Friday Flash: Changes

 

I've been considering a book two to Starred. It wouldn't be a true sequel, but it would be set after Starred with very minor characters being the main characters. Winter Stone is one of these minor characters who would have a major role in Played.

Changes

If I rolled up my skirt a little, then it would be short enough for my date with Nathan. But for now, Mom would freak if I left the house looking like a skank instead of her perfect little girl. I straightened the skirt until it nearly touched my knees and threw on a button-down shirt over my tank top. She’d never know.

My cell buzzed, and I snatched it off my white dresser.

U ready? Nathan texted.

I grabbed my brush and ran it through my bleach-blond hair. Blondes had more fun, right? I’d applied my mascara thickly, and it made the blue in my eyes pop. Why had I worn those stupid glasses for years again? I smiled at myself in the mirror and then puckered my lips, as if practicing for Nathan to kiss me ... and more. A girlish giggle bubbled from my throat.

Downstairs, the phone rang.

I texted Nathan back. Almost. C u soon. :)

A second later, he text back. ;)

I slipped my phone in my purse and slung it over my shoulder. The door knob felt cold in my hand as I opened my bedroom door. A glance back revealed way too much pink in my room. We really needed to do a makeover. I wasn’t that innocent girl any more. When I turned back, I bumped into Mom.

“What is ... it?” My hard edge faltered as I noticed the tears in her eyes. “Is Dad back with the car?”

She swallowed and her body trembled. Her hand clutched the door frame, knuckles turning white. “Winter, you need to sit down.”

I crossed my arms. “I don’t have time for this. I’m meeting Nathan.”

“No, you’re not.” Her voice cut into me.

I backed up. “Why?”

She entered my room and sank upon my bed. Her hands pressed against the bedspread. “Come. Sit.”

“I don’t have time for this, Mom.” I didn’t keep the whine out. Nathan was waiting on me, and if I kept him waiting, then he’d likely find some other girl to date. I started to head out the room.

“The police called.”

I paused mid-step.

“Your dad and Shawn were in a car accident.” Mom sucked in a deep breath. “Dead ... on the scene, the police said.”

I turned slowly to look at her. The tears poured down her cheeks and dripped upon my bed. I didn’t doubt what she said, but I couldn’t stop the rush, like a flooded river, roaring in my ears. My feet dragged me away from her, even as she called out. Soon I was running out of the house. I pulled my phone out to text Nathan: Pick me up. Please.

My hands shook, and it took five times to text him. I couldn’t be here right now. Anywhere right now.

Wednesday's Writing Update: Change in Plans

 

Happy Wednesday!

I thought I would briefly mention June's word count totals (7807 words) and pages edited totals (229).

Last week's IWSG post on re-evaluating goals has me continuing to re-evaluate mine. I've been trying to block in writing and editing into my day. Some days it works. Others Most, not so much. So if I don't respond to things as quickly, it is because I'm writing/editing. The fact is that I'm tired. My work schedule changes in the summer to earlier hours, so I've figured that I get 8+ hours less sleep a week during the summer. That really adds up! (136+ hours less sleep a week, or 5.7 days!) So I've decided to take a little more time to write Pull of Gravity, Nightmare Ever After, and Twelve Days of Foxwick. They'll still get done this year, and I'm hoping it's just a few weeks difference, but I think the slower pace will be best.

I've also decided to keep the Monday, Wednesday, and Friday blogging schedule through the end of the year instead of just the summer. Of course, it's scheduled to change, but that'll be the general schedule.

I've also changed my mind on my NaNoWriMo novel. I would love to write Paranormal Junkies, but I have four novels already written. I plan to revise/edit Starred August-December (hope to finish it by the end of October). That'll leave The Phoenix Prophetess, Virtuoso, and The Cassandra Project to rewrite/edit. Yes, those three need major rewrites. So for my NaNoWriMo novel, I've decided to re-write The Phoenix Prophetess. On Sunday, I finally figured out how resolve Part I's issues. It'll involve changes in Part II and III as well as elevating a minor character to have a more major role (i.e. Yssa needs a friend that isn't a boy). I'm also changing it from third person to first person point of view. By using NaNo to rewrite, then I'll have a better draft to edit come January 2013. Plus, my sister keeps begging me to get The Phoenix Prophetess out there. She insists it is the one and needs the book to come out, so they can start filming the movie. LOL!

So I'm off to keep working on Pull of Gravity right now. If all goes well, I should have the first draft completed by Friday. *crosses fingers*

What are you up to this Wednesday?

Wednesday's Writing Update: Stats, Goal Changers, and Cover Art Reveal

All links open up as a new page.

Happy Wednesday!

You can read my review of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games at Surrounded by Books Reviews. Plus my sister and I are going to the midnight showing of the movie tomorrow night! Yay!

I have February's stats.

Word Count: 7,511

Pages Edited: 217

I haven't sent anything out on submission in a while, so I have nothing out there to be accepted/rejected.

I have the cover art for Fighting Gravity finalized. Here it is, along with the description of Fighting Gravity. You can add this book to your Goodreads list here.

Forced into executing Aresia’s people, Phoebus escapes the Aresian Guard by flying his spaceship through a wormhole.

The only single woman of marrying age, Marissa flees her prospects of becoming Elder McGee’s third wife for a chance at freedom upon the New Atlantic Ocean.

When Phoebus’s spacecraft crashes upon an asteroid-ravaged Earth, he is captured by a rogue Earthling youth and thrown into a cellar. Marissa stumbles upon the spacecraft, but it explodes before she can find any sign of the alien. When she awakens, she discovers the alien’s whereabouts and vows to help him. They plot his escape when they learn Phoebus’s Aresians have landed and are searching for him. Phoebus and Marissa must battle against their despair and their peoples in their quest for freedom and love. And through it all, an Earthling and an Aresian will find it easier to fight gravity than their love for each other.

You can also add A to Z Flashes of Foxwick on Goodreads here.

If you click here, you'll see that I modified my 2012 Goals page quite a bit from the start of the year. Yeah, I was overly ambitious at the start of the year, and the only way I could've done everything I would've liked to do is either by giving up social networking (not happening) or sleep (definitely not happening). So I've had to modify it quite a bit and make it much more reasonable.

I've decided to focus edits on two books this year: The Phoenix Prophetess (I'd like to get the edits done by the end of June) and Starred (I'd like to get the edits done by the end of December, preferably by the end of October).

For NaNoWriMo, I plan to write Paranormal Junkies, a YA Horror novel.

I'll still have #fridayflash to write for the blog.

Then, the rest of my focus will be on some forthcoming self-published titles including: the last two books in the Gravity series, my short story collections (4 of them: A to Z Flashes of Foxwick, Women of Foxwick, Men of Foxwick, and Neighbors of Foxwick) involving the Kingdom of Foxwick, and the long-awaited sequel to Once Upon a December Nightmare titled Nightmare Ever After. I'm not sure if I'll get all the Foxwick stories done by the end of this year, but the others shouldn't be too much of a problem.

It'd be nice to get everything done before December, so I can take December off to read more and do some light writing. Of course, depending on time and everything else, this schedule in itself might change, but it's definitely more manageable, I think.

Have you decided to modify your goals before? Do you find yourself planning too much or too little?

Also, don't forget to sign up for my author newsletter. You'll get news before everyone else. I promise not to spam you. Plus, you will receive a free short story ("Magna's Plea") from the Phoenix Trilogy universe. Subscribe to our newsletter
 

Announcing Blog Changes!

First off, my friend Aubrie Dionne's Paradise 21 is now available. Go buy it! You know you want to.

Second, I'm trying to rewrite/edit a chapter every two days in Virtuoso through the month of August, so I'll be taking a blogger break on Knowledge Tuesdays and Personal Thursdays. I will still post Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (Promo, Writing Update, and #fridaysflash).

In September I'm thinking about starting Teaser Tuesdays, hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. I plan to do away with Knowledge Tuesdays and use the 1st and 3rd Thursdays for "Ask the Editor" and 2nd and 4th Thursdays for "Personal Thursdays." If there is a rare 5th Thursday in a month, I'll take off.

Also, there will be an announcement on Surrounded by Books Reviews tomorrow. It involves a blogfest and great prizes, so be sure to drop by there on Wednesday and see what's going on.

I hope everyone is having a good Tuesday!