Yay you, Yay me!

(Did you think of Lionel Richie? Bet you are now! ha!)

Today is LEAP DAY! (anyone see 30 Rock? so funny! not a bad concept to "take a leap" to try something and "nothing counts on Leap Day") Happy bday to anyone born on this special day which always reminds me of Pirates of Penznance ("He is a little boy of 5!") That's all I have for Leap Day. Anyone do anything special for it?

Now on to my

300/350+ Follower Celebration!

I want to thank you guys so much for paying me some attention! I also want to know you all better. So whoever leaves me a blurb (35-50 words) about their WIP or themselves on this post will be entered in a random draw to receive:

• a hardcover copy of DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth (a thrilling YA dystopian - the sequel INSURGENT comes out so soon!)

but since I got 50+ more since my first announcement, I wanted to add another prize!

• a hardcover copy of JANITORS by Tyler Whitesides (MG thriller - I'm always looking for a good book for my boys and they liked this one!)

I will leave the contest open for a couple of weeks - then I take down my Spaced Out header and annouce the winners. ps - state your book preference too, if you want.

Thanks again - so glad to know you! And lest we forget!
It's Sensational Haiku Wednesday, just one this week for fortitude...

Feeling fancy with
Fortitude of followers
Fortunate am I!

Fire Party at Alex's!

Does that space suit make my butt look fat? I know, right!?

Well, since we're all celebrating Alex J. Cavanaugh's release of CassaFire I had to get into character. I always wanted to be part of a space adventure!

Alex is such a nice guy and a great sci fi writer and has a ton of followers to prove it. Here's the buzz...The blog tour runs from February 27 through March 9 – and anyone who comments on Alex's blog posts during this time have a chance to win a special package from the publisher: a copy of CassaFire and CassaStar, a large tote bag, and a mug! Woot!

But before we get to the mega sequel of CassaStar, let's get a little info about the author! Here is a mini interview with Alex J. Cavanaugh:

1) What is your favorite sci fi show of all time?

Stargate Atlantis! Great characters and great writing.

2) Do you think we will see the public experience space travel in our lifetime?

Yes, I do. I may be really old when it happens, but it will happen one day.

3) What is the coolest gadget you have invented for your books?

The teleporter located on every Cassan ship. I want one so bad!

Thanks for giving us a peek at your character! And now the main attraction!

CassaFire

by Alex J. Cavanaugh

CassaStar was just the beginning…

The Vindicarn War is a distant memory and Byron’s days of piloting Cosbolt fighters are over. He has kept the promise he made to his fallen mentor and friend - to probe space on an exploration vessel. Shuttle work is dull, but it’s a free and solitary existence. The senior officer is content with his life aboard the Rennather.

The detection of alien ruins sends the exploration ship to the distant planet of Tgren. If their scientists can decipher the language, they can unlock the secrets of this device. Is it a key to the Tgren’s civilization or a weapon of unimaginable power? Tensions mount as their new allies are suspicious of the Cassan’s technology and strange mental abilities. 

To complicate matters, the Tgrens are showing signs of mental powers themselves; the strongest of which belongs to a pilot named Athee, a woman whose skills rival Byron’s unique abilities. Forced to train her mind and further develop her flying aptitude, he finds his patience strained. Add a reluctant friendship with a young scientist, and he feels invaded on every level. All Byron wanted was his privacy…

CassaFire is the sequel to Cavanaugh’s first book, CassaStar, an Amazon Top Ten Best Seller:

“…calls to mind the youthful focus of Robert Heinlein’s early military sf, as well as the excitement of space opera epitomized by the many Star Wars novels. Fast-paced military action and a youthful protagonist make this a good choice for both young adult and adult fans of space wars.” - Library Journal

Check out the awesome Book trailer! I need to get me one of those - so cool!

CassaFire is now available thru:

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Amazon Kindle

Spread the spark of CassaFire!

PS - I'd love for you to come back tomorrow for my 300+ followers celebration give away - and since I already passed 350 I am adding an extra surprise! I want to hear about you and your writing so get your blurbs ready!

Rising

Introducing a new series by

LAURA JOSEPHSEN!

*cheers, applause, balloons*

Ain't she cute! She's stopping by on her blog tour to tell us about it. But first a little about Laura!
Thanks for having me, Tara! :)

1) Please tell us a little about your background. Where are you from? I'm originally from upstate New York. I lived on a dairy farm for some years, but moved south when I was eleven. I've spent most of the rest of my life in Tennessee, with a few years in Ohio in there.

2) What are your major distractions that keep you from writing? And how do you budget your time to write and especially market? The internet. Trying to keep up with blogging and all of that stuff takes a lot of time. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy it, and I love connecting with other bloggers, but there are times I have to remind myself that I do need to stop and write. As far as how I budget my time—ha! I think that's an ongoing process. I feel like I've learned a lot more lately about how to balance the various things I need to get done, but I still have a lot of learning to do.

3) I think the highlights of your blog, in addition to your friendly voice, are the fun drawings and your great grammar and writing tips. Where do you get your inspiration for those? Aw, thank you! I think sometimes blogging is like writing; I sit down and see what subject is on my mind. Sometimes I draw inspiration from what I'm writing, or what I've just finished editing.

And now, here is what the hubbub is about!

Rising Book 1: Resistance

All Alphonse wants is a quiet summer at home before his final months at university. What he gets is a half-dead stranger on his doorstep and the task of delivering a package to the leader of his home country. Not long after he boards a train toward the capital, he's attacked by knights, elite soldiers of the neighboring king.

Alphonse is temporarily rescued by Mairwyn, a mechanic with a haunted past and a deep hatred of knights. Together, they attempt to carry out Alphonse's urgent errand, only to learn that if they fail, countless people will die. And even if they succeed, they may not be able to prevent the war that lurks on the horizon.

Sounds like the beginning of a great adventure! Now Laura, will you please tell us more about the setting. Did you build a fantasy world? Or is it earth in a different time? How do you go about creating a fantasy setting?

It's a fantasy world, but it's all grounded in science. The story centers around three countries, and one of them has a king and knights (though the knights have technology built into their armor). As far as how I create the setting…lots and lots of practice? It takes a lot to build a world, and I had so many things to introduce—characters, politics, technology, history, what's normal for this world and what isn't, different races and cultures. I went into it with the goal of trying to introduce everything as organically as possible. I wanted to introduce people to the world by showing it. It takes a lot of thought and care in figuring out where to put information and what's necessary. I've found that, at times, a simple passing line or a certain image can tell a lot about a world.

I've read many posts and articles about tackling the difficulty of world building. Thanks for your "organic" advice! It's very similar to sprinkling backstory into a plot.

I'm looking forward to reading it! But others already have, check out these 2 reviews, by

Donna and Tyrean

Here are all the links for Laura's fabulous new book RESISTANCE!

Kindle at Amazon

Nook at B&N

Smashwords

Goodreads

ALSO in Paperback!

so many questions!

I wanted to do a Writing a Book post today since I'm so far behind, but I figured I'd better fulfill my tag obligation before I get tagged again! 22 questions is plenty! I tried to be brief...

Thanks, Theresa! Here are her questions and my answers =)

1)     Favorite Book & Why? A SPELL FOR CHAMELEON by Piers Anthony because it transported me to a place where magic was real and ignited my love for reading as a teen.

2)     Favorite Movie & Why? I have so many! I love good sci fi for the excitement and adventure like STAR WARS OR MATRIX and funny romantic comedies that make you feel warm and fuzzy with a happy ending like HOUSESITTER and FRENCH KISS

3)     Hobby other than reading and writing? words w/friends & scramble with my sons, movies, planning trips!

4)     Dream Vacation? Australia & New Zealand

5)     If you could have dinner with one person living or dead who would it be? of the moment, Tim Tebow but I'd have to be able to bring my sons! Of all time, Billy Crystal - he's hilarious!

6)     What would the conversation consist of? every day life, personal motivation, fun stories!

7)    What would you eat? Steak and shrimp =)

8)    Desert Island three items what would they be? (I’m running out of questions) bug spray, sun screen, unlimited power supply and internet access w/ laptop

9)    Favorite place to write/read? anywhere quiet and not too bright (like me, ha ha)
10)  Most embarrassing moment? white shorts, long sweaty car ride to camp with my friend. nuff said.
11)  If you had the opportunity to go back in time and change one thing would you? And what would it be? no point, I might change too many things that I'm happy about now!

And thank you, Scarlett for your tag questions!

1. If your life were a book, what would it be titled? From Wild to Mild

2. Tell us a favorite childhood memory. Going to the pond near my Aunt Gloria's house and catching pollywogs with family. Loved it!

3. Is there a time limit on fortune cookie predictions? no. and interpretations may vary.

4. Name three lessons LIFE has taught you. *get into good habits early, training yourself later is HARD! (eat right, exercise, etc), * less drama = more happy, * dream big and turn failures into stepping stones! (pouting is a waste of time)

5. Oceans or Mountains, and why? Both are nice to visit, but I'd take a pool and a massage to go with them!

6. What makes you smile? my sons' accomplishments =) (and feedback!)

7. What would you dare to do if you knew you could not fail? write songs, fly a helicopter

8. Do you believe in ghosts? What about Muppets? not really and yes

9. What is your favorite thing about yourself? relating to teens and teaching them (they make me feel younger =)

10. Given three wishes, what would you wish? jobs for all, selfless politicians/leaders, respectful attitudes

11. What is the one thing you could not live without? air

Here are the folks I'm tagging (hard to find 11 people who weren't tagged recently! and if you were, oh well! still fun =)

Lynda K Young

Kelley

Heather Day Gilbert

Cherie

Laura Marcella

Nicki Elson

Emily King

Huntress

Christine Rains

Erin Summerill

M. S. Hatch

Here are my questions:

1. What is the first movie you went to without a chaperone?
2. Where/Did you go to college?
3. What is your favorite spice?
4. What is your favorite hair/eye color combination?
5. Do your initials spell anything?
6. What is your favorite animal? (be specific)
7. What is the character trait you admire most in a person?
8. What are you afraid of losing when you get older?
9. What is your favorite character's name that you chose?
10. Describe your favorite weather in a sentence - make us feel it!
11. Describe your favorite dessert - how does it taste?

My favorite part was making up the questions. Can't wait to read your answers - and even if you didn't get tagged, answer a few anyway!

Have a fantabulous weekend! See you Monday for Laura's book tour! and Tuesday for Alex's! and Wednesday for my blurby 300+ follower contest!

It's rough and chilly

It's Sensational Haiku Wednesday by Jenn!

Drafts

Cool air tingles skin
Makes me shiver, goosebumps form
Who left the door open?

~ ~ ~

Draft of chilly morn
Whispers hints of coming day
Possibilities

~ ~ ~

Life is a rough draft
Taking chances, risk mistakes
Trial and error

A Gift from the Heart

My Man

Man of action

High expectations

Gives max effort

Demands nothing less

Man of leadership

Respected coach

Motivator, instructor

Sought over the rest

Man of family

Provides abundance

Disciplines with love

For us wants the best

Happy Birthday, B!

Kick start Monday - Fade to Orange

Shadows crept across the wall through the skylight, the lone window of the dim lab. Kellian had only two hours to come up with a cure or Victor would exile him to Siberia.

He was no babysitter. Foolish, spoiled boy. He told him not to touch anything. Kellian glanced at the unconscious, orange six-year-old hellion. Innocent in sleep.

As Kellian stirred one more possible solution, Victor burst in with his two thugs. Early.

“What have you done?!”

“I told you this was no place for a child! I turned around for one second and…”

“No!” Victor rushed over to his son.

“I am working on an antidote. But what he drank should not have affected him this way.”

“You drink it!”

“But how will I…?”

“Drink it!”

Kellian shook his head. No use arguing. He should have studied computers. He picked up the flask of orange liquid.

“Wait! I know what happened.”

Victor smiled. “Drink it.”

“But…” Victor knew too. Kellian’s shoulders sank. He drank it.

As he fell to the floor, grasping his throat for air, nose bleeding, the devil child sat up and laughed.

Kellian’s eyes found the photo of the beach he longed for and everything faded.

So that was Rachael's first campaign challenge, hope you liked it!

Now I must tell you all about some upcoming events...

• Monday, 2/27 - I hope you will stop by as I am hosting Laura Josephson and helping with her RISING series book launch!
• Tuesday, 2/28 - Alex's release party!
• Wednesday, 2/29 - Blurb me! I am celebrating you all, my 300+ followers. Drop by and leave me a few words about your latest WIP and win DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth!
• But Rachael has a bigger list of things to do here

Numbers don't lie

I was able to visit about half the blogs during the Origins blogfest and here are the results of my random sampling:

According to the numbers, most of you all knew you were writers early on. The funny thing was that the pivotal age for the majority was 2nd or 3rd grade! I was playing school and with dolls and exploring the woods behind my house at that age. Writing was work to me! One of my favorite writing memories was a sign I made for a pretend beauty parlor, "Tara's Beaty Saloon!"

Don't forget to come back on that special day, Feb 29 to help me celebrate knowing over 300 of you with a blurb about your WIP (or you!) as an entry to win DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth! [PS - Auntie Tara is waiting for your short stories =) ]

I leave you with my first published poem (for Cafe Del Sol ezine). Have a great Presidential weekend!

Spider Woman

by Tara Tyler

There was a young woman that lived in the city.

She had so many bugs, and it was a pity.

When in the morning she turned on the light,

The creepies would scatter and give her a fright!

She opened the cupboard and wished it was bare,

But low and behold there were crawlers in there.

Tiny ants on the counter, giant ants in the hamper,

No matter how much she cleaned, she felt like a camper.

One day she awoke and could take it no more.

“I’ve had it!” she cried and slammed shut the door.

The bugs were so happy, they thought they were free

from that silly young woman that never would be

courageous enough to swat even a fly.

But those bugs were in for quite a surprise.

The door burst open and what did they see?

There she was with a cage and a key.

The buggies had hidden as soon as they saw her,

And wondered what new treat she would offer.

She set the cage gently onto the floor

and used the key to open the door.

“Come on out,” she called to the bugs.

“I’ve got something you’re going to love!”

So the bugs creeped and crawled from their hiding places,

from nooks and crannies and very small spaces.

Was she making friends? Could it be true?

Bugs aren’t very bright, if only they knew.

“GOTCHA!” she screeched and squealed with delight,

as a giant spider leapt into sight.

He was strong he was quick he was almost like lightning.

Those bugs couldn’t escape, they were very frightened.

“Serves you right, you moochers and loafers!

You’ve eaten my food and left gifts in my toaster!

No more will you scare me and make me upset,

It’s your turn to be scared, I’ve got a new pet!”

That's Love

Thanks for all your love yesterday! You all melted my snow!
To keep with February's theme, here is my Sensational Haiku Wednesday offering on love.

That's Love

When the qualities
you once adored bother you
but you stay, that's love

When kids disobey,
talk back, make faces, then cry
"I'm sorry," that's love

When you give and give
until you're too weak to move
then give more, that's love

I have a lot of catching up to do, still visiting folks from the last 2 blogfests! Must take tomorrow off!

Is it getting hot in here?

Happy Valentine's Day! To celebrate today I joined in a romantic blogfest.

I'm not big on writing romance, or much for reading it either. But I did pick up a steamy Steampunk Romance on recommendation and I've been reading it for many months. It sits in my car waiting for me to finish it while I wait for my kids at practice, or here or there. I chose an excerpt from it to share. Here is my contribution to the "It's getting hot in here" romantic blogfest from STEAMED by Katie MacAlister.

"I'm going to kiss you, Octavia Emmaline Pye."

"You may refer to me as Captain Pye, and I decline your offer," I said, a bit breathless, to be true. I wasn't normally aware of my corset, it being as much a part of me as my shoes were, but just being so close to Jack seemed to not only strip the air from my lungs but leave me with the sensation that my corset was laced several times too tight.

"Your mind says no, but your body says yes," he said, gently persistently tugging me closer to him. I swayed into him, my fingers curling into fists as I fought the damnable attraction.

"My body is confused. Pay it no mind," I said, my gaze focused on his mouth, a few inches from mine. Somehow my hands had moved from where they were trying to shove him away, to sliding around his ribs, outrageously pulling him closer to me.

"Your mouth says yes, too," he said, his lips brushing mine as he spoke.

I stared deep into those mismatched eyes, searching for a sign he was trying to deceive me, but there was nothing there but honest desire.


That's enough. A playful tease. And thanks for all the great responses to yesterday's origins blogfest. My results will go up Friday as I'm still gathering data.

KSM - The Start of Something

Today is a day of beginnings.

A lovely group of blogger buddies is encouraging us to share our writerly Origins. I am going to approach this fest analytically (I am a math teacher after all) I plan to visit as many as I can and tally how many of you all started your writing journey as:

• youngsters, 0-tween
• teenagers, 13-19
• young adults, 20-35 or
• oldies but goodies, 36+

I never got into writing at school, though I do remember a few writing assignments I enjoyed. My true start to writing began when I was a young adult. My friends and I experienced so many crazy adventures in the fabulous city of Hotlanta, I had to write a story about it. When life got too busy with marriage & kids, I filed away my story, temporarily.

As my kiddies grew and didn't need me so much anymore, I pulled out my story & finished it. I researched online how to get published. Why not? That is when I found out what I had written was undesireable Chick Lit and in terrible form!

I have learned so much since then and written another novel which I've been editing my butt off. Editing is like raising children - as soon as you conquer one challenge, another comes up. But I think I'm getting close to seeing my baby graduate!

Looking forward to reading about your roots in writing!

I will post the results of my data collection on Friday!

Don't forget about the "It's getting hot in here" blogfest tomorrow <3
And for all you campaigners out there, the first challenge is Wednesday, 2/15!

TGIF - Adrenaline and the 80s

Two fests today! Which do I address first? Which do I save for last? Nobody cares, as my son would say.

I will go ahead and wrap up the “I’m hearing voices” blogfest with a short shot of serious emotion. Can you guess what it is?


People can pop across the world in seconds, but elevators still take ten minutes to rise eight floors. That punk better not beat me up the stairs.

Finally the doors slid open. Cooper peered into the hall. Clear and quiet. He held back from sprinting to his room where he dropped his bags and kept walking. At the stairwell door, he waited and listened.

His heart pumped faster as clumsy footsteps approached on the cement steps. He forced his eyes to stay open, straining not to blink, staring at the knob. He had to catch his pursuer when he opened…

The knob slowly turned. Cooper licked his lips. Not yet.

The door inched toward him. He held his breath.

In one smooth motion, Cooper reached in, grabbed the guy’s arm, and shoved him back into the stairwell against the wall.


And now for the fun part! “I’ll tumble 4 ya” 80s blogfest! Who was your 80s crush? I had 2 noteworthy crushes in the 80s. Such innocent times. When cell phones were huge and so was the hair!

(from wikipedia.com)

Celebrity crush – C. Thomas Howell. The Outsiders! While y’all were Jones-in’ on Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise, and Matt Dillon or Emilio Estevez and Ralph Macchio or maybe even Patrick Swayze, I liked C. Thomas Howell. I’ve always been different.

Real crush – Steve Lerro. Two years older than me, he was a modern day Cary Grant. Charismatic, larger than life and a goofball. Swoon! Just before he went to college, I even dated him. Best two months of my teeny bopper life!

Looking forward to some good crush stories from you guys.

These fests were fun and educational. Thanks for reading!

PS, if you are looking for a CP, Apathy's Hero Crit partner blogfest starts today!

Mrs MacAdoo Goes to Post

Here is my short story for Auntie Tara's February prompt. I know it's a busy month, but if you have time and an idea for the prompt "secret admirer" go for it!

Mrs. MacAdoo Goes to Post

“There, there, Winnifred. Mummy will be back soon.”

Mrs. MacAdoo pet the cat as it arched its back and hissed.

“Ooo. See a mouse, do you? Go for him!”

The cat ran off.

“Silly cat. Never catches a thing.”

Mrs. MacAdoo walked outside with a carefully wrapped parcel and her green umbrella. You never can tell about the weather.

At her mailbox down the walk stood the postman.

“Hello, Charles. Lovely day.”

“Yes, Mrs. MacAdoo. Off to deliver a parcel?”

“How observant of you, Charles,” she said with a raised eyebrow. “No junk mail today, please,” she added, pointing her umbrella.

“You know I can’t tamper with the mail, Mrs. MacAdoo.” He smiled and ducked.

“Ah, well. Must be off.” She opened the gate smack into his knees and the postman fell on his rump.

“Oh, Charles. You should be more careful,” she said and passed by him.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. MacAdoo!” her neighbor called.

“Hello, Mrs. Canopy. How is Melvin?”

“Recovering quite nicely. Thank you for asking.”

“Excellent news, my dear.” As Mrs. MacAdoo walked on, she waved her umbrella which brushed a tree, causing a bird to fly out and into Mrs. Canopy’s window. Quite a squawking ensued.

Mrs. MacAdoo reached the bus stop just in time. She got on and searched her purse for the fare. When she found a coin, she aimed for the slot.

She missed. The coin rolled under the driver’s feet. Mrs. MacAdoo got down on hands and knees to find it.

“It’s okay. Just leave it.”

Mrs. MacAdoo got up, smiled and put it in the slot.

The driver sighed. Mrs. MacAdoo took a seat next to a spikey-haired young man and rambled on to him about the dangers of drugs, until she noticed she had missed her stop. She stood up, pushed the button, and knocked the lad under the chin with her umbrella.

The bus driver gladly let Mrs. MacAdoo out.

When she reached the post office, there was a long line.

“My, this parcel is burdensome,” Mrs. MacAdoo said.

“Marvelous! You should go ahead,” the lady in front of her said into her phone.

“Why thank you. How nice.” Mrs. MacAdoo stepped ahead of her.

“Excuse me. Do you have the time?” Mrs. MacAdoo asked the next man.

“2:15, Ma’am.”

“Oh, that will never do,” she said and poked the floor with her umbrella. But not the floor.

“Oww!”

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, Ma’am. Why don’t you go ahead of me.”

“Thank you, kind Sir.”

Mrs. MacAdoo continued in this manner, straight to the front.

“Ah, Mrs. MacAdoo. Another special package for Arthur?”

She blushed. “Yes.”

After paying, Mrs. MacAdoo left, with more commotion and outbursts in her wake.

“What an odd bird,” said the next customer.

“Sweetest lady. Sends a hand knit sweater to her neighbor every month.”

“Why doesn’t she just give it to him?”

“She is his secret admirer,” he said with a wink.

Between Brothers

A Dialog Only Intro, Day 2 in the "I'm hearing voices" blogfest!

Dawson: Hey, Bro. Why don’t you come up for a visit this weekend?

Cooper: I think I’m busy.

D: Right. Doing what?

C: Stuff.

D: Come on. Chelsea wants to fix you up. And this girl is poppin’!

C: Aren’t you a little old to say “poppin’?” And what does that even mean?

D: Eye poppin’ or something? I don’t know, but she’s gorgeous! You need to get out more.

C: You’re right. I’m going out right now. I have to hide behind a dumpster.

D: Oh, did the baker have some dough stolen? Ha!

C: Good one.

D: I know, sorry. But seriously, come up. The kids would love to see their Uncle Coop.

C: We’ll see.

D: That’s a yes! I’ll see you Saturday. Even if I have to pop down there and drive you myself.

C: What? No campaigning this weekend?

D: I got time off for good behavior. Don't even think about cancelling.

C: Fine. Just make sure you call first.

D: Right. See you then.

And today is also, Sensational Haiku Wednesday! topic - relief

My stress relievers

Reading a book, exercise,

Chocolate and smiles

Sons getting along

Not complaining, but laughing

Draws sigh of relief

Disaster relief

Compassion brings us closer

Donations from heart

Auntie Tara's Short Story Prompt - February 2012

Welcome to Auntie Tara's Short Story Prompt!

On the second Tuesday of the month, I offer a prompt of some sort or other to write a short story about. Thanks again to last month's participants: JA Bennett, Christine Rains, Keru (Manny), and Heather!  The wide range of stories blew me away - such imaginations!

To participate, here are Auntie Tara's requests:

1. put a link to your story in the comments
2. link back here to let others know about the challenge (feel free use the pic)
3. keep it clean =)

Prompt for February:
Considering the month, the challenge before you is to write a short story between 250 - 500 words about a SECRET ADMIRER.
Challenge ends February 29. I'll put mine up on Thursday. If I get at least five participants, I will offer a prize of a query or first five pages critique to my favorite story.

This is more for our benefit to get writing! I know this is a busy month for blogfests and campaigns, but I'd love to read your stuff! Results announced first week of March.

The Doctor is IN!

Time for the "I'm hearing voices" blogfest!

Here's the schedule:
Monday 2/6: Characters on the couch
Wednesday 2/8: Dialogue Introduction
Friday 2/10: Emotion Flash Fiction



This fest is really helping me develop my characters! Today I have chosen to put J. L. Cooper, the main character from my techno thriller POP TRAVEL,

On the couch…

1.  So, Cooper, let's get to the root of the problem. What is your biggest vulnerability and do you hide it?
Cooper: Vulnerability? Life. People. I guess it started with my fear of pop travel. See, I’m a pilot. I don’t trust laser teleportation. Five years ago I asked my wife to take a plane instead of popping and she died when it crashed. I’m a recovering alcoholic and don’t really care what happens to me anymore. Is that a vulnerability? And it’s no secret.

2.  I see. Does this cause people to assume about you?
Cooper: Not that I care, but most people who didn’t know me as a lawyer, assume I’m not too bright. Now that I’m a drunk and a private detective in a small town they think I’m a loser. Maybe I am.

3.  Let's get another's opinion. Who is your best friend? What does he think is your fatal flaw?
Cooper: My little brother, Dawson, is my best friend. He probably thinks my fatal flaw is that I don’t care anymore. He tells me all the time to move on, get involved in life again and meet someone new. Whatever.

4.  Good. He's a positive influence. What would he say is your most redeeming quality?
Cooper: My good looks. Just kidding. He asks me where my determination and drive went. I was a damn good lawyer. Persistent. And I have good instincts about people.

5.  Let's build on that. What do you want most and what lengths will you take to get it?
Cooper: My goal is to be left alone. But I did just pick up this new client who has a problem with pop travel. That’s worth looking into. I’d love to find some dirt on those pop travel executives. I helped win a case against the greedy SOBs when they started a monopoly and shut down all the airports. I don’t trust them and I don’t trust pop travel. I’ve got nothing to lose, so I guess I would risk just about anything to uncover the truth and nail them.

Very good. Our time is up. Keep your chin up, Cooper. Try to have faith in yourself and others.

Hope you enjoyed listening in on Cooper's session. How sane are your characters? What makes them tick?

Have you signed up for Rachael's mini campaign yet? It starts Feb 15!

A Shift in Schedule

February has been so busy, I haven't been able to properly acknowledge my milestone!

To celebrate and thank my 300+ blog friends, I am giving away a hardcover copy of DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth.

I want to know more about you and what you're working on, so...

On FEBRUARY 29TH

stop by and leave me a blurb (50 words or less) in the comments about your current WIP

(if you don't have one, you can just say you're interested in the contest)

A random draw will determine the winner

DIVERGENT is YA dystopia, parallel to Hunger Games in quality and intensity and kick-butt female protag.

Read Amy's review for more details about it.

And since I will be participating in the "I'm hearing voices" blogfest starting Monday, I am giving my news broadcast of upcoming events today!

• "I'm hearing voices!" Feb 6-10
• Monday we analyze a hard character to write
• Wednesday we use dialog only, between two characters to introduce them
• Friday we write a flash piece of the character experiencing an emotion
• But also on Friday, Feb 10, we have the "I'll tumble 4 ya" blogfest. We bare our souls of 80s crushes. Sa-weet!
• I know it's a busy month, but Tuesday, Feb 7 I will put up Auntie Tara's February prompt for anyone up for the challenge of writing a short story
• Origins massive blogfest is 2/13
• "It's getting hot in here" blogfest is 2/14

And I'm still looking for info on a mini Campaign, anyone hear anything? What are you up to next week?

Happy G Day!

Here's a Groundhog Day song I made up last year. And I'm still visiting & critting blogs from yesterday.
Hope you enjoy =)

Tres February

Welcome!

Lots going on for February 1!

Today is the Crit My Blog blogfest!

You can make comments on:

1. Appearance: Does it appeal to you? Is it too busy, or too plain?
2. Layout: Is it difficult to navigate? Is it cluttered, or sparse?
3. Frequency: Does the blogger post too often? Not often enough?
4. Content: Are the posts interesting? Unique? Are they focused, or all over the place?
5. Quality: Are the individual posts too long, too short, too sloppy, or too generic?

or anything else you think of, and leave them in the comments or an email to me at taratylertalks@gmail.com
THANKS! I will be out there critting too =)

And the Insecure Writers Support Group - meeting is in session...

This month, I question my talent. Some writers have a natural ability - I read it! Some have connections and land an agent via recommendation. And some just have the luck to find that special agent/publisher they click with. All these published authors have a wide range of talents. I keep telling myself I'll get my agent when it is my time, or I'll self pub. But as I wait, I doubt.

I wonder if I should be on this show, "You Can Do Anything!" a skit from SNL (with host Daniel Radcliffe). It was the inspiration for my IWSG post this month. (I actually embedded a video!)

Am I really good enough? Or are you all just being nice? Am I just a housewife filling a void? Is there room for all of us on the shelves? (or in the nook, kindle, ibook, etc) The real question is, Would you buy my book? I have a lot of good stories and I love writing them and want to share them. But when I read others' works, I feel inadequate. This community is so nice and encouraging, but is it real? Silence is the biggest negative. No comments. Do you feel obligated to say something positive? I admit I do sometimes. I hate hurting people's feelings.

I'm not going to give up because I love writing and love this community. I just wonder if I'll ever be good enough to get published traditionally. Guess that's why I will eventually self-pub, if necessary. My goal is not the money or notoriety, it's to entertain as many as will read my stuff.

Ever have those doubts? Do you think you have what it takes? I don't know!

And to summarize my point, here is this Wednesday's Sensational Haiku on craft.

The Writing Craft

Choosing words with care

It sounds wonderful to me!

You read and decide

Colorful comments

Of admiration with slight

Exaggeration

Encouragement felt

Now send off to critiquers

For the ugly truth!