Short and Sweet. Kind of...

No, today is not Tuesday, my regularly scheduled post day.  You did not enter a time vortex, and end up losing Monday.  I decided to post early.  Why?  So I could let you all know I'm posting over at Karen Elliott's blog, The Wordshark today!

I am sharing one of my favorite posts, Fiction Fears, with Karen.  If you have a phobia of aliens, or if you maybe like aliens and think they get a bad rap, this post will probably make you laugh.  Come over and let me know what you think!

Also, the marvelous Mike Schulenberg at Realms of Perilous Wonder tagged me while I was at the Pikes Peak Writer's Conference.  I haven't had a chance to acknowledge the fun until today!  Because I am in a time crunch right now, I'm not going to pass the tag on to anyone specifically, (linking takes forever!) but if you want to join in on the fun, feel free to play.  Thank you, Mike, for being gracious and thinking of me!

Oh, and go check out Mike's post, Dark Wings of Mr. Flappy.  It's a fun story with a happy ending and worth reading.  It made me chuckle!

My Eleven Questions and Responses


1.  If you could live in a fictional world, where would that be?

This is a tough one. Okay, it's from a television show, but it's still fictional.  I love Cabot Cove in Murder, She Wrote.  That's my pick. Laugh if you want. My husband does.

2.  Fiction or Non-fiction?

I haven't been reading.  It makes me sad.  I'm trying so hard to get my novel edited, and keep up with blogging, etc... that I just don't have time to read.  I'm looking forward to June.

3.  Do you read in quiet or noisy places.

I'll read anywhere I can.  I'm one of the lucky people that, when I'm engrossed with the right book, I don't hear anything.

4.  Do reviews influence your choice of reads?

Nope.  Nor do they influence which movies I watch.  Friend's recommendations mean a lot more to me.  Reviews may affect where I eat, though.

5.  Audio-books or paperbacks.

Nook.

6.  What was the first book you remember reading?

Actually, I don't remember the first book, but I know I loved picture books.  I remember the librarian and my mother having a conversation about not letting me check out picture books anymore, so I'd read books at the appropriate reading level.  I still love picture books.

7.  Favorite Author?

Oh, without a doubt James Rollins.  And James Clemens (same guy, different genre).  Also, Dean Koontz.  Janet Evanovich.  Those are my current ones.  Some from the past are Piers Anthony, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Edgar Allen Poe, Victoria Holt, and Kathleen Woodiwiss.  The Cat Who... series.  I could go on, but won't!

8.  Classic or modern novels?

There are classics I adore, but currently I like modern novels.

9.  Have you ever met your favorite author?

Sadly, no.  I'm thinking of James Rollins right now.  I'd probably embarrass myself.

10.  Book groups or solitary reading?

I've never belonged to a book club.  I think I like it that way.

11.  If you could only read one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Just one book?  Not even a series?  Something long, with lots of plot twists, and gorgeous writing (a la Dean Koontz or James Rollins).

All righty then!  Those are some fun questions, so I hope some people take advantage of the open invitation to talk about their reading life!  Linda Hatton maybe?  Leigh Covington?  Oh, Stacy Jensen, you probably need a post, since the A-Z Challenge is over, right? :)

You all have a happy week!

Memes and More

It's my turn!  Thank you Cindy Reynders at Saucy Lucy Wisdom and Nicole Pyles from The World of my Imagination for giving the chance to participate in this fun meme. (I feel weird using the word meme, just for the record.)


The rules, as I'm sure most of you know, are:
1. Go to page 77 of your current MS/WIP
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next 7 lines, sentences, or paragraphs, and post them as they're written.
4. Tag 7 authors, and let them know.


From Finding Meara, here are my lines (Hazel is speaking, talking to her half-brother, Quinn):

“What are they?”  I scanned the trees, looking for any sign of the magician who had been hurt helping me.  

I didn’t see him, and I didn’t see Garron, either.  Since getting Meara back, Lucian had lightened up on finding me.  Maybe he figured we would come to him ourselves.  I was a little worried, since that was exactly what we were doing.

“Earthforce magic uses the elements to effect change in the world, kind of like Wicca, only stronger.  Lifeforce magic uses the energy found in living things to work change.”

“How come you can use both?”

That's them! I'm pretty sure that they will change once I get that far in revisions (maybe this week - I hope), but for now, there they are.

The "more" part of this post is that I was also tagged by Cindy Reynders.  There were some interesting questions, so I picked out the ones I hadn't answered yet and will answer below.

If you could do anything tomorrow, what would you do? Edit, revise, all day long.

Describe your happy place.  Being out with my family.  I miss them terribly when I'm gone.

What was your first happy memory?  Getting a stuffed Eeyore toy when I was two and a half.

What was the scariest thing you've ever done? I can't think of anything.  I am anxious by nature, so lots of things seem scary, that aren't really.

What is the funniest thing you did today? I'll go with ruining the group dynamic at the table I sat at during the workshop I attended about relational aggression.  As part of an activity, we had to tell the other table members if we would trust them or not.  All of them were strangers to me, so I told them I didn't trust any of them (with that disclaimer of course - they were strangers).  I guess I offended them.  Nobody talked to me the rest of the day.  I actually thought it was pretty funny.

What is the strangest place you've ever got a story? I used to pull cards (one verb card, one character card, and one setting card) to come up with story ideas.  I ended up with a person with mental illness, a bank and sex.  It became Phantom Deposit, the story that was published in Steamy Screams, and the only story I've been paid for.

Where do you write? Usually on the couch with my netbook.

If you just won a ticket to anywhere in the world, and you had to take me, where would you take me and why? Tough to say.  I want to go to the British Isles some day.  I also would like to see Chichen Itza in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico; Assisi, Italy; and go back to Machu Picchu or the Redwood Forest, so I don't know where we'd end up.

Now, I get to tag seven people for the Lucky 7 meme and they can answer the tag questions, too, if they want.  The lucky seven are:

Tony Slater at Adventure Without End
Emilia at My Imaginary Beings
LG Smith at Bards and Prophets
Mike Schulenberg
Gary Gauthier at Literary Snippets
Sonia G. Medeiros
Susan Fields

Don't forget the Blog O'Hop this weekend - go sign up if you haven't yet!  I've also been invited to the Great Star Wars Blogathon, so if you see a couple of Star Wars related stories, don't be surprised!  If you want to know more, go here.

Winners and Awards

I didn't plan on posting this weekend, but I got some more blog-love and thought I'd spread it around!  Also, I'm thinking I'm not going to be posting on my own blog this week, since I possibly (not yet sure for Tuesday's post) have two guest posters lined up.  More about that later...

First, I'd like to announce the 100 Followers Party winners.  I used a random number generator on the Psychic Science website to pick two of the twenty-six commenters.

The lucky bloggers are...

Nicole Pyles and Hope Roberson!

If you both would e-mail what kind of gift card you would like, and how you want me to get it to you, at laschiff@yahoo.com, I would really appreciate it!  Congratulations!

Now for the awards part!  Earlier this week Randy Lindsay from the Campaign tagged me, and then today, Hope Roberson bestowed on me two beautiful new awards.

and

I just love these awards!  They are so cool.

There are some questions involved with both the tagging and the awards, so I'll get right to it.  For the tagging, I took out some of the questions I've already answered, either here in earlier blog-games, or over at Leigh's.  

Tag, I'm it!

First story you remember writing:  My sister and I wrote an eighty-ish page story that centered around our Duran Duran obsession when I was in high school.  We also wrote a screenplay for an episode of the X-Files.  I wonder where those are?

First Car:  1981 Dodge Colt (in 1990.  It was free because my Dad repaired it back to life for me.  I have the best parents.)  The first car I bought was a 1994 Ford Aspire.

Guilty-Pleasure: I don't have much self-discipline, so every day I give in on something, usually food related.

Do you use foreshadowing to strengthen your plot-line:  Like with everything else writerly, I do try.  I find that I'll do things intuitively and hope they work, rather than have a lot of thought about it.  Since I'm into the editing stages now, that may change.  When I did the first read through, things like opportunities to foreshadow or deepen characterization were obvious, but while writing the first draft I didn't even think about it.

How often do you check stats:  I'm too embarrassed to tell the truth.

What influences what you write:  Injustices I see at work, or in the world.  I'm a big good versus evil kind of person.  I want the good guy to win, and for evil to get it's comeuppance.

Most important thing that happened to me this year:  I attended the Writing the Rockies Conference at Western University this summer.  I signed up for a critique of my first twenty pages, and was assigned Russell Davis to critique it. As a past president of the SFWA, I was really nervous to hear what he said, expecting him to tear it apart. He told me four things that have influenced my self-esteem as a writer, which is why it's the most important writerly thing to happen to me this year.  1) He said if you don't feel confident, act like you do, because you need a certain amount of arrogance to survive in this field 2) He told me I could write 3) He told me my story "kind of intrigued him" 4) He told me that he would have quit reading at any time if the story didn't intrigue him, and he read the whole thing.  It made me feel like I might have a chance. 

Author you most resemble in writing style: I can honestly say I don't know.  Anyone have any suggestions?

And for the awards:

Favorite color: Varies, but right now I'm partial to purple.

Favorite animal: My Viszla, Raymi

Favorite number:  I have never had a favorite number!

Favorite non-alcoholic drink: Diet soda or any kind. I need to quit.

Facebook or Twitter:  Twitter.  I do have a Facebook account, though.

My Passion:  Writing?  That's about all I have time for.  Otherwise, science and magical "stuff"

Getting or giving presents:  Since I'm older now, I'm more about giving, especially with my little boys.  I don't spoil them, but I do like making them happy. :)

Favorite pattern:  A-B-A-B-A-B?

Favorite day of the week:  Friday.  We kind of have a little celebration each night with pizza, pop, and video games.

Favorite flower:  Lately, Sunflowers and Zinnias.  They grow beautifully even in our semi-arid conditions.

Okay! I'm not going to tag anyone else, because I did that before and couldn't find hardly anyone, but thanks so much to Randy for letting me play again!  For passing on the awards, I am going to choose people who haven't gotten an award from me before. (I am having anxiety now because I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings!)  

And the awards go to:

CJ Parmenter 

Ozlem Yikici

Stacy S. Jensen 

Nicole Pyles 

El
L.G. Smith

So, I'm stopping there!  Thank you again to Randy and Hope!  This week I may have Eric from Eric Blues over for a techie-geeky guest post, since he is the techie-geeky-go-to-guy for me.  This Friday is a Life List Club Friday and I have the great pleasure of having Gary Gauthier from Literary Snippets come and visit. I will be over at Jess Witkins' Happiness Project, talking about something happy.  I haven't planned that far in advance yet!  Have a great week!

Fourth Campaigner 1st Challenge - Goodbyes

I finally got the first challenge written!

The rules are to write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title.  It can be in any format, including a poem.  Begin the story with the words, “Shadows crept across the wall,” which will be included in the total word count.

If we wanted to give ourselves an additional, optional challenge, we could do one or more of the followings:

• End the story with the words:  “everything faded.” (also included in the word count)
• Include the word “orange” in the story
• Write in the same genre you normally write
• Make your story 200 words exactly!

Goodbyes

Shadows crept across the wall of the garden as the second sun rose above the horizon.  Jora watched the combined warmth of both suns dissolve the frost from the ground, exposing bare dirt beneath.  She huffed into her hands, dispelling the chill from her achy bones. 

Her husband shuffled toward her. 

“Won’t be long now,” he said, scratching the stubble on his cheek.

She nodded.  They’d waited so long.  A few more minutes wouldn’t matter.

Putting his arm around her, he squeezed her shoulders, and turned toward the double sunrise.

Jora rested her head against his chest.  “I’m glad we stayed.  I just couldn’t...”

She paused, swallowing hard to push the lump in her throat away from her vocal chords.  “I’m glad Barlo is safe, though.”

Jora blinked her eyes against the tears created by saying her son’s name.  The memory of him, looking back at her before climbing into the evacuation ship, broke her heart.  He was young, though.  It would have been wrong for him to stay.

A pulsating orange light drew her attention to the horizon.  Clinging to her husband, Jora hid her face.  In seconds, the firestorm engulfed them.  Pain seared her body, and everything faded.

******

I also was tagged by the ever-kind Ozlem Yikici, but since I think everyone in the Campaign has been tagged, I don't think I'll pass it on.  However, if anyone is interested in answering these interesting questions, please do, and say I tagged you!

I have to say - I think all of you in the blogosphere know me better than my co-workers, with whom I've worked for the last five years! 


1.  Where did the inspiration for writing your WIP come from?

I got very tired of dealing with adults who abuse or neglect, or even generally mistreat their children.  I needed an outlet, and decided I was going to write a story about an abusing father, and have him "get it" in the end.  Don't get on my bad side!

2.   Any interesting tales about your muse?

Only that I don't seem to see her around a lot.  I think she works a lot behind the scenes, and isn't really flashy about it.

3.   Your muse; fab/frustrating/inbetweener?

I think she's pretty fab.  I assume she's a she...

4.   Why do you write?

Hard questions to answer, but it has to do with a long-shot at a career change. :)

5.   If you could enhance one of your senses, which would it be?

I have terrible eyesight, and lost some hearing because of drumming, so I think it would be one of those.  Probably the eyesight, because I'm almost legally blind without contacts.  Thank God for contacts!

6.   When you are not creating what do you do?

Everything else!

7.   Ask yourself a question –now answer it.

Why did I eat all that today?  Stress.

8.   How long is a piece of string?

As long as I want it to be?

9.   What was the last dream you saw?

The one I remember now was scary.  I dream every night (in color), though - and I remember most of them in the morning.

10.  In a film about your life, which actor would play you?

I've been told I look like Winona Ryder.  However, I don't really like her, and now that we've both grown up, I don't think the resemblance is there anymore.

11.  What’s your motto in life and also your work ethics?

Motto: "Just do it" ties with "Just because you can doesn't mean you should".  I have a pretty high work ethic, but my self-discipline continues to need a little more work. :)

I Get to Join the Tagging Game!

I was tagged twice by two Fourth Campaigners - once by Hildred at Musings of a Procrastinating Writer and once by Colleen at Colleen's Write Brain.  After answering their questions, I get to tag some other Campaigners, which might be difficult because it seems like everyone's already been tagged!

Musings of a Procrastinating Writer - Hildred

1.  What is the single most annoying trope that makes you want to claw your eyes out? 

I am not sure what all the tropes are, but the word trope is really annoying to me.  I once got a rejection saying my trope was overdone, or something like that, and I totally had no idea what he was talking about.  It seemed like he just wanted to sound literary.

2.  If you could alter history and claim credit for any book ever written, what would it be?y book ever written, what would it be?

Nothing comes to mind.  Maybe anything Dean Koontz has ever written?

3.  How many kids were in your HS graduating class?

Just over 100
4. If you were guaranteed massive success either way, would you rather traditionally publish or self-publish?

Self-publish
5. What's the most you've ever paid for an article of clothing...for yourself?

$200.00 for my wedding dress
6. Singer, Model, or Actress - who you gonna be?

Model – once upon a time I wanted to be an Actress, but I don’t think I could do it now.  I’d love to be able to sing, but not in front of a bunch of other people (stage fright)
7. Chef, Driver, or Maid - who you gonna hire?

Chef
8. Bath or shower?

Shower
9. You're scheduling for a delivery to your house during normal business hours. What time do you request, and why?

4:00pm or later – I could be home without missing work.
10. Could you survive a whole year or more in a traditional Japanese apartment? (for the record, the one in the video is 10x nicer than mine, although mine is technically larger. Yay.)

I can survive many places, but I wouldn’t be very happy without my family.
11. Favorite Pokemon. And you can't cop out with "i dunno pokemon" because here's a link, pick the cutest one!

Oshawott – And I didn’t even have to look it up!  (other than how to spell it)

Colleen’s Write Brain - Colleen

1. If you had to change your name, what would you change it to? 

I’d love to have my maiden name back, and I’d go with Larissa instead of Lara (same name, different form).
2. Which Greek or Roman (or other culture's mythological) deity would you be (either who you'd like to be or who you most resemble)?

I always wanted to be Isis (Egyptian)
3. Would you like to marry a Vulcan?

Funny you should ask – Mr. Spock was my first crush when I was about four years old, so I guess I would!
4. Would you choose immortal life with the elves, or a human, mortal life with the one you love and a child-to-be?

Totally choose my current, mortal life.  Immortality would stink if everyone around you died.
5. If you had to write fan fiction, what fictional world would you choose to write in?

I can't think of any!

6. Do you believe in any conspiracy theories?

Not generally, but alien cover up theories make me wonder.

7. What do you consider your best quality?

My boss once said I’m guileless.
8. What do you consider your worst quality?

I’m pretty judgemental.  I try not to be, I promise.
9. Do you ever feel over-exposed on your blog?

I’m not sure of the question.  I keep my secret stuff pretty secret, but I am worried that people might be getting tired of hearing all this stuff about me.
10. If you were to reincarnate, what would you like to be?

Something in the fantasy realm – a unicorn, angel, elf, etc…  Not something earthly.
11. What is your biggest pet peeve?  

People not being compassionate.  I get tired of people being mean to each other.

My eleven questions are:

1.    Which imaginary/fantasy/sci-fi creature would you like as a pet.

2.    If you had access to a time machine, what time period would you like to get stuck in, and why.

3.    What is your favorite collection (as an adult or child)

4.    Favorite drink? (alcoholic or otherwise)

5.    If you had to choose, would your favorite be Star Trek or Star Wars?

6.    Favorite childhood toy?

7.    What is one of your guilty pleasures?

8.    Have you ever met someone famous? If so, who and where?

9.    Night owl or Rooster?

10.  High school - positive memories or negative memories?

11.  What made you happiest in the last week?

As far as my list of tagged individuals, I searched and found three people who didn't appear to be tagged.  Since I've spent all night on this blog post, I'm giving up at three.  Here they are:

** Roland D. Yeomans at Writing in the Crosshairs

** Scott at Written Words

** Adriana Ryan

Have a great weekend!