Thorns in Your Side (IWSG)

Do you ever feel like the awful parts of life are a blessing? 

This month, most Americans reflect on their blessings. I penned out the "gratitude" introduction for LightningQuickReads theme this month (a free flash fiction blog). The opportunity to post monthly on that blog has been both a blessing and a thorn in my side. It means having at least one piece of fiction available every month.

EVERY month. 

(Now take into account that I had a baby this year, and the fact that I'm an UBER perfectionist...)

Initially I was WAY ahead on the deadlines, but this last month I finished with only 4 days to spare. Talk about stress. One or two of those pieces made me want to slam my head against the wall. Repeatedly. For weeks.

At the same time, every month I've had to produce a piece of flash fiction. EVERY MONTH. Can you imagine how fabulous my flash fiction skills have become? And more than that. I used to struggle with short stories BIG time, but they're just longer pieces of flash fiction. I can literally write to any theme, any length, and do it in a reasonable amount of time. 

But it hurt to get here. To this point. This magical place. 

I think often we get stuck in the pain and forget that every ounce of suffering can become a blessing. When we're called, invited, required to pass through hard things, they have the potential to make us better. Every experience can be a blessing. We just have to step back, take a breath, and see the big picture.

 

Last week Cortney Pearson shared with us PHOBIC, along with two truths and a lie. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win a signed paperback book.

Cortney's Game:

1. I met my husband while cleaning toilets as a student custodian.
2. I nearly drowned in the ocean when I got trapped beneath a boogie board. 
3. I sang in a band in high school.

The lie: #3. Cortney's friends were in a band in high school, however, one time she played the bass part on a keyboard because their bass player was unavailable. She totally rocked the bass line for Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters" on the keyboard.

Way to guess everyone! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Jess!!! (AKA DMS)

Congrats, Jess!

And now for this week's feature... 

Kevin Pierce is a teleporter, a ladies’ man, and a loyal friend . . . or so he thought.

As a genetically altered Luminary, he helps the government bring down some of the most dangerous criminals. Not very challenging if you have his special abilities. But when a group of rebel Luminaries attacks his Organization the fight for survival begins.

One shattering event after another tests the depth of his relationships, his sanity, and his powers. Emotionally torn, Kevin must choose carefully where his loyalty lies. In the middle of all the unexpected chaos he gets the biggest shock of his life when he’s faced by a betrayal he never saw coming. Angry, injured, and ready to even the score, Kevin goes Static . . .

Get your copy HERE.

Ready to meet the author?

S. K. Anthony is a writer, a reader and a make-stuff-up-er who lives in New York with her husband and toddler twins. She is a wine connoisseur, which just really means she knows she loves it, and a caffeine addict. When she isn’t busy with her family, she finds herself being transported into the world of imagination. Well, either that or running away from spiders . . . she is convinced they are out to get her!

She adores mozzarella, but also gets lots of odd looks from waiters/waitresses at Italian restaurants because when eating pasta, she always begs for MORE fresh Parmesan cheese. The cheesier, the better!

S.K. gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win an eBook of STATIC.

You have until Tuesday, November 10 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answers on November 11.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. My nickname is Macaroni. And to live up to my name, I’ve spent a lot of time in the kitchen trying out different Mac and Cheese recipes. I must make only the very best ones . . . oh, the sacrifice I put my cheese-loving family through! 

2. I got arrested in Italy. My passport was once stolen while visiting and I had to travel around by myself without the tour group I’d gone with. I communicated the whole way in Spanish, between that and their Italian I got from Venice to Florence in trains then back to Rome, but then one thing led to another, miscommunication happened, and I ended up arrested. 

3. A few years back I wanted to invest in a MacBook Pro, but hubby said the price was too outrageous. We were on vacation at the time, and were on our way to the casino. I said, okay, if I win the money I’m getting it. I won $800 in one slot machine and $980 in another. Both were penny machines, and I didn’t play over $10 . . . so I got my beloved MacBook for free.

So sleuths, which is the lie? Have you been working through any thorns lately? How you do feel about genetic engineering?  

Here We Go A-Halloween-ing

Are you ready for Halloween?

Trick or treaters?

Bizarre costumes?

Candy?

Cheap scares?

General weirdness?

I'm so ready. Bring on the Halloween.

 

Last week N.R. Williams shared with us a HALLOWEEN COLLECTION + TREASURES OF CARMELIDRIUM, along with TWO LIES and a TRUTH. Those who guessed the lie correctly were entered into a random drawing for the chance to win a copy of one of her eBooks.

N.R.'s Game:

1. I have almost died eight times from childhood illness, a difficult pregnancy and delivery and more recently two illnesses. I'm planning to continue living and will ignore references to cat's having nine lives.
2. I was born in Canada.
3. I love coffee. I drink it while balancing on my head and use a special straw.

THE TRUTH: #1. She was actually born in Canada, and she hates coffee. She's a tea kind of gal--specifically mint or Chai tea.

Way to guess everyone! And the winner is:

...DRUM ROLL...

Sandra Cox!

Congrats, Sandra! 

And now for this week's feature... 

Fifteen-year-old Piper Crenshaw knows her house is strange. As if never needing repairs since 1875 or lights flickering in response to things she says aren’t creepy enough, it’s also the place where her mother committed murder.

To prove she’s not afraid of where she lives, Piper opens a forbidden door and soon after begins to witness a string of flashbacks—including a love affair between two young servants who happen to be hiding a deadly secret.

This secret is pulling Piper deeper into not only their story, but also her house. To sever her link to it, she must unravel the clues in the flashbacks and uncover the truth about her mother’s crime before becoming a part of her house for good.

Open the door to this striking, unstoppable mystery, but remember: sometimes a house…isn’t just a house.

Get your copy HERE.

Ready to meet the author?

Cortney Pearson is the author of PHOBIC, about doors that shouldn't be opened, and the Stolen Tears series, about a vial of enchanted tears and the girl chosen to wield them. She is a mother, a musician, and a lover of pink and sparkles, and she lives in a small Idaho farm town with her husband and three sons.

Lately she's discovered muenster cheese for sandwiches. That stuff is the bomb diggity. She used to be a provolone kinda gal, but it's muenster for her. 

Cortney gave me two truths and one lie to test your "lie detector" skills. Those who figure out the lie will go into my magic hat for the chance to win a signed paperback of PHOBIC. (US only.) 

You have until Tuesday, November 4 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answers on November 5.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. I met my husband while cleaning toilets as a student custodian.

2. I nearly drowned in the ocean when I got trapped beneath a boogie board. 

3. I sang in a band in high school.

Oh, and stop by Cortney's place to say "hi" and read a SHORT, silly interview (with me) HERE.

So sleuths, which is the lie? What's your favorite part of Halloween? 

Top Five Conversation with an Author Mom

Hi, my name is Quin (with one ‘n’) Collier. I am Crystal Collier's 14-year old son, and if you know her, then you should know that I act like it, too. I also love cheese, love to read everything I can get my hands on, and love to write. Of course, if you know my mom, you also know her unique personality. Given that I am her son, we have had many strange and sometimes rather ridiculous conversations about books.

Top Five Conversations with My Author Mom

#5. Books we Both Disliked

Naturally, Mom and I share opinions on multiple YA series. Whether it be the latter books of Harry Potter, the sparkly vampires in Twilight, or predictable endings to books everywhere, there's always been something to talk about that seems perpendicular to the development of the rest of the characters/plot.

#4. Lame (or unnecessary) Superhero Powers

One day, a book idea came up, and everyone in the family started listing off lame superhero powers that could be incorporated into the book. Such ideas included being able to see through eyelids, 3-inch high levitation, being able to create smells, and any other flabbergastedly ideas that came to our heads.

#3. Amazingly Aggravating Alliterations

Imagine that your brother or sister is doing a test on words with "port" in them. Then, your mother says ''An importer imports portable important ports.'' Then you counter with ''An importer imports portable important portable ports through a portal.'' The sentence eventually become so extensive and ridiculous that I lose track of the words. The end result is something like: ''A port porter ported importing portals ports...wait a minute.''

#2. Redundant Redundancy

A conversation about redundancy led to a discussion about redundant statements, statements such as ''justified justice,'' ''sorrowful sadness,'' and my favorite, ''supercalifragilisticexpialidociousic supercalifragilisticexpialidociousosity.'' Eventually I was just saying the same word twice, and became ''boringly bored.''

#1. My Own Story Ideas

Having an author mother my whole life has inspired me to write my own stories from a young age. I have come up with strange and sometimes impossibly impractical plots ever since the age of five, and Mom has never pointed out their contingencies or poor development, only supported me along the way. I haven't published any of my own books, but I currently cheer on hers.

In conclusion, conversations with an author aren't boring. Unless they are non-fiction authors, but even then a conversation with them probably wouldn't be boring. So in other words, go buy Soulless!

   

The blog tour is making some awesome stops today:

Suzi Retzlaff at Literary Engineer goes in depth about my research process

Cortney Pearson presents a kick-trash character, Mae

VoilaFury at Homeless Chronicles in Tampa interviews Sarah, a recently turned-Soulless character you don't want to miss 

And be sure to enter the 

Rafflecopter

for your chance to win some amazing prizes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And now it's time to go. The pony is leading the way and you know why his eyes are so big? He's headed for HAPPINESS. (Aka, the rest of the tour.) Get your fix.

Have you had any super interesting conversation with an author? Other creative people?