Archive for the 'Dance Jam Productions' Category

June 16, 2010 | Dance Jam Productions,Road Trip Wednesday,The 4-1-1 on Me,Writer Moment

Road Trip Wednesday is a “Blog Carnival”, where YA Highway‘s contributors post a weekly writing or reading-related question and answer it in on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody’s unique take on the topic.

You’re more than welcome to participate! Just answer the question on your own blog, and leave a link to it in their comments.

Topic #33: When/why did you start writing?

I started writing in the 7th grade. Me and a friend had just eaten lunch and were bored, so she suggested we write stories. I agreed. I don’t remember if she finished her story or not, but I didn’t want to stop. I wanted to keep going, so I did. By the time I reached high school, I knew my target audience was going to be teens. Back then, I was a bookworm, never rocked the boat at home, and crushed from afar. I lived vicariously through my friends. And boy, were their lives like soap operas. LOL. “You better watch out or you’re going to end up in one of my books” became an ongoing joke between us. And, actually, my best friend did end up in my second book, so I guess I really wasn’t kidding about that. LOL. The cool thing about this writing gig is that for all the people who’ve done you wrong, can now end up in your books as the victim. And all the guys you crushed on from afar, who never even knew you existed, can be the love interest.

Truthfully, I think I was destined to be a writer even before 7th grade. I didn’t have imaginary friends, but I did talk to myself when I was younger. A lot. If I was playing a game with a friend and it required me to be on the phone or something, I would have the best conversations. Seriously. Or if I was playing by myself, I’d have long, drawn out conversations in which I would play both parts. LOL. To this day I still talk to myself, but it’s more of a “figuring things out aloud” type of situation than when I was a child. When it starts that young, I think it’s a sign of creativity. Don’t you think?

Technorati Tags: Road Trip Wednesday, YA Highway

June 6, 2010 | Dance Jam Productions,Life in General,Sunday Scribblings

Today’s word of the day is brought to you by Sunday Scribblings: Mess

This is an excerpt from DANCE JAM PRODUCTIONS, avail now.

***

“If we’re still going to continue to be partners in this contest, I’m going to have to explain something to you. You have no right to judge my situation when you don’t know all the facts and you sure as hell don’t know anything about Tykota.” She pointed an accusing index finger at him.

Jarek nodded, instantly contrite. He’d overstepped his bounds. He wouldn’t be surprised if she kicked him out, never to talk to him again. He wished he could take the words back, knowing he had broken the already fragile bond between them. He would have to bust his butt to get back to where they had been before he’d opened his big mouth.

“You’re right. I don’t know anything about him and I shouldn’t have said what I did. I apologize,” he said sincerely.

Mattie searched his face for a long moment. “Apology accepted,” she said.

But he knew nothing would be the same. At least, not for a while. She was still wary, probably wondering why she had told him anything in the first place.

“So help me understand,” he pleaded, hands out in supplication.

Mattie glanced at her watch, gave Judah a warning command, stood up, and started moving to the doorway.

“I think we’ve said enough already,” she murmured softly.

Apparently that was his cue to leave, so he got up to follow her. His gaze ran over her, taking in the braid that no longer fell to her waist, but now rested between her shoulder blades.

“Mattie.”

She paused and turned to him. Suddenly she felt so old. Old and tired.

“I don’t want to argue anymore, Jarek. And I don’t want you to be mad at me, either. It’s going to be hard enough to concentrate on this contest after spilling my guts to you, and we can’t afford any mess-ups on Friday. So how ‘bout a truce?” she suggested, holding out her hand.

Technorati Tags: Sunday Scribblings, DANCE JAM PRODUCTIONS

April 21, 2010 | Dance Jam Productions,Sunday Scribblings,The 4-1-1 on Me,Writer Moment

Today’s word of the day is brought to you by Sunday Scribblings: Wonder

This is an excerpt from Dance Jam Productions, available now.

…His face was just as unforgettable. A mischievous grin that started on one side of his mouth revealed straight, white teeth when the grin became a full-blown smile. Black eyebrows arched over green eyes that reminded Mattie of the waters of Maui, and his chiseled jawbone was reminiscent of a young Pierce Brosnan. The gorgeous gene was definitely swimming around in his genetic pool. He ran a casual hand through his hair, making Mattie wonder if it was as soft as it appeared. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as he slouched down on the couch and stretched his legs out before him. Sliding a section of hair behind one ear, he lazily flipped through the pages of a Dance America magazine. Mattie froze in her chair when he looked over at her for a long moment, before returning to the magazine in his hands.

Technorati Tags: Sunday Scribblings, Dance Jam Productions

April 1, 2010 | Dance Jam Productions,Draven Atreides,Draven Atreides, Teenage Informant Series,Life in General,Secrets and Kisses,Sunday Scribblings,The 4-1-1 on Me,Writer Moment

Today’s word of the day is brought to you by Sunday Scribblings: Alchemy

So, I looked up the word.

Seriously.

I’ve heard of it, but have never ever heard anyone use it in a sentence. LOL. It’s such an old-fashioned word. Who would even use it in today’s society? So I looked it up and liked the second definition:

a power or process of transforming something common into something special

I would use this definition to describe what I do. I transform something common into something special. Miz Rinda Elliott, I think this needs to be on a shirt.

The Writer’s Alchemy: We transform something common into something special.

You make it, I’ll buy it.

When I was young, I used to talk to myself. I used to have long, in-depth conversations. No, I didn’t have an imaginary friend. No, no one ever answered back. And no, the conversations were never two-sided. I don’t remember what the conversations were about, but I bet they were damn good. It all starts with an active imagination.

My first book, Secrets and Kisses, is a twist on one of my favorite 80′s TV shows, 21 JUMP STREET.

My second book, Dance Jam Productions, is 50% reoccurring dream and 50% real-life. Once I wrote it, I stopped having the dream.

The main character from my YA series, Draven Atreides, Teenage Informant, is based off of my then 16-yr-old-now-20-yr-old niece.

Writers are a unique breed of people who utilize our own brand of alchemy. We take bits and pieces of this and that and Poof! Voila! Abracadabra! a full-length novel appears once the smoke clears.

Yeah. I’m diggin’ it.

Technorati Tags: Sunday Scribblings, Rinda Elliott, Secrets and Kisses, 21 JUMP STREET, Dance Jam Productions

February 13, 2010 | "Whoa whoa I gotta go...back to schoooool...again",2nd Semester,Book Stuff,Dance Jam Productions,Draven Atreides,Draven Atreides, Teenage Informant Series,Life in General,Nonprofit Explorations,Prescott College,Random Thoughts,School Daze,Secrets and Kisses,Spring 2010,The 4-1-1 on Me

If it seems like I’ve been MIA from the blogosphere and only posting a couple of times a week, it’s because I’ve been up to my hairline in school stuff. I realize it’s been a while since I’ve done a Weekend Wrap-Up. For a while it’s because there wasn’t much going on on the weekends. I should get back to that, seeing as how this weekend should be blog-worthy. Although, New Years was blog-worthy, too, and I didn’t blog about that, either. Go figure. So, let me catch you up on what’s been going on.

I was taking three classes, but then dropped the Modern Fiction course at Rio Salado. I guess I wasn’t into is as I thought I’d be. I figure I’ll take up a Creative Writing course at a later date. I’ve also been working on a community project for one of my other courses (which I’ll officially announce on Monday) and that’s overshadowed just about everything. That assignment involved a powwow with my BF and grew into something worth “squeeing” about.

I knocked out one of my New Years Resolutions last month by joining a gym: 24 Hour Fitness. I’m currently taking 2 dance fitness classes a week and let me tell you: that first class was. A. Killer. The 24Dance is on Monday nights at 530, so I basically go there straight from work. It’s all different types of dance—salsa, jive, hip-hop, bellydancing, etc. Seeing as how it was my first time, I didn’t stretch out. And paid for it two days later. By the time the Zumba class rolled around on Thursday evening, I was no longer sore. Of course, that comforting thought ended after an hr in that class. I could barely walk the next few days. Everything hurt and my body was saying things like “Ohmygodohmygodohmygod. Stop. Moving.” But I was sleeping good. Sleeping like the dead. And I had more energy. Now, a month later, I think my body’s gotten used to the high-intensity-heart-pumping classes and I’m no longer sore. Ar least, not as much as I used to be. I think I may be even losing some weight.

In the midst of all this, I tried to join a writing accountability group. “Tried” being the key word because I only did it for 2 weeks. This group was going to help me balance my writing life with my real life. We posted daily goals each week, but by the second week, I was already starting to see a pattern: 1) I would forget was I was supposed to be doing each day and 2) When I was supposed to be concentrating on writing DA3, I would think about something I had to do for school. During this 2 week period, I was feeling a little depressed and was carrying around this…raging anger. I was holding all this in and it was affecting my interactions with my manager at work.

The group itself wasn’t making me feel this, by no means. Part of it, I’m sure, was because of Auntie Flow’s Monthly Visit. The main thing was that I had inserted something new into my life and it wasn’t working. Once again, I was getting overwhelmed. My writing felt forced. I needed to take stock. Even though I was excited and hopeful about being a part of this group, it was just a case of wrong place, wrong time.

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Technorati Tags: 24 Hour Fitness