A Long Time Ago...

A story began in the summer...

Part I

Sun versus Snow Critique Workshop (After Party)

Thank you Michelle and Amy for the great opportunity to get query feedback for the future!

Link: http://michelle4laughs.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/sun-versus-snow-critique-workshop.html?showComment=1423950209267#c3271717069575809609


This is my first novel attempt and my first critique ever. Critique virgin here. Please be gentle. LOL

WIP is unfinished.

Title: Frostsmoke
Genre: YA fantasy
Word Count: 80,000ish

Query:

Dear Agent 

17-year-old Mari is struggling to finish high school. It’s been one year to the day, and she hasn't been able to recover after a family tragedy. She can’t even think of going on to college with her boyfriend. She knows he’s tired of waiting for her to get better, and there’s nothing she can do as he breaks up with her, nothing she can do about the local sheriff threatening her with commitment for causing repeat disturbances on the bridge where her brother was last seen, and nothing she can do about causing her dad and grandfather to worry. The last thing she wants to do is hurt her family, but she just can’t move on--until today.

When her brother returns repeating “find me,” Mari thinks she’s going mad. But convinced her brother is still out there somewhere, Mari finally has something she can do to fix things. She can bring her brother back. On the verge of losing everything she loves-she embarks on a quest to set things right, to restore her family, her sanity, and her future.

With portents sent by her missing brother, she unlocks the door to a world where Winter myths come alive. But entering Arctica, makes her a newcomer-an outlaw. The law on the ice is all newcomers are to be sent back before turning magic, but Mari is not going back without her brother.

Mari seeks refuge on a prison island, where she must trust a band of magical rogues to guide her off the ice. Ignorant of the laws of magic in her new world, she commits a faux pas, a major mistake--the equivalent of a magical one-night stand. Now she’s entangled in their dangerous secrets, and her emerging magic makes her a pawn in a young warlock’s quest for revenge. Mari must learn to wield her magic before she can ever navigate alone in a mysterious ancient land and bring her brother home.


Frostsmoke is a YA FANTASY WIP, still in editing.
Shanna Key is a first time author.




First 250 words:

They look peaceful, the row of little pines, all covered in their snowy blankets, it would be a shame to cut one of them today. I could take one of the smaller ones, surely that would be sensible. I really should, but I’ve got my eye on something bigger this year, so I spare the little ones and walk straight for the big fir.

Chopping with my ax, I take a last good whack into the trunk of the frost- covered fir, and the tree falls gently into the soft snow. Maybe it is a bit too big for our small house, but screw it. This year more than anything we really could use a good Christmas. And besides, my brother will love it.

“Well, what do you think?” holding it up for him to see. “Huge, isn’t it?”

He sits still and silent on the sled, his face rigid, like a little soldier, in his blue coat, the one he always wore.

“Say something” I wait. ”Please.”

I wait for some sign on his face that he understands. But get nothing.

The big tree wobbles in my arms, and I let it fall over again.

A chill wind hit my face and I freeze for a moment.

My brother is back. He’d been back for three days, but I hadn’t got any answers out of him yet. He hadn’t spoken at all.

I force a smile.

“Why did you come back, Cary?” I ask softly.

He stares at me, silent. Always silent.

                                       ***

Thanks for reading!

#Writestuff Holiday Short

My #Writestuff Holiday Short  which is really just a recycled prologue I won't be using. My whole novel is holiday themed, so this was pretty much a cheat for me.

Follow the hashtag #writestuff on Twitter and G+.

Please Excuse Our Mess!

     

New Blog Template!  

New blogger template just added. Please excuse our dust. LOL. I'm sorry if you see some wacky links, etc.

Halloween Ideas (Don'tWait Until the Last Minute!)

Halloween is Coming!

Are you ready for Halloween? Last year I was so not ready! I had to do this terrible zombie look with baby powder. LOL! I just totally ran out of time myself. 

My daughter ordered her Doctor Who coat from Ebay a month in advance after careful searching for the "right" one. Then she put together the suit and the 5 o'clock shadow. She looks like her favorite 10th Doctor-David Tennant

I haven't put anything for this year together. Of course, always missing the fun by not planning ahead! Don't be like me. LOL

This year she is putting together her weeping angel costume already. Yes, another Doctor Who costume! If you haven't seen the episode"Blink" then please put it on your Halloween watch list. You won't be disappointed. All the Doctor Who episodes are on Amazon Instant. Go watch it and don't blink!

NaNoWriMo Post-it Notes Outline!

NaNoWriMo Post-it Notes  Outline!

All you need is a poster board or science fair board and some sticky notes to do a fun outline for NaNoWriMo. Fun being a relative term-as you will probably be mentally exhausted by the time you finish (I had a helper-LOL). I recommend using Post-its Super Sticky Notes. They are so much stronger than regular sticky notes! You don't want your sticky notes falling down one by one during November before you get to your final scene.

*Update* This awesome website has 600 heavy duty sticky notes for cheap! There white boards look nice too. But you don't need anything fancy!
http://www.planetsafecalendars.com/Medium-Square-Sticky-Notes-2-x-3-p/psp-sn2x3.htm


*Update 2* I did a little board using the new full adhesive notes. Very compact and bottoms of the sticky notes don't flicker out so much. It makes the board look so much neater. They cost a bit more and the colors are more limited, but you may like the cleaner result.



I used the big stand up board which you can fold up and use again and again. Just stick it in the back of the closet or under the bed for next year.  But you can use the tiny sticky notes on a smaller board, or put them in a notebook. The post-its can be used on anything really.

                                                   

I used screenwriting structure, a four part structure where Act II is divided into 2 parts. I just did a mental adjustment for the large section in the middle of the poster board. You could use some washi tape or paper tape (like masking tape but with colors) to make a definite separation down the middle if you wanted to. I was OK with a muddled middle at that point. Nothing was concrete in my outline.

                                       

Of course, if you are using the traditional 3 act outline then this type of board would work well for you. But if you don't want such a big middle and are a bit of stickler for 3 even sections you will have to get creative with your poster boards and divide them yourself. I didn't label anything but I might next time do something like: Act I; Act II Part 1; Act II Part 2; and Act III.




I hope you try it! Good luck for NaNoWriMo!

P.S. Not paid by Post-its or any one else-promise. LOL!