Thursday, March 25, 2010

Thursday’s Tale: Bridget

Bridget Kendrick was the first to discover her magic and begin seeking out the sisters of her coven, leaving home at age sixteen. Tall, auburn chin-length hair, and stunning violet eyes. She has two younger siblings. An older brother died while serving in the Royal Air Force. Bridget blames America for his death, as Britain joined the war at their behest.

No stranger to magic, Bridget learned hearth magic from her mother, as it has been taught in generations past. Her goddess gift is fire, but she also enjoys to heat up the bedroom. She is bold and calculating. The only thing quiet about her is her laugh.

Inspired by her brother, Bridget is a pilot. She flies a jet for hire, often transporting Maralah and her clients.

You may remember Bridget from a previous excerpt. Here’s an excerpt earlier in the story. This takes place at a rented one-room cottage.

 

She kicked her shoes off, and settled in the flower print recliner with an iced tea.

"A little flowery, but nice place."

"Yeah." Bridget reclined on the king bed. "Too bad I don't have anyone to warm these sheets with tonight."

Maralah sipped her drink. "No success with the limo driver?"

"Too old. And married."

"Not that either has stopped you."

Bridget laughed. "You know me too well. Truth is, I noticed President Clark's biography tucked next to his seat. Too patriotic." She shuddered.

Maralah lifted her drink in a toast. "Now that I can understand."

"I'm thinking of staying in Italy for a few days before flying home to Wales. Come with me. Mama has been dying to meet you."

"I've kept my schedule clear for the next month because of summer solstice. I'd love to see a traditional celebration. Plus shopping in Italy? How could I say no?"

Bridget sighed. "If only our coven was closed. I've been itching to do more than petty magic."

"Your magic is not petty." Maralah set aside her empty glass. She took a vial from her purse and sat cross-legged on the carpet, the fireplace on her left. "Let's petition the Trinity. See if our sister has awoken."

Bridget sat in front of Maralah. With a wave of her hand, a fire blazed up in the hearth.

Maralah opened the vial and poured a dime sized amount of dirt into her hand. She tossed it in the fire. The flames changed to a bright green, then blue, purple, and back to orange. They clasped hands. "We call the goddess three."

"Fire to lend our power."

"Sacred earth we give thee."

"Show our sister this hour."

Three crystals appeared between them, spinning as if hanging from a mobile. The red and brown both glowed as if a star was trapped inside. The third, blue as the ocean depths, remained dark.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Tuesday Tally 3/23

Last week’s goals:

  • finish editing up to current point
  • submit some poetry to Basement Stories
  • get crits done for the month
  • write something new for TC each day

Goals for this week:

  • TC: get through chapter ten 
  • poetry: research a new market

 

Feeling good about where the story is going. Hoping it continues! And that my hay fever doesn’t slow me down.

Upcoming Thursday’s Tale will focus on Bridget, who you have met in a previous excerpt.

Spring is here! I love the flowers, the blossoms, and the smell of fresh cut grass. Not so excited about the hay fever and the snow this morning. What do you like about Spring?

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Thursday’s Tale - Maralah

Trinity Coven. Three women, of different backgrounds, tied by magic. Goddesses reborn to shape the world. 

 

Maralah Tusa is of the Zuni tribe in New Mexico. As her name implies, she was born during an earthquake. She came into her magic and met her inner goddess at the sacred ruins of Chaco Canyon during summer solstice of her twentieth year. The Zuni believe that people emerged from the underground. Her earth magic connects with her heritage rather than contradict it.  As an only child, her parents were dismayed when she left home rather than stay and continue tradition.

Over the last four years, Maralah has used her ear for language to earn a high reputation as a translator. In addition to her native Zuni, she speaks English, Keres, German, Japanese, Spanish, and Italian.

Maralah may not have been the first of the three to come to her magic, but her quiet strength is the foundation of Trinity Coven. She believes that summoning the dragon will bring needed change for her people.

 

Maralah stopped her SUV and stood on the worn path that barely qualified as a road. The pueblos of her village were ahead. She needed to reach the Gallup airport, but could never resist driving here if she were in the region. The structures were welcoming, but she knew her family would not be. They did not understand her. Maralah slipped out of her high-heeled sandals to feel the dirt beneath her feet. Power coursed up through her, filling the emptiness. Her people came from the earth. She manipulated it now. And someday it would embrace her in death. But the soil she grew up on was not her destiny. Her family could never understand that.

Her phone rang. She pushed her long black hair behind her ear and turned on the headset. "Yes?"

"It's Bridget. We're ahead of schedule. Should be landing in half an hour."

"I'm on my way now."

Maralah tossed her shoes in the vehicle and climbed in after. She turned from the village. Enrica Rossi didn't appreciate tardiness.

She made a quick call to ensure proper transportation at the airport. She bent the speed limit, but arrived to see Bridget helping the client off the jet. The Italian lady sparkled with diamond jewelry contrasting her black Cavalli pant suit. Maralah rushed to greet her.

"Buongiorno, Enrica. How was your flight?"

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Date Highlights

The date with my husband yesterday was perfect! We caught all our busses on schedule. The weather was absolutely lovely. There was construction going on at the mall, so most shops had sales. Most purchases were for me. I felt so spoiled! Shopping highlights: Pink and white sneakers (needed), pink hoodie (wanted), and diamond heart necklace (bonus!). I felt so girly!

Lunch was Olive Garden. We’re used to light lunches (PBJ, chips), so went with appetizers only. The caprese flatbread and lasagna fritta were delicious! We shared both. And we were able to enjoy our entire basket of yummy breadsticks. We left satisfied without that stuffed feeling you usually get when eating out.

And we got home with an hour and a half before having to pick up B from school. Plenty of time for some “one-on-one”. It really was the perfect day.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Mid-March Tuesday Tally

Last week’s goals:

  • rewrite first chapter
  • write like crazy! urr, that should be more concrete. minimum 1500 words/day
  • edit one scene/day

Goals for this week:

  • finish editing up to current point
  • submit some poetry to Basement Stories
  • get crits done for the month
  • write something new for TC each day

 

Keeping actual writing goals low this week, as it’s going to be busy. My husband took the day off for a date day – going to the mall, Olive Garden for lunch, and possibly a movie. Tomorrow the elementary school has the March Birthday Table, where any student who had a birthday that month can sit, and parents are invited. A lunch date with my birthday boy.

And as stated in my goals, I need to get my critiques done and get some poems out, so don’t know how much focus I’ll have on TC. I plan on still working on it in some fashion each day, so I don’t have a hard time getting back into it.

Didn’t hit my writing or editing goal for last week. Instead, I rewrote the first scene three times, trying to find out what worked best. I’m considering revising again, but am determined to sit on my hands until I get feedback. One of my ideas was to have Kaelin working at a natural history museum, but once I finally got around to pulling up maps, I learned the nearest was an hour and a half drive away. Okay for an occasional visit or volunteer day, but too much to expect for a regular drive. So I scrapped that and went a different direction. Now, back to chapter nine! I’ll never get this done if I keep jumping around, or fussing with details.

Upcoming Thursday’s Tale will introduce another coven member, and give a little insight into their purpose.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Tuesday Tally 3/9

Last week’s goals:

  • submit a batch of poetry 
  • finish needed research for TC and rewrite first chapter
  • if above goal finished early enough, write like crazy

Goals for this week:

  • rewrite first chapter
  • write like crazy! urr, that should be more concrete. minimum 1500 words/day
  • edit one scene/day

 

Took me longer to decide on a passion for Kaelin than anticipated. I wrote some notes and snippets, and am ready to rewrite chapter one. That’s today’s project. Tomorrow I’ll begin a minor round of editing on chapters two through eight, making sure they are consistent with the new material, while moving forward writing chapters nine and up.

I realize if I don’t get this book finished by March, or April, my ultimate goal is before school gets out! Once my son is home all day, it would be easier to focus on revisions and poetry than trying to immerse myself in new writing.

Initial goal: March 31

Revised goal: April 30

Ultimate deadline: June 4

Monday, March 8, 2010

Birthday and Contests!

Today is my son’s birthday. He is now six years old! We’re not having a party, but I am setting up some fun for him. I let him pick out his cake flavor (fudge marble) and frosting (chocolate). This morning a breakfast of orange juice, toast, and eggs got a thumbs-up. I have six presents to wrap today, which I will then hide around the house. I made some clue cards to print out for his present scavenger hunt. I’ll have to take pictures.

On the note of celebration, Elana is having a Fantabulous Followers Giveaway. Seven amazing books are on the prize list. Contest ends Sunday. Go check it out!

There’s also a contest going on at The Babbling Flow of a Fledgling Scribbler: 12 prizes combined into five packages. Something for everyone!

And one more just went up: Submission/Critique Contest with agent Suzie Townsend of FinePrintLit! over at Shooting Stars.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

March Tuesday Tally

My initial goal for Trinity Coven this year was to finish by the end of March. eep! So not happening! However, there are some challenges going on right now to motivate writing lots. If I push myself, I could still finish in April (husband is doubtful, and I really want to prove I can do this!)

A group on WDC is doing March Novel Writing Month (MarNoWriMo). Unlike the official one in November, this can be revising or words added to a work in progress. I set a goal for 20,000 new words.

In tandem with that, there is also a Mad Dash to make a big word count in one week. This week. I made a goal for 8,000 words to give myself a big boost.

Dreaming in Ink also has challenges going on for March and April. I signed up for the novel challenge there, to get new words and chapters. 

Stating goals here = even more accountability.

… …

So I’m all settling in for a long writing session yesterday, chatting with my husband about my characters. Then what happens? Hubby points out that Kaelin has no skills to bring to the coven! Being naive and outcast is not the same as sitting around home doing nothing with her day before finding her destiny. How did I miss that background?? Anywho, I have three career/hobby ideas to research, each which would impact the story differently. Need to find which is best for story, and most plausible considering her character, age, location, etc.

Got to love how just as I am gearing up for this big writing month, I have this epiphany that requires rewriting the first chapter. I really wanted to get through an entire draft before doing rewrites, but this is something that affects the bigger picture, including the ending! I will save myself a lot of work by going back now rather than when the draft is done. Prevention rather than fixes.

The Mad Dash has been tripped up, but I may still be able to salvage my other goals.

Speaking of goals…

 

Last week’s goals:

  • TC: two chapters
  • send out batch of snail mail queries

Goals for this week:

  • submit a batch of poetry (poems and market already picked)
  • finish needed research for TC and rewrite first chapter
  • if above goal finished early enough, write like crazy

Monday, March 1, 2010

Avatar

Saturday we went to see Avatar in 3D. We’d heard good things about it, and one friend was ready to pay for our tickets he was so insistent we see it in theatre. The 3D took a little to get used to. At first I was all too aware of the effects. But once I got into it, boy was I in. Wow. I love how James Cameron used the 3D to create immersion rather than to go out of the way to throw things at you. What a stunning world he created. I want to live on Pandora!

In addition to a beautiful setting, I thought the rest of the world building was amazing. How the entire world was networked, the culture, the symbiosis, the bioluminescence, the avatar system. The Na’vi looked amazing. This is the first movie we plan on spending the extra money and getting the blue-ray version. The graphics are that good.

The story itself may have been predictable, but most are. It’s not about the ending, its about the journey itself. And this one had me caring and fully immersed. Absolutely loved it.