Tag Archives: writing

prompts

4-24-2016 #WritingPrompt – Naming

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OMG… you book is about to be published (traditional, self-pub, indie, etc) … which means you are about to give birth to dozens of characters… which is why this writing Prompt is so important… Naming… how do you decide on the perfect names…

unlike other parents, you already know a little about you babies… will they change over time?? sure… but to start with, you know what they look like, what state/country they were born in, how their basic personality affects their actions/thoughts/speech … you know their genetic background… like if their mother was from Russia???

or maybe your character was born in Ireland… would they have one of the names that just scream ‘hello, I’m Irish’, or would it be a more universal name…

how would you visualize your character as a child, when physical characters are more set… before things like hair dye and makeup come into play… I think that seeing your character as a child can help to describe those features… once you have a basis, you can age them, give them individuality, add in the features that mark adulthood in most people

when you know more about your character’s heritage, you can envision their habits… a Russian would always know the best borscht vodka and what the heck was in borscht, an Irishman might have a hot temper and a fast right hook, your Frenchman would definitely be found in the most sexually compromising positions… and your Germans??? they will always have a bottle of Schnaps handy, they will enjoy building/fixing things (maybe make them good at woodworking, and lets not forget Octoberfest (cheers)… and one more German trait that I found extremely odd as a gal from the US, esp one from Ky??? the men sit while peeing…

(lol… just had to add the german shepard… I found more of them than names/babies on pinterest for germans)

but back to the peeing issue…dude… half the men I know not only stand up, they will walk outside and just let the urine flow… okay, that definitely a hayseed way of life…

which reminds me… finding the right name can come from anywhere… religion, dead languages like Latin, or a generalized way of like… in the country you would expect Samantha (Sam), Andrew (Andy), or Katie… pick a name that speaks to you… but avoid going to grand (though some names are just fun.. I have a Sabastian, Joffrey, and a called Hawk… I may have gone too grand, but it didn’t feel that way… I just loved the names) … and definitely avoid the boring… boring means it didn’t speak to you and your reader will easily forget it…

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okay… one more and then i’ll quit, but by no means to the possibilities end here… don’t be afraid to stereotype your characters… you want the reader to visualize them… get a feel for the world they are reading about.. I mentioned the French (they love love), but they are also rude… sorry dear Frenchmen, but when I was in France I realized that quickly… the Germans and the people of Switzerland were laid back and kind… heck a little old lady (not speaking any English) in Switzerland gave me some of the fresh blueberries she carried, a big smile on her face… The French love beauty and fine cuisine, but can be a bit snotty…

alrighty… I focused on names by country, because that is one of the easiest… but find your own way… a way that speaks to you… and have fun… these are your babies… now here is your pinterest writing prompt… happy wordage, tracey

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prompts

4-23-2016 #WritingPrompt – Realization

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Today’s writing prompt ‘Realization’ (at least the way i’m looking at it) can move your MC along, cause growth… self-realization can either hobble a person, or inspire them…

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when your character learns something about themselves that they had overlooked, or ignored most of their life (like my MC-Marin… and the verbal abuse she learned to avoid and expect from her aunt as a child… ) not all realizations have to be big, but each one can change your character/challenge them…

other than emotions, your MC can face and deal with fears… a fear is only silly to those that have never felt one… facing and pushing past a fear can be uncomfortable to dang near impossible… is there anything that you MC would rather sky away from if possible?? check out the writing prompt on fear if you need some help freaking out your MC… muhahahaha…

also… realizing there is something that your MC truly hates/enjoys can help you to put them in uncomfortable situations, or put them in a relaxing/rejuvenating space where they can think… or… a place to ambush them… muhahaha… apparently I’m feeling a little evil today…

realization can come out of nowhere… you can have another character point something out to your MC, but you can also do self-realization… it all helps your characters to grow…

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Alrighty… here is your pinterest writing prompt… I see it as the way that your MC can hide aspects of their character from others, or even from themselves… and break… 😛 happy wordage, tracey 

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prompts

4-22-2016 #WritingPrompt – Manipulation

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Muhahahahahaha…. Manipulation is today’s writing prompt… something that you can write as coming from one of the good guys, or the evil foe determined to mess with your MC… from the a mother’s shaming to the seductions of a man-eater… and as the writer, you are the ultimate manipulator… shaping words to create greatness… 😛

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good mother to bad, there is a certain amount of manipulation to be expected… a mother shapes a life… it is a responsibility that can result in a leader, a caring artist, an adventure seeker, or…. a closed off individual, afraid of the world, or lashing out at others… but a child will always look for a mother’s love, no matter if it is there or not… how was your MC’s upbringing…

there are many different ways to manipulate… I found these guides on pinterest… from the everyday manipulations to the killer trying to get what they want… any character can help to manipulate your story forward… you get to decide if it is an everyday little manipulation or something that will bite them in the arse if they are caught… and of course there are the bad guys… they are always manipulative… though not really in pleasant ways… 😛

what happens when your MC realizes that they have been manipulated??? how do they respond??? is the bad guys someone they trusted, or someone they can identify with??? depending on the characters involved and the previous relationships, manipulation can be quite dramatic…

I love a little manipulation with my entertainment… and the greatest manipulator of all time???? Red Reddington on the Blacklist… I love watching James Spader move the people in his life around on his on chess board… heck, I just love James Spader… Red is by far the best example of a good, bad guy… he actually makes me want to cheer him on when he shoots someone… lol… I am a vicious thing today… 

alright… thats it for today… here is your pinterest writing prompt… happy wordage… tracey

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prompts

4-21-2016 #WritingPrompt – Eyecolor

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some of these facts/pictures were just soooo cool I had to share and make today’s writing prompt Eye color… I mean… look at some of these peepers… *now, I suggest, you confirm that all colors are indeed possible… but hey, if one or two turn out to be no gos… you could always write paranormal… oh, wait… I do… muhahahaha… but some of these gene mutations are so rare that less than a dozen people world wide end up with these colors…

this is the one I personally want to look up more info on before I use it in a contemporary… it is almost like the reflectiveness of a cat’s eyes… if this is real, I have one thing to say… how cool… and… what little boy would love this…

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I have seen a person with one brown eye and one blue, but never anything like this… very cool… some more beautiful than others… I know that my hazel eyes would be more brown when happy, but turn on the water works and suddenly the green rise to the surface… most people just have to worry about hiding a runny nose and red eyes if they don’t want anyone to know they have been crying… 😛 try lying about your tears when your on eyes are screaming liar, liar, liar…

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okay… wow … just wow… *the person that put this on pinterest used a lot of F-bombs… not me peeps* (my character may use the word, but not excessively) anywho… back to the eyes… i would love these eyes… and the byproducts of no saving and what not… i have to say… BEST MUTATION EVER!!!

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even eyes that don’t come with a mutation have the potential to be amazing… don’t just have blue eyes… throw you MC some Steel Blue peepers… or branch into the other colors… blue is used a lot to show beauty, but as you can see, each color hides its own gems…

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okay… we are ready for our writing prompt from pinterest… i will add that my grandfather had green eyes with red dots (couldn’t find a pic of this) and i always thought his eyes were cool… happy wordage, tracey

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prompts

4-20-2016 #WritingPrompt – Suspense

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imagine a quiet, reserved girl with a serious love for football… now put her in the bleachers of her favorite team…  what do you get??? A RAVING LUNATIC …. LOL … even a passive fan can be swept away by the suspense and adrenalin permeating the air… and that is our writing prompt… Suspense… you can find it anywhere… but following the sports example, think of the coach at the game… they have practices and clawed their way to the top, and he can see everything that can go wrong… he see his best running back take off, but right on his heels it the entire opposing team… what if he trips??? will he make it??? that moment can make a person scream their head off, or hold their breath in fear… what does suspense do to your character???

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Hitchcock, Alfred / Topaz (1969) | Pers: Alfred Hitchcock | Ref: XHI001BO | Photo Credit: [ The Kobal Collection / Universal ] | Editorial use only related to cinema, television and personalities. Not for cover use, advertising or fictional works without specific prior agreement
throw your character into a moment that causing that feeling of suspense or fear to grown inside… that moment when it makes no logical sense for their palms to sweat, their heart to race, or for chills to race up and down their spine… throw them into what-if? moments…

I love movies that get my heart racing… not necessarily straight up horror flicks, but the ones I consider oxygen depriving… and if I get to look at Brad Pitt as well, all the better… muhahahaha… before you start your suspenseful scene, run out and buy a movie that throws you into that place… it will make it easier to describe how you MC is feeling… you can imagine her actions and reactions…

and of course… read books known for high suspense… this isn’t my chosen genre but these came highly recommended… oh, dang… ‘The Hand that Rocks the Cradle’ isn’t a book… *innocent face*… fine… but that part where the wife has an asthma attack and the nanny has screwed with her inhaler…. omg… and then the scene in the green house… the entire movie had me holding my breath… thank heavens for the mentally slow handy man… 😛

okay… here is your Pinterest Writing Prompt… happy wordage everyone, tracey

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prompts

4-12-2016 #WritingPrompt – Dream

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all writer’s are dreamers… we dream of love, adventure, chaos, heartache, reality, and the unbelievable… we dream up stories and we dream about the readers that will enjoy them… but because I know personally that ‘writer’s depression’ is very real, here are a few quotes and sayings to keep you going… and then back to the writing prompt…

Does your MC have a specific place they go to in order to dream??? like a child’s clubhouse, do they have a place to get away from it all and dream??? do they dream of that perfect vacations or home improvement like an upgraded kitchen??? or maybe a library to beat all libraries???

What does your MC do in order to save up for their dreams??? do they have a system that can add some quirk to your story??? orrrr, if there is evil afoot, what happens when their hard earned savings are stolen???

And finally, I had to add dreamcatchers to the mix… I don’t know much about my Cherokee heritage, but I have always loved dreamcatchers… in a paranormal story, you could have a mystical dreamcatcher that protects your MC from evil… or your dreamcatcher could transport you to another realm… or in a contemporary, you MC could make them… I have had some beautiful ones in my lifetime… play around with it, and give your MC a ‘Dream’….

And for the Pinterest writing prompt, here is something that most people consider the opposite of dreaming… Spring cleaning… does your MC enjoy this yearly task, or do they despise it… do they need help, or do they prefer to take it all on alone… happy wordage, tracey

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prompts

4-11-2016 #WritingPrompt – Build

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I love words… one simple word can be taken in so many different directions… take today’s writing prompt ‘Build’… for starters, I’m building this post… build is a word that can be applied physically, emotionally, or even mentally… soooo many different ways…

you can have your MC be a master craftsman, or a newbie attempting a DIY project… or just have the act of building be something in the background of a dialogue … you can build a garden, furniture, a home, a greenhouse, decorations or items to sell…

or your character could be building a relationship (either romantic or friendship or unknown)… they could be building a fighting group, a band, a working staff, or any number of groups… but mainly, as a writer, you are building your story… and if you write series, with each book you build your characters and your world… I like to introduce characters that will have a front seat as the MC in previous stories…

A writer is always building… we sit in a place that relaxes us and allow our minds to wonder, to build on the story we’re working on… I like to take a relaxing bath and just dream about my characters… we build worlds for others to enjoy… but never give up… building a story is a process… the first draft is merely your first building block…

And now for a Pinterest Writing Prompt… you can use this to build a character that appears bad, but underneath is redeemable… muhahahaha … happy wordage, tracey

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prompts

4-10-2016 #WritingPrompt – Wedding

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For the most part, it seems that wedding scenes are useful as quickly mentioned and then something happens… like the reception, or the honey moon… or their can be a short story about a hiccup that almost derails the nuptials… the point is that most people want to get through the vows as quickly as possible, and if you don’t enjoy something in real life, why in the world would you want to read about it… so who can you add a wedding scene without losing some of your readers…

a scene from the dressing room, the nervous, the cold feet, or even the giddiness… then in the next chapter, summarize the vows and get to the good stuff… the shower or the honey moon…

and why are they getting married… is this a true love match or is it a one night stand that resulted in pregnancy but after getting married they will fall for each other… or is the marriage all for show (because of work, family, green card) and then there is love… or a drunken night in vagas… what caused the wedding and how do they deal with it…

and just for fun, here are some Oh-crap moments that I found on pinterest… some can be added into a wedding scene but most are for any story you are working on… happy wordage, tracey…

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prompts

4-9-2016 #WritingPrompt – Activity

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What activities fill your MC’s down time… since spring is here, here is a list of spring related activities for you character to be involved in… you could start a scene with either an activity that will relate to the story, or just something random everyday activity that will be interrupted by either the villain or the love interest… something on the list that a lot of people feel the need to do as soon as the sun starts making itself know is ‘wash the car’… buffing up and making your ride shine is a ritual that some hate, and some seem to enjoy…

if the love interest interrupts it can lead to water fights (the inevitable wet t-shirt issue), or the villain can interrupt and the MC will be more worried about avoiding bullet holes in the car than being shot…

think about the time of year in your story, and then sit down and make your own list… how can those activities work in your story… like my MC paints with oil paints, she loses herself in the activity, but she uses it in her work (as well as artistically) … the paint gets everywhere, it takes forever to dry, and is very forgiving and easily to fix when there is a mistake… and if you use something you do often, you can add the little insights into the activity that most people don’t think of..

I would use a side character to screw up with his first time using oils… trying everything to dry his painting (sun, fan, hair dryer) but I would have it in the underlying story… the MC would mostly ignore while he complains or whines…

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having an underlying activity can help to move the story along… I mean.. you don’t want your MC just standing in the room for every scene…

and what about your Villain??? what is their motivation??? why are they striking out??? for most stories, the emotion and understanding comes from the good guys, but the villains are there, and if you understand why they are attacking your MC you can better write their actions and reactions… so ask yourself to give your villain a motivation… here’s a list to go by… just have fun with it… their motivation can be typical evil logic, or you can take something that can be found in your MC, like romance or justice, and twist how the villain goes about to achieve their goal… muhahahahaha…. happy wordage, tracey

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prompts

4-7-2016 #WritingPrompt – Passion

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ooo la la…. today’s prompt is Passion… that blush of a first kiss, the love at first sight that grows into a need to grow old together, or a blazing heat that never seems to cool… every time you touch, a tingling breaks out and catches fire…

but passion doesn’t stop there… you MC could have a passion to create, a passion for justice, or a passion to explore/to find answers… not all passion is about sex… it is about a need that refuses to be ignored… have your MC cross a sign that clearly says Danger/do not cross, just because they want to know what happened… have they stop an attack without thought or reservations for their own safety… or maybe climb down the side of a cliff to the ledge below because there is a picture/stone/animal that they just have to help or have for their art… find your MC’s passion…

and finally… here is the pinterest writing prompt… you can use fear while looking for your MC’s passion… what do they have to face in order to accomplish their goals… (I’m sure there are more fears… just play around with it) make your MC as real as possible… happy wordage, tracey…

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4-5-2016 #WritingPrompt – Flippy

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lol… this seems like a hard word to build a writing prompt around but bare with me … since it is spring, I think of Flippy Skirts… I love long flowing skirts with lots of folds… and the wind is everywhere, flipping the skirt all over the place… soooo, does your MC like wearing flippy skirts… or is it her first time and the wind is causing all kinds of problems… just ask Marilyn Manroe… stay away from heating grates ladies… lol

something else that is flippy??? Hair… women flip and toss their hair, especially to show attitude…but with long hair, a certain amount of flipping is necessary … and lets not forget the masculine hair flip… especially if they have wavy hair… but hey…paranormal men tend to have long hair, so flip away…

and  lastly, we have flip-flops… they are definitely flippy… and it is about time to start wearing less and less on our feet… at least round here… personally, my feet hate being encased in shoes and socks… what about your Character… do they love flip-flops, insist on going bare foot, or maybe they have to have the best shoes and look down on anyone in flip-flops… hmmmm…. what is your Character wearing…

oooo…I just thought of one more clothing  ‘flip’… lol… a kilt… who doesn’t love a man in a kilt… and those are right up there with flippy clothing…

In the non-clothing flippy category, I think of acrobats and cheerleaders… or maybe a ninja or karate expert … those peeps are always flipping about…

okay… I think that is enough for today… here is your pinterest writing prompt… happy wordage, tracey … ooo… wait… don’t forget ‘flipping out’… lol

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4-2-2016 #WritingPrompt : Animals….

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Day two…. and the prompt is animals… so lets start out with baby animals in a continued Easter idea…

baby animals are one of the things I always think about when I think of Easter… my grandmother used to get us baby animals from the local hatchery when we were small… lots of bunnies, and goose … how does your MC feel about animals in general… and how do they feel about baby animals… do they love them like most people or do they not see a reason to get excited about the newness of the cute little things… lol…

how about big animals… from a loveable dog, to wild animals… and for the paranormal set… can your MC turn into an animal… what traits carry over into their human form… can they fade into the shadows like a jaguar, or clamp their jaw down in a killing bite like a shark or an alligator… or is your MC running from a wild animal in a deserted area they are unfamiliar with…

 Is your MC a zookeeper? Do the animals get loose, or is your MC in the artic facing off with polars….or maybe your MC tames wild beasts, and walks freely among them where others run for their lives… or do they deal with large animals like horse, cows, and goats… farm animals… maybe as a vet…. learn about the animal and see where you can add some humor to your story… or maybe a little suspense… muhahahaha

and here is our rap up pin from pinterest… Happy wordage everyone… Tracey

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4-1-2016 #WritingPrompt : Eggs

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CNW_Participant

all pics from pinterest.com

WooWho… It is time for Camp NaNoWriMo… for my writer peeps out there that have never participated in one of the NaNo events, it is easy to join in and definitely worth it… sometimes too worth it… lol… I have a tendency to push myself to reach 50K words during every Nano, which sounds like a good thing in theory… but that also means that I have more and more edits when I still need to finish work on previous projects… I did manage to use the last NaNo as editing time, and instead of creating something new, I worked to edit projects from my growing stack of novels and shorts.. Camp NaNo is great for beginners, as you can set your own goals… and if you happen to reach your goal, you can push the goal line back, and keep going… Go HERE to check out Camp NaNo and see if it is up your alley…

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Now lets hit the page with our first Prompt… (warning… I will be adding some Easter-like prompts even though Easter is over… as writers, it is always a good idea to pull information and ideas from our lives and the lives around us, and what better theme than Holidays… like, this Easter, My cousin (newly pregnant) went to her new in-laws and her new Aunt always decorates eggs with the names of those in her family… and she added an egg this year that said Baby Smith… how cute is that…

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it is something that you could use to slip in info in your story… a new mother telling the father to be that way, or a code left on an egg in a spy novel… ooo… your code could only show up in black light, and the spy could be fighting to get some kid to give him the eggs they had collected… lol… or you could have a newbie trying to color eggs and they forget to hard boil them first…

But the word Egg can be used as to Prompt your story in other non-Easter ways… like a pregnant person … they have to drop an egg to get pregnant… did you MC want to be pregnant, are they just trying (or trying to trick someone into getting them pregnant) or maybe they just found out they don’t have any eggs…

another way to add eggs to your story is cooking… what can you cook with eggs… does your MC now how to cook… do they need to get the egg from the store or do they live on a farm… or maybe they are new to the farm and don’t know how to retrieve the eggs from the chicken coop… and if you want to combine cooking and Easter… I like the idea of deviled eggs and food coloring… the guests could freak out because the white part of the deviled egg on there plate is green… or some other color that automatically makes them think of food poisoning… lol

alright… time to wrap up our first writing prompt… and this time I decided to use Pinterest pics that I found under Writing Prompt to end my posts… enjoy and happy wordage, Tracey

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guest posts

#EggcerptExchange – Linda Nightingale

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Personally, I love horses… the few time I was lucky enough to ride (aka: full out run) were some of the happiest in my live… there is nothing like the feeling of flying over the land as the horse beneath you thighs cuts loose…

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there are a few things in life that I think everyone should experience at least once… ride a horse; feel the release of free-falling (on a theme park ride, cliff jumping, or for the really extreme – sky diving); and find one thing in life – something beautiful – that takes your breath away, or brings a tear to your eye… now it’s time to check out Linda Nightingale and her latest novel….

Gambler’s Choice
By Linda Nightingale
A novel about people who love horses…
From The Wild Rose Press
Cover Artist:  Debbie Taylor
Editor: Mary Harmony

An English aristocrat and a Virginia socialite go head-to-head—and feet-to-feet—in a battle for ownership of a very special horse.

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  • Rating:  Spicy
  • Digital Price:  $4.99
    Print Price:  TBA

Blurb:

Becca McQuaid came to England to find the perfect horse but instead met a darkly mysterious challenge in Austen Heath, Baron of Hampton. She’s determined to buy Austen’s stallion Gambler’s Choice. He’s determined not to sell, but the rivals are thrown together by an accident that leaves Austen with a broken leg and the threat he’ll never ride again.

Austen Heath has the title, heritage and manor house…but not the fortune. Becca is wealthy. Her charms are irresistible, but he believes she’s shopping for a Ladyship to go with her money. He has another reason to hold the sexy blonde at arms’ length—the unexplained disappearance of an old friend everyone thinks was his lover. When her body is discovered on his property, he becomes a suspect in her murder.

Excerpt:

In a blood-stained white robe, Austen drove a knife down on a chopping board. What was he chopping in the middle of the night? Blood leaked from what appeared to be a heart. Sickness rolled in her stomach. Dane sat at his feet, watching his master. A noose of fear tightened around Becca’s neck. Did the heart he diced for the dog belong to the missing Julia? Her stomach flipped. Get a grip, Becca. Your imagination is running away with you. Her phobia didn’t listen. A chill slithered down her spine. She backed away from the door, collided with a table. The mastiff lurched to his feet, barking. Becca froze, unable to tear her gaze from the bloody knife.

Agonizingly slow, Austen turned on one crutch, knife in hand, the gory blade raised. “Stay, Dane. Ah, Becca. Come in. There’s something I’ve been meaning to show you.”

A shudder ploughed through Becca. Her voice shook. “What is that?”

“A beef heart. What did you think? Ah…” he whispered a laugh. “You thought I was dicing Julia’s heart to feed to the dog.” Gripping the knife, he paced her retreat. “I do believe you’re afraid of me.”

The belt slipped, and Austen’s robe parted to his waist. The man’s body would tempt a nun. She retreated. He advanced.

“I couldn’t sleep. That happens quite often. I decided to prepare Dane a special treat.” He tossed his hair out of his eyes, the cruel smile and the condescending tone returning. “Ah, Becca, Becca, you’re thinking I killed Julia because she was pregnant.”

“Yes. No. Put away the knife, please. I can’t think.” She labored for breath.

Austen flung the knife clattering to the floor. The startled dog leapt back. Trembling, Becca stood her ground. She’d chewed the inside of her jaw raw.

“There, Becca,” he snarled. “You can come in now.”

Blood smeared the polished oak floor and the horrible knife. Her stomach ached, and bile stung her throat. She forced herself to look at anything but the stained blade.

Austen halted, leaned against a wall. “I appreciate your confidence and trust. A month of living together has taught you nothing about me.”

Dane disobeyed the command to sit, returned to lick his master’s fingers.

“There, there, son.” Austen glanced at the dog. “I’ll soon finish your treat. First, I must convince Becca that I am not a murderer.”

Buy Link: 

Amazon

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About Linda:

Born in South Carolina, Linda has lived in England, Canada, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta and Houston.  She’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer, having bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses for many years.

Linda has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers Magnolia Award.   She is the mother of two wonderful sons, a retired legal assistant, member of the Houston Symphony League, and enjoys events with her car club.  Among her favorite things are her snazzy black convertible and her parlor grand piano.  She loves to dress up and host formal dinner parties.

Twitter

Facebook 

Web Site  – Visit and look around. There’s a free continuing vampire story.

Blog  – Lots of interesting guests & prizes

Goodreads

Pinterest

Book Video

Character Interview:

1.      Nickname:  Becca (short for Rebecca) McQuaid

2.    Currently residing in…Horse Country, Virginia, and a lovelier place you’ve never seen…except Somerset, England, perhaps

3.    Favorite type of pet – I wouldn’t really call a horse a pet, more like a friend and partner, but hands down, the horse.

4.    Most important goal – To own Gambler’s Choice, a beautiful bay stallion—a problematic dream, since his owner, the Baron of Hampton, refuses to sell—for any amount of money

5.    Wealthy, poor, or somewhere in between? I’m a rich girl, but that doesn’t guarantee I get everything I want…like Gambler’s Choice.

6.    Secret desire or fantasy – To get the Baron of Hampton between the sheets

everyday insanity

#LittleThings Blog Hop – Freebies

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Hey guys… I need help… and not mental… though that is definitely in question… I mean… what have I gotten myself into… Oh, not this hop… this is easy and fun… no I am talking about one of the book signings I will be at this year… one that I will be needed a costume for, for the costume ball… But I am getting ahead of myself… let me introduce the Hop and then Please, for the love of mud, help a girl out… 😛

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Little Things Blog Hop

Hi everyone Tracey Clark here and I am one of over 100 authors/bloggers/ on

the Little Things Blog Hop! This hop has over 200 chances to win prizes, the rafflecopter for the overall event has a ton of prizes just waiting to be won… and each of the 100+ blog stops will have their own give away…

My Giveaway

Make sure you visit each stop and enter the posted giveaway… for this stop, I am giving away an eBook copy of Shocking Finds (epub, pdf, or mobi)… to be entered to win, simply answer the follow:

—If you had to pick a book/movie character to dress up as, who would it be (description of outfit would be great)?

lol… sounds silly, but I am in serious need her peeps… I will be going to a costume ball at the Imaginarium Convention… I am already nervous about being on one of the panels (not sure what they want me to do) and being in front of a lot of people for any reason always throws my system into whack… I can see it now… sweating, red in the face, about to throw up, when I just kill over and pass out…. yep… that would so be my luck… to help me out… use the comment section below and give me some ideas… and be entered to win …

And not to worry… if you already have a copy of Shocking Finds, I will be sure to send you an Arc of Southern Discoveries (Book Two – Finder’s Keepers) when all the bugs are worked out…

And be sure to enter the amazing rafflecopter too which has a ton of prizes to be won!

For those of you don’t already know me, I am the author of Shocking Finds (A Finder’s Keepers Novel), I plan to be attending three book signings this year (Wild in West Virginia – June in Charleston, WV; Imaginarium Convention – Oct in Louisville, ky; & Rebels and Readers RARAE – Nov in Huntington, WV) And I am working to get two more novels ready for the signings… and as stated above, I will be attending the Imaginarium Costume Ball (EKK) I hope to see you all there…

Now… let’s keep this Hop hopping…

Next name on the list: PJ Fiala’s Little Things

Rafflecoptor Link : a Rafflecopter giveaway

Join the Little Things Blog Hop Event for more fun https://www.facebook.com/events/562506680576207/

Link to all the Blog Hop spots: http://theclubbookpromotions.blogspot.com/2016/02/LittleThingsBlogHop.html

Thank you for hopping by! Happy Wordage, Tracey

Winner (s) will be chosen by random and announced on this page and on the Little Things Event Page by April 6th.

FB is not in any way responsible or affiliated with this giveaway or the Little Things Blog Hop

 

 

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#LittleThings – Join the Explosion

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Little Things Blog Hop Use Me

Personally, I will be giving away an eBook copy of Shocking Finds, or for those that have already read Shocking Finds, you can choose to wait for an ARC copy of Southern Discoveries: Book Two – Finder’s Keepers and read before it comes out to buy…

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If you want to be on the blogger list, or maybe you have a read of your own to enter into this blog-fest, be sure to head to the following link to enter the fun… you have until March 11th to sign up… check out the 70+ list of blog sites already listed to participate, and join the explosion… just click the ‘click here’ button below…

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Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…

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#EggcerptExchange – Allaina Daniels

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Here is another Eggcerpt Exchange…

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Another eggie excerpt for our pre-easter fun… it looks like this is another of my favorite genres… animals, romance, and a dash of paranormal magic… woo who… Allaina even sent a video along for everyone to enjoy….

Hi Tracey, here is the information for Stop 3 of the egg-cerpt exchange for myself, Allaina Daniels.

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Blurb: Professional animal trainer, Carmen Rockwell, is happy living her life on the edge of society. She owns a high profile business that is run by her best friend, Lissy, the only person she thinks she needs in her life. Because of an unusual gift, she is the best in the country at what she does. She goes away for work and finds herself suddenly drawn into a new world- one that she never knew existed and against her will, it follows her home, demanding that she enter into the life she was destined to live. An important date is approaching fast, but will she turn away from this new world and hide or will she face her fate head on? One man could make all the difference- but does he love her or is she only a means to an end?

Excerpt: (This is the first 5 chapters from the amazon sample.) https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B012UF5K2A&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_XY5Rwb1HDCEEY

Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012UF5K2A

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Author Bio:

Allaina Daniels is a sassy domestic goddess from Georgia whose addiction to caffeine is surpassed only by her passion for the written word.

Her debut paranormal romance, Infinity, was released in August 2015; and, her second novel is expected to be available by summer 2016.

Allaina is an avid reader and reviewer of all genres and enjoys connecting with her readers on social media.

Stalk Allaina at these places.

www.facebook.com/allainadaniels

www.allainadaniels.com

http://www.amazon.com/Allaina-Daniels/e/B012XNGVP4/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

https://www.goodreads.com/AllainaDaniels

https://twitter.com/AllainaDaniels

Character interview:

(To read the previous part of this interview please visit http://lisawritesreads.com/ )

A: “You two crack me up. Speaking of Geriatric men… Gabriel, where were you born and what is your birthday?”

C: Laughs while sticking her tongue out at Gabriel.

G: “Put that away unless you plan on using it.”

A: “You two, seriously… save that for later.”

G: Looks away from Carmen and blows out a deep breath. “Fine. I was born on November ninth, a very long time ago.”

A: Smirks, “Where?”

C: Laughs. “Gabriel, quit being a baby. It’s not like this interview will last forever. Answer her questions so she can go home.”

G: Looks at me sheepishly. “Sorry.”

A: “Nothing to apologize for. I know she is a tease.”

C: “I am not.”

G: Snorts, “And I can’t turn into any member of the animal kingdom.”

A: Nods while trying not to laugh.

C: Huffs, “You two are not cool at all, ganging up on me.”

G: “Don’t worry, Darlin’. I like it when you tease me.”

A: “Ok. We seem to have gotten off topic. Gabriel, where were you born?

G: Smirks, “I was born in the Georgia foothills. There really wasn’t a town there then. Just a few random houses miles apart.”

(To read the next segment of this interview please visit http://shadowspastmystery.blogspot.ro/ )

book progress

Anthology Update

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very excited… it is official… my published works now number 2 shorts/in anthologies and 1 full length novel… that is three stories from the Finder’s Keepers world… and Feb 13 I am off to a signing for anyone near the tri-state area… (ky/wv/oh) … all those from the local writer’s group will be sitting down for a signing at the South Shore Library… just follow rt23 and watch for the library building with the green roof… 😛

hopefully, after the signing I will have more information about buy links and a picture of the cover… I do know that my short story was a wee bit long, which caused my fellow writer (Cathy) to need to shorten it a little… she had to cut out some of the less important bits… still… it is an excellent way to learn more about Joffrey, a Sentinel… Joffrey has a bigger part in book two of the Finder’s Keepers series… Southern Discoveries (and yes, I hope I am done messing with my title… lol)

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#EggcerptExchange – Dawn Howard

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Dawn is stopping by, and she even brought some of her reviews… omg… I am a little jealous guys… getting reviews is the holy grail of writing… always sought, but dang hard to acquire… lol…

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hope you enjoyed the GIF, lol… now enjoy Dawn’s post…

Book blurb: Kia Deering is a normal teenage girl looking forward to celebrating her 18th birthday in style. What she didn’t anticipate was the revelation that would change her life beyond recognition.  

The Goddess Assaie fell for a human and gave up everything, including her identity, to be with him, sacrificing everything she ever knew in the name of true love.

When Kia discovered she was a descendant of the Goddess she had a year to embrace all that it meant or to turn her back on her destiny forever.

Kia had always believed herself to be ordinary but now she was extraordinary she had no idea if she could handle the potential of the power within her. Perhaps the handsome young man she meets in a nightclub could be the distraction she needed, or perhaps he will open up a whole new set of questions himself.

Reviews…

“A pantheonic love story with several twists on the theme, I can highly recommend this first novel by this author” 
“Amazing book from start to end”
 “I shall be recommending it to my friends”

Events from the past come together, in this fantastical romance, to change the present and nothing will ever be the same again, for any of them.

Read D E Howard’s debut novel Assaie’s Gift and follow a love that began in another era.

 dawn

Author info😀 E Howard was born and raised in the small seaside town of Southport where she still resides. Enjoying writing for most of her adult life she only recently decided to turn her ideas into books. Part time gardener (just at home!), part time dog walker (for a crazy cairn terrier) and part time author she still has time for a full time job. Work pays the bills but writing feeds the soul. Her second book ?Spirit of the Book? will be out soon.

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Egg-cerpt:

While Sofia fumbled in her bag for her mobile phone Kia raced around to the front of the car. From the back seat she hadn’t been able to see the other vehicle which it appeared they had hit side on, crushing both the driver’s door and the front of the taxi. The driver, and sole occupant, of the other vehicle was motionless, blood covering his face as it ran freely from a large cut in his forehead.

“Are you all right?” She shouted, the driver’s eyes flickering open in acknowledgement. “It’s okay, we’ve called an ambulance… just stay where you are.”

Racing around to the driver’s side of the taxi Kia stopped dead, the taxi driver was sprawled across the road before the car, his leg at a painfully unnatural angle, his body bloodied from the many cuts he sustained from the windscreen’s glass. The thing that made Kia stop and take a deep breath however were his eyes, they were now wide open and staring up at the sky unblinking, they showed no sign of life.

Approaching him slowly Kia took some deep steadying breaths, she had taken a few first aid courses in college but nothing could have prepared her for this.

“Hello?” She said as she crouched down beside him. “Hello can you hear me?”

Getting no reaction Kia reached out a hand and gently shook the taxi driver’s shoulder.

“Hello?” She said again, already knowing that it was too late for him to ever hear her again but unable to stop trying. “Please be all right… hello?”

Kneeling down closer to the driver Kia leaned over, holding her hair back, as she tried to listen for any sounds of breath but there were none, his eyes still stared lifelessly at the sky.

“What do I do?” Kia said quietly to herself as tears began to fill her eyes. This was not the way her birthday was supposed to end and she was certain that the taxi driver hadn’t anticipated such a final end to his evening either.

Unable to do anything else Kia took hold of the driver’s hand gently and closed her eyes. It didn’t seem right to just leave him.

She didn’t notice the burning sensation in her palm at first as her body was already full of aches from the collision but after a few minutes it was impossible to ignore and her eyes shot open to look down at the hand that held onto that of the driver. Kia wasn’t certain but she thought she could see a strange white glow around their hands and then, as quickly as it started, the pain faded away and seconds later so did the glow.

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts Kia decided she was imagining things due to the stress of the accident.

Then the driver began to cough.

“What happened?” He asked, rubbing his free hand over his face as he straightened the leg that moments ago had seemed irrevocably broken.

“Accident,” Kia said, unable to form any more coherent words than that, relief flooding her body at the sound of the ambulance sirens rapidly approaching.

 Time to get to know a little more about Kia Deering with this questionnaire:

1. Nickname: My name is a little short to do much with, but friends do sometimes just call me ?K?
2. Job: I’m currently a student, I was going to get a part time job to help out but mum wouldn’t hear of it.
3. Level of schooling, or self-taught: That’s still ongoing!
4. Birthdate: August 19th – summer birthdays are the best
5. Birthplace: A little town you wouldn’t have heard of ? nowhere very exciting I’m afraid
6. Currently residing in: Still living at home with my mum
7. Favourite type of pet: I don’t have one myself, but who can resist a puppy? I have to have a cuddle any

Buying links:
Amazon: myBook.to/Assaie or http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00TJ2Y4YI

CreateSpace eStore: https://www.createspace.com/4566626

Author Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DEHAuthor/

Blog: https://dawndelivers.wordpress.com/

Twitter: @dehauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13529086.D_E_Howard

 

prompts

Using The 12 Stages of Physical Intimacy To Build Tension In Your Novel

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Source: Using The 12 Stages of Physical Intimacy To Build Tension In Your Novel

I spotted this blog post the other day, and thought it would be helpful for a lot of writers that hear the words ‘now add some romance’ either from a publisher or critique group, and cringe…

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yep… intimate moments can be embarrassing for us to write, but readers love them… and you don’t just dive straight into the bedroom and call it romance… even erotica, the luster version of romance writing, calls for some build up… even if you like to keep you private moments behind literary closed doors, there can still be a slow build up of attraction… this blog post is an excellent cheat sheet, especially when you’re first getting started… but then I have been at this for a while, and I found myself double checking my romance progression… I hope the rest of you enjoy, and happy wordage, tracey