May 30, 2014

Flash! Friday: Prompt #2-25

It's here again! I must admit, writing the week after winning is invariably intimidating.  (Did you miss my 60 seconds winner interview? Check it out here!) But, it is once again Friday, so here goes: 150 words (+/- 10) on the photo below, incorporating the element of "freedom."

Earth goddess. Imaginary Worlds exhibit, Atlanta Botanical Garden.
Photo by C. Joey Ivansco.

May 26, 2014

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day, everyone! Hope you've all been enjoying the long weekend with family, friends, or maybe just your To Be Read pile.

I'm so excited to share the results of this past week's Flash! Friday contest. As Rebekah reminded me, it has been just about 8 months since this last time this happened, but for the first time this year, my story won! This means I will be featured Wednesday in my third 60-seconds interview, and I also get this new super-cool web badge:


Judge Alissa Leonard very generously said:
Brilliant. Perfect. Just… Wow. Your language was so evocative I needed a drink of water: “baked alive” “groan scratched its way out of my throat” “blistering sunlight” “grit scraped my eyes” “taunting me with the waste of water”. I felt sore and parched and I also felt that “blissful instant of relief” when the shadow fell over him. The captor is so very outlaw-esque, and I want to see more of her! I suppose that’s one way to get out of your debts… We start the story being “baked alive” and finish it with the possibility of two more weeks. It’s quite the ultimatum. And it floored me. It was seriously perfect and sucker punched me right in the gut. Beautifully written, wonderfully evocative, and very fun characters. Loved it.
While I couldn't ask for a more positive comment, I'd love to hear your honest thoughts as well, whatever those may be!

May 23, 2014

Flash! Friday: Prompt #2-24

Can you believe it's Friday again? Either that, or the dragon has decided to lie to us all. In any case, here's my contribution for this week's Flash! Friday contest:

150 words (+/- 10) on this photo, with the added rule of including "an unpaid bill."


May 19, 2014

Turf Wars: Self vs. Traditional Publishing

We all like to believe that writers, on the whole, are a supportive, welcoming, and friendly community, and in many ways, that is true. Unfortunately, however, the transformation of the publishing industry has at once multiplied those able to claim the once elusive title of "author" and (quite illogically) divided our community into rather combative groups.  Subtle as we like to believe it is, this rift between indie and traditionally published authors is actually quite pronounced and rather destructive.

Perhaps because the decision to self-publish is still finding its footing, fighting for legitimacy, self-published authors quite vehemently denounce the traditional publishing model. Some claim that traditional publishing takes advantage of writers, who are paid a fairly small percentage from the sale of a given copy of a book, and then generally must share that small percentage with their agent.  Others claim that breaking into the traditional publishing model with its "arbitrary" judgment on the quality of a given book is nearly impossible — one recent post I came across implied the chances of that happening for a writer are about equal to winning the lottery.  

While there is some truth to the fact that we as writers frequently cannot see or understand why a given project, despite its many merits, may be passed over, and writers need significant persistence to make it within the traditional paradigm, it is far from impossible, as evidenced by the steady flow of writers signing with both agents and publishers.

May 16, 2014

Flash! Friday: Prompt #2-23

Well, I'm a little rusty, but I'm stepping back into the Flash! Friday world. Brief reminder: 150-word story (+/- 10 words) on a photo prompt, with a special dragon's bidding. This week's bidding is "comeuppance," in a story based on this photo:


May 12, 2014

Her Secret Inheritance — Cover Reveal & Giveaway

I'm dipping my toe back into posting with this beautiful cover reveal. So without further ado:

What would you risk for a second chance?


Five years after the trip to Scotland that changed her life, Lou is back in the misty, magical country. But this time, she’s not on vacation.

When Brian, her old Highland fling, turns up at the scene of some depressing family business, tension mounts between the former lovers. But dealing with Brian is only part of the problem; something wicked is stirring in Scotland. Lou must use all her strength to handle the increasingly desperate situation, but will she be strong enough to battle both a vengeful ghost and her heart?

Lou may have thought that she was finished with the witch Isobel Key, but some secrets can't stay buried forever. Coming June 12, 2014, HER SECRET INHERITANCE is a story of risk, second chances, and magic.

Visit Bloomsbury Spark for more information.