Month: October 2013

Book Brief: The Gentle Man

The Gentle Man
by Michelle Mogil
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Word count: 84,000

Anastasia Trent was the first to admit it: she had crested the peak and was now in her downhill years. Middle-aged and worn out, she’s resigned herself to a life of drudgery and angst as she watches her marriage, job, house and body slowly but surely fall apart.

Enter a dark and compelling stranger who claims he’s running for his life and begs for her help. Against all reason, Ana lets him in. Soon, she’s questioning his sanity, her sanity, and reality itself. One thing’s for certain: life will never be dull or ordinary again.

This book is available from Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes & Noble. Continue reading “Book Brief: The Gentle Man”

Flash Fiction Challenge: Penny for Your Thoughts

Photo by. K. S. Brooks

“I didn’t bring a penny,” I said.

Damien did his best not to look perturbed and fished a penny out of his own pocket to give to me. “Here,” he said, proffering the coin. “Just make a wish, throw the penny in the pond and then jump in after it.”

I took the shiny copper disk from him. “I’ll make a wish and throw the coin in, but I don’t want to jump in the water. It looks all slimy.”

“You have to jump in,” he said, “If you don’t your wish won’t come true.”

I didn’t want to argue with Damien. He had a reputation as being a little off-kilter, but there was no way I was jumping into that scummy pond. I tossed the coin, but it didn’t make the splock sound I was expecting. It had landed on something in the water.

I turned around to see Damien rushing at me…

 

In 250 words or less, tell us a story incorporating the elements in the picture. The 250 word limit will be strictly enforced.

Please keep language and subject matter to a PG-13 level.

Use the comment section below to submit your entry. Entries will be accepted until Tuesday at 5:00 PM Pacific Time. Continue reading “Flash Fiction Challenge: Penny for Your Thoughts”

Congrats to Kathy Steinemann


Kathy Steinemann is the readers’ choice in this week’s Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge.

The winning entry is recognized with a special feature here today and a place in our collection of winners which will be published as an e-book at year end.

Without further ado, here’s the winning story:

Continue reading “Congrats to Kathy Steinemann”

Head-Hopping

Whose line is it anyway?

Somebody once said that writing a book makes you an expert – but only on writing that one particular book. In other words, every project is unique. Just because you’ve written a book or two, it doesn’t mean you’ve got the whole “writing books” thing down pat.

I have been reminded of this while working on my current WIP. All five books of the Pipe Woman Chronicles were written in first person point of view, and same character was always the narrator. I know some people don’t like to read books written in first person, but I have to tell you that it cuts down on the temptation to engage in some bad authorial habits – like, for example, head-hopping. Continue reading “Head-Hopping”