Bye, Summer.

Well, here we go again.

Today is the first day of school for me. It's sad, because I've had such a fun summer! But now it's time to get back to work!

I'm really hoping to get a lot done during this school year, and I promise I'll keep up with blogging :)

So anyway, have a great day!

How was your summer?

--Jess

Interview with Tizzy

Hey guys, today I'm interviewing one of the winners of the monthly bloghop called The Knights of MicroFiction.  So everyone welcome Tizzy!!

Good morning, Tizzy!  I hope you've had an amazing week so far!

My first question is:  When did you know you wanted to be a writer?  And what's you're WiP about?

I've wanted to be a writer ever since primary school when an inspirational teacher suggested it to me.  My current WiP is a YA urban fantasy novel.  It's about a tribe of people that bond with spirits of various African animals in order to gain super-human abilities.  There's a lot of action and drama, a steamy romance and a bit of African mythology thrown in.  At the moment it reads like a cross between The Lion King and Heroes, and I'm having a lot of fun writing it.

What books have most influenced you?

I grew up on fantasy novels like The Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter, which has definitely influenced me to write novels with paranormal/fantasy elements and to enjoy world-building.  Lately I've been rather obsessed with dystopian novels like The Hunger Games and Divergent which feature kick-ass heroines, tons of action and a modern voice.

Ooh yes I love The Hunger Games and The Chronicles of Narnia!  The other two I really have to get around to reading... Lol.

Now, what is the most difficult aspect of writing for you?

I find it difficult to commit to a regular writing time, so sticking with a novel right until the end is hard, especially when self-doubt creeps in.  Too many half-finished manuscripts have been abandoned to the cobwebbed recesses of my hard drive because I lost faith in my writing ability.

Ah I know what you mean.  I've got about ten stories I've started but just never got around to finishing.

So what are your goals for the year?

My goals for this year are to finish the first draft of my WiP and start the first round of edits.  I'd also like to get into a more consistent blogging routine and read and review at least 24 books.

Wow, that's awesome!  I don't know about you but I'm a very slow reader.  So 24 books would be a lot for me!  Good luck!

How long have you been blogging and how has it improved your writing?

I've been blogging for about three years and the main thing it has helped me with is my self-esteem.  I used to be so afraid to share my poetry and stories with friends and even family for fear that it was no good, but starting a blog has helped me get over that and put my work out there for strangers to read.  Joining in with all the blogfests lets me practice my writing skills and gain valuable feedback from fellow writers and readers.  The blogging community is so supportive and their encouragement along with the awards and competitions I have won, has really boosted my confidence.

I completely agree!  And it's nice to know you're not the only one out there!

Anyway, what do you do when you're not writing?

Mostly I work in a pharmacy, but when I'm not popping pills (into bottles/dispenser trays, that is), I'm usually glued to the internet.  I enjoy visual sites like Polyvore and Pintrist where I can create mood boards and collages.  When I'm not online I like to read, dance, draw, play computer games and eat my weight in chocolate (but not all at the same time).

Is there anything else we should know about you?

I'm wildlife mad and generally prefer the company of animals to humans, so they usually feature predominantly in my stories.

That's awesome!!  Now unfortunately that's all the time we have today.

Thanks so much for joining us, Tizzy!  Good luck with all your writing and blogging!

Thanks for reading guys!  Go check out Tizzy's blog and congratulate/follow her!

Happy Wednesday :)

--Jess

KoMF Winners!

Good morning everyone!  Happy Friday!

I've got a fairly busy weekend planned, so hopefully I'll have time to get some reading done (which I've been neglecting recently.)

Anyway, today, Kathy and I are choosing winners for our monthly bloghop, the Knights of MicroFiction!

So, without further ado, the lucky winners are:

Tizzy

and

Roland D. Yeomans

Congratulations!

We'll contact you shortly on details for your interview :)

Have an awesome weekend!

--Jess

The Distraction

Monday's Knights of MicroFiction prompt was:

Your character is trapped in a space (of your choice).  All they have with them is a broken coffee mug, an unlit candle and a cell phone with a dead battery.  What happens?

Your entry cannot be longer than 400 words and we won't be taking entries after midnight on the 15th EST.

Little correction.

We won't be taking entries after 11:59pm on the 15th.  So, if you haven't posted and you still want to join in, you still have time!

Anyway, here's my entry:

The Distraction

Asha weakly lifted her head.  Every muscle in her body was either sore or bruised and she’d almost given up hope for escape.

Almost.

The prison bars before her were only an obstacle.  What really kept her locked inside was her mind.  Her mental strength wasn’t great enough to hope.  Not until now.

It must’ve been nearing five o’clock.  The guards were less interested in her and more interested in dinner.  No one admitted it, but clearly they weren’t equipped for a breakout.

Asha glanced up at the camera, keeping a constant eye on her in the darkness.  Now was her chance.

Her fingers found the dead phone in her pocket and she placed it on the lock to her prison cell.  She took a deep breath.  This had to work.

She glanced back up toward the camera, making sure it was still watching.  She could only hope the guards behind it were doing the same.  She took a seat in front of the broken glass from the coffee mug she’d mistakenly been given.  Her fingers quietly closed around a large shard and she directed it toward her pocket.

Now, she just needed to light the candle.  In the next cell over, she spied a few rocks.  If she hit them together hard enough, it might create a spark.

Carefully, she reached through the bars and tried to grasp one.

Damn it.

Just out of reach.

She tried again, stretching her arm farther than she thought she could.  Her fingers brushed the rock and she reached further.  The metal bars left tiny cuts in her shoulder as she relentlessly pushed on.

The large door on the other side of the room hissed open.

“Hey, you!” cried the guard.  “Stop right there!”

She laughed to herself.  Just on time.

She pretended to forget the rocks and rushed to the phone.  She lunged for it but the guard was too close, now.  He snatched it from her reach and backed away.

“You turned your cell into a bomb?” He asked, impressed.  “Too bad the batteries are-“

She threw the shard of glass and it pierced his throat with a sickening squelch.  He toppled over, his body convulsing a few times before going still.

She reached for the keys on his belt, smiled bitterly then unlocked the door.  Mission complete.

***

Yeah, mine's on the longer end of flash fiction, so I hope you made it all the way through.

Anyway, if you still want to participate, sign up on the linky list below!  And make sure to check out the other entries :)

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

--Jess

Knights of MicroFiction Prompt #6

Alrighty, time for Knights of MicroFiction again!  

The Knights of MicroFiction is a bloghop hosted by me and Kathy at Imagine Today on the 15th of every month (except April, because the A-Z Challenge makes things crazy!). We came up with it as a way to meet new friends, help build the blogging community and (hopefully) spark your creativity!

Today, the prompt is:

Your character is trapped in a space (of your choice).  All they have with them is a broken coffee mug, an unlit candle and a cell phone with a dead battery.  What happens?

Your entry cannot be longer than 400 words and we won't be taking entries after midnight on the 15th EST.

Sign up on the linky list below and Kathy and I will each choose a winner by the 17th.  Link to your blog.

So.

Who's ready for a challenge!!??



Happy Monday!!

--Jess

Green Bay, Wisconsin and the Bookstore

Today is day six of our Wisconsin trip.

We're in Green Bay right now, and let me just say it's all about football.  At least where our hotel is (which is right outside Lambeau Field).

So while my dad was in business meetings all day yesterday, my mom, my siblings and I all took a nice trip to a pretty Botanical Garden.  So here's a few pics from there:

And then, we got to see a Green Bay Packers practice routine!  Now let me just say, I'm not a football fan.  Like, not at all.  I'd much rather read and write and draw or do something artistic.  But I have to admit, seeing a professional team up close, was pretty awesome.

And after the practice, we had a late night dinner at Lambeau Field.  We had the Wisconsin specialties:

Cheese Curds

And Beer Cheese Soup.

And then of course we had desert, which was an amazing Cookie Skillet Sunday, but we ate it too fast to be able to take a picture ;)

Today we've just done some relaxing... and more relaxing... and went to Barns & Noble.  It's sad, but I have to admit I haven't been to a book store in quite a while.  So when we went today, it was a thrilling experience!!

It was amazing seeing so many books by authors I know!

It was so cool.  And of course, I couldn't leave without convincing my mom to support two of the authors we know and love!

Yep.

I FINALLY got those two books which I've been wanting to read FOREVER.  (Or at least since they came out lol).

Some Jedi Wisdom:  Hearing about fellow authors' books is cool.  Seeing their books for yourself in a bookstore... that's just awesome :)

HAPPY TUESDAY!

--Jess

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

(Screenshot on my iPhone of our location)

Right now, we are in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin!  It's the first time we've ever been here, so here are some pictures I took :)

Breakfast table shot :)

Cute restaurant called Sopra we ate at.  The food was amazing!!

View from upstairs at Sopra (through a glass :)

Oh, and the giant spider that had a huge web on the window.

Outdoor pool at the Resort, at night

And, I'll leave you with these three beautiful pictures of the view from the outdoor pool balcony :)

Have an amazing weekend!

--Jess

P.S.

Heading to Madison, today!

Insecure Writers Support Group

More and more, I'm insecure about the relationship between blogging and writing.

And, I'm having issues balancing the two.

Some weeks, I can really keep up with my blogging schedule, but others, it's much harder!  Last week, I felt like I'd stayed inside a shell.  The only day I posted was Monday, which is pretty bad for me.

Sure, I got tons of editing done, but I also have a responsibility to you guys!

I can definitely take on the task of doing both.  I think I started this blog sometime in August last year, so if I've been doing it this long, I can surely continue.

I guess my problem is that I don't always know what to post about.

I'm a person with little experience in anything, moreover writing.  What could I possibly have to say that would be of use to all of you?

What would you guys like me to post about?  What do you want to hear?

Happy Wednesday!!

--Jess

P.S.
Sorry I'm posting so late.  I'm in Wisconsin right now, and we had to drive 8 hours today, so I'm exhausted!!