Six Sentence Sunday – 04/29/2012 (Howling Moon)

I do not own the rights to the photo/art, but thought it was very cool and fitting.  Okay, so I haven’t posted anything for Six Sentence Sunday in awhile and felt like it’s a good time to revisit my Howling Moon (click for the previous six sentence Sunday entry from Howling Moon).

The wet mist splashed across her face, she raced through the damp forest dodging, jumping, sliding under slashing limbs, broken branches and collapsed dead ends.  Dying greens, vibrant oranges and violent reds filled her path the forest was becoming dark even on the brightest of days with each passing sunrise the forest sacrificed to the birth of winter.  The ground under her feet moist and soft from days of rain and the air chilled with the hint of snow in the near future but none slowed her progress.  The taste of fresh blood and flesh on her tongue wet her appetite for more; her heart hungered for another hunt.  A hunt of a different sort, the chase of a prey just as dangerous as she, ached for the adrenaline rush of pure brutal violence.  The blood lust given only from pain as her heart raced and her mind questioned her reasons.  

Five Sentence Fiction – Your Choice (Shiver)

Five Sentence Fiction – Your Choice (Shiver)
She watched the blood trickle from her thin fingers; the adrenaline rushed from her body as a shiver crept up her exposed body from the cold night air.  She had forgotten the thrill, the pleasure of unhinged violence, after all Witness Protection frowned upon murder by those under their guardianship. 
It had all happened so fast, seeing Victor with his two mammoth bodyguards in the farmers market nearly two thousand miles from her past life and the thought even crossed her mind they were there for her.  She was almost disappointed he didn’t recognize her from the start even with her strawberry hair and no make up but all he cared about was what was hidden in the tight jeans.  It wasn’t until she removed her shirt revealing the scar he himself had given her years before, he spoke her lost name in a different tone, “Jenika”.
For more Five Sentence Ficition check out Lillie McFerrin’s blog!

Five Sentence Fiction – Armor

Five Sentence Fiction –  Armor
Anthony sat on the bench, fighting his emotions, with his own mind and heart everything seemed to be against him.  Storm clouds rumbled over head as he tried to steady his trembling hands, he could not remember the last time he slept or even ate.  The armor ripped from his heart and poured out into a hand written note.  He stood and crossed the small distance to her door step pulling the flower from its place inside his jacket.  He set the blue lily on her doorstep giving one last long look at the delicate flower, the flower covered most of the envelop with everything he ever wanted to say inside. 
For more Five Sentence Fiction check out Lillie McFerrin’s blog.

Five Sentence Fiction – Tears

Five Sentence Fiction – Tears
Sean placed his hand on the pocket of his shirt and like each time before it brought a smile to his face knowing it was still there waiting.  His forehead was soaked from the rushed three mile walk, his eyes swollen with unwanted tears as he reached his destination, their spot where they had come so many times before.  He took a seat on the large flat rock over looking a thirty foot drop, the tears no longer waited as he pulled their picture and a necklace from his pocket and whispered, “sorry.”  The sun had crossed from sight as he struck the match and watched as the picture burned between his fingers, a long sad smile on his face.  He looked over the edge of the cliff one last time; he could no longer see the bottom for conquering shadows as he dropped the necklace into the dark…
 For more Five Sentence Fiction, check out Lillie McFerrin’s blog and all the amazing writers who contribute to the prompt.

Lucky Seven

I was tagged by Breeana Puttroff
Here are the directions:
1.          Go to page 7 or 77 in your current manuscript
2.          Go to line 7
3.          Copy down the next seven lines (sentences??) as they are – no cheating
4.          Tag 7 other authors
I plucked my seven sentences from my steampunk novel the Ulysses, which I’m currently trying to edit into something readable.
Always with a smile on his fat bearded cheeks as he made unusual faces at the child in an attempt to make her smile.   
            Gareth was the opposite of his companion in almost every way; over ten inches taller at 6’6 long shoulder length dark silky hair seemed clean despite his job aboard the Ulysses.  “Good evening ladies,” his voice was deep and reassuring with a hint of an unrecognizable accent, he had given the two of them only a momentary glance with his dark brown eyes caused her to smile.  Tanned skin and freshly shaved face highlighted his strong muscular jaw and the only time she had seen him smile was when he knew he was being watched.  In his mid to late thirties, in peak physical condition, it was hard not to notice he wore a shirt a size too small and the ships circulated wind pushed at the unbuttoned shirt.   
            “Evening gentleman,’ Mia replied with a slight bow, one Sophia intimidated before she took her seat.  The two men raised their cups with a smile, wasting no more time before they returned their attention to what looked like their second serving of food. 
 
  1. Lillie McFerrin
  2. Angie Richmond
  3. Jo-Anne
  4. Anna Meade
  5. Brewed Bohemian
  6. Daniel Swensen
  7. Donna McNicol

Five Sentence Fiction: Scorching

Five Sentence Fiction is a prompt started by LillieMcFerrin, check out a wonderful interview with Lillie over at Bullish Ink.  Some much deserved attention to a great writer, editor, and friend. 
Five Sentence Fiction:  Scorching
Madisontook each step as gentle and careful as the one before, avoiding the broken glass, burnt wood, and melted objects of a former life.  She pulled the mask away from her face she could still smell the smoke on each strand of her dyed white hair and in each stitch of the loose fitting clothing she had been asleep in when the alarm brought her to life.  She knelt pulling the half melted leash from the black ash, her hand clinched into a fist around it even though she knew Max was safe with a friend now.  Her heart raced, tears began to swell in her already red eyes as she released a silent curse.  Hotter than the fire which took her home, the anger burned through her knowing who had done this and she fought at the smile on her lips.  

22 Things

So for the past few years I’ve been big on making lists for goals and etc.  And the past year it has become an even bigger habit as I have tried to make some changes to my life and the lists help.
So here I am, with another list.  Angie Richmond has started a new challenge to list 22 things, small things that you can do now to help change your life.  And here is my list:
  1. Paint – It has been far too long, I used to do it all the time but any more I use any excuse not to do it.
  2. Draw/Sketch – Pretty much the same with painting.
  3. Run the extra mile
  4. exercise more
  5. Care less on what others think
  6. take a chance
  7. confess my thoughts more often (will probably lead to less over thinking)
  8. Blog more
  9. eat healthier
  10. Plot
  11. take more photographs
  12. Edit.
  13. try different/new foods
  14. Make the call, instead of texting/tweeting/facebook (I hate talking on the phone so it’s a big deal, always worried I’m interrupting)
  15. Travel.
  16. Visit places I’ve been putting off going
  17. get back to a regular writing schedule
  18. take a compliment without deflecting or thinking they’re just being nice
  19. don’t be so hard on myself
  20. believe if something is supposed to happen it will
  21. Read something different outside of my normal tastes.
  22. –coming soon

Six Sentence Sunday

Just like last weeks Six Sentence Sunday, this weeks is brought to you from my current work in progress (well it is what I’m working on when I’m not editing).
Cadrala’s long dark hair was pulled from her mud covered face, in only her boiled leathers, her true armor hidden in the under growth so it did not slow her speed.  She waited in her spot beside the thick oak; the sound of heavy steps reached her long before she saw the first rider atop his large black stallion.  There were more than she had expected, nine in all, each wore their large black helms with horns stretching to the sky, black aged leather armor over their chests and long flowing black cloaks whipped in the cold breeze.  She had second thoughts, her plan was surely suicide, their thirsty long blades, and spears still caked with blood from the battle days before.
She held her breath as each past her, none giving so much as a glance in her direction, two long steps is all she needed.  Jumping from the embankment, knees pulled upward as they landed into the last rider’s chest pushing him from his position on the horse, just as her dagger found the soft flesh under his chin.

What are you reading?

If I disappear for a few days or even a few weeks, I know where you can find me.  I’ll most likely be somewhere rocking back and forth, cursing George R.R. Martin’s name….or incoherently mumbling (no comments from the peanut gallery). Season 2 of the HBO series Game of Thrones is coming up soon (April 1st) (trailer below)…
…okay, only had to watch that twice before I moved on to finish this blog.  The second season is based on the second book of the ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ series, Clash of Kings.  I finished Clash around the second week of February as I wanted to read it before the series came back to screens.  Part of me wanted to read it so I wasn’t utterly shocked (and throwing things at the television, okay, I might not have went that far but know people who did) when something unexpected happened.  So I know the surprises coming up in the second season (not to mention a couple of true ‘wtf’ moments that the audience will be talking about the next day).
When I finished the second book I made myself an agreement, I would avoid the third book until at least after the end of the second season of the series…  Fast forward to Friday, after work I found myself at the local bookstore (sadly it isn’t much but the only one around)…and A Storm of Swords in hand when I left.  By the time I got up and decided to write this I’m already four chapters into the book.  This is why I will be cursing GRRM’s name probably before the second season even starts…  I am going to attempt to only read so much of the book at a time, squeezing in other books while I’m at it. 
Now the real purpose of this blog, I want to know what you’re reading.  And if you have any suggestions of books or series I should check out, looking forward to adding some stuff to my to read list.  I prefer fantasy/horror, but also very interested in checking out some steampunk novels.
In 2011 I read a total of four books (including Game of Thrones), so far in 2012…I have read four books (The Hunger Games trilogy, and Clash of Kings).
My current to read list:
Boneshaker (Cherie Priest)
A Brush of Darkness (Allison Pang) (I actually started this one last year but put it down to write for NaNoWriMo just haven’t gotten back to it).
Conan (I have a collection of the Robert E Howard stories to read and the movie novel adaption from last year).
I also plan on rereading The Hobbit this summer before the movie comes out in December.  And rereading the Lioness as it has been a few years…
And if I do finish Storm of Swords…I’ll move on to Feast for Crows…

Versatile Blogger award

So a couple weeks back I was given another blog award, thanks to Margaret McCrina over at The Bookworm. 
I don’t really have a list of bloggers to send this too, after looking most already have it (Plus, the last time I stole most of my list from Lillie McFerrin).   But I thought I should at least post seven new things about me. 
1 – I don’t watch a lot of sports, but living in the state of Kentucky it is a requirement to follow the Wildcats.  J  Also, ever since I’ve been old enough to watch NFL football I have been a Denver Broncos fan (Elway fan).
2 – I worship at the alter of Whedon!  Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly/Sernity, Fray (comic), even Dollhouse to a lesser degree.  Basically anything Joss Whedon is involved in, I’ll follow!  Really looking forward to Cabin in the Woods and especially Avengers coming out this summer!  Favorite Whedon related character, easy, River Tam (Firefly/Serenity) who was played by the unbelievable awesome Summer Glau (will watch her in pretty much anything)
3 – I’m a comic book fan, especially Marvel (X-Men).  Even though I haven’t bought many the past few years but that is more due to financial reasons and not because I’m no longer a fan.
4 – Last time I this list I mentioned how much I listen to music, so figure I should list some of my favorites.  Sheryl Crow, Tom Petty, Areosmith, Pink, Michelle Branch, Chelly Wright, Godsmack, Rob Zombie, Evanescence, Kelly Clarkson being some of my all time favorites (yes, I like variety and don’t follow just one genre)
5 – I like wolves, I’m a big dog person in general.  But my favorite animal is the wolf!
6 – Love the Harry Potter movies but still haven’t read a single book (I tried, I really did but never got through the first one).
7 – I’m a fan of most things zombies!  One of my favorite shows currently on television is The Walking Dead!  Love Dawn of the Dead, both the remake and the original.  I have met George Romero (at DragonCon) and the man is very much awesome in person!

Link to the other blogger award.