Writer Wednesday Flash Fiction - Writer Campaign 2nd Challenge and General Updates

Please check out the flash fiction written earlier this week for the Writer's Campaign 2nd challenge here.

Meanwhile, I thought I'd update you on my projects, etc..

I've joined the WIP March Madness and listed my goals as follows:

1) Write for half an hour every night, even after karate training, no matter how tired.
So far I've been able to do this for about half of the March days that passed. Working on making it an
every day thing.
2) Write during lunch (that is when my work load allows me to take a full lunch, which lately it doesn't
always).
So far I've used three of my lunches during March to write, which is better than in the previous few moths.
3) Write and schedule blog posts the day before.
I've been fairly successful in doing this, although there were a couple of blogs in the past two weeks that I wrote the day of.

In other news:
1) I have submitted one of my flash fiction stories to a contest.
2) I am completely re-working my WIP and will probably end up scrapping that 4 chapters I already wrote and re-writing them. Right now I'm doing a lot of brainstorming and putting ideas on paper so I can then review all of the ideas and chose the best.
3) Started hashing out ideas of a "secret project" with my writing partner Tina Moss.

This is for my writing partner, Tina Moss, because she has a corgi :)

And just to make March more interesting, I'm training hard to test for my 2nd degree black belt in the near future. Yep, March is going to be fun.

Writer Campaign - Second Challenge

It's time for the 2nd Writer Campaign Challenge. Here are all the rules and choices. I put a "check" in red against those that I chose to do. If you'd like to take a look at the original post at Rachel Harrie's, please go here. 

My flash and pitch are below the prompts and rules.

Prompt 1: Check

Two people are sitting together under the remains of a concrete bridge. Their backs are against a rusted bridge support. One person’s leg is cut. The other person has wet hair.

Prompt 2: Check

(Source)

Prompt 3 No

(Source)

Prompt 4 No

(Source)

Prompt 5 No

Do one or more of the following:

1. Write a pitch/logline for a book based on the prompts (less than 100 words) Check
2. Write a short story/flash fiction piece of less than 200 words based on the prompts Check
3. Write a poem with a twist using the prompts as inspiration (in less than 200 words)
4. Write a story/poem in five sentences, each sentence based on one of the prompts
5. Write a poem/flash fiction piece (in less than 200 words) about the water pear *without* using the words “pear”, “spoon”, or “droplet”. 

For added difficulty/challenge:

• Complete at least three of the above activities and tie them all together with a common theme (feel free to either state the theme in your post or leave us to guess what it might be)
• Write in a genre that is not your own Check

• Ask Challenge entrants to critique your writing. After the Challenge closes, you may wish to re-post your revised piece(s), and I’ll include a Linky List at the bottom of this post for those wishing more feedback on their revisions (note: revised entries will not be judged, so please label clearly your original post and your revisions. Please do not offer critique unless someone asks for it, as per the usual blogging conventions. If you do ask for critique, make sure you ask for it clearly so people know you want it, and please be prepared to receive feedback that may not be 100% glowing. If you are a critiquer, please be tactful and courteous, and remember to provide positives as well as negatives.) Check

My flash fiction piece is 199 words. Please critique it so I can make it better if I can.

The freezing wind gave me a chill that I was sure would never leave me again. I got drenched when the bomb exploded and the bridge collapsed. I was lucky though, I barely had a scratch on me. My assigned partner, Greg, wasn’t so lucky. I dragged his unconscious body and propped it against a rusted bridge support that left an orangey streak on Greg’s clothes. Among other things, I was trained as a first aid medical nurse. Within the resistance movement, everyone had multiple roles – we couldn’t afford not to. Greg had a deep cut on his left leg. I shuddered and poured the peroxide I had in my bag, and bandaged the wound the best I could, hoping it was enough. I leaned against the other side of the support beam and allowed myself to close my eyes for just a quick minute. An image of my child, dressed in a red coat and running along the promenade, flashed in my mind - the last time I saw her before joining the resistance against the Nazis. I had to get back to her. I had to, I thought as I finally heard the sound of familiar voices.

Pitch for the book (95 words):

When her husband was captured and killed by the Nazi forces, Anna knew the only thing she could do for herself and her child was to join the resistance. With the child safe with her relatives abroad, Anna threw herself body and soul into the fight. She never thought she would find love again, much less with a fellow resistance fighter. But when Greg was assigned as her partner, he taught her that there’s still much to live for. Now, Anna also fights to preserve this love and get them both back to her daughter.

It was interesting to write in a genre that I usually don't write in. I had fun with this.

First Writer Campaign Challenge

I'm participating in the 1st Campaigner Challenge. The assignment is as follows:

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”. These five words will be included in the word count. 

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), do one or more of these:

• end the story with the words: "everything faded." (also included in the word count) (done)

• include the word "orange" in the story  (done)                       

• write in the same genre you normally write (done - normally I write urban fanasy and paranormal romance)

• make your story 200 words exactly! (done)

The shadows crept across the wall as the orange disk of the sun dipped below the horizon. Soon the silver disk of the full moon would replace it and my world would change forever. I chose this. My heart drummed wildly in my chest as the exhilaration of what was to come sank into every cell of my fragile body. Standing on the balcony, I inhaled the salty air.

“It’s time,” Paul said quietly.

I nodded and he led me to an empty room, save for thin silver chains on the wall. Gently, like a lover, he shackled my hands and feet.

“If everything goes well, you won’t need these after tonight.” Unspoken remained what would happen if it did not go well. I didn’t care.

He sat on the floor by the wall opposite me and we waited.

The change came swift and sharp like a knife. My bones turned to liquid heat and I screamed. Minutes passed in welcome agony. Then it was over.

He knelt next to me. “You did it. You’re free.”

I smiled and laid down, my head resting on my paws. I was not dying. Now I could rest. For awhile, everything faded.


Let me know what you think. It was hard cutting down to bring it to 200 words :) I'm #36 on the list if you'd like to vote for me.

Answers to 11 random Question About Me

Thanks to Rachel Morgan for tagging me to answer these great questions as part of the Writer Campaign. I'm having so much fun meeting the writers participating in this campaign!

1. Describe yourself in one word.
Hmm...That's a tough one. The first thing that came to mind was crazy. But I'll go with "adventurous".

2. What was your favourite book as a child?
A beautiful illustrated book of fairy tales (they were in Russian but I belive they were by the French Charles Perrault).

3. eBooks or paper books?
Another toughie. I love the feel of paper books, but I  have switched to mostly ebooks mostly to save space. Now I'm hooked on them. But occasionally I still love to pick up a paper book.

4. If you could go back in time and change one thing in your life, what would it be?
I would be more extroverted in high school and college. I didn't learn to be more extroverted until I finished college and it gave me more self-confidence in myself.

5. What song is currently stuck in your head?
Adele's Fire to the Rain

6. What fictional character do you most resemble?
I've been told I resemble Baby from Dirty Dancing as far as my appearance lol
As far as my personality, I think Margarita from Master and Margarita - she wasn't afraid to take risks, become a witch and do anything to save her love Master :)

7. If you could have any super power, what would you choose?
Reading minds. But not all the time. I would want to switch it on and off as I need. Also, I would love to be a shifter.

8. What is your favourite quote?
I'm a big quote person, and have lots of quotes that I love. I'll give you three here:

"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will." ~Mahatma Gandhi

It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog. ~Mark Twain

Victory is reserved for those who are willing to pay it's price. ~Sun Tzu

9. Are you a full-time writer or do you have some other day job?
As much as I would love to be a full-time writer, I do have a day job as well. I work with a database in a large university. I also teach the women's classes at my hubby's dojo (karate school) three times a week.

10. Which book would you pick up first: awesome cover or super cool title?
Awesome cover. I know, I know...but hey, that's the first thing that attracts us :)

11. Cream or ice-cream?
Ice-cream. Vanilla.

If you'd like to read 7 random facts about me, you can find them here.

Now here are my 11 questions followed by the writers I tagged:

1. If you could only go visit one place in the world, where would you go?
2. Do you think you're more of an introvert or an extrovert?
3. Do you prefer to be cold or hot (if there's no in between).
4. If you have to give a lecture on a topic of your choice, what would it be?
5. Rock climbing or sky diving?
6. Would you ever consider writing a memoir?
7. If you could go back in time and talk to one person from the past, who would it be?
8. If you could turn into one animal, what animal would it be?
9. What is your dream job?
10. What are your two favorite shows on TV right now?
11. What is your favorite mythological creature?

*I checked a few of those who were tagged and posted their own questions, and I tried not to duplicate their tags, but in case you were doubled tagged, please feel free to just add these to the other ones and combine in one post if you'd still like to answer these questions.  :)

A. E. Martin
Tina Moss
Heather McCorkle
Stephany Simmons
Julia King
Patricia Marques
Elise Fallson
Southpaw
Jessica Therrien
Anstice Potts
Natasha Hanova

Can't wait to read your answers. Go forth and tag :)