Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts

Monday, February 9, 2009

My Perfect Guy

So, it's been forever since I've blogged. I promise I am still alive, and still writing. Life has just gotten really busy with a new job and my daughter getting older and more involved in various activities...my blogging kinda feel to the side. But, I'm going to try to be better about updating regularly (no promises, though).

In current and exciting news, The Erotic Woman has published my erotic poem, My Perfect Guy, on their main page this week. (Note that there's an image on the page that's not work appropriate - i.e. there's nekkidness.)

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Whisper

I've been tagged!! Alice is doing the phone tag thing again, this time calling it "Whisper." Here's the deal...

1. Make a change in the paragraph below. It can be as little as a single word or almost every word, so long as we can still recognize the paragraph you received (the one here in this blog, not the original on Alice's blog).

Here's my paragraph:

He got out of the car and stalked toward her, his keys in one hand and a flower in the other. His name was Robert, but she’d always called him Bobby. She said she liked his clear blue eyes. He thanked her and handed her the flower. Then he kissed her hand and said goodbye, and drove off with Susie Q.

2. Tag three people, and link to them. Also link to the person who tagged you so the chain will not be broken!

3. Now go to the original paragraph here and let Alice know you did it. She will link to you.

4. For extra credit, head over to http://AliceAudrey.wordpress.com around June 9th for the contest based on this meme. You could win a $20 gift certificate.

I'm tagging A. Catherine Noon, Dayle A. Dermatis & Jennifer Bianco.

Have fun!!

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Dear Diary

The Erotic Woman has published my flash piece, Dear Diary, on their main page this week. It was the winner of their Tempted Competition a few months ago and is now residing in their prose archives. If you didn't check it out before, here's another chance. (Note that there's an image on the page that's not work appropriate - i.e. there's nekkidness.)

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

WRB - Death, Taxes & Rejection

Today I'm blogging over at the WRB for Wiley Wednesday. My topic is rejection and rules for writing. Check it out!!

Sunday, April 13, 2008

FFC - Elements

Reacquaintance, by Kathleen Oxley


Air . . .

Melinda smiled as the storm raged against the shore. The wind whipped her skirt around her legs and her hair thrashed her face. She closed her eyes and stretched open her arms. The air circled her until she felt it would lift her off the ground. She opened her eyes and glanced down to confirm that her toes were still digging into the sand.

She fleetingly wished she could be inside, enjoying the storm through the protection of walls and windows. But she quickly erased that thought from her mind and instead she concentrated on her task for the night. She turned her face up to the sky and opened her senses to the space around her - the salty smell of the beach that carried in the air and the sharp sting as it berated her skin.

She lost herself to the sensations until the air calmed and became only a slight breeze off the water.

Fire . . .

Melinda spent the cool Spring day collecting twigs and dried leaves for kindling. At dusk, as the blanket of darkness grew closer, she knelt inside the circle of stones and watched as the flame slowly grew. She stayed close even as the fire raged to life.

Leaning back on her heels, she stared into the hazy mix of red, yellow and orange. Tears pooled in her eyes from the heat and smoke, but her vision became clearer. Images flashed in the fire – of past, present or future, she did not know. She watched them closely, paying attention to every detail until they slowed and then disappeared.

After several minutes of silence, Melinda closed her eyes and thanked the Goddess for her visions. She moved out of the circle of stones, cheeks flushed red from the heat of being so close, and followed the dirt path back to her home.

Water . . .

Reaching the shore, Melinda undid the sash of her robe and let it fall to the ground. She walked naked toward the ocean. She reached the edge of the water and let the white foam tickle the tops of her feet. The brief rush of water was cold and she shivered as she followed the receding wave back into the water. Her body chilled as the level rose higher, but she continued walking until it lapped at her shoulders. She stood for several minutes, moving her arms and legs absently, until her body adjusted to the temperature.

She shifted so that she floated on top of the waves. She spread her limbs and let the current carry her. She sighed at the freedom of the water cradling and holding her. She splayed her fingers and moved her arms in close to her body and then stretched out again, letting the water flow through her fingers as she did. Totally at ease, Melinda closed her eyes and drifted. Her mind cleared of all thoughts and worries as her body rose and fell on the small waves, wetness tickling the skin of her belly and breasts.

Earth . . .

The strong scent of earth rose as she dug her spade into the dirt. Melinda was in her backyard, tending to her garden. Some might consider the many beds luxurious, but Melinda saw them as merely the basics that she required. She grew flowers for their beauty, herbs for her medicines and spells, and vegetables for eating. She wore no gloves and didn't shy away from getting her hands dirty. She lovingly inspected each plant, weeding the flowerbeds and trimming the herbs as she went along. Then she planted new seeds for vegetables for the summer - mostly cucumbers, lettuce and carrots.

She put the last seeds into the ground and patted the soil as she covered them. She filled her copper watering can and wet each of the beds. Melinda stood back and smiled at the results of her hard work. She brushed dirt off of her clothes and stared at her hands. She smiled at the dirt-stained skin and at the soil under her fingernails. To her they were the signs of a job well done and of a union with the earth and the plants she tended.

Spirit . . .

Melinda awoke filled with a new-found strength. Getting back to the basics always left her feeling clean and refreshed. She gathered her tools, including her boline, several crystals and candles, and packed them up. She couldn't wait to join the rest of her coven for the Beltane festival. Now she could face the ritual, and the year ahead, balanced and centered.

Monday, April 7, 2008

Ruthie's Club - You Always Know

My flash story, You Always Know, is being featured this week at Ruthie's Club. (Ruthie's Club is a members-only site, so the link won't work unless you are a member. You can pay to join, or just trust me that it's a cool story.)

Sunday, April 6, 2008

He Said, She Said

Just a quick note that my erotic poem, He Said, She Said, is being featured at The Erotic Woman this week. This is one of the first erotic poems I wrote, so I'm pleased that it was accepted and has a happy home.

April Showers...

...bring lots to do!!

I've been reviewing my list of calls/contests and trying to decide what my next project is going to be. The good news is that I have no shortage of things to pick from. The bad news is that I want to do them all! I'm going to list them here, so you can see how crazy I am. And I'll update throughout and at the end of the month with how much I actually got done.

April FFC - Earth, Fire, Water, Air
Maximum of 1,000 words due on 4/15/2008.

O&C Erotica Adventures
2,000 - 6,000 words due on 4/15/2008.

O&C Anthology
2,000 - 6,000 words due on 4/20/2008.

There are some other things due 5/1/2008 that I'm considering, but I won't make definite decisions on those or bother you with the details until the next week or so.

Wish me luck!!

Friday, April 4, 2008

A Great Day!

So, today was a pretty awesome day for me.

First, it's Friday. End of my work week. Yay!! I'm heading on vacation tomorrow for five days, so another reason to be glad this week is over.

Second, my first line entry received an honorable mention on Redlines and Deadlines today. There were some other cool entries, so you should check it out.

Third, I won a free copy of Emily Ryan-Davis’s All The Trees In Pearl from Hot & Bothered. I'll be sure to post a review once I've read it to let you all know how it is. (Oh, and great timing that I can read it while on vacation next week!)

Hope you had a great day and have a wonderful weekend!
*hugs*

Fiction Friday at the Romance Roundtable

The Romance Roundtable has recently started a new carnival:

On Fiction Fridays we well provide you with links to a wide variety of authors, some Romance writers, and some not. Offerings may include short stories, poetry, book exerpts and seriels. Each Fiction Friday will provide a different selection.
Today their links will include my ferret flash story, WTF!, as well as some other great reads. Check it out!! (And thanks, Alice, for including me this week!)

~Kat

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Thursday Thirteen - Google Reader

Yup, I'm still on my Google Reader kick.
My Thursday Thirteen...


13 Sites I Added to My
Google Reader this Week...


1 - Futility Closet
2 - Marriott eBreaks
3 - Sex Talk for Wicked Women
4 - Flash Fiction Carnival 2008
5 - Redlines and Deadlines
6 - The Book Design Review
7 - Romancing the Blog
8 - The Goddess Blogs
9 - edittorrent
10 - BookEnds, LLC
11 - Romance Roundtable
12 - Tales from the Crit
13 - Writer's Retreat Blog (of course!)

I'm still looking for more blogs to add to my list. Feel
free to leave me a link to yours or any you recommend
in the comments. Thanks!!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in other's comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Leave your link in a comment, and I'll link back to you here:

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

A Great Opener

Redlines and Deadlines is having a First Line Contest.

You don't have to write a whole story - just the most important sentence in the story. That's right, send us the best opening line you can create. Something you think would really grab an editor's or agent's attention, make them keep reading your submission. Now, don't go too over the top - it has to be something you could actually build a story on. It could be tense or traumatic or frightening or mysterious or humorous or romantic. But one sentence only, your envisioned first sentence.

Send your entry to RedlinesDeadlines@gmail.com by next Wednesday, April 2. On Friday we'll post the best ones we received and announce the winner (or maybe even winners). Prize is a free download of an EC/CP/TLC ebook.

I submitted the following:

I thought watching him walk away would be the hardest thing I'd ever have to do, until I heard the gunshot explode and his body crumpled to the ground; turns out it wasn't all that hard after all.

What do you think? Would you want to keep reading?

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

A Quick Update...

Lots going on, as usual. I'm still absolutely in love with google reader. I just can't say enough about how much I love it; I hope this honeymoon period lasts forever!!

Yesterday I busted ass to get my short story, Truth, tweaked and submitted to the Desdmona Sex in the Rain Contest. It's in and winners are announced on April 15th, so I'll keep you posted!

I also found out yesterday that The Erotic Woman will feature my erotic poem, He Said, She Said, on their site next Tuesday. I'm sure I'll post the link next week so everyone can take a peek.

End of Quarter Update:
My goals at the beginning of 2008 were to submit one piece a month and to get something published by the end of the year. So far I've submitted at least three pieces a month and I've had one poem and four flashes selected for publishing. I'll be looking forward over the next few days to revise my goals and make a plan for the next quarter of the year. I've got some ideas for longer stories, and some contests/calls that have caught my attention, so we'll have to see what I decide to go for.

~Kat

Friday, March 28, 2008

Flash Friday - Ferrets

Picture prompted flash writing is one of the exercises we do on the Writer's Retreat. We take turns posting a picture and everyone writes a flash piece in response (500 word limit). Here's an example, and the story I wrote in response to this picture prompt:


Title: WTF!
By: Kathleen Oxley
Word Count: 419

Well, I guess the grass really isn't always greener. I mean, really. All those months stuck in that fucking glass cage. Little fingers tapping on that glass - my god, the racket. Thump, thump, thump. I just wanted to sleep and chew on my pellets in peace for Christ's sake!

What'd I tell Ronnie? Just wait till we get outta here, Ronnie. Just you wait. Things will get so much better. Fuck, shows what I know.

Damn, I miss Ronnie. At least I used to have her to talk to. And I'll kill anyone who repeats it, but she was nice to cuddle up with too. She didn't hog the hammock either! Man, those were the days.

I don't even have a hammock anymore. And I'm still in a glass cage, but now it's like I've downgraded from a mansion to a fucking condo. I can barely breathe in that space. You really should not have to eat and shit in such close proximity, it's just not healthy. And she screams at me when I shit behind the sofa. But, truly, can you blame me?

At least I got that leash thing settled early. To think she actually thought I'd prance along all dignified on the end of a string. I'm not a freakin' dog, lady! Oh, and you see this bag? It's PINK! PINK?!?! Do I look like the pink kinda guy to you? I don't care if it is the hottest accessory, I look like a total fairy! I should be glad Ronnie isn't here to see this. Gads, she'd never let me hear the end of it.

The only thing I have to look forward to is the hope that we're going to visit that chick with the stupid cat. I mean, he's so fat and lazy and they think it's all cute that I can chase him around the house. At least I get some exercise and get to make someone else feel like the bitch for a change.

Oh god, no! NO! Anything but that - please, lady, save my sanity. Anything but Hannah Montana. Anything! Don't you have any musical taste at all? Where did they breed you?

Ugh! I give up. Don't you smile and sing at me! And don't you pet me either, you hideous demon spawn! Truly, you stick that hand in here one more time and I'm gonna bite off a digit. I mean it this time - fingers will be lost. A ferret can only take so much!

Saturday, March 22, 2008

FFC - Spring

Sorry I'm a little late with this one. This is my entry for the FFC 2008 Spring edition.


Easter Eve (408 words)
By: Kathleen Oxley

It was Saturday night and Cynthia was tucking one of the last eggs behind a pillow on the sofa. She glanced around the room. Under and around the furniture, bright little plastic eggs peeked out at her. Tomorrow morning was Bryan's fourth Easter and she knew he was going to love running around the house finding the eggs until his basket was full.

Cynthia sighed and sat down on the couch. It was late, almost midnight. She'd checked on Bryan before getting started and he was snoring softly in his room. She had enjoyed filling each of the eggs. There were some with the typical Easter candy, but not too many. Her son was hyper enough without the help of excessive amounts of sugar.

Many of the eggs held small toys - a bouncy ball, matchbox car, etc. Inexpensive trinkets that she picked out carefully, even knowing that Bryan would play with each briefly before moving on to the next item. A few of the eggs even held money - about ten dollars total split up into some singles and some change, with one egg holding a five dollar bill. She planned to take Bryan to the toy store next week to allow him to pick something out for himself.

She silently wished she could do more for him, to give him a big fancy Easter basket filled with new toys. But, she couldn't. This was the best she could do. She knew it would be enough, that Bryan would enjoy hunting for the eggs and that he would get excited about each one and what it held inside. But, she always wished she could do more.

She also hated that Bryan's dad couldn't be here to see him and to celebrate with them. She would take lots of pictures and email them to Martin next week, but it wasn't the same. He was in the Army and had shipped out to Iraq a little over a month ago. He would be gone almost a year this time, and already she felt lost without him. Holidays were always difficult, but she would put on a smile for Bryan and make the best of it.

Tomorrow they would go to church and pray for his safe return, but tonight, Cynthia would go to sleep alone in their bed. She looked around one more time to make sure everything was in place before creeping down the hallway to her room.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Staying busy...

Real life really has a way of taking over sometimes, whether you like it or not. My hours have recently increased at my job. The money is nice, but it leaves less time for my writing. I am still doing the March Flash-a-Day, trying to keep up with the daily prompts. I'm a few days behind at the moment - but I've got ideas for most of them, just have to find the time to actually sit down and write. I've got several longer stories started that I'm hoping to get back to soon. But, like with anything new, I'm just trying to adjust to my new schedule and find the balance of it all.

Wish me luck!!
~Kat

Monday, March 10, 2008

FFC - Letters & Numbers

The March topic for FFC was letters and/or numbers.

*********************************************************

Flight 1580 (600 words)
By: Kathleen Oxley

"Flight 1580, service to Memphis, now boarding gate B2."

Paul had his arm around my shoulder and he squeezed, letting me know that was us. We stood up and walked toward the gate. I had my ticket in my hand, but nothing else. This trip wasn't exactly planned.

We'd driven home the day before to visit my dad in the hospital, not expecting it to be a lengthy stay. But, it hadn't turned out that way. He died within an hour of our arrival, barely enough time to say good-bye. Now we were headed home to pack a bag for the week and grab clothes suitable for the upcoming 'events'.

Paul and I boarded the plane and found our seats. I sat numbly next to the window, oblivious to everyone talking and moving around us. I stared out the window, stared at the seat in front of me, but didn't see anything. None of it mattered now. It didn't matter where I was going, who I was with, what people were saying.

The plane took off and I watched the world slowly shrink away. The view matched how I felt - detached, removed, no longer grounded on the earth.

Paul grabbed my hand in his, squeezing in reassurance. I looked at him and he smiled at me. I smiled back, but didn't feel it. He could tell, but still we went through the motions. Trying to pretend that our entire lives weren't changed forever. But, they were. Whatever we had been before, it would all be different now. I would be different. I couldn't feel much, but I felt that.

I turned to look back out the window. Blue skies and fluffy clouds filled my vision. I imagined angels in the sky, peeking over the clouds to look down at the earth. I'm not a religious person, but the notion of the ones we love sitting together in the sky looking down on us is one I just can't escape. I guess that's my way of not letting go of the people I've lost.

"Daddy," I whisper, my hand against the glass. I know he's not there, but still I can't release the feeling that if I look hard enough, I'll see him. If I can just find the right cloud, he'll peek out at me, smile at me.

Tears begin rolling down my cheeks as I stare harder, completely intent in my purpose. The rest of the plane totally falls out of my awareness. And, finally, something feels right. This feels right. The solitude, loneliness, hopelessness fits me so comfortably. I wrap it around me. The tears continue to fall and I'm alternately talking to myself and to the angels.

Memories roll through my mind. Our last Christmas together, his last breath, my favorite picture of us where we're smiling twin smiles. I think of things said and unsaid, questions unanswered.

I'm startled as Paul grabs my hand again. I open my eyes to see the airport now outside my window.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to welcome you to Memphis, where the local time is now nine fifty-five a.m."


I sigh and wipe my cheeks. Paul smiles at me again, gives me that 'I don't know what to do' look. I don't know what to do either. Except to get off the plane, go pack my bag, take the next steps one at a time. I know there's a new journey ahead of me, one I can't anticipate and don't know where it will take me. But Paul holds my hand as we take those next steps together.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

I got tagged!!!

Kaige tagged me for this new meme! *hugs*

Did you ever play the game Telephone when you were a kid? It’s sometimes called Rumor or Gossip. You sit in a circle, the bigger the better.

The ring leader will tell a “secret” to one person. That person turns to the person on their left and whispers it. Each person hears the “secret” on one side and tells it on the other until it goes all the way around the circle. The last person says out loud what they were told, then the ring leader says what everyone started with. Most of the time it isn’t the same thing, and can be quite funny.

Using the power of the Internet, let’s give it a try.

I’m going to write a paragraph. Your job is to make a change. It can be as little as one word or as big as twenty words. You can change names, plot and setting, but don’t change it so much that we can’t tell how it relates to what (Alice) started with. Post your paragraph on your blog with a link to Alice’s post. She will link back to you. Then, pick three people to whom you will “whisper” your modified version. Let them know they are up next. Link to them and to the person who passed it to you (me).


Here is my paragraph for the three people I’m going to tag:

“Jocelyn and Will went up Knob Hill to find some privacy. Jocelyn fell down and knocked her crown and asked Will to kiss the owie. Will was happy to oblige Jocelyn’s innocent desire without further bruising, but his kisses weren’t enough. If he hadn’t already lost his heart to Jocelyn, he would have that night.”

I’m whispering to Gwen Mitchell, Gina Ardito and Ms Menozzi. You can still play this game even if I didn’t tag you. Anyone can play if you follow the rules. Come back in a month and see what happened to our little rumor.

~*~*~*~*~

The rules for this meme:
1. Change something in the paragraph you received; a minimum of 1 word, a maximum of 20 words.

2. Link to the post at http://aliceaudrey.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/alice-calling/ and leave a comment so we can keep track of what happens to the paragraph. Alice will link back to you.

3. Link to the person who tagged you, preferably to where ever they posted their version of the paragraph.

4. Tag three people you think might enjoy this game. Let them know they’ve been tagged. Link to them.

5. Include these rules in your post.

View Other Participants Here

Have fun!!

~Kat

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

March FADness

I am participating in the March FADness AW Flash-a-day competition and am super-psyched about it!!

What is March FADness, you ask?

Everyday in the month of March, a prompt for a flash fiction piece will be posted here. You write a story either using the prompt or not. It's your choice.

At the end of the month, you have five days to choose your favorite story and polish it. Submit the stories, including word count and title. The stories must be previously unposted, written during the month of March, and they must be under 1000 words. The stories will be posted and then opened up for a board-wide vote. The winner will be offered a contract and publication in Coyote Wild Magazine.

Happy Flashing to everyone who's participating!!

~Kat

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Back on My Feet

So, it's been a crazy week. My entire household was sick last week with the flu and a stomach bug. A bad combo, and one we're glad to finally be getting over. I didn't even have the energy to post my TT, but guess that just puts me ahead for next week.

In other news, today Oysters & Chocolate announced the winners for their 2008 Erotic Poetry Contest. Of which, I was not one. This is my first rejection so it stings a little. But, I'm moving forward. Lots of other logs in the fire to keep me busy. Not sure yet what I'm going to do with the rejected poem, but I'm sure I'll come up with something.

Being sick also pretty much screwed my writing schedule for the week - not much got done. I was running close on the two contests I was aiming for anyway, and the sickies pretty much threw me totally out of the running. So, I'll just keep tweaking away at my story and will find another place to submit it in the future.

Hope everyone else out there is staying healthy and having luck with their endeavors.

*hugs*
~Kat