Steven Paul Watson, Author

Kreativ Blogger Award

Lillie McFerrin tagged me for the “Kreativ Blogger Award”.

The rules:

Thank and link back to the person who nominated you.
Answer the ten questions.
Share ten random facts/thoughts about yourself.
Nominate seven worthy blogs for the Kreativ Blogger Award.

The Questions:

What is your favorite song?

With how much music I listen to, it was pretty hard to narrow it down to just one. But I do come back to this song quite often. And if I was to answer this song next week it would probably be something different…

What is your favorite dessert?

Believe it or not, I’m not the biggest sweets person. But if I had to pick one, Peanut Butter Milkshakes.

What ticks you off?

Liars and thieves.

What do you do when you are upset?

Run/walk/hill climb has become my go to therapy over the past few years.

Which is your favorite pet?

I only have Bear. :- )

And Max will always have a place in my heart (he passed in 2007).

Which do you prefer black or white?

Black.

What is your biggest fear?

Going unnoticed? But at the same time being noticed? Does that make sense (probably not). How about going unnoticed by someone who you really want to see you for who you are. (I really had a hard time coming up with something and this was the only thing that came to mind)

What is your attitude mostly?

Realistic? Though that may be my ‘forced’ attitude as I’ve found over recent years if I get my hopes up, really look forward to something, or something is too good to be true. It usually doesn’t go my way. So I do try to keep myself drowned in reality of any situation (not always successful).

What is perfection?

Does perfection exist? Really? Nothing is perfect, everything worth having will never come easy and will have to be worked for.

What is your guilty pleasure?

…..i’m drawing a blank here.

The Random Facts: (quite possible a couple repeats here from past blogs)

I’m a huge Joss Whedon fan! I’m a huge fan of his Firefly/Serenity (and have luckily met most of the cast). But I did not watch Firefly when it first aired on television…I viewed it as a replacement for Dark Angel. So despite being a fan of Whedons other works (Buffy/Angel)…I never gave it a shot at first.
Never seen the ocean.
I’ve been a ‘comic geek’ since high school, the first comic I ever got was a Silver Surfer comic (an issue with Jack of Hearts). Since then I’ve always been loyal to Marvel Comics (especially everything X-Men except the movies, lol). Favorite character (for the longest time it was Cecilia Reyes) but I would have to go with Remy LeBaeu, Gambit
It had probably been fifteen years since I’ve tried to write poetry up until a month or so ago a made another attempt…
Favorite musical artist of all time, Sheryl Crow.
HUGE Lord of the Rings fan, have read the books several times….but I had never even heard of it until the year before the first movie came out (I had finished the first two books just before Fellowship came out).
I’m a very quiet person, especially when I’m just meeting someone. I’ve had a few people tell me “I may not talk a lot but when I do I’m worth listening too”. (One of the best compliments I have ever gotten really)
Favorite color is Red.
I never started letting my hair grow until I was 24/25, before that I always kept it extremely short.
Probably my favorite piece of art I’ve ever done, I painted it around 2000 after a day at the lake with a bunch of friends:

Nominations:

Brewed Bohemian

Going for Coffee

Life As it is, Dreams as I Make Them

The Galavanting Girl Books

Yearning for Wonderland

Surly Muse

Donna B. McNicol

Flash Fiction Challenge: Flower Blossom

My entry for Becca J Campbell’s flash fiction contest, be sure to check out the other entries on Becca’s site. As well as her upcoming novel Foreign Identity.

Flower Blossom

Ayiana had ten minutes if she was lucky, but so far she had not been. She had two wounds as glaring proof. The shoulder was only a graze, nothing she couldn’t stitch herself. The gushing wound on her side was another worry all together; she held her hand tightly against it feeling blood seep between her fingers.

Ayiana could hear the sound of the authorities as they frantically pounded on the door to the roof. She pulled off the shoulder length wig of auburn hair, exposing the dramatic pixie cut of multiple colors. She dropped it, no longer any use having severed its purpose getting her into the ‘Hive’. Easy to slip past when everyone is afraid to look you in the eyes, she was a clone to the woman of a much higher stature. Brought into the world nothing more than an assistant, slave to the woman of her image. Things did not go as planned, when grown Ayiana was too independent…deemed…dysfunctional, and to be corrected.

If not for the rebels, she would have been just another vase of ash spread in the gardens. Fertilizer to help the flowers bloom. But fate had other plans for her and she could still see Byrnes big grin with his scruffy grey beard as he helped her from her bindings. ‘Great plans for you my flower blossom,” he said in his graveled voice.

Ayiana heard the crash, the sound of rustling feet as they charged toward her. She didn’t have to look; everything was so loud there had to be at least ten of them. So loud and distracting she almost didn’t hear the familiar graveled voice in her ear piece, “I’m here.”

Five Sentence Fiction – Candy

The light escaped the flickering candles, shadows danced around the room enjoying the splendor of the moment. He felt her fingernails dig into his wrist as he stared into her heavenly green eyes and watched as she bit her lower lip in anticipation. He leaned in to inhale her intoxicating scent as he slowly kissed the scorpion tattoo just below her ear, slow and lingering kisses as she closed the already small distance between them. He felt her exhale a sigh as he pulled away to get lost in her eyes where he wanted to remain the rest of his life. In that moment nothing else mattered, their problems, their lives outside their room as he slowly leaned in with his own eager smile, and kissed her sweet lips.

For more Five Sentence Fiction check out Lillie McFerrin’sblog!

Once Upon a Time Writing Contest: Once in a Lifetime

Once in a Lifetime

The sobs and moans of the seven echoed through his head like that of a cavalry charging off to war. Deafening, it drowned his thoughts with the exception of a solitary word: why? Heart broken and numb, still he could not cry.

Someone so perfect, lifeless in his arms. This could not be how it was meant to be. He heard the whisper, he brought his foggy gaze upward, but only a white beard stared back at him.
“Kiss her…love can overcome all obstacles.”
He glanced to the woman still cradled in his arms, limp and without life, so close yet so far away. He pushed strands of her raven hair away, clearing her porcelain face and lips as red as a summer strawberry. In his heart he knew she was the one he had waited for his entire life as he leaned in and softly kissed her lips. Nothing, he kissed her again, holding his lips to hers tasting for a single breath, but still nothing happened. He looked up as the sound of the forest joined in the mourning and he pulled her limp frame to his tightly as the tears began to fall. It was not to be, he would live his long life, knowing his one true love was lost to him…

…he could smell the aroma of the tea, his mouth watered with anticipation as he brought it to his lips. He opened his eyes, the warmth of the tea still in his throat, his concentration broken by a never forgotten laughter. He had lived many lifetimes but only once before did his heart beat full of life, a time long ago. He twisted in his chair and looked to each table in the small café to find the source of the woman’s laughter.
She had taken her seat only a few tables away, with a book in hand, her long raven hair fallen down around her shoulders. Her blue eyes met his and her strawberry lips formed a smile…

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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)

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

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

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.

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.