April 13th

Hi, it’s Christina –

Happy Palm Sunday! I don’t have a whole lot of time this morning, because I need to start getting ready for church, but I wanted to fill you in on yesterday’s PPL Author’s Fair, and get you a new writing prompt.

Yesterday started with my friend Keith doing a workshop on writing groups. He did a great job, and there were around twenty people who attended. The class was over at 11:30, so since we had half an hour before we could set up our display, and since it was such a gorgeous day, we decided to eat lunch outside in the courtyard. Another author, Brian, who we met at the workshop, joined us for lunch. It was so nice to be able to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine. We were only out there for about twenty-five minutes, and believe it or not, in that short time my arms and nose got a little pink.

After lunch, I got me car out of the parking deck and brought it around to the back door of the library so I could unload – a feat I would not have been able to accomplish if it wasn’t for Manny, a sweet man who works at the library. Thanks again Manny. By the time I got my car back into the parking deck, and down from the roof where I had to park, Keith had his whole section of our table finished. Parking in Princeton, on the weekend, when the weather’s nice, can be a bit of a challenge.

I still managed to get my stuff unpacked and displayed way before the doors opened at one, so it was all good. I even had enough time to check out a few of the other authors, which is something I didn’t get much time to do last year. There were a few who actually wrote romance this time. I was so happy not being the only romance author in the group. I exchanged cards with them, and I even exchanged books with two.

My friends from the writing group, Fred, Loretta and JoAnn all came by to visit Keith and I, which was nice. It’s funny, Fred and Loretta drove up from the shore, and were planning on being in the audience while I had to give my little speech, but then they got distracted by all the wonderful books and authors, they missed it. I laughed so hard at the look on their faces when I told them I was already finished. They felt bad, and of course I had to tease them about it, but honestly, just knowing they were there made me feel more confident about speaking in front of a group of strangers.

What also made me more confident was a couple, who I had just met, was in the audience. Diane and Matthew were helping Matthew’s mother, who was the author at the table next to mine. We got to talking, and Matthew even purchased a copy of Taking Chances. I pretty much spent the whole day chatting with them, when I wasn’t chatting with folks who stopped by my table or with Keith. I’m not exactly sure Diane ever mentioned what she does, but Matthew is a professor at Brooklyn College. I love when you meet someone new, and it feels like you have known them forever. It was like that with Diane and Matthew, and I really hope we’ll be able to spend some time together in the future.

Okay, a phone call from my friend Rebecca, set me off track, and now I have to go get ready for church. I don’t even have a spare ten minutes to do the writing challenge, so it will have to wait until tomorrow. I hope y’all have a glorious day, and happy writing!

April 12th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

The car’s all packed and ready to go. I had to use the larger suitcase, but I got everything in one, so that’s good. I had to have my husband put it in my trunk though, because I couldn’t lift it. The folks at the Princeton Library recommend you bring twenty-five copies of your book to the fair. I’m only bringing twenty, but when you have three books... The books, business cards, bookmarks, sign, stand, pens, candy, plus all the little table display things, it becomes really heavy.

I should be able to slide the suitcase out of the trunk without too much difficulty, and hopefully without breaking one of the wheels. Then, with any luck, by the end of the day, my inventory will be considerable decreased, so the suitcase won’t be too heavy for me to hoist it back up into my van. If it is, I’m sure I could beg some passerby to lend a hand.

Okay, I only have half an hour to spare, and I want to get a little writing done. Then it’s shower, hair (which there isn’t a whole heck of a lot of after yesterday’s haircut), make-up (yuck), a quick stop to pick up a bagel, and the drive to Princeton for the ten o’clock workshop. So, I’m going to get going. I hope y’all have a super day, and happy writing!

Your Last Challenge was– again stolen from my Tuesday writing group. This is a random line, from a random book, selected off the library’s shelf. You must use the line in your story. Bonus points if you can make this the last line in your story. More bonus points if you can identify the line (no fair Googling it):

“There, old gent, there’s a drop of something to cheer you up.”

“Lies I tell you, lies.” Jeb spat. “That’s all she’s given me.”

Butch tried to calm his distraught friend, “Now Jeb, how can you say that? Sally Mae has stood by your side through thick and thin she has.”

“Aw Butch, that’s just what she wants you, what she wants everybody to believe, but it ain’t true.”

“Okay Jeb, I’m not saying I’m not believin’ ya, but I think Sally Mae’s done right by you and the boys. After your Molly passed, she stepped right in and raised them like they was her own. She goes to church on Sunday, and to prayer group on Wednesdays. She doin all sorts of volunteer work for the homeless, and for that soup kitchen down in Carver City.”

“Oh yeah, she’s a God fearin’ woman alright,” Jeb snorted. “More like a preacher lovin’ woman. Her and that Reverend Peterson have been doing their own version of holy rollin’, and I’m not going to stand for it anymore.”

Not sure how to process this bit of news, Butch opened up one of his best bottles of whiskey, poured two fingers worth and placed a glass in front of Jeb, “There, old gent, there’s a drop of something to cheer you up.”

So, did any of you guess where the line is from? I’ll be honest, never in a million years would have been able to guess it correctly. It from a book of American plays, and this line was taken from Rip Van Winkle.

Your Next Challenge is:

A reunion they’ll never forget…

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.

Author's Day Has Arrived

Princeton Author's Day - From 1 - 4 Today. I hope you can come!!

April 10th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Wow, this week is flying by, isn’t it?

Thankfully, while running around with RV yesterday, I was able to get some things done, which I needed to do, so I don’t have to run around like a chicken with its head chopped off tomorrow. RV needed to go to Bed, Bath and Beyond, and Marshall’s to return some things; and while we were there, I was able to run into Costco to get the candy for Saturday. (I keep a candy dish on my book signing table.) She also needed to stop at Wal-Mart, so I was able to get some stuff for the kid’s Easter baskets.

Today we are going over to Kohl’s. She needs to pick up something for her son for his birthday, and while we’re there, she agreed to be my sounding board so I can get a top and pants double as my outfit for Saturday’s Authors Fair and for Easter. I wanted something light, bright, and springy, but I really have to watch my color selection or I’ll look ill. It’s weird. Take peach, which I love, for example. If there are too many pink undertones, I look like I’m blushing; but if there are too many yellow undertones, I look sallow. On rare occasions, I can find the ideal shade of peach that actually looks good on me.

I have much better luck with dark and cool colors, but they monopolize my wardrobe, and I wanted something different this time. I know if I went alone and tried to select something out of my comfort zone, I’d vacillate and end up purchasing more of what’s already in my closet. RV’s a bit of a fashionista, so if she says “yuck” or “looks good”, I’d go with her opinion.

The way we worked out our schedule today, we’ll have about an hour and a half at Kohl’s before she needs to get to PT. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that’s I’ll be able to find something so I don’t need to worry about it on Friday. Then, all I need to do tomorrow is a bank run to get change (I’m hoping to sell at least a few books on Saturday), get all my supplies packed up into my rolling suitcase, and then get my hair cut at 4:30. The outfit I get today may also determine if I need to purchase new shoes tomorrow as well, but I don’t want to think about that.

Okay, time to get lunches going, and then I have a little over an hour to work on FTQ. I hope y’all have a terrific day, and happy writing!

Your Last Challenge was:

One red shoe…

There it was, just lying by the side of the road. I’m surprised I even noticed it. If it wasn’t for the traffic, I probably wouldn’t have, but my slow crawled approach had me staring at it for quite some time. From a distance, it was just a reflection on the shoulder which caught my eye. Originally I had thought it was the remains of a broken taillight, but as I drew closer, it began to take form. There, completely upright, perfectly lovely, looking like someone had just stepped out of it, was one ruby-red, high-heeled, slipper.

Since I had an inordinate amount of time to ponder while my car inched along, I began to wonder about that one red shoe. How did it get there? Where was its owner? Where had it been? Had the owner been abducted, and in her struggle, lost her shoe? Had she been hanging her feet out of the car window after a wild bachelorette party, and it had fallen off? Had her car broken down and she had to walk for help, then decided it was too hard to walk in heels? Oh, that wouldn’t work. She would have carried her shoes. But what if she couldn’t? What if her hands were full? If that were the case, she wouldn’t have just taken off one shoe, so where’s the other one?

Scenario after scenario played in my brain until, there it was, just lying by the side of the road, a wrapped box with a yellow ribbon. I wonder what could be inside?

Your Next Challenge is:

(S)He was just the gal/guy next door…

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.