More Than Just a Kiss blogfest with prizes. Short, wet kisses from Fijian Princess, my first completed manuscript.

“A kiss, when all is said, what is it? 'Tis a secret told to the mouth instead of to the ear.” ~ Edmond Rostand 

The wonderful Cecilia Robert and Christine Rains would like to invite you to the MORE THAN JUST A KISS blogfest!

Sweet, sizzling, fiery, awkward, mind-blowing. They want to read your kissing scenes.

The rules are simple:

1. Sign up on the linky list and post the badge on your blog.

2. On one of the days of the week of September 9th, post a kissing scene on your blog. It can be either fiction or non-fiction.

3. Please do not exceed 250 words.

4. This is a blogfest, so visit the other participants and have fun!

But wait! This is more than a blogfest.

They're offering prizes!

The scenes will be judged by these amazing romance authors: Cecilia Robert,Laurelin Paige, Kyra Lennon, and Christine Rains.  They will choose three posts to win these awesome prizes.

Prize 1 - A critique of a kissing/intimate scene from your WIP (not exceeding ten pages). Critiques will be done by Cecilia Robert, Kyra Lennon, and Christine Rains.

Prize 2 - A critique of a kissing/intimate scene from your WIP (not exceeding five pages). This critique will be done by Laurelin Paige and Christine.

Prize 3 - A critique of a kissing/intimate scene from your WIP (not exceeding one page). This critique will be done by Cecilia and Christine.

BONUS PRIZES:
Cecilia, Kyra, Laurelin, and Christine will each choose one of our favorites to give out some fantastic ebooks.
Cecilia – TRULY MADLY DEEPLY YOU and REAPER'S NOVICE.
Kyra - IF I LET YOU GO
Laurelin - FIXED ON YOU 
Christine – All six volumes of the 13th Floor series.

Sign up here!

I'm from Australia, so we're halfway through the 9th already and I have a lot happening the rest of the week. By posting early, I hope I can inspire you to post a 'kiss' entry, fiction or non-fiction. 

For my entry I will share a watery kiss between my hero and heroine in my first completed manuscript, tah dah!! the romance, Fijian Princess. Early in the story they are diving together in the Pacific Ocean off a Fijian island where Bosco's sister is getting married. The extract is from Adi's POV.

Bosco touched her shoulder. His thumb jerked upwards. Then Adi saw it, a black and white banded sea snake, highly venomous.

The slithering creature gave her the creeps. Breathe, Bosco signalled, breathe. She willed her heart into a steady rhythm, then hand in hand, they slowly kicked to the surface.

The sunlight blinded her as they broke through the water together. She flailed around, slapping Bosco’s hands. She tore off her mouthpiece and babbled: “I’m fine...too long since I’ve dived...don’t worry…sorry…”

Bosco removed his mouthpiece. “Adi, you panicked big time. It stole your oxygen. That sea snake was probably harmless, but I couldn’t risk it.”

“I know. Thank you for being there for me.”

He touched her cheek. “I always want to be there for you.”

How she longed to recapture the joy she’d felt under water. On a whim, she kissed him on the cheek. She looked over her shoulder as she bobbled away, just in time to see him touch where her lips had been.

He was beside her in a few strong strokes.  “Come here,” he growled. His arms wrapped around her shoulders, lifted her out of the water. She tried to wiggle away, but he held firm. “That wasn’t a kiss.” Then he kissed her—a watery kiss—a kiss full of promise, punctuated by the loud banging of their dive gear.

She wanted to stay in his arms forever.

efghefghefghefghefghefghefg

WORD COUNT: 234

• I hope you enjoyed my extract and got a feel for my two charming characters, Bosco and Adi.
• And please do consider signing up for Write...Edit...Publish's September blogfest, theme MOVING ON.

#RomanticFridayWriters - Challenge No 45 - Oh How I Hate My Beautiful Friend!

It's time for our bi-monthly challenge for RomanticFridayWriters. Today the prompt is 'Oh How I Hate My Beautiful Friend.' The linky is up and fingers are furiously dashing over keyboards as writers and poets come up with all sorts of takes on the theme. If you'd like to try the challenge, it's open to all! Go to the RFW Challenges Page for more info. on the prompt. If you like the idea, please join us.

Today I'm continuing the Inya and Sally series. Sally has returned to Anam Island to continue her love affair with a Fijian local. She's handed over the reins of her New York corporation and plans to stay on the island with Inya. Her tough New York BFF, Agnetha, has other ideas and isn't afraid to share them...

BFF? Best Friends Forever? 

Sally delighted in the silvery moonlight flickering across the Pacific Ocean. Her adrenalin surged. She wanted to run along the beach, scream and shout. 

Don’t you just love jet lag?

She’d just hit the pillow when she heard the thump, thump, thump. Was it Inya? Surely he knew she wasn’t up for an early-morning surf. He’d seen the wreck she was last night.

She fell out of bed, dragged on a robe, pushed her hair out of her eyes and tugged the door open – and screamed!

‘God, Sally, you’re one wrecked chick. I thought island life suited you?’

‘What the – what are you doing here, Aggie?’

‘Well, can I come in?’

Sally opened the door and watched as Aggie dragged all four designer suitcases inside, leaving them where they fell.

‘What – ?’

‘I’m glad to see you too, honey.’

‘But - ?’

‘How did I get here? Well, I caught a plane, a bus, a boat…and asked about you at the dive shop and they pointed me in this direction.’

‘What are you doing following me?’

‘I’ve been your friend since we were in trainer bras honey. The Sally I know doesn’t rush all the way across the world, give up corporate life in the most exciting city in the world, for, what – an uneducated guy on an atoll? I’m here to find out if it’s just reef and beef – or is there more to it?’

‘There’s a lot more to it. I love Inya. I plan to spend the rest of my life with him, wherever, however that works out.’

‘You’ve known him – how long was that again?’

‘Six months. Long enough.’

‘You’re taking yourself off the market after six months? Six months is too short for the TFA.’

‘The what?’

‘Together. Forever. Always. You’re already falling behind. You’re way too easy,’ she said, plopping on the saggy sofa. ‘You gotta let this guy woo you.’

‘Woo me? Now who’s out of touch?’

‘Enough sass. Guys got this primeval need to win us, make us theirs. What’s this Inya gonna think with you running over here, giving everything up for him, huh?’

‘I think he was pretty pleased, judging by his reaction when I arrived.’

‘You think? It’s early in the game. A dame needs to hold back a little.’

‘Sometimes, my friend, I hate you.’

‘That’s just how the fudge melts, honey.’

 ©DeniseCovey2012

☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁

WORD COUNT - 397

FCA

Join us for upcoming RFW Challenges:

Friday Oct 5th   - BIRTHDAY MADNESS!

Friday Oct 19th - HOUSE OF HORRORS HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE. This is for Featured Writer. 

Romantic Friday Writers - Challenge No 43 - The Romantic Picnic.

The RomanticFridayWriters bi-monthly challenge this week is 'The Romantic Picnic.  I'm writing a sequel to my previous Challenge, I Need a Change, with the setting in a romantic paradise, based on a real island in Fiji. If you didn't catch my story you can read it here. The challenges are open to all writers of prose or poetry.

Here are the guidelines for this challenge:

The "Romantic Picnic."  

- Who initiates the picnic; is this a first date or dedication to the continuing relationship? 

- Is there an agenda to the picnic: marriage proposal, pregnancy announcement, promotion or new job assignment? 

 - is the picnic all about the continuing romantic relationship: one lover affirming their devotion to the other, or a mutually shared, opportune moment of togetherness?  

***Any genre, any POV; just remember to include a romantic element and a picnic, in 400 words or less.***

Back to the Island

Inya spread the mat on the lush grass, watching how the palm tree shadows painted pictures with the midday light. Squinting into the sun, he remembered a day just like this, six months ago. Their last picnic.

Joy spiked his heart just thinking of her. From the night she’d tripped over his fishing line, to the day she’d left on the boat, they’d been inseparable. What a week that’d been! She’d promised to come back, but he’d been afraid to hope.  

She was here! He’d seen her boat come in. Afraid to meet it, he’d decided to wait for her to find him. That’d mean she really wanted him. She was good at tracking him down. 

Wherever he was, she’d find him.

He opened the hotel picnic basket. The hotel staff loved Sally. Said she was perfect for him. They’d given him all these goodies and a bottle of chilled champagne.

He lifted the plates out of their plastic bindings and set them out side by side. Then he reached for the cutlery and napkins. Pretty fancy!

Before getting out the delicious-looking sandwiches and papaya salad, he picked some gorgeous red ginger flowers from a nearby bush. He filled a plastic tumbler with fresh water and set them in the middle of the mat. 

He checked the sun. She should be here any minute. Just thinking about her made him hot. He threw off his tee shirt and dived into the water. Ah, cool! He was so nervous he was as stiff as a board. He started to swim out to the islands in long, lazy strokes, luxuriating in the glorious feeling of soft water flowing around him. He rolled onto his back and looked at the cloudless blue sky.

‘Inya!’

Sally’s here!

Splashing madly like a kid learning to swim, he looked towards the shore. There she was, running into the water, throwing off her clothes as she ran. 

In a few strokes they were all arms and legs and gulping water, gabbling nonsense. He pulled her close and kissed her, and kissed her...

‘I love you Inya.’

‘I love you Sally. I’m never letting you off this island without me again.’

‘I’m never leaving without you.’

‘Hungry?’

‘Starving. Do I detect a picnic under a tree?’

‘You do.’

‘How romantic. Do you have kava?’

‘Nah. The hotel sent champagne.’

‘I’m more of a kava girl.’

‘I know. Just wait till tonight.’

WORD COUNT: 404

FCA

UPCOMING RFW CHALLENGES:

Challenge #44 -  Sept 7 -  I Should Have Kissed You  FW/RunnerUp

Challenge #45 -  Sept 21 -Oh How I Hate My Beautiful Friend
Challenge #46 -  Oct 5   -  Birthday Madness 
Challenge #47 -  Oct 19 -  Halloween – House of Horrors.  FW/RunnerUp

Like to read more RFW posts on The Romantic Picnic. Go to RomanticFridayWriters for the list...

get the InLinkz code

 

My entry for the 'What if...?' Blogfest - Plot Twist

WHAT IF? Fairytale Madness BlogFest!

(Runs August 13 - 17)          

Have you noticed that by changing one detail; one event, one character trait, one thought... you can completely alter the rest of the story?

For this bloghop we are exploring "What If...?"

Not only do we want it to be fun, but it will hopefully be a fun writing exercise and make for some great reading during the hop!

To enter: 
Think of your favorite "well known" fairytale and ask "What If…!"

       Post your story anytime between August 13th to 17th. 

·         Flash Fiction – 300 WORD MAX. (You don't have to tell the whole story in three hundred words. Pick what works to illustrate your point.)

I've chosen the Plot Twist category. What if Cinderella's Prince was a vampire seeking a partner...of course, Cindy fits the bill...

Cinderella and the Prince of Darkness

‘Cindy, don’t go!’

‘I’m 18! I’ll please myself!’

‘Why wear all black to the Prince of Darkness ball? You look like a Gothic princess,’ said Philomena and Persephone.

‘That’s the idea, idiots.’

‘Cindy, this rave will be dangerous. There’ll be party drugs.’

‘Oh pfft! You hate me. Years of humiliation, staying home while you partied. God, it’s my time.’

The step-sisters were horrified. Where was Cindy’s long blond hair, her vintage dresses? Who was this stranger in silken net and all-black accessories?

‘Here’s your shoes Cindy.’

‘Never ever touch my shoes.'

‘What’s Mum going to say?’

‘She wants me dead. No problem. Thanks to her when he sees my hands the Prince’ll think I’m some lackey.’

‘Come home before midnight!’

‘Or I'll turn into a pumpkin? Idiots. The party’ll be pumpin'.’

‘But Mum…’

‘Pfft! I answer to my mum.’

‘But your mum’s…’

‘…dead.’

On the subway Cindy hung from the strap and stroked her cross, thinking about the little white dove that’d left her a message at her mother’s graveside:

 ‘Come to the Prince of Darkness party! Best-dressed prize! A private session with the Prince!’ 

She’d wept with bitter joy…

Cindy entered through the large black doors into the cave-like room. Everyone was astonished at her beauty. The Prince himself, who’d been checking out the girls, flew down the stairs and took her hand.

‘Why, Prince, are you dancing with me? All the girls are dying to dance with you. It’s in their eyes.’

‘Their eyes are dead. Yours are alive.’

‘Hmm. I desire your kiss of death.’

‘You want to be with me forever after?’

‘Yes. Mortal life is overrated.’

In his private rooms, the Prince removed Cindy’s razor-sharp stiletto.

He kissed her, then pricked her with her stiletto heel. His cries echoed through the building - ‘Ah, my Princess has come!’

I hope you enjoyed my twisted fairy tale. To read more, check out the list...

And here's a snap of my penultimate day in Fiji...

Cassava and Coconut Pie at Lautoka Market...yummy!

UPCOMING RFW CHALLENGES:

Challenge #44 -  Sept 7 -  I Should Have Kissed You  FW/RunnerUp

Challenge #45 -  Sept 21 -Oh How I Hate My Beautiful Friend
Challenge #46 -  Oct 5   -  Birthday Madness 
Challenge #47 -  Oct 19 -  Halloween – House of Horrors.  FW/RunnerUp

Check out RomanticFridayWriters Challenge Page for more details...

Insecure Writers Support Group - Creating a Sense of Place

It's the first Wednesday of the month - that means I've been in Fiji for a month (gulp - where did the time go?) and also time for the post for Insecure Writer's Support Group. Click on the badge above to go to lots more posts.

Today is also the Bombshell Launch Party for blogger Madeleine Maddock's ebook, Ultimate Sacrifice. I'll be doing an interview with Madeleine on Monday 6th August. For the full schedule, go here. Good luck Maddy!

Available at Amazon.com   Amazon. UK  Amazon FR     Amazon de

Today let's talk about creating a perfect story (I wish.) But at least we can try to get all the elements we need...

Stories we write are anchored in a specific time and place. That doesn't mean shutting your eyes and jabbing a pin on a map and deciding you'll set your story in the Arctic Circle. No, your story is an entity, and as well as having that story idea, those characters already popping up demanding to be included, you have to have your story and your characters set in the right place.

Think about some of our favourites...can you imagine Wuthering Heights anywhere else but on the wild gothic moors of Charlotte Bronte's 19th Century Yorkshire? Could Oliver Twist be set anywhere else but Dickensian London? Thinking modern now - can you separate Janet Evanovitch's Stephanie Plum from her Trenton, New Jersey roots? What about Alexander McQueen's lady detectives? Don't they just work in Botswana?

Now your mind is racing along and you'll be thinking of your favourite stories - yes, their sense of place is all-embracing. It encompasses not only the physical, but the socio-economic, the cultural, the physical, the language, the politics, the weather, the mood of the place. (And if you're writing fantasy and you're creating a whole world, you need to think about all these things too. If your world boasts triple sun, you've got to know how that affects the people, the seasons, how the shadows are cast.)

"Place...makes the characters real...themselves...[Place] never really stops informing us...it is astir, alive, changing, reflecting, like the mind of man himself." Eudora Welty.

Travelling helps to find that perfect merging of place, characters, plot. As we travel we see the unique, the ridiculous, the different, the quixotic...we see stories everywhere, at least I do.

While cruising the Fiji Islands (sorry, lovely image isn't it?) I came across this unique sight - Fijian locals serenading arriving travellers to their island, Mana Island. Amongst the melody-makers here's this white guy, terribly-bad sun-scorched skin. What's he doing here in this incompatible climate? He looks happy, joyous even. Great story. I've got to write it...And why don't the Fijians wear hats in the boiling hot sun? (Generally it's a cultural thing - insulting to the Chief. Once you could have been cannabilised for just wearing a hat or touching the Chief's head.) I'll tell you, I got quite a headache walking around a Village with no hat on...

• What about you? Do you think place in your stories is terribly important?
• If you write fantasy or sci-fi, do you spend ages world building, getting it right?
• Do you enjoy stories with a great sense of overall place, where it all comes together?