Archive for the 'Secrets and Kisses' Category

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.

(more…)

Technorati Tags: 24 Hour Fitness

January 26, 2010 | Book Stuff,Life in General,Secrets and Kisses,Sunday Scribblings,Writer Moment

I normally post this on Sundays, but was feeling a little under the weather to do so. Therefore, it’s going to be “Tuesday’s” Scribblings for today.

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

This is an excerpt from Secrets and Kisses, on sale now.

“You can’t─you can’t what?” she sputtered hoarsely.
I flushed again, thankful that my sunglasses gave me a semblance of protection.
“I’m not about to repeat it. What part didn’t you get?” I uttered between motionless lips.
I didn’t know why I was acting like this. No one could hear us, unless that someone had a long-range microphone, but I wasn’t about to get paranoid. This was only a minor setback. It could be fixed. I watched as Ellie shook herself out of her shock and carefully set her bagel on its wrapper. She rubbed her hands together, removing crumbs, then pinned me with a “Let’s get down to business” look.
“Let me get this straight. You don’t know how to kiss.”
“No…yes…I mean─”
“It’s a yes or no question, Sky,” Ellie broke in.
“No, it’s not a question because you didn’t ask me anything. It was more like a…verification statement.” I just made up something.
“Okay. Then tell me this: Do you know how to kiss?”
“Yes,” I answered, then nibbled on my bottom lip nervously. “Sort of.”

Technorati Tags: Sunday Scribblings, Secrets and Kisses

December 13, 2009 | Book Stuff,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: BRAVE

Since I had so much fun doing it last time, I’m going to do it again. Here’s an excerpt from my first book, SECRETS AND KISSES, using the word of the day.

“You look absolutely hot, Skylar. Your dress is totally amazing.” Kedren said the last word as though he’d been running in a marathon.

Blushing, I glanced up at him and flashed him a quick smile.“Thanks.”

Hot. Was that better than gorgeous? I asked myself.

“You look…pretty handsome yourself,” I reciprocated. Handsome was a major understatement, but I wasn’t brave enough to use the word delicious.

Technorati Tags: Sunday Scribblings

November 24, 2009 | Dance Jam Productions,Secrets and Kisses

My first two books have been reissued with new covers through a new publisher.

Secrets and Kisses and Dance Jam Productions are now available at Booklocker, Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com. They’re both available as eBooks at Booklocker.

(I really need to harrass my web person about uploading the new images)

Technorati Tags: Secrets and Kisses, Dance Jam Productions, Booklocker, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.com