Sneak a peek at an outlaw

Sneak Peek Sunday, created by fellow author Sara Walter Ellwood, authors post six paragraphs from either a WIP or a published work.  I’ve chosen six paragraphs of my work in progress, Outlaw Born. I’d love to know what you think of this short excerpt.

Blurb:

The war forced Ben Mason into long separations from family and set him on the battlefield against brothers. His luck left him more often than it came to him. He fought through it all to rid himself of the tarnished name given to him by his father and return home safe to his family. 
 
What he finds forces him to realize his battle has only just begun. When the law fails to offer justice, Ben embraces the legacy he had fought so hard to escape. Blood is the only path when you're Outlaw Born.

Excerpt:

*Scene setup* Ben Mason is recovering in the hospital tent after being wounded in battle. A fellow soldier tries to strike up a conversation with him. 

The older man clutched his arm to his chest careful of it as he sat. Something about the old man put Ben on edge.

The man grinned and offered his only hand. “Jorge Wilson, Boston.”

Ben shook the hand, “Ben Mason, New Mexico.”

Jorge looked at him for a moment as if he seemed familiar. “New Mexico… I knew you had a familiarity. Benjamin Alexander Mason, Johnny’s boy?”

Ben’s expression went blank almost cold. “No. No John’s on the tree.”

Jorge chuckled. “No sense denyin’. You got your ma’s eyes. I remember you hidin behind her skirts in the saloon.”

Ben glared at him and forced his weak body upright. He reached out and gripped the man’s wounded stump. “You remember nothing old man. The laudanum has you seein things not there. No, John Mason in my tree.”

The old man’s eyes widened with the sharp pain as he gave a brief nod. Ben let go and leaned back, his breath came in pants with the effort. He didn’t want to hurt the old man but the past needed to stay as dead as his father.

I hope you enjoyed this little peek into Outlaw Born. If you want to take a peek at even more novels then click on the Sneak Peek button above and it will take you right to the linky list. Happy peeking :)

2014 Year of the Writer SSLY New Years Blog Hop

Welcome to the New Years Eve Blog Hop, sponsored by SmileSomebody Loves You Blog. There are 49 blogs participating in this event to share their hopes for 2014 along with giveaways at each one! Plus a huge Rafflecopter giveaway at the very bottom of this post, with a $150 gift card to readers choice of Amazon or Barns &Noble, ebooks, a Godiva chocolates basket, and more.

Gladiator’s Pen is giving away two ebook copies of Don’t Touch to two lucky readers. Just comment on this post and include your Twitter or email for notification. Good luck and Happy Hopping!

2014 the year of the writer

The bright shiny New Year has arrived. Looking back at the accomplishments and the failures of the last year, I believe 2013 was a successful year. I met so many new people and built fantastic professional relationships. I became a part of Authors in the Park, Coffee Time Romance& More, EPIC and The Author’s Secret. I’m looking very forward to the continued building of these new relationships as well as relationships with all of the wonderful new people who entered my life this past year.

In the works for 2014 are three novels to be published. I’m hoping the first will be ready to go by March at the latest. I’m also looking into a couple of new writing ventures that I hope will start a fantastic new adventure.

Last year saw so many changes in the publishing industry as well. Ebooks and indie publishing are no longer thought of as second best. Traditional publishers are making changes to become more accessible to both readers and writers filling 2014 with even more opportunities for writers.

I’m looking forward to a new year of learning new skills, becoming stronger in my craft, writing and publishing new stories. My goals for the first quarter of this year are to write/edit daily and publish one of the three work in progress manuscripts.

2014 is going to be the year of the writer with many adventures ahead. What are your plans, goals or resolutions for the shiny New Year?

Be sure to leave a comment for your chance to win a ebook copy of Don’t Touch and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway at the bottom of this blog. Visit other great blogs on the hop for more chances to win these and other fabulous prizes!

From my family to yours Happiest of New Years! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

More chances to win on these blogs! 

Tonya Renee Callahan Madison Sevier Tricia Anderson Cate Masters Tabitha Shay Paula Millhouse Hunter S Jones Magella Troche Tory Richards Deena Remiel Evelise Archer Ashley Nemar Roxy Wilson Inner Goddess Forum Literal Hotties TM Williams Jay Wilde Victoria Pinder Eden Connor Elise VanCise Andrea R Cooper Adriana Kraft Leigh Ellwood Lisa Carlise Andrea Cooper Sherry Gloag Natasza Waters Flossie Benton Rogers Kathryn Beyerle Lively Sugar and Spice Reviews Jeanine McAdam Morgan Wyatt Naomi Bellini AJ Williams Lyncee Shillard Beth Barany Candy Caine's Corner Shauna Aura Knight Anne Easley Fiona McGeir Donna Michaels Tiffany Clark Brenda's Book Beat Reading by the book

Tuere's not so Random Thoughts Flossie Benton Rogers Stephanie Kepke Kaplan Debra Dennis

A rootin-tootin good read! Planet Land: The Adventures of Cub and Nash by Janet Beasley

Question: What do you get when you mix cowboys, a magic book, and the talent of author Janet Beasley?

Answer:  A rootin-tootin good time in a book you don’t want to put down!

I found myself laughing and cheering out loud for Cub and Nash as I read, Volume Two of the Hidden Earth Series. Planet Land: The Adventures of Cub and Nash take you on a Wild West journey like no other. The story is about two 10 year old boys who wanted to avoid being kissed by a girl only to discover a doorway into the Lower West.

“The real West,” as Bristol tells them with the aid of his fairy like Pee-Wee Flyers. In the Lower West Cub and Nash are charged with a quest to find the element and keep it out of the outlaw Blackjack’s hands. There are lessons of friendship and faith mixed in that touch all ages. You won’t miss any of your favorites from Hidden Earth Volume One. A few residents of Maycly join the mix too.  

If you want a fun read for the whole family filled with rich characters and great story telling then you better click that add to cart button right now. Be sure to check out the other Hidden Earth books on the series website.

Hey Janet, hurry up with book two! 

One Word/60 Seconds: Geometric

OneWord.com is a website for getting the muse warmed up. Each day you get one word and sixty seconds in which to write what it inspires.This is my entry for today's One Word. What's yours? For more of my past One Word entries check out my One Word Profile EliseV.

He stepped back and gazed at the blood spattered on the wall. The victim had been removed but evidence of his violent death was painted dark red across the wall like a high gloss white canvas. The pattern of spray and dots seemed geometric. Maybe the killer fancied himself Monet or Van Gogh. Maybe Dali, the bastard was definitely mad.

Now it's your turn... 60 seconds GO!

Mark's Damn Good Advice

Mark Twain once said, “Substitute “damn” every time you’re inclined to write “very”; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.”

How many times do we use words like very, other adverbs or adjectives unnecessarily? If we really took Twains advice to heart our writing would probably come out much cleaner and uncluttered.

I think we tend to get hung up on getting across our vision to the reader and over describe things. The old adage of “less is more” is exactly right. We don’t need to tell our reader every minor detail.

There are times we may need to expand description to explain something uncommon. Keep in mind most often the reader is well aware of how a sunset looks and behaves for example.

Using more than two descriptive words on a subject is overkill and apt to lose the readers attention. They skip lines or pages to find something interesting. You also want to leave just a bit of room for the reader’s imagination to paint the scene as they see it.

A word I used to be very guilty of over using was and. That wonderful three letter word that let you string objects and sentences together endlessly. Better yet the abuse of he, she, it, was, and as.  

I have to catch myself still over using ‘as’. As they ran down the hall, or he moved though the house as he… blah blah.

He, she and it are sometimes easier than using the name or another word to point to the character. Over used they become clutter and can be confusing as to which he, she or it is being referred to.

Mr. Twain was a brilliant man and knew that we should keep it simple. Not dumb it down, just keep the clutter out of our stories. The reader doesn’t get bogged down in unnecessary words or phrases letting the characters and the plot shine.  

If we can identify the words we over use then take Mr. Twain’s advice. Our rough draft will read a little funny. But when we edit and remove all the damns the writing will be just as it should be. That’s some damn good advice. 

Blank pages and endless possibilities

Happy Halloween and NaNo Eve! At midnight writers around the globe will open a blank page and begin to fill it with their imaginations.

When it comes time to open your own blank page, pause. Take a moment to savor the emptiness. The vast playground to let your muse run free and create brand a brand new world. A world filled with possibilities all at your finger tips.

Ahead are 30 days to fill those pages with vampires, cowboys, hard boiled detectives, romantic rendezvous, or time traveling penguins.

This could be your breakout novel, a novel that will change your life or touch someone else. Or just the most fun a writer can have, knowing hundreds of other writers are looking at a blank page, hands poised over the keyboard.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned scribe or this is your first foray into fiction. When the clock strikes midnight and we type Chapter One our novel adventure begins. And those possibilities are endless. 

Good luck and Happy Scribbles! 

One Word / 60 Seconds: Routine

OneWord.com is a website for getting the muse warmed up. Each day you get one word and sixty seconds in which to write what it inspires.This is my entry for today's One Word. What's yours? For more of my past One Word entries check out my One Word Profile EliseV

photo by Harm Rhebergen

A routine day in the shop, was all I wanted. Just a normal unbothered day of customers, dusting antiques, and inventory. Until the crate arrived, until I opened it. The contents would change everything I knew. No more routine days in the shop.

That's my story now it's your turn. 60 seconds, Go!