- Starting today is Laura's Character Blogfest! (Feb 23-25) After I mention a few current events, I'll let tell you about my super-duper dude!
- Next Tuesday, Jan 31, is the last day for Auntie Tara's short story prompt - J.A., Thanks for participating! We'll see if more have time next month...
- On Wednesday, Feb 1st 2 things are going on!
- The Insecure Writers Support Group - and I've got a doozy!
- Critique my blog Blogfest by Teralyn - I'm curious to see other blogs and see how I'm doin!
- There's so much going on in Feb! Check out my side bar...
- The newest is the Origins blogfest on Feb 13th, another Alex co-sponsored event, with DL Hammons at Cruising Altitude, Katie Mills - Creepy Query Girl and Matthew MacNish at The QQQE. That Alex gets around!
I am excited about this blogfest. It got me thinking about a WIP I have been dying to get back into. It’s called BROKEN BRANCH FALLS, my MG Urban Fantasy. And so I’d like to introduce you to…
Gabe Thorntry!
Gabe is a teenage Goblin, a Junior at Gingko High, the only species integrated high school in the area. He has an identity crisis, not wanting to conform to the Goblin traditional stereotypes, like doing the jocks’ homework and playing in the band. He wants to break the rules and try new things.
Here is a snippet from Broken Branch Falls…
I thread through the halls without further incident. But just as I reach my next class, three jumbo size ogres accost me, and ogres are twice my height to begin with. The largest of the ogre clan are on the football team. These buffoons pick me up and throw me into the bathroom. Luckily it’s the boys’ room.
The leader hefts me by the front of my shirt and holds me against the wall. I squirm as the hand blower pokes into my back.
The leader hefts me by the front of my shirt and holds me against the wall. I squirm as the hand blower pokes into my back.
“Where’s my homework, Gabby?”
I almost faint from the malignant breath. It’s lethal to smaller creatures. But these oafs don’t intimidate me. I go through this on a regular basis. “If you put me down, I’ll get it out for you, Recker,” I say. Why doesn’t he ever just ask for it?
“Good. If you didn’t, I’d’ve had to mash you!” His friends grunt and pound their meaty fists as Recker sets me down.
I open a folder and pull out his paper. Recker snatches it.
“It ain’t a A, is it?” he asks, scrunching his gruesome face at it. He could’ve broken a mirror if there were any in here.
“A high C at best,” I tell him. “May I go to class now?”
“Yuh. Just watch yourself, Gabby. Don’t make me mash you!” he says again. I leave them puzzling over the completed assignment and slip into class as the tardy bell rings.
Thanks for reading! What blogfests are you excited about? What's going on in your writing week?
I almost faint from the malignant breath. It’s lethal to smaller creatures. But these oafs don’t intimidate me. I go through this on a regular basis. “If you put me down, I’ll get it out for you, Recker,” I say. Why doesn’t he ever just ask for it?
“Good. If you didn’t, I’d’ve had to mash you!” His friends grunt and pound their meaty fists as Recker sets me down.
I open a folder and pull out his paper. Recker snatches it.
“It ain’t a A, is it?” he asks, scrunching his gruesome face at it. He could’ve broken a mirror if there were any in here.
“A high C at best,” I tell him. “May I go to class now?”
“Yuh. Just watch yourself, Gabby. Don’t make me mash you!” he says again. I leave them puzzling over the completed assignment and slip into class as the tardy bell rings.
Thanks for reading! What blogfests are you excited about? What's going on in your writing week?
30 comments:
Ogres and Goblins in high school - I went to school with a few people like that!
Looking forward to your IWSG post.
This is hilarious!
Wow, you've got a serious blogfest addiction going on. I knew about Alex's (now I just have to remember I signed up for it), but I didn't know about the other ones.
Look at all this stuff! Wowza!!!
Awesome excerpt :)
I love it and want to read on. It's very unique and clever.
This week, I'v revising a ton of a paranormal romance I'm writing. All good stuff, though.
Thanks for sharing.
Okay. That was an awesome story. And I really should check into this Insecure Writers Support Group.
You might want to visit my blog, just to make today a little more special. :)
Kind of sounds like my high school :) Gabby sounds like a cool character.
LOL, I love Gabe's sense of humor throughout this whole thing. Great voice!
Tara, you're incredible! That's a lot of blogfests. I look forward to reading all your entries.
I love your twist. I'm ready to read more!
HA! Love the story. And holy cow - what a lot of blogfests! They are everywhere! We're all going to be super busy!
A teenage goblin! Awesome. This is one of the most original ideas I've heard in a long while. Love that snippet. Though it sounds strangely like real high school! Heh.
I'll be doing the Origins blogfest too. It was a great idea!
Haha, it's like David Sedaris as a goblin. I love it!
I think we are doing all the same blogfests :) So fun! And ogres! Nice to see them out of the swamp a bit.
February is shaping up to be a very busy month in the blogosphere. Thanks for the mention & all of the other great tidbits. I hope to be able to participate in your prompts after Feb.
I like that your mc is a goblin. Cool. And I like that he does his own thing.
Wow! You are one busy girl!! Best of luck with everything.
And I love the snippet!
funny!
If you need character sketches I'll happily send you my school photos. We had no shortage of ogres in my one.
he's adorable - don't tell him I said that... great concept. I don't normally do blog fests as I have two weekly blogs I do but did this one :D
Oh those Ogres are some rough bullies. Right away I'm feeling for Gabe - darned Ogres are just so mean.
So yeah, I'm rooting for Gabe if you hadn't noticed :-)
OMGoodness, Tara! Your mg sounds wonderful!
I'm really taking a blog break, but I signed up for Sheri's Rebel Writer's blog hop...so I took a break from my break today.
I just finished a pb ms with Lenny Lee one of my cps...now it id off to our volunteer cps and I'm back to my mg...
Happy writing and blogging. :)
Sounds like something a lot of middle graders would get a kick out of! And relate to...
Good luck!
How do you do it all! That is awesome! And a great entry too:)
Oh man, what a concept! I love it.
Hahahaha! Too funny :)
I'm definitely curious how he's going to try to get away from being the homework-boy for the ogres.
...though I would have loved a bit more description when they threw him into the bathroom... like, literally threw? wouldn't that have hurt?
LOL. Great character! I like him already.
I love the concept and the snippet is tons of fun!
Oh...I like!
Nice of you to share!
Soooo much going on. I was hoping to write something up for your prompt. I still have a day or two.
Thanks for keeping us all on our toes!
HMG
What a great world! Well, not so great for Gabe at the moment, but I've got a feeling about him. Oh, he's definitely going to do something epic. I can tell! (^__^)
I'm also doing the Favorite Character Blogfest, too. It's so much fun meeting all these characters and writers!
hahaha! Love it. I'm sure I've met several ogres and goblins in real life too :-)
Nicely done! The voice and scene drew me in right away.
Count me in as a new follower. I hope you can drop by my blog!
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