Monday's writing prompt for the first week of June is: Asking for. . .
There will be another prompt on Wednesday and Friday for you to write on and participate in the writing prompt contest.
Have fun and grab that reader's attention.
This week's Book-A-Week Challenge is "The Keys to the Vault - A Caroline Baker Adventure" by Jim Colombo.
Caroline Baker is having a day like no other in Jim Colombo’s The Keys to the Vault.
While playing hooky from her job as an independent soybean trader at the Chicago Board of Trade, Caroline is approached by a man looking for a lift into the city.
As they are driving to his downtown office, the stranger makes another request: he needs her help in retrieving a sensitive file from his office. Caroline agrees and easily collects the file, filling the rest of her day with bathing suit shopping, fending off attempted purse snatchings and giving a philandering boyfriend the boot.
It is only after this very long, very strange day that Caroline finally opens the mysterious file. Its contents will not only spring unlucky-in-love Caroline into the romance of a lifetime, it will plunge her headlong into an international adventure with the fate of the entire international banking system at stake!
To find out more about Jim and his writing, visit www.strategicbookpublishing.com/thekeystothevault.html
To order a copy of the book go here http://tinyurl.com/nhj4yk or click the Amazon link in the scrolling Book-A-Week ticker on the left of the blog.
Don't forget - there will be an interview with Jim posted next Sunday so mark you calendar and stop by to tell Jim how much you enjoyed his story or ask a question.
The month of June is writing prompt contest at http://deniserobbins.blogspot.com/
Each week during the month of June, Denise will post a new writing prompt on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Your job as readers and writers is to post your creative writing in response to those prompts.
Rules: (not many)
1. The prompt is always the beginning of a sentence. Example: In the mirror. . .
Your creative writing response has to start with the prompt provided at the beginning, and let it take you from there.
2. There is no limit in the amount you write and post for others to see except that it has to be at least 1 paragraph.
3. Yes, if you want to win, you have to participate by posting your creative writing response in a comment. Emailing Denise (which many people do and she appreciates it) will not count. You want others to see it and respond, say how much they enjoyed it and see how everyone comes up with something completely different.
4. To be considered for a prize, you have to respond to all 3 prompts posted in that week no later than Saturday evening.
5. The most important rule is to have fun and make whatever you write grab the reader's attention.
What happens at the end of the week?
At the end of each week, Denise will announce the winner for that week. Remember, you have to respond to all 3 prompts for that particular week.
The prize is a "You don't say no to girls. . . who do it and write about it" T-shirt and a copy of IT HAPPENS IN THREES.
That's a chance to win a book and a T-shirt each week during the month of June!
Have fun and thanks for participating!
Reminder: Sunday morning we'll post an interview with this week's Book-A-Week Challenge author Ellen Dye, author of Three's the Charm. Stop by tomorrow to check it out, leave a comment, and tell Ellen how much you enjoyed her book.
To find out more about Ellen and her books visit her website at http://www.ellendye.com/. Remember, an interview with Ellen will be posted next Sunday!
Next week watch for Jim Colombo's The Key's to the Vault - A Caroline Baker Adventure in the Book-A-Week Challenge
http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/TheKeysToTheVault.html
Reminder: Sunday will be the book drawing for an autographed copy of It Happens in Threes. If you haven't sent Denise an email telling her you want to read her book, you have a few hours left.
Step right up and name that hero!
As you know, I have this story for book number 5 going off in my head and in the various writing prompts that I post and you write to. At the moment, I call it the "Pink Undie Story." The real title will hit me when I actually get to focus on that book.
In the meantime, if you hadn't noticed, I have yet to name the hero, the cop who got caught wearing those pink undies. The heroine is Jane and will remain Jane. For some reason her name just fits.
The hero. . .his name has not popped out and hit me yet, and said, "My name is. . ."
Here is the contest part. From now until Saturday, post a comment back and make a suggestion as to a name that I should use for my hero. I
f you want to know more about him, read some of the previous writing prompt posts. The name cannot be Michael, Max, Lucas, or Jake. Those are my other heroes.
The name needs to be very strong, especially after the guy gets caught wearing girl's panties.
What do you win?
Hm. How about an autographed copy of IT HAPPENS IN THREES and a You don't say no to girls T-shirt.
Hurry though! You only have until Saturday!
I will announce the name and the winner on Saturday evening. Good luck!!
Whew! I just finished the edits for my publisher on Killer Bunny Hill! Yup, I am doing the happy dance!!
My apologies for not keeping up with the blog in the last week, but hopefully with the edits done, I can now go back to writing my WIP, and the Writing Prompts. I plan on writing those tomorrow.
In the meantime, I am actively reading this week's Book-A-Week Challenge novel, Three's the Charm by Ellen Dye. If you haven't read it, it's not too late. Follow this link to Amazon http://tinyurl.com/otrrst or go to http://www.wildrosepress.com/.
Visit Ellen's website http://www.ellendye.com to lear more about her other works. Remember, Sunday, we will post an interview with Ellen so be sure to stop by and drop her a note.
Enter enter to win a chance at a FREE copy of IT HAPPENS IN THREES
05/25/2009 - 05/30/2009: DRAWING for an autographed copy of It Happens in Threes Send an email to Denise that says "May Book Drawing" in the subject and tell her why you want to read her book. One winner will be drawn at Random.
Good luck!
Tuesday's Creative Writing Prompt: The only female in the room. . .
This should be an interesting starter phrase. Would love to see what some of the guys write fro this one!
I will work on a response to Friday's prompt and get that out to you as soon as I finish the edits on Killer Bunny Hill. Fingers crossed that will be today.
In the meantime, work on this prompt and if you haven't started read this week's Book-A-Week Challenge, Three's The Charm, you better hop to it. Ellen Dye's interview will be posted on Sunday and she wants to hear from you.
If you have not purchased it yet, follow this link to Amazon http://tinyurl.com/otrrst or go to http://www.wildrosepress.com/.
Blurb:
Heath Ransom is educated, successful, a brilliant Doctor of Veterinary Medicine---and completely miserable. In the process of making himself amount to something---a feat no Ransom ever achieved in Trenton's Forge, West Virginia---he'd managed to lose the only person who made his life amount to anything, his wife, Rachel.
And now he's home and determined to stop at nothing to win her back.
But Rachel has some very firm opinions where her ex-husband is concerned---and no way will Heath, with his golden-blonde, ruggedly sexy good looks change any of them. She'd vowed never to speak to him again, and that was that.
But when her beloved horse falls ill and Heath is the only Vet within three counties of West Virginia mountains Rachel begins to learn that some vows need to be broken.
And perhaps, others are meant to be renewed.....
To find out more about Ellen and her books visit her website at http://www.ellendye.com/. Remember, an interview with Ellen will be posted next Sunday!
Next week watch for Jim Colombo's The Key's to the Vault - A Caroline Baker Adventure in the Book-A-Week Challenge
http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/TheKeysToTheVault.html
Book-A-Week Challenge Interview is with Carmen Shirkey, author of "The List"
First, let me congratulate Carmen on being named the winner in the Romance category of the 2009 Indie Book Awards for "The List"! Woot!
And thank you for participating in our Book-A-Week Challenge and participating in the interview.
Post your comments and questions to Carmen and On with the Interview:
What motivated you to write this book? Your first book.
I’ve enjoyed the written word most of my life. Thank goodness for the verbal section on the SAT, or my University of Virginia dream would’ve been shattered. J So I always have ideas – for songs, for books, ect. I actually asked a screenwriter friend of mine if she’d be interested in THE LIST for a movie script. She told me that it was too happy for her (she likes to kill characters) so that I should write it myself. So I did – with the motivation of National Novel Writing Month (nanowrimo.org) in November. I wrote it in one month, and spent the next three years editing.
Are the experiences in the novel based on someone you know, or events in your life?
The book is definitely fiction. However, the old adage “write what you know” definitely helped. For example, there’s a breakup scene that is almost word for word one that I lived through.
One reviewer of the book said that she was almost sure that I had exaggerated the dating scenarios, and that they were a bit unbelievable. Sadly, all of them were dates I had.
And the friend character of Monica, she’s my best friend in real life. Her words are taken out of context, but she said almost everything I wrote. I couldn’t even change her name, because the character was so real.
Do you have a specific writing style?
Honestly, I don’t think about it. It’s like in high-school, where they would ask us in English class “Who’s the Christ figure in this book?” I almost always thought “Really? I don’t think they sat down and planned it out like that,” but maybe they did. I don’t. The words come to me when I sit in front of the computer, and they usually come out in a sarcastic, smart-ass way.
If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
I would say that I think I’m closest in style to Janet Evanovich, but I don’t want to copy anyone. I want to be my own writer. I also admire Jim Butcher and his Dreden Files novels. The best writer on the planet is Joss Whedon (writer of the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” show, “Firefly”, “Dollhouse”, “Toy Story”, etc.). He’s a genius, and if anyone ever even said my name in the same paragraph with him (or just on the same day), I could die happy.
What are your current projects?
Currently, I’m still trying to get people to read THE LIST. However, an agent recently suggested I take a walk on my dark side, so I’ve just started a new, more fantasy-like, darker, possible-romance. I’ve only got 3500 words so far, and I’m still developing the story, so I’m scared to lock myself in by giving you the details. I’d like some reviewer down the road to call it “Buffy meets Dresden meets a cute bunny” or something like that.
What makes your story unique?
Here’s the thing – I don’t think my story is unique. I find in talking with my readers that a lot of women – and men – have a list of qualifications for their husbands/boyfriends/dates/S.O.’s. I think that’s why it resonates with people. However, I’d like to think that the way I’ve TOLD the story is unique, with a sense of humor and a light-hearted flair.
How do you come up with your story ideas and your characters?
Nobody believes me when I answer this, so I don’t know why I continue to look like a crazy person, but I dream them. Honest. I keep a notepad and recorder by my bed so when an idea rumbles about in my sleepy brain, I can write them down and get back to sleep. Sometimes, I can’t read my handwriting the next day, but I’m SURE it was a great idea.
When do you find you are the most creative or write the most?
I’m most creative in the wee hours of the morning (or late hours of the night, depending on how you look at it.) Thus, the dreaming of ideas. However, my brain is constantly running, and if I can sit down in front of a computer and put my fingers on the keyboard, it’s pretty much a guarantee that something will pop up on the screen. Now, it may be crap, but it’s something.
Who came up with the book cover for THE LIST? Why?
I hired an illustrator to design the cover illustration. I had posted an ad and hired another illustrator, but this guy Danny, he applied anyway and sent me almost the image pulled right out of my head. So I paid him, too, and used his illustration. I wanted the girl to look like me (but skinnier), and be wrapped in her list so she was almost constrained by it (the moral of my story.) I used read for the title, because I saw a study that said red is a color that makes readers buy impulsively, and the blue gradient is there because blue is my favorite color, and makes the red “pop.” How’d I do? Do you like it?
Did you have a list?
I get asked this a lot, and the answer is yes. I had a list. My list was a lot longer when I was in my early 20s, had whittled down in my late 20s, and in my 30s, I realized that my list included a lot of things that were negotiable. So, I narrowed it down to the most important 10 things, and that’s when I found my favorite guy. J People also ask what was on my list, but a woman needs to keep some mystery going, don’t you think?
Summary of THE LIST
Candace Saunders is a single, 30-something with a 50-item list of the qualities she wants in a man. She meets two suitors – one earns lots of checks on her love itinerary, the other is the anti-list. As she falls for (which one?) she wonders, can perfect be put on paper?
Marketing Information:
Romantic Comedy
Purchased on:
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/buythelist
Blog: http://thelistbook.blogspot.com/
Follow Carmen on Twitter: @carmenshirkey
BIO:
Carmen Shirkey was born in Staunton, VA. She received her degree in Rhetoric and Communications from the University of Virginia (she’s a crazy Wahoos fan) where she was also a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority. She then proceeded to become a gypsy – moving from city to city. Currently, she resides in VA, but who knows where she’ll turn up next. Her cat, Pooh Bear, would prefer to stay in one place so he can adequately mark his territory.
Aside from writing, Carmen’s passion is for travel. She once got a fortune cookie that told her that she would “step on the soil of many countries,” and she took it seriously. She hopes that enough people will buy her book so she can go on permanent vacation, instead of packing all her travel into two measly weeks each year. That’s the amount of vacation time she gets in her full-time gig as a Web editor.
I need a little street sign help.
A writer friend of mine, Gina Leuci, takes pictures of street signs. Not just any street sign, but signs with people's names on them.
What is cool about this is that she does this so people like me can have a picture of a street sign with the name of my character on it. Obviously that is only one reason. Also, it is better than stealing a sign and hanging it in your house. Yeah, I knew a couple of colleg guys that did that.
The way Gina does it makes it art. Especially, after I get the ones back she has already done all framed up very nicely for my office with a green mat that matches the sign color.
You're wondering why is Denise telling me thes and what does it have to do with her asking for help. Here it is. I have a character in my third book, CONNECT THE DOTS, whose name is Charley. Gina has not found a street sign with the spelling of Charley with the "ey." We need your help, please!
While you are driving around to run errands or goingto visit family and friends, you may drive by a "Charley" street sign every day and not pay any attention to it. Well, we need you to pay attention to it.
If you see a street sign with the name "Charley" printed on it could you please take a picture of it and email it to me. Or, if you see it in New Hampshire, email me and we can take a picture of it.
Either way, I would very much appreciate it. That is the last one I need to complete the names of my characters for all three books.
I'm working on number and the names are Lucas and Maggie (Margaret).
To find out more about my artistice friend, Gina, checkout her website at http://www.ginaleuci.com/.
Cab Writing prompt response.
Sorry for taing so long, but here is my stab at Tuesday's creative writing prompt.
The cab pulled up. . .
The cab pulled up in front of the curb and Jane’s stomach bottomed out. Seeing the yellow vehicle reminder her that she had to leave her car behind at the burnt out Starbucks for crime scene investigation.
Not only had she left her car behind, but she had been hauled to the police station for question. Like she was some nutso that bombed the coffee shop. She stepped through the glass doors, squinting at the bright sun high in the sky. “Do I look like a criminal?” she murmured, moving toward the cab.
“You look pretty shady to me.”
The deep voice came from behind and sent involuntary shivers down her spine. Before she could react, a strong hand brought her up short. Jane glanced down at the fingers gripping her forearm. Her gaze trailed upward and paused at the broad hard-muscled chest she remembered seeing naked only two nights ago. She licked her lips. Swallowing the knot of lust, Jane continued until her eyes met his steely-gray ones.
“Going somewhere?”
Calming her rapid heart, she reclaimed her arm and stiffened her spine. She would not let desire interfere with her anger. “Home.” Jane pivoted away from the detective.
His hand landed on top of hers at the same time that she grabbed the door handle to the cab. Before she knew it, the cab took off. Without her.
Mirror Writing Prompt for Friday is not a Snow White reference.
Today's writing prompt has to do with driving. In her rearview mirror. . .
Have fun with this one and try to make it suspenseful!
I'm running a little behind on stuff this week thanks to getting my first techno article out there and then I received the edits for KILLER BUNNY HILL. I will be sharing my Tuesday writing response later today so look for that.
Don't forget, Sunday the interview with Carmen Shirkey, author of The List will be posted so stop by before or after your BBQ and leave a comment.
Author of The List, Carmen Shirkey posted and interview with Denise Robbins on her blog at http://thelistbook.blogspot.com/. Stop by and leave a comment.
Come back here on Sunday to see an interview with this week's Book-A-Week Challenge author Carmen Shirkey and leave your comments. If you haven't read her book yet, go to http://thelistbook.blogspot.com/ and order it today.
Romantic Techno-Thriller
So, you're wondering what that is. Good. It is a mix of technology and romance.
What do computers have to do with romance?
Besides online dating? Could be everything!
Thanks to a push from author Jessica James http://bookexposure.blogspot.com/ who suggested I write an article that discusses technology and some terrific article ideas from my publisher's loop http://www.lldreamspell.com, I wrote an article this weekend that revolves around how I combine computer technology with romantic fiction. This is my brand! Only took me a year to realize what that meant, but now I get it. Woot!
You see, all my novels are a mix of some kind of technology, romance, and suspense. I'm going to coin my brand as "romantic techno-thriller." To read the first article around this subject, please click this link to see the published article on http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Your-Antagonist-Can-Antagonize-Your-Protagonist&id=2363497
Let me know what you think!
Midweek of Book-A-Week Challenge and we're reading The List by Carmen Shirkey.
How do you like Candace so far? Have you had similar dating experiences? Share them here! Or share them on Sunday when we post an interview with Carmen.
THE LIST by Carmen Shirkey was just named the winner in the Romance category of the 2009 Indie Book Awards! Woot! If you have not ordered your copy, get it now at http://tinyurl.com/otogrg
Next week's Book-A-Week Challenge title is Three's a Charm by Ellen Dye. To order your copy of Ellen's book go here http://tinyurl.com/qsbb7l
It's Tuesday and time for another creative writing prompt.
Reminder: Each week in the month of June we will be having writing contest. A new writing prompt will be posted on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. To participate, you have to write a response to each of the writing prompt posts with your own creative writing. At the end of each week on Sunday, we will announce a winner. The winner will receive a T-Shirt and a copy of It Happens in Threes.
In the meantime, you can warm up with the ones I post on Tuesday and Friday of each week.
Today's prompt is: The cab pulled up. . .
The only rule is to start your blurb with those four little words, and make whatever you write a real attention grabber. Have fun and share what you create!
Book-A-Week Challenge Reading List
Good morning!
Just wanted to let you know that I have updated the Book-A-Week Challenge book widget to the left.
This week we are reading THE LIST by Carmen Shirkey and was just named the winner in the Romance category of the 2009 Indie Book Awards! Woot! If you have not ordered your copy, get it now at http://tinyurl.com/otogrg
I have added to the Book-A-Week Challenge another book Three's a Charm by Ellen Dye. To order your copy of Ellen's book go here http://tinyurl.com/qsbb7l
Keep watching. The list will change as I add more authors. Speaking of which, if you have a book and want to have it added to the Book-A-Week Challenge then email me. I would be happy to include it and post an interview of the author.
Last Friday's Morbid Writing Prompt was: At the funeral. . .
My response:
At the funeral, Maureen stood at the graveside peering down at the casket covered in flowers as the preacher’s words slid numbly by her. Was she responsible for his death? She lifted her head and gazed around through tear-blurred eyes at the other solemn faces. Or was one of Jimmy’s friends and colleagues? Even if one of them had pulled the trigger, was she the underlying reason someone had killed him?
He should have listened to her. The night she complained that she heard something or someone in the lab, had not been her imagination. The robot knew it. Maureen shook her head. That was ridiculous. The robot knew what it had been programmed. But she knew. Someone had been snooping around their project and the sensitive work they were doing.
Jimmy must have too. Otherwise, why would he have changed his will and made her the sole heir when they weren’t even married? Married? They hadn’t even been engaged thanks to the shooter.
Where was Lucas? He was here, hiding, observing. Damn! She would hate him to be right, for one of these people that she had worked with for almost a year to be a killer.
She glanced at each one of the faces of her team. Everyone was there except Daniel who was also dead. Had quiet, sweet Daniel been involved in Jimmy’s murder or had he been an innocent bystander who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? And what was up with him and Jennifer going to work for the competitor? Did they not have any loyalty to a man who brought them into the government project?
Jennifer. Maureen looked straight across the six-foot deep hole at the woman who had been Jimmy’s longtime girlfriend and the lead engineer on the team. She stared into deep blue eyes that met hers head on. Why did she not get a sense of this woman, a flash of something in her mind to let her know if Scottish Jennifer with her funny accent and hard gaze was a murderer? If she had been involved, she should have known. No. She would have known.
Tearing her gaze from Jennifer’s, she eyed the rest of the attendees. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Besides the team members, there were a few government officials, but not everyone on the morphing robots project attended. On her left, stood some of Jimmy’s college buddies and friends. A movement to her left caught her eye and she turned her head in that direction.
Leaning against a tree was Robert Sacks, the owner of Robotics FX and Jimmy’s main competitor.
What was he doing here? She snarled silently. Where was Lucas? Did he see Robert? The preacher’s voice seeped into her mind and she returned her attention to the sleek, shiny casket and its flower-laden lid. Taking the preacher’s cue, she bent at the knees, picked up a handful of dirt, and tossed it on top of Jimmy.
“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” Don’t worry Jimmy, I’m safe and I will catch your killer. That’s a promise.
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