Month: November 2015

Secretary Daydreams

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Today’s challenge was to recreate a day – or, more challenging yet, an hour – in the life of, well, anyone, I suppose. I took the opportunity to write another short story. Below you’ll find an hour in the life of Abby Dunleavy, bored secretary. I hope it’s entertaining. 🙂wind

Skiing is great fun, if you know what you’re doing. I, of course, had no idea what I was doing, and was positive that the bunny hill I was careening wildly down was really a black diamond.

“Snowplow! Snowplow!” my best friend Janey yelled.

My head snapped left, then right, then dead ahead. “Where?!”

The bottom of the hill was rapidly approaching, as was the parking lot.

But the phone rang before I could crash into a parked car. I snatched the receiver out of the cradle before the first ring had finished and sighed. “Arnold Rowan and Scates, this is Abby. May I help you?”

I half listened as…

The Runaway Princess

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Adrina begged every deity she could think of to keep her safe as the storm raged outside. She prayed that the waves would not find her, but her pleas fell on deaf ears.  The gods stood watch as the waves crashed against her door, one after another, seeking her in every nook and cranny till they found her at last.  When she could fight them no longer, the waves dragged her away, sobbing, and back to the sea she went, back to her father the king, back to her home and the punishment she knew awaited.

(c) 2015.  All rights reserved.

Ten things I learned from The Mighty Ducks

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Today’s Writing 101 topic was to critique something that you’re passionate about, and since I’m passionate about my ’90s nostalgia (and since Bubbles wanted to watch it last night), I decided to review one of my favorite childhood movies, The Mighty Ducks.  All three movies in this series are fantastic; I’ve watched the first two (because we didn’t have the third one) so many times that I have them memorized.

And now, without further ado, here are ten things I’ve learned from watching The Mighty Ducks:

1. Sometimes the gentle approach is the best.  Soft hands – concentration, not strength.

2. It’s never too late to try again.  If Coach Bombay can try out for the minors at the end of the movie, then you can do anything you want.

3. A simple fraction can make a world of difference.  A quarter of an inch to the left and little Gordon’s puck would have gone in…but a quarter of an inch the other way and it would have missed completely.  It’s all about perspective.

4. Don’t quack at the principal, unless…

If we were having coffee…

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coffee…I’d tell you how much I’m looking forward to having a day off.  Not that it will happen any time in the near future, but hey – a girl can dream.

…I’d tell you that I’ve only got twenty pages left of The Price of Mercy to rewrite.  I can’t believe I’m so close to being done with this draft.  Now if only I weren’t taking half-hour lunch breaks the next two weeks… 🙂

…I’d tell you that it truly boggles my mind to think that Thanksgiving is only a week and a half away.  Wasn’t it just January last week?  Where has 2015 gone?

…I’d tell you that I need a nap.  Badly.  Anyone know where I can get the time for that? 😀

…I’d ask how things are going with you.  After all, it’s probably been way too long since the last time we caught up.

What about you – if we were having coffee, what would you have to talk about?  Tell me below!

(c) 2015.  All rights reserved.

The Party

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Today’s challenge was one of observation, of interaction. But I chose to write about a lack of interaction, and I hope you enjoy it.

It was supposed to have been a party. All the usual trappings were present: food, friends, music, gifts. But no one was dancing; no one was eating. The gifts sat unopened on a table, ignored by their recipient and forgotten by the guests.

The music was too loud for the room and it hurt my ears. It didn’t need to be so loud; no one was talking. I found it odd that amid a sea of people I could feel so completely and utterly alone, like a star in the sky, one of many, yet completely solitary.

Every hand, every eye in the room, was glued to a screen, transfixed by the glow, and it would take an act of God to separate them.

Have you ever been in a similar situation? How did you react?

(c) 2015. All rights reserved.

If I had more time…

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…I would actually get some writing done. 🙂

…I would even get those bookmarks designed that I need for next week.

…I would probably get my office completely organised.

…I would train myself to stop spelling things the British way.

…I would perfect my photography skills.

…I would brush up on the flute.

…I would learn to speak Spanish fluently (cuz I’ve forgotten most of what I knew).

…I would read all the books I own from cover to cover at least once (but probably more).

…I would travel.

…I would finish that degree I started thirteen years ago.

…I would take up piano.

And if I sat here thinking for long enough, I’m sure I could double the length of this list. 🙂  How about you – what would you do, if only you had the time?

(c) 2015.  All rights reserved.

Bound by Prophecy now available!

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Today I’m excited to share the book release of a fellow Iowan!  Read on to get the scoop on Bound by Prophecy, available now on Amazon, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, and Goodreads!

About Bound by Prophecy

Amelia Bradbury is finally free from Queen Julia and Cresthaven, but she isn’t safe yet. The Keeper power runs rampant inside her and it will take an ultimate act of selflessness to contain the darkness that threatens Amelia’s sanity and the future of the Immortal race.

Aidan Montgomery refuses to give up on Amelia. Once she’s rescued from the Keeper’s hold, he intends to prove his love is more than a side effect of the prophecy, even if doing so leads him away from his pack and on a journey that will irrevocably change them both.

When the past and the present collide…

A letter to my son

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Today’s Writing 101 challenge was to reinvent the letter.  The last letter I wrote was to my husband when he was away for work, so today I decided to write a letter to my son in the future.  He may not be a man yet, but he will be one day, and I hope that, on that day, he’ll read this and smile.

leiabowsDearest Bubbles,

My goodness, how quickly you’ve grown!  It can’t be possible that you’re a man now, instead of the tiny little baby I brought home from the hospital.  Surely that was only yesterday?

Oh, who am I kidding?  It was last month.  I knew I should have tied that brick to your head sooner. 🙂

When I look at you, I still see the happy little boy you used to be.  I suppose I probably always will, no matter how much taller than me you are.  I hope that someday, you’ll have a house full of happy little boys (and girls?) of your own, but first, some advice: