300 Words or Less: Guest Writer -- Isa Lee Wolf

link to original here

Have you ever heard of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest? I had not, until Isa-Lee Wolf, who’s made it through the first and second rounds to be a current quarter-finalist , graciously volunteered to guest-write today’s 300 Words or Less post.

If you’re interested in the nitty-gritty, perhaps wanting to look into it for next year? Here are the Rules

This is where the contest gets fun, though: the finalist period goes from May 22 to May 30, and involves your votes if she gets that far (and if you love her writing as much as I do). This is true reality TV, or rather… not TV at all, but it’s along the same lines. Reality publishing? Because the winners get a full publishing contract with Penguin to market and distribute their manuscripts as published books.

Nice.

So what I love about her writing voice is that it’s quick of wit and heart, thoughtful, fresh. All those things you need at the end of a long day when you want to put your feet up and smoosh down into a comfy chair. Maybe a mug of something warm nearby. I’m imagining a tattered sweatshirt is somehow involved too.

If you’re interested in checking out her book it’s called, Aunty Ida's Full-ServiceMental Institution (by Invitation Only).

A quick link to the first chapter is here.

And if you are saying, “Alas, I don’t have a Kindle,” like I did? Apparently you can download free Kindle apps for your PC, your phone, etc. That link can be found here.

Meanwhile. Oh yes, the 300 Words or Less post. Here’s a taste of her charm:

link to original here

It’s About Time

You know the kind of day where you get trapped in an endless loop? You start with the best intentions, visualizing a “to-do” list obliterated by strikethroughs, the future shininess of your stove, the smell of laundry folded and put away.

That’s how it starts. 

But first comes coffee, and then a quick check of the internet, and the next thing you know, you’re only going through your Receptacle of Infinite Wonder for a minute, five minutes, tops, and suddenly you don’t know where the time has gone, but it’s not striking through your “to-do” list, that’s for sure.

No real damage done, of course, you do have the Receptacle of Infinite Wonder after all, it must have something to get you the day back, somewhere inside. Ah yes, the flea-market find.

OK, maybe most people don’t get their time manipulators from a flea market, but it was so quaint, mid-century. Bakelite, I think. I couldn’t resist. It was only three dollars.

What’s that phrase, “be careful what you pay for?”

Anyway, I twirled it back, the gears clicking with every twist, figuring I’d be back with my morning ahead of me, unspoiled, unwasted, Infinite Wonder or no.

And that’s what happened. Sort of.

Except, well, you see, the laundry’s all done, all of it, everything I could think to wash. I added to-dos because I’ve crossed them all off, and my stove is so shiny, it could host a disco.

And it’s no later than when I started. I know I wanted to be productive, but there are limits, for goodness sake. If only I could go back to not use the time manipulator in the first place. Yes, perfect. Great idea.

Hey, where’d I put that Receptacle? There has to be something in here …

Thanks again Isa-Lee, and quick reminder -- last call for this writing challenge.

Total pages logged as of today: 183 but visit my Deadline Updates page for more info

Moment of Magic today:

Speaking of relaxing with your feet up...