Today we are excited to share with you Poppies for Christmas
by Stacy Renee Keywell.
Guest
Post
If I Knew Then What I
Know Now About Writing
There are so many
things I wish I had known about writing. Too many to list. One important
technique I learned was how to pace myself in order to write a novel, aka a full
length story. There were so many times in my younger years that I would either
stop working on a story and leave it incomplete, or end with a very short story
that only lasted a few pages. Getting down 80,000 words is quite an
accomplishment in my mind. Especially since I have met so many people that have
wonderful stories inside of them, and cannot seem to stretch out their ideas
and words into a full piece of work. The
other problem I encounter with aspiring writers and that they know what happens
in the beginning of their story, and they know what happens at the end, but
they cannot visual all of the details in the middle that connect the dots
together. Which technically is the same issue. How to get enough words and
ideas on a page to translate that glorious idea into a full length novel.
I have a couple pieces
of advice. First I recommend setting small goals. Write a short story, aim for
10,000 words to start. Then stretch the story into a nice novella, go for
25,000-60,000 words. Work your way up to the 80,000 plus words it takes to get
a full length piece.
The second piece of
advice is to set a goal to work on your writing daily. Do not set a time, like
twenty minutes a day, or an hour a day, or set a word goal like 2,000 words,
four pages. Just set some time aside to work. Sometimes that means writing a
small paragraph, and sometimes that means getting pages and pages and pages
down on paper.
Whatever it is, do not
stress. Sure, writing takes dedication, but the length will come with practice,
and the details will slowly fill in the blank space on the page. I am in the
process of writing my next work, and fifth times a charm, I was able to write a
full 80,000 words without breaking my stride. Once you unlock that secret, it
stays with you and your work.
Thank you so much!!!!
Xoxo
Stacy Keywell
Poppies for Christmas Excerpt
Tour Date:
“Dexx!” Denver ran across the floor to greet me. “You clean up nice.” She playfully punched me in the arm.
She looked even more stunning than before, as if that was possible for anyone outside the Davies family. She had changed into a black, silky blouse, and some tight, sequined black leggings. A simple diamond necklace replaced the pearls. Her freshly flat-ironed hair glistened, and hung long down her dainty back.
“Hey, beautiful,” I greeted her, throwing a bit of swagger her way, as my confidence slowly crept back in once the food charged up my system.
Denver jumped, a delicate finch, excited by my compliment.
“Follow me. We’re going to hang out in the family room, eat some appetizers before dinner, and the rest of the festivities.” Her eyes sparkled as she spoke. “Tonight it’s totes casual, just the few of us doing a little decorating, eating a bunch of goodies,” her voice sang out every word.
“Sounds fantastic.”
Denver gripped my hand. I let her guide me across the smooth floor. Dropping my fingers, she ran ahead to the entryway of the family room. I walked in and stood under the mistletoe. I took another bite of sausage when… I saw…her!
I inhaled deep. A flake from the pastry got caught in my throat. I let out a harsh cough. My eyes watered. The crust popped out, and dangled from my lip. Through my tears, I cast my eyes on my lovely muse, the magnificent Poppy.
Using my arm, I wiped the gooey dough off my lip, and brushed off the crumbs. How could I have forgotten about Poppy? With all of the excitement geared around Denver, my mind lapsed. It drifted away from my Poppy. But, as fast as a roller coaster screeches to a halt, my neck whiplashed. My brain bounced back to my main mission at the first sight of her.
Poppy wore a cream sweater accented with a red bow covered in red flowers. Her pouty lips matched the red ribbon. Her thick hair was tied back in a red band, and cascaded down her shoulder.
An extremely handsome boy gripped both of her small hands in his. He caressed her knuckles with his thumbs. As his head turned, his features dazzled. He looked like he had sprung off a polished poster. An unreal creature from a print ad which came to life in the middle of the room, an anomaly in an otherwise ordinary world. I recognized Declan right away. Flawless skin, dark hair, and a smolder that would knock most girls dead.
My heart thumped loudly in my ears. Denver grabbed some snacks. She exchanged words with her brother, but I didn’t understand anything they said. The blood pumped through my body, banging around with too much cacophony. Denver garbled something in my ear and laughed.
“What?” I asked.
Noise echoed around the room. I was still too shocked by Poppy’s presence to move or make sense of her words.
Poppy beamed at Declan. She patted his hand affectingly, and rose off a nearby chair. She moved toward me. My body stiffened. The world moved in slow motion. She crept closer and closer. She got a few steps away from me. Her smile melted into a pinched frown. Her eyes narrowed. She didn’t look as happy to see me as I was to see her. She finally reached me under the mistletoe, and whispered in my ear.
“What are you doing here?” She sounded pissed off, opposite of her normally chipper disposition.
“Why, I was invited, just like you,” I responded sweetly, ignoring her obvious annoyance with me.
“Are you following me or something? I don’t get it. Why did you come here for Christmas?”
“I thought it might be a nice surprise. So, are you surprised, Poppy? Are you surprised to see me?” I asked eagerly.
Tour Date:
December 11-15
Purchase Links:
BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | TBD
Link to Tour Schedule:
Giveaway Details:
- One (1) winner will receive a $20 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
Krazy Kat Freebies was not compensated for this post and is not responsible for prize fulfillment. This post may contain affiliate/referral links
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