concerning Cloud Power

From HD Wallpapers

We never watch TV or cable. Our kids don't even know what TV is. They think all shows come from DVD's or Netflix. I like it that way:  no commercials and we're in control of what we watch, when we want to watch it.


Before Netflix (technical term is B.N.), we used to watch shows on Hulu, which exposed us to a minimum amount of commercials. One of these commercials was for a business cloud.


"I have Cloud Power," the business owner in the commercial said.


"I want that," my daughter Spider Girl #2 said when the commercial was over.


"Do you even know what that is?" I asked.


"Yes, it's Cloud Power," she said, her voice in total awe.


Couldn't argue with that. Having power over the clouds would be pretty cool. I could shape the clouds anyway I want to OR make it rain and add a thunderstorm OR make the day beautiful day when we have a picnic.

What super power do you want?

Whimsy 6.12.13

Welcome to Whimsical Writer's Wonderful WIP Wednesday!
WHIMSY for short.

STATUS:

project: BREAKING ANGELINA
word count: 16K
percentage: 77% complete
goal this week: 5K

I didn't get as much done this week as I wanted. Last Wednesday I was all fired up to finish the story, and instead, I only got through one scene. Only FOUR MORE SCENES to go!



EXCERPT:

In this scene, Angelina meets a talking black cat in a bookstore who changes into a witch...



Black Cats and Full Moons by JessKat-art




I rummage through the books on one of the tables. A little leather-bound one and on the bottom says On Matters of Love across the front.

Yesssss, a love potion. The voices in my head purr.

He deserves to see me for who I really am.

You desssserve a chance.

Maybe if he just had the chance to see me without my sister in the way. He could get to know me and love me for real.

You dessserve this.

I deserve this. I’ve been thoughtful and helpful. I’m beautiful and kind. I brought him homemade cookies at Christmas— baked them myself. I talked to him about the cars he’s been fixing up even though I hate cars.

“How much is this one?”

The old lady glances at the book in my hand and, shaking her head disapprovingly, scowls at me. “Bah, love potions—disgusting little abominations. They take away the targets free will and replace it with such a pitiful emotion.” Huk huuuk pluth. She spits a disgusting green glob at my feet and splatters my new Candies. “I won’t make them. Besides, you have to get the blood of a siren or a succubus or certain types of fairies. Drain every last drop of blood. You are too prissy to put a simple little curse on your sister. You can’t handle this potion.”

“Drain the blood? Won’t that kill it?”

“I suppose so.”

“Wait a minute, sirens aren’t real. They don’t exist.”

“Then neither do love potions, and I’m not a witch. Now out of my shop.”

She studies me as if she could see the bones under my skin, the voices squirming inside my head, and I look away to hide from her piercing gaze.

Sirens are monsterssss.

I can’t do it.

They lure they’re prey with song.

I’m a good girl.

Then drown their victimsss.

Maybe.

You’d be doing the world a favor.

“Then what do I do?” I ask.

She throws her hands up in the air. “What do I care what you do next? Mix it into his beer or put it in his coffee. I’ve known some who put it in the frosting of a cake. Up to you.”

   

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Want to join in my weekly meme? If you have a WIP, just perform the following steps:

1. Write your own blog post
2. Get the linky code here
3. Paste it at the end of your blog post
4. Add a linky to your blog post

Beautiful Blogger Award

Thank you to N. A. Roy for nominating me. I feel so honored!!!

How the award works...


RULES:
1. Copy and paste the Beautiful Blogger Award in your post.

2. Thank the person that nominated you and link back to their blog.

3. Tell 7 things about yourself.

4. Nominate 7 fellow Bloggers, tell them by posting a comment on their Blog*.




So, here are seven things about me:


1. I'm afraid of heights

If my husband tries to pick me up, I scream and fight and kick and hit. Especially if he wants to take me up the stairs.

I can't climb above two steps on a ladder. And I get real nervous when I'm TEN FEET away from a cliff's edge.

HOWEVER, I can climb up on the kitchen counter without even a tremor of fear. Go figure.

2. I am still a kid at heart and am an eternal optimist

I love to play, and I make up silly songs and dances and games. Makes me the a great mommy. However, some of my silly side has gotten lost in the effort of becoming a successful writer. Let me just say, I'm exhausted. I'm looking forward to the day when I can quit my day job.

3. I play RPG games (like Pathfinder or White Wolf, not the video or computer kind)

Here's our role playing gang:  Carrie (hiding), Dan, Jacob (getting beat up by my kids & Carrie's kid), and my husband TJ (who was busy getting ready for the game and didn't notice me snapping his picture)



 

4. I prefer werewolves to vampires

Animals are actually ALIVE and brimming with earth energy! No competition!



From the Spirit Woods

5. I'm a Batman fan

But mostly, I like his supporting characters like Cat Woman and Huntress, but especially Oracle and Nightwing

From X-Man's Comic Blog

6. I love dancing

The kid at heart in me takes a bunch of dance classes with both the little kids and the adults at our local dance studio. I just love learning and dancing and moving. I'm kinda crazy that way.

7. I've got the cutest panda wallet ever





Isn't it just soooo cute?


Who I nominate:

1. Cameo Renae
2. Renee Miller
3. Wendy Swore
4. Lady Amber
5. L.P. Dover
6. Rochelle Callen Guzman
7. Heather Heimes McCubbin

Say "Books!"

The kids have discovered the best way to get my attention. Just say, "Books!" and I'll look up from whatever I'm doing.


It's a family joke that I have a world of my own (thus the name of my blog is Rita's World). My world is completely disconnected from reality, full of twinkling stars and magic. I disappear into this world when I'm writing or reading or making jewelry ... and also at odd moments throughout the day when I fall into a daydream.


And the magical word to transport me back is BOOKS.

Whimsy 6.5.13

Welcome to Whimsical Writer's Wonderful WIP Wednesday! WHIMSY for short.

I give a status on my WIP and share beautiful details about my story & characters...


project:  BREAKING ANGELINA
word count:  14K
percentage:  70% complete
goal this week:  6K (to finish the story!)





ANGELINA


I love this story, dark and gritty.

People wondered what would make a sweet, good little girl like Angelina (from Playing Hooky) decide to murder a siren. How did she even learn about the magical world? This is the story that explains it all...

...though as a good writer should, I raise more questions to be answered in another story.


Excerpt:

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

I STARE AT the grade on my paper, a red smear, like blood welling up, the words bleeding.


A big fat, ugly C.

C is for mediocre.

Ordinary.

Imperfect.

Dashing a tear from my eye, I force a smile on my face. I studied hard, but next time, I’ll do better. I’ll keep my scholarship. Everything will be fine.

The world is full of glitters and stars; rainbows hide in every corner. You just have to be willing to find the treasure in the midst of the junk.

No matter what terrible things happen to me, that’s what I tell myself when I climb out of bed each morning.

“So what did you get on the quiz?” Barbara holds up her B paper.


Snapping my folder shut before she can see, I zip it closed. “An A,” I lie.

I should have had an A. I studied and knew all the answers, but during the quiz, this strange humming noise buzzed in my ear, distracting me.

Voices whispered underneath the humming, and I knew they were talking about me. But the more I strained to listen, I couldn’t make out what they said. I almost yelled to tell them how rude they were, but that would have interrupted everyone else taking the test.

I’m pretty sure the voices did it on purpose. They wanted me to fail.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Want to join in my weekly meme? If you have a WIP, just  perform the following steps:

1. Write your own blog post
2. Get the linky code here
3. Paste it at the end of your blog post
4. Add a linky to your blog post

 

Review: Pandemonium

PANDEMONIUM
by Lauren Oliver

GOODREADS BLURB
"So what was your name before?" I say, and she freezes, her back to me. "Before you came to the Wilds, I mean."


For a moment, she stands there.

Then she turns around.

"You might as well get used to it now," she says with quiet intensity.

"Everything you were, the life you had, the people you knew... dust."

She shakes her head and says, a little more firmly, "There is no before. There is only now, and what comes next."

After falling in love, Lena and Alex flee their oppressive society where love is outlawed and everyone must receive the "cure" -- an operation that makes them immune to the delirium of love -- but Lena alone manages to find her way to a community of resistance fighters. Although she is bereft without the boy she loves, her struggles seem to be leading her toward a new love.



MY THOUGHTS
Well written and intense, but oh so painful! Alex has to still be alive, and instead we’re watching Lena fall in love with someone else. No, no, no!



Months together with Alex, building a relationship, and in just a couple days, Julian takes his place. Well, it’s been 6 months since Alex got taken by the police. So in Lena’s defense, she didn’t just jump into someone else’s arms as soon as she escaped Portland, Maine.


She grieved for him. She kept living for him. And she chose to love again because he taught her about living to the fullest, loving with all your heart.


As much as I hated reading Pandemonium and watching this disaster ensue, I admired the author’s ability to tie me into knots and yearn for good things for her characters. I’m soooo hoping for a happy ending with the third and last installment of this series.