Our Aspiring Writers League (O.A.W.L)

[MBRShorse]

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (my fav! Though some find it tough to read)

The Thirteeth Tale by Diane Setterfield, I do believe. (Incredibe, mind-blowing book!)

If you haven't read them yet, Water For Elephants and The Help (different authors...don't feel like looking them up.)

A Foreign Affair by Caro Peacock

[Crabbiey]

Username:
Crabbiey

What will we call you:
Crabbiey

What are your goals as an author?
-To get my book finished before going to Uni.
-To get my book published.
-To get all my other ideas into books!

Can you give us a sample of your writing?
(The character is a utahraptor)

My eyes widened as I skidded to a halt, my claws scrabbling for grip and tail flaying out behind me in a side-to-side whiplash action as I brought my head up to let out a screech of despair only to have it suffocated by the titanic roar of the megalosaurus as she leered at me with my brother in her jaws. It had happened so quickly I hadn’t been able to even push him aside and take the blow myself. We’d just been running from her when that monster had sprung from the side like a charging pachycephalosaurus and snapped him up in her saliva-drenched maw. He’d barely squawked when his spine was severed along with the light in his eyes.
I had no chance to even cry his name when she rounded on me, her eyes feral and full of bloodlust and hunger, that feature I myself am all too familiar with. It is, after all, what comes from living in a pack. Dropping my kin like he was nothing more than a slab of flesh, in a sense he was, to lie in a broken heap atop his blood that has been dripping upon the floor, accumulating into a morbid puddle, from the gashes that adorned his neck, virtually torn from his body at the stump and clinging by a single thread of muscle and skin. She let out another of her ear-shattering vocal blows before her hind paws came down, the dirt flying as she took flight – and came after me.
Turning tail, I didn’t waste a second and immediately began my snake-like weaving as my body bent and fell close to the floor so as to better the resistance posed by the air, in an attempt to sway her, or at least cause her canines to evade my soft body all together. The ground shook with her footsteps and the air reverberated with her roar, she didn’t have to exactly push herself to the limit to keep up with me. Her hot breath of decay burnt my back, but not as much as my throat screamed from the rasping air running up and down my throat like a rock that refused to budge out of my esophagus and into my mouth. I’d remember that all too well, snatching up a lizard and some stones by mistake.
My powerful and feather-lined legs were pumping away as my heart pounded and I felt for sure that it would burst from my chest as I dived deeper into the woods. Soon the trees would grow far too dense for my pursuer’s liking as of now I was churning up the forest floor for my life. The soft earth littered with pine needles that add a slight boost to my step was flung in all directions.
SNAP! I jumped, my breath catching in my throat and it several long seconds before I could swallow it, my eyes catching sight of the nerve-wracking observation inches from my body. That jaw of browns and leaf mush was inches from my own, if I’d decided to lean in that direction...
Best not to even let that thought meander forward, soon the snaps were reaching to my lefts and rights and I knew that any second I would make a mistake and be lunch. Curving round in such a sudden and violent maneuver I momentarily was caught by the hope that she’d lost her balance and toppled. Once down, those cumbersome eating machines could never stand again.
My threat had other ideas and my feelings of elation were quickly dashed like the soil beneath my paws – the water saturating the forest floor was compressed and thrown up to kiss my hind paws, no comfort was reached from the cool caress as my feet were glowing with the sensation of hot blood pummelling through them – as yet more roars met my ears. Only this time words of a blood-curdling nature rippled them and succeeded in causing me to power on faster.
“Why bother running little raptor, you’ll tire soon enough. Why not just lie down?”
Ha! No way was I about to do that! Besides, if anyone was going to lie down it was this mountain of muscle towering behind who had commenced her jaw-lunging at me once again. Whilst she was threatening in appearance I knew time would take its toll, she just wasn’t designed for long-distance sprees and I was. My bones were lighter and I almost certainly had no requirement to lay out in the sun like the snakes and lizards – this carnivore on my tail however had to. Eat and sleep, that’s all they ever seemed to do. Don’t ask me why, but for some reason we can hunt at night but most of the dinosaurs can’t even open an eye. It’s almost as if it’s too cold for them.
Darting aggravatingly again to the left I narrowly dodged a plunge at my thigh, so close I could feel her rough skin grate my own. Just where was I going? She was driving me out into the open! I could do nothing but carry on, my legs so full of muscle and supported by extraordinarily light bones weren’t even singing songs of pain.
Neither did I make the fatal mistake of taking that tempting peak over my shoulder, instead I focused on swooping under a fallen log which was blasted into two jagged sections and splinters seconds later by two massive legs.
Sometimes it really sucks to be both hunter and hunted.
I was gasping and was unable to control the bitter taste rising at the back of my throat, though I couldn’t guarantee that it was bile. Adrenaline was blasting through my body, numbing any pain I felt and blurring my vision to pinpoint it to the area directly ahead of me. The scent of pine, fern and damp earth sought their way into my nostrils, for some reason they were more concentrated than usual, my senses had definitely stepped up a notch or two.
Suddenly I heard water rushing by and I hoped to the moon that it was not just the blood gushing past my ears. Quickly I alternated direction, leaning to avoid what turned out to be a very lethal decision as my chaser had been aiming for that side, and sped off towards the source. A snarl of outrage followed in my wake as she turned and gave chase once again. Normally these gigantic therapods gave up charging after individual small things such as me simply because we’re way more trouble than we’re worth. Only an idiot, a starving or a parental dinosaur would be in earnest to ensure me of my grave. Because she was female it was breeding season I could only guess that she was both ravenous and having to provide for her offspring to keep this up.
Worming past stumps and rocks that were all too eager to reward me with a stumble or even worse, a broken ankle, not that I would have a chance to dwell on that – I’d be torn apart.
To me it took an age, even my senses went into slow motion, before I reached the source of the racing water. I daren’t hesitate for a second even when I saw frothing, swirling waters before me. The darkened rocks peaked through the torrent, glistening with the water that coated and slapped them.
“OH NO YOU DON’T!” came the angered voice behind me when she observed what I was about to do.
“Kiss my tail, rancid-breath!” I taunted as I continued on my suicidal launch and flung myself into the untamed river.
For a moment I hung in the air, I felt a brush of jaw as she took a desperate attempt at me only to fall short. In that time I wondered just what on Earth I was thinking – this was insane, I’d be dashed to pieces on the slimey rocks or drowned by the thundering water! For a moment I thought, and hoped, I’d reach the far bank. If I could I’d be safe, if there’s one thing I can advise it’s that these King of Predators cannot, or do not like, cross fast-flowing bodies of water.
It was far too wide, I wouldn’t make it.
I slammed into the turbulent, white mess and instantly I was pushed under with the force of my impact, the air being blown out of my lungs and the roars from bank were drowned by the new ones around me. The precious oxygen blasted from my mouth and delighting the already hyper waters at this new orifice to explore and victim, it fingers fed into my mouth like one snake swallowing another as they sought out my very soul. Rather than the soothing caress accompanied by a gulp of water it had been kicked out by the scalding that streamed through my throat. How could cold water that felt like ice-coated talons clawing my body be made of lava as well?
My body was torn along, as if vines had ensnared me and were yanking me back. All the time growing tighter and tighter. For a scary moment I was struck that I could be stuck underwater and dragged along by an unseen current, my death would be by drowning and not end on tooth.
No sooner had I been forced under than I broke the surface, my snout soaring upwards as water poured out of my mouth in a desperate cough to fill my lungs with air. Right now I was incapable of breathing.

Are you currently working on any books?
Yes, it's called Different Blood and have been working on it for about a year and nearly two weeks.

Why do you want to join?
To be able to talk to fellow writers and get my work looked at and get opinions on it. I'll also be great to discuss methods and such!

Do you have published books yet?
No, I wish though...

Do you wish to find a "writing partner"?
No

What's your favorite genre to read? Write?
With reading I'll read anything except romance and animal fiction. My favourite genre by far is Supernatural Fantasy, I also like dark books. To write, I'll write anything I think of, I don't care, as long as the idea sounds good to me!

Were you a member of the old thread?
I did submit a form, but I don't think I got accepted as no one posted anything about accepting or declining... It was on Page 25/26, right near the bottom.

[You are a Pirate]

Welcome Crabbiey! I love your writing!

[Lasesi]

@Crabbiey! You're accepted

Welcome to the thread!

[Chef Kitty]

I was kind of skimming, so I have no idea why you guys are listing books... but Flipped by Wendelin (SP) Van Draanen is good. It's really short and easy but probably the most adorable story EVAR.
And because, like Kyle, school makes me read horribly boring books, I can't think of any more since I haven't read a good book since last year. T-T
Literally.

Anyhow, welcome new members and such!

OH and I had an adorkable idea for a funny romance story about 20 minutes ago.

[MBRShorse]

Welcome new members! I am adding you all to the list now!

Just a reminder: There is only a fews days left until the Mascot Contest entries are due, so get to work and send your entries in to me! If I do not have your entry by 11:59pm on February 1st, then you will not be able to compete in the contest. If anyone has any questions, please ask.

Also, my comment corner is up! Yay! And I've added a new feature: Writer of the Week! Basically, I (or someone else) chooses someone to be the writer of the week. This person than gets to have their name displayed on the front page ( in big letters!) with a sample of their writing, maybe even a brief bio (ideas for this art are welcome(d).) Then, next week, a new person gets to be the writer of the week! I thought it would be fun! Although, I might change it to Writer of the Month, but we will see how things go. Like I said, feel free to send me ideas for this new feature.

[Lasesi]

Welcome new members! I am adding you all to the list now!

Just a reminder: There is only a fews days left until the Mascot Contest entries are due, so get to work and send your entries in to me! If I do not have your entry by 11:59pm on February 1st, then you will not be able to compete in the contest. If anyone has any questions, please ask.

Also, my comment corner is up! Yay! And I've added a new feature: Writer of the Week! Basically, I (or someone else) chooses someone to be the writer of the week. This person than gets to have their name displayed on the front page ( in big letters!) with a sample of their writing, maybe even a brief bio (ideas for this art are welcome(d).) Then, next week, a new person gets to be the writer of the week! I thought it would be fun! Although, I might change it to Writer of the Month, but we will see how things go. Like I said, feel free to send me ideas for this new feature.

Hmm, I'm not sure if i'll be entering the comp - i sorta got side-tracked with life X3 but i'd be happy to judge if you need some help? - probably gonna enter the art aspect though X3

I LOVE the idea of writer of the week (perhaps fortnight?) and I actually have a some people to suggest for the first one as i've been reading a lot of peoples work lately Also - i'm up for designing a banner or something for it as well if you want?

Also - could you do me a favor? Any chance you could put that i'm always up for editing and critiquing? It's really helpful for me and the people i help (even though it might take me a while to get around to it) And as a lot of people are looking for critiques, perhaps it will encourage them to start critiquing others work as well?

[*~.Imagination.~*]

My entry is pretty much done; I just need to finish my editing and come up with a good closing! ^.^

[Vur Horston]

Username:
YourDestiny

What will we call you:
Destiny is fine

What are your goals as an author?
-actually finish a book (I have real issues with that)
-be better in describing
-Fix grammar a bit
-publish a book

Can you give us a sample of your writing?

Bringing up my bow, I fingered the three arrows in my hand and looked regretfully at the bundle of arrows on the ground fifteen feet away, behind the insane wolf. Four arrows it would be.
One bite, one scratch, from those teeth and I would be fated to a horrible death. Shot by my own clan as I went crazy and tried to kill them. I would not let that happen. I was going to live and prove to my father I could be of use to the clan. Backing up, I placed my bare feet on the ground, moving noiselessly. I was the most silent hunter in the clan and I needed those skills now.
The wolf shook its head and sprayed foam onto the fallen leaves, speckling them with white. Its walk was erratic and it kept shaking its head as if something were in its ear. Snarling, it crouched down and leapt at me, jaws open wide and foaming fangs reaching for my bare throat.
Rolling aside, I laid on my back and strained to keep the wolf's jaws away from my body as it attacked me, thrusting its head at my face. The bow kept the wolf from reaching my body, but I wondered how long it would be until it snapped under the weight. Knocking aside the wolf with my bow, I hoped the string wouldn't break, for if it did I would not be able to fire arrows.
Scrambling to my feet, I raced away hearing the insane wolf pounding after me. Its heavy breathing sounding loud and close in my ears. I had to keep going. I no longer cared about how much noise I made, cracking sticks under my feet with loud snaps and pushing past branches, snapping them back in the wolf's face roughly. I would have to turn and make a stand soon. I would tire much faster then the wolf and it had the insanity driving it onward.
If I could reach the water I would have a better chance. My breath was coming in heavy gasps as I ran faster then I ever had in my life. Death was hot on my heels and it was getting closer. Most of the clan had stared death in the face many times and had come away with scars. If I got a scar from this it would be from a rock or stick, not a bite.
When I slapped a large branch back in the wolf's face it momentarily slowed, giving me time to turn on my heel and let loose my first arrow at the snarling animal. The arrow went through its right ear and stuck there, giving it a grotesque piercing. Blood seeped from either side of the arrow.
The wolf stopped and rubbed its head against the ground, growling and whimpering as it tried to remove the arrow. When it couldn’t it looked at me and growled so low and angrily I took another step back in spite of myself. The wolf seemed even more insane now that I had injured it. It wove in confused circles before focusing on me briefly and spitting more white foam from its jaws. Lunging again, the wolf snapped at my hands and missed by inches as I thrust my bow at it, stopping its approach. Three arrows left.
Putting another arrow on the bow I stepped hurriedly into the stream, feeling the cold water rush around my bare ankles. The wolf paused at the bank and whined, pacing up and down along the bank. Throwing back its head, it howled at the sky and turned in more confused circles, chasing its tail and staggering back and forth randomly.
Finally, it somehow managed to focus and snarled as I stepped to the other side of the stream. I waited with my bow ready to fire. There was no way to miss the shot this close but something held me back. Killing the wolf would feel too much like killing my brother, and my hands shook slightly as they gripped the bow. Clenching the bow so hard my knuckles turned white, I waited without breathing. I had to kill the wolf, otherwise it would spread the insanity to other animals and endanger my clan.
The wolf eventually took a step back, turned, and fled a little ways away, shaking its head in circles and weaving around in a wavering line away from me, leaving a trail of white foamy flecks.
Stepping out of the stream I took a deep breath, my hands were shaking on the bow even harder now. Without warning the wolf turned and attacked so fast I didn't have time to bring up my bow. The arrows flew from my hand and I was laying on the ground, staring up into the jaws of the wolf as it strained against my bow. I could see those jaws perfectly, count its teeth and gaze down its throat.
Groaning with the effort of holding up the animal I gazed into the eyes of the wolf. So this was how I was going to die, one bite and it would be the beginning of the end for me.
My eyes fell on one of the arrows, within arms reach and my heart nearly stopped. Perhaps I would live to see another day. Grunting I let go of the bow and held it with one hand as the wolf thrust again and again for my face and neck. I was surprised it just didn’t bite my arms and be done with it. The effort of holding up the bow and the wolf was making my arms, shoulders and neck burn. Screaming in pain and desperation I reached for the arrow.
My bow cracked in two. The snarling, snapping jaws of the wolf fell toward my throat as I grabbed the arrow, bringing it up and around in a fatal arc, straight toward the wolf. The arrow sank with a soft rip of flesh into the wolf's neck and out the other side. Blood dripped from both ends of the arrow slowly at first then in a steady flow, as the wolf twisted on top of me making horrible choking noises. The red, warm blood flowed over my hand where I was still gripping the arrow, and down my wrist. It dripped down my arm and onto my shoulder and neck, from the other side it slid down my pants and shirt. More coated my face, and I barely kept the blood from entering my mouth.
Letting go of the arrow with stiff fingers I watched as the wolf slid off me, twitching violently for a few more seconds and then falling limp, a pool of blood forming around us. The once beautiful black and grey fur was dark red.
Forcing myself upright I took a step then fell to my knees, landing in the pool of blood. I ran my fingers through the bloody fur, smearing it through my fingers and gazing at the lifeless eyes of the wolf. "I am so sorry," I whispered to the wolf. Tears flowed down my cheeks, cutting through the blood on my face. "Please forgive me."

Are you currently working on any books?
Yes

Why do you want to join?
I need some advice on writing, and this looks like a good group to do that! And If i can get help with grammar that would be awesome too.

Do you have published books yet?
No. I wish!

Do you wish to find a "writing partner"?
No

What's your favorite genre to read? Write?
To read I love Horror and Fantasy, to write would be fantasy

Were you a member of the old thread?
No

[Crabbiey]

Thanks for accepting me!

@You are a Pirate - Thanks!

@violacherry - Seing as you've read The Hunger Games, why not try Battle Royale? It is longer and although I found The Hunger Games more addictive, Battle Royale in my opinion was better as it really got inside the minds of the characters and showed just how quickly they became paranoid of each other. It does contain a bit more adult content and the deaths are a fair bit more gory (one kid gets his head mashed up by bullets). Also I'd recommend Jurrasic Park - it's so much better than the film! The film was brilliant but the book even more so. There are two T-rexes for a start! Even though it's an adult book it reads as easily as YA. And it's very addictive.