Alex J Cavanaugh's First Loves Blogfest - what and who did I fall in love with?

Hi! It's time for Alex J's First Loves Blogfest. This sounds like a RomanticFridayWriters idea, but no, the Ninja thought this up!

So today I have to come clean and tell you about my First Loves: first movie, first song/band, first book, and yes, first person.

First, the first movie I fell in love with was:

Anything with Sandra Dee in it. I idolized her when I was a youngster. My room was full of her pin ups! That changed when I got a bit older of course! But if you've ever seen, or heard the song, 'A Summer Place', crooned by Sir Cliff Richard, that was from the Sandra Dee movie.

Embedding disabled in the clip I wanted to show you. You can see it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2ImKNSVxWk



The first song/band I fell in love with was:

Nah, not Slim Dusty's Pub With No Beer (the No 1 Aussie beer-drinking song my brothers loved), but the preppy American boys Simon and Garfunkle's The Sounds of Silence. I went on to love a lot more of their songs, such as Bridge Over Troubled Water. On a par were the Byrds with Mr Tambourine Man. I continue to love Paul Simon solo.




The first book I fell in love with was:

Heidi by Johanna Spyri

This is what the cover looked like when my mother gave it to me for my birthday. I was enthralled by the adventures of this young orphaned girl in the mountains of Switzerland (gave me a thirst to see this strange world). Heidi goes to live with her grandfather who's a big grump, but her friendship with local goatherd, young Peter, adds joy to her days. The book's still selling today.

Just to show how things change, check out the modern cover.

My first love? Jeffrey in third grade. We used to sit in the back of the class and hold hands and win all the mathematics competitions. How cute! Wonder where he is now? No, I'm not going to look!

BUT I met Monsieur L'Aussie when I was 16 and married him at 19, crazeeeeee! My own HEA.

My Sir Galahad. He holds the weekend papers, my  shoes and guards monster dog
while I had a frolic in the surf yesterday.

This was a fun blogfest. Want to read more? Go here...

#AtoZChallenge Reflection Post - plus other news...Another #AtoZ Challenge, Andy David, Glynis Smy

Hi my friends!

Monday, May 7, we have been asked to write a post reflecting on the A-Z Challenge.

I thoroughly enjoyed posting my BLOGGERS WERE CHILDREN TOO! posts during the challenge, getting to know my blogger friends better, and showcasing blogs to my readers/visitors. Overall, my commenters were generous in their praise for the theme and judging from the frequent returns I believe they meant it. So, thanks for visiting me during the challenge. I hope I returned all visits. During the madness of April it is too easy to miss someone.

My complaint is that I didn't get the time to visit as many new people as I'd hoped. As the links will be up for awhile, I hope to still visit more entries to the challenge. I didn't go out to get a heap of new followers, and I didn't. I visited/commented on far too many blogs. Some were good, some were nonsense just written to get something on the page and that happens, but some were blatantly self-promotional material.

But can we as writers really afford to tap out that many words in comments that really don't mean a lot? I'm jealous of my writing friends who took the month off to work on their WIPs or just to enjoy a blogging break. This might be the way to go next April, I'm thinking, unless someone can give me a good argument otherwise.

Now, life goes on after and even during, the challenge, so...moving on.

NEWSFLASH NO 1: RomanticFridayWriters' next challenge (on May 18) is to re-post your favourite A-Z post in April. It's called APPRECIATING THE ZEALOTRY. Maybe a post you'd like more people to see, maybe a post that you think is great enough to expose to a larger audience, maybe a post you're especially proud of. The brainchild of Donna Hole, this is an easy challenge for those exhaused A-Zers, or those not participating in the challenge who wrote posts which had few comments due to the April challenge taking up most people's time. RFW will post a linky on their blog on Thursday May 17 so you can link your post. http://romanticfridaywriters.blogspot.com

NEWSFLASH NO 2: My dear poetic friend, Andy David, ex-Trinidad, now the US, is hosting a BLOG HOP the first Saturday of each month. All you have to do is link up your blog, OR a favourite blog OR a favourite post. The idea is like a continuation of the challenge, except you don't have to write anything specific, just post your link and during the month, visit some/all bloggers. If you want to extend your network, gain more followers, this is for you. Click on BLOG HOP above to sign up. 

NEWSFLASH NO 3: Last, but not least, today writer/poet, Glynis Smy adds author/novelist to her name. Her debut novel; Ripper, My Love, is launched in ebook format and paperback. The genre for this love story falls into the one of Historical Romance Suspense.

Growing up in late nineteenth century East London,
Kitty Harper’s life is filled with danger and death – from her mother, her
beloved neighbour and the working women
of the streets.

With her ever-watchful father and living surrogate
family though, Kitty feels protected from harm. In fact, she feels so safe that
while Whitechapel cowers under the cloud of a fearsome murderer, she strikes
out on her own, moving into new premises to accommodate her sewing business.

But danger is closer than she thinks. In truth, it
has burrowed itself right into her heart in the form of a handsome yet troubled
bachelor, threatening everything she holds dear. Will Kitty fall prey to lust –
and death – herself, or can she find the strength inside to fight for her
business, sanity and her future? And who is the man terrifying the streets of
East London?

Who is Glynis Smy?

Glynis was born and raised in England, in the coastal town of Dovercourt, near the port of Harwich (where the captain of the Mayflower lived). After qualifying as a nurse, she married her school friend, and they produced three children. During her rare quiet moments, she wrote poetry and articles for magazines. In 2005 she and her husband emigrated to Cyprus for a new life in the sun. It was here that Glynis lay down her cross stitch and started making writing friends on the Internet. With their support and encouragement she shared her poetry, and was successful in a few contests. She shared a short story with a friend, who wrote back telling her it was worthy of becoming a novel, and not to waste the premise upon a brief plot. The story is the one being launched today. Glynis found her love of writing 19th Century, historical romances and her second novel, Maggie's Child, will be published at the end of 2012.

Aside from writing and Cross stitch, Glynis enjoys creating greetings cards, and sells them to raise funds for a small hospice in Cyprus. One of her pleasures is to sit on the back porch with a glass of wine, and reflect upon her good life. She can often be heard chatting to new characters urging her forward.

Her desire to pay back those who had supported her is realised in a blog designed specifically to promote the books of others: New Book Bloggerhttp://newbookblogger.blogspot.com/. You can find her personal writing blog at http://www.glynissmy.com/. Glynis finds the community spirit of writers on Facebook a valuable one.

Want to purchase a copy?  Launch day price for the Kindle is 99c/77p!

Amazon Kindle 

Amazon.com Paperback  

Amazon.co.UK Paperback & Kindle UK

The Book Depository UK (free delivery worldwide)

The Book Depository. Com

Barnes & Noble

I hope you enjoyed my post.

• Did you participate in the A-Z Challenge?
• If not, did you reach your writing goals you'd set for yourself, or any other goals for April?
• What are your goals for May? 

#RomanticFridayWriters - Challenge No 35 - May 4 - Response to Image

RomanticFridayWriters is back! During the A-Z Challenge we have been posting flash fiction nearly every day. Now we're back to our usual format - posting to a prompt each fortnight on a Friday. This time the rules are:

• You must respond to the stimulus in some way.
• From the image, choose who will be your viewpoint character.
• Place your character/s in one of the following settings:

              * a nightclub

              * last day of high school/college

              * at a carnival/festival

              * a private party

              * an exotic island

              * audition for a part in the latest Romeo + Juliet production

              * a combination of two or more of the above settings...

My viewpoint character is the girl on the right. Her best friend has her back to us.

They are celebrating the last day of high school.

Here is my story:

By the Light of the Silvery Moon

Zora reached for Michelle’s hand. It was clammy, even in the freezing night air. The trees pressed closer. Animal sounds sent icy shivers down her spine.

‘Michelle ,’ she whispered, ‘what are we doing here?’

‘Having an adventure. You wanted an adventure on your last day of high school!’

‘This isn’t what I had in mind. I thought you’d finagle us into your brother’s nightclub.’

‘This s’much funner than alchopoops and ecstasy. This forest is alive.’

‘Creepy alive. I feel like we’re being watched, like there’s eyes in those trees. Let’s go back.’

‘Ssh.’

‘What?’

‘They’re coming.’

‘Who? Ghosts?’ Zora was terrified. Did ghosts make sounds? Is that what she could hear behind those trees?

‘See that up ahead? That light?’ Over there!’

Nothing had prepared Zora for the beauty of the soft grasses encircled by the giant kauri trees, the silvery moonlight dancing in the centre of the glade. She could imagine fairies gliding above the branches.

‘It’s beautiful,  Michie.’

‘Better than strobe lighting in Rob’s club?’

‘Much. But I don’t feel like dancing here.’

‘I do.’  Michelle stepped into the circle of light. Zora watched, awestruck, as her friend transformed.  Michelle, who’d never been beautiful, became beautiful. Her tight white dress took on a silver sparkle as she held out her arms and spun round and round in ever-increasing circles. The bracelets she wore became magical things, glinting with light. Her frizzy red wig was afire in moonbeams. Her best friend, her plain  Michelle, had become a night creature.

Michelle jerked her head back as if to drink of the moon’s elixir. Her movements became disjointed, she was a puppet loose of her strings.

‘Come Zora! Dance with me! I’m drunk with the…hic…night spirits.’ She drew a tiny silver flask from her pocket, tipping the contents down her throat.

Zora stepped back, confused. She thought her friend had given up the drink.

‘Come Zor! Don’t reject me like everyone else. Share this with me, my best, my dearest friend.’

‘What about Emerson?’

‘He dumped me. He said he had enough trouble at home. He compared me to that bunch of Irish alcoholics he lives with.’

‘Come home,  Michelle.’

‘No…dancing in the moonlight. Who will dance with me?’ she yelled into the night.

‘I will.’ The voice was deep and true and came from beyond the trees.

‘Emerson. Wha’ - you doing here?’

‘I’m sorry  Elle. Let’s work through this together.’

Michelle collapsed into a heap in the centre of the soft grass. Emerson was beside her, whispering words for her ears only.

The wistful moon dipped behind a cloud.

‘Zora.’

She jumped. ‘Gavin? How did you - ?’

‘Emerson brought me. This is their special spot.’

'It's magical.'

'Want to feel some magic with me?’

‘Always.’

As Gavin took her into his arms, the warmth was a silken blanket thrown lightly over their bodies

‘This is the way to celebrate the last day of high school,’ she whispered. 

 ©DeniseCovey2012

Words 490

Insecure Writers Support Group post - Be your own structural editor

Welcome to the first Wednesday of the month which means posting for the Insecure Writers Support Group.

For the next few weeks I want to pass on some things I've learned recently through attending a Queensland Writer's Centre novel workshop conducted by a structural editor.

Who is a structural editor? Well that would be the person who gets given your ms after it's been accepted by a publishing house. It's the structural editor's brief to look for flaws in your story structure, character arcs, well, your whole ms really. (Not that you'll have any obviously!)

Today I'll just share general tips that were passed on:

• Publishing requires a lot of luck as well as a lot of hard work.
• Your novel has to be commercial or publishers won't want to know you. (Go here to read more on Jane Friedman's site - invaluable!)
• Your novel has to be structured and clear.
• In other words, you have to do it right.

Now a little more particular:

Get your story idea - the editor suggested you write about familiar things. Write about people you know, by blending people. Take events that have happened - your life, newspapers, television...and use these events in your story. (This reminds me of Jodi Picoult's style. She gets her ideas from current events then thoroughly researches the event, then peoples it with her characters - always quirky, always showing multiple viewpoints.)

As Anne Lamott says in Bird by Bird, first drafts are 'shitty'. She even says that 'all writers write them'. But the good news is: 'This is the way they end up with a good second draft and a terrrific third draft.'The difference between a 'shitty' first draft and a 'terrific' third draft is...editing...and that's what I'm going to post about next time. Here is a great link to Write to Done, a great article, 15 Ways to Write Tight which might help you with your first draft.

What do you think? Stephen King in 'On Writing' says much the same thing as Anne Lamott - get that first draft down, put it away for a month, drag it out and go to town on it, discuss it with others, then start your third draft. Do you agree? Do you get bogged down in the first draft, self editing as you go and driving yourself and your story crazy! Like me?

#AtoZChallenge - Final BLOGGERS WERE CHILDREN TOO! post - Z is for Zan Marie

Hello!


The final day! This has been fun and I've enjoyed learning more about my fellow bloggers from around the world and seeing some of their childhood pics. Yesterday's combo of Lynda Young and Roland Yeomans broke all records for viewing for me - over 90 at last count. If you missed it, scroll down after you  read Zan's fabulous post.

Today and finally:

Z is for Zan, (Zan Marie) from In the Shade of the Cherry Tree

Zan at 4 years old in 1960

I was born in Carrollton, GA, USA where I lived my entire childhood in the same house—a house that my builder/carpenter father was always remodeling. I slept in every room at one time or another. I lived in the same, ever changing house for 21 years until I married. We met at the local university in a political science class titled “Foreign Relations.” We still laugh about the “foreign relations” between Carrollton and Temple, my husband’s hometown.

My favorite home is the 90+ year old house I now share with my husband in Temple, GA. It was built in 1920 for his grandparents. I’ve only lived in three houses and this one is the one I’ve lived in the longest. We remodeled it in 1980 and it continues to take a lot of our do-it-yourself time. Thank goodness, we’re both very handy. 

Built in 1920 the house was the first home in Temple to have electricity and had twelve foot ceilings that we lowered to ten to reduce the cost of heating and cooling. Even eight foot tall windows are little help with the deep, sultry heat of Georgia summers. Both Carrollton, my hometown, and Temple, John's hometown, are in the same county in the western metro Atlanta area. When we were kids it was much more rural, but now the area is definitely part of a large city's metropolitan area.

My best childhood memory is playing outdoors in the side yard under the large pecan trees. The high, dense shade shielded us from the hot summer sun. When sister, brother and I were small, we would make mud pies in tuna cans and turn them out on paper plates when they were dry. The decorations were a combination of pecan blooms and pecan shells. My brother usually played in the sand pile with his G.I. Joes and Tonka trunks. When his “crew” got tired, they would come to the kitchen of stove and refrigerator that our daddy had built for us in his woodworking shop, and “eat” mud pies. 

Zan as a teenager with her Siamese, Etcetera  

My worst childhood memory was when I get my brother his worst spanking ever. I was only seven and had just learned how to write cursive L’s. For some reason, I thought practicing the loopy letter on the sofa with a pencil was appropriate. My brother got the blame. He was five and had been carrying a ballpoint pen in his sock as a gun. Daddy was not amused by my practice and my brother got the punishment. I didn’t come clean until ten years later. My brother had a tough time forgiving me and I don’t blame him at all.

Zan on her wedding day!

Random fact about me:  I was named for my daddy's fifth-grade girl friend. (Zan also made her own wedding dress and her husband's shirt and tie! Go Zan!)

More about Zan:

I’ve always loved words and have written since I realized that the words I love were written by someone. Poetry, prose, verse, lyric—it doesn’t matter what form or genre the words are. Words inspire, entertain, and enlighten. After teaching history and Latin for twenty-five years, I finally have the time to take delight in writing. My writing explores many wonderful forms—fiction, poetry, devotional literature, and history.

Visit Zan at her blog: www.intheshadeofthecherrytree.blogspot.com

That's it folks! Childhood bloggers from A - Z. I hope you've met some lovely people, learned more about those you'd already met. I really enjoyed putting this series together. I hope through the A - Z Challenge we have all made rich connections with our fellow bloggers. Thanks so much for visiting during this challenge. I've had a great time visiting so many of you!

Now, for a well-earned rest...zzzzzzzz Ah, no, no rest for the wicked as they say. I'll be busy getting RomanticFridayWriters on the road again with special blogger friend, Donna Hole!