WonHundred Word Wednesdays: Was it a Knock That Had Woken Her?

Bwahahahah! I have returned! Well...I haven't really gone anywhere...but I did take an awfully long break from our 100 word stories.

However.

I am back.

At least until next week. I'll keep you posted ;)

This week's prompt:

Was it a knock that had woken her?

She forced her eyes open, mumbling about mornings and how they should be banned.

And then voices.

“She’s done it again.” “She’s skipped another one.” “Poor , poor boy.”

She jerked upright, evil mornings forgotten, and snatched at her clock. “No!!” Not this one. I can’t miss this one.

Her wedding—the real one, this time—started in ten minutes.

She hadn’t even showered…let alone made herself beautiful enough to marry the love of her life. The dress hung on the door, mocking her.  She jerked the dress off its hanger and tugged it over her head.

Dear fear,

I win.

Now go see how everybody else did it!

Alison Woods

Jessica Winn

R.K. Grow

Stephanie Worlton

Laura D. Bastian

Jaclyn Weist

Amryn Scott

K.R. Wilburn

Lindzee Armstrong

Kat!e Larson

Miranda D. Nelson

Angela Schroeder

Ginny Romney

Canda Mortensen
Jenna Eatough
Starimprint
Kaye P. Clark
Jennifer Lee

WonHundred Word Wednesday

I'm starting this fun new thing with a bunch of other writers. Every Wednesday, we all get the same writing prompt, and we have to write a hundred word story to go with that prompt. Then we link to all the other blogs so you can see how differently one prompt can go. SO. This is my very first attempt at a hundred word story. Don't laugh :) 

Seriously? You? Again? Everywhere, I see this girl. She could be my big sister--we look that similar. Except she's not, because I don't have a big sister.

Also, she has wings.

Wings, on a subway, would attract attention, or so you would think. But hers--pretty and shimmery and black--totally don't.

I am so done wondering why she's stalking me. I gather my courage. "Who are you?" My voice shakes. Courage, apparently, forgot to make me sound brave.

She smiles. "I'm Destiny. I'm waiting for you to follow me so I can spread my wings and soar."

Now go see how where everyone else took it!

Kelly Martin, Author: www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com
Alison Woods: Peering into...: www.alisonmillerwoods.wordpress.com
Jessica Winn, the Distracted Writer: www.thedistractedwriter.com
R.K. Grow: www.rkgtheauthor.com
Stephanie Worlton's Kreating Krazy: stephanieworlton.blogspot.com
Leah Sanders, Inklings: www.inklings-leahsanders.blogspot.com
Laura D. Bastian: www.lauradbastian.com
Jaclyn Weist: www.jaclynweist.blogspot.com
Amryn Scott: www.wildscottkids.wordpress.com

One Lovely Blog Award

So the amazing Joselyn Vaughn tagged me in the One Lovely Blog Award. Yay! She's a fellow Astraea Press author, and she's fabulous.

For this blog hop, all you do is list seven random facts about yourself. I LOVE random facts about myself because I'm a very random person. So. Here goes :)

1. I have a fear of talking on the phone. Even to my poor husband. We text, and I take it as a personal insult if you call me. Also, I'm afraid of grocery shopping. Boot shopping, I'm okay with.
2. When I talk, I'm typing the words out in my head. So if I randomly hesitate, it's because I can't figure out how to spell a word. 
3. I majored in English but I'm an atrocious speller and horrible at grammar.
4. Storms make me very happy. The bigger, the better. I hate heat. 
5. When I'm depressed, I watch Imagination Movers. Sometimes all by myself. I love that show way more than my kids.
6. My husband is my hero. There's nothing in the world he can't do, and do amazingly well.
7. I am positive I will die at the Grand Canyon. I also have a goal to see all the National Parks in the country. So, that one is last on my list. Of course. 

Now that you know me ever so well, go check out my friends, all fabulous writers and bloggers!

Shantal Hiatt Sessions ( http://shantalhiatt.blogspot.com/ )
Amy Cavenaugh ( http://amycavenaugh.blogspot.com/ )
Amber Gilchrist (ambergilchrist.com)

AP Press Thanksgiving Blog Hop!

*********** WINNER - Amy Cavenaugh!!!********* Send me your address and I'll mail this out!

Hey! So this year some of my Astraea Press author friends are doing a Thanksgiving blog hop. If you want to hop backward, Nell is sending everyone my way. How fun is that? And I wanted in. So...tada! Here it is!

Five things I'm thankful for: 

• My awesome family. My kids are amazing, my parents, sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, in-laws -- They're all incredible. I'd be lost without them. 

• My husband - Yes, he's part of my family, but he gets his own category because he's literally the best husband ever. He works ten hours a day, makes dinner, and does all the grocery shopping, as well as help with the kids and put up with my....strangeness. There's no other word for it. 

• My insane imagination - K this one is a mixed blessing. I love how I can daydream about anything, anytime. This can also be a bad thing, if, say, I'm supposed to be paying attention to something else. Also, thanks to my insane imagination I have some of the most terrifying nightmares ever. BUT - terrifying nightmares can make great stories (after I stop shaking like a small dog)!

•  Facebook - Before you think I'm completely insane, hear me out. I have daily conversations with cousins I haven't seen since we were kids. I know friends' kids names and what they look like even if they live clear across the country. Facebook allows me to develop deeper relationships with so many more people that I would have otherwise lost.

• Writing - It truly is my escape. All those daydreams I was telling you about? They bounce around in my head til I write them down. When I'm upset or angry or so happy I'm bordering on obnoxious, I write. I love to let others read my work and drag...er...bring them into my worlds. I love to create characters that I would love to be and situations I'd love to read about. 

Which neatly leads me into why I'm so grateful for my readers. Yes, I could write my stories. Yes, I could read my own stories, but they don't truly come to life until I can share them with others. And when I want to quit, when doubt completely takes over and I'm positive I'm the worst writer on the planet, it's my readers who remind me of what writing is really about - sharing stories with those I love. And also, they remind me that quitting isn't an option, which I am also grateful for. 

I am also grateful for Astraea Press, for offering me the contract for Feudlings, a story about two magical teenagers, Ari and Shane.Ari has been hunting Shane since she could throw her first spell. Now she’s falling in love with the nemesis she is prophesied to kill – until Shane tries to kill her first. It comes out in March 2013!!!

NOW - leave a comment below AND follow my blog and I'll let rafflecopter choose one winner of a signed copy of Shadowcry by Jenna Burtenshaw and a matching bookmark!The contest ends November 23rd.

AND THEN hop on to the next stop -   Lindsay Down's Murders and Mysteries

The Next Big Thing Blog Chain

So this is basically about a WIP, but since my WIP is the sequel to the book I have coming out in March, I decided to write about that one. It will make much more sense. SO. Here we go!

Where did you get the idea for your book?

I have no idea where the idea came from. I remember when it came - my third baby believed sleep was for the weak, so we didn't sleep for the first nine months of her life. I remember sitting awake with her at night, the house was silent, I couldn't watch t.v. cuz she would wake up, so I daydreamed this really awesome story. After she started sleeping on a schedule, I started writing (not on a schedule. But I tried).

What's the genre of your book?

It's Young Adult Urban Fantasy. Young Adult because I think there's still so much potential as a teenager. Your life still has so many directions it can take. And Urban Fantasy because I love the modern world but it would be better with magic in it.

Which actors would you choose to play the characters in your movie?

Ari would be Victoria Justice, except taller and more formidable.
Shane would be Matt Long - like from the Jack and Bobby series
Hunter would be the Pittsburgh Steelers Tight End - Heath Miller (oh, he's not an actor, you say? Well he should be)

My elevator pitch:

Arianna has been hunting Shane since she could throw her first spell. Now she’s falling in love with the nemesis she is prophesied to kill – until Shane tries to kill her first. 

Will your book be represented by a publisher or self-published?

Feudlings will come out with Astraea Press in March of 2013. (I say so calmly while bouncing like a small child)

How long did it take you to write the first draft?

It took me over a year. 

What other books compare in your genre?

I would like to think Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instrument series is comparable. 

Who or what inspired your book?

I kinda did - in a backward sort of way. I am small, shy, and sickly. I wanted to daydream about a character that was big, tough, and powerful. Ari is the exact opposite of me - always says what she thinks, is afraid of nothing, and is uber-tough. When I would put her in a situation, I would think, "hmm. What would I do?" And then I'd have her do the exact opposite.

What else about the book might pique the readers' interest?

It's a love story, but it's also a story about friendship and and loyalty and learning to love the person you are -flaws and all.  It's also got a bit of a Romeo and Juliet thing going on.

Now, my tags!

Amy Cavenaugh

Robin Weeks

Sherry Gloag
Carla Cullen 

Enjoy!

Meet & Greet

So.  For the GUTGAA, we're supposed to answer questions and give a brief bio. Here's mine :) 

I'm a freelance writer and stay-at-home mom. I've loved to write for as long as I've been able to write. Right now I'm querying a YA Urban Fantasy about star-crossed sorcerers, and I'm also just finishing my first draft on the sequel. 

Questions for the Meet and Greet

-Where do you write? At my desk, in my once-was-an-office-and-is-now-a-playroom. So I'm usually getting bombarded by toys while I'm trying to focus.

-Quick. Go to your writing space, sit down and look to your left. What is the first thing you see? A couch. Way more comfortable than my office chair, by the way.

-Favorite time to write? Any time I have enough energy and quiet. Usually mid-morning, if kids will let me!

-Drink of choice while writing? Pepsi! Drink of choice ALL the time.

-When writing , do you listen to music or do you need complete silence? For battle scenes, I've gotta have music. For everything else, complete silence.

-What was your inspiration for your latest manuscript and where did you find it? I spent nine months awake all night long (and all day long. We didn't sleep) with a new baby. I had absolutely nothing to do but daydream, and that daydream eventually became Feudlings.

-What's your most valuable writing tip? Have writer friends. For so long, I was the only writer I know. It was lonely and if I ever got stuck, I was on my own. Now, I have an amazing chat room with amazing writer friends, and I have an awesome critique group.  I've learned so much, and they push me to write even when I don't feel like it (I'm lazy, so this is often.)