Month: July 2012

The True Beginning of the End…

On By Stephanie IngramIn Uncategorized7 Comments

Today I finished the manuscript. I know, you’ve heard this all before, right? Today I love it. Tomorrow I hate it, scrap it, and start all over again.

And we’re standing on this precipice with nothing much to save

But the deep blue screams of falling dreams with our next move

Heaven hide your eyes

Heaven’s eyes will never dry…

These lyrics keep popping into my head as I write the last words to this story. They come from a song called The Promise by a band called Arcadia, which most of you have probably never heard of. This song had significance to a younger version of me (like waaaay back in the early 90’s??)  and it’s just a tad ironic that they make a reappearance now. If you’re interested, you can find the song on YouTube HERE. I used to listen to this on record, long before any such thing as YouTube existed and at the time, I was pretty certain this particular album had magical properties… a conversation for another blog post, perhaps?

I finished the story that took so long to tell. This should be a happy occasion worthy of hugs and celebrations, not moody dark music that makes us feel as though we’re ready to plunge into some unknown fate, right? So, what gives?

Perhaps it’s the uncertainty that keeps tugging at me? I want to believe in my story. I want to believe in my ability to be a writer and yet I keep coming back full circle to doubt both. Perhaps it’s because I’ve started out to follow a path and I’ve lost my way and now I’m struggling to get back on course.

Perhaps I just have a funny way of celebrating?

At any rate, put away the champagne for now. August brings a lot of hard work and plenty of ups and downs of its own. After all, it’s time for me to rewind back to chapter one and comb through all thirty chapters to make sure that what I wrote actually makes sense. (It’s easy for me to forget something I planted in the early chapters and never resolved by the end.)

I’m also attempting something just a bit terrifying, which is probably the real reason behind the moody song. Once I’ve gone over my story and made sure it’s as perfect as I can make it, I’ve decided to write a synopsis and send a query. I have one publisher in mind (thanks to DuoTrope), I’ve printed out their submission requirements, and I wonder if we might be a perfect fit for one another? A literary match made in heaven? Our own version of happily ever after? I’ve never queried before. I’ve never set myself up for the possibility of rejection. This is a first… and I’m scared…

Fingers crossed? Let’s take the plunge …

Six Sentence Sunday #8 (More Ghosts!)

On By Stephanie IngramIn Six Sentence Sunday, Writing4 Comments

I can’t believe we’re into the last Sunday in July already. Where did the summer go? Needless to say, I’m still very much wrapped up in the rewriting of my WIP, Ghosts Don’t Wear Silk Stockings, and getting ready for a month-long editing process in August where I will break the story down chapter by chapter and make sure all the pieces are in the right place. After that is said and done, it’s clean-up time. I’ll comb through the manuscript several more times before it’s suitable for human eyes, or ghost eyes even.

But wait … that doesn’t stop me from sharing my little snippets during our Six Sentence Sunday fun day! I love participating and I love reading what other creative authors share on their own blogs. Want to check them out with me? Make sure you click HERE to visit the official Six Sunday website with a list of all participants.

Last week I posted the first six sentences of the novel. Today I jump forward a smidgeon and present you with a brief interaction between Brianna and Greer. Now that Dan has proposed, Greer is determined to make Brianna understand the danger she faces by marrying him…

***

“I’m trying to understand,” she said hoping to ease the tension between them.

“And don’t even think about children,” he said practically choking on the word, “You probably wouldn’t survive having one of his kind.”

“One of his kind,” she repeated with a sigh, imaging a smaller version of the Greek god that slept by her side. She decided she could do worse as long as their children took after their father in looks. It was not an entirely unappealing thought.

***

Ah the dilemma she faces… she is finally presented with the perfect man who wants her as much as she wants him but now she’s being told she can’t go through with it. What’s a girl to do?

Hope you’ll stop back next week for more…

 

Six Sentence Sunday #7 (Ghosts, chap 1)

On By Stephanie IngramIn Six Sentence Sunday, Writing6 Comments

Happy Six Sentence Sunday! If you’ve visited my blog before, you’ve already had a tempting taste of my soon-to-be-released novel titled Ghosts Don’t Wear Silk Stockings. If you’re new to the blog, then you don’t have to feel left behind because today I’m rewinding all the way back to the beginning to pluck my six sentences from the first chapter.

As a matter of fact, these are indeed the first six sentences of the entire novel! I’ve chosen these six in light of the fact that I will be sharing my first chapter in August as a special sneak peek at the novel before the release. Hopefully these six will intrigue you enough to return. (Make sure you click the LIKE button to the right to connect with me on my Facebook author page.)

Like my six? Then I highly recommend visiting the official Six Sentence Sunday website and checking out the other participants as well.

***

Dan Parker was six feet three inches and his own brand of delicious evil. Brianna Halloway had fallen for the wrong guy before. She’d been mixed up with married men, tangled in deceptive webs of womanizers and she’d even come across a few men that didn’t know the proper way to treat a lady. But never in all her years had she come across anything supernatural. Dan was a first in that department.

He lit a cigarette and gave her a sultry stare.

***

Ooohh Dan…

I Plead Insanity

On By Stephanie IngramIn Family and Fun13 Comments

I plead insanity.

After a sleepless night, I’m trying to remember why it was such a great idea to get a puppy and I can’t come up with anything other than I must have been insane. Our little bundle of fur is thirteen weeks old today. He’s spent four weeks of his life with us and we’ve been pretty good about setting up a consistent routine, as much as we can manage being summer and all. So why, oh why, did he suddenly decide that instead of going into his crate and sleeping, like he’s always done every other night, that he would stay awake crying, whining, and barking? All. Night. Long.

By 5:30 this morning, I got up and shooed him outside, a little too late to get sleep, but if I didn’t get a break from the barking then I was going to start screaming and/or do something I’d later regret. I’m not exactly brimming with patience, you see, and it’s taking everything I’ve got to manage him during the day as it is. I need those precious nighttime hours to recuperate and if I don’t get them, gosh darn it, I am not going to be a girl you want to face in the morning.

So then, what are we doing wrong? Is it just a one-off bad night with quieter nights ahead?

Oh, darling doggie, curled up and sleeping peacefully as I type, don’t you get it into your head that I’m going to let you sleep all day. Ooooooooooooooooooh no…. I have very different plans for you today. If we’re going to make this thing work then things will need to change. Don’t think those cute puppy dog eyes are going to change a thing either.

I can’t complain too much. As far as puppies are concerned, he’s been pretty good so far. As long as he doesn’t potty in the house (so far, so good) and he doesn’t eat the children (still working on that one) then I consider it a good day. The icing on the cake would be no barking but well, he is a dog, and I understand sometimes it’s going to happen. I like to think I’m pretty easy-going for the most part. I didn’t even freak out when muddy paws raced across my kitchen…

But this nighttime thing is a different story. I need my sleep. No other way around it.

If you don’t see me around, it’s because I’m taking the dog for a walk or chasing him back and forth in the backyard. (That would be a sight to see, I’m sure.) The writing will get done, eventually, but first things first… I must secure a good night sleep ahead or Mr. Doggie’s days are numbered…

Gosh darn it, why does he have to be so cute though??

Kiski Junction – Tuesday Photos

On By Stephanie IngramIn Uncategorized6 Comments

Over the weekend, we took the kids on a local train ride. It wasn’t quite Thomas the Tank Engine and I admit, it wasn’t even a steam engine, but the kids loved it just the same and so did I.

This is one of the minions and me posed by the diesel engine before we boarded the train.

One of my earliest and fondest memories is from when I was just a little younger than this guy. My parents lived in a trailer park until I was five when they bought the house that I would eventually grow up in. I don’t have a lot of memories of the trailer park where we lived in those early years but I do remember there were train tracks at the bottom of a large hill and my dad used to take me to watch the trains go by. I loved it. I had a fascination with trains from an early age and to some degree, I still do.

 

This particular train ride only lasted an hour, which is probably about the perfect amount of time with three young children. We traveled along the Kiski River. Here is a peek of the river through the trees.

 

…and again, along with all the lush vegetation that I love about Pennsylvania summers.

 

There is a nice camping area along the river, at least if you’re into big campers and such. (Personally, I’m more of a tent in the woods kind of girl, but that’s just me…) There is a sense of community amongst these campers.

 

I could see a story taking place here. Could you?

 

My personal favorite part of the train ride was the view over a tall bridge where we stopped to enjoy the view and take pictures. I took quite a few photos from here but since I can’t possibly share them all, I singled out this one and I hope you like it as much as I do.

Thanks for joining me on our little train ride adventure. I look forward to sharing more in the near future (including photos from an upcoming camping trip!) so stay tuned…