Honorable Mention from ReadingWriters.com--For Me? Yay!

I have GOT to start reading my email more regularly! I just got off the phone with a great pal and found out that I'd gotten an Honorable Mention over at ReadingWriters.com for their Crime Scene contest ("NHI")--Woo-hooo!

If you aren't familiar with their site--check it out: professional writers and editors willing to work for you at reasonable rates.

So, anyhow--I'm totally thrilled (they'll post an excerpt on their site probably this next week). Now, if I can just land popular vote at TextNovel.com for "13 to Life"(an interactive YA fantasy w.i.p.) and "Of Storms, Seas and Pirates"--What? You didn't know you should be voting for me? Right now? Well, I don't hold a grudge (often ;-), so go on now--Read for free and VOTE FOR ME!

Have fun, gang!
~Saoirse

Asking for Votes: Read for Free, Vote for Me!

So, maybe it's true. If you're writing--really writing--maybe you can't be blogging. Because since my last post here, I've been writing. Like crazy. I currently have 2 w.i.p. at TextNovel.com --the "Of Storms, Seas and Pirates" which deals with pirate Anne Bonny's early years in a magical colonial America and, more recently, "13 to Life" (a YA werewolf tale).

Both are in the top five of the "Most Popular Stories" list. "13 to Life" is at #5 and "Of Storms, Seas and Pirates" is at #2. Right now, the contest says that to win an entry should have 20 chapters (one spot mentions 200 pages) and (obviously) be popular. But the contest rules also say that the rules can be changed at any time...The contest closes on December 31. So there's time for everything to be swapped around... Enough time for me to get a big old ulcer wondering what could change, too. ;-)

So--please, please, please, go vote for "13 to Life" and "Of Storms, Seas and Pirates." If you subscribe to one or both (I'll love you even more ;-) and my points will go up even higher. I'm just worried that if this thing goes to JUST the popular vote I'll be out of the running. I've never been that popular gal (ugh--middle school sucked ;-) and I haven't spent a gob of time (okay, I've spent like no time) on networking, so popular vote is tough for me.

If you're curious as to which story I'd like to win (of mine, of course) I have to admit it's "13 to Life." I know pretty much where it's going, but I'm writing it very organically and using polls to let readers help vote on upcoming action. It's also pretty timely, considering the Stephenie Meyer's Twilight stuff (anything Anne Bonny could be released later and not suffer in numbers). So, it's interactive, it's fun (a light read really) and filled with teen angst. Oh yeah--it also has at least one werewolf...Come read and check out the "cover" graphic in the preface.

Please, please vote and subscribe--
~Saoirse

Spoiled Rotten and Still Writing

I just recently returned from an amazing journey into America's Midwest to visit UWSP. It was a fabulous trip to see the premiere of a film my art (yes, my art under my original name--nothing to do with my writing) was used in. Picture it--a sold out theatre/auditorium--a live orchestra accompanying the film playing the music of the talented and prolific composer Charlie Barnett, and pirates! Oh, yes--PIRATES!

I was spoiled there--treated wonderfully. :-) But it was that project that took me away from here for so long (but oh--SO worth it). Now I'm back. I'm inspired (and a touch overwhelmed with hosting the fam for the holiday) and back to writing Of Storms, Seas and Pirates-- my TextNovel.

But now I want to blast through the character building essentials and the initial action and get right to the parts filled with piratical goodness (and badness ;-). But I have to hold the reins in and build the story the way it needs to be built. Strongly and with reason and character motivation. I keep reminding myself that this is an exercise for me at TextNovel.com . The novel I write there, step by step, is only the skeletal structure of a richer read that will develop as this gets fleshed out in editing and rewrites.

So the pirates? All that rollicking raiding and pillaging in the Caribbean? It'll come. :-)

Yay! I mean--Arrr!
~Saoirse

RootClip.com as a Writing Prompt Tool

*First things first--please vote for my story "Of Storms, Seas and Pirates" at TextNovel.com. Right now it's on the main page, but maintaining a popular vote is tricky... Your help would be appreciated. :-)

Okay, so I'm working on a couple of Elance projects right now--can't complain because it's paying the bills--WELL. :-)

But this weekend I was utterly absorbed by a new (new to me, at least) website called RootClip.com . My hubby's got a student of his in a film making competition there. The basic gist of the site is this--the folks at RootClip film an opening clip of a short movie. They leave a cliffhanger. Then the madness ensues as would-be film makers from across the country film and submit the next "chapter." Voting is done (popular vote and then the judges vote) and the winner of each chapter is announced. Winning one of the chapters enables the film maker to participate in the final chapter's segment. The winner of the final chapter gets some great prizes.

As a writer speaking to writers and readers--go to RootClip.com and check out what they do. It will open your mind to possibilities, techniques and a few terms you may not have known. If you want to get the most out of it without directly competing, use the opening clips (and even subsequent clips) as writing prompts for you to journal out. Then, after you've written yours, check out the subsequent clip. Did you come up with something similar or a totally different direction?

That's it for me for now--need to wake the boy and feed him...
Keep Writing!
~Saoirse

Woo-Hoo! On the Main Page of TextNovel.com!

Woo-hoo! Yippee! My story--"Of Storms, Seas and Pirates"--just made it on to the main page--home page of TextNovel.com . I'm hoping this will stir up a little more interest in that particular w.i.p. of mine.

"Of Storms, Seas and Pirates" is based on the earlier years of eventual pirate Anne Bonny's life and set in a sort of fantasy/folk magic rich early colonial America. I've had a love of the Anne Bonny story for about a year or so now (been curious about all things female-pirate-related for close to two decades, thanks to the novel "Grania"). Getting to write my interpretation of her early years (because I believe heroes and villains aren't born, they're made--yes, yes, I'm a nurture, not just nature sort of gal) is a great deal of fun!

Granted, there aren't gazillions of readers anxiously perusing my progressing story--TextNovel.com is still quite young, but there are some folks taking a peek. And yes, I did finally break and contact TextNovel.com members with the TextNovel.com networking option so they'd think about taking a look. BUT. If there's one thing I'm coming to realize more and more in life it's the unfortunate fact that often it's not what you know, but whom. So, I'm networking. Ugh. I'm not sure I'm socially motivated enough to really make the system work for me. But I'll try nearly everything once. Nearly everything (I have my standards, you know ;-).

So, once again I'll suggest that any of you dragging yourselves past my little blog should stop over at TextNovel.com. Make an account. Start your story. Maybe win $1,000 and a publishing contract. But if you don't win the prize, at least check out the site. It's a great idea and there are good people making it work so the rest of us can play.

Anyhow--go to TextNovel.com. Vote for me! ;-)
Oh yeah...Take care and Keep Writing! :-)
~Saoirse