Meet Owen

Puppies...


do not like to...


sit still.

Flash Fiction Friday

My flash fiction group was MIA for awhile, but we have a new prompt for August. I've gone in a different direction from my normal stuff (if I even have a "normal") -- I hope you enjoy it!



Exculpation

The snack-sized bag of crackers has one hundred calories, so if I only have half an ounce of cheese, I'll stay with the recommended two hundred calories per snack.

Hmm.

Did Jeannie buy these crackers? They aren't the brand I normally get. What if the calorie to fat ratio is different from what I'm used to? This could screw up an entire week of planning.

I've already been to the gym three days this week. I was supposed to go this morning but last night's glass of wine turned into three and I slept through my alarm.

I definitely shouldn't eat these crackers.

Maybe there's something better in the fridge. Well, not better, but healthier. Celery, carrots, cucumber… ugh. What was I thinking? I've got the best intentions when I'm at the grocery store, but once it's in my fridge I realize how much I detest—

Stop it! Just eat the carrots and put the crackers back. One tablespoon of Ranch won't put me over the edge. (I mean, who eats carrots without Ranch?) I need to go to the gym tomorrow to work off last night's wine, I don't need to make it worse. Maybe if I did some squats. Yeah. I can do them while I decide what to eat.

… seven, eight, nine… I could have a yogurt. Ooh, Jeannie must have gone to a different store because I've never seen this flavor.

Caramel Raspberry Soufflé.

Mmm.

I cannot eat that. I don't care how scrumptiously decadent it is. I had wine. Three glasses. And I skipped the gym.

Unless… what does that say?

It's Light!


*****

The prompt was Light.

Genre

Last month I asked you if there's anything you'd like to know about me, and I swear I haven't forgotten about you. It figures that as soon as I ask for topics, all sorts of things happened in my life (Twitter! A Trip Home! A Puppy!).

Jenna asked, "If you had to pick one genre to write in for the rest of your life what would it be? And you can't say mainstream or contemporary... you have to be specific :)."

Since mainstream/contemporary IS how I label my writing, she was nice enough to list out the main genres:

Romance
Literary
Mystery
Crime/Detective
Thriller/Suspense
Science Fiction
Fantasy
Urban Fantasy
Paranormal
Horror
Young Adult
Middle Grade

Going down that list, I can immediately cross off quite a few, which leaves me with the following:

Literary
Mystery
Crime/Detective
Thriller/Suspense
Young Adult

Romance was a maybe, but I get really uncomfortable writing love scenes and if I understand the genre correctly, that's kind of important.

I know they aren't but in my mind, Crime/Detective, Mystery, and Thriller/Suspense can all be lumped together (please don't shoot me). I'd happily write those, probably leaning towards Suspense.

I enjoy reading Literary and I would LOVE it if I could ever elevate my writing to that level, but I'm realistic. I believe I'm finding my voice and I'm happy with where it's taking me.

And where is it taking me? I think to Young Adult. I don't know if I'm going to attempt it anytime soon, but my favorite POV in my current wip is the seventeen-year old. The MC in The Other Side is nineteen, but it's definitely not YA. I've always loved "teen" movies and on Wednesday I read an excerpt from Elana Johnson's current novel and it made me want to read more about these kids.

Which ties into Jenna's final question: "What's your next idea?"

Perhaps something YA…



What about you? Are you set in one genre? Is there one you'd like to try, even if it never sees the light of day?

We Have the Puppy!

Yesterday we stopped by the vet to see the puppy and upon our arrival he said we could take him right then. Say what? If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you shouldn't be surprised (I don't know why I was) because time here isn't nearly as... hmmm, how do I say this?... IMPORTANT as it is in the US. Things are more flexible. Usually it works against you, but every now and then you get a puppy a week early!


We scrambled around town to get the last minute things (like food and a leash) then went back to pick him up! The crate at the vet's was pretty nasty so we gave him a bath in a tupperware bowl and MAN, was that water gross. I think we still need to give him another one, but it's already an improvement.


We haven't chosen a name yet because we want to get a sense of his personality first, but I'll let you know as soon as we decide.

Squeaky Wheel Strikes Again

While I try not to be negative on the blog, many of you know how much I hate being here and cannot wait until we leave. I swear I try to look at the positives -- beaches, no snow, beautiful views right outside our bedroom -- but it occasionally catches up with me and I become rather unbearable. Or so Ibis says.

Yesterday he must have reached his limit because he went online, found me a flight home for $300 (including tax!), I called my parents to make sure they'll be in town, and I booked it! I told my parents I'd fly in August 27, but when I went to buy the tickets I realized it was the same price if I left a day earlier, and hey, why not? It was only when I told Ibis the dates that I realized the 26th is our wedding anniversary. Oops.

I'll be in Chicago through that first weekend, all over Michigan during the week, then I'll spend Labor Day weekend with my sister and her family at their cabin "up north." I've already been informed that I'll have to show them how to get three people into their four-person hammock -- something was apparently lost in the translation. I fly back September 9th.

Since I leave in three weeks and I have roughly 20 chapters to edit in After the Fall, my goal is to get through this draft before I leave. I'm feeling more motivated now that I have something to look forward to, so fingers crossed I'll get through it.

The only negative to my leaving (aside from missing my honey) is we'll only have had our new puppy for two weeks. Ibis is excited to have him all to himself but I, of course, am worried about him training the little guy all on his own. Ibis is not concerned. I believe his exact words were, "He's going to love me and he won't even know who you are." Which prompted a discussion about me bringing the puppy along with me. :)

Unexpected Tranquility

I dipped my toe in the aquamarine water, marveling at the white sand that stretched the length of the bay. Tiny pebbles bounced over my feet as the surf crashed onto the shore, scrambling towards the safety of the palm trees, only to be dragged roughly back to the sea.

I trailed my hand through the salty foam and splashed my neck, my arms. It was warmer than I expected – a clear sign it hadn't rained in weeks. I lowered myself into an oncoming wave, letting the water roll over my shoulders. Strands of hair clung to my cheek, mingled with the coarse sand.

I lowered still further until my head slipped beneath the surface. My everyday thoughts, concerns, the stresses of the world, all drifted away with the current. For this one afternoon a buoyant cocoon protected me from the real world.

*****

Last week Ibis and I went to Playa la Ropa, the largest and cleanest of the four beaches on Zihuatanejo Bay. As we drove over the hills between our house and the beach, my jaw dropped when I saw the water. It's normally a deep blue, but that day it was pale turquoise, like the Caribbean.

When we arrived at the beach, we discovered that the June storm that washed away much of Barra de Potosi also affected La Ropa. (We also saw a difference at Playa la Madera last weekend, but the water color hadn't changed.) Now the water covers what used to be the last 20 feet of the beach and laps at the tables and beach chairs of the restaurants and hotels. It's this shift that's caused the change in water color. The water over the pure white sand appears aquamarine.

It looked like a different beach. It was even saltier than normal. I normally don't go past my waist – I'm too nervous about whatever creatures are lurking beneath the surface – but this time I spent the majority of the day frolicking in the waves, enjoying my pseudo-vacation.

Have you ever had an experience like this, where a place you frequent changes so much it feels like you've transported to an entirely different place?

Twitter

Yet another friend joined the dark side, and this time I followed.

I haven't figured out all the ins and outs of it just yet, but I'm getting there.

I expected the earth to move when I signed up -- or at least feel a little tremor -- but nothing much happened.

I'm hoping I get used to writing in short little bursts.

Come follow me!

MelanieHooAvila