Grammar Tip: Contractions (CT)

I'm sure you all went to first grade and learned about contractions, so I'll skip the lecture on what they are and start with USE THEM.
Contractions are for everyone. As Kelly Mortimer put it at the ANWA Conference, unless you want your character to sound like a stuck-up, over-educated snob, use contractions. Everyone speaks in contractions.
 Read this sentence out loud:
"I have had a really great time every time we have gone out together. I think we are meant for each other," she said dreamily.
Now aside from the general cheesiness of that statement, it really sounds out of place, doesn't it. Try this one:
"I've had a really great time every time we've gone out together. I think we're meant for each other," she said dreamily.
Rolls off the tongue a lot easier. :)

Garbage Give-Away

Head on over to http://childoftherebellion.blogspot.com/ for the First Ever Garbage Give-Away!

Strangers

I feel like we're all strangers. It's been a long time since we sat down and had a good grammar chat, right? Or reviewed a book together. Yeah, life happens. I've had a blast lately writing with my brother (hint, hint, check out childoftherebellion.blogspot.com), getting crafty, going on awesome vacays with my awesome family, and pretty much doing as little to do with real writing work that an aspiring author like me can get away with. I did send out 10 more queries last night. I'll admit I'm in a writing slump. I'm looking to Week of Writing (WOW) to get me out of that. The problem is that I can't decide what to do! As far as actual pen to paper writing goes--excuse me, typing. I haven't used a pen and paper for years--I could finish this girl power story I've been working on for a year. I could start my third Superhero book because the ideas for it are having a party in my brain. It's silly, but I'd actually feel guilty for that. (Because the first one needs polished and the second one desperately needs subplots...and a lot of editing.) I should just sit myself down and remind myself that I don't have deadlines (yet) and I can do whatever I want.

In the meantime, I want to shout out to any of my published (or soon to be published--nudge, nudge, Jolene) audience. Any of you willing to do an interview with me for the blog? I'd love to pair it with a book review!