Best Advice to Writers Blogfest

I felt it would be presumptuous to submit an entry to this blogfest as I'm not a published author, but I have put up the banner from Peevish Penman (above) so I didn't forget to go read the entries, which I have been doing for the last two days. So sorry to disappoint you if you have dropped in to read my words of wisdom as I've been commenting all over the place. (Okay, if you must, my advice is to write, write, write and soak up tips from everywhere, but only use what suits you and your style.)

I have read some great advice straight from the heart of these dear authors/writers. A little phrase that will be with me forever is from D W Cunningham of Literary Asylum: 'Leave new footprints.' Love it. So, go check out some entries by clicking on the banner above.

Happy writing, Denise.

Flash Fiction - you get to vote for the winner

Cakes from Laduree, Paris

Deanna from The Other Side of Deanna is hosting her first writing contest. See details here. Basically write a story (fiction or creative non-fiction) of less than 1,000 words with the theme - Birthday. It is a great contest to enter and there is actually a prize - a $19.95 Amazon voucher.  The contest closes on July 24th, so get cracking!

Read some great #fridayflash fiction here.

I've joined up the for 50,000 words in 50 days writing challenge. It's bad timing as I have visitors and school's just started again, but is it ever a good time? Somehow writing just has to get done. I needed the motivation to get moving on my second novel which I've been researching, so thanks Sarah and Summer for giving me the kick off.

Hope your writing is going stupendously...Denise

More Awards for moi!

Thank you VR Barkowski for not one, but two, awards. One is the Versatile Blogger Award and the other is the One Lovely Blog Award. Thankfully VR has combined them, so all I have to do is tell you 7 things about me. As I've done this before, I'll just have to stretch things and hope I don't repeat myself.

The lovely Olivia J Herrell from That Rebel With a Blog also awarded me with the One Lovely blog Award, so thank you so much! I'll have some passing on to do!

Tell you what, people are changing the rules as it suits them, so if you are following me you definitely deserve both of these awards, so please grab them for your blog, then pass them on as you see fit! Just remember to link to moi and leave a comment so I know you have taken up the offer. Then we are all happy!

SEVEN THINGS ABOUT ME

1. 
   
   My bedside table is a tip because I never read one book at a time, I must have at least 4 on the go at once - one or two fiction, one non-fiction, one classic, one travel memoir - at least! Then there's research, YA books...
2. 
   
   Who needs a classroom of adolescents when you can do one-on-one tutoring? I gave up the wild side of life to concentrate on mainly ESL students (and my writing.) Love their enthusiasm, and I learn so much about their cultures. I am forced to read books I would never bother with otherwise (e.g. The Book Thief) but end up becoming engrossed. Am currently revisiting Pride and Prejudice, Future Shock and Great Gatsby. Yummmmyyyy. Nice work if you can get it!
3. 
   
   I love the feeling of having a real (ahem) book in my hand as opposed to an e-book. Maybe I'll change down the line, but not yet! Am I a Luddite?
4. 
   
   I adore libraries (I tutor most of my students there!) if for no other reason but to see the avalanche of people loving books. Go you good people!
5. 
   
   I don't procrastinate near as much as I used to, so be encouraged, there may be a cure. My cure is to sit at the computer with my fingers on the keys and to remember to hit them occasionally.
6. 
   
   I have the most adorable little (and I mean little!) dog, Foxy Lady - a chihuahua/miniature foxy mix. She is the size of a regular tissue box, (just right for apartment living) but has the personality of an alsatian and the temperment of a labrador. She lights up my life and gets me running at least once a day, maybe more! She never tires, and hauls me up hills. Looks hilarious and passers by laugh or stop to chat. A good little ice breaker.
7. 
   
   By the end of 2010 I hope to have my novel polished and out there looking. Also hope to get my second underway soon, whilst writing my short stories and travel stories. #ShutUpAndWrite!!

Thanks for reading. I'll be looking forward to reading yours, 'k?

Bye now, #amwriting...Denise

Butterfly Award and ramblings of a returning blogger

Noosa Main Beach

Hey, miss me? I've been away up on the Sunshine Coast (100 km's north of Brisbane) spending some good times with my daughters. It was fabulous, but I decided to put the netbook away and just take a break.

Anyways, lots has been happening in the blogosphere while I've been catching some rays, wining, dining and coffee-ing and gazing at gob-smackingly beautiful scenery, so it'll take awhile to catch up. Oh, and look! Nearly 100 followers! How did that happen??

I've missed a blogfest (shock! horror!) so sorry to Shelley from Stories in the Ordinary who hosted the I Can't Say It Blogfest. I've been reading some entries and they're darned good. Pop over if you can.

Some lovelies have dropped by and left me some awards to pick up, so this will take some time. This is the point of this blog post and I'm finally getting to it. Blah! Blah! I'm so verbose.

Due to such a concentrated busy time to-ing and fro-ing between blogs, I realise what a PAIN word verification is! And the blogs who even want your email address! I just want to run away and leave no comment. Too much time! Look, if the odd alien pops in to leave a comment I can live with that, can't you? So how about going into settings and turning off word verification! Pretty please??? Do we really need it??? If there is a good reason to keep it, please tell...

Anyways, the lovely missali (a fellow Aussie) from Love Miss Ali,  has given me the Butterfly Award (which will be added to my awards slideshow later.) To collect I have to tell you what makes me smile. Hmm, now that's not too difficult. I'll be buzzing around looking for bloggers to pass this on to who might have something to smile about too!

WHAT MAKES ME SMILE

• 
  
  The ocean - there's something about the ocean view that always inspires me
• 
  
  Love - maybe this should be first, as what could be lovelier than love? Husband, kids, friends, family, views, blogging...
• 
  
  Chocolate in any guise - smile, smile, smile
• 
  
  Coffee - especially when a favourite barista adds a special design on top just because I make him smile with the amount of coffee he makes for me.
• 
  
  A scene that sparkles - more than a smile, a holler, a whoop!
• 
  
  Seeing a place for the first time when travelling. Hard to wipe the smile off my face.
• 
  
  Blogger friends who award me - thank you for making me smile

That's just skimming the surface. Have a great day all!

Share Your Darlings Blogfest - July 1

Hey, yeah, I entered too many blogfests this week and it is all a bit confusing. Thank you to Michelle Gregory from beautiful chaos for hosting this one.



This is an excerpt from near the beginning of my WIP novel with the working title, Ruby. It is part of a scene where the MC’s meet. I was having a bit of fun with the Aussie/French connection. May be too corny, but at the moment I thought it met the criteria for the Share Your Darlings Blogfest, even if these darlings get killed off in the editing process…please read and enjoy a bit of escapism..

The moment Ruby laid eyes on him she knew she was about to make a mistake.


Ruby was comfortable in her body, she had been for twenty-three years, yet suddenly she felt someone had tripped her wires. Everything had gone beserk. She felt a stranger to these feelings coursing through her veins, surging through her from head to toe. Not only was she in a foreign country, she felt she was a foreigner in her own body.


She managed a tremulous ‘Bonjour, je m’apelle Ruby,’ while holding out a perfectly manicured hand. Michael saw that she was his fantasy come to life— a glorious mane of long red curls, mysterious green eyes, heart-shaped face, lips of an angel. He couldn’t drag his eyes away. He watched her lips move, imagining kissing them.

‘I’m a great fan of whales,’ she continued, looking up quizzically, and blushing fiercely as if she could read his mind, ‘but today is my first trip to see them in their natural habitat. It’s been one of the most exciting days of my life, without a doubt.’ She hadn’t realised this until she spoke it out loud. It was the truth. She nodded her head, then turned her gaze back out to sea. Sensing he was looking at her, she turned back, meeting his eyes.


He reached out his hand to her small one. Ruby felt little electric tingles filtering through their clasped fingers. Michael seemed to sense something too—he couldn’t resist bending his head and kissing her tiny hand. Was it a French custom? he asked himself, No, you clot; they kiss each other on both cheeks a million times! Better not go there.

‘I’m Michael Asher, your skipper,’ he smiled, ‘Ruby…I agree...whales have that effect on you. I’m out here nearly every day of the season and I never take them for granted.’ Letting go of her hand, he moved beside her so they were both leaning against the rail, gazing out over the ocean. They watched the beautiful creatures in a thrilling silence. There was no need for words, they’d made their connection. The whales were communicating for them.


Ruby loved how he’d kissed her hand. Was it an Australian custom? Somehow she doubted it. She’d heard that Australian men had no finesse, were dismissive of women. Yet he had made this sweet gesture, so gentlemanly, so sexy, so Sea Captain. She was shivering with delight. She looked down where their hands lay close together on the rail. His hands were burnished gold, no doubt from hours at sea. Hers looked so palely white beside his. She knew if she touched his hand, sparks would be zipping all over the place.


Rubbing her chilled fingers together, she wallowed in the sweet tension, never wanting this moment to end. She felt a primordial force drawing her to Michael, the whales, the ocean.


‘Look!’ Michael shouted, grabbing her hand again. ‘Over there!’ Ruby struggled to see in the failing light, but following his pointing finger she could make out some dark shapes turning in the frothy water, shapes silhouetted in the beginnings of a glorious sunset. The colours were magnificent – the sky had turned a soft pastel, with fluorescent orange stripes edging the clouds. Closer to the horizon there were transparent purples and a shade of jewel green Ruby had never seen before.

Ruby took it all in. She had to fight the urge to reach in her backpack for her camera but she decided this moment was more to be savoured in the flesh than digitally. She wasn’t risking losing the magic. Moments like these were rare. She took a ragged breath and with her green eyes wide with wonder, she leaned into the rail, side by side with Michael, drinking in the glorious sight.


‘These Australian sunsets will take some getting used to. I’ve seen some beautiful sunsets in France, especially in Nice,' she whispered in awe, 'but these Australian colours are different. Add whales and dolphins to the mix and it’s miraculous!’ Ruby knew she was gushing, but she couldn’t help it. She was blown away, her emotions heightened.


They both stared intently at the pod of humpbacks. Ruby’s heart was thumping with joy and delight every time their tails hit the water.


‘This is amazing!’ she shouted above the noise as other passengers came out to watch. ‘I don’t want this day to end, ever!’


Ruby felt her cheeks turning as red as her hair. She knew she sounded like a child, but she couldn’t help herself. Today she was on holiday, responsibilities cast aside. She wanted to scream out loud!


Michael glanced at his watch, turned to her, obviously amused at her enthusiasm.

‘There are many hours in the day yet Ruby. I’ve got to return to the bridge now. We’re getting close to port.’ He sounded regretful. ‘Maybe I’ll catch you before you leave the boat? Will you wait for me? Maybe dinner?’ His eyes searched hers.


‘Yes. Yes. Yes.’


Tipping his hat to her, he clattered up the ladder to the bridge. He had to stop himself from yodelling on top of his voice.