February 14th, 2015 Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Good Morning! Short and sweet today because I only have half an hour to write and post (with links and pictures).

The staff at B&C are work horses! Holy Crow!! I literally stood from 9:00 am – 7:45 pm. My feet hurt. My back hurts. Cripes, even my hair hurts. I cannot even imagine how they do this 360 days out of the year.

A zillion more orders were taken, some made right on the spot. Several were so incredibly beautiful, I just had to take a moment to stop and admire them. In the midst of all the joyous Valentine’s frenzy, unfortunately there was some sorrow as well. There will be no rest for the weary once Valentine’s Day is over, because several funeral arrangements will need to be made. Luckily the viewing is not today or having flowers for it would have been a challenge.

I recall this happening during my previous flower shop experience. Folks don’t just give roses for Valentine’s Day, they give ALL flowers, and with the sales volume rising exponentially this time of year, come February 15^th most shops are completely out of ALL flowers, and anxiously awaiting a delivery. This shop is no different. We have red roses still, and a smattering of other flowers, but that’s about it.

Monday’s delivery is going to be massive because it will basically be restocking the entire store – flowers, greens, fillers (baby’s breath, waxflowers, etc), vases, boxes, cello wrap, you name it. I guess it’s a good problem to have. I’m just glad I’ll have time to recuperate before my services will be needed again.

Okay, I have to go get ready. I was seriously debating wearing roller-skates to work today, but I think I’ll just go with sneakers. I hope you have a Happy Valentine’s Day, and happy writing!

Your Next Challenge is:

This is the gift I give to you…

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.

February 12th, 2015 Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Good Morning! Well, I’m better, still not 100%, but definitely better. Just in time too.

For the next three days I get to play florist. For obvious reasons, this time of year is crazy busy for florists, and our local florist, B & C, is no exception. Normally Ron, the owner, brings in a few extra drivers on Valentine’s Day itself to help with deliveries. That was what I was originally supposed to do last year, but it came up in conversation that a zillion years ago I briefly worked at a flower shoppe, I was asked to help in the shop itself.

Now I’m no floral designer, but I can clean roses with the best of them. I also kick some serious butt in the customer service arena. I love it. For a few days a year, and ONLY a few days a year, I’m out in the hustle and bustle of retail humanity. In small doses, it is exhilarating and invigorating.

You get a unique perspective into the human condition when you work retail. I’m allotted insights I cannot get from just being out in public or from events like my book signings. Last year’s group of customers gave me traits I was able to incorporate into some of my characters, which made them more authentic. Experiencing the wide-eyed looks of confusion (or in one case terror) first hand when the men enter the shop, and then the sheer gratitude when you simplify their life by suggesting something perfect, is priceless fodder.

Three to five days a year working retail is just about all I can take. Luckily, it’s all I need.

I killed it yesterday on Twitter – well, “killed it” by my standards that is. I got fifty eight new followers, and over a hundred retweets. Considering previous days were less than a dozen of each, even you could say it was a banner day. Between the new followers, and going back to make sure I followed people who followed me, I am now getting around five tweets a second. There is absolutely no way I will ever be able to see all the tweets flying by, and I have resolved myself to just let it go. I scan through and see what catches my eye, then act on it how I see fit.

I am not going to let Twitter overwhelm me anymore. I can’t let it, or I’ll end up scrapping the whole thing, which I can’t do because my Amazon ranking has been steadily climbing since I embarked on this campaign. (Shameless Plug: My books would make great Valentine’s gifts for your Sweetie.)

Okay, I need to shower, do my hair and make-up and unearth my “sensible” shoes, so I should go. I hope you have a wonderful day, and happy writing!

Your Next Challenge is:

The morning fog caressed her skin as she stared out over the water…

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.

February 14th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Thankfully we didn’t get as much snow last night as was predicted. We only got another two inches – on top of the almost ten inches yesterday morning. What was the real shocker was the thunder and lightning we storm we had last night and the pouring rain. The rain only lasted for about half an hour and it didn’t really make a dent in the mounds of piled up snow. There will probably still be piles in places come Mother’s Day.

Unfortunately, the lightning did have an effect. It struck a building at the Girl Scout camp a few miles away. I haven’t seen any updates this morning, but as of last night they said the main building was completely destroyed. It’s sad, because in March of 2010, the same thing happened, so the building which was destroyed was new. Hopefully they will be able to rebuild again.

As of right now, the kids have a delayed opening, but I’m not sure if that will change. The rain last night did cause flooding in town and we had road closures. The water may have receded by now, so we may be ok. They said we’d hear by 7:30 if the schools will be closing.

I wanted to let you know, I will not be around tomorrow, so there will not be a blog post. Yup, you get an extra day to do the writing challenge. I know there are a whole bunch of new followers of this blog, so let’s see if some are feeling brave. J

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

Your Last Challenge was:

Write a story containing the following: Peanut Butter, Kitchen & Diaper

I swear it was five minutes. Less than five minutes! I left him in front of the TV. He was in a Barney coma. He NEVER moves when Barney is on, and there was twenty minutes left on the tape.

I ran downstairs to flip the laundry. I’m carrying the basket of clothes to be folded back upstairs and I step on something. I look down and it’s my son’s sneaker, then, a couple of feet away, his other sneaker. Hmmm, didn’t he have his shoes on? Maybe not. Maybe the dog got a hold of them.

I put down the basket and pick up the sneakers, then I see the socks. Did I leave his socks shoved in his sneakers? I walk the few steps to retrieve the socks and I spot the pants. I know those are the pants he was wearing, what the heck?

I get to the living room to ask my son why he took off all his clothes, and he’s not there.

Ran out of time. I was going to find him sitting on the kitchen floor, in nothing but his diaper, with peanut butter smeared all over him and everything around him.

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.

February 11th Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

I’m going to say something I haven’t said for almost two years… I have to get ready to go to work today. Today through Friday, I’m going to be helping a local flower shoppe get ready for Valentine’s Day. I haven’t worked in a flower shop for thirty years! I’m actually really looking forward to it, although I know I’m going to be pooped when I get home. Provided not much has change in thirty year, a flower shop is a ZOO in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day. I’ll be hopping, bopping and running around like a nut for the next four days. I really think this is just the thing I need to get me out of my winter funk!

So, the family birthday party for Dani went well. All the snow made parking at my house a bit of a challenge, but we figured it out. Luckily the only wipe-out was a twelve year old boy, and since bumbles bounce, there was no real harm done. My “big brother” surprised us by plowing our driveway on Friday and then my hubby salted AND sanded what was left, so although still snow covered, it wasn’t too terrible.

It was very strange not having Lys here for the family party. She called Saturday – from the middle of a frozen Lake Champlain – but I couldn’t really talk to her too long because I was prepping for the party. From the time we did get to talk, I could tell she was a little sad about not being home for the party. Her birthday is this Saturday, and I think she’s going to be a little bummed because she’s not home. Hopefully her friends at school will keep her occupied and make her day special.

I haven’t been a complete sloth these past few days. I am participating in another marketing event, one which involves forms of social media other than just Facebook. My Amazon author’s page and my Twitter account have shown significant increases, my blog has received new followers (yeah, perhaps this group of folks will take up some writing challenges), and I even have more followers on Tumblr! Pair that with a recent string of five start reviews and my best sales month ever, and, so far, 2014 has been pretty good. Sending up a little prayer it continues throughout the year.

Okay, I have clothes that just finished drying, so I need to fold them. I have to make my hubby lunch (Dani’s home sick today, so no need to make her a lunch). I want to clean up the kitchen – yeah, that New Year’s resolution was an epic fail – and then I need to get ready for work, so I should go. I hope you have a fabulous day, and happy writing!

Your Last Challenge was:

The over use of adjective and adverbs is frowned upon when writing a novel, but not here. Pick one of your five senses – just ONE – and describe something you like (it could be bread, the beach, sunshine, horseback riding, a book – whatever). Oh, did I mention, don’t say what the “thing” is, let us guess.

Feeling a little nervous, I hope I can relax enough to enjoy this gift. The silk sheet slides over my skin as I attempt to get comfortable. The dribble of the warm liquid on my back releases an involuntary shiver. Deft hands begin to spread the oil over my tense muscles, progressively increasing their pressure as they go; kneading, working in small circles, then in long fluid lines, to release months, if not years, of stress. Slowly I feel the knots loosening and I begin to relax. A soft moan escapes my lips as my back becomes as pliant as melting butter. I begin to drift, floating on a pain free cloud.

Yikes – that was really hard. I don’t know how many sentences I had to start over because I couldn’t use sight, or sound, or smell. Thankfully, when writing, we can use all five senses to describe a setting. I’d be in big trouble if I couldn’t!

Your Next Challenge is:

Shhhh…it’s a secret….

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.