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Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Writing Wednesday-meme and award COMBO

I'd been planning to partake in Lori M. Lee's brilliant Writing Wednesday-meme for several weeks now, and since I've been bestowed The Versatile Blogger award again, along with The Irresistably Sweet Blog award, I've decided to incorporate an improvised version of the meme into this post. 

Yes, I'm changing the rules of these particular blog awards, folks! Or, at least giving the recipients the choices between ye ol' rules, and some shiny new ones. I'm a rebel, what can I say? ;)

So, off we go!


Thank you, Caitlin Vincent


Bequeathed to:



The original rules:

1. Thank and link to the person who nominated you.
2. Share seven random facts about yourself.
3. Pass the award along to 5 deserving blogging buddies.
4. Contact those buddies to congratulate them

OR

My new rules...

Replace #2 above with this improvised meme from Lori's post: List the first and last lines of the first five chapters from one of your manuscripts. Can you see a story taking shape? Does it intrigue and intensify, making you want to read what's between?

I chose chapter snippets taken from my historical literary love story, Forgotten Silences (think Jane Eyre meets A Certain Slant of Light) with a unique love triangle between a deaf woman, the ghost that only she can see and hear, and a dark and mysterious viscount tied to the ghost's death.

Chap 1:

Melancholy ... melody; separate words, separate meanings, united by a memory pressed upon my heart.

Taking a breath of cold air, I opened the door and crossed the threshold, alone.

Chap 2:

In my youth, a spot of hot chocolate savored in tandem with a cranberry crumpet could evaporate the rain from the soggiest afternoon.

Then, using the grosgrain ribbon for protection, I picked up the flower, grabbed my lantern, and scrambled along the path and into my home, locking the door behind me.

Chap 3:

It took me half of the hour to plant the blossom, as I wore thick gloves to avoid getting pricked by its stem or touching the poisonous pollen within the raised cone.

“Either I am having a vivid hallucination, Sir, or you are a ghost.”

Chap 4:

I did not have to be a lip-reader to analyze the skepticism within his expression.

Then, as I clasped the chain around my neck and the locket fell between my breasts beneath the throw, my ghostly companion reappeared … this time to stay.

Chap 5:

Morning broke with a reluctant sunrise.

How could anyone withstand the vision of their own grave, knowing what lay beneath the dirt?


 Next:

Thank you, Cherie and Lisa Ann


Bequeathed to:



And along with the strawberry goodness comes these original rules:

1. Thank and link to the person who nominated me.
2. Share seven random facts about myself.

3. Pass the award to 15 blogging friends.
4. Contact the winners to congratulate them.

OR

The new rules...

Replace #2 with: List three of your favorite sentences from a WIP or finished MS. 

And, in the interest of time, you can be creative with #3 and pass the award to as few as five friends.


My favorite three lines (from the same MS as above):

1. Winter had settled in her heart, and was freezing her from the inside out.

2. Yet I could not shake the foreboding sense that each page turned would be another ribbon snipped away from Pandora’s box of beautiful misery.

3. Flames of fear have crisped the memory to a nightmare, which snows like ash over my dreams.

 ~~~

Congrats, nominees! By now I've contacted you. I hope you enjoy the award. You earned it!**


On Friday, my QueryTrackers successful author interview will be with Kaylie Austen. Kaylie's story is atypical in that she's found a trade publisher sans an agent. She has several new books coming out in the near future, so be sure to drop by and congratulate her!


**Award winners: Please don't feel obligated to post the award or partake in the rules unless you're so inclined. The gesture on my part is like a thank you card, and I don't expect everyone to save their cards unless they want to. We all have our own decorating tastes and expectations for our "online home." But, if you choose to post it, here are some helpful hints:

Right click on the picture here and "save picture as." From your dashboard go into 'design' and 'add a gadget' and download the picture.

35 comments:

  1. Gosh, I LOVE WLW. Those are beautiful lines!!! And what a good idea. I feel like doing it just to see what kind of story takes shape with mine. Congrats on the awards!

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  2. Your lines are so wonderful! It's great when you can just read snippets and the imagery begins to work! Congrats!

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  3. Aww, thanks Jessie! And haha! See me rebelling and changing back to its orginal title? I like Where Love Waits, too, but Forgotten Silences always had a more lit feel, and now that JB plans to sub it as a literary novel instead of a romance, I'm taking full advantage. :)

    You should totally do this on your blog sometime! You can do it w/out the awards and just call it a writing meme. Thanks for stopping by, pal! I'll be visiting your blog in a bit...

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  4. Hi Ashley! Thank you! I love revisiting past MSS. It's like visiting an old friend. :)

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  5. Hi Anita, thank you for the award. I love it and will post it on my blog. I'm grateful to any follower and especially those who enjoy my blog.:)

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  6. Thank you my friend! How fun! I'm on it...passing the love! And I love your lines...esp the last one. :)

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  7. Wowoweeee!! You have a beautiful way with words, lovely! I demand we read your book now. LOL! You're so talented--well I already knew this but I like to gush about it because you are AWESOME!

    Speaking of awesome, I'm passing an award to you. This one's pretty painless, you'll see. ;)

    Btw, I love your third favorite line: Flames of fear have crisper the memory into a nightmare....

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  8. Anita--I cannot wait for your books to hit the shelves. I want to read . . . all of them!!! Love your style, girlfriend! Hugs!!

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  9. Your writing is BEAUTIFUL :D I think my favorite was "How could anyone withstand the vision of their own grave, knowing what lay beneath the dirt?"

    *shivers* haha <3

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  10. Thank you so much for the award! I've never gotten an award before! You've very kind and I'll be passing it along for sure! And I love your lines. You've definitely got a way with words!

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  11. WOW! Thank you so much for the award. I think I like your rules better ;-) I just posted today, but I'll try to add the award with a link back to you either today or tomorrow. Thank you again for all the support!

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  12. Thank you so much Anita! I love your new rules! I'll try to get that up tommorow.

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  13. Thank you! And I LOVE your lines. Lyrical, evocative writing.

    Also I announced exciting news on my blog today!

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  14. You're very welcome, Jamie. It's well deserved. ;)

    Hi Stephanie! You're welcome! And thank you for the nice compliment. :)

    Aww, thanks for your sweet comments about my writing! Coming from you, Cherie of the lovely wordage, that means so much! I wish you could read my book RIGHT now. LOL. And thank you for the awesomesauce reward! Looking forward to passing it on.

    Hi Rachel. ;) Thank you so much! Hugs back at ya.

    You're so sweet, Lori. Thank you. And yeah, I had a blast with that book, getting to see things through the eyes of ghost. Hee.

    Well, it's high time you get one, Brenda! You deserve it. Thanks for the nice compliments, to!

    Yay, Sylvia! I look forward to seeing what you post. I love reading other writer's work. :) And you're very welcome.

    Looking forward to it, Taryn! Thanks for stopping by. :)

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  15. The last line of the second chapter definitely piqued my interest. I guessed the flower might be poisonous but where did it come from (picked up implied to me that it had been left there rather than she just picked the flower herself) and why does she need it? Questions need answering! I like your new rules though I'm sure my sentences would not live up to yours by a long shot.
    - Sophia.

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  16. Congrats Anita and I am loving your version of the rules.

    I just realized that we visit each other's blogs but for the most part we really don't get to see a sample of the blogger's work. So thank you for letting us taking a look-see.

    My favorite: "I did not have to be a lip-reader to analyze the skepticism within his expression." Its just clever writing.

    ooooo I see someone is officially 'awesome sauce' *giddy*

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  17. Liesl, you're welcome! And I KNOW!!! I was just over there reading it! I'm so happy for you. :) And proud, too. Oh, and thanks so much for your sweet comments.

    Sophia, Hi! Thanks so much for your input. And yay that I could pique your interest. The flower plays a huge role, and is in fact pivotal to the relationship between the ghost and my heroine. :) And I disagree, your sentences would definitely stand up in their own rite. Everyone's work has a spark of uniqueness. That's why I love to read other people's writing--to see that glimmer. :)

    Haha, Sophie! Yes, I am officially awesome sauce now and couldn't be more excited! LOL. You are so creative, girl!

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  18. I love the first-last sentence idea. I'll have to try that!

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  19. Wow, Anita. Some kick-ass lines you've got here! Seriously. Lovely writing.

    Yes, rules are meant to be changed. I love your new version of the rules. :)

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  20. "Flames of fear have CRISPED the memory to a nightmare, which snows like ash over my dreams."

    Crisp is the perfect word here. I love, love, LOVE this sentence.
    You are a talent, my friend. A rule breaking hooligan, but a talented one.

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  21. Oh my goodness, Anita! Your words are so lush and plush, I just want to crawl into bed and cover myself with them!! Those line are absolutely beautiful, you should be so proud of yourself.

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  22. I love the plot of your novel. Congrats on your awards. :D

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  23. Thank you Anita for the superfantastalistic award, it's my first, so I'm gushing and uber confused. :( I listed you in blogs I follow, and will post manana with a massive shout out your way.

    But as for the other rules, do I place the first lines in my post tomorrow? I get the pass it along apart.

    I sure hope so, because it's not a literary piece I'm doing and they'll look like depressed drivelings next to your breathtaking imagery.

    Thank you again.
    Lea

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  24. Whoa. Those sentences read like poetry. That's a fabulous little activity, and reading your snippets was totally riveting! Congrats on those awards!

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  25. Hey there Robin! I'm so glad you're going to try it. :) I'll stop by to read them, for sure.

    Aww, thanks Maryb. And I do love breaking the rules. Heehee

    Haha, Bethany! A hooligan. Love it! And thanks so much for your nicey compliments, pal. ;)

    Hello, Angela my dear. :) And you're so sweet to say that. But it took me several years to learn to rein it in. Lushness can be tricky to control. Those three fave sentences were placed very carefully in three different parts of the book. I try to use the lushness a little more sparingly now, where it will have the most impact. BTW, you're pretty lyrical yourself: "want to crawl into bed and cover myself with them." What a beautiful line! :)

    Thanks M Pax! It's one of my favorite MS. I loved the heroine ... and still am crushing on the heroes. Heh. ;)

    Lea, I'm so glad you love the award! Your blog will make it shine. :) Yes, you can post your "meme" on your blog whichever day you choose to pass on the award. In fact, you can just copy and paste my rules verbatim to make it easier for you. And your sentences will not be drivelings (LOL). We all have something special about our voices. I'm looking forward to seeing what flavor your prose has! :)

    Hi Sarah! Thanks so much for your kindness. It was a fun meme! You should totally try it sometime. ;)

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  26. ooo... those are gorgeous. I esp. like the crispy nightmare and ashy dream... :D

    So tell me, what IS a meme? Everyone tosses that word around like I just know what it is... ;p good stuff, Hogwarts~

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  27. Hey there, Leigh!

    LOL on the Hogwarts!! I saw that earlier today but haven't had a chance to respond. You're hilarious! ;) And wow, to even be spoken in the same breath as J.K. Rowling, yah, think I can live with that. Haha!

    Thanks for your sweet words about the prose. Written that way, it kind of sounds like burned krispy kreme donuts. Ha!

    Memes are quizzes, surveys, or novelty questions that people post on their blogs and invite others to join in on their blogs. I guess that blog tag I did a while back could technically be considered a meme…

    Thanks for dropping by!

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  28. Way to make an award unique. Those were awesome. And now you've got me hooked on the novel. I'll have to buy it come payday.

    .....dhole

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  29. Thanks so much, Donna! You sure know how to make a person blush. ;) I'm so glad you stopped by. You made my day. :)

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  30. It's lovely to receive awards but geez, it's hard work.

    Yet you've still created a master post!
    You put me in the shade with your creativity Anita. My brain is too tired recently - probably too full of the novel to roam and be fluid like that. You've created some super snippets there.

    x

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  31. I really, really enjoyed those snippets, Anita. Your sentences are so rich without being overly complicated (which is to say "trying too hard"--sounds mean, but you know what I'm saying). Delicious.

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  32. I agree, Bluestocking Mum. They're wonderful, but after a while you start just going through the motions. All the rules are the same. I still think the best awards are the ones with no strings attached at all. A simple trophy to keep on your sidebar to remind you that you are loved. ;) Thanks for stopping by and for your lovely words. And keep up the hard work on that novel!

    Hi Katey! Thanks. :) I started out writing poetry, so lyricism and richness come naturally. It took a couple of years for me to tone the "lushness" level down enough for a whole novel. It used to would've made you sea-sick. I guarantee. Heh. I can't wait to get my book from you! I'm ready to see more of your awesome writing. :) Thanks for coming by tonight.

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  33. After a week away from the computer, I'm finally back in the world of blogging, and I LOOOVE what you've done with the award rules. Reading your first and last sentences makes me want to go back and tighten up my manuscript, and you've got me thinking, "Hmm... Do I have a few favorite sentences in my book? Never really thought about it before..." Off to do some exploring in Microsoft Word! :)

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  34. Hey there Lisa! Nice to see you again. :) And thanks for the compliments! I just figured people might like a change on the rules.

    Have fun exploring your MS! That's one of my fave pastimes, too. ;)

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