June 18th

Hi it’s Christina –

Good Morning! Sorry folks, for the past few days I have been embroiled in two large projects, and for the first time, my blog was third on my priority list, but I just wanted to briefly check in so you wouldn’t think I fell off the edge of the earth.

I wanted to make one last push on the editing project I was struggling with, and I did manage to get some more finished, but I was not able to complete the assignment. I feel horrible about it. The book is really great, but I was having such a hard time focusing, that it took me an inordinate amount of time to edit each page properly. 

Honestly, I overextended myself, and my brain was fried. I should have never taken on the assignment, but the author is such a sweet, sweet man, and he is a talented writer, and I wanted to be able to help him out. Unfortunately, I let him down, and I let myself down. This is the first time I have missed a deadline, and I am more than a little annoyed with myself.

The other project was building another Indie author support network. I have roughly twenty folks in the group right now, and we are working together at getting all the kinks out for how the group is going to work, before we roll it out to other authors. Yeah me, the techno ditz, is trying to run an online group. Thankfully others in the group are tech savvy and are willing to assist.

On the home front, Lys arrived safely at my dad’s in Florida, Dani has finished school for the summer, and PJ just received notification he has made the Dean’s List again. Father’s Day was great. The boat only broke down twice while they were out, but the made it back to the dock in one piece, so it was a successful adventure. My garden is starting to look like a jungle, and I’ve been managing to keep my allergies relatively in check.

Okay, back to my projects. Hopefully I’ll be able to give you a writing challenge again by this weekend. Until then, I hope you have a wonderful day, and happy writing!

June 15th Challenge

Hi it’s Christina –

Good Morning! First and foremost, Happy Father’s Day to all the dads, and to those men who step in as dads for kids that aren’t their own!

I love my dad, but to be honest, he wasn’t around much. My parents separated when I was very young, and I really didn’t get to spend a lot of time with my dad (except for the couple of years I worked with him at his fish market). It’s okay, I adjusted. He’s just not a “hands on” family guy, some people aren’t, and I find that I’m happier now that I have accepted that. Please don’t get me wrong, my dad’s a great guy. I love my dad, and I know he loves me, but there were times while growing up when a girl needs her dad, and he wasn’t available.

Luckily for me, I was blessed with another man who treated me like his daughter. No, my mom never remarried. I’m talking about one of my best friend’s dads. He scolded me, praised me, gave me advice, let me cry on his shoulder, laughed with me (and occasionally at me), and told me I was “being a jack ass” whenever I needed it. He was also the first adult who ever told me he was proud of me. He couldn’t have loved me more if I actually was his own flesh and blood, so you see, I really did have the dad I needed while I was growing up.

He even loved my children as if they were his grandchildren. He would pal around with PJ – oh you should have seen the two of them go-cart racing down the shore, they were hysterical. He always had plenty of hugs and a lap for my girls to curl up on to feel safe and secure.

A dad doesn’t go by where I don’t miss him terribly. Unfortunately, cancer took “dad” in November, 2007, and on that day, right before Thanksgiving, the world lost a truly great man. Again, don’t get me wrong, he was far from perfect. There were times when he was a “jack ass” himself, but his big heart and goofy smile made it all worth it.

So to my real dad in Florida, and my “other dad” in Heaven, I wish you both a very happy Father’s Day. I love you!

I hope you have a great day, and happy writing!

Your Last Challenge was:

Use the following in a story: PLACE: a Library, EVENT: a power outage, SITUATION: you hear a scream

This was more than I bargained for. All I wanted to do was return a book to the library I had borrowed. I usually just drop it into the return bin outside, but I had forgotten to return the book before vacation, so now I had to go in and pay the fifty cent late fee.

Of course, I chose a day when just about everyone in town was at the library. I did not bother to look at the calendar before I left home, my only concern was to return the book before the fine went up to seventy-five cents. If I had looked at the calendar, I would have seen Gloria Grace, the famous murder mystery writer, was having a book signing, which meant the library would be a zoo. Ms. Grace always has a great turnout when she does her signings. How could she not? Not only are her books fabulous, she’s was born and raised in our little town.

I parked my car in the last available slot, tucked the book into my jacket, pulled up my hood, and sprinted through the downpour to the front door. When I made it inside, I was soaked from the knees down, and the hair which had escaped during my mad dash was dripping, but the book was safe, and that was all I cared about. There was no way I was going to shell out $28.95 to replace the book. It wasn’t really good.

I wove my way, through the throngs of people, to the front desk, avoiding the crowd gathered around Gloria Grace. I had signed copies of all her books, so there was no need for me to join in the foray.

I’m hopeless. I can’t write a short story to save my life. There was going to be lightening, the lights were going to go out, there was going to be a scream, there was going to be confusion, the lights were going to come back on, there was going to be more screams, and Gloria Grace was going to be dead on the floor – murdered like one of the characters in her novels.

Your Next Challenge is:

Summer has finally arrived…

You have ten 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.