Okay friends, I think I've totally lost my mind and have gone over the edge of that dark abyss I've read about in so many books. What on earth am I doing? My favorite author has this really cool and witty agent named Janet Reid. I started following her blog daily and I find myself intrigued at any and all things that are being written. It's true when I tell you that most of the posts are over my head and that the comments are way beyond my understanding, but it doesn't matter to me. I love trying to figure out what she and the other hundreds of people are trying to write about. My desk top copy of GRAMMAR FOR DUMMIES and my all purposeful dictionary have become well used. Until recently, I had no idea just how limited my vocabulary was. I'm learning things and my friends are learning things because I'm following this blog. Janet makes me think...imagine that!
In following Janet's blog, it became apparent that she does a ton of writing contests. They're little things. Mostly limited to a 100 words or less with specific story lines. I've been forcing my friend Leah, who is in the process of finding her own agent, to participate in these contests. Today, when I called her this morning about another contest, she told me I had to enter it too. I thought she was kidding, but she wasn't! I'm not a writer; I'm a blogger. Maybe my last post showcasing my talents and book writing skills was a little too much. The thought of her expecting me to participate through me over the edge. I lost it. My hands started shaking and my heart started beating really hard. I could see my shirt move with each heartbeat. I thought I was going to die. I have no imagination. How could Leah expect me, Sabrina/Kate, to make up a story. I write only from experience; nothing more. Leah of all people should know this!
I sat there frozen in time for what seemed like hours. I'd write a line, delete a line, and write another. I had nothing to go on. My mind was blank. Well, it was blank until I remembered the conversation I had about Janet being on Twitter and her long list of do's and don'ts to following her tweets. This I could write about; and I did! The following is my 100 word story using the required words-heinous, sinister, nemesis, headgear, and minion. (yes, I looked all the words up just to make sure I was on the same page) Here is my story...
Kate was sitting at the bar drinking a coke with extra ice when her friend Paul sat down next to her...
"Please tell me you didn't do it, Kate, " Paul pleaded.
"I couldn't help it. There was something about the way she posted rules on how to follow her on Twitter that made me wish I could be as heinous and sinister as she is. Rules...who does that?"
Trying not to laugh, Paul sneered, "You're acting like she's your nemesis."
Wiping tears from her eyes, Kate refitted her headgear. "ya right," she thought. "I wouldn't even qualify as a minion."
In case you're wondering what it is that Kate did...she signed up to follow Janet on Twitter and spent the entire day daring herself to break the,
no retweeting Janet's tweets, rule. My story was posted along with about a hundred others. It won't be a winner, but I'm darn proud of myself for jumping in and trying something new. Trying something new...I think that's a theme for me this year. It should be an idea for you, too. If you want to try your hand at writing contests and win some really cool books by some really great authors-check out Janet's blog @
http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/.
At the time of this posting, Janet Reid is still allowing me to follow her on Twitter.
