Beware! Pirates!!!

Scary, aren't they? I mentioned in a previous post that my two youngest Tory (left) and Tessa (right) wanted to be pirates for Halloween. I couldn't resist posting a picture of them in all their pirate glory.

I also wanted to take a few minutes to direct you to some really great posts. Mrs. 4444, the Martha Stewart of blogging (no, she REALLY is), had a great post about raising kids, and it is GOLDEN advice. Instead of typing my own version, since I agree with her's 100%, you should all go read about it here: http://www.halfpastkissintime.com/2008/11/respect.html .

Another place to check out is Rhea's blog, http://texaswordtangle.blogspot.com/ . She is having a SUPER giveaway, and even though she's a Texan (I'll overlook it Rhea), she's got a great blog!

Okay, now I'll move on to my latest gripe. I have read that so many people become addicted to blogging, or to facebook, or to twitter. NOT ME! I can not stay away from Craigslist. I read random ads, just for the heck of it. I click on the free stuff section ALL the time, just KNOWING I'm going to find some great treasure (I haven't). I need to find a support group for this. Anybody else out there have a site, game, or something on-line that they just can't seem to stay away from for more than an hour at a time? Enquiring minds wanna know!

Happy Halloween!

It's finally arrived! The kids all have their costumes, candy has been purchased to hand out, and I have some exciting news to share before I head out for the evening.

First, I received an email today that my story came in first place for Kat Harris' ghost story contest. You can go here: http://ndnforum.com/blogs//index.php/2008/10/31/a-load-of-bull?blog=5#more700 to check it out. Very unexpected in a GOOD way!

My second bit of news is even MORE exciting, for me at least. I hadn't said anything, for fear of jinxing my chances, but I can't keep this to myself, at least today, of all days.

A while back, I submitted an application to join a local paranormal research group. It was a three page application, BTW. I don't think I've ever filled one out that was so detailed for a job, much less a volunteer position. They receive hundreds of applications, so my chances were slim at best. Then the email came...they wanted to interview me!

On Wednesday night, I donned my make-up (this is only done for VERY special occasions), my daughter straightened my hair...who knew it was so long??? I put on my best "casual" attire and drove to the meeting place. I was to be interviewed by six of the members. Nothing like walking into an inquisition!

Of course I talked WAY too much, not sure if it was nerves or just my lack of control over my own mouth. I thought it went well, but they explained that I was the first interview, and they had a few others scheduled. The position they needed to fill was for an investigator/researcher and someone to write articles for their monthly newsletter on urban legends and local folklore. HELLOOOOOOO, I write, it's what I do!!!!

I left the almost two hour long interview and tried NOT to get excited. It did go well, but it would be Friday before they would be letting me know anything, and even if they liked me, I would not be a member until I had gone on a few investigations. They want to see how potential members click with the group as a whole, and probably want to make sure that you wouldn't run screaming at the first sign of anything paranormal. After that, potential members are on a 90 day probationary period.

Let me interject something here. You may be thinking that this seems a bit extreme. It's not. This group has been on a national TV program (Ghost Hunters), they are regularly featured on a local news station here, host their own paranormal convention every summer, and have requests from homeowners and businesses to do research and investigations by the bucket load. It's a BIG deal.

Wednesday night, after I had been back home for about an hour, the call came...EARLY. They liked me!!!!! I will be going on two investigations, one in November and one in December, and I will find out by the end of the year whether I have earned a permanent position.

Told ya it was COOL stuff! Hope you all have a great Halloween, and I'm sure you haven't heard the last of my ghost stories!

Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks

The biggest lesson that I have learned from Authoress's latest contest is this:

DON'T OVER-EDIT!
That was a big one. I had what I considered a really good scene, but when you submit 250 words, it only shows an itty bitty part of that scene. So what did I do? Try and squeeze as much as I could into 250 words, editing down until I completely messed up the flow of the story. STUPID! Note to self...don't do that again!

Since I have now stopped banging my head on the desk, I will also add that I learned more from the contest, as I usually do. You can really tell the difference between people who crit your work by what they read and/or write.

The comments from those unfamiliar with Historical Romance really made some false assumptions based on a "preconceived notion" that characters and plots were all the same. They aren't...just like with any other genre, they vary according to the writer. I had one comment that stated:
"Why is it that half of the historical fiction out there focuses on a girl behaving unseemly? The men are wealthy, rakish, and handsome and all the girls just dying to kick their knickers off."

Now, while I appreciate the time this writer spent to read and give me feedback, it's hard for me to understand how he/she could make that assumption. If a girl crawling around a garden, at her OWN home, trying to repair damage that she inadvertently caused by a practical joke gone awry, means that she is "dying to kick off her knickers", I missed something. Of course the men are handsome and rakish...it's a romance novel! Wealthy? Not my guy...another wrong assumption. They shouldn't be PERFECT!

I don't want to appear ungrateful, because I love feedback, even when I don't agree with it. It makes me look at the writing to see how that assumption could be made if it's inaccurate. On the same token, I'm not going to sweat it if a few people don't "get it" or flat out don't like the work. ***Not everyone will think I am the creative genius that I claim to be!

So back to revisions again! Another benefit from these contests...MOTIVATION!

***If you didn't receive the email, newspaper clipping, or see the billboard by the highway...SORRY! I will tell you now...I am freaking brilliant! (j/k)

:) Terri

New Hook The Agent Contest!

Over at Authoress's blog http://misssnarksfirstvictim.blogspot.com/, she has another agent that has volunteered to judge her "Hook the Agent" contest. I LOVE these contests, not because I think I'll win, but because of all the GREAT feedback you get.

The last contest was quite an eye-opener. Who knew cliches were so BAD? Uh, I guess every writer EXCEPT me! That is pretty darn good info to have, if you are pursuing writing as seriously as I am, heck, even if you write for fun I suppose that's good to know.

This time around, I used the first page (revised, edited and edited again, of course) of chapter one, instead of the prologue. Now any of my regular "blogger friends" will know immediately which post is mine (hint: I was REALLY anxious and sent that puppy in FAST...they are numbered in the order she received them), as it will have the title (which I have mentioned more times than I can count on my blog) and also that it is a Historical Romance.

The submissions will be posted tomorrow (Wednesday), and if you guys want to stop by, there are some really great writers that submit (only 25 this time), and they all LOVE these things as much as I do!

:) Terri

Conestoga Convention and Sex

This time tomorrow, I will be in Tulsa, listening to Diana Gabldon lecture about writing sex scenes! Now this could come in handy, since I am seriously considering throwing my hat into the Erotica arena.

Hmmm, that sounded bad, didn't it? Let me clarify. There is a short story contest that I am entering. The publisher of the magazine I write for wants me to submit something. I have my Gede story, that I could write an ending for, but I also have a short story I wrote during my writing class. It was more of a "let's dare the old married lady to write about sex"...HELLOOOOOOOO, I have 5 kids...do ya think I'm clueless?

Needless to say, it made most who read it blush. Then there is the problem of the author's name to use...I am so not going to take credit for THAT! I mean, I would, but only a select few would know it was really ME that wrote it.

Okay, let's get back to Conestoga. It is going to be my first writer's convention. It is geared towards Sci-fi/Fantasy/Paranormal. My Gede stories certainly qualify me to attend without feeling like too much of an idiot. Although my first complete MS is Historical Romance (big difference), my only published work is fantasy/paranormal.

When I get back, I will have to post some pics and tell everybody how it went. I am getting psyched!

:) Terri

I Won an Award

Okay, I first want to thank everybody that left me feedback over at Authoress's blog for the contest. Boy was that an eye-opener, but in a definitely great way! I learned that cliches are BAD (among other things)! I know that most people who write KNOW that, and yet I didn't...GO FIGURE!



I didn't win the contest, but I can say that I was VERY impressed with Anne Spollen (#21). SHE WAS GREAT! She did win, and I think it was well deserved. She is also a mom, wife AND writer. http://annespollen.blogspot.com/ Congrats Anne! You are so talented, and YES, I did predict you would win.

Now on to my award. Christy over at http://www.heavyonthecaffeine.com/ gave me an award!

Now, anyone that visits Christy's blog will notice a SLIGHT difference in size of this award...OKAY! I admit it, I made the darn thing HUGE (feel free to save this one instead Christy)!

Here is the quote from Christy's site:
Terri at Terri Rainer Published Author; she inspires me to follow my dreams because she's living it--even though she's a wife and a mom.


Awwww, isn't that sweet? It makes me feel the need to step up a bit to live up to that one...gee, thanks Christy!


I suppose I should bestow this award also, but there is a bit of selfishness in me, so I am going to think on it for a bit before I do that!


:) Terri

I am in a contest!!!!

Okay, I sent my first page of The Crichton Heir in to Authoress's blog http://misssnarksfirstvictim.blogspot.com/ for a contest. It is being judged by "SECRET AGENT". Comments will be posted on each submission (There were 113 submissions). I am # 78, although the submissions are anonymous. The name of the contest is "ARE YOU HOOKED". When leaving comments, you start out with a YES or a NO (answering whether you are hooked, cute, huh?).

I will be like LiteralDan who unabashedly begged for votes for his blog when he was up for "Best Daddy Blog", which he won BTW (I only voted EVERY day throughout the WHOLE contest...ahem One-Eyed Dan, I'll trade in my tote bag for a REALLY nice comment on #78).

But seriously folks, this is another great learning tool. Please be honest when posting ANY comments. The judging won't be based on comments, the "SECRET AGENT" picks the winner based on his/her own criteria, I'm sure, so feel free to give me any and all constructive criticism!

:) Terri