the whole shebang…

the ins and outs & ups and downs of a new novelist's journey

been writing. here’s an excerpt. June 25, 2009

So I’m working on my blog for giveagirlapen that I have to post tomorrow, plus reviewing some things for people, and trying to write Avalon, so I’ve not the time to blog today.

Instead, I’ll leave you with a super short excerpt from a day in the life of Alexis Hodge =)

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

Alexis slammed the back door of her ‘parents’’ house, and made a beeline for her car. At least Roxie would make her feel somewhat normal. Her 1967 VW Beetle was in pristine condition, and Alexis could not imagine any other car suiting her so well.

She grabbed the door handle, and quickly drew her hand back.

“Damn it!” That frackin’ hurt! What the hell?

Once again, she attempted to open the car door. Her hand was met with the same response—searing pain.

Can something please be normal in my life for one freaking second today? Just one thing?!

Dropping down to her knees, holding her useless right hand at her waist, Alexis shuffled around in her purse for her phone. Her left hand was fairly incapable of doing anything helpful, but she was able to scroll to Hollie’s number and hit send.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Hols. Can you come help me?” Alexis started to sniffle, and tears once again welled up. She let them fall. And fall.

“What’s going on, sweets? Why are you crying? Where are you?” Hollie sounded frantic.

“I don’t know. I don’t know. I just need to leave and I can’t. My parents aren’t my parents and my car just burned me….” She was sobbing so hard at this point that her words were all jumbled together and made no sense.

“Alexis—calm down. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ll get over to you. You at home?”

“Yeah,” Alexis managed to blubber out.

Hollie reassured Alexis she’d be right there, and Alexis just let the phone drop back into her purse. She curled up into a ball, her forehead on her knees, tears spilling freely.

When it seemed she no longer had anything left to cry, Alexis felt a reassuring hand on her back. She slowly sat up, wiped her nose with her palm like a little kid, and looked to see who was there.

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

Most likely, I’ll take a look at this tonight or tomorrow morning and revise a bit. Then I’ll post a revision.
If anyone feels like critiquing, go for it!!
=)

 

new blog. June 22, 2009

Filed under: Uncategorized — Eden Tyler @ 12:04 pm
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

so, I guess I’m starting yet another blog…
I use google for a lot of things, so I decided I’d try a blogspot.
We’ll see how it goes. I’m going to post something I’d drafted for giveagirlapen over there…
Check it out!

I think I might do a serial novel…possibly.
We’ll see what happens.
I keep giving myself so much to do….
—thankfully, pressure and time restrictions are great motivators for me!
If you do head over there, please answer my poll on the left.
Thanks, ya’ll!!

xx

 

how about a free critique?? June 21, 2009

After my ‘first five pages/sentences’ post on giveagirlapen.com, Liz has decided to offer the chance for writers to send us girls your own first five sentences.
She will post them, with her critiques, on the site on June 28th.
This will give all writers the chance to receive help—to start with the best hook possible. We’re all here to network and root each other on && this is a great way to take advantage of that!!
Check out Liz’s post, which states the exact rules, and send in your work to ifyougiveagirl@gmail.com by June 27th.

I look forward to seeing what everyone has written. I love critiques—so much fun =)
I’ll be posting my first five sentences, as well, and hope that ya’ll will help me out, along with Liz! I welcome all advice—it’s always nice to see all views and take what makes sense to me and use the info for necessary changes…

Have a great Sunday, and Happy Father’s Day to those celebrating today.
Remember, if you give a girl… isn’t just for girls. We’re looking for any and all writers. So send your stuff in!!
I’ll talk to you all tomorrow!!

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

*p.s. — is it just me, or is this really weird that the one post that i was sooo ridiculously insecure about is the one that’s garnered the most attention, turning into not one, but four posts!?!?!! Craziness!!!
just goes to show that we all need to have confidence in ourselves!!!

 

blogging, part II. June 19, 2009

so, i was feeling rather crappy about the fact that i’ve done nothing but blog. and to top that off, i was so unsure about the dang blog i wrote on giveagirl that i posted the first comment on it to explain what i was really trying to say…

anyway, i was starting to think that blogging was futile, until i came across this!

now, (on top of my daily word goal i just commented about on my ‘it’s 1 pm…’ post), i have two new goals.
plus, a brand-new sense of confidence. YAY for me, right?!?!??
goal #1:: blog, blog, blog. possibly blog my work. maybe i’ll do a serial blog of my first book. we’ll see…
goal #2:: (and this is the cool one!) start a twitter for my MC. i had promised myself that i would stay away from twitter at all costs. but, after a blog that led me to a blog that led me to the one i linked ya’ll to, i’ve changed my mind.
thing is, i’ve no clue how to go about it. but, if people can get interested in my girl, and i can learn more about her by getting into her head every day, that would certainly help my writing, right?!?!?? it’d have to!!!
i’m a bit OCD, and i have a strong feeling that if i get so completely involved in alexis’ life, that i’ll have no choice but to sit down and write her story. i’ll want anything and everything to be about her. then, voila, my book will be done. (hey, i can hope, right? ;) )

so, i guess the point of all of this rambling is
A) to send ya’ll to the link, &
B) to ask for advice on twitter. because i’ve never gone near the site before and don’t have a clue as to what it’s all about.
any help would be sublime =)

xx
-e*

 

giveagirlapen.com June 6, 2009

giveagirl

I’m a guest blogger today!!!

I wrote about staying true to yourself and your idea for any and every story you write.
Of course, suggestions are helpful, but I found out the hard way that not everyone knows what they’re talking about…
And hey–sometimes we ourselves don’t know, but I’d rather make my own mistakes than mess up my book because I listened to someone else who doesn’t know my characters as well as I do..

here’s the link:: http://giveagirlapen.com/guest-blogger/snap-to

check it out!!