Tag: writing

Six Sentence Sunday #6 (Ghosts)

On By Stephanie IngramIn Six Sentence Sunday, Writing10 Comments

As if I needed another reminder of how quickly time flies, I have Six Sentence Sunday. I almost forgot to sign up for it this week… that’s how behind I am. It feels as though I just combed my work-in-progress in order to come up with six sentences to share and here it is time to do it all again.

Not that I’m complaining, mind you. I love sharing my six as much as I love poking around to see what my fellow participants are up to. Be sure to visit the official site and check them out HERE.

Last week I changed gears from the WIP I’d been sharing to something completely new and not very developed. I am excited how well received that new work has been and I’m happy to say that I have it pegged as my September project. I’ll be able to focus all my time and attention to it once the  minions are back in school and I’ll have plenty more to share then.

For the moment? Well, I’ve got some good news. That manuscript that I’d finished and nearly dumped has found new life. Ghosts Don’t Wear Silk Stockings has undergone some serious overhaul during the week and if all continues to go well, I’m expecting a September release for sure. (It’s been touch-and-go for a while.) If you’re curious what this story is about, check out the ten questions I answered about it in my previous post titled “The Next Best Thing Challenge”. Since this is the manuscript getting all my attention right now, this is where I will pull my six over the next several weeks.

Without further ado, I leave you with another tense interaction between Brianna (my main character) and Greer. Greer has been adamant that under no conditions can Brianna go through with marrying Dan or she’ll ruin more lives than just her own. She’s trying to believe him but Dan just seems too perfect to let go…

***

“How do I know that I can really trust you?” she asked him, the conversation she had with Dan still fresh in her mind. Dan had made a good point and the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to believe that she could melt into his arms with no fear of putting the entire world in jeopardy by simply being happy.

Greer said nothing. His form simply wavered and returned like the flame of a candle threatening to go out, making him seem fragile.

“You don’t,” he said, “so if you have something on your mind that you need to tell me then why don’t you just say it?”

***

Can’t wait to read this book? Add it to your Goodreads shelf today! (pretty, pretty please??) 🙂

Six Sentence Sunday

On By Stephanie IngramIn Six Sentence Sunday, Writing9 Comments

I’ve really enjoyed participating in Six Sentence Sunday. If you’ve never heard of it, I suggest you click on the link and be sure to sample some of the other participants as well. You won’t be disappointed.

Over the last four weeks, I’ve shared snippets of my current work-in-progress titled Ghosts Don’t Wear Silk Stockings. I’ve gone back and forth quite a bit trying to decide whether I should continue with this or switch gears for a couple of weeks and test the waters with something new.

I have another project that I’m pretty excited about, although it’s still in the early stages. As a matter of fact, it doesn’t even have a title. At this point, I know my characters and I have a hazy idea of the general plot and even still, I have high hopes that this will expand into a three-book series. Well, we shall see about that, won’t we?

Anyway, enough of my rambling on about it. Let’s get to the good stuff, shall we? Without further ado, I present to you my “six”, a brief exchange between my two main characters (Sarah and Nathanial) about the true nature of their relationship…

***

When she turned back to face him, he was seated in the chair and looking out at the darkened landscape as though he’d been that way the entire time. The slight sting of loss resonated deep inside.

“We were enemies,” she said plainly. The words weren’t meant to hurt or challenge. She meant no recourse, only to state the simple fact out loud for her own ears to sample and taste.

“We still are,” he said getting up and moving from the room.

***

I hope I’ve tempted you enough to return next week for more. Until then…

And Baby Makes Three?

On By Stephanie IngramIn Writing10 Comments

No, I’m not pregnant. Don’t get excited. However, I am talking about baby-making today. Well, okay sort of, in a roundabout way…

Earlier this year, I finished my second novel. Eager for my beta readers to praise and congratulate me on such a witty and amazing creation, I quickly sent them the first twenty chapters. I smiled as I waited, ready for them to tell me how brilliant I am. Well, I guess you could say I was in for a bit of a rude awakening. They didn’t hate it but they weren’t exactly in love with it either. It became increasingly clear as I considered the feedback that something in the story was not working.

When I appeal to beta readers, I like to get a range of opinions because I know not everyone will love or hate the same ideas. I’m okay with varying opinions. What I pay attention to are the recurring thoughts, especially when those thoughts aren’t all “hip, hip, hurray”. If someone even hints at a specific part of the story causing an imbalance, I pay close attention. They might not be able to pinpoint exactly why they feel this way but the fact that something is amiss means that I need to re-evaluate what I’m writing.

So, I did what every self-respecting writer does. I crawled into a corner and cried, licking my wounds methodically waiting for my beta readers to tell me they were only kidding, that they loved it really.

Ummm… yeah, beta readers? Are you still out there? You still love me, right? It’s getting kind of lonely over here.

I’ve stewed in frustration trying to come up with a way to “fix” my creation. I even asked my software engineering husband what he would do with the story even though I know he hasn’t the foggiest. I finally let him go back to the safety of writing code after watching the sweat breaking out along his forehead. I was making him nervous.

My story sat for several months until I finally decided that gosh darn it, even I am bored with promoting the same old, same old. I published The Between World almost a year ago. It’s time for something new before I reach a point when even I can’t take myself seriously as a writer anymore. I’m supposed to be the professional here and it’s my story. Time to roll up the sleeves and get to work.

The good news? I’m (finally) making progress. There was one subplot that I didn’t like so it shouldn’t have surprised me when it wasn’t well received by the beta readers. I’m writing what is essentially a lighthearted, fun story but I’d created a subplot where the sister is suffering from domestic abuse. There isn’t anything the least bit funny about that! It was dragging the story down and I knew I needed to drop it, but I was having trouble parting with so many chapters, especially after I’d already cut the entire ending.

What does this have to do with baby-making? I’m glad you asked! It occurred to me that if I simply changed the situation so that the sister is still “struggling” but not with something quite so dire, then I could rewrite rather than simply dump. I’ve settled on a situation in which the sister and her husband are desperately trying to have a baby but for whatever reason, it’s not happening. I figure this can lend itself to all sorts of uncomfortable and even comical situations for my main character who attempts to seek refuge at her sister’s house after her apartment burns to the ground.

So, the question I pose to you today as I brainstorm possibilities is what is the craziest thing you have done (or heard of doing) to get pregnant? It doesn’t have to be personal experience. It could be some wacky wives tale that you’ve read about or know of a friend buying into. On top of that, have you ever been caught in the middle of a horrifying baby-making experience that you wish you could wipe from your memory? Please share anything and everything. You never know what will find its way into my storyline…

Oh, and just for the record, the baby-making idea was my husband’s. See, he is a genius after all.

Until next time, happy writing!

Books, Books, Books

On By Stephanie IngramIn WritingLeave a comment

I hadn’t planned on doing a Saturday blog post but under the circumstances, I think it is warranted. Author Christina McKnight has been gracious enough to feature my book on her blog, especially in light of my free promotion running this weekend.Thank you, Christina!

I highly recommend that you check out her blog HERE (it’s pretty nifty) and if you like books of the paranormal variety then make sure you follow. Her book titled “Only in Her Dreams” is scheduled for release this December.

And… if for some reason this is the first you’re hearing of my weekend promotion, check out The Between World on Amazon. You can download it free for a limited time.

Happy Weekend! Join me tomorrow for Six Sentence Sunday when I share another snippet from “Ghosts Don’t Wear Silk Stockings”.

Why I Love Twitter

On By Stephanie IngramIn Writing9 Comments

I love Twitter. This might sound like a really odd way to start a blog post but allow me to explain.

Twitter is a social networking site that is especially top-heavy with writers. Sometimes I scroll through all the many writers that I’m following (or thinking about following) and I feel a bit overwhelmed that there are so many of us in the world. It’s exciting on one hand that so many people dedicate their lives to the thankless, yet creative pursuit, of creating new worlds and stories and helping to bring to life the characters that we love and depressing on the other hand, that we’re so likely to be lost in an endless sea of other creators.

Writing is an amazing form of art. We create something new out of nothing.  A builder is given tools and materials and he approaches this with the experience and skill to create something new, beautiful, and probably useful. But when a writer writes, he isn’t limited by the materials with which he’s given. A builder will never take a couple of sheets of plywood and a few 2×4’s and end up with a house … but a writer, on the other hand, could create an entire empire with his talents. That’s pretty amazing.

So how does this relate to Twitter?

In most professions (including my former incarnation in the banking world), working meant having set hours, going to an office, and being accountable for the work you’re supposed to do. True, that could be said of writing as well, except for maybe the office part. But in most other professions, there is usually social interaction as well. When I worked in an office, I looked forward to seeing my co-workers in the morning. (Maybe I’m just weird.) I looked forward to chatting about our weekends, venting about a tough day, or just sharing a good laugh. When I quit getting up and going to the office every day, those were the things that I missed the most. Those were the things that were the hardest for me to give up.

I never wanted a career in banking and I’m thankful for the opportunity to focus on my writing at this stage in my life so I’m not complaining. I like the fact that I (more or less, depending on the kids) set my own hours and goals. These are super cool things, trust me! But for the first couple of years, I didn’t actually produce much. I didn’t feel accountable to anyone or anything. I longed for social interaction with my co-workers. I felt lonely.

I suppose you could say that Twitter sort of filled that void. Sure, online interactions aren’t quite the same as walking into an office and saying hello face-to-face or chatting around the water cooler, but I’m getting to know fellow writers and making new friends. I enjoy having the opportunity to share knowledge, experience, and in some cases even commiserate when life doesn’t go quite as planned. When I say on Twitter or in this blog that I’m going to complete something, I feel a sense of accountability and an obligation to do it.

Sure, most of you that I interact with on Twitter will never actually read my work. That’s okay.  I don’t actually expect you to and it really isn’t the point. I’m not on Twitter as some sort of fancy marketing plan (although of course, I do hope the extra exposure will ultimately attract readers that may have an interest in the types of books I write).

If you’re still here with me almost 600 words into a boring blog post about why I love Twitter, then thank you! Thank you for indulging me and helping me to feel that I’m not writing in an isolated vacuum where nothing I create makes a difference.

And if you are still reading, and you are interested in my first book , The Between World will be available as a free download on Amazon this weekend. WOO HOO! Don’t miss it..

Happy Friday and Happy Weekend! See you again on Sunday for my six sentence contribution.