Drip

My new short story, Drip, is up at Clever Fiction. Enjoy ~ http://www.cleverfiction.com/31/post/2012/02/drip.html

Rach Writes: First Campaigner Challenge ~ Interrupted

As some of you may know, I'm taking part in the Rach Writes Write Campaign. Basically, it introduces you to other writers in your genre and helps build your blog, Twitter and Facebook followers with people outside your own circle of family and friends. She hosts two challenges as well as the networking opportunities and this is the first of them.

Here are the challenge rules:

~Must start with "Shadows crept across the wall".
~Must end with "everything faded".
~Must include the word "orange".
~Must be exactly 200 words.

Here is my entry, I hope you enjoy: Interrupted

Shadows crept across the wall as she hastily grabbed the orange box marked tampons from under the vanity sink. Her fiancée would return in an hour. She can't be interrupted. He can't know.

Sitting on the yellow tiled floor, she dove into the box with the colorful wrappers. Candy bars, baked treats and all things processed stared back at her. She doesn't know where to start, every item begs for her attention.

The day had been long and stressful, angry words spoken between lovers. It called for something sweet and sinful. Her mouth watered as she ripped into Eden; both hands crammed with sweet desire, mouth consumed with sugary delight.

Fist full by fist full she inhaled the forbidden treats. Her fingers fumbled with the wrappers, she couldn't get them off fast enough. He would be home soon and her affair with food would be interrupted. He would never understand. This brought her true happiness, more happiness than he ever had.

Her stomach did a familiar somersault. She leaned over the toilet, sticking her fingers down her throat. Having purged her binge, she slid against the tub with feelings of fulfillment and shame overcoming her as everything faded.

Out of Sight

Maybe they won't notice me. I've done my best to stay hidden. "Out of sight, out of mind," isn't that what they say?

Last week was bad; they just couldn't get along with each other and I happened to be there. They took their frustrations out on me.

I won't make that mistake again; the hitting, the insults, the smell of anger, blood and fear.

It's hard not to cry. I know they love it when I break; the sense of power they receive.

Who knew seventh grade girls could be so mean?

When the Music Stops

When the music stops he’ll see me.

It’ll be just like Cinderella. The music will stop. He will turn to look at his friends, but he won’t get that far. He’ll see me, probably for the first time, but definitely not the last time. He will look into my big brown eyes, see the way my hair flows around my face and be captivated. His friends will be calling to him, but he won’t even notice they’re there. He will see only me.

He’ll walk towards me, brushing other girls aside as they ask him to dance. They will scream his name and call him rude, but he won’t care. There is only one voice that he wants to hear and that is mine. We will embrace and he will feel complete. I will be complete.

One more song, then the music will stop and he will see me.

Move Over Santorum

Every writer knows it’s hard to sell a book when no one knows who you are, so I’m going to be trying something new and participating in Rach Writes’ Platform Building Campaign. I promise my campaign will be mud-slingin’ free.

If you’re a writer I highly suggest you give it a go too. I’ve heard great things about it. Here’s the link, easy breezy… http://networkedblogs.com/tC0Qm

Exclamation Point Worthy News!!!

Great news everyone!! TreasureLine Publishing has picked me up to one of their authors and Quail Crossings will be released this spring!! Yes I’ve gone crazy with exclamation points because I’m super excited!! More details soon…

Googling the EX

I Googled my ex today. I really have no rationale why, other than morbid curiosity. I was sitting at my computer, intending to work on my writing while the kiddo slept and before I knew what my fingers were doing his name was typed into my Google box.

It wasn't a normal Google search, I searched for images, not really wanting to wade through hundreds of websites to find the right one. Of course, he has a pretty common name and just as I was chastising myself for being stupid (after all I'm happier than I've ever been in my life, I make chirping birds want to vomit) and gliding my cursor up to look for something more important (Facebook) when I saw him. But it wasn't just him, it was him, a girl, and a baby, and he looked happy.

Was my first thought, "Oh good for him, he's happy" or at least a "That's nice"? No, my first thought was "Why does he get to be happy?". I wasted three years of my life on this guy, moved across the country for him, did everything imaginable for my happily ever after and what did I get in return? Emotional abuse.

Some of you may find it hard to believe, but I was the victim of emotional abuse and had I stayed there is no doubt in my mind it would've turned physical. But I got out and on the two day return trip home, I vowed to never be the victim again. Vowed never to give him a second thought. So why Google him?

I think we all have this masochistic need to wallow in the "what ifs". There was nothing good about that relationship, but what if he would have changed? What if I would've changed? What if farts smelled like roses and broccoli tasted like chocolate?

But the past doesn't change, farts will always stink and broccoli will never taste like chocolate. When I think of all the time I wasted, not only with him, but in my writing career it makes me feel sick. Sick that I didn't start sooner. Sick that I didn't follow my dreams. Sick that I let others dictate my emotions and future.

There is only one true cure for that sickness and that is to concentrate on your future. What you did yesterday doesn't matter. Didn't write? Ok, write now. Didn't call your friend? Call her now.... I think you get the point. The future is all yours, learn from the past, but embrace the future.

And if all else fails, stay away from Google.