Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.
• Read the writing prompt below, • Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind, • DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!
The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.
Today I am writing in the voice of Stella, one of the characters in the novel I am currently outlining. I’m not sure if this will be a selection in the novel, or just part of my character development journal.
Today’s writing prompt:
When was the last time you got lost?
I get lost a lot. Not physically, that would be impossible seeing as I live in a ten-foot by ten-foot room and am followed by armed guards whenever I’m allowed out. No, I get lost mentally. I’ve found myself in a home in the suburbs, on the edge of a cliff, and sailing in the middle of the vast ocean with no land in sight.
A mind is a beautiful thing, but it can also be a very scary place when your whole life is spent exploring the thoughts of others. What I wouldn’t give to just be home. To be safe, surrounded by my family, and loved instead of valued.
Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!
Today is the Eleventh Edition of #WritingWednesday!!!
Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.
• Read the writing prompt below, • Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind, • DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!
The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.
Today I am writing in the voice of Sophie, one of the characters in my upcoming novel The Beast Within (This is not a selection from the novel, but part of my character development journal.)
Today’s writing prompt:
What stupid question have you heard someone ask (or asked yourself)?
Will you marry me? He was my college sweetheart…my high school sweetheart really. We had been together, off and on, for eight years. He hadn’t asked me, so I did it. I said those four little words and changed my life forever.
Will you marry me? He said yes and two months later, we eloped. My mother was devastated. I’m not really sure his mom even cared, they didn’t have the best of relationships. That probably should have been my first clue.
Will you marry me? It was like I had flipped a switch, turned the lights out, released the beast. That’s what he was, a beast…a brut…a monster. He didn’t hurt me, not physically. Mental abuse is different. You can’t see the effects, not on the surface, but they’re there. They might be deep down. You might be able to hide them from the rest of the world, but they are there. You feel them in your gut. You see them staring back at you every time you look in the mirror. You can’t erase them, not with a bath or even a hot shower. Putting on a new dress can’t make you feel pretty, not when the one person who is supposed to love you has drilled into your very soul that you are nothing.
Will you marry me? I wish he had just said no. I wish he had chosen someone else. I wish he had loved me just a little… loved me enough to leave me.
Will you marry me? It was the stupidest question I could have ever asked.
Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!
What stupid question have you heard someone ask (or asked yourself)?
Today is the Tenth Edition of #WritingWednesday!!!
Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.
• Read the writing prompt below, • Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind, • DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!
The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.
Today I am writing in the voice of Austin, one of the characters in my upcoming novel The Beast Within (This is not a selection from the novel, but part of my character development journal.)
Today’s writing prompt:
Were you born to shine in one special way? What makes you really stand out?
Special, what does that even mean? Sure, I’m special. Or maybe a better word would be different. When I was a kid, I was just like everyone else. I loved baseball and riding my bike and fishing with my dad. I had sleepovers at my friends’ houses and loved late nights watching movies and eating pizza and popcorn.
Then, I grew up, fast. I turned ten and my whole world seemed to change. My dad said I was given a gift, but it didn’t seem like a gift. I don’t have super human powers, well maybe a few, but it’s not what you’re probably thinking. I’m not Superman, Spiderman, or even The Flash. I’d like that though, to be The Flash. I think, if I had his power of speed, I’d run so fast and so far, that I could just escape. Escape all the problems…all the pain…escape life.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to die. I just want to be normal. That’s why I do what I do. I became a doctor to find a cure, but its hard when you have to do it all on your own. When you can’t tell anyone what you’re doing or even what you are.
I don’t shine, I’m not special, and what makes me stand out is the one thing I want to change about myself.
Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!
Were you born to shine in one special way? What makes you really stand out?
Today is the Ninth edition of #WritingWednesday!!!
Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.
• Read the writing prompt below, • Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind, • DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!
The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.
Today I am writing in the voice of Dean, one of the characters in my upcoming novel The Beast Within (This is not a selection from the novel, but part of my character development journal.)
Today’s writing prompt:
What do you look forward to every week?
What do I look forward to every week? I don’t know. A drink? Dude, I drink, so what. My job is stressful and life sometimes sucks. So, I get drunk and I get stupid, but it’s all in good fun. Honestly, it isn’t the feeling of being drunk that I look forward to, it’s the friendships I’ve developed over beers. The camaraderie. I don’t even always get drunk. I can control it. It doesn’t affect my life. It doesn’t affect my job. Ok, well, maybe. Maybe it’s effected my job, a little. I mean, sure, I’ve shown up late a few times because I’ve had one to many the night before. I’ve maybe called in sick a handful of times because of a hangover, but who hasn’t? I’m not an alcoholic.
Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!
AMAZON DESCRIPTION: A comedy for a cast of 3 men, 2 women, 1 boy. This is the love story of Ethel and Norman Thayer, who are returning to their summer home on Golden Pond for the forty-eighth year. He is a retired professor, nearing eighty, with heart palpitations and a failing memory-but still as tart-tongued, observant and eager for life as ever. Ethel, ten years younger, and the perfect foil for Norman, delights in all the small things that have enriched and continue to enrich their long life together. They are visited by their divorced, middle-aged daughter and her dentist fiancé, who then go off to Europe, leaving his teenage son behind for the summer. The boy quickly becomes the “grandchild” the elderly couple have longed for, and as Norman revels in taking his ward fishing and thrusting good books at him, he also learns some lessons about modern teenage awareness-and slang-in return. In the end, as the summer wanes, so does their brief idyll, and in the final, deeply moving moments of the play, Norman and Ethel are brought even closer together by the incidence of a mild heart attack. Time, they know, is now against them, but the years have been good and, perhaps, another summer on Golden Pond still awaits.
Buy the movie HERE! MY 2 CENTS: On Golden Pond is a classic. The way that Thompson brings these characters to live is simply beautiful. It’s about life, relationships, and the heart.
I love when an author like Thompson can take a simple story, a retired couple spending the summer at their lake house, and turn it into so much more. By the end of the script, you’re emotionally attached to the characters, you care what happens to them, and you long to learn more about them.
The father/daughter relationship between Norman and Chelsea is heartbreaking. In just the few scenes in which they are together, it is obvious how much they love each other… how much they want to be close… and yet, they aren’t. It isn’t until Chelsea brings Billy, her boyfriend’s son, to visit her parents that Norman finally bonds with a child. It’s just said that it wasn’t his own child.
The husband/wife relationship between Norman and Ethel is exactly what I believe my grandparents had. They lived a similar life and were not only each other’s best friends, but they were soul mates. They were perfect together in every way. I believe that Thompson wrote their relationship to be perfect… almost to perfect, but not unbelievable in any way.
As an actress, reading this script has just added two characters to my list of dream roles I’d love to play. If I ever get the chance, in the next few years to audition for Chelsea, I will not let it pass me by, and of course… Ethel would be a dream role when I get older.
As a director, I have to be honest… I think it would be hard knowing how emotionally connected I am with the characters. I think I’d want to be on stage too much to do justice as a director.
APPEARANCE: Plain green cover with black text… Typical Dramatists Play Service cover. I feel like the plain cover allows the reader to use their imagination when envisioning the characters.
MY FAVORITE QUOTES: “Sometimes you have to look hard at a person and remember he’s doing the best he can. He’s just trying to find his way, just like you.”
“Well, that’s what happens if you live long enough: You end up being old. it’s one of the disadvantages of a long life. I still prefer it to the alternative.”
Check out my YouTube channel and the video review below… and make sure you hit subscribe so you never miss a video.
STORYLINE: The loons are back again on Golden Pond and so are Norman Thayer, a retired professor, and Ethel who have had a summer cottage there since early in their marriage. This summer their daughter Chelsea — whom they haven’t seen for years — feels she must be there for Norman’s birthday. She and her fiancé are on their way to Europe the next day but will be back in a couple of weeks to pick up the fiancé’s son. When she returns Chelsea is married and her stepson has the relationship with her father that she always wanted. Will father and daughter be able to communicate at last? (IMDB.COM)
Today is the Eighth edition of #WritingWednesday!!!
Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.
• Read the writing prompt below, • Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind, • DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!
The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.
Today I am writing in the voice of Kim, one of the characters in my upcoming novel The Beast Within (This is not a selection from the novel, but part of my character development journal.)
Today’s writing prompt:
Complete this thought: “I wish I had paid more attention when…”
I’m stubborn, like my grandfather. It’s in our blood. I’m also trouble, at least that’s what he always used to say, “…more trouble than all my money.” Looking back, I don’t really think he had all that much money. He didn’t need it, not for happiness. He had love and joy and peace of mind. He had everything he ever wanted.
When I was twenty, I packed up all my belongings into the trunk and back seat of my car and headed West. I didn’t really have a plan, just a destination; the ocean. My love of fashion was going to be the path that led me to greatness, even if all my friends thought I was crazy. I could see it, just as clearly as the morning sun. I made it happen too. I started my own line of clothing – Kimmy Designs – and even opened my own shop.
There were hard times. I was alone, a lot. Not having family or friends in a big city can be hard, but I survived. Eventually I established a pretty good life. I loved my work, had a great apartment, made a few friends. I was healthy…happy. However, there was always something missing. That little piece of happiness that only comes with knowing you haven’t sacrificed yourself to find your place in the world. I think that was what my grandfather had tried to teach me. He wanted me to know that things and money don’t matter, it’s the people you surround yourself with that make all the difference in the world.
I wish I had paid more attention when I was younger, when my grandfather sat me on his lap to tell me stories. I have a feeling, they contained the secrets of the universe.
Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!
Complete this thought: “I wish I had paid more attention when…”
Today’s #MindfulnessMonday Tip:Meditation is an easy way to start your mindfulness lifestyle, but it takes consistency. So, check out these 6 steps to help you turn meditation into a habit: (1) Choose a time span… (2) Schedule it… (3) Practice… (4) Track your success… (5) Don’t go it alone… (6) Give yourself a break… Want to learn the details of each of these steps? Check out today’s #MindfulnessMonday video HERE!
With that little piece of advice, I give you today’s Mindfulness Exercise:
Breathing Meditation Exercise
Throughout the day, the majority of your minds wandering take you either into the future or back to the past. Accordingly, it is in these mental spaces where you spend most of your life. Because of this, you often miss much of what is going on around you… You aren’t present in the moment, not fully. Your breath, on the other hand, can never be in the future or the past, it is always right here, in the present moment – keeping you grounded to the here and now.
By simply sitting quietly with your eyes closed and focusing on your breathing as the air flows in and out of your body, you are instantly drawn back to the present moment. When you find your mind wandering to other things (dinner, shopping, work, kids, etc.) invite your mind back to the present… back to the breath. Through this type of breathing meditation practice you become more grounded in the moment, allowing for increased focus, improved health, and a heightened sense of peace and joy.
Mindfulness Journaling Prompt:Where does your mind wander when you try to meditate? What things do you find yourself thinking about when you should be thinking about your breath and your body?
This type of mindfulness journaling can be very private. However, if you are willing to share your thoughts with me and my readers, I would love to invite you to comment below and let me know how this exercise affected you and what you learned about yourself through the meditation.
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Check out my #MindfulnessMonday YouTube Series and don’t forget to click subscribe so you never miss an episode!
*I’m certified in Holistic Stress Management and Mind/Body Fitness. I’ve been practicing Mindfulness for 10+ years and am passionate about helping others in their pursuit of a more mindful existence.
Today is the Seventh edition of #WritingWednesday!!!
Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.
• Read the writing prompt below, • Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind, • DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!
The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.
Today I am writing in the voice of Austin, the main character in my upcoming novel The Beast Within (This is not a selection from the novel, but part of my character development journal.)
Today’s writing prompt:
Do you prefer taking risks or having a safety net?
I take risks every day, I’m a doctor. However, I don’t really think that is the type of risk your asking about. Risks verses a safety net? That’s a tough question to answer. I think that deep down, I’d rather have a safety net, it’s what my dad taught me. Follow the rules and you’ll be safe, he used to say. The problem is that it isn’t always easy to follow the rules. Not when the rules, or laws, say not to kill.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to hurt people. I’d rather live a quiet life where no one has to get hurt. But, when survival is on the line, its hard not to do anything and everything it takes. That means, some people will have to die. I can try to minimize the body count, but in the end, there will still be a body count. There is always risk when it comes to life or death situations. The bigger the safety net, I can create for myself, the better.
Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!
Do you prefer taking risks or having a safety net?
I am very excited to welcome Audrey N Lewis, author of Everybody has a story… These are ours to my blog. If you have questions for Audrey, that aren’t covered in the interview, please comment below and she will be sure to get you the answers.
Let’s start by finding out a little bit about you…
What is your name and do you write under a pen name? My name is Audrey Lewis and I am very comfortable putting my own name on anything I write or create.
Where do you call home? I live in a Northern Chicago suburb, but any where I am with family or at one with nature is where I call home.
Obviously, we know you are an author, but some writers have other jobs as well. Do you have another occupation? Do you believe you’re any good at it? Do you like what you do? Besides writing, I refurnish and repurpose furniture with my family and I love doing it, I also am an artist/creator and while not perfect really do like what I do.
What is your family like? I have been married for 42 years and have 2 adult children whom I remain very close to.
If it doesn’t bother you, can you let us know what your childhood home looked like? I lived in a red-brick house that was always kept clean and I hated to get anything dirty or out-of-place.
Do you have any hobbies, other than writing? What do you enjoy doing? I am a collector, I find interesting and lonely pieces of furniture and or art and repurpose them. It’s a great feeling when I find pieces that call out to me to save them. I like photography and building fairy houses and creating.
What is your greatest dream? This is a very difficult question. If I am talking about writing it would be that my written words are read and that good discussion might arise. My global dream is rather trite. It would be for a world without hate.
What kind of person do you wish you could be? What is stopping you? I think that I am the kind of person I want to be, kind, sympathetic, compassionate and generous.
What is the most terrible thing that ever happened to you? Discovering the darkest sides of people I love.
What or who inspired you to start writing? And how long have you been writing? I have been writing since I was 4 so it is a difficult question to answer.
What is your greatest fear? Losing the people I love.
Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hard-covers or audio-books? I personally like paperbacks or hard-cover there is nothing better than the feel of turning a page.
Have you ever read a book more than once? Many but the first one I can remember reading more than once was A Wrinkle in Time.
Have you ever read a book just based on its cover? Probably at one point or another, but can’t remember what it might have been.
What is your favorite film based on a book? To Kill A Mockingbird.
What is your favorite book genre at the moment? General fiction
What book are you reading at the moment? My grandmother asked me to tell you she’s sorry. And in what format? Paperback
Let’s shift somewhat and talk about your latest story.
What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or fewer words, what would you say? My most recent book is a collection of short stories, “Everybody has a story… These are ours” that are full of everyday events with complex emotional issues that will have you questioning yourself.
Is the above book part of a series? It is not part of a series, however I am expanding the first story, “The Closet” and will see where it goes.
How did you come up with the cover? Who designed the cover of your book(s)? Creative Designs did the final book design using a photograph I had taken years ago that I felt was the title itself.
How did you come up with the title for your book(s)? It came to me, after all it was everybody’s story.
What first gave you the idea for your latest book? They were stories that followed me over the years, as if they needed a voice and I was chosen to give it to them.
Let’s talk now about your writing process.
What is your writing style like? That is a difficult question, since it seems to change a bit with everything I write. I have just completed my first novella, a contemporary fiction “The Tapestry” and am working on a fantasy fiction as well as a literary fiction. Doing so many different styles at once somehow seems to keep me sane.
Have you come across any specific challenges in writing or publishing? I would make sure that I ALWAYS back up my writing!
Are you a self-published/Indie author or did you publish through a traditional publishing company? I am a self-published / Indie author.
If you’re a self-published/Indie author what made you go that route instead of the traditional publishing route? I think the fear of not completing a project helped make that decision for me.
Today is the fourth edition of #WritingWednesday!!!
Remember, #WritingWednesday is an EASY, STRESS-FREE, weekly writing challenge.
• Read the writing prompt below, • Spend 5 minutes writing (in your own voice or the voice of a character you’re writing) whatever comes to mind, • DON’T EDIT what you write! IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!
The goal is 5 minutes of creativity.
Today I am writing in the voice of Kim, a character in my upcoming novel The Beast Within (This is not a selection from the novel, but part of my character development journal.)
Today’s writing prompt:
Come up with a mathematical formula to express something you know/believe. (Example: Relaxing Saturday evening + Movie + Popcorn = Happiness)
I’m a hard worker, for the most part. I moved cross-country, on my own, at just seventeen. I’ve known what I want to do with my life since I was thirteen. Fashion isn’t an easy business to break into, but I did it. I have my own clothing line, my own boutique, and my spring line flew off the racks last season. Honestly, success is all about hard work, dedication, and a positive attitude.
Hard Work + Dedication + Positive Attitude = Success
Sure, things haven’t always been easy. In fact, lately they’ve been harder than normal. Trisha up a quit on me after that girl was found dead down the street, so now I’m training a new girl, Sophie. She seems nice though. She’s definitely a hard worker, but most days it seems like she’s daydreaming about other things. She’s from somewhere down south, Georgia or Alabama… some place like that. I don’t think she’ll last very long. If she does, I’ll be surprised. Don’t get me wrong, I like her. I do. I think we could actually turn out to be friends, but she’s kind of jumpy, she scares to easily.
Alright, now it’s your turn. I’d love to see what today’s writing prompt inspires in you. So, if you are willing, go to the comment section below and start typing. Take 5 minutes and let’s see what you come up with!
Come up with a mathematical formula to express something you know/believe. (Example: Relaxing Saturday evening + Movie + Popcorn = Happiness)
Are you working on a manuscript, but need a little help getting organized? Check out SO YOU WANT TO WRITE A BOOK ~ An Indie Author Guide to Outlining and Planning Your Next Novel
Are you working on a manuscript, but need a little help getting organized? Check out 
Would you like to take the 52-week challenge and experience a more mindful existence? Check out 
