March: MS Awareness Month

Did you know that March is Multiple Sclerosis awareness month?

On July 08, 2008 I was diagnosed with MS but had no idea what that meant. It is a hugely misunderstood disease, but a really awesome lady,  McCall Teicher, is working hard to change that. Her efforts to raise MS awareness have really inspired me to speak up. Since 2009 I have participated in the MS Walk with my team, the Cure Crusaders. We have raised over $6000 so far and, with the help of incredibly supportive friends and family, we are still going! But, as a whole, I don’t talk about my MS with many people.

 I’ve decided that’s not the way to help.

I have a responsibility to talk about it so that it’s not such a mystery. For me MS is many different things, depending on the day. Mostly I am more fatigued than I’ve ever been in my life every day now. It’s a total body tired that makes brushing my teeth a real chore some days. When I was diagnosed I was blind in my left eye, and thankfully that sight has returned. I have Relapsing Remitting MS, which means I have some symptoms all the time, but during a relapse I develop new or worsening symptoms.

Writing is my outlet and some days the MS brain fog won’t let me write. Other days I feel better, and with the help of my amazing twitter buddies, get some serious words down! Each week in March I will post something new about MS and what it means to carry it around every day.

A few MS Facts:

-Approximately 2.5 million people worldwide have MS, 400,000 in the US.

-No two people have the same exact MS experience.

-There is currently no cure for MS.

-The body’s own defense system attacks myelin, the fatty substance that surrounds and protects the nerve fibers in the central nervous system.

-More than twice as many women as men have MS.

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Five Sentence Fiction - Enchanted

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week I will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word. The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.

This week: ENCHANTED

I chose this word because today is my birthday, and I am slightly fanatical about it! I love fairytales, so this is one of my favorite words.

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I look forward to reading everyone's five sentences. Post your sentences on your blog, and link up your post below.

Check out past Five Sentence Fiction posts here.

Also, be sure to visit everyone's FSF post

Lillie

Yearning - #5SentenceFiction

She thinks about it when her eyes are open, when they are closed, and every flutter in between. A constant parade of letters march through her mind, fusing together to form words before bursting apart to float around in search of new syllabic companions. The characters created in the process become her friends, enemies, and wards. They are hers to mold, hers to destroy.

It’s a daily hunger to construct the perfect weaving of letters that form a story strong enough to climb to the top, outlast its creator, and live forever.

Link up your own story of YEARNING  here.

Check out past Five Sentence Fiction posts here.

Lillie

Five Sentence Fiction - Yearning

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week I will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word. The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.

This week: YEARNING

This inspiration word was chosen by the lovely Anna Meade. She just wrapped up a truly inspiring competition; head over and check out all of the talented entries!

I look forward to reading everyone's five sentences. Post your sentences on your blog, and link up your post below.

Check out past Five Sentence Fiction posts here.

Also, be sure to visit everyone's FSF post

Lillie

Giveaways Gallore!

If you've missed any of these givaways, check them out today!

Amazing prizes from talented bloggers:

Leigh Covintgon is giving you the opportunity to win a copy of EVERNEATH by Brodi Ashton.
Lori M. Lee is giving away fourteen stellar prizes in all.
Rachelle is giving away a book of your choice.
Victoria is giving away the entire Hunger Games trilogy.



You still have one day to enter Anna's awesome blog hop!

Fairy Fiction - Iridescent Love

Here's my entry for Anna Meade's awesome blog contest.

Iridescent Love

It’s like gazing directly at the summer sun. After looking away his light leaves a bright haze, setting tiny fireballs dancing across my vision. Iridescent blue-green wings flap frantically as he zips around my bedroom.

A memory from last year tugs at the corners of my mouth.

We had passed each other in the hall at work for a year, smiling and awkwardly locking eyes. Then one day he showed up in my office.

“You’ve never worn that shirt before,” he said, casually leaning against my desk.

“Nope, got it last week.” Yes, I was enamored with him for noticing my new shirt.

 “I like it. Feel like taking a walk with me?”

“Anything,” I said lamely. Wiping the moisture from my palms down my slacks, I dazedly followed him outside.

Once we were away from the office, he grasped my shoulders, suddenly serious. “You feel it too, right? This…thing between us? It’s like electricity or lightening or something. I don’t know. You make me shaky…In a good way…I think. My mind gets scrambled when you look at me.”

I brushed a finger across his lips. “I’ve felt it since the first time our eyes met.

 “There’s something you have to know about me before this goes any farther. I’m a fairy."

Brows raised, I just stared him.

“Really. Sure, I know most people think it’s only a girl thing, but it’s not.”

I continued to stare in disbelief.

“Okay, wait right here,” he said, before disappearing behind a bush.

Next thing I knew there was a slight pressure on my shoulder. My six foot man had become a six inch fairy.

“Well,” I said. “I think love means taking you as you are.”

He smiled, flapped his shimmering wings and planted the faintest of fairy kisses on my nose.

****

Five Sentence Fiction - Exquisite

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week I will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word. The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.

This week: EXQUISITE 

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I look forward to reading everyone's five sentences. Post your sentences on your blog, and link up your post below.

Check out past Five Sentece Fiction posts here.

Also, be sure to visit everyone's FSF post

Lillie

Five Sentence Fiction - Sacred

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week I will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word. The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.

This week: SACRED

The inspiration word this week was chosen by Ruth Long, winner of the Blog Hop!!

I look forward to reading everyone's five sentences. Post your sentences on your blog, and link up your post below.

Check out past Five Sentece Fiction posts here.

Also, be sure to visit everyone's FSF post.

Lillie

Shiver

The wave of emotion ripped through me from head to toe, sending shivers down my spine. I narrowed my eyes on him waiting for the laugh that would let me know it was all a big terrible joke.

He stepped closer, taking my hand and said it again!

“But, I’m noisy, messy, unorganized chaos,” I said in exasperation.

“Yes,” he nodded, “and that’s exactly why I love you."

Link up your own SHIVER story here.

Check out past Five Sentence Fiction posts here.

Lillie

Blog Hop Winners!!

This was an extraordinarily difficult decision for us to make. There were so many amazing entries for the Blog Hop!!!

But, Angie, Angela, Daniel, and I finally came to a decision on the five winners. Thanks to everyone who participated and spread the word to make our blog hop a success. You guys rock!!


And the winners are:

1st PLACE:  Ruth Long "Between the Lines" - 50 pg edit from Me!!

2nd PLACE:  Donna McNicol "Forest Flowers" - 25 pg edit from Angie Richmond

3rd PLACE: Jo Ann Teal "Out of the Dark" - 15 pg edit from Angela Goff

4th PLACE:  Brewed Bohemian "A Beautiful Place to Die" - 10 pg edit from Daniel Swensen

5th PLACE:  Gwen Tolios "Extinguishing Souls" - a copy of Stephen King's On Writing

Make sure to grab the winner button for your blog :)



Five Sentence Fiction - Shiver

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week I will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word. The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.

This week: SHIVER

I look forward to reading everyone's five sentences. Post your sentences on your blog, and link up your post below.

Check out past Five Sentece Fiction posts here.

Also, be sure to visit everyone's FSF post.

Lillie

Clandestine

Meet me behind the tree, his note said. Be there at four, written in blue.

I put on the yellow sundress as he requested, stuff my purse with the amount I owe just in case things don’t go according to plan.

When I pull up, he’s standing there looking out at the peaceful lake beyond like it’s an ordinary day where ordinary things happen.

I wish, again, that I had a gun, but take a deep breath and focus on the weight of the knife in my pocket knowing it will be him or me, hoping it’s him.

Link up your own Clandestine story here.

Check out past Five Sentence Fiction posts here.

Lillie

Five Sentence Fiction - Clandestine

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week I will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word. The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.

This week: CLANDESTINE

The word this week was chosen by amazing writer and super motivator Angela Goff.

I look forward to reading everyone's five sentences. Post your sentences on your blog, and link up your post below.

Check out past Five Sentece Fiction posts here.

Also, be sure to visit everyone's FSF post

Lillie

Blog Award Bliss

It’s raining blog awards!!

I am ecstatic over the awards I’ve been given by these talented bloggers!

Big thanks to the lovely ladies over at Thinking Through Our Fingers for this awesome award!

The Versatile Blogger Awards are compliments of a few of the very best:

 Kelley, J.A. Bennett, and SJI Holliday.

Thanks again to J.A. Bennett for the Great Comments Award.

Thank you Kelley at Between the Bookends for this pretty Kreativ Blogger award.

Be sure to visit the all of these blogs. They are not to be missed!!!

The rules for these awards are all similar. (Find out more about the rules here)

 So, I will combine them by telling you five things about myself and passing all of these to five amazing bloggers!

1. I adore dogs. This may be a shock, but it's true ;)

2. I am lucky enough have been asked to contribute to the awesome Pyjama Club blog. Head over and check it out!

3. Blue is my favorite color. I think just about anything looks better blue!

4. Each and everytime I watch Steel Magnolias I find a new reason to love it and cry over it.

5. In my mind I play tennis like Kim Clijsters; even when I make a flying leap and catch nothing but air with my racket.

Now I get to pass these awards on!!

If you've received these awards before feel free to do with them as you wish :)

Hope Roberson at Writing with Hope

Mark Koopmans at Aloha, and Hi! from HI

Angela V. Cook at The Starving Novelist

Felicity at Dronezone

McKenzie at The Other Side of Sorrow

It's a Blog Hop!!!

I am teaming up with Angela Goff, Angie Richmond, and Daniel Swensen for a fabulous blog hop to celebrate all of our amazing blog followers and writing cohorts!

Here's the deal:

Write a piece of flash fiction, poem, or song (300 words or less) using the photo above as your inspiration. Post it on your blog any time between now and when the linky closes. Every eligible entry will qualify for a chance to win one of the prizes listed below. The linky will be open from January 23 through January 30.

Angie, Angela, Daniel and I will read, debate, and decide on five winners for the following:

1^st: Fifty page critique by Lillie McFerrin

2^nd: Twenty-Five page critique by Angie Richmond

3^rd: Fifteen page critique by Angela Goff

4^th: Ten page critique by Daniel Swensen

5^th: A copy of Steven King’s On Writing

Copy and paste the linky code below with your entry. Spread the word! We look forward to reading your take on this amazing photo!


<!-- start InLinkz script -->
<script type="text/javascript">
                document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src=http://www.inlinkz.com/cs.php?id=116954&' + new Date().getTime() + '"><\/script>');</script>
<!-- end InLinkz script -->

Creativity Block

If you write, you’ve likely experienced writer’s block a time or twenty. It’s part of the journey, one of the things we have to find ways to work through. I like to change the location of where I write, maybe take a notebook and pencil down to the beach or a coffee shop. Anything to get my brain in gear.

Writer’s block has not been a problem for me so far this year, mostly thanks to the genius of Cara Michaels and #WIP500. I have written every day this year, no problem filling up page after page on my new WIP. The issue I’ve run into is that the words are there, but they are void of imagination.

I am officially suffering from creativity block. I mentally ball up the pages I’ve typed and chunk them into a tall metal waste basket saying, ‘Garbage, garbage, ridiculous garbage.’ Some of it reads like an article for a newspaper specializing in how paint dries.

In an effort to work through the creativity block, just as I do with writer’s block, I found a few helpful sites. Check them out if you find yourself in this dusty, dry place with me:

http://lauragraceweldon.com/2011/04/27/16-ways-to-spark-creativity/

https://sites.google.com/site/scottdistillery/dumblittlewritingtricksthatwork

http://makeyourblog.net/blogging/200-ways-to-spark-creativity

Over the next few weeks I am going to put some of these tips and ideas to the test. I’ll let you know how it goes!

What ways do you get your creativity rolling?

Lillie

*Cartoon Source

Radiance

We wind down slowly, inch by inch, toward the bottom of the sea. Headlights burst through the water revealing plants that dance to a tune only they know and fish wearing colors that only exist here. As we near the mouth of the algae covered cave it’s clear, by the presence of spear wielding guards, this will be no ordinary exploration. I look to Vince for answers, but he refuses to return the glance by looking straight ahead, seemingly enraptured by the vessel controls. After the swift docking, things happen so quickly I don’t realize at first that I’ve been betrayed, but when the restraints appear I’m sure I was right to slip the silver pistol in my ankle holster.

 

Source

Link up your own RADIANCE story here.

Check out past Five Sentence Fiction posts here.

Lillie

Five Sentence Fiction - Radiance

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week I will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word. The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.


This week: RADIANCE

I look forward to reading everyone's five sentences. Post your sentences on your blog, and link up your post below.

Check out past Five Sentece Fiction posts here.

Also, be sure to visit everyone's FSF post

Lillie

Delirious

Flickers fly from my heated skin, fireflies dancing in the wind. I am entranced as sparks turn to flames with each caress. We feed the blaze, mustn’t let it wither to ash carried far and distant by a breeze of chance. Searching ocean eyes dare me to embrace it, be consumed by it, be bold with it. Grabbing the frenzied warmth with both hands I close my eyes and let it catch my heart ablaze.




Link up your own story here.

Check out past Five Sentence Fiction posts here.

Lillie

Five Sentence Fiction - Your Choice

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week I will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word. The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.

This week: Your Choice

Last week was an amazingfor Five Sentence Fiction! More people linked up than ever before. Thank you so much for participating and writing!!! So, in celebration of you amazing writers, I want this week to be your choice. Check out the Five Sentence Fiction tab and pick whichever word from a past week that inspires you or rework one you've already done! Have fun :)

source

I look forward to reading everyone's five sentences. Post your sentences on your blog, and link up your post below.

Check out past Five Sentece Fiction posts here.

Also, be sure to visit everyone's FSF post

Lillie

Wacky Wednesday

My dog, Duke, likes to talk. I got a video of  him today and wanted to share it with you guys. Enjoy his weirdness :) Don't forget to check back tomorrow for this week's inspiration word for Five Sentence Fiction. Come join the fun!

The Versatile Blogger Award

Blogger Award!!! It’s super awesome and pretty, too.

Thanks so much to the amazingly talented Angie Richmond over at Write Me Happy and Angela Goff over at Anonymous Legacy for passing on the Versatile Blogger Award to me.

So here are the rules:

1. In a post on your, blog, nominate 15 fellow bloggers for The Versatile Blogger Award.

2. In the same post, Add the Versatile Blogger Award.
3. In the same post, thank the blogger who nominated you in a post with a link back to their blog.
4. In the same post, share 7 completely random pieces of information about yourself.
5. In the same post, include this set of rules.
6. Inform each nominated blogger of their nomination by posting a comment on each of their blogs.

Fifteen awesome bloggers:

Amanda McCrina

BBeingCool

Breeana Puttroff

Janelle

Jo-Anne Teal

Kern Windwrait

Krista

Lisa Terry

Melanie Fowler

Melody

Natasha Guadalupe

R. J. Ropsen

Rod Tyson

Samantha

Sheri Bomb

 Be sure to head over and check out these blogs!!!

Seven things about me:

1.  I think squirrels are awesome! I have so much fun watching them play in the trees behind my house.

2. Last week I bought a touch-free soap dispenser. One of my new favorite things. I get a little excited every time I have to wash my hands J

3. I love trees. I don’t know if I could live somewhere that wasn’t full of them. There is a super awesome tattoo of a tree that I would get if I wasn’t so scared. Maybe one day!!

4.  I have a notebook, journal obsession. Whenever I see a new interesting one, I buy it even knowing it may not be written in for years.

5.   I am addicted to Twitter.

6.   Sitting in my pajamas, watching Golden Girls reruns all day is my bliss. And, eating chocolate. Must have chocolate.

7.  The  Australian Open starts in six days. I will be glued to my TV for two weeks, watching tennis in the middle of the night because I like to watch them live. Who needs sleep when tennis is on??

MORE NEWS:

     I am planning a blog hop with some amazing bloggers for when I hit 100 followers on my blog. Keep an eye out! There will be great writitng and prizes!!