Novel Notions: DS McKnight

Showing posts with label DS McKnight. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

My First Attempt at Flash Fiction

Wish Away

by: DS McKnight

Breathing a sigh of relief, I lock the door and turn off the open sign. It's been a long day and my feet are aching. I dread the walk to my apartment. It's times like these, I wish I had a car. Who am I kidding? At times like this, I wish I had a different life. Waiting tables and eating cheapo mac and cheese (that's right, because I can't afford the good stuff) isn't how I had envisioned my life.

There was a time when I had dreams, dreams of life in the big city, designing clothes, attending parties. A party of five at table four is the closest I'm going to come to excitement. Shelbyville is the definition of boring. We roll up the sidewalks at sundown.

After I finished mopping the diner, I grab my purse and jacket. "I'm out," I yell to Jack, the short order cook.

"Alright," he answers. "See you tomorrow."

Of course you will, I think to myself.

The crisp night air smells wonderful. It's a definite improvement from the stale, deep fried odor that permeates the diner. As I walk the short distance to my apartment, I let my mind wander. I imagine going out to eat and not worrying about the price of dinner. I wonder what it would be like to have my nails professionally manicured. I try to remember the last time I bought clothes that weren't from a bargain outlet. Lost in my thoughts, I fail to pay attention to the footsteps that are following me until it's too late.

Hands grab me from behind. I try to scream but my assailant has muffled my mouth. I hear him laugh as he drags me down an alley. He whispers in my ear, "It's a shame to wish your life away."

My blood runs cold.

He continues, "But don't worry, you won't have to go to the diner again…"

I struggle, trying to twist away.

"We're going to have a little party and you're not only the guest of honor—you're the main course."

His teeth scrap over my neck. I feel his fangs sink into my tender flesh. The pain is excruciating… and then, it's over and I'm no more.

Sunday, July 6, 2014

New Release - The Reasons Why

Sometimes, no matter how inconvenient, a character appears and refuses to leave. That was the case with Britney Brown and Michael Stevens. They showed up and insisted on sharing their story. I tried to give them the brush them off - but it did no good. They became a distraction I could no longer ignore. I was hesitant when I realized their story wasn't going to be popular with some people. But that's life - it's not simple. In fact, it can be confusing and painful. The Reasons Why is their story.

Choosing the cover:

I visited several sites but when I found Linda Kage, I looked no further. There was something about this picture that tugged at my heart. It seemed to capture Britney and Michael's relationship.

E-Book Formatting:

I tried to format the e-book myself. It might have been easier if I would have used something other than Word. After several attempts - and not being satisfied with the preview, I choose to pay someone to format it for me. If you haven't checked out Fiverr, give them a look. I found an ebook formatter that had a 5 star rating. Not only was the process easy, it was inexpensive.

The Reasons Why is a New Adult Contemporary Romance. At approximately 25,500 words, it's perfect for a poolside read and is available for Kindle Download.

Description:

When Claudia Brown and Marcus Stevens married, they never imagined their love would turn their children's lives upside down but that is exactly what happened. For Britney and Michael, navigating the terrain of their new family is like walking through a mine field of emotions as they try to ignore their growing attraction. One false move and everything could blow up.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

The writing team HL Carpenter has been busy. Not only have they recently published their latest YA novel - Walled In, they are part of the "My Writing Process" blog tag tour. Make sure you click the above link to check out their site. In the mean time, I'm thrilled they tagged me as the next participant!

With this tour, the participants are given four questions. Below, you'll find my answers.

What are you currently working on?

I am in the process of finishing my first new adult novella, The Reasons Why, as well as working on the sequel to Of Dreams and Shadow, the first book in the Forget Me Not series.

How does your writing process work?

When it comes to writing, I do a lot of listening. My characters love to talk - sometimes at the most inopportune times - like in the middle of my work day. When that happens, I jot down a few quick notes - just to make sure I don't forget. I try to know where the story is going before I sit down in front of the keyboard.

How does your work differ from others of its genre?

Of Dreams and Shadow is Young Adult Paranormal. However, there aren't any vampires, werewolves, etc. Instead, I've got a sinister shadow haunting the pages. The Reasons Why (soon to be released) is new adult fiction. The main characters are from a blended family. They have to come to terms with the fact that love can happen at the most inconvenient times with the most inconvenient people.

Why do you write what you do?

This may sound crazy but its true - what I write depends on the characters and what they have to say. I first started writing The Reasons Why because Britney and Michael popped in my head and wouldn't leave me alone. It was quite frustrating to be honest. I was working on the sequel to Dreams and I literally reached a point that I couldn't go any further - not until Britney and Michael had their say. I sat down in front of the keyboard with the intention to write just enough to get them to hush. It never happened - the more I listened, the more they talked.

Who's up next? That would be authors Laurie WJN and Beth Camp. Laurie is the author of The Misadventures of Me and My Uterus. Make sure you swing by her blog - Looking on the Sunnyside. Beth Camp is the author of Standing Stones. Click here for Beth's blog.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Of Dreams and Shadow - CLP Blog Tour

This week Of Dreams and Shadow is on tour with CLP Blog Tours. You can follow the tour by clicking here. I'll be giving away a $15 Starbucks gift card and a signed copy of my novel. Make sure you enter for the giveaway!

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