Trifextra Challenge

Apparently, my last post for the Trifecta challenge didn't link up correctly to their sit. Nobody got to read that piece, unfortunately, which is why I'm linking to it here. I was really proud of it regardless. Now, for the weekend they've posted an extra challenge: 

This weekend we're asking for exactly 33 of your own words inspired by the following quote from the book you could win in the WBN giveaway. Good luck!

“It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” ― Paulo Coelho, Alchemist

 Here's my submission:

The tuft of red hair

Those blue eyes

Pure, innocent, fragile

His head lying on my chest

This dream can no longer be

Replaced by curls and curiousity

A different dream come true

 

**************************

I no longer write as much poetry as I use to, so I feel a little rusty in the format. Please bare with me. 

I think I should explain this one a  little. On April 5th, 2010, my son passed away. After he passed, I had this really intense dream about him. He was no longer surrounded by monitors and wires and I was just holding him and happy. I'd give anything to have the dream come true just one last time. Instead, a much different dream came true. I got to have my daughter and she has been thankfully healthy and happy. She's a curly haired spit fire and in her I find a joy I never knew could exist. I had to let go of one dream to feel the freedom to live another. 

My son's birthday is April 15th. He would've been five. I'd be honored if you wonderful Trifectans would check out George Mark House and at the very least become informed about what they do. Very few people in the United States understand the important of pediatric hospice and palliative care. I'd be honored if you made a donation in my son's honor, but honestly the more people that know about George Mark House and what they do, the better. 

Thanks for reading.  

Trifecta Challenge: Alchemy

Every night at dusk she died. It was her curse. Every night he worked diligently over her, capturing her death poses into a plaster mold that hardened around her as she died. Capturing the moment of her death over and over again has his curse.

The process was tedious for both of them but it was something they had to do every day without fail. They started a few hours before sundown, to account for his arthritic hands and old age. He would lay the plaster strips at her feet and she would try dutifully not to move during her death throws so as not to ruin the mold hardening at her feet. He would work tirelessly placing the plaster heavy strips upon her body, trying to lovingly capture the moment of her death as best he could.

He would watch her take her last breath precisely at dusk, encasing her face at the last exhale. He’d patiently watch over her body as the mold hardened, and then, a few minutes before dawn, he worked feverishly to remove it in one piece. He watched in anticipation as a strange alchemy overtook her and breath once again entered her body. Once she returned to the land of the living, he trudged to his room and slept. He’d wake up wary to see her as beautiful and young as the day she’d been cursed. They’d have a late lunch and talk and his worries would melt away. Then he’d scurry to his studio to prepare the night’s plaster with his assistant. She’d arrive shortly and they’d start the process again. One night things were different

“Your assistant should help you with this Antonio,” she’d say warily.

“He would never understand what it is we are doing here.” he shook his head.

“He understands more than you think. We need him to carry on your work.”

“This won’t stop will it?” He blinked.

“It can’t.” She shook, admitting a truth he’d denied for years.

**************

I wracked my brain for this week's Trifecta challenge. When they don't come easy to me, I just skip the challenges, which is not the point, I know. Several ideas came to me and I dismissed them as being too plain, but this one came to me as I was falling asleep and I found the whole idea intriguing, so there you go.  This week's challenge was Alchemy:

ALCHEMY (noun)

1

: a medieval chemical science and speculative philosophy aiming to achieve the transmutation of the base metals into gold, the discovery of a universal cure for disease, and the discovery of a means of indefinitely prolonging life

2

: a power or process of transforming something common into something special

3

: an inexplicable or mysterious transmuting

Trifecta Challenge: Time

It's been awhile since I've written for the Trifecta Challenge, mainly because life keeps getting in the way, but I finally decided to throw something together. It's kind of morbid  but these challenges, for whatever reason, take me there as a writer. Each word for the challenge somehow forces me to explore something deep within me.  This week's challenge:

TIME (noun)

1a : the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues : duration
 b : a nonspatial continuum that is measured in terms of events which succeed one another from past through present to future
 c : leisure
2: the point or period when something occurs : occasion
3a : an appointed, fixed, or customary moment or hour for something to happen, begin, or end
b : an opportune or suitable moment —often used in the phrase about time

Please remember:

• Your response must be between 33 and 333 words. 
• You must use the 3rd definition of the given word in your post. 
• The word itself needs to be included in your response. 
• You may not use a variation of the word; it needs to be exactly as stated above. 
• Only one entry per writer. 
• If your post doesn't meet our requirements, please leave your link in the comments section, not in the linkz.
• Trifecta is open to everyone. Please join us.

Here's my entry. Enjoy.

*******************

She hadn’t moved from her chair for three hours. She had hugged many a visitor, talked to all of those gathered, all without moving from her seat. She just sat there holding his hand. Her back ached and her hands were numb with cold, frozen to the core, but she refused to heed the pain and let go. She needed to be touching him, holding him for every second she could possibly get.

Most of the people who had gathered had left some time ago. A fierce and loyal few stayed behind. She knew what was coming and began to cling more fiercely to the tiny cold hand that she was clasping. Finally, she heard the thing she’d been dreading.

“Mrs. Shankford, it’s time,” a polite voice said from behind her. She looked up and nodded. A very real, very furious battle raged within her. The rational side of her knew she’d have to let go, to finally say goodbye. But another part of her screamed that she needed to stay, that she could not let that hand go. The room was silent and watchful. Finally, she came to a compromise. She got up from the seat, but continued to hold his hand.

“If it’s ok, I’d like to walk him out, holding his hand.”

The woman nodded as the eyes continued to stare. His small frame was transferred from the viewing bed onto a gurney as she continued to hold his hand. The process wasn’t easy, but nothing in the intervening days leading up to his viewing had been, so she just gritted her teeth and bared it. The gurney steadily made its way to hearse and the internal battle raged again. There wasn’t enough time with him. She needed more. The hearse door creaked open and a deluge of tears streamed down her cheeks. Finally, she opened her numb hands and let go. She never took her eyes off his body until the door closed.

Interview with Robert Pruneda

After reading Rob Pruneda's Pursuit of a Dream, I asked the author nicely if he'd allow me to briefly interview him. He was more than willing to answer my questions and had some insightful and wonderful answers, about his book, the state of publishing in general, and,  most importantly, who his favorite Goonie is. These are important questions people! Take a second to read  his interview and then take a couple more to check out his blog, or buy his books! Thanks for doing this Rob!

Question 1: Settle an internal debate for me. As an author who is trying to get published, or self-publish, I'm currently in a battle with myself about what to do. Weigh in on the debate: Try to get published or self-publish, which side do you come down on? (Oooooh, I just got all controversial!)

This is a debate that will likely go on for light years to come. When you make the decision to write your first novel it’s inevitable to hit that fork in the road with one sign reading “Traditional Publishing” and the other reading “Self-Publishing”. I think making the decision as to which road to take is dependent on the writer’s goals and personal preferences. For me, I decided to self-publish both novels that are currently available. I published my first novel Pursuit of a Dream as more of a challenge to myself to complete a personal goal of publishing a novel. It’s a novel that I have given royalties away to charity and now give away for free on a few platforms for readers to get a glimpse of my style of writing, particularly the dialogue, which many readers have stated as my strong point.

There are a few reasons why I decided to stick with self-publishing when I wrote my second novel (and first horror) Devil’s Nightmare. First of all, I like being able to have complete control of the publishing process. I like the idea of being able to set my own prices, write from my heart, and be involved in every stage of the publishing process. Now, one misconception about self-publishing is that you are all alone in the process. The smart thing to do is get as many other people involved in the process as you can. So, self-publishing is still a team effort. You, the author, are responsible for telling the story, but you have many options out there to assist you in fine-tuning your work of art. You have alpha and beta readers, proofreaders, editors, formatting specialists, cover artists, and marketing assistance if you choose to go that route. You have the choice to put as little or as much money into publishing your novel as you choose. You also don’t need to spend a fortune on any of it. Many of it can be done at little or no cost to you.

There are pros and cons of both self-publishing and traditional publishing, but those battles have been fought all over the web, so I won’t try to weigh them out here. I can only provide my personal preference and my reasons for choosing to go the indie route. It is a lot of work. That’s the most important thing I must point out if you decide to self-publish your work. I actually enjoy the lengthy and challenging process of getting my novels published independently. When I hold that physical copy of the novel I wrote in my hand it is a very rewarding experience because of all of the hard work I put into it, even more so than royalties; although, royalties are definitely a nice perk that comes along with publishing when I manage to sell a few copies.

At this point I have no reason to seek traditional publishing, but if the right opportunity surfaced, then I would be open to traveling down that road. 

Question 2: Did you have a favorite character to write/read when you’re rereading/reviewing Pursuit of a Dream? I haven't read Devil's Nightmare yet, but did you have a favorite character you liked writing/reading more than others? And if so why? In terms of Pursuit of a Dream, I especially enjoyed reading about Brian, and was wondering if you had the same reaction, or if you were drawn to other characters instead.

I think Caleb Lockhardt was my favorite character to write. He resonates with me because his dream of becoming a professional stock car driver against all odds is something that I believe many people can relate to, myself included. As an author, my ultimate dream is to be able to write full-time for a living, so writing about Caleb’s pursuit of his own dream is almost like writing about me in a sense. Caleb is a fictional character, of course, and he has his own unique traits and story, but there is definitely a bit of me in him, which is why I enjoy writing Caleb’s character the most.

Brian Pirelli is a character that originally wasn’t going to have much of a role in the story, but as the story evolved, Caleb’s childhood friend began to grow on me and I felt he also had a story to tell. It’s one reason that by the end of Pursuit of a Dream he has a more significant role in Caleb’s story. I’m glad you enjoyed Brian’s character as he will have more “screen time” in Book 2 of Victory Lane: The Chronicles. Oh, and by the way, Brian’s stepfather Tony makes a cameo appearance in Devil’s Nightmare, which I think you may appreciate.

Question 3: This is important! You will be graded! What is your favorite character in the movie The Goonies and why? What that character choice says alot about you as a person and I WILL judge you accordingly. (For example, if Mouth is your favorite character, I'm not sure we can be friends.)

That’s a no brainer for me. Sloth! Hey you guys!!! Why? As a kid, I just thought he was cool. I also loved how he finally stood up for himself at the end of the movie and became a hero. For some reason I feel like eating a Baby Ruth candy bar now.

Oh, and I think Data is a very close second favorite, only because I’m a natural geek. J 

Question 4: Let's talk about charities for a second. I know we're both very intent on giving back to charities and organizations that make a difference. My favorite is George Mark House. If you'd like, take a second to talk about a charity or organization that you support or you'd like to mention and why its important to you.

There are two charities that are most important to me. First is the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and the other is St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The ASPCA has done so much for abused and neglected animals throughout the United States and also steps in during natural disasters to help reunite pets with their owners. Super Storm Sandy is a prime example of how integral the ASPCA was to rescuing so many animals. Every time I see a video of a family reunited with their pet, it literally puts tears in my eyes because I know I played a small part in that with my Guardian ASPCA membership. Two of my dogs are rescues and have been the absolute best pets I have ever owned. No disrespect to my other pets, of course. J

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is another one of my favorite charities because of what they do for kids who have been diagnosed with cancer. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital doesn’t turn families away because of their inability to pay for treatment and I believe one day that this hospital will find a cure for cancer. Cancer is something that many of us have had to deal with in one way or another and it’s a very difficult thing to go through. So, every little bit of dollars that we can contribute to organizations like St. Jude and George Mark House makes a big difference for the kids in need of treatment.

Closing statement:

Tylia thank you so much for inviting me to chat with you on your site. I had a great time answering your interview question and hope I didn’t scare away too many readers with my Goonies answer. J 

[Ed. Note: You certainly didn't turn me away with your Goonies answer. In fact, I think I like you more now. My favorite is Chunk partly because of the Truffle Shuffle but mostly because of the friendship he forges with Sloth at the end makes him so endearing. You can be the Sloth to my Chunk anytime. Ok, that came out weird, but you know what I mean.]

About the author:

Robert “Sharky” Pruneda is a horror fiction and contemporary author of Devil’s Nightmare and Pursuit of a Dream. He lives in south Texas and has called the Lone Star State his home all of his life. He has worked in a myriad of industries ranging from banking to the travel industry, and most recently as an obituaries coordinator for his local newspaper. He now operates a small business administrative support service from home and continues to focus on his love of writing fiction full-time. Pruneda is very active in social media, especially Twitter, and is also an avid gamer and can often be found hanging out with his friends on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.

Subscribe to Robert Pruneda’s author website and blog at http://SharkbaitWrites.com

Find his books:  
Pursuit of a Dream (Victory Lane: The Chronicles): bit.ly/PursuitofaDream
Devil's Nightmare: bit.ly/DevilsNightmare 

Social media links:

Twitter

Facebook Author Page

Goodreads

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