Silence says it all.

Today's writing piece comes from a writing prompt at Write on Edge about utilizing local nostalgia to create a short story.  As I just finished pasting this onto my blog, I realized I didn't utilize any particular "named" local things, but utilized a place and activities to tell my fiction tale.        

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     Lily sat on the stool facing the window, so she could get a good look at the bay.    Her coffee steam fogged her glasses, reacting to how cool it had been outside.  Fall in Seattle was her favorite season, but as she thought of a warmer place, a warmer time in her life, the orange leaves rippled into rolling waves.  Sand crept up between her toes; it was abrasive, yet comforting.  A set of wings flapped past her head, and Lily realized it was an old, hungry friend.  Lily made many friends at the ocean.  One in particular flooded her with nostalgia.

            It had been so many years since Drew, so many lost nights in the sand and surf.  His warm tan skin and his confident golden eyes enveloped Lily’s memories in a passionate, yet fleeting embrace.  She couldn’t recall how many times she questioned his intentions.  She was only visiting family for the summer, after all.  Nevertheless, Drew would smile and Lily would lose it all over again, swimming in his endless passionate kisses.

            Lily focused on one particular kiss, one that came after a very important question from Drew.  He had asked her for vow of marriage – a commitment a 17 year old could hardly make.  Lily’s heart had stopped in her chest, as her eyes welled with tears.  She knew she could not stay with this man at the ocean’s edge.  She might as well jump in the Atlantic herself and save him the misery of her answer.  Lily dropped Drew’s gentle hands and stared towards the waves.  Drew sighed, and Lily knew it was done.  He carefully moved a strand of hair from Lily’s face, leaned towards her and pressed his lips softly to hers.  “I’ll think of you always, my little sunshine.”  He whispered close in her ear and walked away.

            “Ma’am?  Excuse me, ma’am?  I think your phone is ringing again.  It’s been going off for ten minutes.”  The store manager’s voice boomed through Lily’s ears, while Drew’s words echoed into oblivion.  Lily’s reality flooded in, taking all of her sand and sorrow with it.  

----Charlie----

BLOGGIESTA - Fall Style!

It is time again for the awesomeness that is BLOGGIESTA!


This time though, it's in September (28-30 to be exact)!


In case you don't know what Bloggiesta is, I will be kind enough to tell you! ;)


Bloggiesta is a time for all bloggers to take their blog and give it a once over (or a twice over, or even a thirty times over).  You might want to change something simple about your blog like the template, background, or text color.  You may even want to go a little farther and update your blogroll, label system, or comment structure.  Even farther still, you might want to check out any of the mini-challenges that will be hosted around the blogosphere by fellow book bloggers.  Just make sure you sign up at There's A Book in the link widget to share your experience with Bloggiesta!

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective), I spent a few days in August cleaning up my blog and changing stuff around.  So, for Bloggiesta this time I will focus on increasing my traffic to my blog, better time management (with regards to scheduling book reviews/posts), and maybe a few other things. 

I really, really, REALLY want to come out on the other side of this Bloggiesta triumphant and with the satisfaction of knowing I have completed a goal! :P

So join me and the many others who will be participating in BLOGGIESTA, on the last weekend in September (28th - 30th).


--Charlie--

Ink of Every Color

"Everything the wise woman learned she wrote in a book, and when the pages were black with ink, she took white ink and began again."

—Karn, silver golem

I found this quote through a game I play.  I thought it was completely fitting for all of us writers out there.  There is always something to learn, something to write, and someone to share it with.

The Big Question....

To Write, or not To Write?

I'm not so sure anymore.  

I still enjoy writing, but I have fallen so far away from it that I'm not sure how to find my way back.

I have been reminiscing about my past lately, and going through all of my old short stories and discarded ideas.  A lot of them have potential, if I could only focus and finish.  I know that I am not alone in this problem, but it is a problem nonetheless.  

Unfortunately, inspiration only comes when I am at my most emotional (and usually negative emotions are what drive my writing); but most writers give the advice to try to write through your slumps - to fight for every word.

I have written a lot about motivation, so I won't beat this into the ground.

I just want to find my writing groove again.  I want to someday be able to inspire readers the way my favorite authors inspire me.  I want to share my thoughts with the world!

So,

 To Write, or not To Write?

What do you think?

In which I proceed to fail at my Bloggiesta goals

The title says it all folks.  The weekend of Bloggiesta I was sick, then fell down some stairs, still had to work, and still had to sleep.  Part of the time I was lazy, but that was when I was on the couch with my leg up.

So....I will be working on my Bloggiesta goals over the next week (probably Sunday - it's my only day off for the next 7 days.)

I did finish one of my goals, adding a Facebook like button to all of my posts!

I still have to go around to blogs and meet people ( a week too late )  but I'm sure they won't mind.

Hope you all had a great Bloggiesta and completed as much as you could!

--Charlie--


P.S. I still feel like the above picture today.  SO TIRED! :D

BLOGGIESTA 2012!!

It's time for BLOGGIESTA 2012!!!

I've never participated before, but from the looks of my blog, I need to!  I'm stuck in a rut and need to freshen up!  

To get to the starting line, head over to It's All About Books and sign up!

As for the mini-challenges, check out The Master List on It's All About Books 

Now for what I plan on doing.

I'd like to focus on first freshening up my blog, then creating better content, and then getting it out there for everyone to enjoy!

I chose these mini-challenges to help me with my goal (quoted from It's All About Books):

• Have you ever thought about making a Facebook page for your blog? Liza from Sockets and Lightbulbs (@brightcdns) has a challenge on How to Promote Your Blog Using Facebook. Now's the time!

• Do you have any idea what HTML even means? Would you love to learn a little about this computer code? Then be sure to check out The Top Ten of HTML Basics brought to you by Pam at Bookalicio.us. (@BookaliciousPam)

• My guess is that by now, everyone's heard of Pinterest. But did you know it can be for more than just recipes and craft projects?  Joy from Joy's Book Blog (@joyweesemoll) tells you all about how to use Pinterest to Promote Your Blog in this fun post. 

• We can never talk enough about commenting. Let's learn more about it... specifically How to Build Readers for Your Blog Through Commenting, a mini challenge found over at Sheila's from Book Journey (@bookjourney). 

• How about those reviews? Can we make them even better? In this post, Jessica from The Bluestocking Society (@thebluestocking) teaches us Five Ways to Make Your Reviews Stand Out. 

• Are you spending too much time on reviews? In this challenge, Melanie from Melanie's Musings (@MelanieFoust) gives you Five Tips to Write Reviews Faster

• Are you feeling in a bit of a blog fog? Well, languish no longer! Emily from Emily's Reading Room (@emsreadingroom) has Eight Ways to Freshen Up Your Content. 

I will also be participating in the Twitter Party tonight at 9 pm EST.

My goals:

• Clean up my blogroll
• Clean up labels
• Visit at least 10 new blogs 
• Anything else I run across to change or fix
• Finish ALL mini-challenges!

I'm pretty darn excited to learn all this new stuff!  Plus I can't wait to improve my blog and hopefully share some new things with even more people than I do now!  :D

Happy Bloggiesta!!

Teaser Tuesday (7)

Hello all!  Today is Tuesday, time again for a little teaser!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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This week I chose a creepy book I can't wait to finish.

"I dream that a dark shape puts me in the crib, puts a hand over my mouth, and whispers in my ear.  Shh, it says.  And, Wait.  No one is there, no one is touching me, and when the wind comes in around the edges of the window frame, my skin is cold.  I wake up feeling lonely, like the world is big and freezing and scary.  Like I will never have anyone touch me again."



 -page 1 of The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff




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That gives me the heebie-jeebies!  Especially since that cover to go with it is so dark! 

I broke the rules a bit this week, because without all of those sentences the voice of the book couldn't be heard.  Sorry, MizB! :)

I just cannot wait to finish this book.  This quote is from the FIRST page of the book.  It's the second paragraph.  I made it through a few chapters and am very excited.  It seems right up my alley.

Hope it entices you the same way it did me!

Happy Reading!


 

Boxes, Boxes, and MORE Boxes!!

I can't believe how many boxes I saw this past week.  Boxes and paper and tape, OH MY!  I finally made my move from Colorado to Maryland.  You never quite realize how much stuff you have until you have to move it across the country.

I didn't even have that much in comparison to others (only 2000 pounds worth of goods), but when I saw all of my things pulled out of closets and drawers and under the bed and out of the bathroom (I have SOOOOO much lotion) I kind of freaked out.  I didn't have very much furniture, which meant I have something like 1500 pounds of STUFF.  Just STUFF.

(Lots of SHOES...and that's not quite all of them)

But eventually the house was empty and I was ready to get on my way.

I am also trying to condense and merge my loads of stuff with my boyfriend's stuff.  It is an interesting venture, but I have a lot of things he doesn't have so it should work out okay.  (Minus how very excited he is to have to share a bathroom with me...)

But after packing up my life into boxes and onto a big truck, I still had to get across the country.  So I packed up my car (to the brim) and my dog and started driving east.  And let me just say, that if I never have to drive through Kansas again, I'll do naked cartwheels in the middle of Walmart.  Sorry to all you Kansas-ites (inians?), but your state is FLAT.

I got to see some cool stuff:

So did my dog:

Anyway, I'm here now, and I'm getting settled in my new place.  I already found Starbucks, Barnes and Noble, and Target.  :)  (the important things in life)

So, now you know why I haven't been blogging.  But I'm back, with a lot of new adventures to talk about.

Adios!

Monday in My Coffee Cup

Today I am drinking Pike Place Roast from Starbucks.  It is absolutely delicious.

Today I am also starting the last two weeks before I have to be finished cleaning/packing/painting/purging in order to be ready for my cross-country move.  I can no longer sit the days away just thinking about the move.  I must act.

This means I can still have my morning coffee and check blogs - just not for three hours.

So today I take my inspiration from a simple Anne Frank quote I found:

"Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction."

I supremely enjoy sitting in front of the computer or TV all day, planning what I will do, and not actually doing it.  Laziness is very attractive to me.  I am a lazy person.

I don't want to be lazy anymore!!  My boyfriend is the opposite of lazy, and I'd like to use him as an example to improve my disposition.

So off I go to clean and pack and buy paint and sell stuff and try to find a house and and and and.....you get the idea.

Thanks for reading my rambling today.  Hope your Monday is treating you all well!

Snowfest Blogfest!

I am participating in the Snowfest Blogfest over at Roh Morgan's blog.  It's a chance to write something inspired by snow!  Go over there and check out what people are writing!  Here's mine.

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When she opened her eyes, blackness filled her vision. She threw her hands to her face, searching for something that might be blocking her eyes. She found her icy skin and nothing else. She patted down her face in disbelief; she could not see. 

 

Alice felt all around her, a wet, fluffy substance engulfed her legs. She could tell she was laying down on her back in snow. She didn't know where she was, but she did know that it was cold – the “freeze to death” type of cold.

This sudden realization threw her into a panic – was she alone? How did she get here? If she couldn't see, how would she get to safety? Hysteria set in as she tried to stand up, but something was holding her to the ground at her ankles. She reached along her legs down to her feet, where she felt metal shackles. She jerked her legs away from the bindings, but was only met with unforgiving hardware. 

 

Alice tried to scream, but all that came out was a raspy squeak. She tried again, but her throat was too dry. She heard a crunching noise to her right. It sounded like someone walking on tree branches. Alice wanted to ask who was there, but her voice was still silent. 

 

“Well, hello Alice. So nice that you're finally awake.” His voice was dark and heavy; it slithered through the air. He caressed her raven hair, leaning over to smell the aroma of her milky skin. Alice squirmed under his touch, scooting a few inches; not far enough to escape his intrusion.

“I've been waiting for hours. It's not very nice of you to keep me waiting – I don't like to wait. You'll be rightly punished, but not just yet.” He paused, gently touching her throat. “It is a shame I had to choke you so hard, I enjoy a bit of good conversation.” Alice couldn't see, but she could almost hear his wicked smile.

She tried to remember how she got here, but she only had flashes of a memory. Books in her hands, the softness of the gloves, car tires squealing across the ice. Though her mind tried, it remained a fractured puzzle.

“Ah, yes, you don't remember a thing. I can see by the confusion on your face. Which brings me to why you can't see. I had to make sure you couldn't see me or where we were going. Sorry about that, my dear. It must have been painful, having that sprayed in your face. You had such enticing eyes. Little emerald beauties. But so are the spoils of my profession. You could regain your sight, but you won't be alive long enough for that to happen.”

Alice attempted another scream, but still, nothing came out. A low chuckle filled the air, his laughter made Alice shiver. He crouched beside her and she felt his breath on her ear. “You will die; I will kill you.” His whispered threat floated through Alice's ears, tickling her fear into full blown terror. She thrashed around, grabbing the air while her hands were still free. She wanted to choke the smile off of his face, but instead felt her nails dig into skin.

“Enough of that!” he growled. Grabbing her hands with one rapid movement, he lashed her wrists together with a zip tie. “You seem to be anxious to get this over with. I have to admit, I'm a little excited too.” She heard the scrape of a blade against a rock. 

 

She howled inside, knowing her fate was becoming a reality. Alice felt him undo her coat, the zipper letting out her soul. He threw the coat off to her side, leaving only her thin blouse between her and the snow. The knife slid up the front of her shirt, slicing it in two. The piercing cold air circled around her body, her smooth skin giving way to goosebumps. Her nipples raised, peeking through her bra. He purred with pleasure. He cut the threads connected in the middle, and she felt the icy touch of his hands on her. 

 

“So delicate.” He scraped the edge of the knife across her chest. “So soft.” Alice sat very still, afraid that any movement might take her closer to the end. “I can smell your warmth.” He placed his fingertips on her neck. “I can feel your heart beating. Alive.” 

He brushed his lips across her cheek. He whispered again, “Are you ready, Alice?” He readied the tip of the knife on her chest. 

 

The last thing Alice felt was his lips on hers as the knife plunged through her heart. 

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(picture credit)