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.

Six Sentence Sunday – Cadrala

I had planned on plucking this weeks Six Sentence Sunday from my long in edit fantasy novel The Heart of Quila.  At the same time I’ve been struggling to write pretty much anything for a few weeks now.  Then came  Lillie McFerrin‘s Five Sentence Fiction – Sacred a week ago and I finally had a spark of an idea.  For the past few days I’ve been continuing the story of Cadrala and developing the fantasy world she lives in.  So this weeks Six Sentence Sunday is from the start of what will be the second chapter…

“We lost one in the night, the politician fell behind in the darkness,” Dra’hen stated as he took a knee beside her, his eyes on the sash around her neck forced her hand to grapple with them.  “We are a group of mostly women and children and the elderly, what are we going to do if they catch us?” close enough to touch the sound of his voice made her ill. 
Once a comrade, then a lover, she would never look at him as anything but a coward now, “Die.”  But he was right to worry; she could only hope the small dusting of snow from the night before would cover their tracks keeping the stalking army from discovering their escape. 
Her fingers tightly grasped at the two sashes around her throat, the realization she was the last of her order bit at every emotion.  She wished she had stayed behind ignoring her mentor’s wishes, her destiny to parish with the others instead of leading the last survivors to hopefully survival.  

Five Sentence Fiction – Exquisite

Five Sentence Fiction – Exquisite
I could not have picked a more perfect night or location, a bright full moon lights the sky for the stars to dance.  The cabin with its cedar siding, large windows over look the lake was everything I had hoped for, just as the agent said.  Not another person around to distract us, just the oaks and pines whispering to one another on the wind.  The odd owl bellows breaking the sound of the roaring fire as it fights the cool breeze forcing me to her side.  I don’t have to say anything, take her hand in mine, mimic her breath taking smile, and I am instantly lost in her eyes and nothing else matters.
For more Five Sentence Fiction entries check out the wonderful Lillie McFerrin’s blog.

Five Sentence Fiction – Sacred

The scent of battle swept across the courtyard, past the tall statue of a man long dead.  He stood with his massive stone arms leaning against a broad sword nearly as tall as him.  A hood fell over his face covering his eyes and crown, the last true warrior king and the ones whose deeds they still sing of.
Cadrala sat on her knees with her own sword on the ground before her, wounds from the mornings battles covered with blood soaked bandages.  “Grant me the strength on this day to uphold the sacred oath of the order; I will not surrender in the face of my own end as long as long as I have life in my hands to sacrifice to the true king.”  
For more Five Sentence Fiction entries check out the wonderful Lillie McFerrin’s blog.