layla

Thanks Mann and Joann It took way longer than i wanted, but its up and i think it sets up nicely some of the things to come.

Thanks for the support guys You're awesome!

Well, it's 2014 and for me that's meant a whole bunch of changes. Right after the New Year I made my second shift in jobs in three months, the bakery job I'd taken over the holidays proved to be temporary, but in life, I've always believed that things happen for a reason and I had been looking for a reason to pour myself full bore into freelancing and writing. For the past 2 weeks I've been submitting photographs and material everywhere i can, getting my small home office set up and making contacts, now I'm happy to say I'm ready to get my focus back on writing again. It's been a struggle these past few months to have the energy and drive to write after working 10 plus hour days, which has been depressing, really, because I miss my stories and my characters I feel horrible for making everyone wait for chapters for so long. My goal is to have a new chapter out for each story each week until they are completed. Once Broken Prince and Guitars two are done I will be focusing on one story at a time, splitting my focus hasn't really been beneficial and it seems like one story always seems to take precidence over another, so there will only be one story in the works from here on out. Thanks again to everyone who has stuck with my stories through my miserable few months and thanks to the friends I've made here who drop lines of encouragement whenever i'm away too long. Love you all Layla

I've been taking Taekwondo on and off for fifteen years and just tested for my second degree black belt. I love both breaking and self defense aspects of the sport. I've also begun learning jujitsu to add to my ground defense. Its become a great hobby.

In Guitars and Crossdressers Conner was supposed to play a passing part, someone forgot to tell him that though, and he's here to stay. In Broken Prince, Luc was really just supposed to be a quiet shadow, but no one told him that either.

When I first got the idea for Luc, i knew i wanted him to play a promenant role, look for him to really shine in the chapters to come.I'm excited to get to work on the newest chapter, it's been too long.

The Black Dagger Brotherhood Anne Rice's Vampire chronicles The Lord of the rings Trilogy The Harry Potter series David Demmell's Drenai series and Regante series

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/08/16/darren-young-coming-out-in-macho-wwf-a-game-changer/

Both. Morning to wake up and tame my rather unruly curls (grumbles) and night 'cause i spend a ton of time in the garden, woods, or martial arts classes and am a mess by the end of the day. Sometimes 3 times, if i'm going from woods to evening activity, even if evening activity is the gym.

My job has issues on hair color (had to get the blue out of mine) and blue jeans (can't wear them but can wear black) they frown on piercings, but the managers int he stores i work don't mind my two small eyebrow brings, one DM even complemented them. I have tats, one is usually partially visible, but they don't mind it, in fact they admired it when i got it lol.

oh man if this becomes a giant RP then I am so in. I play an online writing rp game, its actually how a lot of my characters were created and its a ton of fun interacting with people.

OMG mann, you just made my night!! this was awesome.

Phew Fair is over for the year. Its been a long week with little time to write, unfortunately, but now my summer is finally winding back down to normal. Got to teach my daughter to make Jam (she did strawberry, raspberry, blueberry) for her fair entry as well as watch her show her first cow. Was so proud of the way she handled Buttercup, her 8 month old calf, in the bucket/bottle calf show. My son got selected to go to state again this year (second year in a row) for a photo he’d taken during photography camp this year. He also had a second photo considered for State and a woodworking prject considered for State. While the woodworking ended up not going to State, he was asked to display it at our conservation center and give a talk on the crafting process. So very proud of him for how much effort he put into creating it. I was awarded three blue ribbons in photography this year and three for Jams, along with 2 seconds in each category as well. Got to watch the figure 8 races and the demo derby as well as a concert and tractor pull, and tons of animal judging this year, which was a lot of fun. Finally getting to sit down tonight and get caught up on a few things, so hopefully writing projects will be back on track after this week. A few notes on that, as I never did get to finish Roadhouse Reds due to the fair, that will be finished this week, without fail, everything is outlined, and at one chapter a night I will have it done by Friday. That puts me finally able to focus on Broken Princes and getting that back on schedule. Guitars 2 as well, though that one has a bit easier flow and is quicker to write. Want to take a moment to thank Mann and JoAnn for all the time they’ve put in as Editors and Beta on Roadhouse Reds to help me get the last of the chapters out so fast, I think we had 4 chapters get out the week before last. This will be the last big week on that project, YEY. Thanks to all of my readers for putting up with my weird schedule this summer, its been a crazy, hectic, fun summer so far, but I am more than ready to get back focused on my writing. Thanks all J

Yes,absolutely, you can be overly descriptive. Too many descriptive words can bog down a story and wreck the flow. Setting the tone is one thing, burying the reader in a ton of minute details can cause the reader's attention to wander and then they just might miss something important.

Happy happy happy happy birthday!!!!! :wizard:

Anything with more than one lane going in each direction. I no NOT like to be stuck in traffic, i don't like interstates, I don;t like being on a road with a lot of other drivers. Give me quiet country midwest roads and I love to drive. I don;t like driving in cities, i avoid them at all costs.

Summer is about halfway over, and wow, what a summer it’s been. The trip to Colorado was amazing, so much inspiration there that I started penning a brand new story that will eventually be released once I’ve finished writing it. To wake up in the morning and be so close to nature, stand in the face of all those beautiful mountains and know you have nothing but time to go explore was just an awesome experience. The heat sort of kicked up after I came back, Iowa is never fun when it’s hot, so all in all I haven’t gotten as much accomplished this summer as I’d planned (no A/C makes for a grouchy and miserable Layla), but that just means I have a ton of fall projects already set aside. I did get six new batches of Jam made Saturday when the weather finally cooled. Plus some weeding in the garden done. It’s coming in nicely, will certainly have tons of cucumbers for pickling and Zucchini for bread. Should have a good crop of pumpkins and watermelon this year too and who knows, maybe this will be the year we have okra to spare. Concert last week was an amazing 3 day event. Creedence, Loveboy, Joan Jett and the Blackharts on day 1, god damn Creedence rocked out the whole venue. Day 2, I spent most of my time watching from a picnic table and writing. The music was good – 10 Year, Flyleaf, TUGG, but the only band I really wanted to be part of the crowd for that night was Sublime. Love outdoor venues and how easy it is to rotate in and out of the crowd without missing anything. Day 3 I was parked up front on the rail for Trapt, Drowning Pool, Sick Puppies, Bret Michaels and Buckcherry, it was an amazing performance by all. Got trapts autograph, a drowning pool guitar pick, a sick puppies playlist from the stage, just wow on experiences there. Loved camping in the campground and actually being up at the main part of the place early because band members actually wandered through and would talk to the few people milling around up there. Came home to my birthday, 37, wow, it’s the first year I didn’t feel like I’d aged a year if that makes sense. It’s funny, but this last year I’ve never been happier. I’ve finally gotten to that point in my life where I have free time again for me and can explore the things I love to do. Spending my days in the woods when I’m not working, glued to my camera has given me a sense of freedom that I felt like I’d lost. Getting to write again and share it with everyone here at GA has been so inspiring. Getting up this morning, I sat and wrote a chapter, working on a second one now actually, had some tea, listened to the spawn working their garden outside and feeling truly blessed to just have time to enjoy a simple day working on a story. Roadhouse Red’s indecently, is almost complete. By the end of the night there should only be 5 chapters left to write. Its sad to see the story wind down, but I feel so lucky to be almost finished with it as the first chapter was written years ago and then forgotten in a drawer. I’d almost given up hope of ever finishing it, until it found a home here on GA and a loyal group that followed, read, reviewed, liked and encouraged. That’s really the true treasure of GA, the inspiration and motivation to be found in the readers, reviewers, Editors and Betas who take the time to follow the stories and help them grow to completion. I’ll be taking this week to finish writing those 5 chapters and get them to Mann and JoAnn, my Editor/Beta team, so that I can turn my attention back to Broken Prince and bringing you a chapter, if not more a week. I have the story all planned out, its just a matter of getting it complete as well. Guitars 2 is all planned out as well, my trips so far have provided me plenty of time and clarity to brainstorm. The Desolation Angel’s sequel has also been planned out as well, though no writing has taken place on it yet. I want to finish Red’s, Broken and the story drafted in the mountains first. 3 stories at once has definitely been an undertaking, I apologize for not always getting up a chapter of each story a week. From here on out, I won’t be posting new stories until there are already several chapters stockpiled, in case I fall behind on my writing again. Anyway, thanks for reading, thanks for helping me make Promising, and thanks for helping make GA a wonderful experience. Here’s to many, many more stories to come

Happy Birthday Mann Hope you have a wonderful day! :wizard:

I don't want to laugh, but i can't help it. Mostly 'cause i've spent the last few years trying to learn to work my garden too

that looks so yummmmy!!!!!!

Thanks everyone

Thanks guys, the day, and weekend have been awesome so far

Loved this chapter, great pacing and the tension between Caleb and Rhyder made for some wonderful conflict. I'm really enjoying this story!

I enjoyed the way you kicked off this story, especially with the duel point of views. Like Cassie I wondered about how Jo noticed the black eye with the sunglasses covering it up but I think you have two interestingly damaged characters here and I look forward to seeing where things go. Sounds like you did enough damage to the car to keep Jeremy stuck for a little while. it will certainly give things time to develop a bit.

Of Geckos and Imagination A purple haired doll Draped In strings of crystals Rests nestled Among my childhood treasures On the mantle That I walk past Each night Before I go To bed I look at him And smile Remembering the time When my pet gecko Laid a nest of eggs In his stringy hair And a child's imagination Like a withered cocoon Transformed the ordinary Into The extraordinary My first date Was with the pale elf Who tamed a dragon And invited me to ride My nights filled With his lavender eyes Sapphire hair The firelights gleam on iridescent scales And me Barefoot and in my nightgown Climbing on board It's easier To count the stars As you race by them Easier to pocket the magic And bring just a whisper Down to earth A child's destiny Imagination Dreams Suspended forever In the string of crystals Upon my mantel And the gecko That climbs My walls.