Sudden Secrets by Lee McKenzie and A Moment With Her Muse

Today, visiting my humble blog, is the lovely, vivacious, and entertaining 

C. Lee McKenzie! Take it away, Lee!

It was a dark and stormy night.

Once upon a time.

She woke from the dream. . .

I stared at my reflection in the mirror. . .

They climbed into the car and began the journey to their new home.

“No! No! No!”

That’s my Muse. He does that a lot while I’m trying to start a new story. You can’t see it, but he’s also stomping around the room with his arm flung across his eyes. So dramatic.

Muse again: “Stop it already!”

Author: “I was just kidding. It’s fun to watch you go all Crazy Monkey on me.”

He slumps into his easy chair and waves a limp hand my direction. “Write or something.”

So easy for him to say, but he’s already dozing, so I’ve got no one to bounce ideas off of. No one to read my brilliant first lines.

Author leans in and whispers: “How about you? Will you read some? Please?”

Readers agree with hearty nods:

Author: So here’s the young adult story I’m working on. What I need to know is which beginning gets your thumbs up and which one’s lame. Remember DRAFT when you comment. Remember author sensitivity issues.

Author glances at Muse, then hooks her thumb his direction: “Don’t be like him.”

1)      The sound annoyed her. It was a rasp that pulsed in time to her heart, but it was outside of her and lurked somewhere nearby, somewhere she couldn’t see. She sniffed the air, and it had a bitter tang, like medicine.

2)    The smallest sound came from her lips. It wasn’t a sigh. It wasn’t a gasp. It was only a whispered, “Oh.” And why it came she didn’t understand. Oh should bring with it an understanding, a sudden realization, but she had neither. All she had was this darkness and a huge lump of fear lodged in her throat. She’d never felt so alone or so disoriented in her life.

Katie Starrett, she said to herself, open your stupid eyes and find out where you are.

So them’s the choices so far. And before that Muse wakes up for his coffee break, I hope you’ll let me know which you prefer or if I should just dump them and start again.

Thanks for letting me visit. Lovely place you’ve got here, Bish.

Thanks, Lee! I like the first one. Which opening do you like? While you're here, take a look at Lee latest.

KINDLE PRINT EVERNIGHT TEEN

one Secret

Cleo has struggled to heal after her baby sister’s death, but the flashbacks to the accident won’t go away. With the move, she vows to keep her tragedy a secret and avoid pitying looks.

one Mystery

Something’s strange about the abandoned house across the street—flashes of light late at night and small flickers of movement that only someone looking for them would see. 

Everyone says the house is deserted, but Cleo is sure it isn’t, and she’s sure whoever is inside is watching her.

another Secret

In one night, Belleza’s life changes forever. So famous, her only choice is to hide her secret from the world so she can silence small town bigotry. 

Then Cleo happens.

YOU CAN FIND C. LEE ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK OR VISIT HER WEBSITE. SHE BLOGS AT THE WRITE GAME. See all of her book titles HERE.