A comment from another writer's blog
/BY ME at Misque Writer's blog:
I believe I've always been a writer...I just haven't always written. :D Now, I write.
Sweeping
/Writing about Writing - BFP contest
/
I should do this more often. Yes? People might start to think I'm not actually a writer.
We're having a Best First Page contest at Romance Divas. I missed the deadline...no, I missed the event completely really. How did I miss it?!!! Oh, maybe it was all the busyness of moving and house hunting and sick kids... that could be. :D
What we do on the forum is read the entry and comment/rate it. There's a good dose of honesty but NO FLAMING. Really, we're all in this together, right? Well, almost...
Wasn't I bummed a few days ago when I wrote a prologue for my work in progress? My story of Deacon and Molly is more than half finished but inspiration hit me anyway... So, I went back and added it. Then thought to myself, this would be great for the First Page Contest!
Here it is in all its first-draft roughness. Tell me what you think! Does my first page open with a hook? Are one or more of my protagonists established? Is my page grammatically correct and free of spelling errors?
Twelve years ago
He’d started with her eyes. The unusually guarded, violet eyes luminescent with summer vibrancy and large with innocence were a centerpiece for her classic Greek lines and high cheekbones. The sun had tanned her smooth skin framing glossy, pink lips. Succulent. She was a young man’s fantasy and he was that young man’s best friend.
Deacon Bonning pursed his lips in concentration as the brush he wielded shadowed the length of her neck with lush waves of dark hair on the pale canvas. Her hair was like a freaking Pantene commercial she could have starred in.
She smiled. Damn, she was friendly and open, liking him without really knowing him. Without knowing he could devour her in an instant. He chuckled. He was a man with standards, he reminded himself. Or maybe it was his mother’s voice reminding him.
This portrait he’d agreed to do would be the start of four years…
…for all of them – Charlie running off to join the Marines, he finishing with another four years of service and Molly...
He wondered what she would do to occupy her time.
Perhaps she knew what it meant to be the wife of a soldier, but he doubted it. She would grow up fast in the next year. His brush followed the line of her shoulder to the rope at her back. The swing she sat on rocked slightly and she tilted her head.
"Are you almost done?" Her question held the impatience of youth, but lacked rudeness.
"A little while longer." Little being the key word… hopefully.
"How did you ever get into painting?"
He didn’t look like your typical artist. He looked like a soldier. Today he wore his fatigues. No linen and scarves for Deacon. "High school angst."
Her laughter reached out to him.
Behind her the long lines of the Victorian home peaked out from the foliage –purple trim, white framing and gray siding. He included it on the canvas adding a row of late summer blooms along the path that wound toward the driveway.
He’d never done anything so traditional. His closet at home was filled with stark images of war, his brothers in battle and hope. With a laugh he knew this one was truly inspired.
By his attraction? Maybe.
By his genuine respect and affection for a man he called brother? Most likely.
He wouldn’t forget this commission.
He wouldn’t ever forget the girl Molly Simpson had been the day before she married his best friend, Charlie Simpson.
We're having a Best First Page contest at Romance Divas. I missed the deadline...no, I missed the event completely really. How did I miss it?!!! Oh, maybe it was all the busyness of moving and house hunting and sick kids... that could be. :D
What we do on the forum is read the entry and comment/rate it. There's a good dose of honesty but NO FLAMING. Really, we're all in this together, right? Well, almost...
Wasn't I bummed a few days ago when I wrote a prologue for my work in progress? My story of Deacon and Molly is more than half finished but inspiration hit me anyway... So, I went back and added it. Then thought to myself, this would be great for the First Page Contest!
Here it is in all its first-draft roughness. Tell me what you think! Does my first page open with a hook? Are one or more of my protagonists established? Is my page grammatically correct and free of spelling errors?
Twelve years ago
He’d started with her eyes. The unusually guarded, violet eyes luminescent with summer vibrancy and large with innocence were a centerpiece for her classic Greek lines and high cheekbones. The sun had tanned her smooth skin framing glossy, pink lips. Succulent. She was a young man’s fantasy and he was that young man’s best friend.
Deacon Bonning pursed his lips in concentration as the brush he wielded shadowed the length of her neck with lush waves of dark hair on the pale canvas. Her hair was like a freaking Pantene commercial she could have starred in.
She smiled. Damn, she was friendly and open, liking him without really knowing him. Without knowing he could devour her in an instant. He chuckled. He was a man with standards, he reminded himself. Or maybe it was his mother’s voice reminding him.
This portrait he’d agreed to do would be the start of four years…
…for all of them – Charlie running off to join the Marines, he finishing with another four years of service and Molly...
He wondered what she would do to occupy her time.
Perhaps she knew what it meant to be the wife of a soldier, but he doubted it. She would grow up fast in the next year. His brush followed the line of her shoulder to the rope at her back. The swing she sat on rocked slightly and she tilted her head.
"Are you almost done?" Her question held the impatience of youth, but lacked rudeness.
"A little while longer." Little being the key word… hopefully.
"How did you ever get into painting?"
He didn’t look like your typical artist. He looked like a soldier. Today he wore his fatigues. No linen and scarves for Deacon. "High school angst."
Her laughter reached out to him.
Behind her the long lines of the Victorian home peaked out from the foliage –purple trim, white framing and gray siding. He included it on the canvas adding a row of late summer blooms along the path that wound toward the driveway.
He’d never done anything so traditional. His closet at home was filled with stark images of war, his brothers in battle and hope. With a laugh he knew this one was truly inspired.
By his attraction? Maybe.
By his genuine respect and affection for a man he called brother? Most likely.
He wouldn’t forget this commission.
He wouldn’t ever forget the girl Molly Simpson had been the day before she married his best friend, Charlie Simpson.
###
And the answer iiisssss.......
/
Looks like we're going to Illinois. *grin*
I'm very peaceful about our decision.
Am I jumping up and down and dancing jigs?
No.
But that's okay.
I'm very happy that we were able to make an informed, Responsible compromise.
Darn, it's soooo ADULT of us.
Man, when did that happen????
11 reasons to move to illinois:
REALLY fabulous health benefits.
Excellent retirement plans.
A good salary.
Closer to family.
Winter.
Good schools.
Good services for Sean.
Cheaper cost of living...than most places.
A place of our own.
A chance to SAVE.
Hunting on Sunday.
I'm very peaceful about our decision.
Am I jumping up and down and dancing jigs?
No.
But that's okay.
I'm very happy that we were able to make an informed, Responsible compromise.
Darn, it's soooo ADULT of us.
Man, when did that happen????
11 reasons to move to illinois:
REALLY fabulous health benefits.
Excellent retirement plans.
A good salary.
Closer to family.
Winter.
Good schools.
Good services for Sean.
Cheaper cost of living...than most places.
A place of our own.
A chance to SAVE.
Hunting on Sunday.
Oh my freakin' WORD!!!!
/
Yes, we're still deliberating this momentous event.
It's an amazing split of equal opportunity...
Pros vs. Cons on a balanced scale between Illinois and Oklahoma.
*sigh* by the end of today I will hogtie the Man, if need be, and give him our decision.
:D JK.
It's an amazing split of equal opportunity...
Pros vs. Cons on a balanced scale between Illinois and Oklahoma.
*sigh* by the end of today I will hogtie the Man, if need be, and give him our decision.
:D JK.
Scattergories
/
This is courtesy of Heather's Blog. Copy and paste into a new email/blog. When you are done, send it on, including to the person who sent it to you.*Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following.*They have to be real places, names, or things…nothing made up!*
Try to use different answers if the person in front of you had the same 1st initial. (WHICH BY THE WAY IS HARD IF YOU ALREADY READ THEIRS. You CAN’T use your name for the boy/girl.)
1. What is your name? uh, oh... um, Bethanne
2. 4 letter word: Bump
3. Vehicle: BMW
4. City: Bethlehem
5. Boy Name: Brad
6. Girl Name: Brigid
7. Alcoholic drink: Beer
8. Occupation: Bee Keeper
9. Something you wear: Bra
10. Celebrity: Beatrice Small
11: Food: Bratwurst
12. Something found in a bathroom: Brush
13. Reason for being late: BM... *blush* well, when you gotta go, you gotta go.
14: Cartoon Character: Bugs Bunny
15. Something you shout: Bugger!
16. Animal: Baracuda
17: Body Part: Bladder
18. Word to describe you: Blessed
Try to use different answers if the person in front of you had the same 1st initial. (WHICH BY THE WAY IS HARD IF YOU ALREADY READ THEIRS. You CAN’T use your name for the boy/girl.)
1. What is your name? uh, oh... um, Bethanne
2. 4 letter word: Bump
3. Vehicle: BMW
4. City: Bethlehem
5. Boy Name: Brad
6. Girl Name: Brigid
7. Alcoholic drink: Beer
8. Occupation: Bee Keeper
9. Something you wear: Bra
10. Celebrity: Beatrice Small
11: Food: Bratwurst
12. Something found in a bathroom: Brush
13. Reason for being late: BM... *blush* well, when you gotta go, you gotta go.
14: Cartoon Character: Bugs Bunny
15. Something you shout: Bugger!
16. Animal: Baracuda
17: Body Part: Bladder
18. Word to describe you: Blessed
Blogger Deficiency
/
I'm trying to move.
I'm getting ready to move.
I'm thinking about moving.
I'm praying for our move.
I am NOT blogging well at all!!!
Watch for it this week...
Thirteen St. John's on the web...
AKA Thirteen reason's I'm rethinking my Blogger name.
:D I must be really bored! LOL
I'm getting ready to move.
I'm thinking about moving.
I'm praying for our move.
I am NOT blogging well at all!!!
Watch for it this week...
Thirteen St. John's on the web...
AKA Thirteen reason's I'm rethinking my Blogger name.
:D I must be really bored! LOL
A Run for St. Jude's Hospital
/
On the Run
by Judith Rochelle
Rose
PRINT ISBN 1-60154-214-3
(240 pages) Sensual
When Robin Fleming witnessed the murder of her sister, Jamie, her only thought is to grab her nephew and run, from her vicious brother-in-law. Running and hiding, covering their tracks, they eventually settle in Memphis to begin a new life. Robin, now Laura, though still grieving for her sister, is determined to make a good life for her nephew. Then illness hits Andy, and while Laura is dealing with that crisis, bad luck and unfortunate circumstances bring all the players together again and endanger everyone’s lives. Can Dr. Gage Hollander, who has fallen in love with Laura, find a way to save them?
Available now from The Wild Rose Press....ALL Proceeds going to ST. JUDE'S CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
From Rhonda Penders, Editor-in-Chief, The Wild Rose Press:
Judith Rochelle, is one of our multipublished authors at The Wild Rose Press. In late summer, 2007 I approached her with an idea of a project that would enable RJ and me to give something back for all the wonderful things that had happened to us since we opened in May 2006. I wanted to find an organization that I felt everyone, everywhere would care about and really embrace. While many qualified, the one that kept coming back to my mind was St. Jude's Children's Hospital.
A few days later, Judith created a synopsis and a proposal for a book incorporating romance, suspense and St. Jude's. It took my breath away at what she'd come up with. Judith wrote the book, RJ and I edited it, and Kim Mendoza did the beautiful cover. None of us, including the publishing company, will receive any compensation; every penny will go to St. Jude's. Children's Hospital.
The result of this, is the amazing Crimson Rose book called "On the Run" by Judith Rochelle.
The book will be offered in both print and electronic format. The amount raised will be announced on our web site twice a year. The first report to be posted at the end of June 2008.
If you've purchased this book, thank you for your contribution to St. Jude's, if you haven't purchased it yet, I strongly encourage you to do so. The download is $5.00 and will go into a special fund to be donated to St. Jude's twice a year.
I've been very very blessed to have not only three very healthy sons, but cousins and nephews and nieces and children in my life who have been healthy and happy and strong. Sometimes we all have to take a reality check and realize that there are families out there truly suffering due to their children's long term illnesses. Maybe some of these children are in your family and circle of friends. St. Jude's is an amazing hospital in Memphis, TN that supports and helps families and children of long term illnesses.
If you would like more information on this project, you may contact Rhonda Penders at rpenders@thewildros epress.com. To learn more about the author, please visit www.judithrochelle.com. To see the amazing work St. Jude's does, please visit their web site at www.stjude.org
Thank you for your support of this important project.
Rhonda Penders
I had mom's group at my house...
/
...And there was lots of BLOOD!
1. Sometimes, there are as many as five or six moms with their children.
2. Today there was just one, my good friend Heather.
3. She has 4 children: Michael[sweet michael], Joey[rough and tumble yet so quiet], Anna[a laugh for every minute], and Esther[with smiles for everyone]
4. Then, there are mine: Thomas[tiny bit bossy but loads of good-cheer] and Sean[taking everything in with his ears and a touch]
5. I drank about 6 cups of coffee...Heather 2.
6. Usually, I try to make something like sweet bread but last night I wimped out and bought an Entenmann's.
7. The kids played around us for an hour or so.
8. The boys went upstairs to play with the Thomas train tracks.
9. An occasional yell or scream didn't faze us.
10. ...Until we went upstairs and found Joey sitting on the floor with blood pouring from his head.
11. Grabbing a towel from the hall closet, I quickly stemmed the flow.
12. Heads are known for their bleeding quality... there wasn't even a cut that we could see.
13. Apparently, Thomas launched a train from on top of the bunkbeds with deadly accuracy and hit Joey in the head...
*Ouch*
1. Sometimes, there are as many as five or six moms with their children.
2. Today there was just one, my good friend Heather.
3. She has 4 children: Michael[sweet michael], Joey[rough and tumble yet so quiet], Anna[a laugh for every minute], and Esther[with smiles for everyone]
4. Then, there are mine: Thomas[tiny bit bossy but loads of good-cheer] and Sean[taking everything in with his ears and a touch]
5. I drank about 6 cups of coffee...Heather 2.
6. Usually, I try to make something like sweet bread but last night I wimped out and bought an Entenmann's.
7. The kids played around us for an hour or so.
8. The boys went upstairs to play with the Thomas train tracks.
9. An occasional yell or scream didn't faze us.
10. ...Until we went upstairs and found Joey sitting on the floor with blood pouring from his head.
11. Grabbing a towel from the hall closet, I quickly stemmed the flow.
12. Heads are known for their bleeding quality... there wasn't even a cut that we could see.
13. Apparently, Thomas launched a train from on top of the bunkbeds with deadly accuracy and hit Joey in the head...
*Ouch*
Tag, I'm IT
/
Okay I got tagged by AJ Chase and Teresa D'Amario, two very good friends of mine from Romance Divas, to do one of these meme things. I hated IT, the movie. Way too scary for me... also, my mom just called me from her room two floors above me. HOW strange, this new world we live in... okay, it's not that new, but still, in the grander scope of things... it's new.
The rules:
Link to the person who tagged you;
Leave a comment on their blog so that their readers can visit yours;
Post the rules on your blog;
Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog;
Tag 7 random people at the end of your post;
Include links to their blogs;
Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
7 things about me...
1. I had an inguinal bilateral hernia when I was a baby.
2. I’m really organized…despite what anyone else says. :D
3. I refill the dishwasher almost everyday because it hasn’t been done correctly the first time.
4. I have Type I Diabetes and wear a pump.
5. For an entire 9 months, I lived in a van with 8…or was it 9 other people?
6. I met my husband’s former fiance before he and I started dating. She pointed him out [I had already admired him from a distance] and I was disappointed when she showed me her ring... My ring's better!
7. I’ve lived in 6 states and 15 different houses.
Now I will tag 7 people...
Leigh Royals
Kris Yankee
Dianna Street
Ally Kendall
Michael Klein
Kate Fifelski
Lucinda, LK Campbell
...now to blog hop, I go. :D
The rules:
Link to the person who tagged you;
Leave a comment on their blog so that their readers can visit yours;
Post the rules on your blog;
Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog;
Tag 7 random people at the end of your post;
Include links to their blogs;
Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
7 things about me...
1. I had an inguinal bilateral hernia when I was a baby.
2. I’m really organized…despite what anyone else says. :D
3. I refill the dishwasher almost everyday because it hasn’t been done correctly the first time.
4. I have Type I Diabetes and wear a pump.
5. For an entire 9 months, I lived in a van with 8…or was it 9 other people?
6. I met my husband’s former fiance before he and I started dating. She pointed him out [I had already admired him from a distance] and I was disappointed when she showed me her ring... My ring's better!
7. I’ve lived in 6 states and 15 different houses.
Now I will tag 7 people...
Leigh Royals
Kris Yankee
Dianna Street
Ally Kendall
Michael Klein
Kate Fifelski
Lucinda, LK Campbell
...now to blog hop, I go. :D
Sweet Good-bye
/DH took off for an interview today.
Steeped in Reality
/
Have you ever heard that romance writers, they must live in some fantasy world? Perhaps they aren't connected to real life like the rest of the world? Love doesn't exist as sweet and pure as a romance writer portrays?
*gasp* What? You mean prince charming isn't going to ride in on his horse and save me with his everlasting love? *rzzz* Well, of course NOT! And who better to tell you this than a writer of romance... married to prince charming?
Prince Charming, who annoys the beezzles out of me at least three or four times a day.
In my love, I can turn to him and honestly, no GRATEFULLY say, "You are the reason I can read romance novels but still keep two feet on the ground."
He chuckles and says, "Why, thank you Clark!"
[please tell me you get that!!]
*gasp* What? You mean prince charming isn't going to ride in on his horse and save me with his everlasting love? *rzzz* Well, of course NOT! And who better to tell you this than a writer of romance... married to prince charming?
Prince Charming, who annoys the beezzles out of me at least three or four times a day.
In my love, I can turn to him and honestly, no GRATEFULLY say, "You are the reason I can read romance novels but still keep two feet on the ground."
He chuckles and says, "Why, thank you Clark!"
[please tell me you get that!!]
Thursday Thirteen
/
12 Historical Romance Novels I haven't read...
And one that I have read...
I just love Dorothy's books!!!!! Now, that I have her in mind, I may have to make a trip to the library...
