. The four spirits were now great winged demons in black. Drool hung from the corner of each mouth. Everything seemed as though it had an opposite side. She looked to the doors. She had to make a run for them. She glanced back at the demons once and then ran for the building. Could she make it, four against one?

            A mere three feet from the door, Andaya flew out from underneath herself. her eyes squinted ready for pain to burst through her as she hit the stairs, but it didn't come. She opened her eyes and found the demon had her ankle and they  both floated in the air. Claws entangled themselves into her leg. They spread a black mist through her silver white form. The idea that something tried to consume her left her panicked. She grabbed for the pavement with her hands, she found nothing but air. She looked into the blue eyes of the demon. He only grinned in return.  Andaya looked down at her leg; he mixed some of himself with her. The black overtook her foot and rose up her calf like a black snake in clear water. Andaya could not sit here and let the dark creature take her over after she  came this far, after she already let her flesh go! A light seemed to flick on in her thoughts; if the darkened spirit could go into her form then she could return the favor.

            With all her might, Andaya flew up fast using the demon as a force then plunged both fists, which she briefly saw as feline paws, into the eyes of the creature. How had she done that? Her hands changed into paws of black panthers, the claws had flung out right before they dug into the demon. The demon writhed and let out a wailing echo as a bright light flashed out its socket. He let her go. She pulled herself from the demon and headed straight to the door before the other three were fully aware of what happened.

            Andaya caught the cool knobs of the huge doors in her slick hands and turned as fast as she could. A blaring blue light flew out as she cracked the door open. The other creatures, right on her heals, let out the same wailing as the light thrashed through their dark forms. Their echoes pierced through her ears as she went through the opening with out looking back.

Action-packed

With the Fight blogfest under way Tomorrow, I thought it fitting to post about action and verbs. Alot of us seasonal writers/ authors know most of our inns and outs when it comes to passive and active in sentences. However sometimes words creep in, stalking our sentences. One of those words I would like to discuss is 
The dreaded "was"....

 "Was" is a horrible criminal, you see he always steels the spot light from our verbs.
 Here is a small paragraph showing you just how sneaky this little guy can be, and well I only call him little because he has three letters, and frankly he packs no punch.

 The next man up was Hammering Harmon. His bat was nervously held on his shoulder. Two strikes and a ball were thrown. The crowd was tense with hope. The fourth pitch was delivered by Old Roundhouse Ford. Even while the ball was in the air, there was a feeling of expectation among the fans. The ball was hit squarely by Harmon. It was lifted up high into left field. It was in the stands. It was his tenth home run.

Look at that! He snuck in there 11 times! Now I realize most of us do not write "was" that many times, but I'm emphasizing here, you know I have to make up for his um....whispers: shortness

So now what can we do? We have to ease him out, we use active verbs in order to do this, and sometimes it takes a little finesse on our part to rearrange the sentence to make it active. Here is the same paragraph "was" free:

 Next, Hammering Harmon trotted up. He shouldered his bat nervously. Two strikes and a ball whipped by him. The tense crowd buzzed with excitement. Old Roundhouse Ford hurled his fourth pitch. Even while the ball hung in midair, expectation shivered through the fans. Harmon blasted the ball, which rocketed over left field and nose-dived into the stands. Harmon had hammered his tenth homer of the year.

As you can see, I replaced all the "was" with active verbs . This increased the flow of the paragraph and made it a more enjoyable read.

remember "was" equals passive sentences.

Now we can go to his sly cousin "That." I say sly because "That" is easily taken care of, simply remove this little devil from your sentence. Most of the time, the sentence will stand alone quite well with out "that" helping.

Go give it a try, highlight all the "was" and "thats" in your written story, and if you are brave post in the comments how many you found. If you only found one or two in the whole piece, CONGRATS!

How many did you find?

Babbling Flow exclusive

I am so excited!! I found a new blog, The Babbling Flow. Seriously you must check this fabulous blog out! The host Sara has all sorts of ARC giveaways HERE. But have a look for yourself at some of the amazing covers...

"Torr imagines ripping out her enemies throats"

 If this one is not to your liking- take a second peek at another:

Rockstars and secrets

 And if this one doesn't get your brain anxious for more then check out this next series:

these are signed

 And these aren't all of them, so quick like a bunny go over sign up for the giveaways and tell her  Summer sent you...
Have a booktastic Sunday!
aren't these covers just beautiful?

An Invent of Person

                        via Wikipedia

Quick funny to share:

My daughter was watching Lady GaGa. Jasmyne is 9 and she says "Mom you know she licks girls. That makes her gay"

 "Oh?" I replied wandering through my course material.


 "Well yeah. But not the "gay" happy, its the new kind of "gay."


I couldn't help it guys- I busted out laughing. The "new" kind of gay...lol out of the mouths of children..

When I first started in college I took a fiction writing class. My prfessor urged us to use an introductory poem, (based off one that was published) to introduce ourselves in class.

So here is that poem, and you know what- I can already see ways I have changed for me.




 

An Invent of Person

Summer Ross 2009

I am Summer.

I’ve lived 27 years.

I am a student of school and life.

A woman afraid of dying.

I may be short, but I don’t bump my head.

I have brown eyes that look small without glasses

And burgundy mid back hair.

I always wear it down and get it caught in doors or zippers.

I am a mother and a lover and a fighter,

I’m always last, but my kids come first.

I hate bloody food and love corn on the cob.

I am older than Miss,

Younger than Mrs.

I love the smell of cookies and gas.

I never drink water but have sugar in everything.

Flowers are sweet but all of them die.

Fairies brighten my day.

I eat cereal at night with cinnamon and sugar

My inspiration comes in the middle of the night.

I like Funny songs and anything blue,

I hate rumors and snow.

I like bookstores with journals, the smell of old books,

And feathered pillows because my head slinks down them.

I collect all pens, have too many notebooks, and don’t read enough.

I’m not sure God exists, I hate politics,

But my kids know who the president is.

Pearls are ugly,

I’m allergic to gold, copper,

And fake jewelry.

Diamonds are a rock, and

A ring will never define me.

I have a 7yr old named Jaz and a 5 yr old named Kayla

They grow up to fast.

I miss their giggly smiles when they visit their dad.

I believe women are stronger than men are naturally,

I do not care about congress or the House,

maybe someday my kids will.

My ideals are my grandmother Pete and

My good friend Breeze.

Secretly I hate my mother for dying.

I am a feminist

I hate to be alone.

I’m crazy about paper with lines or blank

I hate that I don’t always clean.

I love fuzzy blankets, high-heeled shoes, and cuddling

With my teddy bear.

I drink to dance, and dance for fun with a bit of jack on the side.

I read romance for the sex scenes, and watch horror because

They are funny. Even though I shut my eyes.

I love soft kittens and playing video games.

I like techno in my music and adore Michael Jackson even though he’s accused.

I don’t like money, but adore things that jingle,

My other pastime is window shopping.

I cuddle with friends on couches,

I flirt more than I should.

I can’t live without a cell phone, and

I don’t watch much TV.

I hate driving and wish someone would always drive me.

Vanilla in anything is nasty, but I love the taste of chocolate.

I talk too much often, never eat enough, and wish darkness would

Never come.

I prefer Summer to Winter but will never move.

I don’t like sex, but love being touched.

I think too much,

I write to little, but hate deadlines.

I’ve always wanted to be an author.

I wish people understood me better,

Sometimes I think they do.

But I have friends who love me

For exactly the way I am.

I’m irrational with emotion,

Quick to anger.

I hate being in pain and taking pills.

I’m not really funny,

I think to serious, but am often optimistic.

I love the day but hate mornings.

I love English for the writing,

Maybe I’ll be a teacher.

I’m constantly worried and scared of the dark.

I have my own opinion.

My name is Summer and this is 2009.

Word paint blogfest entry

This is my entry for the Word paint blogfest at Dawn Embers. Please check out the other writers and thanks so very much for stopping by!

Just a reminder there are a few end of the month blogfests: if you are not signed up check them out, and if you are well I'll see you at a few: August 30th- Fairy tale blogfest , Aug 31st- Fight blogfest (sign up no later than 30th), and Aug 31 is the deadline to e-mail for the Flash fiction contest.



Andaya concentrated on the panthers. She thought of their slick dark fur, yellow eyes, and them helping her with the last shadowed monster. She pleaded in her mind for their strength and held her breath. A heavy sensation settled between her shoulder blades. Her arms worked alone as they peeled her from the sticky black substance. The sensation did not lift until Andaya's feet stood firmly on the ground. As soon as she steadied herself the built up pressure lifted as if it were a great release.

“Time to run!” Moon Meadow yelled.

“What do you mean time..to...” Andaya watched in horror as a huge slimy black beast slopped into the hole diminishing the moon light with it's bulky slick frame. Black goo dripped from its mouth and fell with a sick thud to the non-compliant sticky ground. She broke in to a run. “Do they all drool?” Andaya asked in short gasps following the bright pixy down the tunnel. The walls were covered in black slop as well as the ground, it was everywhere.

“I guess. I don't enjoy running into him much,” Moon meadow said.

Andaya snuck a glance behind her shoulder, nothing. She stopped.

“Why isn't it following us?” Andaya asked. The pixy darted to Andaya's shoulder to see.

“I don't know...” Andaya held her breath, the pixy's wings no longer fluttered. Nothing. Andaya turned in small sections to look all the way around, no sound and no monster. She took a couple steps forward, her foot landed in a very warm puddle.

“Moon Meadow, would you light up above my head?” Andaya whispered. She held her breath as the pixy fluttered slowly up. A huge pile of drool slopped over the pixy and landed on Andaya. The stench alone as it slimed down her face, covering her in sticky ugliness, made her pass out as it entrapped her form.

Crayons and other news

Tell the truth thursday! Question from Red head riter: "If you were a crayon what color would you be?"
 I would be Royal Blue. I have three reasons for this  1) I'd very much like to be rich, 2) I already have a Vibrant personality, and 3) Blue is just really pretty...

In other news:
 My significant other was laying on the floor by my desk chair and he moved his head over and bonked it on the roller leg.
 "Ow" He says.
Then my 6 year old walks in and notices he has a band aid on his arm.
"Why do you have a band aid on your arm?" She asks.
"Because I have a boo-boo."

Of course my six year old smiles and replies "You still call them Boo Boos?"
He shakes his head yes.
"Wow!"My daughter turns and walks out of the room.

In other blogs:

(Yay links)
1) Really cute story about clouds from Jules called I'll catch you a cloud

2) Ever wonder what the same book looks like somewhere else? Well Lady Tink did some amazing funny research on book covers

3) Don't forget about the Word paint blogfest tomorrow!!

And finally, Whats your color of crayon and why?
Happy writing every one!

Rainy day blogfest Story

Image via Wikipedia

Thanks Christine for hosting the Rainy Day Blogfest go read some of the other great writers participating...I'm sure they will have brilliant pieces!

Before I get to my piece- I would very much like you all to check out my right upper corner side bar labeled blogfest/contests, there are many coming up and if you are looking for more to join, trust me there's a lot going on...please have a looksie

 Ok so here's mine Short and mysterious :) But I don't have much time, sorry guys.





 The rain crumbles like a cookie in my hand. What happened to the sleek wet drops I remembered from my younger years? It no longer holds a sweet scent that used to send me out dancing in the middle of the woods. Its lost all smell completely!

 The rain I read about in my books at night- that's what I miss. The humid drops cascading down refreshing the soil bringing life with it. The pretty vibrant flowers, the lush green grass...

All that remains are wet crumbs...the sky sheds burnt dried tears. This is our fault. I know that in the very depths of my sorrow filled heart. WE did this, it was our fairy dust when we evolved that created crumbs out of water, like mud in the sand.With out the fulfilling life liquid, my wings hang in their mournful frown.

Writing prompt: A+ paper?

 Ok, so it should be posted tomorrow but I'm participating in another great Blogfest: Christines Rainy day blogfest So I'm posting my normal wed prompt today instead.

My good Friend sent me this picture and I thought what wonderful writing inspiration...can you do better or worse even? Please feel free to share in the comments at the bottom.

Here's mine, short and sweet but fun:
She had sex in the church with who?

 I know I'm lazy but at least I tried it :)

What do you think of this A+ paper?

Don't forget to sign up for my blogfest: Click here

Shh Its a Secret Blogfest!

  So I have just recently reached 100 followers! I'm so excited because that means I can hold a blogfest! Well I could have before but, I wanted to celebrate 100 followers. This is my first one so it should be interesting to figure out how to make it work. ~~Happy dance~~ I have great ideas for this one! And everyone will be able to contribute!
I give you the Shh It's a Secret blogfest details....

 When: September 17th ( a Friday-- sorry I have classes in between so it has to be on a weekend.)

Rules: Now here's the fun part. In 700 words or less give us at least one secret in a story: murder, mystery, funny, romantic, poetry, or story snippet...doesn't matter but the word "Secret" must be included in the story or poem to count.

Prizes: 1st prize will receive a fun pen... no pictures will be posted because its a secret :)
            2nd and 3rd prizes will receive an envelope with a surprise in it :) Because of course its a secret.

** I will be participating, but unfortunately I am disqualified from the prizes, but that's okay because my prize will be reading all of your fun writing!

Put your name in the linky below! (if the linky does not work, please please tell me ASAP)

Simon's Cat in 'The Box'

Since it is Monday, the new week has begun, and most people don't care for Mondays, I thought I'd give you something to smile about. Enjoy!

Line up

Cover via Amazon

Take a look at these fun things: My college reading list...
"The Turn of the Screw" by Henry James,

"The Fall of the House of Usher and other tales" by Edgar Allan Poe<-- this one has my all time favorite word in it "phantasmagoric" Isn't it a fun word?

"The Monk" by Matthew Lewis,

"Three Gothic Novels",

and "The Mysteries of Udolpho" by Ann Radcliffe<-- fairy excited to read this one!!

These are all on my reading list for this Fall- all of these books are for one class "Horror Literature" Should be fun! I have five more for my Scottish literature class but I decided not to post them, I don't want to over due the books in one sitting. :)

Would any of you like a review on any of the books listed? If so I will make time for it.

"or he will ask them of the wind."

Image via Wikipedia

 My favorite lines in the book:

 "Put him on a fast horse then," I said, "or he will ask them of the wind." ~~ the main character said this after a direct free thinking act that lead him into a lot of trouble.

"I am not alone," I told him; "I have my sword."

 and lastly- the line that really got me thinking:

 "Everyone has it within his power to say, this I am today, that I shall be tomorrow. The wish, however, must be implemented by deeds."

 My Significant other and I decided that we would pick our favorite book and exchange them for each others. I picked a novel by Kim Harrison for him to read and he picked "The Walking Drum" by Louis L'amour.
I'm not a fan of reading westerns, specially these kind, but my guy assured me that it wasn't like his other stories. In truth it was not. One thing to note about this author, he has amazing talent for detail, and a huge number of facts in history, and this book was a "way back when."


L'amour's main character is many things, a pirate, a seaman, a philosopher, a lover even, which makes him very in depth.
So for my review I will say this, The first few chapters are easy and engaging to get through, but the middle is difficult to read, boring at times, lots of descriptions that I felt as a reader are unneeded, and the end was faster to go through because it had the most amount of action, love, and answering of my questions.

However as a writer, this man has a great deal of my respect. This is the only book I have read of his, and I can say with a great deal of confidence this man really worked as a writer, he researched, and he learned, he spent time understanding philosophy of the older times, of the way of the words back in the 900 time frames. His abilities to state facts in fiction are amazing!

If it was not for the idea that my manly man could read my girl romancy fiction before I could finish his manly book, I would have stopped reading halfway through. But since I am always up for a challenge, I finished the book and can honestly say that I am very glad I did, for the best was the last half.

What do you guys think of the book? If you haven't read it what do you think of the quotes I enjoyed up top?
My next author on the list is Yasmine Galeorn in between literature readings for college.

The lovely blog award

If you are looking for the day two blogfest character reveal post click Andaya

 **Sorry for two posts in one, day but I wanted to get this out there before classes start and my weekend is already lined out with posts too.

Well miss Rosie @East for Green Eyes has awarded me the lovely blog award: Thank you so very much for my First award Rosie!!!!

What must be done: 
1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.
2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered.
3. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

So in light of this, Here are my 15 chosen blogger buddies for this award: Have a great day everyone!

1) Stefanie @ 52 weeks of wordage

2) Meredith @ Fairytales and Cappuccino

3) Stephanie @ Hatshepsut

4) Hanna @ I'll name my typewriter after the moon

5) Larry @ Hy Hatt  (love the simplicity!!! it rocks)

6) Jules @ Trying to get over the rainbow

7) Talli Roland

8) Amanada @ All That Good Jazz

9) Lindsay @ Adventures In Writing

10)  The Redhead Riter 

 11)Julie Jabbers

12) The Story Siren

13) LitDiva

14) Michele @ Southern City Mysteries

well almost 15

Don't forget to pass it on :)

Andaya's looks:

First, I want to say Wow!! There are so many talented writers. Second, Hello all my new followers, I hope you enjoy my blog ...waves ecstatically...
and Third...

The two people who I thought had the closest of Andaya's looks right were:  Francine at Romancing the blog 

she said " Hi,

Lovely piece of writing.

So now the guessing begins: Her skin like alabaster, lips pale pink, large eyes dark (black beads), shoulder length hair (black) and fine with feathered fringe, she's dainty slim, barely a teen, borne of wild imaginings and fanciful tastes in clothes; soft pretty colours, glitter trimmings and sparkly beads.
best
F"

and Steph at maybe genius
 she said:
"Andy is fairly young, probably no older than 15. She's petite with gray or silver eyes and long silvery blond hair. Ethereal-looking. She's probably pale and has dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. She walks with her shoulders a little hunched, like she has the world on her shoulders.

Interesting bit about the souls and the city!"


 ***mostly right except in age. ****

This is what I kind of see in my mind. The first picture is what she might look like inside Black Diamond City, the second picture, is what she might look like after Black Diamond city. Obviously these pics are not mine, so their sources are given below each picture.Dark eyes and dark hair shes 18 yrs old in black diamond city, but about 16 in the snippet I gave.

source

source

Guess that Character post

"Storytelling reveals meaning without committing the error of defining it."  ~Hannah Arendt

Many wanted to know the location of Yesterdays picture its a picture I took on my way into Utah of the Flaming Gorge. Such a pretty place.

Here is my entry for the Guess that character blogfest from Jen. Its not actually a snippet in the story, but rather an outside interaction I came up with for the blogfest. Enjoy and please tell me what you believe my character Andaya looks like, I'm very interested in these responses, what a fun thing to do!

 "Mother, please, just tell me about the city."

 "Andy, I can't. Look just take the pills and it will go away."

 "No!" Andaya threw the sleeping pills at the wall behind her mother. She didn't understand. The souls didn't just fill her dreams. Their pain was Andaya's pain. She was trapped in this house like the souls trapped inside the city.

 "Andy, stop this now! Your grandmother spent her life looking for a myth. She was crazy and I don't want you to end up like her." Salina stepped back from the bed.

 "Get out!" Andaya pulled the blankets up to her chin and turned her back on her mother. Her bedroom door clicked shut.

 In the darkness her body tingled as if spiders crawled down her skin. A shiver raked its finger up her spine and Andaya knew they were waiting. She clenched her eyes shut as the souls tugged at her thoughts. She couldn't breath. Her chest heaved with no avail to air. Andaya succumbed to them

 "Help us..." the voices said in unison.

Wednesday Writing prompt ect...

  Honestly, I've been having so much fun creating "in their own words" for my characters in my notebooks, which has really inspired me to write  more than I have in a good long while. Granted its not exactly in the story, but hey I'm writing.

Tomorrow is the Guess the Character blogfest so my post will be up for that, then on Friday I'll post what the character really looks like, atleast from my side. On Saturday I have a fun little book review I did. After this weekend my classes at the college start. I'm not sure How much time I will have to post daily as I have been but I will do my best to post regularly, I'll even make some things in advance just in case for you guys!

I've also been reading in on other blogs and found some great advice for writers, have a look through these blogs...
Fun Manuscript parallel
Show Vs Tell
Comma usage
Title your book
not so humble verbs

So this weeks prompt is a picture. Look at it and beyond it, what do you see? Its like me looking out a window with descriptions, use a thesaurus this week and find different ways to describe the picture. If a picture is worth 1000 words, then a few descriptions should be easy :)

this is one of my own pictures from a road trip- I wont say where, cause I want you guys to do this without it. But isn't the view stunning?

Tuesdays "In their own words" Salina Fayn

My name is Salina Fayn. These nightmares Andy speaks of have been in my family for at least two generations. My mother, Alice, used to go on and on about them and the soul city. I stopped paying attention when I was 16. I met Andy's father Richard Fayn then and he helped me through my own nightmares and he helped me get into the doctor for sleeping pills.

 I knew I wanted a family when I fell for him, a home, and security. Everything my mother never had. My mother and I argued a lot about my role in this family. She wanted me to search out the city, but I wanted more. You know she actually called me selfish! Hell, selfish would be my mothers middle name. All she ever did was research for that damn city, for a nightmare. She should have been more of a mother. She should have been there for me like Richard was.

I used to believe my mom was crazy until Andy hit 15 and started having the same damn nightmares.I got her into my Doctor, I gave her sleeping pills to help her past them even, until one night she refused them. We haven't really communicated much since then.

Once she bought her own car, she was gone, off to different libraries doing research, just like my mom. I hated that we didn't talk, but I refuse to help her in this. I want better for her you know? Andy is so intelligent and could make a real good life for herself if she put half as much effort into it that she puts into this research. I keep hoping she'll meet some nice boy and come home, but my Andy has a mind of her own you know?
Don't get me wrong, I admire her determination, but I don't want to see her alone and crazy.

"In their own Words" Andaya Fayn

First Let me say "In their own words" was not an original idea from me, but it is a fun thing to do with characters. I give credit to piedmontwriter for this brilliant idea! and since I will be attending the Guess That Character Blogfest from Jen at unedited I thought I'd post some of my own characters to lead up to the blogfest (Which Jen has done also) I know, I know its not original, but it is amazingly fun and really brings you up close and persoanl with your characters. Thanks for the idea Ladies! Enjoy!

 My name is Andaya Fayn. Currently I reside in a mythical spirit city called Black Diamond City. My mother, bless her heart, advised me to leave the souls alone, but that's a huge stretch when they wont leave me alone. These nightmares were really getting to me until I came here.

I can't say I'm impressed with my current decisions lately, being chased by black monsters that slobber this rank smelling ooze and soul eating spiders isn't exactly fun times at the coffee house, but a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. Atleast I have friends in the graveyard and some really great claws. Did you know Black panthers are really private noble creatures? I have to ask their permission to use any of the abilities they gave me, but its pretty sweet when their claws fly out of my soul to attack!

I'm not sure of everything I'm doing, what I do know is there's a poem that's been stuck in my head for four years. It is evidently the key for me to save the souls trapped here. The nightmares, screams, and pain I feel with these spirits wont ever go away until I've completed the task. But it doesn't stop there, see if I don't succeed then the souls will follow down my bloodline until there is a female that will.

Descriptions and languages

I have been taking French for three years now in college, this fall will be my last class, I also took four years of the language in high school. anyway point is- how to make it work for me in writing.

I've been toying with descriptions and use of other languages. The following view was also from last winter and I added french into it as a trial portion. I'm not quite sure if it works. But either way do you attempt to use a different dialect in your writing? what would your readers take away from it? personally I think a different language adds flavor to a character, but in some pieces it helps to find an edge to words that english might not have. please feel free to give me your opinions on this.
             

9:30am (view from a window)

            White clouds burden Casper Mountain with heavy thick eaves, slowly, patiently, and with remorse dropping gray sheets encompassing the vast blue rocky terrain.

            Like a woman in the last trimester of pregnancy, the burdened nuages noirs* are in wait of dropping the white flurries upon the dry cracked yellow weeds and black asphalt of the city that lay in a valley before the hillside.

            The breeze barely wakes as it lay dormant waiting for the heavy sprinkles to grace its Northeast path. Silence envelopes the city in stillness like the mother wrapping her womb.

            The sun pushes brightness through the dusky clouds in attempts to heat the storms arrival. The gray bleakness of the sky allows glimmered reflections of a white radiance to cascade over the city.

And, slowly, like paper floating from a tall building, the first flakes find their way to the harsh ground and the breeze rushes up to greet them.

.. ..

nuages noirs*~ French for storm clouds

My poem is getting published!

You'll have to forgive my total excitement but my poem was accepted and I just received its publication date.
The poem is "Whiskey Kisses"
 Its about my mother, every day poets will be publishing it on September 15th. I even get paid for it! Its my first paying publication.  I'll probably post a couple reminders as the date draws closer, but I would love anyone who wants to read it and rate it. here is the site www.everydaypoets.com

~~~~~HAPPY ~~~~~~DANCES~~~~~~

Darn it though- does this mean I have to start over on my rejections? I had thirteen total before this one, If I start over counting, then I can always see how long the chain is in-between...or maybe I'll never get another publication in which case, the rejection collection keeps going...hmmm interesting development.

A contest and my free write

                                             
So I have a new blogging buddy, Christine H. at http://thewritershole.blogspot.com/who in all her glory is having a 100 blogger contest with a fantastic first prize! You have got to get over there and check it out, its a great resource for a writer. There's a good second and third prize too, but what can I say, the writer thing really got me :) anyway here's the linkiness to her blog 100 blogger contest

I've found some interesting things on fellow bloggers blogs :) heres what I enjoyed on the web this week, and what might benefit you:
emerging writer (short story competition)
Romancing the blogs ( publisher looking for submissions)
red means go ( a new store with funny cartoons)
Awesome music about writing(funny)


Now for some free writing: Its Friday 13th!!!! I'm not superstitious, so black cats, salt, ladders, mirrors do not scare me. Actually when I was in 5th grade my best girlfriend and I would rent every Freddy Crugar and Jason movie and stay up all night eating now and laters watching horror movies. Fun times, I used to even write some spooky stories, or what I thought was spooky at the time. I looked and looked and looked- but I can't find them. But I did find a spooky little poem I wrote....

 Ragdoll
by summer Ross

Ragdoll come out of the closet
share your nightmare tales.
Walk to my bed on backward legs
climb sheets with bitten hands,
whispering in my sleep subconcious
of all shadowmare land.
Let the words fall from splintered lips,
to fill my precious dreams.
Let out all the horrible things I fear,
tell of creatures with fired wings,
tell of animals that give chase
watch sweat drip from my brow.
Don't let up, till I'm upright
and let out the familiar scream.

Tell the truth Thursday

  The question from The Redhead Riter 
"What do you miss most about being young?"

I miss alot of things about being young, but I think the thing i often find myself looking back on is time: when I was young a moment seemed like forever, a half hour was longer than what it is today. I could play forever before I had to come home- even though my mom said "an hour max". That hour was good for making dolls marry each other, camping out in a friends back yard pretending the bears were out to get us, dress up, eating lunch (even though I hated mayo), a huge glass of coolaid, running to the park to play on the marry go round, then to another friends house to pet puppies.

 See look at what got accomplished in just one hour of kid time!
 Now days it takes an hour to drive across town, pick up a movie, then drive back.
an hour to vacuum the floor, through in a load of laundry, and make lunch.
At max I manage to accomplish three things, most times one or two though...yeah I miss the kid time I used to have, where everything seemed to last forever, time stretched out for miles...

I will not be available most of today to read everyones blogs, I have a DR. appt that will be putting me on sedatives, anyway I'll catch up this evening or tomorrow!

"guaranteed 10 pages in our anthology"

You should click this link! http://literarylab.blogspot.com/p/contests.html
I'm not kidding, if you are wanting to get published, click and read all about this idea, c'mon, give yourself a real chance at something, its easy if you win you get 10 pages, no kidding, to do whatever you want and they will NOT even judge what you do with them, really really really atleast click and take a look....but HURRY the deadline is August 15th! that's only days away!!!!!
Good luck if you enter, I think I'm going to see what I'm capable of.

Wednesday Writing prompt

http://www.clipartguide.com/_search_terms/pencil.html

 Practice, practice, practice some more. Its said so much in everything we do, and writing is no exception. Critiquing is also good practice, but making yourself write no matter what is hard. I struggle with it all the time. I don't want to revise all my stories, so I clean instead and guess what I find? More stories to revise, yikes! some of them are not even finished and I'll have to take new twists with the MC's because it was back in 2004 when I just wrote and didn't care where it went.(well actually I cared, but my characters didn't, they took a break for a few years sticking their tongues out at me. lol)

http://www.clker.com/clipart-25670.html

But alot of what I wrote, even then, came from some kind of prompt. They are old prompts, but there are always possibilities...







 Write a scene as a page in a diary, you can use something you are currently working on, or you can use this to start ...a wife finds her husbands secret diaries and is shocked to find he leads a double life.
Happy writing!

Forbidden

You don't have permission to access /index.php on this server.
Additionally, a 403 Forbidden error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.

Permission? but I signed up for it...big pouty face with wide eyes.

 Forbidden? Tears clump all my lashes together.

 Error? my heart drops to the lowest pit of my feet...

 But I really was looking forward to this write on con.....
 "Forbidden" the computer replies with every refresh in my undaunted request to pull the web page for this conference.
 "Fine I'll just find another route" I type "write on con" in the google search bar...
"Forbidden, you do not have permission..." Computer splashes the icky white page across my screen.
"Fine I'll wait for another link to pop up on the blogs" I stick my tongue out at my computer, I knew eventually someone will have a way in.
I rummage through others blogs with links to the conference. Ah I find one listing the activities with links attached "ah ha!" I tell my computer clicking a link...
 "Forbidden" The white screen laughs in my face. How dare it! My computer thinks its funny to keep a writer from a writing conference.
I pull in my pouty lip, wipe my lashes, and tell myself to think. how about an e-mail link from the write on con....so I go to my e-mail click the forums link they sent me....

"Forbidden" That's it this means war! I shake my fist at the screen....another way, hmmm what did that forbidden post say a bad port or something? well fine, lets try from a different computer, I have a laptop at my side...
"FORBIDDEN"
Taps fingers...tapping, tap, tap....pulling out my hair is out of the option- it wont help. Screaming at the computer might help me feel better but wont fix the problem....refresh dashboard, oh look! right there! a saving grace in the blogging world.... Elana Johnson, author- saves the day (mostly) <----click it if you can't get into the conference.

I have my happy face again, :)

Fiction planner

So much will be going on in the next few weeks. I start classes again up at the University of Wyoming, my girls will be headed back to school, and all those supplies. So in light of back to school, I would also like to add my "back to writing" item.

 We have school planners, why not a writing planner? A recent writing friend of mine is very into technology so to speak, Trinae Ross and she has whipped up something free and special for us writers. It is called a Fiction planner. You can download it free to use HERE I have taken a look and downloaded a copy for myself to use. It seems useful and logical. Enjoy!

HighDrama Blogfest Story

My story For DL's Highdrama Blogfest/giveaway

Branded

By Summer Ross

You cannot redistribute or use this or any piece of this story without my permission

Childhood tastes like stale cigarettes and warm beer on a hot summer night. The small coals from the fire shimmer, beckoning with red embers the wandering eye. The waves on Alcova’s beach slide over rocks and sand in the light from the half moon. Stars are shattered across the cloudless sky. In the delusions of the romantic evening, her decision remains.

The rush of tears stopped years before this moment, but the relentless nag of fear charged forth with every intimate relationship. Fear of needing a man. It rakes heavy claws through self-reliance using money as a hook to catch its prey. Fear of being alone, abandoned like a piece of rotten meat thrown out to the wild dogs. Fear of the shadows restlessly waiting in the dark to take advantage of the little girl sleeping soundly on a bright orange beanbag while her father tends to his party guests. Tired eyes watch as three men enter the doorway blocking the small light from the hall, then nothing but the nightmares of a frightened child remain in the obstructed memories of the adult woman.

The sand slinks over small delicate fingers clenching into a fist. The breeze from the shoreline invades thought patterns bringing wisps of dead fish to scent the past. The moon hangs its heavy burden over dark waters, and goose bumps remind the body the fire will die. Another sawed off log from the pile of dead trees thrown into the pit and the coals glow hot. The memories invade like splinters sinking into flesh. A tool shed built out in grandma’s yard stands tall, foreboding, with old dried lumber hanging from tarnished weather worn nails. The door creaks open and slams abruptly shut behind the uncle setting the six year old on a stiff bench.

“We need to get a screwdriver,” uncle says unbuttoning the small denim shorts on the girl.

The fire is bright as her hands rub together embracing the warmth. The flames lap at the log with uneven strokes. Strokes like those felt in the hand of a ten year old dreaming of a thick straw as she lay half-asleep on the supple couch. She never opens her eyes as she hears the hushed grunts of a father kneeled beside her. Instead pretends to be asleep and lets go as she folds her arms crisscrossed underneath her chest.

Thirteen, the girl starts puberty and then losses virginity to her brother, who sneaks past the parents’ radar into a dark room shuffling blankets with shaky callused hands.  Fingers crept silently along legs meant to be asleep. Her heart slammed into her ribcage every middle of the night for years until its left bruised. She climbed out of bed at seventeen to lock the bedroom door when the parental consequence of being grounded was overtaken by the need to break free.

In the end, despite the memories and touch that left an imprint on skin like branding a bull, the decision was found. The memories may haunt until death, her past will not vandalize her future.

Friday's Inspiration

courtesy of http://karenswhimsy.com/free-clipart-images.shtm

Inspiration: we all need it to write, to acknowledge what we enjoy. Some of us are inspired by children, for some of us its people, others its reading, and some even enjoy quotes. What ever the inspiration- Be inspired today. Find the thing that inspires you to do what makes you happy.One of my favorite things to do is write, so in light of my inspiration (which I find in many sources) I will use a quote.

"Trust only movement.  Life happens at the level of events, not of words.  Trust movement."  ~Alfred Adler

My action: I have submitted a short story to http://www.everydayfiction.com/

Comic Relief/ tell the truth

over at The Red head Riter the Thursday tell the truth question is: "Are you closer to your mom or dad?"


well that's a really tough question. I would have to say my mother when she was alive. She died 8yrs ago. But I write to her everyday in my personal journal just for her. I have always been able to tell her most of everything. We used to have our own little word play so my dad didn't find out what I was up to LOL. I either told her I was "with" a friend which meant I could be anywhere, or I was "at" a friends which means I was actually at the friends house.  But even now I tell her everything. My dad- well hes just fun to embarrass.I used to tell him things just to see his face turn red, now its a lot harder to get him, but I do every now and then just to remind him I'm still around :)

My dad

                                                     
You know, after a day of "mom" this and "what" that a mothers job gets really frustrating at times, and then there is that sudden comic relief that should be in every dramatic story or in this case life.
My oldest daughter aka mad scientist. (Isn't she cute- she'd yell at me for calling her cute for this hehe)

red or orange...hmmm?!?

Mad Scientist look

Wednesday Writing prompt

So much of writing has to do with creativity. Being creative is what sparks stories and ideas from our strange minds. So with that in mind read on...

I have a challenge for you and I'm hoping it will be fun, though it will take some creativity and patience on your part. Here's what I have done, you know the word verifications on some blogs, well I have taken 10 of those words and created meanings for them- just because. 

I may never add them to a story, or really do much with them- but its fun and can be amusing. So I am sharing mine with you this week, and if you decide to do any writing regarding them, then I'd be most pleased to know about it, and if you want I can post it in next weeks Wednesday blog. If you want to create your own, please feel free to share that with me as well, contact me via e-mail with them though and I'll share them next week with everyone.

My verificated words dictionary: Since I enjoy fairies and magic, mine will relate to that this time. A special thanks to those who keep word verifications on, which gave me the inspiration for this!

DL Hammons

Red Means Go!

The Sassy Curmudgeon

unedited

knuckledraggers TSBs

encounter with a super star

ingloges: children of magic users.

preenta: a wing dye for fairies

ouctiot: a magic spell for seeing

crodenc: another word for "head" in fairy speak.

vuumpend: a magic vehicle

antedism: a fairy dictionary

oloarcli: a dinner reserved for enemies

oviesi: an orb for fairy travel

Brivea:  a city in fairy land

Towlin: a famous fairy song sung by the elders