A Preview of My First Novel

To prevent myself from obsessively checking Submittable, I am working on my experimental fiction novel. Why is it experimental? Might you ask. Because I am doing something different. Something that is way out of my comfort zone as a writer. This book is a psychological thriller, and a coming of age story. I am also trying to capture all the awkwardness that goes along with being a pubescent teenager. Honestly some of those things are uncomfortable and not at all easy for me to write about.

None the less I would like to share some of it with you, because I am honestly so excited to write it, and excited to share it with other people! I am still writing and now story mapping the second half of it using One Note. Sometime in the near future I would like to start looking for an agent. Does anyone have any suggestions that might be helpful? It would be appreciated.

Excited, and Nervous!

image
My Story in Progress

   Does anyone get excited and or nervous when you see your story is in progress on submittable? Because I am. I have been watching submittable like a hawk, hoping that the little submission status would change.

   Waiting to see if my work has been accepted is very hard for me because I am an impatient person! Anyone have this problem too? Obsessively checking your submission status on submittable?

A Single Leaf

A single leaf blowing in the wind made a scratching sound as it danced down the pavement. As the snow melted, and spring began it was a reminder of fall. Last year decay still left over. Spring showers would not only bring vegetation to the land, they would wash the decay away as well.

I walked down the sidewalk, as my son skipped along following the leaf, making a thumping sound on the newly paved sidewalk.

“It’s a leaf! It’s A leaf,” he shouted.

He chased it, but it was too fast for him to catch. But, he still tried to catch it. Where there was decay he still found life.

 

Writing Prompt: Write about a single leaf. Post in the comment below.

Book Reivew- Fall in Love With Writing

515iYvmVauL__SX311_BO1,204,203,200_

Find her blog here: Juni Desireé

Find Her Facebook here: Juni Desireé Writer

Find My Amazon Review and her book here: https://www.amazon.com.au/Fall-Love-Writing-Taste-writing-ebook/product-reviews/B019CDRZXA/ref=dpx_acr_txt?showViewpoints=1

I just wanted to share this book with all of you, and why it is so special to me. In 2014 I started my blog. Juni found some of the things I had written on here and asked if she could use some of the things I wrote on here for her book. I was happy to oblige. Shortly after I started my blog, I gave up writing. I came across her book and started to read it. I was reminded of all the reasons I began writing in the first place. I questioned the reasons why I stopped blogging and began to blog again. However I decided to make a few changes.

I decided I was no longer going to hide behind my pen name, (Victoria Christian; V.C. Christian.)  I decided to quit living in fear. I feared rejection, but I also thought,

“Oh God, what if someone likes what I actually write?”

That is one of the reasons I wrote under a pen name. Writing under my real name would help me get over this fear.

Reading this book, inspired me to continue writing. This time I am determined and I am not giving up.

I wanted to send out a personal thank you to Juni for reminding me of all the reasons I picked up the pen in the first place. Thank you for inspiring me to write again!

 

Be Like a Child

image

Somewhere in our lives we forget to truly live. I think that begins when you start going to school. These politicians and board members who sit behind desks all day, working for corporations dictate to teachers how children should be taught. “Common Core” teaches you that this is the way you have to learn. What those people sitting behind the desk don’t understand is everyone learns differently.

It is in the classroom that creativity is stopped. They kill your dreams. They kill your dreams and creativity because they do not want you to think for yourself. A large group of people thinking for themselves is dangerous. For they have the ability to change the world.

Be like a child who has not had their soul crushed. Be fearless. Have faith, and know that you are worthy. Follow your dreams. Live dangerously. Love like you have never loved before. It is in this way you will be able to change the world. It is never to late to start living the life you always have dreamed of having.

What is dream did you give up? Why?
Please leave your comment below.

Watch “Tinie Tempah – Written In The Stars ft. Eric Turner” on YouTube

Inspirational song. “It’s written in the stars, keep shouting tell they hear you out.”

What is the one thing you are hungry for? Please leave you comments below.

Believe in Magic

image

  My blog name “Snapshots of a Life,” is inspired by the memior of my life I am currently working on.
  
   When I write, I like to think of a book as a series of short stories. I like to fashion my stories in such a way, that you can pick a chapter anywhere in my memior, and read it independently of the collection.

   I like to think of our life as a camera, and the memories of snapshots. A glimpse into our lives. I love writing true stories, but I also love fiction.

   The reason I love fiction is you can create anything you want. Different characters, different worlds and then imagine how they will react to different situations. This creates the plot.

   I draw inspiration from real life, as you can see and read about in my previous blog entry. I feel that this makes a story more authentic. My goal in writing fiction is to find a universal truth in everyday life, then turn that truth into a story.

   I believe to do this, you must look at life through the eyes of a child. Like the world around you is a magic place. That is where you find truth. Through truth, you find your voice.
  

Auld Lang Syne

image

As the sun begins to set, the breeze brings with it a melody from the Valley. Faintly the church bells are heard in the distance sweetly singing the melody Auld Lang Syne. It was appropriate because as the clock chimed, another year rolled by. The sunset began to set as my Grandson and I walked toward it and into the field. A lovely way to end my 60th birthday party. He smiled at me as a new hour dawned and said,

“Happy Birthday Grandpy! Happy Birthday. I love you.”

“I love you too.” I said and then kissed his little head.

He fell asleep as I carried him back to his Mother. I remember when she was young, and I brought her home on a day like this. I saw all the light in the world, and for a minute I thought heaven was in my hand. It was in this moment with my Grandson, I saw the beauty of God’s plan.

Notes:

This is a fiction piece from the perspective of a Grandfather. He is 60, and time continues to move on. For him it is just another day, but he doesn’t want to be reminded of it. He understands that the every year brings a certain finality with it, and that one day he will no longer be here (walking into the sunset) and leaving a legacy for his Daughter and Grandson.

I got this idea from a song I heard from the church down the road. The electronic bells really do carry the tune Auld Lang Syne. It was really my Father’s Birthday today, and I wrote this for him. He has a very special relationship with my Son, and I also wanted to capture this in the story.

This gives you an idea of how I get ideas for my stories and books. By being observant, and looking at the world with wonderment. From the eyes of a child.

For those of you who write, I am interested to know how you come up with ideas for your stories, and what inspires you?

Please leave your comments below.

A Year of Creative Writing Prompts- Hour

For those of you that have the book, A Year Of Creative Writing Prompts, by Love in Ink. You can find this on Day 17. Thanks! And please do not forget to check them out.

http://loveininkwriters.wix.com/loveinink

image

2 a.m.

It was the appointed hour. At 2am there she laid on the pavement. The shattered glass reflected her image back to her, as the light of the moon illuminated the wreckage she had been torn from. Crying out to anyone that would hear,

“Don’t let me die! Don’t let me Die!”

However, the cries fell onto deaf ears. She was outside herself now. EMT crews were working on her. The biggest fear the middle-aged woman had, was dying without leaving her mark on the world. The little trusty notebook where she kept her novel she was going to publish, was clutched in her hands as the medical personal worked on her. Everything began to go black but she still cried,

“Please God, not yet! Not Yet!”