Story Chain

For the Gearin' Up to Get an Agent blogfest, week two is all about creation and the story chain.  There is still time to sign up for week three (query contest) and week four (agent pitch contest)

If you'd like to follow the story chain for wk 2 here go the list is here and I will be posting the final version on Friday.

Marcie's part

"Yes," every thing's in order," Tony sighed.  He looked toward me with that, 'I'm so sorry' expression.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

A cough garbled up what Tony said next, but Dio heard.  "Your parents, they drowned on their vacation in Istanbul.  I'm so sorry to have to tell you like this.  I have been working very hard to get you in a good home, and Sandy, well, she is like a second mother to you."

Dio glanced through tear stained eyes toward Sandy.  "Is this true?"

"I'm sorry Butterscotch, but it is."

Suddenly Dio hated that nickname.  It stung her like slap to the face, but what she hated more were the next words that came out of Sandy's mouth.  "Tony has brought your bag.  You're going to Europe with me."
Juliana's part

Week 2 Blogfest Story Chain Times

Happy Tuesday my lovely blogfest buddies!  Before I get to the times for everyone to post their portion of the story chain, I had a couple of things to run by you:

-The person above your name is the person that will be posting before you.  The person after your name will be posting after you.  These are your story chain buddies and I thought it would be great if you all could get to know them as well as write with them:)

- The time beside your name is not the exact time you have to post.  As long as you post your portion of the story AFTER the person above you and BY the time listed beside your name...you're perfect.

- If the person before you has not posted by the time they have beside their name for some reason, then they will be forfeit from the story chain and you will go to the person above them.  Do as you would before: read their post, then do yours.

- The times below are all in Eastern Time Zone US.  Please let me know if you have questions to how this relates to your time zone.  I've been learning a lot about it through this little blogfest:)

- The time beside your name is not set in stone. If your time doesn't work shoot me an email or comment below and tell me what will.

- Later in the day I will be posting the words and dilema for your portion of the story so stay tuned for that.  I should have it ready by 5PM eastern time.

I think that's it!

Now without further ado...

Nata - Tuesday Evening

Fiction and Film - 5AM

Andrea Mack - 6:30 AM

Jen Daiker - 7:30 AM (Twitter acct)

Meghan Kirkland - 7:45 AM

Shelly Brown - 8AM

Catherine Johnson - 8:30 AM

Marcie Bridges - 8:45 AM

Deana Barnhart - 9:00 AM

Juliana Brandt - 9:30 AM

Frost Lord - 9:45 AM

Callie Kingston - 10AM

Angelina C Hansen - 10:30AM

J. Ro - 11AM

Nicole Zoltack - 11:30AM

Loralie Hall - 12PM

It Had to Happen - 12:30PM

Been there, done that - 1PM

Amy Kennedy - 1:30PM

Weaving a Tale or Two - 2PM

Lindy - 2:45PM

A.E. Martin - 3PM

Christina's Writing Buzz - 3:15PM

Suspending Disbelief - 3:30PM

Jamie Ayres - 4PM

Vicky Bruere - 4:30PM

Rachel Dillon - 5PM

Lora Rivera - 6PM

An Alleged Author - 6:30PM

KP Simmon's Musings - 7PM

Kathy Stemke - 7:30

Word by Word - 8PM

Margaret Fieland - 9PM

Taylor Roseberry - 9:30PM

Novel Thinking - 10PM

Robin Weeks - 10:30PM

Angie Cothran - 11:30PM

Melodie Wright - 12AM

The Neophyte Writer - Thursday 8AM

Winner for Week 1 and Sign-ups for Week 2

How smart do you think I am now?  After visiting each of the 50 blogs who signed up for the week one shindig, I'm pretty darn smart...or extremely frazzled.  Take your pick.  I learned one very important thing.  How much I still have to learn!  Thanks to everyone who participated in week 1 and made my brain churn that much harder!  I seriously love you guys:)

And now it's time to do a little dance for the winner of our first critique giveaway! 

Catherine Johnson

Yay for you!  Email me, Catherine, and I will get you and Margot Finke connected so you can collect your very valuable winnings:) 

As for everyone else who commented, you will not walk away empty handed.  Margot is giving each of you a pdf of her new children's adventure!  Be on the lookout in your emails.

On to the next item of biz...

***

Gearin' Up to Get an Agent Week 2

Story Chain

Are you ready to take the blogfest into second gear by getting those creative juices flowing?  The story chain is going to get you there.  Everyone who signs up will have a part to play and we will take this story through fun twists and turns and see where we end up.

Don't know what a story chain is? 

Basically it is a story written by a chain of people.  I give you a set of things to work with in your specific chain, you write it, then the next person takes over where you've left off until we have a complete story.  Here are the specifics to this chain.

The Rules:

-Sign up in the week 2 linky below and beside your name let me know the best time for you to post your portion of the chain on your blog so I can get a list made up of who goes when.  A note on the time: You don't have to post exactly at that time, just BY that time so the next person in line can follow.  So if you want to post in the morning but your time isn't until 12pm than that is fine because it will be ready when the next person is ready.

-Today through Monday, as the sign-ups come in, I will make assignments for each participants portion of the story chain along with a time to post for Wednesday.

-While I'm working studiously behind the scenes, get to know your fellow blogmates, stop by their blogs, follow them, make connections.

-I will post the final list on Wednesday (I know I already said this but repetition is a good thing), which will have your time to post.  If the time doesn't work for you, let me know in the comments section. 

-If you miss your time during the fest then the next person in line will go when he/she is assigned and sadly you will have to bow out of this blogfest round  :( 

-The length of each post should be between 10-100 words.

How do I know what to post for my story?  Well Lora Rivera, writing buddy, fellow blogfester and  lit agent in a past life helped me come up with a splendid idea. 

Here it is:

-We are going to write a story and like any story we will have a protagonist (main character). 

-This protag will have something that he/she wants (a goal).  This will be the thing that carries him/her through the story.  These two things will be a constant throughout the story chain (the protag and the goal).

-Your part will come when I throw things out to each of you to work into the story while still trying to make the protag reach their goal.  For ex: Protag (goal)wants to make it to work on time BUT (this is the 'thing' I throw out) a car revs its engine and heads full speed in his/her direction.

-Important note: Aside from provocative and lewd scenes that are not allowed, I want this to be your individual creations, so if I send a car toward the protag and you don't want it, it will be up to you for the protag to dodge the vehicle.  Makes sense so far?  If not ask questions below:)

Alrighty then moving on...

-Along with the 'things' I throw at you, you will also have three specific words you have to use in your piece.

So let me give you a full example of an assignment I will give...

*This is only an example*

Lora Rivera
Time to post: 10AM
Protag: Johnny Appleseed
Goal: To get to work on time

Event for you to deal with: A car revs its engine and heads full speed at Johnny

Words to use: pickle, full-blown, castle 

-One more thing, everyone will see the list and times they are to post on Wednesday, so if you aren't the last person on the list, don't end the story.  I'd also like to have a crisis and climax in the mix as well so if you see your spot and think it is a good place for something like that, by all means bust it out!

-Oh and one more, one more last thing, if you want to do this through Twitter than go for it!  When you sign up just put your twitter address in the linky and still put the time by your name.  When you post on Twitter just use the hashtag #GetanAgentBlogfest so the person who posts after you will know where to look. 

How does this sound?  Confusing?  Fun? Again, I'll answer any questions.  Ask away.

***

Prize for Week 2 

Rach Harrie, Crusade guru will be giving away a double query critique! And by double I mean she will critique it not once, but TWICE. This should really get you geared up for week three...

-If you haven't signed up for the blogfest yet and you want to now, go here to sign up and let me know your blog address, twitter, if you have one (tweeting under the hash #GetanAgentBlogfest) ,and what you write. ex: YA Urban Fantasy and I'll get you signed up!

Until then...
Keep learning.  Keep writing.