Odds and ends, and good bye to ROW80

There is so much to say in this post...
first off do you like the fall look?
I was finding that my old look was a little too much like the view out of my window...
I needed something a little less dreary. :)

Alas, and alack, this is the very last check in for Round #3 of ROW80,
(the writer's challenge that knows you have a life.).
But before you dissolve into a quivering mass of unfulfilled goals,
take heart, Round #4 starts on October 3rd.
Check out the website here if you are interested.
This round was hard as I started half way through.
I did find a groove by the end of it though,
editing about 2 chapters a week.
I would love to up that. :)
So, yes, I am commiting to the next round,
hopefully I will do better. :)

The other little bit of housekeeping to do is my writing prompt days,
I think that I will be moving them to another day,
(so they don't interfere with my ROW80 posts as much).
I'm leaning towards Monday's (Memorable Monday's),
or Tuesday's (Tasteful Tuesday's).

I would love some insight from my followers. Which day would you choose and also what would you call writing prompt days? Leave a comment and let me know.

Finally, I was looking for a critique partner/beta reader for my Work in progress over at the campaign,
(which is totally awesome and you should check out all the cool winners of the flash fiction pieces here.)
Anyway, I have successfully found one crit partner (yay!)
but I am looking for a few more.
Particularly someone who has some experience in critting,
and writes in a similar genre as me.

If you are interested check out the tab above marked Help Wanted and get in touch with me. :)

ROW80 check in and Writing prompt #11:Write about someone who sinned.

I. am. so. busy.
No, not your average busy,
but a rare out of control busy.

I've started a new school year with my kids.
Started teaching voice lessons again.
Taking a course at university.
My oldest ds needs allergy shots once a week.

The list of appointments/engagements/stress inducers keeps mounting.

Anyway, despite all that I have been working on my novel.
I'm still editing and hope to get two chapters done this week.
Made a pact with myself that I will not go back to the first chapter until I've gotten all the way through the book.
Also want to make a point of visiting some of my ROW80 buddies this week...
I've been very lax.

Anyway,
on to the writing prompt which is "Write about someone who sinned."
The rules are the same:
set the timer for ten minutes,
and write without editing.
GO!

******************

It was such a small thing. Or so Greta had thought. She had not even nodded her hat covered head. It had been a mere shying away from the topic, her eyes glancing towards the ground. Indeed, not an indecent (or untruthful) word had escaped her red lipsticked lips. But her small gesture had grown into something much bigger. It was not long before more eyes were on the "scandulous" Beulah then on the pastor on Sunday morning. Indeed, Greta wondered if anyone had heard the message about a persons words causing a fire.
It truly was not her fault that Susie-Lou had told the whole choir. Or that the minister's wife had been standing close enough to see Greta's reaction to the question. She had merely been enjoying the attention that comes from having something juicy to relay over coffee after the service.
Now the persistent banging at the front door caused her stomach to roll over. She peered from behind her heavy curtains--carefully so that she wasn't seen by the imposing figure that stood on her front step. Beulah.
"You better come on out before I break your door down," Bealah's booming voice seemed to fill the entire house.
There really was no way to avoid this. Greta walked over to the door and gripped the handle tightly. Turning the brass knob slowly she whispered a brief prayer for forgiveness. Even if she had done nothing wrong.

Your Turn: What can you produce in ten minutes with no editing with the word prompt: Write about someone who sinned. I would love to read your work! Either post it in a comment (if it is short) or post the link to your blog. :)

Eeeee....another blog award. :)

 I have to give my thanks to Ms. Saba who gave me this blog award.
Feeling the love...Thank you!

The rules are as follows:
Anyone who accepts this is asked by the person selecting them to do three things:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award and link back to them in your post.

2. Share 7 things about yourself

3. Pass this Award along to 15 recently discovered blogs and let them know about it!

SEVEN things about myself:


1. Born in Japan.
2. Traveled to Holland and England this summer.
3. Once had a hamster named Nibbles.
4. Met my husband at 19th century garden party.
5. Am adopted.
6. Teach singing lessons.
7. Loves to hang out with teens (they are so unique!)

Here is my list of people:

Holly L'Oiseau

Danielle Raver

Linda Jonasson

Alberta Ross

Jessica Peter

F.E. Sewall

Robin McCormack

Em

Susan Barclay

1000th.monkey

Chantele Sedgwick

Jodi Su

Shelley Koon

Kate Swenson

ajkulig

Liebster Love

I am so super excited to receive this prestigious award...I would like to thank my mom and dad for putting up with me. And my husband for watching TV alone night after night while I try to finish my edits. The Liebster award is my very first award so it is very special for me.  Thank you soooo much Jodi Su for the kind words about my blog.  It's nice to know that I'm not throwing my words into the dark void that is the internet.

The Liebster Blog award is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers who other bloggers believe deserve more followers, which is then passed on to more awesome bloggers. A sort of virtual chain letter, if you will, except for this encourages others to visit new and wonderful blogs (not send a package of stickers to someone in Australia).

Here are the official rules:

1. Show your appreciation to the blogger who gave you the award by linking back to them.
2. Reveal your top five picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog (I could only find four...)
3. Post the award on your blog.
4. Bask in the camaraderie of the most supportive people on the internet—other writers.
5. And best of all—have bloggity (I love this word) fun and spread the love.
So to continue the wonderful chain I nominate:
1) A Line from Linda
Her blog is informative. I am always amazed at what she has to write--I've learned more history from her blog posts then school. Thank you!

2) 1000th.monkey
She is a fellow Canadian living on the west coast, she writes insightful posts like here, and she has a cool cat pic on her blog. :)

3) Vanyieck's Last Stand
His writing is insightful and quirky.  Plus he's just a really great guy. :)

4) Angela Write Now
She has a unique and fresh blog voice.  Her blog is also very beautiful. :)

So...tag you are now it. :) And to all my followers take a moment to check out these wonderful blogs. :)


Now...where is my celebration tiara....

First Campaign Challenge

The first campaign challenge called us to write a 200 word flash fiction piece,
starting with "The door swung open".
To add even more challenge,
you could end with "The door swung shut",
and also try to have exactly 200 words.
Here is my piece which meets all the criteria. :)

Heavenly Bodies

The door swung open letting in a whiff of antiseptic which she could taste at the back of her throat. She shifted on the cold metal table, her paper gown crinkling as the taller doctor cleared his throat. She looked at the floor as the red haired one put the film up on the glowing wall. The taller one spoke now in a monotonous tone, she watched his worn loafers carefully as he swayed back and forth. She didn’t need to listen to his words; she’d seen in the way he had held the clipboard like a shield against his chest as if she was contagious. It was back. She would need the toque that Nona had made her when the hair began to fall out. In the silence following the proclamation she found the courage to look at the pictures of her body stripped of skin. It surprised her to see how beautiful the cancer was, like heavenly bodies hanging in the dark night. The red haired one cleared his throat waiting for a response. She couldn’t break the silence. The picture looked benign and yet wasn’t. She could not tear herself away. Even as the door swung shut.

Cheat sheets and ROW80 check in

I am feeling a lot better today,
thankfully the cold did not stay long.
I achieved my goal for this week,
(two chapters edited--huzzah!).

This week is a crazy one again,
(first week of school and I have a bajillion appointments as well),
so although I have high hopes for this week,
I have to be realistic!

I'm hoping to edit two chapters this week,
do two blog posts,
and write a beautiful "About Me" page for my blog.

Today I wrote up an editing cheat sheet...
you know, a page that reminds you of the silly mistakes that you are always making.
Mine has comma's,
(I don't like them...they even look sinister...
like dismembered crooked fingers , , , just not right!),
putting in description,
and omitting unnecessary words (that, felt, seemed, as, while).

So it got me wondering,
what's on other writer's cheat sheets?

So, what's on your editing cheat sheet? You know, the fatal writing no-no's you commit unless you have a post-it note stuck to your computer screen.