IWSG for April 2014

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is the brilliant idea of Alex J. Cavanaugh. The purpose of the group is to share doubts and insecurities and to encourage one another. Please visit the other participants and share your support. A kind word goes a long way.

I know a lot of you are busy with the A to Z Challenge this month. Good luck! It's so much fun.

The first year I did the Challenge, I wrote a story called FEARLESS. I went on to self-publish it and offered it for free. As of this date, there has been over 30,000 downloads. Amazing things come from the Challenge!

I wanted to offer up a cheer, but then I found this awesome quote from Helen Colella. Here are some tips and encouragement to go along with the Challenge: "Appreciate all writers. Believe in yourself. Challenge creativity. Dream of success. Explore fact, fiction, and fantasy. Focus on your writing career. Go the distance. Hold tight to dreams. Invest in classes, workshops, and conferences. Join a critique group. Keep abreast of publishing needs. Live, love, and laugh. Make every word count. Nourish the body, mind and soul. Open your mind to knowledge. Prepare and be positive. Query first. Read, read and read. Set goals. Trust in yourself. Understand the impact of words. Venerate language. Write. Write. Write. X-out all negativity. Yodel and yell over every accomplishment. Zoom in—complete projects."

Finally, come visit Untethered Realms. We're participating in the Challenge as a group. Our theme: fantastical creatures. I have letter B today.

A to Z Challenge 2013 - B is for Books

I'm posting snippets from a story for this year's challenge.

You can enjoy them on their own, or you can read the complete abbreviated tale starting with A.

  B IS FOR BOOKS

Danielle bent to retrieve some books she'd knocked off the desk during the fight. “No, Libby ran into her father's room.” She paused after setting the books on the desktop and smiled. “That's another longing I'd love to explore too. That man is smoking hot.”

Really, Danielle. You need to keep your mind on the job. Fenn's words were clipped by his Nordic accent. You do realize this is the third time we've killed a monster in Libby's room. It's highly unusual.

“I know.” Danielle's lips thinned. She picked up a stuffed monkey and set it gently on the bed. “She's having a rough time of it. Her mom died a few years ago, and there's only her and her dad. He's a good guy, a really good guy, but he has to work. She's lonely and scared. I'm surprised we don't see more kids with multiple monsters.”

That's because when the monster is slain, the edge of fear that created it is gone. They're past it and they move on. Fenn lectured. It doesn't mean the fear is gone, but the power in it is. Children grow up and their fears no longer have the magic to create monsters.

A to Z Challenge - B is for Beheading

I'm doing one story throughout the Challenge.

If you're just joining me now, please start with A is for Abby.

B IS FOR BEHEADING

Another coming behind you! Tawa shouted. And it's a big one!

"A little busy with the two in front." Abby hissed as she ducked under a massive set of claws as they raked through the fetid attic air. Still crouched, she spun to hamstring the first monster with one glowing sword and thrust the second blade up into the gut of the other beast. The blood was hot and black as it splattered over her, making her stomach churn.

What did you want me to do? Stare him down my my unblinking button eyes? Tawa snorted.

Abby twisted around to slash the injured monster's bulbous eyes and face the third ugly thing behind her. It was indeed a big one. Likely the original monster in the attic. She circled around it, stepping over the twitching bodies of its pack. Its gigantic fish eyes followed her every move.

"Big eyes all the better to see me with and big claws all the better to tear me apart. These guys are fast and wary. Any suggestions, boss?" Abby was panting. She had taken five down already and she didn't think they were dead. If she didn't take out this huge fellow swiftly, the others might rise and she'd be their next meal.

Take off its head. It's the only way. This one's powerful. The stuffed hippo's tone was tense. Abby grunted for want of more info. Get behind it. It can't get you with either the claws or fangs that way.

"Yeah, so easy. It's totally going to let me do that." Abby could feel her skin prickling. If she didn't make her move very soon, the monster would come at her. She wouldn't win that fight. There was no way to behead it in one smooth move either.

With the tips of her blades, she cut the straps to the carrier that held Tawa on her back. Having an unassuming second pair of eyes had saved her life several times. As the hippo slipped, Abby caught her with the flat edges of her swords and threw Tawa at the monster.

Tawa shrieked and the beast's first instinct was to catch her. As it did so, Abby leapt to one side and somersaulted to stand behind it. She rammed her swords into its neck and yanked them outwards. The monster's garbled wail rattled the single window, but she didn't hesitate in slicing one blade through the top of its spinal column and severing the behemoth's head from its body. The head hit the floor with a meaty thud.