Forbidden Love Blog Hop

There is a contest going on right now, called the Forbidden Love Blog Hop. Basically, you write a piece of flash fiction up to 300 words on two star crossed lovers and link to Lillie Mcferrin's website, Ruth Long's website or Janelle's website.  Here is my entry. I hope you like it!

 (picture from piccsy)

He'd never believed in love at first sight. It was a stupid, childish notion, a concept that occurred only in myths and legends told by bored old men. The only thing akin to love at first sight in the real world was lust, and he believed in lust. He'd seen it plain as day on the faces of beautiful, young women, flaunting their artistic forms, their beckoning curves, baiting him like fishermen with nets. 
Oh, and he'd partaken of their pleasures, absorbed in the sensations they could give him. But never did he feel anything outside the aching of his loins, the pleasure of his body. There was no tightening in his chest, no pull on his heart. He did not love any of them. 
By the time he was a young man, he'd grown quite disillusioned with love and the flirtations of young women. They'd given him all the sensation, all the experience, that they could. He pushed them aside like a book read too many times. He knew too well what he'd find on their pages. 
If he'd been a more contemplative man, he probably would have guessed that what happened next was his punishment for his dismissal of love. But those thoughts did not occur to him. All he knew was that he saw his true love, and lightning struck. Immediately enamored, he could not bear to turn his gaze away. No amount of cajoling or pleading by his family and friends could make them part. He grew sick and weary but would not leave, not until death came to claim him. Narcissus had finally found his true love, and it was his own reflection.
(Word Count 278)

I hope you liked it! Don't forget to visit Lillie McFerrin, Ruth Long and Janelle's websites (links at the top) and read everyone else's entry. I welcome all feedback in the comments section below. Have a great day and good luck to all the other entries!

Be Inspired Blog Hop

I've been tagged by Ruth Long of Bullish Ink in the Vicki Orians Be Inspired Blog Hop! Basically, it's all about writers talking about what inspires them and divulging a few tasty details about their works in progress.

The rules are as follows: 1) Answer the following ten questions about your work in progress and 2) Tag 5 other writers and link to their blogs so that we can all read their answers as well. Sounds simple enough, yes? Let's begin!

1) What is the title of your book? PROMISES TO KEEP

2) Where did the idea for the book come from? It actually came from a Your Story prompt in Writers Digest. The prompt was to write a 750 word story where you visit your childhood home and find that it's been condemned. I don't know why, but that small prompt triggered this story in a big way. It was like a lightning bolt. I wrote the 750 word story and submitted it, but I always knew there was so much more to tell. It didn't win, but continued to percolate under the surface for several months until I saw the link for Camp NaNoWriMo. I'd done it in November and loved it, what a perfect excuse to tell that story!

3) What genre would your book fall under? It's hard to label it at this point, but I'm going to say mainstream fiction.

4) Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition? This is a really hard question because I don't really think about those things and I'm terrible with movie star names! I think I'd want to go with slightly more undiscovered people. I find the big names often take away from the story. You end up looking at the actor instead of the character they're playing. I know, I know, weak answer - but what can I say? You stumped me!

5) What is the one sentence synopsis of your book? A teenage girl is brought back from the afterlife to deal with a promise she made before her death.

6) Is your book published or represented? No.

7) How long did it take you to write? Don't know, still writing it! I decided to give it a go for the June Camp NaNoWriMo. I'm hoping to finish the rough (ROUGH) draft by the end of 'Camp' and then the editing begins!

8) What other books within your genre would you compare it to? That's a tough one! It's not as funny as TWENTIES GIRL by Sophie Kinsella, but the subject matter is similar.

9) Which authors inspired you to write this book? Just one. Alice Kuipers. As always I name my Wizard of Oz when it comes to my inspiration. She was the first person in the writing world to take me seriously, and she's always held me to a high standard. She's made me hold myself to a higher standard and I'll always appreciate that.

10) Tell us anything else that might pique our interest in your book. It's the story of a family that has lost their way and the eternal hope that they can bring it around again. The truth is there, sometimes it's just hidden in a clever place.

Now for the final piece of the puzzle. Here are my five tags:

1) Lindsey Fairleigh
2) Claudine Jaboro
3) Veronica Roth
4) Sopphey Vance
5) Rose Woods