Bloghop—More Kissing PLEASE!

I’m taking a break from “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” today to participate in Cassie and Hope’s “It’s Getting Hot in Here” blophop. But make sure you come back next week because the fabulous Jolene Perry will be here—and she really is fabulous :)

Here is a little kissing scene from my MS. I love a kissing scene from the male POV. Enjoy :)

  

            “I would’ve brought you along. You don’t need to charm me.” Taggert chuckled. 

            “Great!” Jocelyn’s face brightened as she moved away to get her cloak.

            He snatched her softly by the wrist. “Wait. I didn’t say I don’t want you to charm me.” He smiled as he pulled closer.

            Everything about Jocelyn was soft—from the spread of dark eyelashes on her cheeks to the sweep of her neck. Taggert ran his hands down her sides and stopped at the turn in her hips. He sat in the chair and drew her onto his lap.

            His lips grazed the perfect skin of her collarbone and her quiet breathing brushed through his hair as she kissed his forehead. He could think of nothing but how every curve of her fit next to him. I want to stay like this forever.

            Jocelyn ran her fingers through his hair and everywhere she touched him—his skin sang.

            “I love your hair,” she murmured. “The color reminds me of honey.”

            He kissed her chin and then slowly moved up her jaw to the delicate skin behind her ear. “You remind me of honey.”

            Jocelyn started to laugh, but he stopped her mouth with his. He kissed her slow and soft. He wanted to remember each movement—each second.

            She sighed and sunk deeper into him.

            She wants to be here. His heart flipped in his chest.

            Taggert reached his calloused hands to her face. Her skin was so hot he thought she might melt beneath his touch.

            Then her lips parted slightly and her tongue brushed his bottom lip. A jolt rocked his body. This is better than laughing—better than strategy—better than danger—better than life.

            Taggert kissed Jocelyn harder and faster now, and she returned each kiss. The world was a perfect tangle—the smell of her hair, the taste of her lips, the sound of her ragged breathing, the touch of her small hands on his back—every second better than the last.

            Jocelyn drew back from him—breathless. His wild heartbeat echoed the rise and fall of her shoulders.

  

Fun stuff! Happy Valentines Day! Now I’m off to find my hubby ;)

-Angie

I’m Hearing Voices—WINNERS

Skipping “Lessons in Storytelling” today, because I have news…

Okay, so first off let me just say—YOU ALL ROCK! This was so fun for me and Cassie. We loved ALL of your entries! We read lots of excellent writing, amazing premises, and incredible characters!

Cassie and I emailed…and emailed…and emailed, trying to pick the winners. It was SO hard because we wanted to pick so many of you :) And I’m not even joking.

So because you are all so great Cassie and I are offering a prize to you all. Email us the first 250 words of your WIP or MS and we will give you a critique! But we have a deadline—email us by Friday the 17^th. See we're all winners! (Our emails are at the bottom of the post)

Now on to the prizes (and we had to give a shout out to the top three, because you were all awesomeness dipped in chocolate :)

Day 1—Characters on the Couch

Angie’s Winner: Elizabeth @ Use Your Words

Angie’s Runner ups: Tyson @ Frost Lord and Roland @ Writing in the Crosshairs

Cassie’s Winner: Sarah @ Sarah Ahiers Writes
Cassie’s Runner ups: Tyson @ FrostLord and Elizabeth @ UseYour Words

Elizabeth has won a book from me and Sarah has won a book from Cassie. Will you both email us so we can get your info (our emails are at the bottom of this post)


Day 2—Dialog Introduction

Angie’s Winner: Jess @ Ink Spot Plot

Angie’s Runner ups: Lisa @ The Word Nerd and Jackie @ Bouquet of Books

Cassie’s Winner: Rachel @ Writing on the Wall
Cassie’s Runner ups: Emily @ Emily R. King and Justin @ InMy Write Mind

Jess has won a 20 page and query critique from me. Rachel has won a 20 page and query critique from Cassie. Will you both email us so we can get your info (our emails are at the bottom of this post)

Day 3—Emotion Flash Fiction

Angie’s Winner: Justin @ In My Write Mind
Angie’s Runner ups:  Kelley @ Betweenthe Bookends and Sharron @ The Blue Word
(Honestly anyone in my top 10 could have won!)

Cassie’s Winner: Emily @ Emily R. King
Cassie’s Runner ups: Justin @ In My Write Mind and Tasha @ Tasha Seegmiller
(Also Lisa @ Lisa the Word Nerd )

Justin has won a FULL critique from me. Emily has won FULL critique from Cassie. Will you both email us so we can get your info (our emails are at the bottom of this post)

Thanks to everyone who participated!  This was so much fun! Cassie and I are thinking of making it an annual thing :) What do you think?

-Angie

Angie email: dangelinacothran@gmail.com

Cassie’s email: cassiemcook@gmail.com 

I’m Hearing Voices Week

I am beyond excited that so many of you have signed up for I’m Hearing Voices Blogfest! Cassie and I are both blown away. Thanks so much for participating.

I need time to read all your amazing posts, so instead of posting myself this week I’m off to visit all of you.

Also, check out each others posts. I’m expecting great things :)

-Angie

Friday Funnies—Kid History

I know this video has made the rounds here in Utah, but I’m not sure if my outside of Utah friends have seen it.

I laugh every time I watch it. I think it’s an especially great example of how kids see the world. So if you write Middle Grade, Picture Books, or want to pee your pants laughing take a few minutes to watch it :)

I can’t wait to see what everyone has for I’m Hearing Voices Blogfest on Monday! Have a great weekend.

-Angie

Random Ramblings: Really? There’s more?

I’ve received some fun awards lately. Freya Morris and Aldrea Allen gave me The Kreativ Blogger Award and Hope Roberson gave me the Liebster Award. Thanks girls! I’m honored.

So, even though I feel like you all know everything about me—here’s a bit more.

1. I’ve been married for 13 years and I’m still head over heels in love with my hubby. He's amazing! Kind, sweet, very smart, and hot—don’t forget HOT!
2.  I’m the oldest of seven kids. Yep, you heard right SEVEN KIDS. I’m like the second mother. In fact, if my brothers or sisters can’t find Mom they call me.
3. My sisters call me a book whore, because I like everything. But the more I learn about the craft of writing the less whorey I am. *Sigh*  I kind of miss those blissful whorey days.
4. I hate math. I don’t really feel a need to explain :)
5. I have freakishly small feet. I’m talking 5-6. I’ve never had a love affair with shoes, because they NEVER have my size.
6. I’m a bit of a closeted Isaiah expert. I’ve been studying that book for years. I think it’s fascinating.
7. I was a cheerleader in high school, but I was a VERY nice cheerleader. I always went out of my way to make people feel included and important. I hate the cliché of the witchy cheerleader.
8. I could live without bread, meat, and dairy—but not candy. Well, I guess if I only ate candy I wouldn’t live too long.
9. My eyelashes are crazy long. I get asked all the time where I get my lashes done. No extras, just 100% mine :)
10. I can repeat all 50 states in alphabetical order. Thank you 4^th grade program.

 Almost everyone I follow has already been given these awards. So the buck stops here. I guess I need to expand my blogging circle. Have a great Thursday everyone!

-Angie

6 days to I’m HearingVoices Blogfest. Yay, I can’t wait!

Crafting Corner: Do you want that Steak…Medium or Rare?

I’m kind of on a beef kick this week, but I’m not going to talk about “pink slime” again. In fact I’m not even going to talk about steaks—at least not the beef kind :)

Do you ever worry about the stakes in your story? I do. All. The. Time. I want to pass on something that has changed how I write.

It’s great to have a big over arching stake that runs the duration of your story, but it will not carry your story. It isn’t good enough.

You MUST have some kind of stake in EVERY scene. Let me put it even simpler. There must be something to lose in every scene! EVERY SCENE.

Just think about it for a moment. If there is always something to lose, people will read on to see what happens.

Need a few ideas of what your characters can lose?

• Friendship
• Freedom
• Love
• Secrets
• Face
• Protection
• Help
• People
• Dreams
• Security
• Family
• I could go on and on. 

I learned this principle from that “Filler” book I’ve been reading. The characters are never in danger of losing anything—but their life. Now, don’t fall in to this trap.

Threatening to kill off your main characters doesn’t really work (unless you are J.K.), because if you kill of your main character—the story is over. We've all been reading along and thinking, “Ya, this is bad, but I know they won’t die there are 200 pages left.”

So, give us real stakes. Give your characters something to lose. Make us read on :)

-Angie

6 days to I’m HearingVoices Blogfest. Yay, I can’t wait!

Won’t you be my neighbor—Emily R. King

Do you have on your comfy sweater? Did you change into your sneakers? Because I did, and now I’m ready to start. (I almost sang you all a song, but it didn’t really translate to the blog :)

Angie: So, lets get started. Welcome Emily R. King to the first post of "Won't you be my neighbor." I got a whole slew of questions that may or may not be writing related. And isn't she cute! I never have a collar bone when I'm pregnant!

I love Emily! She just the nicest sweetest person, and such a talented writer. I know because she has let me read her wonderful manuscript. 

Emily: Let you? I thought I bribed you by reading yours. : ) Thanks for having me, Angie!

Angie: So let’s start with the question everyone is dying to know. What are you wearing right now? LOL. That sounds pervy. I don't mean it to be.

Emily: Bawhahaha! It's 10:17 am, I've been blogging for two hours, and I'm still wearing my bathrobe. I have bedhead and all. Yeah, I'm one hip lady.

Angie: Ha ha! Me too! Jammies and all. But if you were wearing say...your junior prom dress at 10:17 am then that would really say something. But a bathrobe just tells us you are laid back and casual!

Emily: Or just lazy. :D

Angie: No, never lazy. Okay, question number two... If you were a candy bar, what candy bar would you be?

Emily: A Reese's Peanut Butter cup, because I'm sweet AND salty.

Angie: Nice. I love those. Now I'm hungry. Ooo, here's a goodie... What is your best physical feature? And don't say eyes. Eyes are a cop out.

Emily: The truth? My butt—or so I've been told. It's the one part of my body that gets oogled the most. Unfortunately, it's not as nice as it used to be. Sitting and writing all day has seriously depleted its niceness.

Angie: Writer butt! Ya, I know what you're talking about. I can totally relate. Here is something I've always wanted to know... How do you get around to so many blogs every day? Every time I go to comment you've already been there. What is your secret?

Emily: No sleep? No, really, I'm a fast reader and Google Reader helps me scroll through new blog postings quickly. If you don't use it, get on it! It'll save you a ton of time.

Angie: I'm must be slow because I can't figure Google Reader out. I may need a tutorial. What about this question... Tell us something about your MS or WIP that is unique.

Emily: The demon hunters in my MS arm themselves with Taser guns and pepper spray. They don't want to kill hosts (the mortals possessed by demons), so they use non-invasive ways to disarm them and then dispel the demons with the help of their mightiest weapon, a Sun Stone ring.

Angie: Your demon hunters kick butt. I'd want them with me in a dark alleyway. What is your biggest strength as a writer and your biggest weakness?

Emily: My biggest strength is my determination. I will NOT give up.

My biggest weakness is my pride. I wait too long before asking for critiques, and have shot myself in the foot many times because of this. If I had reached out to other writers for help, I would be much further in my writing career than I am now.

Angie: Those are great! Determination is a must. But I also have to say that you rock at writing action. Action is hard to write well. Any tips?

Emily: Don't add too many details and descriptions. Make it move along quickly, just like in an action film. Movement is key! Oh, and keep your reader guessing. If they know your MC is going to win, it lowers the suspense.

Angie: That is great! I love to learn from other writers and books, so...What was the last book you read and what did you learn from it?

Emily: I just finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, again. What I learned is paragraphing. J.K. Rowling opens her dialogue by pushing it to the next paragraph. For instance:

Finally, his large purple face crumpled with concentration. Uncle Vernon stopped in front of Harry and spoke.

"I've changed my mind," he said.

Some writers wouldn't start another paragraph, but I prefer J.K. Rowling's style and have adopted it as my own.

Angie: I do that too. White space. White space. White space. Right?

Emily: Yep!

Angie: So a few times a year I get to be a judge for local and state scholarship pageants, and I can't let you go without a pageant question. How would you broker peace in the Middle East? I'm just curious whether you have a plan or not. 

Emily: Ha! No, I can't say I have a plan. The hatred is so inbred, the children are taught it from birth. Even if I dethroned every leader and installed better leadership, the lessons the children have been taught by their fathers would still reign.

I don't mean to be a pessimist, but I doubt the Middle East will have peace until the Millennium. No one, save God Himself, can stop the hatred there.

And on that happy note, thanks Angie! This was a ton of fun. Now I'm going to get dressed for the day and find myself a peanut butter cup, then get back to revising. Love you, girl!

Angie: Thanks Em. You were awesome. If I was scoring your last question I would give you a 9. Well thought out and articulate! You rock!

Seriously, thanks. That was ton of fun :)

Emily: Thank YOU!

So there you have it the soon to be wildly famous Emily King. Go check out her awesome blog and give her a high five :) Now I’m changing out of my sneakers…but I will keep the sweater.

-Angie 


Daily reminder of the I'm Hearing Voices Blogfest starting next Monday :) You can always write your posts ahead of time and be all prepared and stuff.