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A place for writing off-the-cuff |
  Coverart by TheGirlInTheBigBox. Visit her online art portfolio by clicking here: http://thegiriInthebigbox.deviantart.com/ Welcome!  In 2011, my main focus will be on writing a novel. Since I'm a novice novelist, I've decided to come at the project from different angles, exploring the genre and experimenting with its elements. This blog and its offsite sister blog will be my journals where I attack novel-writing one day at a time.As I was creating my BlogSpot page, the inspiration for the blog solidified in my mind. I named that blog "One Significant Moment at a Time." In essence, I want to use the format as a reminder to walk through my life with my author's eyes open, taking in the details, feeling the emotions of the day. As moments unfold and I feel their affects on me as a person, a woman, a mother, a sister, a member of the world community, I'll let the writer in me talk about it. Creative Nonfiction is the genre most fitting to describe what I envision accomplishing here, moreso than blogging or journaling. The style is best suited, I feel, for my ambitions as a novelist. In addition, Friday entries will not be written by me. Instead, I'll turn the keyboard over to one of the characters in my novel. He or she will relate the events of the day as s/he saw them, through the filter of his or her perception. ** Image ID #1779494 Unavailable **  Click this image to visit my Blog City neighbors! I'd Love Your Help If you've read my blog before, and find yourself here again, won't you click this link and check out my BlogSpot? http://www.nicoleducleroir.blogspot.com Leave me a comment there, and I'll send you a WDC token of my appreciation! Become a Follower there, and I'll send you a Supportive Merit Badge! -- You don't have to go to blogspot.com each day; in fact, I post much of the same entries here in this WDC blog. But building up a verifiable readership may prove important one day when I'm knocking on literary agent/publishers' doors! To Follow, just click "Follow" on the right margin of my blog page. You'll have to sign in using, or create, a Google account (it's free and only takes two minutes!), and then follow the short instructions. It's easy, and I'd appreciate it so much!!Merit Badges Sent To:   ~Noelle ~ TY Anon!   ~~sunshine014 ( Where'd Ashy go??)~~Mara ♣ McBain  ~~Adriana Noir ~~Jaeff | KBtW of the Free Folk  ~~🌷 Carol St.Ann 🌷  ~ Leave me a comment anytime ~ even on older postings! Thanks for reading!! |
| Today's 'R' prompt word is depicted by a character in the excerpt below. See if you can guess what emotion I've described that begins with 'R'. Can't wait to read your comments! Here goes: From his sprawled position on the ground, Hamilton grinned as the referee raise the yellow card in the air. But when he pointed down at Hamilton, his face contorted. “You’re calling foul on me?” he roared at the ref. “Number Four tripped ME!” He sprang to his feet, his cleats leaving scars in the grassy turf. He strode to the referee who faced the scorekeeping table on the sideline. Into the ref’s right ear, he shouted, “What kind of call is this, hey? I think you need glasses, chief. You can’t see right!” Spittle landed on the referee’s sideburn. The ref looked him in the face, warned him to settle down. Hamilton fired one more insult. “Their shit team put you on their goddamn payroll before the match?” He turned to walk back to his position, but the ref was right on his heels. Over his shoulder, Hamilton saw the flash of the red card. Lava churned in his gut and he stamped his foot, releasing a tirade too foul to reprint here. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What emotion do you think I've described here? Won't you leave your guess in the comments? I love hearing from you! Thanks for reading and have a great day! |
| Yesterday's 'P' word was 'Patronization.' That was a tough one for me to write about. Thanks for your guess! Today's 'Q' prompt word is depicted by a character in the excerpt below. See if you can guess what personal attribute I've described that begins with 'Q'. Can't wait to read your comments! Here goes: “I’m so glad you’re here, Sara!” Libby squealed, yanking her friend into the apartment. “I simply can’t decide who to wear to the party.” She led Sara down the narrow corridor and into the tight confines of her bedroom. “Well,” Sara said, perched on the edge of the bed, “It’s casual…” “Right.” Libby rubbed her chin and looked thoughtfully into her closet. She pulled out a pink mohair sweater with a second hanger hooked behind it, so that a pink and black plaid skirt dangled below the sweater’s hem. “What about Charlotte?” “Charlotte?” Libby held the outfit up a little higher. “Yes, right here. Hello?” Sara stared at the clothes with a look of confusion on her face. “You’re right,” sighed Libby. “Charlotte went to the Robert twins’ party three weeks ago. She’d be recognized, n’est-ce pas? Ooh! I know.” She reached back into the closet. “What about Zandra? She’s a hoot at parties!” Sara’s eyes traveled from the sleeveless, zebra-striped mini-dress to Libby’s animated face, and simply shook her head. “You are the kookiest friend I have,” she said with a giggle. “Aw! Thanks, Sara!" She held the dress up to herself. "So…Zandra comes to the party with us?” Any ideas what 'Q' word prompted this scene? Thanks for reading and have a great day! |
| Today I'm showcasing an excerpt I wrote for a prompt word that starts with 'P.' After reading the passage below, can you determine which emotion/feeling/state of mind I've depicted? Here is goes: Though Jonathon and Bobby were fraternal twins, their lives were one long string of competitions. Bobby was a minute y0unger, a quarter of an inch shorter, and a half a grade point average behind his brother. And Jonathon enjoyed reminding him. They’d trained together for months for the half-marathon, and for the first time ever Bobby was the stronger. On the track or in the gym, he out-sprinted and out-lifted Jonathon. This time, he was going to be victorious. But as they flew across the finish line the day of the race, Jonathon’s chest broke the plane a half second before Bobby’s. Bobby bent over with his hands on his thighs and hung his head, gasping for breath. Panting, Jonathon clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t take it too hard, bro,” he gloated. “Even I thought you were going to beat me, for a minute there.” So, what 'P' emotion/feeling/state of mind does this excerpt make you think of? Thanks for reading! |
| Today my off-site writing partner,Jessica Bell and I are showcasing excerpts we wrote for a prompt word that starts with 'O.' After reading the passage below, can you determine which emotion/feeling/state of mind I've depicted? After you guess in the comments, please follow the link to Jessica's blog and read her offering! Here's my 'O' entry: Reverend James loomed over his daughter, his shadow falling across her slender form. “Where do you think you’re off to at this hour, Andrea?” His voice was dangerously quiet. “It's only four o'clock, Daddy. I’m going jeans shopping with Karen. Mama said I could.” She added the last part in a rush. Reverend chewed on his inner cheek, shifting his lower jaw which heightened the look of disgust on his face. Slowly, he shook his head. “I forbid you to go to that shopping mall without an adult chaperone. You’re too young to handle yourself with the crowd of people that hang out there like it’s a tavern, or something. “Daddy, I’m almost seventeen years old!” “My point exactly,” he roared. When she’d lowered her eyes, he went on. “I want you to go upstairs. Wash that silly make-up off your face. Then, you’ll retire to your bedroom for the rest of the evening. Spend time on your knees, girl, asking God for guidance. When you have thought long and hard about the mischievous yearnings in your heart, then – and only then – will you come to my office and ask my forgiveness. Understood?” A car honked on the street. Reverend James narrowed his eyes at his daughter, then nodded his head. Andrea reached for the door handle and swung open the door. Karen leaned across the front seat of her beat-up Chevy, a gift from her parents when she turned sixteen, and waved from the driver’s side. Andrea smiled as a tear ran down her cheek, and she waved Karen on. Any guesses? Thanks for reading and have a fantastic day!! |
| Yesterday ended the second writing challenge for the WDC Survivor game. Our challenge was to write a short story in EXACTLY 1,254 words (verified by Microsoft Word) that is told from the perspective of an article of clothing. If you can wear it, it can be your POV. I chose to tell a rather harrowing, real life story that happened to my husband in Africa, from the perspective of his wedding ring. We were newly-weds when this event took place, and I shudder to think how differently everything could have turned out. He could have been killed, our children would never have been born, I would have a totally different life right now. Crazy! I'd love for you to read my little offering. When voting opens tomorrow, I hope you'll vote for me, to help keep me in the competition. Every round I don't get 'voted off,' I earn GPs for Rising Stars!! Here's my short entry: "L'Alliance (The Wedding Ring) ~ Challenge #2"  And here's all my Survivor work:
Hope you're having a great Sunday! |
| Hard to believe we've reached the half-way mark of this crazy A-Z ride! I've been having a blast working off the same list of prompt words as Jessica Bell. My partner-in-prose and I create short excerpts 'showing' the emotion/feeling/state of mind that is our letter-word of the day. We've been asking our readers to try and guess the word we've depicted. I've been having a blast, and I hope you've been enjoying the game, too! Yesterday's word was 'Madness.' Without further ado, I give you my 'N' entry: "Wal-mart, Customer Service. This is Brenda speaking." Bored monotone. "Good morning! My name is Mary Manning, and yesterday I was in your store because I wanted to print some pictures with the self-serve machines. Well, I got my camera out but then I realized the 'Prints-in-minutes' machines were out-of-order and only the 'Prints-in-an-hour' machine was available. See, I didn't have an hour, 'cause I -- well, I won't bore you with my life story." Giggles. Silence. "So anyways, I've turned my house upside-down this morning searching for my camera, and I can't find it. It's not in my purse, or in my car. I've looked everywhere! I have a very bad feeling I set it down next to the photo machines when I was in Wal-mart trying to figure out what to do, and left it behind by accident. Did anyone turned in a digital camera?" "No, miss." "Huh. Are you sure? I mean, I can hold if you want to look around. I really need my camera back." "No one turned in a camera. I'm sure." "Well, okay. Darn it." Pause. "I tell you what, let me give you my name and phone number, in case someone found it and just didn't have time to turn it in." Snort. "If you insist, miss. Go ahead." There you go! Any idea what emotion/feeling/state of mind I've depicted here? Go ahead and guess in the comments.  Thanks for reading and I hope you have a fantastic weekend!! |
| This week is crazy and I have been writing like a fiend. Fun! Yesterday's word. It was 'Lust.' Today, guess which 'M' emotion/feeling/state of mind I've depicted in the short fictional passage below. My cyber-BFF Jessica Bell is using the same prompt word for a passage of her own. Here is my 'M' entry: Stacy Johnson’s mouth dropped open as she exited the car. From her vantage point on the make-shift parking lot, it looked like total mayhem had broken out on the sweeping front lawn of the middle school. Children ran after each other in every direction, some in packs of four or five. Many looked wet. Their shrill laughter rose and fell like waves in the heavy breeze. Stacy headed for the groups of parent onlookers. As she drew closer, she noticed the there was some order to the craziness. On the ground at the center of the lawn was a large fifteen-foot-across circle of neon pink plastic tubing. The children inside the circle chased each other with shaving cream, managing to always stay within the perimeter. Mr. Mathis, the gym teacher, supervised the antics, and offered water balloons to kids without cans of shaving cream. Everyone was a sopping mess! Outside the pink circle, the rest of the kids raced around, jumping rope, running sack races, playing catch, turning cartwheels. I caught glimpses of teachers joining in the fun while guiding the activities best they could. When a whistle blew, the inner circle kids raced out and a fresh, dry batch of children took their places. A parent noticed Stacy’s look of confused awe. “Haven’t you been to Field Day before?” she asked. When Stacy shook her head, she went on. “The teachers call it ‘controlled chaos.’ The kids just call it ‘fun’!” “I call it ‘m--’” Stacy was stunned into silence. A stray water balloon had exploded on her shoulder. Any guesses? Hope you all have a wonderful Friday! |
| Yesterday's post described 'Kindness.' Almost everyone guessed that, or 'karma,' which I think fits too! Today, my passage involves a lot of emotions. To successfully guess the 'L' emotion/feeling/state of mind, you have to look past the POV (it's not her!) and pay special attention to Jennifer and Jonathon. Ready? Here goes: “Your table is ready.” I followed my sister and the hostess. I watched Jennifer command attention as she sauntered; her slim hips swayed exaggeratedly with each step, tracing slow, deliberate figure-eight patterns. Infinity. The hostess handed us oversized, leather-bound menus as we took our seats. “Bring us a bottle of Chateau Margaux 1982, if you have it,” Jennifer commanded. I looked at my watch. 11:50 a.m. What the hell, I thought. A drink is probably a good idea... The hostess said she’d ask our waitress to bring a bottle, but Jennifer had already dismissed her. “So,” Jenn addressed me. “Can you believe we’re planning Mom’s retirement party?” It was never easy for me to talk with Jennifer about our mother. Although I was barely one year older than her, we hadn’t been reared in the same way. Maybe it was because Mom identified more with Jennifer’s easy laugh or spontaneous personality, or because she just assumed my independent streak needed little nurturing. Whatever it was, Mom’s affections had always been aimed foremost at Jenn. As an adult, I’d rationalized it and made peace with it; but when I was face to face with either of them, I still struggled to ward off the painful memories of being the invisible child. “Yeah,” I began, “I was thinking of renting out that little Victorian restaurant she loves--” I was interrupted by a man who had stopped at our table. “Excuse me,” he said to Jenn. “Aren’t you Mandy Goliath?” My sister smiled salaciously at him. “Why, yes. How sweet of you to recognize me,” she added coyly. “I’m a big fan of your work.” They hadn’t broken eye contact. “I’ll bet you are big,” she breathed. I looked at my watch again. He seemed to notice me for the first time. “Jonathon Shill.” He extended his hand to me. “Dr. Nadia Beaulieu,” I said, shaking his hand. “Doctor?” He sounded impressed. “Oh! She’s not really a doctor,” laughed my sister. “She just teaches at the University of Albany!” The man had lost interest in me the moment my sister spoke. They conversed a couple more minutes, and then he told her it was a pleasure to meet her. As he was taking his leave, my sister offered him a kiss. He leaned down and she kissed him long on the mouth. Shocked, I glimpsed their groping tongues before looking away. The waitress arrived, thankfully, with the bottle of wine. *~*~*~* Any guesses what 'L' emotion/etc. Jenn and Jon have exhibited? I love reading your comments each day. Keep them coming!  |
| Yesterday's 'J' word was 'Jealousy.' Thanks for all your wonderful comments and guesses! Today, guess which 'K' emotion/feeling/state of mind I've depicted today in the short fictional passage below. Jessica Bell is using the same prompt word for a passage of her own. After guessing in the comments here, won't you follow the link and read Jess's entry? Here's my 'K' offering: Bradley chased the soccer ball, bouncing toward the far corner of the playground. As he neared, a soft whimper carried on the noontime breeze. He slowed, then peeked around the trunk of the huge oak at the fence. Lydia Vance sat, her back against the rough bark and her hands in her face. Lydia was the fairest child in Jackson Elementary. If her eyes had been pink, she’d have been a full-fledged albino. She stuck out, and kids can be cruel. “Dude! Hurry up!” his friends shouted. Bradley picked up the ball and turned towards them, then looked back at Lydia. He’d never actually talked to her before. Lydia’s shoulders heaved. She looked small, vulnerable, like a scared little bunny rabbit. The boys yelled again, something about needing the ball before graduation. Bradley hurled it in their direction, then shoved his hands in his pockets. Taking a small step forward, he said, “Um, hey. Er, are you all right? I mean, anything I can do?” *~*~*~* Thanks for visiting! |
| I'm so happy my off-site writing partner, Jessica Bell had the insanely creative idea to use the A-Z Blogfest (on Blogger.com) as an experimental canvas for 'showing' emotions/feelings/states of mind. And I'm thrilled she asked me to play along with her! We're working with the same list of prompt words and using them to inspire our fiction or poetry. Today, our prompt word begins with 'J'. Based on the poem below, can you guess what emotion/etc. I've depicted? Looking forward to your guesses in the comments! Here goes: A wicked temptress stalks her prey tonight, With graceful gait, hips sway to generate Heart’s sweet desires; mine slowly swells with hate, The fires of lust sparked in the dark ignite. Across the room the albatross takes flight, As if on feathered feet she floats; too late To stop her stealth approach toward my date, I sense at once she has him in her sight. A brush of lips, he whispers in my ear, I turn; my face is mirrored in his eyes, Words uttered so no one will overhear, His hands direct me, to the door they steer, Last glance I see her glare and realize, Her jealousy's not veiled by silent jeer. Any idea what emotion inspired this poem? (Hint: This is right out of my port, if it sounds familiar. I wrote this a couple years ago prompted by the same word, and it appears in this poem :D) BTW, this is a Petrarchan, or Italian Sonnet. A Petrarchan Sonnet is a fourteen line poem distinguished by its strict iambic pentameter and rigid rhyme scheme: abba abba cdc cdc (Sicilian sestet). The first eight line stanza, the octave, establishes the theme and developes the poem in a certain direction. The ninth line is the turn which heralds a distinct change in tone from the octave. The second stanza, or the sestet, introduces a new development in a different direction, with the first tercet carrying this new direction to a definite point; and the final tercet bringing the theme to a conclusion. Thanks for stopping by! |
Today, guess which emotion/feeling/state of mind that begins with the letter 'I' that I've depicted today in the short fictional passage below. (And, can you tell my inspiration was running low?  )Here goes: The writer stared at her computer screen. The cursor blinked, accusingly, next to the one character she’d managed to type. ‘I’. She sighed, her mind wandering to her to-do list, which was short today. She forced her attention back. ‘I’. What a silly prompt. It’s a letter yet a word all by itself. Big deal. She lifted her fingers off the keyboard, examined a bit of polish chipped off one nail, then lay them back into the grooves of ‘a’, ‘s’, ‘d’, ‘f’, ‘j’, ‘k’, ‘l’, and semi-colon. ‘I’. What could she say about ‘I’. She had no opinion, one way or another. The only thing she cared about what getting something, anything, written down. Any guesses? Thanks for reading! |
| Guess which emotion/feeling/state of mind that begins with 'H' I've depicted today in the short fictional passage below. 3:00 Marnie pushed the start button on the microwave timer. 2:59…58…57… She kept her gaze on the changing numbers, forcing her eyes not to drift towards the stick, lying on the table on a single sheet of paper towels. She’d been waiting fourteen months. It was a long time to wait. But nothing felt longer than these last three minutes. 2:28…27…26… She and Chad had begun trying on their wedding night. They kept it no secret, confiding in anyone who would listen. Friends and family asked every time they saw them. And it had gotten more and more painful to keep saying, ‘No, nothing yet.’ 2:02…2:00…1:58… Marnie wrung her hands until they nested all by themselves into a prayful clasp. Please, God…I know it’s wrong to ask. I know I must accept your will. But if you let it be, if you just let it be…please let it be… 1:40…39…38… The morning of their first wedding anniversary, her temperature had peaked and then dropped off. Conditions were perfect, and they took full advantage. But being it was their anniversary, they’d forgotten about the thermometer and the ovulation charts on the bedside table and had gotten blissfully lost in their love. Three weeks later, Marnie got her period. :57…56…55… Look, if it isn’t meant to be, it isn’t meant to be. Think of all the unwanted children born into the world every day. There is more than one path that leads to parenthood. You’re young. You have your whole life… :23…22…21… The glowing numbers swam, ran together, and Marnie blinked rapidly. Oh, to feel a baby move inside her, to waddle beneath the weight of a gloriously swollen belly, to face the fear and pain of delivery, all to see born a perfect product of her and Chad’s love. It was the last chance to see their genes mixed, their blood mingled, for Chad’s legacy to live on. :11…10…09… Marnie closed her eyes tight. She wished Chad were here. He would have been so supportive. Tears leaked from squeezed lids, spilled down her cheeks. “Please,” she whispered. Beep...Beep...Beep... So, what emotion/etc. have I depicted here? I look forward to your comments!       To Follow Me On Twitter Click HERE! And Follow My Blog "One Significant Moment At A Time," by Clicking Here! |
| Welcome to 'G' Day at my blog! Those who have visited during the A-Z Blogfest know that my off-site cyber-BFF Jessica Bell and I are writing partners. Before the fest began, we generated a list of 26 words -- nouns the are emotions/feelings/states of mind. Each day we work from the same prompt word, and write fictional paragraphs with characters who 'show' the emotion/etc. My 'G' entry is below. After you read it, guess in the comments what emotion/etc. I've depicted. (Btw, yesterday's word was 'Frustration.' )Without further ado, here is my offering of the day: Franklin pressed his stubbled cheek against the upstairs front bedroom windowpane, like he used to do when he was a kid and wanted to see farther up the street than normal view allowed. The sun was right overhead but the mailman was still out of sight. He skipped to the computer desk where the package routing screen confirmed delivery was today at noon. He refreshed the page, but the info didn’t change. A grin cracked his face and his stomach did another airy flip. He wandered to the mirror. First, he struck a regal pose; one Mr. Albert Einstein might have struck for a photographer. Then he hunched his shoulders, bringing his hands in front and curling his fingers like claws. He snickered like a mad scientist, and the crazed look in his eyes was so convincing he broke out into his normal, jovial laughter. Down on the street, the shrill sound of brakes sounded. Franklin brought his watch to his face. Twelve-oh-two! He ran out the bedroom door with the vigor of a child, grinning from ear to ear. If he’d have dared, he’d have ridden the banister to the foyer. Down the steps raced, excitement tickling him from the inside out, heart pounding. He reached for the knob just as the doorbell sounded. Any guesses? And if you'd like to read Jessica's entry, here's the LINK Thanks for reading!! |
| Yesterday's word was 'Embarrassment' -- thanks for your guesses and comments!! Today, my off-site cyber-BFF Jessica Bell and I have chosen a word that starts with 'F', and we want you to try and guess what it is. The word is a noun and either an emotion, a feeling, or a state of mind. We've each written a short, fictional scene where our characters 'show' this emotion/feeling/state of mind. Here's my passage: This is ridiculous, she thinks as she hobbles around on one black sling back pump. Her first professional job interview is in forty minutes, which means she should be in the car right now. She shoves aside a pile of dirty laundry in the corner near the closet, shoves it back to check behind the other side. No shoe. Los Angeles traffic is unpredictable at any hour of the day, and the offices of Chiat/Day/Mojo are two beach cities up the Pacific Coast Highway from her sister’s apartment in Hermosa Beach. She needs this job so she can afford a place of her own. Stomping across discarded magazines and art supplies that litter the floor, she yanks aside the curtains flanking the window. The shoe isn’t hiding there, but the little, pink teddy bear her ex-boyfriend gave her is. She punts it with her pump-armored toe. Where the hell IS it? She turns, fingers digging into the waistline of her pencil skirt. And there, on the second shelf of the bookcase, peeking out from under a fallen over copy of Jane Eyre, is the elusive pump. She snatches it up and wiggles her foot into it. A glance at her watch tells her traffic has to be light and she has to hit all green lights in order to (maybe) make it on time. Then a devastating thought hits her: Where the hell are my keys? ~*~*~*~ Figured out the emotion/feeling/state of mind? Leave your guess in the comments! Thanks for reading!! |
| Thanks to everyone for commenting yesterday -- my prompt word of the day was 'Disgust'. For those who are new to my blog today, Jessica Bell (an offsite cyber BFF) and I are A-Z Blogfest writing partners! We've chosen a list of words, all nouns, that refer to particular emotions / feelings / states of mind. Today, based on my fictional paragraph(s) below, try to guess in the comments what 'E' emotion/etc. I've depicted. Here's my 'E' entry: The upscale store teemed with Saturday afternoon shoppers, business-women in search of the perfect suit and ladies in need of a special occasion outfit. Amanda had been assisting customers for hours and her feet were beginning to feel snug in her peek-a-boo pumps. A stout woman approached her. As she asked where she’d find the blouse dressed on the mannequin in the window, Amanda noted she wore no make-up to mask her motherly glow. Leading the woman toward the rear of the shop, Amanda asked over her shoulder, “So, when is your baby due?” The hesitation lasted one stride of Amanda’s pump, but it was enough to send her blood rushing to her cheeks. “I am not pregnant.” The urge to dive into a rack of dresses or lock herself in a dressing room had never been stronger. ~~~~~~ Any idea what 'E' emotion poor Amanda is experiencing? Leave me your guess in the comments! Thanks for reading!! |
| I'm playing along in a blogfest over at Blogger.com, and today I've chosen a word, a noun, that refers to a particular emotion / feeling / state of mind that starts with 'D'. Based on my fictional paragraph(s) below, try to guess in the comments what emotion/etc. I've depicted! (BTW, April 3rd's entry [scroll to read it] word was 'Confidence'!) Here's my 'D' entry: Every sound soothed my frazzled soul: the gentle swells lapping against the row boat as it slipped along the lake’s surface; the hollow clunk of the oar when my inexperienced movements banged it against the craft’s aluminum side; the loon’s haunting song. I’d been in desperate need of this little excursion, to a place of childhood memories where I’d spent carefree summers before… well, before. Another couple pulls of the oars and I steered the boat into what we kids had dubbed Beaver Bay. The inlet of water protected a cove where the reeds grew tall and beaver houses dotted the surface. I lifted the oars out of the water and twisted around to view the bay. The smell hit me, fetid and rank. My jaw dropped open. Trash littered the shoreline. A mound of tires, black and baking in the afternoon sun, rose to the right. As the boat drifted closer, I looked over the edge. I could just make out my reflection, eyebrows knit and lips pursed, despite the rainbow sheen coating the water’s surface. The boat’s bottom scraped along the sandy bottom of the shore. I stood to get a better view, but I wouldn’t get out. Flies swarmed around a torn white plastic trash bag next to the boat. I lifted an oar out of its pinning, staggering a bit under its unbalanced weight, and poked the bag. The flies lifted for a moment, but settled greedily on their meal. A soggy egg container fell apart, revealing a mass of wriggling, rice-like maggots. I covered my mouth, gagging, as the oar clattered to the bottom of the boat. Any guesses? Leave me a comment telling me the emotion/feeling/state of mind you think I was describing! Thanks for reading! |
 I'd be ever grateful if you'd vote for me!!!!! So, you've probably seen lots of handles like mine around the site, mentioning the WDC Survivor Challenge. There are 36 of us in the game, which has participants writing prompt-directed entries during the competition rounds. The first round has just ended, and you know what that means? It's time to vote! What? You didn't know YOU could VOTE? Of course you can In fact, I want you to! All you have to do is follow the link below, and then vote for one member from each of the three polls (there are a lot of us in the running, this early in the game; and, WDC polls only allow nine choices, max.)Pardon me? Oh yes, of course you're right! You should read my entry before voting for me. I mean, you don't have to. It's short and everything, dialog-only, per the prompt. Won't take much time... So, if you'd like to read it, here's the link:"Shameful Actions Come Around, Go Around" Please vote for me! Unlike the TV version of Survivor, the people with the most votes get to STAY in the competition. Those with the fewest votes are "voted off the island." Here's the polling center:
Thanks for voting -- even if you don't vote for me. It's activities like this one that keeps the giant WDC community feeling small and intimate. Have a wonderful day!  |
| Jessica Bell and I are A-Z Blogfest writing partners. Today, we've chosen a word, a noun, that refers to a particular emotion that starts with 'C'. Based on our fictional paragraph(s), try to guess in the comments what emotion we've depicted. Here's a hint for mine: It's NOT the POV character who is 'showing' the emotion. It IS through the characterizations of the other character that you should base your guess. Here goes: I expected Catherine Pouvoir to be loud, since everyone who had ever spoken of her to me seemed to use the word 'fabulous.' So rather than watching the doorway for her to make her entrance, I had my ears tuned while I read over my agenda for the day. I heard no resounding laughter or boisterous clamour from an entourage, but I knew instantly that she’d arrived. Every head in the room had turned in the same direction. She stood in the doorway, indubitably commanding time and space. Beauty emanated from her like the dazzling flecks of early morning sunlight reflected off the gently lapping water at a lake’s edge, blinding everyone brave enough to stare directly at it. We all waited for some sort of cue from her, collectively unable to proceed without it. Glancing at her wristwatch, her angular facial features quickened in comical disbelief. "Impressive!" she said. "You all must be incredibly punctual, if I’m the last one here!” Appreciative applause, sprinkled with laughter erupted from the room. What emotion is Catherine Pouvoir emanating? Any guesses? Leave it in the comments! Thanks for reading, and please shoot over to Jessica's blog to read her 'C'emotion-inspired paragraph. See you over there! |
| It's Day Two of the A to Z Blogfest and Jessica Bell and I are going strong. See, we teamed up for this adventure with the hopes of stretching our writing muscles. Be sure to follow the link at the bottom of this post to her blog. Here's the deal: We have created a top secret list of A-Z prompt words to inspire our blogfest entries. The words are all nouns, and they are all emotions. We challenged ourselves to come up fictional entries that 'show' a character(s) in the grips of the emotion of the day. We ask you, awesome reader, to read my entry (since you're here) and guess, in the comments, what emotion I've depicted. Then shoot over and read Jessica's entry. Still think you've guessed correctly? Let her know! (And natch, if you happen upon her blog first, in future, won't you shoot over here after you comment there? :D) So, without further ado, here's my 'B' entry. What 'B' emotion have I described?? Jenna stared into the deep, inky pools of Cliff’s eyes. Had it just been two hours ago that she’d felt lost in them? The urge to glance at her wristwatch (again) and verify the time was strong, but she resisted. Instead, she forced her eyes wider, just a tab more, and redirected her focus to the tiny mole just northeast of the bridge of his chiseled nose. In her peripheral vision, a waiter in black and white passed with a tray of steaks, sizzling on cast iron plates. The smell taunted her famished stomach. Cliff was still talking, his words mingling with the restaurant’s din. She admitted he was the most handsome blind date she’d ever gone out with, hands down. But he’d turned out to be all looks. His conversation dominated the evening, his baritone voice a constant drone of self-proclaimed accolades that left her wishing she carried a pistol in her purse. The question was, who would she aim it at first? Cliff? Her own temple? She narrowed her eyes. No...she'd take a shot at Sara, her soon-to-be ex-friend who’d set her up in the first place. Figured out what emotion that starts with 'B' I described? I can't wait to read your comment :)) To Follow Me On Twitter Click HERE! And Follow My Blog "One Significant Moment At A Time," by Clicking Here! |
| The A-Z Blogfest is finally here! This blogfest is on Blogger.com, and the gist is participants pledge to post on their blog every day in (the first 26 days of) the month of April. The first post must be about anything that begins with the letter 'A'. April 2nd's post will be about any topic that begins with 'B', and so on. 'Cause that’s how we roll, my off-site cyber-BFF Jessica Bell and I have teamed up -- once again -- as writing partners. We decided to challenge ourselves with identical A-Z prompt words. Together, we created our list of twenty-six nouns, all of which are emotions. Each day, we will each write a paragraph showing a character feeling that emotion. It’s going to be fun for us to read what the other has come up with! And, hopefully it will be fun for our blog visitors, too. Here’s how we want to draw you into our little fest: Say, for example, the prompt for A (today) was 'Acceptance' (it's not, btw). You read my post, and then, awesome reader, you have the opportunity to GUESS in the comments what emotion my character portrayed. After, click the link at the bottom of my post to visit Jessica’s blog and read her paragraph. Still think you guessed the right emotion, based on her flash? We can’t wait to hear your thoughts! Here's my 'A' Entry: Caty screamed, at the pain, at the pain. Relentless, it crashed in overlapping waves, drowning every corner of her mind and every inch of her body. The world was one, giant, cruel vortex, pulling her down, down and inside-out. She gasped, gulping the air, and screamed again. From somewhere Gary’s voice floated, reminding her to pant. She spat a string of stinging obscenities at him. Another voice, commanding, insisting, announced that this was "it." The voice called her name, twice. It ordered her to focus now, now; now you push. Harder, Caty. That’s it, here she comes, Caty. And Gary’s voice coached in her ear; his gentle hands held her under the arms, pushed forward on her back, his strength seeping through her skin and into her soul. And she was one with the pain, the pain was one with her. Gary eased Caty back against the pillows, as the doctor laid the baby in her arms. Giant navy eyes stared up at her. Caty stared, stared back. The pain was gone. Gary wiped a stringy strand of hair to the side of Caty’s brow, and a tear fell and mingled with her sweat when he kissed her forehead. She couldn’t think, couldn’t process what her eyes saw, her ears heard, her heart felt. Her daughter was here, she was her. She was the most beautiful thing Caty had ever seen, and she was really here. So, can you guess the emotion (a noun) depicted in this piece that begins with the letter ‘A’? (Hint: Our 'A' prompt word is depicted in the second paragraph, but I can think of a couple emotions that start with 'A' that are appropriate for the first. Guess at both, if you like!) All guesses and thoughts in general are welcome! And please shoot over to Jessica’s blog to read her interpretation of our ‘A-prompt word. Here’s the link! [Interested in getting in on the A-Z Blogfest? Play along here, and leave me a comment telling me so I can visit your WDC blog each day. Do you have a blogger.com blog? If so, here's the link where you can sign up and play along on your blogger blog, too: LINK  To Follow Me On Twitter Click HERE! And Follow My Blog "One Significant Moment At A Time," by Clicking Here! |
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