A Funeral, A Wedding, and A Baby Blessing: IWSG Edition

It sounds like the title of a book or movie, right? 

Have you ever had a season where EVERYTHING hit at once? When you've had a long stretch of calm, beware of earthquakes.

My baby was a week shy of 2 months old when we received word that my grandmother passed away. Now this wasn't a sad thing. She was 94 and bed-ridden for over a decade. We knew it was coming. Regardless, I needed to be there for the funeral...even if it was beyond crazy to fly across country with a baby. My sister-in-law was getting married 1.5 weeks later and we already had plane tickets, so we changed my flight, along with my daughter's--so she could be a second mommy. 

Ouch to the pocketbook.

The funeral happened. It was sweet. Being with so many wonderful family members--people I haven't seen in about 10 years--was awesome. Saying goodbye to Grandma, that was bitter-sweet. Singing with my sisters and cousins to honor the woman, such a great experience.

The next week was a whirlwind of family visits, clingy baby, and bouncing between "hotels" (AKA, houses)--until the wedding. With all of the family close, we blessed our baby. (60 people + a special dinner afterwards.) 

Needless to say, the last two weeks have been insanity--but a good kind of insanity. Every life experience improves our grasp of the world and teaches us how to share the human experience through our writing. The key is knowing when to pause on writing in order to live.

How was your May?

Now that we're caught up, how about the chance to win a book?

For this week's game...

Rowena thinks the Grimm’s infamous podcasts are simply another teen fad until she finds herself trapped in a land of nightmarish storybook characters. She tries desperately to flee Mezzanine and return home, but Dresdem, Mezzanine’s wicked monarch, plans to use Rowena’s access to her world to bring dark magic and absolute rule into Georgia and beyond.

But when Rowena’s dear friend Madeline falls into Dresdem’s grasp, her battle with him becomes war, and all hopes of home are temporarily thwarted. With the help of an invisible hero, a beast, and an owl, she sets out to free Madeline from a deadening sleep. But Rowena must become her own hero when she finds herself bound by the kingdom’s darkest family. She must make the ultimate choice – align herself with her enemies or live on the run forever.

Get your copy HERE.

Ready to meet the author? 

Vanessa K. Eccles graduated Troy University with a degree in English. She currently serves as executive editor of Belle Rêve Literary Journal and is founder of the book blog YA-NASisterhood. When she’s not writing or devouring books, she enjoys the lake life with her Prince Charming and their four dogs.

You might find her eating pepper jack (or any spicy variety of cheese) while sitting on her couch watching one of her many favorite TV shows.

Visit her online HERE.

Vanessa 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 FABLED.

You have until Tuesday, June 16 at 1 p.m. EDT to guess. Be sure to come back for the answer on June 17.

TRUTH OR LIE

1. As a child, the Grimm fairy tales where Vanessa's favorite bedtime reads.
2. When she was seven, she played a magician's assistant for her best friend's brother. When he couldn't remember how to get the handcuffs off, she pulled her arms over her head. It was the first time she realized she could dislocate her shoulders on command. Still can, in fact. 
3.) She was an avid X-Files fan as a kid, which resulted in an immense terror of being abducted by aliens.

So which is the lie? What have you been doing with May? (What has May been doing with you?) Do you love Grimm's fairy tales? Which is your favorite?

Oh, and a quick shout: The True Diary of Melanie Jane, AKA Runaway Jane
(My most recent FREE read on Lightning Quick Reads. Leave me your thoughts, eh?)

Campaigner's Challenge Flash Fiction

The challenge: to write 200 words or less Flash Fiction starting with the phrase "The door swung open."

All week long I agonized over how to finish this story. So, at exactly 200 words, I hope you enjoy it. *wicked grin*

Butz

The door swung open. She flattened into the open closet, trying not to breathe, not to stir the air. The bare creme walls and vacant rack above filled her with dread, a haunting omen of what she was to become: empty, barren.

Warmth drained from the room like being sucked out by a vacuum. Her hands shook. She closed her eyes, then forced them wide open.

A shadow moved across blank walls, amplified and distorted by the tumbled lamp. In came the cold, the stillness. Her heart echoed in her ears, so loud.

“Mia, Mia, come out!” The perky soprano made her stomach twist. Jenny’s head appeared at the closet opening.

No, Mia shook her head.

“Come on. It’s only a dress.” Jen hefted the beaded white chiffon and satin into sight, grunting against its weight.

That heavy thing? Only a dress. No, it was a prison, a sentence, a hangman’s noose. Or was it?

In the fluffy layers Mia could see a world of possibilities: a reality with true love and security. Yes, she cared deeply about him, but...

Jen looped an arm through hers. “Come on your groom is waiting, future Mrs. Butz!”

“Butz,” she groaned, and surrendered.

And now, if you like it, please click here and give a thumbs up to #317. 

My Eternal Valentine

Today was supposed to be my wedding day.

Well not today, but today 11 years ago. 2-14-00. We referred to the date in code "twenty-one, four-hundred" so none of our family or friends got it. It was our "one day"...but I'm getting ahead of myself.

At sixteen I went on my first ever blind date. I never thought my date might end up being twenty and sporting a stylish goatee. In fact, I was such a straight arrow that the facial hair made me leery, but no more than a twenty year old who didn't have anything other than work going in his life. My dad was a doctor. I had high expectations!

And then he made me laugh.

Magic. We talked, we laughed. During our "activity", a volleyball game, (since he was on the opposite team) he served right to me every time! (He swears that wasn't his intention.) Granted, I was not overly impressed, but on our second date I knew.

We dated 5 months. He went away for two years on a service mission and we wrote every week, all the time planning toward this perfect 21-400. Finally after two and a half years of waiting, we were reunited--and his family wanted us to hold out for ANOTHER 6 months!!!

I came home from college, and we got married in January--because his parents planned to be out of town over our coveted date. Oye! Well, what can you do? I got the man, and two weeks sooner than I'd anticipated, so now we have an extended celebration: every year we celebrate an anniversary, and laugh about 21-400.

Here's to the sweetest man in the world who supports my dreams and tells me he loves me every day! Happy Valentines day Matthew.