Day One of Hot Springs Vacation

We found another product to help us sleep.

We went in the showers of the bath house.

We ate delicious burnt food.

And we used a lot of gas driving a boat.

#8 Weekend Writing Warriors Blog Hop - Get's Musical

I'm glad to be a part of the Weekend Writing Warriors.

Weekend Writing Warriors / #8 Sunday / 07/06/14
www.wewriwa.com

A weekly festival of writers sharing excerpts from their work.  

Many different genres; something for everybody. 

     Here is a passage from my unpublished young adult manuscript called BEING BENITO CARLEFFA. I've included a short description below the passage to give background information if wanted. 

¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡

     “Here’s the deal, kid.” Carsa leaned close, brushed the handle of the strap down my jawbone, and used it to move my face so that I met his eyes and could almost taste his sour breath. The cold plastic grip dug into my cheek while its leather tail gently danced against my ribcage in a cruel tease. Once again, Carsa’s pupils widened with a three-second crazed expression then dwindled back to normal size as if drugs had returned him from his psychotic trip. 

    “You will not leave this room unscathed,” Carsa continued, “however a little cooperation could help.” He cracked the air beside me. Every muscle in my body tightened as a shiver shot down my spine. “Did your dad say two or three,” he grinned while stroking his torture device, “or was it five or six? Just can’t remember.” 

¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡

My teenage character had been kidnapped earlier in the day by employees of a mob boss father who he didn't know existed. The scene takes place in a dark study after Ben broke his father's Waterford lamp and used a glass shard as a weapon against Dad while cussing him out. Not that Ben's a bad kid, he's actually quite good, but he just learned that this scum bag killed his mom, and you can't blame him for being just a little ticked. Of course his father never does the dirty work. Why should he when he's got Carsa to wear the mud?

Compliments are great, but what I'm really looking for is the constructive criticism to take the passage to a new level. 

Thanks!
Joyce


Sorry I almost missed Musical Monday Moves Me. I'm vacationing in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Here's a quick musical addition to go with my writing.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava’s Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.




PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

New Driver

During the late 1970s, I prepared for my driver's license, but not nearly enough. My first time out alone with the car, I had an accident. I hit a parked car in a snowy parking lot. Looking back, I didn't have a clear understanding of how cars worked, probably from not enough hours behind the wheel. 

This was not the case with my kids. As soon as they received their learner's permits, they spent a year as the family chauffeur. This meant that wherever we went, the kid with the learner's permit did the driving. By the time they received their licenses, they were all expert drivers and I could relax.

I hope Jillian's parents will let her be the chauffeur of their family. Since she's not yet a pro, enjoy this clip. My former student is hysterical behind a wheel. At least she's now in a different city. Love the kid, but don't think I want to be around as she learns how to drive.

Isn't she cute? Scary but cute.

#WW - How to Take the Perfect Photograph

The key to taking a great picture is to have your 

subjects pretend to be biting into an apple. Voila!

#MM Celebrate Me

This week's theme for Monday Music Moves Me is to post a song of celebration and then one that describes ourselves. First up, let's celebrate. Stevie Wonder's Do I Do has always made me feel like celebrating.

And next up please enjoy a song that describes me. Those who have followed my blog for any length of time know I'm totally nuts.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava’s Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.




PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

The Ecstasy Game

Before attending an author's workshop, I had a homework assignment to brainstorm objects from my childhood home and then write a short passage about something on the list. Unfortunately, we ran out of time, and I didn't get to share my work; so, I'll share it here.

EcstasyEcstasyEcstasyEcstasyEcstasyEcstasyEcsta

            We gathered around the latest technology, a primitive desktop computer with a black screen and green writing. It perched upon the desk in my brother’s room in front of the wide bush-covered window. Eddie beamed at his creative genius garnered from his computer programming class. He invented multiple games to entertain with the latest technology to hit the 1970s.

X        The target of my affection in seventh grade was Tommy––a cute, brown-haired boy who barely knew I was alive. I typed his name, and it slid across the screen at a slow speed during the first round. With a tap of the finger, the space bar shot  X shaped kisses at him. When the kiss hit the target, the screen lit up with the word “Ecstasy” written multiple times. I’d clap and cheer because that was the closest I’d get to kissing Tommy. During each consecutive round, his name moved faster and became a tougher target to hit, but eventually, that X hit the spot.

EcstasyEcstasyEcstasyEcstasyEcstasyEcstasyEcsta

Side note in case my FB friend Tom sees this: I know one of our old classmates may send you to this blog if you don’t see it on your own, so be it known that I haven’t crushed on you in forty years and now have my own brown-hairs man to kiss.

 Whew! Scared ya, didn't I?   X 

#WW: World Cup Google Art

#MM: It's a Fanta Sea

The mysterious masterpiece Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen has always been one of my favorites. In researching the meaning of its lyrics, analysts suspect the song relates to composer Freddie Mercury's personal life. He grew up in a highly religious Zoroastrian family which did not accept what he became––gay. Especially in the 1970s, to be homosexual in his family was to make his mother cry. The man he killed was himself by not being what he was raised to be. Some think the pain relates to AIDS, which eventually led to his death; however, the disease was too unknown at the time. When people asked Freddie Mercury what his lyrics meant, he said, "I don't know."

I feel sorry for people with life styles that their family will not accept. A friend of mine has a transgender child. She has been beautifully accepting of him as has everyone else in his life. Maybe we are finally arriving.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the ACTUAL LINK POST here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava’s Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.




PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

Twenty-Four and Looking Good

June 21st is the longest day of the year; and in 1990, it most certainly was. That was the day I gave birth to my beautiful and talented daughter, Judy. 

Judy is not only pretty, but she is also smart and personable. If you don't believe it, just ask her mother.

She is also the mother of my beautiful granddog.

Happy Birthday, Judy!

The Story of Angela and Eggy

Because you wanted to know . . .

On a May day in a Memphis classroom, multiple eggs were decorated, weighed, and named before sliding down a chute made of shoe box lids into kid designed landing pads. With ten sheets of newspaper and an arms' stretch of masking tape, kids designed these cushions. Thus, The Egg Drop Competition began. 

In order to properly place landing pads, students filled plastic Easter eggs with rocks. These practice eggs weighed the same as real eggs and got cracked before reluctant eggs ran the chute. 

To "egg" them on, kids cheered and clapped and then the trek began. Most eggs fell to their sudden death; however, Angela and Eggy were survivors. They even successfully slid down the high dive, the top of the book shelf. 

The best landing pads were funnel shaped with lots of give. Anyone who folded newspapers put their eggs in grave danger. As winning eggs, they received the reward of going home with the teacher to be eaten.

However, they became blog celebrities on Wordless Wednesday. I know you want to know about the Wordless Wednesday before this one, when I missed it doing something secret. Sorry, but I still can't reveal. I will let you know soon.