Three Good Things: 7/30/15

So I probably won't be able to get to posting the short story tonight and instead reflect on 3 good things today:

1.  SS - It's nice to receive good feedback/healthy criticism and recently I've been sharing my short stories.   And it was nice to read that a friend of mine enjoyed one of my fave short stories I've written for the year.  Actually of my short stories thus far I've figured my favorites so far have been Ned Finally Died, The Job, Haunter's Anon (at least the concept of it), and Clifford's Baby.

2.  Work - I had an hour meeting with one of my projects.  It was a follow up meeting I'd been putting off since I knew it would take a lot to work through everything and we took the whole hour plus needed more time to be frank but I hit my deliverables associated with the meeting, ran it, and feeling good even though the scope of the project has expanded.  I'm not big on public speaking so I always get anxiety whenever I know I'll have to speak but I made it through :)

3.  House update - So this can sort of b.  Ie a testament to the week but in trying to potentially close sooner rather than later I got my earnest money into my agent, submitted an app to another lender to see what they might offer (vs the discount I get with my job), and submitted some of my docs I needed.  Tomorrow I'm planning to submit for the appraisal and hopefully know which company I'll be moving forward with. 

I also had a realization tonight.  And it wasn't so much a realization but a confirmation of something I'd been thinking for awhile.  Once I finish my revision with TYW if the traditional route doesn't work out I'll probably self-publish it.  Once I get to the part where I'm querying or a little before I'll probably start looking more into the marketing aspect and figuring out what I'm comfortable (and capable) of actually doing. 

Anywho need to do a couple more errands tonight and try to head to bed.  Will hopefully be shooting out of work early tomorrow so I can go to the library and work on my short story. 

52 Week Update / Short Story Challenge - July 29 ... And randomness

I had intended to post a new short story tonight.  Figuring that tonight I would have time to do something I wanted (like read a book or write) since Monday night I was tied up with the house inspection and last night I was tied up at the laundry mat.  I even bought food thinking I'd buy myself time versus experimenting with new dishes like I did on Mon and Tues.  But nope.  I snuck in a few pages of reading before hearing my name called out for one thing, then another thing, then another thing and oh, it's Wednesday so need to do the meds again, still need to do the dishes/clean and get to bed at a decent time so I can wake up and do it all over again. 

At any rate I'm still behind.  According to this site it's week 31.  I'm definitely cranking out some short stories (5 so far this month and 2 in the works) but I still need to catch up.  Typically there are 52 weeks in a year but apparently in 2015 there are actually 53.  Just dropped a random fact ^_^ But I guess this also means I'll have 53 short stories when it's all said and done?  Or maybe a free week once I get myself back on track? 

Who knows but here's what been posted to date-

Week 1 (1/1 - 1/7) - Ned Finally Died (a story spurred by NPR)
Week 2 (1/8 - 1/14) - LLFH:  Broken Things (side story for another project)
Week 3 (1/15 - 1/21) - The Confession (office crushes)
Week 4 (1/22 - 1/28) - The Garden:  OTTM Side Story (side story brought to you by The Order)
Week 5 (1/29 - 2/4) - Haunters Anon (Haunters Anonymous, 'nuff said)
Week 6 (2/5 - 2/11) - Polluted (posted 3/19) ... (teens doing teen conjuring things)
Week 7 (2/12 - 2/18) - The Job: A Justice for First Wives Side Story (posted 3/22) ... (mistress novel)
Week 8 (2/19 - 2/25) - Serial Beauty: Lucky #11 (posted 3/23) ... (serial killer artist)
Week 9 (2/26 - 3/4) - Doctor P (posted 7/15) (day in the life of a poop doctor)
Week 10 (3/5 - 3/11) -  Clifford's Baby (posted 7/16)... (Clifford and his stolen baby)
Week 11 (3/12 - 3/18) - A Bot Love (posted 7/18)... (Nerd love connection)
Week 12 (3/19 - 3/25) - Hangover (posted 7/19)... (Drunk love connection)
Week 13 (3/26 - 4/1) - Secrets (posted 7/27)... (talking secrets over frozen coffee)
Week 14 (coming soon to a blog near year) -
Week 15 (please stand by for the feature) -
Week 16 (it's still being conjured) -
Week 17 (just playing the field for now) -
Week 18 (just not into the blog thing) -
Week 19 (wants to commit but hates the idea of being 'committed'; not a fan of labels) -
Week 20 (what?!  there are 20?) -

So technically I got to write tonight.  I'm counting this blog entry darnit.  I did some writing.  Still need to do writing for nano though :(  Another 2k ish before I hit my 10k writing goal for this month.  Hopefully these next 2 shorts stories will get me there. 

Week 13: Secrets

WC: 800 Words

                Frankie Thorn had a secret.  Twiddling with her fingers she removed a ring and slipped it into her pocket.  “All the good ones have some dark harbored past.  Give me a bad guy any day,” Frankie said as she sipped her frozen fufu coffee.  “I’m just saying think about it.  Every decent guy you’ve approved of has not worked out.”

                Finch Thorn, Frankie’s twin, had a secret too.  “Approve is a relative term.  Dan wasn’t half bad.”

                “What’s your definition of half bad,” Frankie asked raising her recently pierced brow, she winced from the motion.

                “You know Mom’s going to just love that you finally put a hole in your face,” Finch said as he drank from her cup.

                Shrugging, “What can I say Christmas came early for Mom.”

                They laughed lightly but the truth found them in the awkward silence that followed.  Frankie reached to retrieve her cup, her free hand twiddling with the ring in her pocket once more.  Feeling the sun warm her skin emboldened her next words as she searched for the courage, “Now,” she started taking a tentative sip, “I’m assuming you’re going to tell me who you really are?”

                Finch looked across the table at the girl he’d called his sister for the last year but shook his head, “No, not really.”

                “Then what reason-”

                “When?  When did you figure it out,” Finch said as he reached for her cup again.  Frankie’s eyes followed his every move.  “How did you know exactly?  I watched your brother, your entire family, I am curious to know if the twin bond is so strong?”

                Frankie watched as he drank from her cup once more.  “Maybe just a little bit of that -”

                “But?”

                “But where’s my brother.”

                “He’s somewhere safe, much safer than here.  You know this planet doesn’t have much time left,” Finch said as he drank more.  It was then he reflected how he’d likely miss her taste in drinks.  She never went wrong in that way but how she’d known still plagued him.  Fake Finch started to suspect he might not actually discover the fatal flaw until he caught her eyes on him and the cup.  He smiled. 

                “What do you mean,” Frankie asked as she leaned in closer.  The spirals in her long black hair had fallen, her sunglasses pushed onto her forehead had crept forward.  She stayed hidden as Fake Finch stared at her and for a moment her mind wondered what if he knows…

                “Exactly that,” he said finishing her drink.  As Fake Finch stood Frankie followed suit.  Her hair in tumbles because she knew this was her only chance.

                She rushed to his side of the table for a goodbye hug, “Please, I- I just want my brother back.”

                Fake Finch smiled and shook his head, “The assignments over-”

                “What are you going to do to him?”

                Fake Finch brow arched, “You can always find out.  It might turn out to be a better set up when you think about it.  You pick- die here or out there?” Fake Finch said looking toward the sky. 

                “What are you… really?” Frankie’s voice fell to a deathly whisper, not afraid of the answer but afraid that maybe he might see past her.  That he might figure it out.  She let one hand fall to the side and reached into her pocket once more.  The ring was like a talisman, she pulled power from it and as she watched Fake Finch ponder the answer she worried if she’d be able to keep her own promise.

                “Take me instead,” Frankie burst out as Fake Finch opened his mouth. 

                Fake Finch considered her words and without another walked away.  Frankie watched as he weaved the café tables to the exit and at the gate he stopped.  He waited and Frankie rushed over.  As she grabbed hold of her fake brother’s hand she took in the sights of this planet once more.  It had been home for a long time. 

                Frankie and Finch were placed on assignment centuries ago, often choosing their host carefully but now it was in jeopardy.  Frankie found her ring and slipped it on.

                It was at an abandoned warehouse where they finally stopped.  Fake Finch pulled a key from his pocket and undid the chains.  “You know what’s odd?  I’ve always thought you somehow knew.  It was as though you knew my secret the entire time.”

                “Give me a bad guy any day,” she smiled nervous that if she spoke any more her mouth might betray her.  Afraid she might not ever see Finch again.  As it was Fake Finch took her words without question and let it go. 

                Frankie twisted the ring on her finger and held onto her secret once more as she left one world behind and entered another.    

Making Time for Creativity / Never Giving Up

Saw this over on http://maggie-stiefvater.tumblr.com/  and thought it was well worth sharing.

Click the link to see the full comic... as I'm too lazy to copy all the images here and plus support the writer/artist (with views and such ^_^)

Is that not worth exploring?

Three Good Things 7/21/15

So I think whenever I don't have a legit post or short story to post I'll just do filler. 

Filler = posting something random.

Posting something random = three good things that happened today.

Posting something random = other random things.

Three Good Things:
1.  I had a writing prompt yesterday that I started and couldn't get anywhere but then this morning while riding the bus a story started filling in and I realized it was the back story for one of my character in a novel I have yet to write.  So before I cracked open my bus book I started writing with NPR playing in the background and fought the sleepiness.  Now I just need to type it and finish up the story now that I've figured it out.

2.  GinH - pronounced sort of like Gina (aka Dawn).  Very interesting person I met while waiting on this evening (I actually missed two busses).  At any rate we had just a very open conversation about escaping Missouri (Misery), her transition (from MtF) and the insecurities with it, jobs, and just other stuff.  Also it's been awhile since I've had someone ask me if I were mixed or my heritage/ethnic profile but she complimented my eyes.  What can I say, I like random compliments :)

3.  Car fixed!  Realizing that the other two things would never have occurred if my car was working doesn't escape me.  I actually like PT because I get to people watch or just let someone else do the driving for me so I can read during that time, nap, write, or allow my mind to drift.  However it's not so fun shuffling heavy grocery bags (like I had to yesterday) or attempting to do the accumulation of laundry for 4 people.  Plus I've been getting to work earlier just because I have to rely on PT. 

I really need to work on TYW or write up this short story but I'm soooo sleepy.  Also it looks like there might be a counter offer for the house I'm looking at.  Will hopefully find out more tomorrow. 

Motivation

So how bad do you want it?

https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/8714565-look-do-you-want-this-or-not?utm_medium=email&utm_source=author_blog_post_digest


" Here’s the thing about being a writer, or a musician, or an artist, or any sort of creative person. The ones who make it are the ones who make themselves do it. They’re the ones who practice even when it seems like they aren’t getting any better. They’re the ones who open up their work-in-progress when their friends are going out hey-are-you-coming-with-us — even if they know that this novel is not the one that will be good enough to get published, because they know that practice is the only way to get to the one that will be good enough to be published. They’re the ones who send out query letters and hear no and they send out more query letters and they hear no again and they send out query letters and they hear no again. They’re the ones that hear no as not yet... They’re the ones who are hungry for it. No, they’re the ones who are starving for it."

Week 12: Hangover

WC:  562


I fucking hate my life right now.

“Gawd Alissa! How much did you have to drink this time?”

My roommate, ever so supportive, does not hold back on her general disdain for the the manner in which I left the bathroom. The cold tile floor feels good against my inflamed cheeks.

I feel my mouth opening to say ‘chill Lu’ but the words are swallowed by another swell of vomit and it goes projectile before I’m able to find the porcelain throne once more. When I’ve stopped, body ragged and feeling spent I look over to Lu. She’s standing in horror at the smelly company her legs have attracted.

“My beautiful kingdom,” I mumbled before falling to the side, body leaned against the tub, “off with her head!” And I fall asleep noting the particular note of disgust on Lu’s face. Looks like I just lost another roommate. And friend.

The next night I’m at a new bar that promises to not hold any of the familiar faces that will reprimand or invoke those evil words “you’re cut off.” I don’t need them. I don’t need their judgmental gazes bearing down on me as if I’m not in control. I know perfectly well what I’m doing… most of the time.

“Hey sexy” said creeper at nine o’clock. He’d been watching, stalking, and finally had worked up the courage to take a chance. I might entertain a free drink but I was still pissed from the not so warm welcome at my favorite digs. It was eating at me.

“Don’t waste your time buddy,” said a voice I hadn’t expected to hear. I turned around just as Lu’s older brother, Ray, took a seat beside me. Creeper slowly backed away. “I had a theory,” Ray started as his eyes followed creeper, ensuring he went back to whatever crawl space he’d come from, “Either you went to Friendly’s or the nearest sketchy place that would shower you with free drinks.”

“Ding, ding, ding,” I said. “Free drinks always win.”

“You sure, I thought it was the sketchy part that sealed the deal,” he said holding up a hand and getting immediate service. I always figured bartender’s must have a secret signal to get such fast service. Ray was the bartender at the bar I liked to seek my ‘spirits’ at except tonight he wasn’t so open to receiving me.

“Shouldn’t you be getting a tip for smiling at a pretty guy right now?” I said as I took a swig of my beer, “thanks for the drink.”

Ray shook his head and tipped the bartender. I watched the exchange but when I couldn’t decipher anything out of the ordinary I guzzled down the rest of my bottle and took Ray’s.

“You know if you’re that thirsty-”

“I’m not,” I said taking another swig. I started to stand and the world spun. I reached for the edge of the bar but instead found my hand grasping Ray’s bicep. As we stood there my eyes staring at his chest, too afraid to look up I heard the one thing I’d been dreading all week.

“10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5…”

Ray’s grip tightened as he stood me erect…

4… 3…

His hand under my chin, tilting it…

2…

My eyes closed…

1…

His lips came down on mine.

I didn’t hate my life at that moment.