Hair Rending Aside...

So, all of my usual rejection drama aside, things are really bad at work right now. REALLY bad. Like... maybe there won't be a work anymore bad... but everything is a giant question mark at the moment... and even when the question mark goes away I don't know what's going to be left behind... I mean, maybe there will just be changes... and then maybe there won't be anything left to change, there'll just be 'wanted' adds... and I've never had to deal with this before. I'm an old prude in the work world. I've had the same job for twelve years. I love my job. And I'm afraid of being a grey-haired thirty year old with no agent, no writing career and no job. And I hate being afraid when there might not be any reason to fear anything. But I am.

Show Me the Voice Blogfest and Contest!

It's here! The Show Me the Voice Blogefest and Contest has officially started! If you don't know about it, head on over to lovely Brenda Drake's Blog and check it out. It's being judged by the droolicious Natalie Fischer of the Bradford Literary Agency. There's still time to enter! You don't HAVE to put up your first 250 for critique, but I figure that you just never know what you might learn that you never realized you didn't know, so I'm going to put my 250 up for today at least, so I can get comments and suggestions on it, and I'll send it to Brenda for the contest tonight or tomorrow morning.

So without further ado, I give you te first 250 of Evernow!


Name: Artemis Grey
Title: EVERNOW
Genre: YA Dystopian




Life is so much easier without underwear. That was one of the first things Sal taught me. He taught me a lot of other things too. Like how to pee while holding a bow with an arrow nocked and drawn. In the Wild you have to know such things.
That’s what I’m doing now. Crouching over a leafy sprig of creeper so that my urine makes no sound on its way to the ground. My bow, Donriel, rests across my knees. My left hand holds it steady, my index and middle fingers twisted in order to keep tension on the arrow which is, in turn, applying tension to the string. I can let it fly while still crouched if I need to. But my friend, Brother the raven, is nearby at the moment. He’ll forewarn me of anything approaching.
I couldn’t do this wearing underwear but in just chaps and a loincloth it’s easy, with practice. I’ve practiced a lot.
Eyes constantly scanning the forest around me, I pluck a large leaf of lamb’s ear with my free hand. It’s almost better than toilet paper. Softer but also more substantial. The pale leaf comes away with a smearing of blood.
Damn! The curse rings only within the confines of my mind. I’m too smart to curse aloud. Damn. Damn. Damn!
I stare at the leaf for a moment then drop it aside and pick up another. I get the same result. The last time I cycled while I was in the Wild, I was with Sal.


So, tell me what you think! Good luck everyone!