Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Jane Eyre Giveaway

OK, how can I resist a giveaway involving my favorite book? I cannot! Here is the link so you can enter, too. Good luck!

Jane Eyre Giveaway

Monday, March 14, 2011

Another Giveaway! Hooray!

For a chance to win a Desert Book Bestseller, check out Don Carey's blog. I love recipes, so I think books that include them are so cool. Mr. Carey includes some fabulous recipes - including pictures - on his blog. Why am I salivating just thinking about Pani Popo? Go see for yourself, right after you check out his giveaway. (hint: you can search his site using the word 'coconut' and it brings up delightful things!)

Giveaway!

We all love giveaways and this is a book giveaway, so that makes it even better. Head on over to Angela Scott's blog and check out the books she's giving away. (Also check out her 60 word challenge - I thought it was AMAZING). Happy Monday, Good Luck, and as always, Write On my friends!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Bound, a novel, first 312 words

Title: Bound
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Status: WIP

Nafaeri bit down on her lip and climbed the thick plank steps of the castle’s northwest tower. Failure to find the amulet had plagued her for weeks. Today’s plan to ask the oracle, seer of all, had better work. She could think of no other option at the moment.

Time grew more critical with each passing day. Takeover plans had progressed but would soon halt, even collapse, if she did not attain the powerful talisman. It would ensure no one could stand in her way. Not even King Rannu, the most powerful elf in the land. A smile crept across her face stopping short of her eyes and then faded.

None of her disguises or informants had produced even a hint of its whereabouts. The king had either hidden it well or he had enchanted it to prevent others from locating it. Her fingers massaged the ache in her temples and the top stair came into view.

The water oracle, the elven king’s connection to the gods, could provide an answer if she reached it; but it lay ahead beyond the guarded tower door.

She glanced out a slit in the stone wall as she passed. The tops of giant cypress trees danced in their rows along the road to the castle. Her castle. Warm air swirled through the narrow stairwell of the enormous turret. It lifted strands of her flaxen hair offering encouragement and pushing her toward her goal.

She lowered her neckline enough to distract anyone and adopted a confused expression as she crossed the last few steps. Glancing back and forth as if lost she approached the two sentinels.

Their ogling amused her. Returning their smiles she whispered an incantation under her breath. Aaaah, she loved this spell. Their strength would disappear as soon as she touched their skin. Her heart leapt in anticipation of their fear and agony.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Ironman New Zealand

Today my beautiful sister (OK, all my sisters are beautiful, not just this one - yes, I took one for the team and opted for the brains, but even that is questionable sometimes) is competing in the New Zealand Ironman. She has competed there once before and also in St. George, Utah. I got to see her compete in Utah. Ah-Ma-Zing! Both she and her husband are competing (as they have previously). They started at 6:40 a.m. local time (which was 9:40 PST).

This is a short YouTube video of last year in NZ.



I just checked the stats on the Ironman website and she's finished the swimming and the first leg of the bike segment. I have to admit that she hasn't even finished and I'm already choked up. I am so proud of her. This is such a huge challenge and accomplishment. I think sometimes I forget we can do hard things.

Of course, I like easy things better, but accomplishing something difficult is so much more fulfilling. Take my writing. It's so much easier to write passive voice and use lots of adjectives and adverbs, but, it's so much better to read over something I've taken the time to work out and think, "Wow, I wrote that?" So, here's to meeting our writing challenges head-on, whatever they may be. We can do hard things, so Write On my friends.

If you'd like to check out the Ironman website with links to future races and to current race coverage, click here.

More YouTube here:

Ironman New Zealand 2011

Today my beautiful sister (OK, all my sisters are beautiful, not just this one - yes, I took one for the team and opted for the brains, but even that is questionable sometimes) is competing in the New Zealand Ironman. She has competed there once before and also in St. George, Utah. I got to see her compete in Utah. Ah-Ma-Zing! Both she and her husband are competing (as they have previously). They started at 6:40 a.m. local time (which was 9:40 PST).



I just checked the stats on the Ironman website and she's finished the swimming and the first leg of the bike segment. I have to admit that she hasn't even finished and I'm already choked up. I am so proud of her. This is such a huge challenge and accomplishment. I think sometimes I forget we can do hard things.

Of course, I like easy things better, but accomplishing something difficult is so much more fulfilling. Take my writing. It's so much easier to write passive voice and use lots of adjectives and adverbs, but, it's so much better to read over something I've taken the time to work out and think, "Wow, I wrote that?" So, here's to meeting our writing challenges head-on, whatever they may be. We can do hard things, so Write On my friends.

If you'd like to check out the Ironman website with links to future races and to current race coverage, click here.

Book Sale!

Need some sweet romance to sigh your way through the holidays? Here you go: Merry Christmas and happy wishes for however you celebrate!