Alas! The next installment is here!
Excerpt:
Stumbling across a small clearing, I spot a tall woman standing by her dapple grey horse. In her calloused palm she grips a severed hand, encrusted with blood. A feeling of foreboding washes over me, and I slowly creep back into the forest. This is no place for a country girl to be. Suddenly, I stop. On the severed hand’s finger I see a red stone catch the light. I would recognize that stone anywhere; it is what I have been seeking.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
An Overdue Update!
Ok well I should have posted this awhile ago, but I thought I already had. Anyway, the next Anya installment will be released on November 19th! I know it is a long wait, but I will survive.
The newest story is actually from the perspective of a new character. It is a little shorter then the rest, but it is called, A Royal View.
Also, I received an Email from the editor of a new magazine, Ink Bean, who would like to publish one of my poems! I originally submitted the poem a few months ago, when the magazine was still called 3 Hearts. The editor says the new magazine will be launched October 14th, and she will let me know when my poem will be published from their. Oh, and it is called, Two Deities.
Finally, along with being the Phoenix Dance Examiner for Examiner.com, I am also now the Phoenix Book Review Examiner as well. Along with reviewing books I am reading, the director of the department would like me to follow all of the members of the Scottsdale Society of Women Writers! This is very exciting for both them and me!
The newest story is actually from the perspective of a new character. It is a little shorter then the rest, but it is called, A Royal View.
Also, I received an Email from the editor of a new magazine, Ink Bean, who would like to publish one of my poems! I originally submitted the poem a few months ago, when the magazine was still called 3 Hearts. The editor says the new magazine will be launched October 14th, and she will let me know when my poem will be published from their. Oh, and it is called, Two Deities.
Finally, along with being the Phoenix Dance Examiner for Examiner.com, I am also now the Phoenix Book Review Examiner as well. Along with reviewing books I am reading, the director of the department would like me to follow all of the members of the Scottsdale Society of Women Writers! This is very exciting for both them and me!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
New Job
I am officially part of the Phoenix Dance Examiner team! They have hired me to write about anything dance related in the Phoenix, Arizona area. It is going to be a busy job, but I am very excited. It is going to be so much fun! I encourage everyone to check it out and subscribe!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Anya’s Past!
Ok well the next installment is out! This one gives you a glimpse into her past, and helps you understand why she has become the hardened warrior she is. I hope you enjoy, In Their Honor!
Excerpt:
Anya rode hard in pursuit of a band of rogue Northerners. They had destroyed her home and murdered her family; she was out for revenge.
Five long years had passed since Anya had last seen her family. She knew they had disowned her after she defied their orders and joined the military. Everyday her Mom and Dad performed back-breaking labor in the fields, so they could try and provide the best upbringing possible. They were resigned and content with their current lives, but they always hoped one day their children could do better. Anya’s parents wanted her to live the life of a lady fair; to marry a man with a higher station and take care of a family of her own. Anya wanted to be obedient and gain her parents’ approval, but she could not convince herself to do so when the Kingdom was being harassed by unprovoked invaders from the North and was on the brink of war. A natural instinct told her she must protect the Kingdom, so her family could remain safe.
Excerpt:
Anya rode hard in pursuit of a band of rogue Northerners. They had destroyed her home and murdered her family; she was out for revenge.
Five long years had passed since Anya had last seen her family. She knew they had disowned her after she defied their orders and joined the military. Everyday her Mom and Dad performed back-breaking labor in the fields, so they could try and provide the best upbringing possible. They were resigned and content with their current lives, but they always hoped one day their children could do better. Anya’s parents wanted her to live the life of a lady fair; to marry a man with a higher station and take care of a family of her own. Anya wanted to be obedient and gain her parents’ approval, but she could not convince herself to do so when the Kingdom was being harassed by unprovoked invaders from the North and was on the brink of war. A natural instinct told her she must protect the Kingdom, so her family could remain safe.
Friday, August 20, 2010
September
Good news! the next Anya story will be out on September 13th! It is called, "In Their Honor."
Update:
~I am quite happy with how the third story has turned out, and I am working diligently on the fourth story.
~Recently completed a humorous christmas story and has sent that out.
~Still have not heard back about the three poems I sent out a couple of months ago. All of the websites said it can take up to 90 days for a response, so they still have another month.
~I have three ideas for books
~Oh, and I am working on a ghost story! Still in very beginning stages, but that one should be fun.
Update:
~I am quite happy with how the third story has turned out, and I am working diligently on the fourth story.
~Recently completed a humorous christmas story and has sent that out.
~Still have not heard back about the three poems I sent out a couple of months ago. All of the websites said it can take up to 90 days for a response, so they still have another month.
~I have three ideas for books
~Oh, and I am working on a ghost story! Still in very beginning stages, but that one should be fun.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Hand of Time
The second Anya installment is officially out! Feel free to follow the link under "published works" in order to view/read it. Below I have posted an excerpt. Enjoy!
“You’re late!” scolds an old man in a crimson cloak.
In a dazed state, all Anya can manage to say is, “Who are you…”
“Who am I?” he repeats with slight amusement in his voice. With haste he hobbles to a table and chairs. Setting his staff on the floor and putting his knobby feet in a pot of water, he turns his calm, blue eyes towards her. “I am not but a humble Seer; a keeper of time if you will.” After slightly bowing his balding head, he turns his attention to the chessboard resting on the table. Moving his rook, he then waits for his invisible opponent’s t counterattack. Anya begins to think the man is daft, until the opponent’s chess piece begins to slide across the board on its own.
“You’re late!” scolds an old man in a crimson cloak.
In a dazed state, all Anya can manage to say is, “Who are you…”
“Who am I?” he repeats with slight amusement in his voice. With haste he hobbles to a table and chairs. Setting his staff on the floor and putting his knobby feet in a pot of water, he turns his calm, blue eyes towards her. “I am not but a humble Seer; a keeper of time if you will.” After slightly bowing his balding head, he turns his attention to the chessboard resting on the table. Moving his rook, he then waits for his invisible opponent’s t counterattack. Anya begins to think the man is daft, until the opponent’s chess piece begins to slide across the board on its own.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Next Anya Installment!
For all of you who read, “Remember the Dead,” and want to know what happens next, you’ll get the chance come August 15, 2010. As of yesterday, the sequel, “Hand of Time,” was accepted by Yesteryear Fiction. So come August 15, the next Anya adventure will be released!
I would also like to thank everyone who has been supporting me! It means the world! : )
I would also like to thank everyone who has been supporting me! It means the world! : )
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Remember the Dead
Today my story has been published by Yesteryear Fiction! I made sure to post the link so everyone can enjoy!
The story is called, “Remember the Dead,” and it is about a warrior, Anya, trying to warn the villagers about their imminent downfall. Instead, she gets lost in a haunted forest and must gather all her wits to survive.
Below I have pasted an excerpt.
Metal sounded, arrows buzzed all around, and Anya was in the thick of it all. She did not care who she stabbed or decapitated, a merciless killer she was. Slicing people and having their intestines spill out came easily to her, and she never lost sleep over it. If the Gods did not want her to kill, they would not have made her so good at it.
Ruthlessly, Anya headed toward a higher vantage point, hacking without mercy at anything and everything standing in her way. Her once blond hair, now caked in dirt and blood, hung in her eyes as she surveyed the scene below. Silently, the leader cursed as she noticed her troops slowly retreating. Reinforcements should have arrived hours ago, but they were nowhere to be seen. Without the other troops defeat was inevitable. Suddenly, the full effect of what she had done struck her like a blazing arrow. She had promised these people a new beginning, but instead brought them to their burial ground.
The story is called, “Remember the Dead,” and it is about a warrior, Anya, trying to warn the villagers about their imminent downfall. Instead, she gets lost in a haunted forest and must gather all her wits to survive.
Below I have pasted an excerpt.
Metal sounded, arrows buzzed all around, and Anya was in the thick of it all. She did not care who she stabbed or decapitated, a merciless killer she was. Slicing people and having their intestines spill out came easily to her, and she never lost sleep over it. If the Gods did not want her to kill, they would not have made her so good at it.
Ruthlessly, Anya headed toward a higher vantage point, hacking without mercy at anything and everything standing in her way. Her once blond hair, now caked in dirt and blood, hung in her eyes as she surveyed the scene below. Silently, the leader cursed as she noticed her troops slowly retreating. Reinforcements should have arrived hours ago, but they were nowhere to be seen. Without the other troops defeat was inevitable. Suddenly, the full effect of what she had done struck her like a blazing arrow. She had promised these people a new beginning, but instead brought them to their burial ground.
Monday, June 7, 2010
A Journey Update
I do apologize for the long gap in postings. Since I was contemplating abandoning the blog, I was not updating it. Instead I was working on a new blog idea; possibly one revolving around my experiences volunteering? Thoughts? Anyway, for the moment I shall continue blogging about my writing adventures.
Ever since the last writers meeting I went to on May 26, 2010, I have been on a marketing frenzy. The guest speaker primarily focused on how one could sell their short stories, essays, narratives, and poems to magazines. I found her speech to be very helpful and chalked full with information.
The speaker was the award-winning writer Windy Lynn Harris who specializes in short stories and memoir. She has had her work published over sixty times in magazines, newspapers, and anthologies all across the country.
According to her and the handout she passed around, there are six steps to getting short stories, essays, and poetry published.
1. Categorize your work
2. Find potential markets
3. Follow the Writer’s Guidelines
4. Format your manuscript
5. Write a cover letter
6. Submit
Ever since I was in middle school (F.Y.I. I am in college now) I have been trying to pawn my stories and poems off on poor unsuspecting magazines editors. Looking back, I can see why they were rejected time and time again, but my biggest problem was finding places to send my work. Even though I was constantly getting standard rejection letters, I was still sending my so-called stories to the same magazines. Thanks to Windy I have recently discovers the magic of Duotrope.com.
The website is called Duotrope’s Digest, and it is a searchable database of current fiction and poetry markets. You enter in the theme, genre, length, etc of you poem or story, and it will recommend places for you to submit it. Most places pay very little, if at all, but it is a great way to start getting your name out there, and to potentially get feedback from editors. Bigger magazines give you a cookie-cutter response, but some of the smaller magazines and webzines are more personal.
The next day after the meeting, I finished one of my short stories, followed Windy’s step’s, used Duotrop.com, and sent it off to eight different places. It had not even been twenty-four hours before I received a congratulatory E-mail (all of my submissions had been electronic) from Yesteryear Fiction, announcing the publication of my story on July fourth! This is very exciting news, at least for my family and me. Yesteryear is a webzine, and I will post a link to my story once it is published.
I am now currently finding places to send several poems, finishing up two short stories, and am in the planning stages for several novels.
Ever since the last writers meeting I went to on May 26, 2010, I have been on a marketing frenzy. The guest speaker primarily focused on how one could sell their short stories, essays, narratives, and poems to magazines. I found her speech to be very helpful and chalked full with information.
The speaker was the award-winning writer Windy Lynn Harris who specializes in short stories and memoir. She has had her work published over sixty times in magazines, newspapers, and anthologies all across the country.
According to her and the handout she passed around, there are six steps to getting short stories, essays, and poetry published.
1. Categorize your work
2. Find potential markets
3. Follow the Writer’s Guidelines
4. Format your manuscript
5. Write a cover letter
6. Submit
Ever since I was in middle school (F.Y.I. I am in college now) I have been trying to pawn my stories and poems off on poor unsuspecting magazines editors. Looking back, I can see why they were rejected time and time again, but my biggest problem was finding places to send my work. Even though I was constantly getting standard rejection letters, I was still sending my so-called stories to the same magazines. Thanks to Windy I have recently discovers the magic of Duotrope.com.
The website is called Duotrope’s Digest, and it is a searchable database of current fiction and poetry markets. You enter in the theme, genre, length, etc of you poem or story, and it will recommend places for you to submit it. Most places pay very little, if at all, but it is a great way to start getting your name out there, and to potentially get feedback from editors. Bigger magazines give you a cookie-cutter response, but some of the smaller magazines and webzines are more personal.
The next day after the meeting, I finished one of my short stories, followed Windy’s step’s, used Duotrop.com, and sent it off to eight different places. It had not even been twenty-four hours before I received a congratulatory E-mail (all of my submissions had been electronic) from Yesteryear Fiction, announcing the publication of my story on July fourth! This is very exciting news, at least for my family and me. Yesteryear is a webzine, and I will post a link to my story once it is published.
I am now currently finding places to send several poems, finishing up two short stories, and am in the planning stages for several novels.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Writing News
The following are contests, workshops, etc that I have heard about and would like to share with you. If there is a website you can visit, I will make sure to post a link on the right-hand side. Unfortunately, most of my information has mainly to do with Arizona, but feel free to tell me about anything else you may hear about no matter the state!
CONTEST: Writers of the Future
CONTEST: Writer's Digest
CONTEST: New York Book Festival-Deadline is May 25, 2010
CONTEST: Green Book Festival in Los Angeles - Deadline is April 15, 2010
CONFERENCE: Screenwriters Conference- May 15-16 @ the Scottsdale Hilton in Scottsdale Arizona.
WORKSHOP: Write Stuff- Scottsdale Society of Women Writers are offering workshops April 10th, 10:00am-3:00pm at the Chandler Library. There will be speakers talking about writing, editing, publishing, marketing and branding. It costs $40 and benefits the Chandler Library. If interested RSVP Suzanne Kinsinger by Email: suzanne.kinsinger@chandleraz.gov
CONTEST: Writers of the Future
CONTEST: Writer's Digest
CONTEST: New York Book Festival-Deadline is May 25, 2010
CONTEST: Green Book Festival in Los Angeles - Deadline is April 15, 2010
CONFERENCE: Screenwriters Conference- May 15-16 @ the Scottsdale Hilton in Scottsdale Arizona.
WORKSHOP: Write Stuff- Scottsdale Society of Women Writers are offering workshops April 10th, 10:00am-3:00pm at the Chandler Library. There will be speakers talking about writing, editing, publishing, marketing and branding. It costs $40 and benefits the Chandler Library. If interested RSVP Suzanne Kinsinger by Email: suzanne.kinsinger@chandleraz.gov
Let the Journey Begin!
I am a 19 year old girl in Arizona, and I have decided to become a writer. I am not sure of specifics, only that I would like to one day publish a novel. As of right now my goals may be cliche, but as I progress through my journey things should solidify and a more complete picture shall emerge.
In this blog I will post the steps I am taking to establish myself as a writer. I will also be posting things I am writing in hopes of constructive feedback. Finally, I will be sharing with others all the places I am going, and the people I am talking to, and hopefully help other new writers establish themselves as well.
P.S. I am aware my spelling and grammar is not the best, so corrections are welcome. : )
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