Young Writers

6:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 23 Comments

This isn't the actual class. Or did you already guess that?

This week I had the pleasure of hanging out with my sister's creative writing class at Cameron High School. It was a reminder that the world is full of talented writers. Even the kids who only wrote because they were forced, by threat of a lowered grade, showed talent.

I believe it's human nature to be a story teller. Whether we are telling our truths, or making things up, we still use our words and our stories to not only express ourselves and communicate, but as a way of interconnecting humanity.

So, it's no wonder that everyone is gifted with talent.

But talent is hardly enough. Writing is hard work. Once you start laying out all the parts of a story- mechanics, setting, dialogue, characters...even the opening line and closing line of every chapter is its own headache...I often get blank stares. Perhaps some are thinking, Sure, sure...slap some words on a page and sell it for big bucks. Tell me how hard that is. But there is always one believes and asks, "Why would anyone want to be a writer?"

Insanity?

No. There really is only one reason. It's an addiction. Even when there is little money and loads of rejection, they stay in there. Plagued by words...stalked by characters...writers know it's not a matter of choice. Writing is just what they do.

And I'm certain there were more than a few sitting in that class who will one day say, "I've been writing for as long as I can remember. I've been told I suck, and few buy what I'm selling. But will I quit? Oh, hell no...I'm pretty sure the next story will be The One."

Thanks to our hosts Lexa, L.G, and Tonja Drecker for this weekly good things check in! I'm posting this early, since I won't be posting Friday.

1. My boys will be home for a week!!!

2. Thanksgiving Day is coming!!!

3. It's Christmas tree getting season!!!

photo credit: Grade School at Bartley Nebraska via photopin (license)

23 comments:

Zombies!!

8:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 13 Comments

It's cover reveal time!!!

Isn't it...well, pretty isn't the word...perhaps cool? How about awesome? Maybe a little creepy. That zombie in the sky has some evil-eye action going on...

No matter what adjectives you use to describe it- this is a book I'm eager to read. DPK is on the loose, just like his zombies, and it's hard to tell what clever, wicked fun will be waiting beneath this awesomely cool cover.

The Undead Road: My Zombie Summer: Part 1

Publisher: CreateSpace / Dashboard Books

Ebook Release: January 1^st, 2016

Paperback: January 26^th, 2016

Cover by Steven Novak

About the Book:

Nothing brings the family together like a zombie apocalypse …

Fifteen-year-old Jeremy Barnes would rather watch a zombie movie than shoot a real one, but he has no choice if his family wants to survive the end of the world. Their plan? Drive across the infected United States to a cabin in the Colorado Rockies without a scratch, but their trip takes a complicated detour in the middle of Nebraska when they find Kaylynn, a girl who can handle a baseball bat better than Jeremy can hold a .45 Berretta. And when they stumble into a sanctuary, Jeremy soon learns that Kaylynn is stronger than she looks—a deadly secret lies inside her.

After the radio picks up a distress call from Kansas City about a possible cure, Jeremy’s parents go with a team to investigate. They never return. The only way to find their parents is for Jeremy and his sister Jewel to rely on a dangerous girl who might just turn on them at any moment.

Ooh...a contest!!

A while ago, David invited the blogosphere to let him turn one ~~unfortunate~~ lucky contestant into a zombie for The Undead Road. The winner was Ilima Todd, who is now the awesome author of Remake. The next installment of My Zombie Summer is underway, and David wants to do this contest again. Want to be in a zombie book? Not only is this your chance, but it is your choice!

Between now and next Wednesday, send an email to dpowersking [at] gmail [dot] com, with the subject line: Zombify Me! Contest. In your email, David wants you to tell him three things:

1: The name you will be identified as (example: your first name).

2: A description of yourself—the more detailed you are, the better.

3: How would you like the survivors to put you out of your misery?

Four ~~casualties~~ contestants will be chosen on Wednesday, November 25th. The most inventive or interesting entry will be zombified! The other three who are ~~unlucky~~ fortunate enough to survive will be given special honors. Winners will be announced on December 2^nd on David’s blog.

Prizes? The winner will be zombified in the pages of My Zombie Summer: Part Two, receive a signed proof of the novel (when it’s ready), and a $20 Barnes and Noble gift card. The runner ups will receive a free ebook of The Undead Road for their Kindle (other platforms TBA).

Thank you for participating, and good luck!

About the Author:

David Powers King was born in beautiful downtown Burbank, California where his love for film inspired him to be a writer. He is the co-author of the YA fantasy novel WOVEN, published by Scholastic. An avid fan of science fiction and fantasy, David also has a soft spot for zombies and the paranormal. He currently lives deep in the mountain West with his wife and three children.

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13 comments:

Jousting

11:22 AM Elizabeth Seckman 25 Comments

A simple thank you is never enough, but on this day we pause and recognize the brave who serve. We often take our freedom and security for granted, because the best among us shield us from the harsh realities of a difficult world.

Thank you.

Now. I'm late. so late for a very important date.

Lady Elizabeth is arriving to the party sans glass slippers and dragging her stinky pumpkin. (Do Cinderella metaphors work in Medieval jousts? Probably not, but well, let's just roll with it.)

I've spent this week chasing down gas card raffle tickets, making signs, and selling tees shirts. I've had my mind so focused on getting things ready for the next few weeks, I totally forgot I was part of Mary's joust. I've been competing since Monday and I wasn't even at the party!!

For shame. Bad Elizabeth. If this was a real joust, I'd have been knocked off my horse and trampled.

Soooo, I have some catching up to do. So, I'm listing the rules below and I'm hoping you take pity on me and help me out. There's $1000.00 in gas in it for you....

1. My magic words are Lady Elizabeth, Defying Reason, and poppet (means child). I get points if you comment using these words in a phrase.

2. I will score points all five days. You may cheer 3x a day. Each time you cheer (for me, preferably),you'll be added to the daily drawing for prizes.

3. I am allowed to bribe. So, since I am late from trying to sell and track down gas tickets...every comment with my catch phrase will be entered for a chance to win your own chance at the $1000.00 Exxon gas card! International commenters will win a $5.00 Amazon card.

YOU MUST GO NOW to Mary's Blog Here today through Friday Nov 13th. Comments are cut at 10 p.m. US Eastern Time and daily winners will be drawn at that time.

Thanks to our hosts Lexa, L.G, and Tonja Drecker for this weekly good things check in! I'm posting this early, since I won't be posting Friday.

1. I had so many sweet comments at Mary's blog. It makes me miss my online time. Real life is ruining my virtual fun.

2. The first round of play offs is this weekend!

3. Beta reader feedback on the changes in Swept Away is positive.

4. Mary's joust is still going on! I'll count up the comments and choose a gas card raffle ticket winner tomorrow night. The $1000.00 gas card drawing will be Saturday night...fingers crossed!!

25 comments:

Bad Pics

6:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 38 Comments

It's bad picture day.

And it's an IWSG post.

Yesterday was my cyber twin's book launch for his awesome, you should own it by now biography, Revival, the true story of Donald Braswell, Texan opera singer.

Anyhow, I allowed my brother* to have a respectable launch day.

But I wouldn't be doing my job as pain in the arse sister if I didn't share this:

This is Mark in his happy Hawaiian home. See how he's enjoying the sweet life? Sipping his Pina Colada and soaking up the sun? Well, all good things come to an end, and Mark had to move to the US mainland. Now, I realize the coconut bra outfit didn't quite work on the East coast and a change was in order...but I'm not sure Mark quite understands East Coast fashion...

Check out the IWSG!

Facebook group

IWSG Anthology Contest (open until November 1)

Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh and this month's co-hosts!

Tyrean Martinson

Karen Walker

Denise Covey

Stephen Tremp

When life needs an edit.

Wouldn't it be nice if our scenes in life could be edited?

Take Senior Night.

I'm 46, with four kids.

So, when pictures are planned- I always have a plan.

Usually.

This year, senior night was early in the season, so the first-preferred, mom-body-camouflage coat was off the table.

A nice blouse would have been good.

But it was supposed to be raining, and a rainy night in West Virginia means it would be cold when the wind blew from the west, and warm when it came from the south.**

Blouse was vetoed. Unless I added a rain coat.

Ooh, a rain coat! Genius idea.

But the blouse may not be thick enough for the westerly winds, so maybe add a sweatshirt?

A sweatshirt would add bulk, so forget that.

The answer? A thin cotton/cashmere blend sweater. It's great for layering, but not so great at concealing the tummy roll. It's the opposite. It's a clinger and a highlighter of flaws.

No worries about that. I'd just zip the rain coat before walking out.

Boom. Perfect plan.

Then it all went to bird crap.

As I stood in the line up, a bird flew over head and dropped a doodie on the tip of my nose.

In my napkin wiping, Purell smearing attempt to get myself ready, I totally forgot my picture planning:

I didn't zip the jacket, didn't square my shoulders, didn't suck in the gut, didn't realize my online purchased jeans were gapping in the crotch, and that my Wal Mart bra wasn't quite the tensile-steeled-underwired contraption the girls count on.

It was a picture perfect fail.

If I could edit real life, I'd go back and make sure I wasn't standing under a sparrow with a bowel problem.

But I can't.

So, you know what?

Screw it. The perfect moment wouldn't have made a blog post.

Don't worry about your insecurities. Exploit them.

Thanks to our hosts Lexa, L.G, and Tonja Drecker for this weekly good things check in! I'm posting this early, since I won't be posting Friday.

1. Swept Away is finished. Sent it back out to writer friends for their input.

2. The weather here is supposed to be beautiful this week.

3. I have all the football fundraiser t-shirts out of the back of my van. Woo hoo! I can unstow and go my seats.

*Mark is not really my biological brother. We've spent so much time giving each other online noogies, we're certain we're twins who were separated at conception by the Atlantic Ocean

**I'm no weather girl...my hair isn't blond enough, so I don't really know which way the wind blows. I just know that in West Virginia the temperature can change as quickly as a NASCAR pit crew changes a flat (that's really fast).

38 comments:

Revival

6:00 AM Elizabeth Seckman 22 Comments

I'm so excited to welcome that wonderful bald guy with whom I share virtual DNA...

My cyber-brother, Mark Koopmans, is here today!

Like, any good cyber-sister, I HAVE very embarrassing pictures of Mark I could share with the world.

But, as a good friend, I won't post them today.

I'll post them Friday, but not today. Today is Mark's big day!

He gets to share his wonderful book with the world.

Revival is a wonderful book. Donald's story interesting, uplifting, and inspiring. Mark's story telling is energetic and entertaining with large doses of humor and plenty of profound, poignant thought (that must have been Donald's influence).

Now, here's Mark!!

Aloha,

Today is Launch Day for my book, REVIVAL – The Donald Braswell Story and I thought it would be so much fun to start the Blog Tour with my e-sibling, so thank you, ((Liz)).

So who exactly is Donald Braswell?

When I first met Donald (via a phone call) it was 2008, and I worked as a staff writer for a San Antonio-area newspaper. Truth be told, my only thought about chatting with Donald was hey, he’s on America’s Got Talent—and that should make for an interesting feature.

We chatted for about twenty minutes, but after I switched off the recorder, we spoke for another 45 minutes longer, which is something I never did before, and have never done since. (I had daily deadlines in those days, and time was precious!)

However, as Donald shared the background to his story, I instinctively knew that I wanted to write more about this man and share his amazing inspirational story with others.

The rest, as they say, is history, or in this case, his story.

REVIVAL has grown from a germ of an idea to a labor of love that I hope will inspire so many others to “follow that dream,” as Donald always says.

Donald has a short bio below, but I hope you’ll read the book and learn so much more about the man, the husband and the father behind the voice that thrilled millions. You won’t be bored, I promise.

Thanks again to Liz, for letting me stop by, and to everyone who’s supported me over these last couple of years.

Has anyone inspired you to Follow That Dream?

Tomorrow is Insecure Writers’ Support Day, so I’ll be over at the small, quiet blog run by the one and only Alex J. Cavanaugh.

Blurb:

From Juilliard to jumper cables; from wasting all the talent in the world to America's Got Talent, REVIVAL—The Donald Braswell Story is a memoir about the "Texas Tenor" who lost his voice in a random accident, but finds his calling through faith—and a musical miracle.

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Buy Links:

Pen-L Publishing

Amazon

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Bios:

Donald Braswell II is an American actor, classical crossover tenor and composer. Braswell was on a fast track to become an internationally acclaimed opera singer when he suffered a car accident in 1995 that made him unable to speak for almost two years. After that, he lived a quiet life outside of the spotlight until his appearance on the 2008 season of America’s Got Talent where he was a Top 5 finalist, which gave him another chance at a career in entertainment. Since then, he has entertained audiences both internationally as well as shore to shore in the United States in concerts, television appearances, inspirational speaking and radio. Donald has recorded four studio albums and has an international fan club with followers in more than 25 countries.

Donald is a testament to the powers of the human spirit in difficult times and he inspires all who come to know him.
Learn more about Donald’s story via this 6-min YouTube clip showing his awe-inspiring first audition on America’s Got Talent.

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Mark Koopmans is originally from Ireland. After working in Holland, Spain, France and England, he won his U.S. “Green Card” in 1994, and is an American by choice since 2003. Koopmans began his writing career with a feature for a regional magazine in California. Since then, he’s worked as a staff writer for newspapers in Florida and Texas. Koopmans is also a proficient blogger and is working on his next book, a novel. Koopmans lives in Virginia and is a married, stay-at-home dad to three active boys under the age of nine. He writes at night.
Find Mark’s blog at MarkKoopmans.blogspot.com