Ottawa Romance Writers’ Conference

I decided to take the plunge and register for this year’s conference that takes place the last weekend in September. Luckily for me, I registered early enough that I’m confirmed in the draw for a critique! I was one of the first forty to register so that automatically put me in the draw. There are five representatives in total from publishing houses, an agent, and a published author who will be doing the critiques.

So friends and fans of my writing, keep your fingers crossed for me that I’m one of the lucky ones – or the lucky one, depending on how things are done. The conference registrar thought there would be five individual draws but she would have to double check. Either way, sounds like pretty good odds and I’ll be rubbing shoulders and networking with the right kind of people to get me that much closer to having one of my novels published.

Guess that means I best get my skates on and finish novel #2 which is currently about 50% complete. I know the beginning, the middle and pretty much the end and have written segments from each of those sections.

That noise!

No epiphanies today at work. Oh well, I still have until June 22 to come up with 250 words on the subject – or not.

Currently, my priorites lie elsewhere but you never know when inspiration will hit and the words come gushing out of my brain through my fingers on the keyboard.

That noise! – our next flash fiction prompt

Unfortunately, the title doesn’t allow me to italicize the theme for the next flash fiction prompt. It should appear as That noise! So what noise will it be? Scratching? The ice cream truck playing that SAME song again? Crying? The possibilities are endless. Unfortunately, my available time right now isn’t.

Time to get ready for work. Maybe I will be struck with an epiphany while there.

BBQ season is upon us

It’s here… well in our case, has been all winter long providing we could get to the barbie. Wallowing through snow up to your wazoo… not pleasant.

This weekend is the first “official” long weekend of the summer season. Campgrounds open with restrictions, people start planting veggie gardens and flowers, and then there’s us poor sods who will be putting on a new roof.

Even though there will be mass confusion on Saturday and Sunday, I plan on cooking outdoors both days. Time will tell if I’m successful…

Then on Monday, I’ll kick back and relax and enjoy my week’s holidays.

Breaking Loose – the final draft…

Before I post this draft, I should say that my “Narrow Escape” was the winner of my writing group’s impromptu contest – not so much a contest but a dry run at how we’re to determine who’s piece will be sent off to Real Life magazine for their fall issue.

So without any further ado my second draft of Breaking Loose – exactly 250 words! Woo Hoo!!! Hmm… I have a dark side that’s even darker than I first imagined. Must have something to do with all those Hammer Film Production movies I watched as a kid.

Breaking Loose

Anne woke suddenly; her skin cold and clammy. When she tried to move, she discovered that her hands were bound behind her back and her ankles tied together. Even though her eyes were open, there was nothing but darkness, yet she felt like she was being watched.

When the feeling subsided, Anne rubbed her head up and down over the musty-smelling surface she lay on. Eventually, the blindfold slid up and she was able to see her tomb. A sliver of light shone in from across the room which smelled of decay.

She reached down so that she could wiggle her ass over her bound wrists until her arms were under her legs as far forward as she could move them. Painfully, Anne drew her legs up tight to her chest. Once in that position, she fumbled with the ropes around her ankles until they dropped to the cold cement floor.

Unable to free her hands, Anne shoved her feet into the gap between her bound wrists and thighs and slowly worked them through. The rough ropes cut into her wrists and burned her shins but she didn’t give up. Eventually, her persistence was rewarded. Barely able to walk, Anne moved to the sliver of light. She gratefully inhaled the fresh air outside.

Suddenly, the door opened and she was able to see where she had been imprisoned – a cemetery vault with a dead body! She swung her clenched fists with all her might, knocking her captor unconscious and ran.

Breaking Loose – this month’s flash fiction prompt

Last month was A Narrow Escape. This month is Breaking Loose.  Here is my draft…

Anne woke suddenly; her skin cold and clammy. When she tried to move, she realized that her hands were bound behind her back and her feet tied together. Even though her eyes were open, there was nothing but darkness, yet she felt like she was being watched.

How did she arrive in this dank place? She realized the reason she couldn’t see was because she had been blindfolded. Had she been drugged? Had she been sexually assaulted by the face that watched her in the darkness?

When the feeling of being watched subsided, Anne rubbed her head up and down over the surface she lay on. Eventually, the blindfold slid upwards. Painfully, she forced her arms down so that her bindings were just below her ass and wiggled until her arms were under her legs as far forward as she could move them. Slowly, she drew her legs up tight to her chest.

Once in that position, Anne pointed her toes and aimed them to the gap between her ass and her bindings. It hurt like bloody hell! Her wrists hurt from the ropes cutting in to them, their roughness drawing blood.

Her captor returned and she had to remain still or keep her struggles discreet. Anne continued to work on freeing herself but not with the vigor she previously displayed.

Her bloodied legs now free, blindfold off and her bound hands in front of her and clenched together, she swung with all her might and knocked her captor to the floor.