4th Challenge/Blogfest Romantic Friday Writers

For anyone dropping by and has yet to hear of Romantic Friday Writers, well, it's a fun-time Internet based romance writer club. Each week themed challenges are set, and members post up a piece of poetry, a snippet from WIP,  or write a piece especially for the challenge. The maximum word count is always 400. Believe me, it's tough keeping within the word count.

For this week's theme the added angst: "must be written from first person POV!" 

How bizarre, Special Murder Mystery trip. Raffle ticket? Where's Poirot when you need him. 

        Table eight, I’m table eight. Two  . . . Four . . . Six.

        One more and . . . No, no, why would he? Just turn-a-round, and walk away.

        “Kate.” 

        Hand to wrist and no escape.

        Avoid eye contact.

        “Kate, please. Sit down. We need to talk.”

        Oh so familiar Swiss-French lilt and deep timbre. Damn you, Jean Paul. 

      Sit down? How dare he presume to sit at my table and talk to me as though nothing ever happened?

        “Go to hell.”

              * * *

The compartment door refused to budge, Jean Paul’s shoulder wedging it. It was all so unfair, so unfair. Why now, why come and taunt with his closeness, his eyes searching for what? Flesh searing flesh and I stupid in hungering his touch. "Go away."

       “Kate, what happened, happened. I had no control over it. I didn’t walk away from you, if that’s what you’ve thought all this time. If I had, do you think I’d be here now?”

       “Funny that, because on our so-called special trip to Venice, I remember your stepping off the train at Innsbruck and your last words, I’ll be no more than ten minutes. And there I was left on the train, wondering why you’d bailed."

       “Believe me I’ve never stopped loving you.” His fingers to throat utter torture in loving intimacy of familiar caress. “I tried your cell phone as soon as I could, but you never returned my calls.”

       “You quit our relationship, why would I?”

       “I tried writing you and received no replies. I knew then you thought the worst, hence the ticket for this murder mystery trip with reference to a raffle. I know you pay for raffle tickets then forget all about them.”

       “So what happened that day at Innsbruck?”

       “I keeled over. Simple as that.  Heart failure according to the specialist. Overworked and stressed out.”

       “But I thought . . .”

       “Am I forgiven for deserting you that day?”

       “There’s nothing to forgive.”

       “Even after what’s happened?”

       “Yes. I love you, damn it, I love you.”

       “Then you might want this. Delivered by courier that day, and the reason why I left the train at Innsbruck.”

       “Oh my God, a rock.”

       “But of course. Now can I come in or shall we take dinner first?"

       "Come here, then . . ."

    

396 words – YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As you've probably guessed this is a scenario enacted on the Orient Express, the scenic image below of the Swiss Alps, the other inside a private compartment.  

If you would like to read more offerings by other members, go here for list of today's participants. Once there, perhaps you'll feel inclined to join with us at Romantic Friday Writers. 

New Excerpt from Novella posted!

Yep, it's a historical!

I have to say that now I've completed my novella, it was tough writing it. The word count alone proved restrictive in its own right, for where I would have let prose flow and flourish in flood of emotions and character angst for a 90,000 -100,000 + word count, I continually found myself having to cut to the bone and tighten per scene as though writing a script for one hour of TV drama, though I guess what I've written would need several episodes to convey the story without need for slicing the bone for soup. Anyhoo, if anyone is interested in a little read, it's on my writer profile blog here.   

Characters faced with emotional Hell!

I'm over at Heroines' with Hearts today. 

The topic this week: Emotional Stress in romance novels and how characters handle it.

Do you as a reader want to see characters put through romantic hell?

Come on over and tell us what you think, and tell us whether you're cruel to your characters!

Romantic Friday Writers 3rd challenge/blogfest!

Masquerade!

Mrs. Vandervelt’s palatial mansion and floodlit garden as always, perfect for a masked fancy dress ball. To see couples strolling through the tropical gardens, or perched on the low wall of vast circular fountain, a sight to behold yet heart-wrenching. On the terrace below her, women in glorious gowns chatting and laughing with male escorts, all beneath string of balconies overlooking the grounds. She too standing on one of many balconies accessed from the ballroom: the last place she wished to be, and no escape.

Masked balls were normally such fun, but tonight’s almost surreal, and she felt akin to female extra on a historical movie shoot. She turned about, the ballroom again before her, the glass doors flung wide; light from glittering chandeliers bouncing off jewels worn by guests. A few notable males easily identified, as much by stature, mannerism and voice, but most of the guests totally unknown entities.

She preferred absolute anonymity, despite tonight’s ball held in her honour and dearest friends beside her. Why had she let Ursula Vandervelt persuade her this was for the best, that she must come out of her shell and let go of the past? She had come out, but her mask decorated with the tiniest of shells and sequins and pearl dropper, reflected where her heart lay and why tears cascaded forth every night when alone. Sudden aware the balcony a tad overcrowded, and people exiting the dance floor en masse in search of fresh air, she felt trapped, claustrophobically so.

‘Come on Tara, dance with me.’

Giorgio's vice-like grip on her elbow ushered her forward, but as she struggled against oncoming human tide a distinctive aroma caused her heart to lurch. It had to be pure imagination. But there it was again, that oh so familar tangy essence. Rick could not be there, and despite frantic search this way and that for a glimpse of the one face she would give anything to see: nothing . . . but sea of masks.

How cruel . . . How cruel that someone else should be wearing his favourite brand of after-shave: tonight of all nights.

Quick add-on: I won't be able to comment until Sunday! A wedding calls . . . 

If you would like to read more of today's posts select from list below.

If you're a romance writer and would like to know more about Romantic Friday Writers

please visit the RFW blog and perhaps you'll decide to join in the fun.

Beware Blog Invaders! - They lock you out!

Ssshh. Hello, hello and no, you aren’t in the wrong place. This is indeed Francine’s blog, but she is graciously letting me – Wendy Tyler Ryan - take over her blog for the day. She may regret this tomorrow! Do you think she’ll mind if I re-decorate while she’s gone? I just want to hang up one little picture. I think she’ll like it. What do you think? → → → → → → →

Some of you may already know that my book, Fire’s Daughter, was published this week. Very exciting stuff. I know that some of my followers have already purchased copies and I am very grateful for their support. I only hope that I can live up to their expectations.

It’s been a long slog, sometimes difficult and sometimes exhilarating. In the end, I’m so glad I stuck with it and I am also glad that I made the choice to self-publish. The enormity of the sense of accomplishment cannot be measured.

The stigma that once surrounded self-publishing has almost completely fallen by the wayside. Many good writers have made that choice and jumped in the ever-increasing pond and a lot of them have done very well. Whether you are published by the traditional route or as an indie author, a certain amount of your success or failure will be dumb luck. That you can most certainly count on. The rest will be up to you as an individual to keep your book “out there”. Kind of like what I’m doing now – commandeering people’s blogs to brag and show off!

If you’ve taken the plunge like I have, stop worrying about the numbers. Stop checking your stats every hour and get back to writing. Potential readers need to keep seeing your name out there. The more books you have, the better it will be for you all around. Make your name a Brand. That doesn’t mean you should just publish any old thing. Only put your best work out there. And I’m not talking about the odd little spelling oops that may sneak through. We’ve all seen these little oopses in traditionally published books – it happens. Just make sure you have done everything in your power to put your best work in front of potential readers.

Format, format, format. If you don’t know how, find someone to help you. Edit, edit, edit. If you don’t know how, find someone to help you. Read, read and re-read until your eyes bleed! When your own work becomes too close for you to see objectively, find someone else to read it with a fresh pair of eyes. Once you’ve done all that, get yourself a professional looking cover for your book. Not everyone can hire an artist, but if you look hard enough, you should be able to find a Photoshop savvy person who can take stock photography and turn it into something unique.

Does self-publishing mean you have to give up trying to get published by traditional methods? Of course not. Many self-published authors have been picked up by agents and or publishers because of the following they’ve garnered for themselves. All things are possible. You have to believe that.


If you find yourself interested in learning more about my book, feel free to visit my website: http://www.wendytylerryan.comor my blog: http://www.waitingforpublication.blogspot.com/ or drop me a line at wendytylerryan@gmail.com .


Thanks again, Francine, you are a dear and I had a blast dominating your blog for the day!

Hee hee, look what I found dropped on the floor! 

 

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