Can
someone please tell me why companies INSIST of fixing things which were never
broken in the first place only to things muck up? It is so infuriating! If any
of you have Yahoo as their email provider, you know what I am talking about.
Did they even test their new upgrades before rolling them out? If they did,
they need to replace their entire testing department because they failed miserably!
The “move” feature doesn’t work at all. If you want to put items from your
inbox into a folder, you need to drag and drop; but if the item is in your sent
folder, you can’t even do that. When composing an email, the contacts feature
is not working properly. The search feature is on the fritz. And these are only
a few things I have encountered thus far; undoubtedly there will be more
issues. UGH! Okay, I’m done complaining. Thank you for listening.
I
had my critique group last night and, as usual, it was an enjoyable evening. We
had an O’Henry-esque piece, where the ending surprised most, a horror short
story which made me rethink the dinner I had planned for tonight, and a rather
graphic account of the preparation of a sacrificial ram for a feast which
turned everyone’s stomach. Other readings brought us to picturesque Penobscot
Bay, a bank heist, a hysterical dating website debacle, and I offered up
chapter ten of Simply by Chance for review. The library kicked us out at nine,
so we adjourned to a local ice cream shop and read the story we did not have
time to read while at the library. It never ceases to amaze me how dramatically
diverse our group is, both in personalities and in writing styles, yet (most of
the time) we all manage to get along, support and encourage each other.
One
of the things pointed out to me in the piece I read was the question if “preaching
to the choir” and “boggle the mind” were actually a phrases used in the early
1800s. I really did not know the answer. Turns out “preaching to the choir” was
first used in the 1970s. I assigned Fred, the man who pointed out “preaching to
the choir” didn’t hold water, to the task of finding me an alternate phrase I
could use. A perfect substitution to the word “boggle” was offered by the group
and I have already replaced it in my text. One of the group member, Steve, came
up with the perfect name for the group of villains in my story. Todd had me
scrap one sentence, and that one small change made all the difference in
maintaining the flow of an entire chapter. These are just a few examples of how
this group has helped me with my writing. These folks are worth their weight in
gold. I have learned so much from them and I truly feel I am a better writer
because of them.
Today
I am going to be doing some house cleaning, both figuratively and actually. I
have laundry to do, but I also need to handle some business things like going
to the bank and mailing off my submission for the 2014 Indie Book Awards. So,
even though it’s early, I had better get started. I hope you have a fabulous
day and happy writing!
Your Last Challenge was:
You wake from a dream that was so real…
It was the night after Christmas and I
woke with a start, sat bolt upright, coughed and gasped for air. I clutched at
my clothes truly expecting them to be wet for I could still taste the briny sea
water in my throat and nose. My heart continued to pound and my legs shook as I
made my way to the kitchen for a glass of water to flush the nauseating taste
from my mouth.
It had been quite some time since I had
had such a vivid dream, a dream where I was actually transported, a dream I was
able to recall with complete clarity. I did not want to think about the last
time, and I knew I would not be getting anymore sleep that night, so I flopped
down on the couch and flipped on the television.
As I channel surfed from one inane
infomercial to another, images of my dream assailed me; the glorious day, the
hot sand, the crystalline water which slowly and unexplainably began to recede.
Then, on the horizon, a strange anomaly appeared. Indistinguishable at first,
then realization struck and the screaming and running started. I had almost
made it back to my hotel before the wave stuck. It caught me and slammed me
into a grove of trees less than fifty feet from the hotel’s front door. Somehow
I manage to pull myself out of the rushing water and up into the tree. I watched
in horror as a mother, clutching her young child, was swept past. What was once
a breathtakingly beautiful tropical paradise, was now a mass of raging water,
and all I could do was frantically cling to the tree and fervently pray it
would not give way.
As I tried to shake the disturbing
images from my mind, a breaking news story flashed across my television screen.
Tsunami devastates Thailand.
As much as I hate to admit it, this is
a true story, one which still leaves me shaken.
Your
Next Challenge is:
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.
Jess saw the bridge first. The Monet bridge or was it the Manet bridge? he thought. Rock formations, Weeping Willows and rippling waters with Koi streaming by. Really a greet spot. Out in the open, but secluded.
ReplyDeleteLiz caught up with him. She stopped to remove some pebbles from her shoe.
“What do you think, love? Picnic here. Lovely isn’t it?” Liz crossed the bridge and stood peering into the water holding the picnic basket on her arm. “Look at the fish, Jess. This is perfect.”
“I knew you’d like it,” he said as he nuzzled her neck. His attention turned to the rocks below. “Set up over there.” He pointed to a sheltered spot where she could spread the blanket and the food. “I’ll be right there. I want to explore a bit.”
Humming quietly to herself, Liz spread the blanket and removed the box lunch she had prepared earlier in the day. She never heard Jess sneak up and raise the stone.
Oh my! I so didn't expect that! LOL
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