Feeling Sorry For Myself :)

I feel like blogging has become kind of awkward for me. I think it's because I feel like I fell off the face of the blogging earth for a little while, and now I'm back, which is great, but I've missed out on so much and the blogging earth has just continued on revolving without me. I have no idea what's going on these days.

Like David Powers King has a book out now, I don't know how long it's been available for, but it looks really cool!

A lot of other people have stopped blogging completely, or taken long breaks like I have, and a lot of the old blogs I used to visit aren't active anymore. Some don't even exist.

For those of you who have continued blogging, I feel like I'm that one friend who disappeared for three years, and then came back expecting everything to be the same but now people hardly recognize me.

Basically, this is me feeling sorry for myself that no one is reading my posts anymore. My plot for world domination seems to have been put on hold for now, seeing that I barely have an audience, but oh well! I'm hoping that changes very very soon.

Anyway, I've signed up for the A to Z Challenge this year, and I'm really excited. Since the world has continued on without me, I probably don't need to give you a link for it, but just in case, if you haven't signed up for the challenge yet, you can sign up for it here: Blogging from A to Z April Challenge

Any ideas on what your A to Z Challenge theme will be about this year?

–Jess

NaNoWriMo... Let's Prepare (Pay it Forward)

NaNoWriMo is coming in less than twenty days and I can't believe how excited I am! Last year was the first year I did NaNoWriMo. To be honest, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. And now that I think back on it, I started my novel (which sparked me to write the rest of the story, start a blog, and become a writer) because of NaNoWriMo. Of course, I just started it to have some fun. I didn't know it was going to turn into an entire story.


Anyway, for the past few days I've been contemplating what to write for it. I've got tons and tons of ideas I could be using for NaNoWriMo but what the heck am I actually going to write for it? Starting a whole new novel is a little scary since I've only written one so far.


I'm considering writing my sequel. Because, the only reason I split my story into 2+ books is because the entire story in my head was too long. Not writing book two right away feels like stopping in the middle of drafting to me because the story isn't complete without the rest of it.


So because or despite your helpful advice, I'm just going to write what feels right. I'm going with book two. I know you're supposed to start a new book for it, so hopefully this isn't cheating. I'm still a little nervous though. Can I keep up with two parts of the same story at once? Will I be disappointed with the results? I guess we'll have to find out!


You're doing NaNoWriMo, right? What are your plans for the National November Novel Writing Month?


Have a great weekend!


--Jess


P.S.


I can't believe it, I almost forgot! If you haven't been there already, go check out David Powers King's blog because he's having a 400 followers celebration and is giving away books!


And,


I signed up for Matthew MacNish's Pay It Forward Blogfest just now and it's going all today so here are three recently discovered blogs:

1. Lyla Lee
2. Shannon O'Donnell
3. Cortney Pearson

Campaign First Challenge: Shadows

Hey everybody! Today I'm posting my entry for the First Campaign Challenge! (I know I'm a little late, but hopefully that's okay).

Here are the rules:

Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words "The door swung open" These four words will be included in the word count.

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), use the same beginning words and end with the words "the door swung shut". (Also included in the word count.)

For those of you who want an even greater challenge, make your story 200 words EXACTLY!

So here I go, EXACTLY 200 words!

Shadows

The door swung open. Fear began to crawl through her, turning her blood cold. The light of the moon shattered the darkness around her. Shadows spilled slowly into the room like suffocating tar. They had found her.

"Dara," they whispered. An electric chill shot through her. They would show her no mercy. "Dara," they called again.

Her stomach twisted inside her, as if trying to escape. She breathed deeply, hardly making a sound. Her hands were shaking. He betrayed me. She closed her eyes remembering him. He told me it would be alright. A pang of regret hit her. And he lied. She tried hard to keep her fear under control. When she was sure the shadows were gone, she stood. Moonlight was still shining through the open door. Taking a step forward, the old floor creaked beneath her. She cursed under her breath. Something shot across her vision.

With a horrific screech, the shadows returned. Her heart stopped dead at the blood chilling sound. She could feel the breath of darkness on her skin. With sickening realization, she knew she couldn't escape. She tried to scream as terror swept through her. Darkness enclosed the room, and the door swung shut.


--Jess


P.S.
If you really really like my post, go here and click 'like' under my name to vote for me! (I'm #235!) And I was inspired by David Powers King's post yesterday to write it in a POV that I'm not used to... I usually write in first person, present tense, so this was quite a change for me!