May 31st Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Sorry so late today, I had some running around to do this morning, and quite frankly, I’m not feeling in a writing mood today. I think I will spend the day editing a piece which was submitted. It is not due until August, but I would feel better getting it off of my plate so the author has plenty of time to make her corrections and does not feel rushed. So, right to the challenges…

 

Tuesday’s challenge was:

 

Write a story containing the following three words: Horse, Woods, and Snow.

 

Christmas in the country, there’s nothing better. The cabin is filled with smells of the holiday; from the tree we chopped down from the woods out back, to the fire burning in the fireplace, to the bread and cookies which were baked the day before, to the roast in the oven which we will share before heading off to church for Christmas Eve services. The day before we all took time making ornaments to hang on the Douglas Fir. We laughed as we decorated and really got the chance to reconnect as a family. We argued good naturally over what decoration should go where and over who was stealing the cookies. Our gifts to each other were all wrapped and under the tree and the stockings were hung on the mantle waiting to be filled by you-know-who. Everything was perfect, a real Norman Rockwell Christmas.

 

We all gathered around the table and feasted on a sumptuous dinner of turkey with all the trimmings. Soon it was time to leave and my husband announced he had a surprise for us all. We bundled up, exited the cabin and awaiting us was a horse drawn sleigh. My husband explained it wouldn’t be a true country Christmas without one. We all piled in and headed the short distance to the church.  Right before we arrived, a gentle snow started falling. This was truly the perfect country Christmas.

 

Your Next Challenge is:

 

That was weird!

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

May 30th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

I'm here to say I survived my foray into the big, bad city, and other than being REALLY tired this morning, I am no worse for wear. I arrived in the City around 4:20 and made my way to the street to hail a cab. The line of folks waiting to catch a cab was insane, so I asked the security guy how long he thought it would take to get one. He said maybe 45 minutes. I did have one of the bicycle taxis offer to take me, but I thought my hair would turn into a big frizzy mess if I too him up on the offer. I decided I needed to walk if I had any hope of making it by 5:00. So I pulled up my big girl panties and hoofed it the 14 blocks and arrived, unscathed but a bit overheated, with ten minutes to spare.

 

The venue for this year’s Next Generation Indie Book Awards was the Harvard Club on 44^th Street and 6^th in NYC. The place was a real throwback to bygone years, all dark paneling and masculine colors with a distinct air or no women allowed even though that wasn’t the case. I think I may look into the history of the Harvard Club, because there is no way you could tell me that at one point it was not a gentleman’s only club.

 

I met some really incredible people. I spent a lot of time with one author, Meg, who was the finalist in the parenting category and two ladies, L.D. & Fran (they were a stitch) who were finalists in the Anthology category. There were authors I met from the area as well as ones from Canada, California, Arizona, Chicago as well as other far flung places. It was surprising to see how far people came to be a part of the event. There were speeches from the six Grand Prize winners, one of who used the opportunity to get on her soapbox. We just all rolled our eyes and chatted amongst ourselves until she finished. What also surprised me was folks were impressed that I was a romance writer – for some reason I thought they would snub their noses at me, but they didn’t. When the evening was officially over, I was happy I went, but ready to get out of my high heels and get home. It had been a long day.

 

This time I didn’t care how long it took, but I was NOT walking back to Penn Station. I did catch a cab within 15 minutes, which was fine because I got to chat with an author who was also waiting for a cab. The cab driver was really nice. He was originally from Morocco and currently living with his wife in Brooklyn. I gave him a $5 on a $9 fare. A little excessive, yeah, but as far as I’m concerned, anyone who can handle driving in the city deserves a little extra. I could never do it!

So I make it back to Penn Station and I stop and get a smoothie to serve as my dinner (the hors d’oeuvres served left a bit to be desired and I was starving), then I needed to figure out which train would get me home. Yup, I needed help and a businessman was happy to assist. I had a twenty minute wait – not terrible. I squished myself into a corner so I could remain out of the way of the stampeding herds trying to make their respective trains. After the dust settled the first time, a lady motioned me to a seat next to her which had been vacated. I thanked her and we struck up a conversation. Surprise, surprise, she’d actually heard of me and had recommended one of my books to her daughter. Needless to say I was a little flabbergasted. Donna was very sweet, I gave her my business card and asked her to stay in touch. I met another nice girl on the train who dreams of becoming a writer (I wish I had gotten her name). We both got off the train at the same station and she introduced me to her parents who were picking her up. Her mom is a librarian and she said she was always looking to have authors speak at the library. I gave her my card and told her to stay in touch.

 

All in all, it was a great day, but enough. Let’s get to the writing challenges.

 

Tuesday’s challenge was:

Oh, my…

 

I opened the email and my first reaction was Oh my, this cannot be true. I paused, took a breath and read it again. Yup, there it was in black and white with a link in blue. Oh my! I still could not get my brain around what the email was saying. It must be a joke, a scam or spam, but no, the names are right, the logo is right, the link to the website checked out. Oh my!! My heart pounds as I read the email for the third time. OH my!! I start grinning and my hands start shaking. I grab the phone to call my husband to tell him the news. OH MY!!!

 

Yeah, I’m going to be a brat and stop it there. Hope y’all have a great day!

 

Your Next Challenge is:

 

Write a story containing the following three words: Horse, Woods, and Snow.

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

 

May 29th

Hi it's Christina -

Sorry folks, no blog today, there's just not enough time. Hair, make-up and nails are finished. Just some final things to get done, then it's off to the train station. Still freaked out that I have to make the trek into NYC by myself. Please keep me in your thoughts so I have some good vibes to draw on. I tell y'all how it went tomorrow. Wish me luck!

May 28th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

I'm an idiot! Yesterday I had my son get out the chainsaw because we have these weed things that literally grow to the size of trees in one season. I cut them down as best I could, but I didn't have enough arm strength to hold the chainsaw parallel to the ground close to the base, so I asked my husband to get them after he finished mowing. He agreed and I promptly forgot about it. My husband worked on other things yesterday and never got to cut the stumps down.

 

OK, no big deal. Here's why I'm an idiot. Since he was going to be using the chainsaw again, I left it by the corner of the house near where he'd be cutting. Well, someone must have seen the brand new chainsaw sitting there near the house, walked up the 150' from the road to the corner of the house, AND TOOK THE DANG THING! I’m not looking forward to telling him when he wakes up.

 

Many believe in Karma, and for the most part I do believe that what you put out into the universe does come back to you, treat others how you’d wish to be treated, etc. The potential for bad Karma from stealing a chainsaw could get rather ugly don’t you think? I’m just sayin’…

 

Yesterday’s challenge was:

 

The Civil War never happened…

 

If the Civil War never happened, chances are slavery would have continued. If slavery had continued, I would make EVERY effort to “own” as many slaves as I could, because if I “owned” slaves, they would never be beaten or raped again. They would not be separated from their families. They would not fear being sold again. They would have clean clothes and shoes, comfortable living quarters and enough food. They would be educated, allowed to marry and to keep their traditions. My only request of them would be they not give away our secret. Just because society accepts slavery doesn’t mean I have to.

 

Sorry, lots of distractions this morning, so ten minutes went really quickly without much accomplished. Tomorrow’s challenge is wide open. I hope some of you submit, so we can see where it lead you.

 

Your Next Challenge is:

 

Oh, my…

 

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

May 27th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Happy Memorial Day! We have beautiful, cloudless, azure skies here, but it is still a wee bit nippy. There was a light frost on the lawn when I woke up this morning, so I guess it is a good thing my husband and son have not finished building my vegetable garden yet or everything I would have planted would probably be dead.

So did you see? I figured out how to add photos to the blog. Now there are photos (when I have them) which are relevant to whatever I posted that day – the redoubt where I found the piece of ancient pottery, the garden being built, my daughter in her 2^nd prom dress, Colby the part canine part chicken part Venus fly trap I discovered. I’ve always admitted to being a technological ditz, but I eventually figure it out.

The good news, the FINAL cover for A Second Chance is complete; the bad news, because of the delay, I probably will not be able to bring a copy with me to NYC on Wednesday. I am extremely pleased with the new cover and I am thrilled with Caligraphics! Cal will have every one of my future covers to create.

 

Even though it is really early, I’m sure you have other things to be doing today than reading my blog, so let’s get on to the challenge.

 

Saturday’s challenge was:

 

What does Memorial Day mean to you?

 

To me, Memorial Day is the real Thanksgiving Day, a day to reflect and to be thankful for all the men and women in uniform who sacrifice so much so we can be safe and happy. I’m thankful for the dads who weren’t there to see their child born and the moms who missed their baby’s first words because they were far away defending the civil rights of the oppressed. I’m thankful for the blood shed of so many so I can live in a land where my children can be whoever they want to be. I’m thankful to those who have come home broken and to those who never came home, for they sacrificed so much, so I, a stranger, can sleep in peace at night knowing I am safe and free.

 

It didn’t take ten minutes, but I’m done. While you are grillin’ and chillin’ on your paid day off from work today, please take a moment and give thanks.

 

Your Next Challenge is:

 

The Civil War never happened…

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

May 26th

Hi it's Christina -

 

Yeah, I think I will take a break from the challenges today. All three kids had friends over last night, so when I woke up this morning we had twelve bodies sleeping in various places and positions throughout my house - couches covered, chairs covered, beds covered, floor covered. So I decided to be the good mommy and I whipped up a huge batch of crepes, pork roll, eggs, bagels so they could have a variety for breakfast. Don't know how long everyone will be hanging out here, so I don't know who will be here for lunch or dinner - it could be some of the same kids or a whole new set. It is going to be an interesting day!

 

Hope you are enjoying your weekend. I'll check in tomorrow and have a new challenge for you.

May 25th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Sweatshirts and long pants on a relatively sunny Memorial Day weekend when we are not near the shore is unheard of! I cannot recall this occurring once, and this is my 48^th Memorial Day weekend. Sure there were some that were rainy and cool, and there were many where we needed a sweatshirt at night, but during the day? No. It is ten in the morning and the heat is running in our home. This is beyond bizarre!

Yesterday I was so excited because I finalized the cover for the re-release of A Second Chance. Cal had done a beautiful job and I felt the cover truly captured the story, then last night I was flipping through the posts on Facebook and found another author was releasing a novel next week and she used the exact same models in the exact same pose on her cover. I felt ill! I sent Cal the link. He told me not to cry (and I was close), made me laugh when he suggested putting a mustache on the female model, but then he went to work on creating a new cover. We spent the next four hours going back and forth with various ideas. Mind you this was after I had given him the final approval and had paid for the work he had already done. The last email came a little before one this morning saying he would have a finished copy to me sometime this morning.

I cannot believe how fortunate I am to have found Caligraphics and Cal, and all from a reply from someone on LinkedIn on a question I posted on a completely unrelated subject. This is just another little sign to me that God does answer even little prayers by putting good people into our path who can help when we need them.

On to the challenge, but I want to preface my reply by stating, this is a fictional story with the exception of my husband and I did spend many years as EMTs on our local rescue squad.

 

Yesterday’s challenge was:

 

My heart was pounding…

 

I sat bolt upright in bed, my heart pounded, the noise still vibrated through the house. Because of many years spent as EMTs, my husband and I were in the habit of undressing for bed and leaving the clothes we had worn the day before next to the bed, so we could be fully dressed, shoes and all, and out the door in under a minute if an emergency ever arose.

 

Fully dressed, I opened the bedroom door and found my three bleary eyed children opening their doors. There was a faint burning smell starting to permeate the hall. I told them all to get dressed, told my youngest to get the animals in their cages just in case we needed to get them out of the house, told the middle one to find her phone, and told the oldest dad and I might need help. At this point we had no idea what was going on. Did lightening hit? There was a storm raging outside. Did a tree fall on the house? We just didn’t know.

 

I flipped on the outside lights and headed out the front door, my husband tight on my heels. We looked around and both noticed our lawn was marred. We followed the path of scars to the corner of our house, and there pressed up under my daughter’s bedroom window was a crumpled, smoldering car. My husband and I ran down the stairs and to the car. The roof had a distinctive crease from hitting the corner of our house. The window and windshield were shattered. There were two unconscious occupants and the smoke was getting thicker.

Years of training told us we shouldn’t move the people until they were stabilized, but the possibility of the car catching fire trumped that. We said a little prayer that we would be able to get them out and went to work. Through some small miracle we were able to get the passenger’s door open. I checked the woman quickly, unfastened her seatbelt then moved out of the way so my husband could scoop her up and get her to safety.

I crawled back into the car to access the driver who was in far worse shape because his side of the car took the full impact from hitting the house. I reached for the seatbelt, but it was jammed. I couldn’t get it loose. The smoke was starting to fill the car. It was burning my eyes and I was starting to cough. I struggled for a moment then felt a hand on my arm pulling me back. I resisted. I could not let this person burn to death. The grip on my arm increased and I was pulled out of the car. Through the smoke I watch son climbed in and cut the belt with a knife, freeing the man. Together we drag him

I got a lot done in ten minutes this time. Amazing how productive you can be when it’s quiet and the dog isn’t jumping on you looking for attention.

 

I think I may take a break from the blog tomorrow, but we’ll see. Because of the rotten weather, we have absolutely no solid plans for the weekend, so I may write more tomorrow. You will find your next writing challenge very timely and I really hope some of you will be brave enough to post your responses.

 

Your Next Challenge is:

 

 

What does Memorial Day mean to you?

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

 

May 24th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

 

Good Morning! A little after eleven last night, I received and email, actually two emails from Cal at Caligraphics with proofs for two different options for my book cover. I posted the choices this morning and asked for opinions and reasons behind the opinion, so I could make a choice before the end of the day. I am leaning heavily toward one, but the artistry on the other is much better, so I’m vacillating. If Cal can fix the one thing I am having reservations about, then there is no contest between the two. Feel free to weigh in with your opinion. I have the choices posted on both my personal and professional Facebook page, a temporary posting on my website (www.christinapaul.webs.com) and on LinkedIn. I want to get everything completed by today so there is a chance I can have a proof to take with me to the award banquet in NYC on Wednesday.

Aaahhh – that’s in five days! UGH! It literally hit me right this second as I am writing to y’all. All this work with the new book cover has kept my mind off the NYC trip. What am I going to wear? How should I do my hair? Heels or flats? Cash or credit? Pepper spray or no pepper spray? Oh dear Lord, I have to go into the city! This is ten times worse than the Authors’ Day. It’s a public appearance AND a trip to the city…I avoid the city! I feel ill! BREATHE!!

I have to think about something else! Did yesterday’s story make you laugh? I have actually given the story to one of my characters in a modern day romance which I hope to have out by the end of 2014 (provided I can pull the file off of a really old laptop). I saved the story onto the laptop that just crashed and burned, but I believe the original is on an even older laptop. I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

Now on to the next distraction…the challenges.

 

Yesterday’s challenge was:

 

Write a story using the following words: Turkey, Motorcycle & Kiss

 

It was Thanksgiving morning and I arrived at Gram’s early so I could help out and spend some extra time where it is just the two of us before the hordes descend.  Thanksgiving has always been a big deal, it was the one time of the year when all the kids and their spouses, all the grandchildren and their spouses and all the great grandchildren were together under one roof. Many years ago, when PaPa realized how large our clan was becoming, he built a barn type building out back with its very own kitchen. Now the barn is used for any parties we have, town social events and such, but on Thanksgiving it is reserved exclusively for the immediate family, all seventy-four of us, ranging in age from ninety-three to three weeks.
 

I made my way to the kitchen and sure enough, there was Gram. There were a dozen or so pies cooling on the work table, various vegetables on the butcher-block, several pots going on the burners and Gram was loading the last of the six turkeys into one of the ovens. “You’re amazing.” I said as I walked over for a hug and a kiss. “I can’t keep up with you and I’m more than forty years younger.”

 

“Oh Kelley, you’re here early. What a nice surprise!”
 

“Well, I wanted to have you to myself for a little while, and it’s not like there was anything keeping me at home. Michael’s away on business for another two weeks, Kayla’s in Ireland, and Josh isn’t due home on leave until Christmas. Do you realize this is the first Thanksgiving when we won’t all be together?”

 

“Sweetie, you know you can stay here at least until Michael gets back. You know Papa and I would love to have you.”
 

I smiled at the sweet woman who was such a big part of my life. “I know Gram, I know. Maybe I’ll stay the weekend.”
 

She gave my hand a pat, smiled and said, “Good,” then she tossed me an apron. “Your brother called last night and told me he’d be here early too.” The words had barely left her mouth when we heard the distinctive sound of my brother’s motorcycle.
 

“So much for having you to myself for a little while Gram.”

 

 

Unlike the last few challenges, this is a work of complete fiction with the exception of, I did call one of my grandmothers “Gram”, she was a big part of my life and I was forty-three years younger than her.

 

 

Your Next Challenge is:

 

My heart was pounding…

 

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

May 23rd Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Good Morning! I did something interesting yesterday; I searched through over 100K photos in search of a new cover photo for A Second Chance. I narrowed it down to two and sent the choices off to Caligraphics for their opinion. I found one initially that I fell in love with, I thought it was absolutely perfect and the rep from Cali emailed me and asked if I realized the photo I selected was more than 5x the normal going rate. Leave it to me to have expensive tastes.

Needless to say, I went back to the drawing board and looked at photos until my eyes crossed. As I said, I narrowed it down to two. My favorite has no price listed (nothing on the one site has prices listed) and my second choice, from a different site, is only $19 (less than the average price of $25). I’m waiting for a response from the rep to see what he thinks of my selections.

I am a little nervous because the selections I made are quite a bit different than the current cover. I was not able to find a photo of an old English country manor house that would work, if I found a possibility, I would zoom in for a closer look and find a car, a satellite dish or some other modern gadget, and to be honest, none of the choices absolutely thrilled me. So I decided to go the couple in an embrace route instead. The choices of couples in Victorian garb are nearly nil, so clothing was out. Are you getting the gist of why I’m nervous??? I don’t want the book to come across as erotica since it is far from it. I’m pretty sure they will be sending me mock-ups and, if allowed, I will post the choices, and get your opinions before I make a final selection.

 

Yesterday’s challenge was:

 

Truth is stranger than fiction…

 

My spin on “Truth is stranger than fiction” is “Truth is funnier than fiction”. Here is a prime example. A hundred years ago in a previous life, I used to work for a big name financial firm. One of my functions with the firm was to travel to clients so I could present and explain retirement packages to their employees. I was making one of those trips to a client out in Connecticut, when on my way to the train station a freak blizzard hit – I’m telling you, half an hour before I left there were beautiful blue skies and there were only scatter flurries in the evening being forecasted on the weather report. By the time I reached the train station there was over four inches of snow on the ground. I slide into a spot in the parking deck, gather my luggage and make a beeline to the platform, because my train was due any second. I race though the terminal, up one set of stairs and down another, and manage to get onboard as the doors are about to close. I find a seat as the train pulls away from the station.

 

Winded, but please I made it in time, I settle in and watch the scenery through the window and asking myself when I had I moved from New Jersey to Siberia? We were traveling through near whiteout conditions, but I was safe and warm and heading north at a good clip, so we would probably outrun the storm.

 

About twenty minutes into the trip, the train makes a funny noise, starts to slow, the lights dim and then finally go out completely just as the train coast to a stop. Since it is afternoon, and even with the storm raging, there is still enough light that we can see. Everyone looks confused. Finally there is a crackle and a disembodied voice comes over the speaker. “We seem to be experiencing some technical problems which we hope to have fixed shortly. Please be patient and we apologize for any inconvenience.” A collective groan goes through the car.

 

I ran out of time – but since this is yet another true story, I think I will finish it for you:

 

Over the course of the next two hours, we would receive updates, but as we waited, the dim light had faded to complete darkness and no power also meant no heat and it was getting really cold, but at least we were dry and not in the elements. The snow was well over a foot deep by this time and there was no sign of it stopping.

 
 

Then another announcement, they couldn’t fix the train; we were being picked up by another train. We gathered our things and prepared to disembark. Please keep in mind, I am on my way to a client's, therefore I am dressed appropriately to go to a client – in a suit and heels. Also, there is a REALLY good reason trains pull up to a platform, the reason being the distance between the last step off a train car and the tracks is a good six feet. So there I am, one foot on the last step, the other dangling in space in a fruitless attempt to find the ground, my pencil skirt hiked up around my waist and a blizzard howling around me.

 

The story of the commute from Hell goes on, and believe it or not, it becomes even more comical, but I have wasted enough of your time. Hopefully you got a chuckle from my rather indelicate predicament.

 

 

Your Next Challenge is (something different):

 

 

Write a story using the following words: Turkey, Motorcycle & Kiss

 

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

May 22nd Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Happy, Happy Hump Day! Hope y’all are having a FABULOUS Wednesday! I think the warm weather is finally here to stay and I am a happy, happy girl!! I think I woke up on the silly side of the bed and I can tell today is going to be very unproductive and I just don’t care. I think a soul needs a worthless day every now and again.

Last night I went to my twice monthly critique group, which I realize I forgot to tell you about when I went two weeks ago. It is a much larger group than the Wednesday writers’ workshop. In fact, it has gotten so large, they started splitting the group into two rooms so everyone would have a chance to read and get feedback. Truthfully, I am a little intimidated by the group. I am probably one of the youngest (nice change for once), but I am by far the person with the least formal education. These folks have more letters after their names than a bowl of alphabet soup. Sorry, I don’t read Keats or Thoreau and I am not in the habit of discussing esoteric philosophies, but what should I truly expect from a Princeton based group. PLEASE don’t get me wrong, they are a wonderful bunch of people and I really am enjoying the group; I’m just a little out of my element and feeling a bit inferior, but I’ll get over it. They are all please with the writing samples I have submitted for critique and they seem to value the comments I make on their work as well, so I guess I am starting to fit in. I have been bringing chapters from my new book, Simply by Chance, and spoon feeding it week to week. They are all eager for the next installment and the suggestions for changes have been minimal. Yup, I really need to work on my whole confidence issue.

Yesterday’s challenge was:

 

Did you see that?

 

It was late spring, early summer, I cannot remember exactly for it was so long ago, but still I will never forget the day. I was driving in the car with my mother. The day was picture perfect, the windows were open, and we were singing hopelessly off key to a song playing on the radio. We were on our way home, again I cannot remember exactly from where, but what happened next is burned into my memory. I was looking out the windshield, and through a break in the trees and perfectly center between some electrical wires, a silver orb goes whizzing past. The flight it took was not one of a straight line, but resembled a balloon that’s air had been let out. It swayed, swirled and darted. I blinked and asked my mom, “Did you see that?”

“What?” she asked.

“That!” I exclaimed and pointed at the strange object still partially in view.

My mother followed the direction I was pointing and did manage to catch a fleeting glimpse of what I had seen, then replied, “I haven’t a clue. Perhaps when we get closer we will be able to tell what it is.”

We drove on and slowed down to where we thought the object would have been, but saw nothing. We crawled along for the next mile or so and still saw nothing. We never did determine what we saw that day, but it was so bazaar I doubt my mother has forgotten the incident either.

 

For the record, this is a true account of something strange that happened to me when I was around fourteen years old. My mother and I were driving west on NJ Route 514 (Amwell Road to the locals) and we saw this thing, whatever it was in the area of Colonial Park. We even detoured a little and drove up Mettler’s Lane to see if we could find out what we saw, but as I said in the story, nothing. Nothing ever made the papers so I guess we were the only two who saw the strange object in the sky.

 

Your Next Challenge is:

 

Truth is stranger than fiction…

 

 

You have 10 minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.