Do you like learning and talking about the writing craft? Are you interested in short story and flash fiction? Writing short can be hard. I love short story and flash and include some tips and resources you may find helpful. I also talk about the bigger picture of the novel. Do you struggle with beginnings, middles, ends of a story? Do you struggle with plotting, scenes, or nailing the endings? I will address such topics off and on in my new writer’s tips and resource bulletin called Writers Talk.
Get my cheat sheets, along with links to their corelated Medium Articles. Such as my Villain Profile, Negative Character Arc Sheet, Finding Your Character’s Flaw Sheet, and the brainstorm sheet. Challenge The Archetype — Create Female Villains That Rock The Protagonist World! But that is not all. I have more goodies planned, plus I have a thank you bonus for joining me set to arrive the next day.
” In working with Juneta I realized things about my story that I hadn’t recognized, issues with pacing and tension, plot points that didn’t make sense..” ~Mark Ingram Vella Author of Steve Saves The World
“I kept abandoning each one and coming up with new ideas. Juneta Key held my feet to the fire, made me choose one world to work on, and helped me plot three books in that world and possibly a fourth! “ ~Megan Stewart Fantasy Author of Where Are My Pants?
I sent this out to my newsletter and thought I would post this edition on my website as well.
TESTIMONIALS
“Juneta is the BOMB! Every time I talk to her about my work-in-progress she whips it into shape. Not by doing the work for me, but by asking the exact right question so that I can see the path for my work. ” ~Shaunta Grimes
“In working with Juneta I realized things about my story that I hadn’t recognized, issues with pacing and tension, plot points that didn’t make sense.” ~Mark Ingram
“Wow!!! I was shocked at how much depth she was able to help me add to the story. She has this almost magical knack for helping you discover what you want to do.: ~Vanessa Wells
Hello Reader and Writer Friends,
A lot of changes going on in my life this month. The one thing that never changes is my love and passion for stories–reading and writing them.
To me, a good story is like an old friend. I was an only child. Books and the characters in them were my playmates. I visited Prince Edward Island in Canada and hung out with Anne Shirley. I played on the farm with Wilbur, from Charlotte’s Web.
I visited Middle Earth. I flew x-wings and wielded a lightsaber. I’ve sailed a thousand ships and experienced multiple lifetimes of love without ever leaving home.
I was never lonely with marvelous stories like these. I am so grateful to all the authors who shared their worlds and characters. They broadened my horizons, touched my heart, and revealed things I could never have learned or experienced in my ordinary world.
Our world is full of stories. Both real life and fictional. I am a series addict because once I find I story I love; I want to return to those characters and worlds over and over.
Powerful stories are loaded with characters that are human, 3-dimensional, and flawed, allowing the reader to connect and understand the motivation and drive behind the character and the story.
If you are struggling to write engaging stories, this is where I can help. I have spent my life learning the writing craft–it’s a passion. I help you develop the story as you write, with one-on-one coaching via zoom.
I help you recognize the elements, monitor your subplots, and deepen your character development—with the goal of moving your story forward to the end with consistency and flow.
If you are a writer or aspiring writer, I have four coaching spots available.
Do you need help with plot points? Is your book middle sagging? Are you having trouble figuring out the ending or getting your story stakes high enough? Maybe you just want to learn where to start. I can help.
I am still revising and expanding Midlife Ghostwalker: Katje Storm series. Editing is a slower process that than I hoped for, but I am moving forward even if slowly.
Other Projects I am working on but on the back burner to Katje are:
My Magic Born or Magic Cursed? series, first draft of prequel is done and in editing stage.
I am outlining a Paranormal Cozy Mystery series set in the same world as my Midlife Ghostwalker series.
Also still working on my space opera periodically.
We will soon release Volume 6 in the Grumpy Old God’s anthology series this year.
Welcome to Storytime Quarterly Blog Hop (January, April, July, October).
This short flash fiction is part of Apocalypse, Signed, Sealed, & Delivered series world. I write a lot of crossover in my Grumpy Old Gods short stories with these characters and world. You may remember Elliot from my story in our Stormdance Publications anthology, Grumpy Olds Gods Vol. 1, my story, ‘Playing Hookie’.
This is an ongoing series world. You may encounter Elliot again in my upcoming story for Grumpy Old Gods Vol. 6 releasing March 2023. Hope you enjoy this fun little moment in time in the ASSD World and Grumpy World. Be sure and check out the other fun stories by authors around the globe in the list at the end of the story, and leave us comments. We love hearing from our readers. Read with joy as Holly Lisle says.
Cover by Vanessa Wells
THE PRANCING ROAD HOG MOTORCYCLE CLUB HELP WANTED. APPLY INSIDE.
Rhea gaze lingered on the one rearview mirror, on the motorcycle farthest from the door lined up with ten more out in from of The Prancing Road Hog. She checked her hair one last time, opened her purse, pulled out her lipstick, and then decided against it dropping the tube back in.
Maybe I shouldn’t have gotten all dolled up in my best dress and red heels to apply for a bartender job. Why didn’t I bring a jacket?
Admittedly, she was thinking about the bar’s owner with the red hair and sexy southern creole accent when she got dressed earlier.
A jacket would have toned down the whole look, making it more professional-instead of trying to impress a potential non-date.
Dang it. She needed this job.
Her severance pay from the last job was about gone. Next month’s rent might be late if she didn’t do something soon. Bartending was a temporary solution. She had worked bars in college, and the tips were good. She could do it again. Except… her bad choice in attire might jinx her chances.
Didn’t matter. She grabbed an application by the door as she entered, and hopped up on a bar stool, and noted the current bartender was at the far end serving other customers. When he looked her way, she waved the blank application at him.
He raised his voice so she would hear him. “I’ll let Elliot know you are here.”
She nodded.
***
She had the application finished by the time the owner of the bar came out to greet her. Her face felt hot. She willed her heartbeat to slow down taking deep breaths.
“Bonjou, Rhea.”
“Hi Elliot.”
He leaned over with his face on his hand and nodded at the paper. “Why ya filling dat out, cher? I thought you had an office job closer to downtown Miami?”
“I do, did. I was a toy designer for Tattooed Toys, Inc.” Rhea sighed. “Disney did a takeover bringing in their own team. They gave us all severance packages and let us go.”
“Sorry for dat.”
Rhea shrugged. “It’s been six months. There is not a lot of demand for toy designers in this area. I’d have had better luck relocating to the north pole where there is higher demand and no Disney.”
“It’s a lot warmer in the Sunshine State.”
“Which is why I’m here and not there. I don’t do cold well.”
The idea of going back to her family with her tail between her legs sucked. The thought of all the ‘told you so’ made her cringe. She did not want to spend her life collecting naughty children. “I can’t afford to move to the north pole even if I wanted to, and I don’t.”
“And you’d rather bartend after working an office job?”
“It’s better than going home or working retail.” She batted her eyes and leaned into the bar. “I may not have dressed for it, but I have done the bartend thing before. Besides. You need help.”
“You’re more likely to start a riot in that dress, than help.” Elliot gave her a faux leer.
Rhea’s shoulders slumped. “I wanted to make a good impression. I need this job.”
“Oh, you made an impression, cher,” Elliot said, his grin growing wider. “A lot of eyes are turned this way.”
Before she could respond, three teens, dressed like gangbangers, swaggered into the bar. Her naughty kid sense swung into high gear. This close it was hard to ignore. She swiveled in her seat focusing on them, flicking her tail like a cat ready to pounce.
“Rhea?” Elliott said drawing her attention back to him. He leaned over the bar eyes pointedly on her flicking tail. “I may be, mostly human, but I come from a long line of wizards and seers. You do know that I can see through your glamor, right?”
“What?”
“You’re a Krampus, so settle down. I’ll handle the kids.”
“I wasn’t going to do anything. It’s just instinct.” Those boys were up to no good. She sensed it. Her nature wouldn’t ignore it, but she did have a choice on what action she took. “It’s been years since I’ve allowed those urges to rule me.” Rhea faced the bar again. “Guess that means I don’t have the job, huh? Can I get a drink?”
“No, you have the job. Just don’t go carrying off my underage clientèle to the Underworld. This is a club. We serve sodas too.” Elliot chuckled, grabbing a glass making her a Peppermint White Russian. “Your favorite.”
“You remembered.”
“I did.” Elliot was watching the boys as they found an isolated table under a special edition poster of Mount Doom signed by the cast of Lord of the Rings.
Rhea watched Elliot. He knew the boys were trouble too. “They are not all human you know?”
“I do know. Can you start work tomorrow at noon?”
“Yes.”
“We have a dress code. Jeans and a handmade ‘Middle-Earth” t-shirt. You can pick your size and color from the selection we have in the back room before you leave.”
“Got it boss.”
STORYTIME QUARTERLY BLOG HOP JANUARY, APRIL, JULY, OCTOBER
I’m a guest at The Write Spot Blog by Marlene Cullen Just Write today. Come check out the excerpt on the post, World Building With Words, and all the other great information on Marlene’s blog. You can check my other post and guest spots here.
About Marlene Cullen
You can find out about ‘freewriting” and other topics for writer’s. Be sure and check out Marlene’s books too. She also has section of writing prompts on her blog to help you get to writing. You can also check out this podcast where Marlene talks about “Writing as a Path to Healing with Guest: Marlene Cullen,”
Story Development & Structure – getting unstruck, building framework to avoid plots holes, and weak story structure.
World Building & Character ARC Development – there is more to world building than just creating elaborate worlds. Learn how to use character development to world build and flesh out conflict.
Short Story – Create shorts stories to use as reader magnets, or promotional tools to promote your bigger work, or submit to contest and magazines.
Plot Consultation (Plot Your Short Stories/Novel) – get the bones of story structure right and start out on the right foot.
World Building for a Series (Create a world you can write in for years) – is your idea big enough to support a series, and how much is too much world building.
Additional Services:
Productive & Accountability – creating proficient writing habits to get the work done and finished.
Scapple-Mind Mapping Finding Your Ideas and developing them – a fun way to brainstorm your ideas and create connections between one idea and another.
Scrivener Word Processing Software-basics to intermediate using this all-in-one project, software for writing—An alternative to Word and Google Docs.
Create Your Story Bible – using Scrivener or Word or Google Docs.
Canva-creating your own social media images and book covers.
Atticus-New formatting software developed by Dave Chesson created of Publisher’s Rocket. He says it is like Vellum and Scrivener got together and had a baby.
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