humor – Author Carrie Crain

Weekend Writing Warriors #6

March 30, 2013 4 Comments

Novel website can be found here.

LOGLINE: A recent college graduate accepts an overseas position with a U.S. based oil company in Kazakhstan where she is mistaken for an international spy.

It is from my WIP comedy/mystery spy novel called Expat. Think: Spies Like Us meets “New Girl.” Enjoy! This is experimental writing with an outline. I thought it would be fun to write a novel exclusively for Weekend Writing Warriors. *I’m intentionally leaving some parts out because I want to query this manuscript to literary agents after I’m done. And, don’t want to give away everything!! P.S. Thanks for suggestion on her eyes (I changed) – I’m sure this entire story will be rewritten a zillion times – I’ll have a guy in the next chapter notice Tammy’s eyes!! LOL. Writing this in third person multiple POV. I’m trying to make a conscious effort to write in mostly Tammy’s (my heroine’s) Point-of-View. But, some of the suspenseful scenes help push plot forward and require my reader to know what’s going on when Tammy’s left the “building.”

We are in Chapter 2: The Briefcase. In this scene, Tammy is at her college graduation ceremony. This is during the mingling part right before the graduates start queuing for their diplomas inside the stadium. Tammy is witnessing her goofy dad and his young wife be stupid silly in love. Tammy has no interest in love and is only looking at climbing the corporate ladder. There’s more, but for WWW, I skipped. Since I’m not technically participating in Weekend Writing Warriors this week, I posted 10 sentences. I’ll be back next week. Looking forward to reading everyone’s snippets!

(This scene/snippet is in Tammy’s POV – my young heroine)

EXPAT

Carrie Crain

CHAPTER TWO
The Briefcase

Tammy wondered why Kari brought a dumb briefcase to her graduation ceremony. She worked from home selling her homemade costumes on eBay. Kari goosed Norm in his thick middle as a way of playful punishment. He squirmed and giggled like a two year old.

“Poopums, I’ve worked hard for my lump handles,” he chuckled, slipping his thumbs on the inside of his khaki front pockets like they were his holsters. Norm was a beefy man with bushy eyebrows who could have easily passed for a Wal-Mart greeter.

She pinched his puffy cheeks with both of her hands and then planted a big ole kiss, leaving behind red lipstick. Their display of affection would have made a Russian mobster blush. “Oh, Norm, that’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said.”

“Well, it’s true, snuggle kitten.

Filed Under: creative writing, humor, Kazakhstan, Novels, Spy, Stepparents, WeekendWritingWarriors, writing Tagged With: College, Comedy, Costumes, EBay, Expat, Fiction, Kazakhstan, Manuscript, NewGirl, Novel, POV, Russian Mobster, SpiesLikeUs, spy, Stepmom, WeekendWritingWarriors, Writers, YoungWife

Weekend Writing Warriors #5

March 23, 2013 54 Comments

Novel website can be found here.

LOGLINE: A recent college graduate accepts an overseas position with a U.S. based oil company in Kazakhstan where she is mistaken for an international spy.

In this scene, Tammy is at her college graduation ceremony. This is during the mingling part right before the graduates start queuing for their diplomas inside the stadium. Tammy has just spotted her dad and his wife (Tammy’s young stepmom.) There’s lots of beginning in this chapter, but for WWW, I skipped ahead.

(This scene/snippet is in Tammy’s POV – my young heroine)

EXPAT

Carrie Crain

CHAPTER TWO
The Briefcase

The sweet smell of jasmine from the Dogwood trees scented the spring air, practically kissing Tammy’s pallid skin as she elbowed her way through the crowd over to her dad, Norm, and his young wife. Tammy was twenty-two years old and had never truly forgiven her parents for divorcing six years ago.

“Why did you bring Kari?” She whispered in his ear, fists clenched, demanding an answer.

“Because Tammy, Kari’s my wifey pooh pooh.” Tammy rolled her eyes as she watched Norm wrap his arm around Kari’s skinny weenie waist and yank the blonde bombshell closer. Kari’s extra large bouffant stood motionless as she teetered precariously in her glitzy stilettos, holding on tightly to a brown leather briefcase for balance.

Filed Under: Atyrau, books, Chicklit, College, comedy, creative writing, Female Hero, fiction, humor, Kazakhstan, Mob, Novels, Oil Companies, Romance, Russia, Spy, Stepparents, WeekendWritingWarriors, writing Tagged With: blonde bombshell, Books, bouffant, camels, Chicklit, College, College graduates, College graduation gifts, Comedy, Divorce, Dogwood trees, Expat, Fiction, glitzy, Hair Styles, Hoop snakes, Humor, jasmine, Kazakhstan, kiss, leather briefcase, literary agents, Middle East, Novels, Oklahoma, parents, Relationships, russia, Spring, spy novels, stepchildren, Stepmom, stilettos, Travel, WeekendWritingWarriors, wifey, young wives

Weekend Writing Warriors #4

March 15, 2013 34 Comments

Novel website can be found here.

LOGLINE: A recent college graduate accepts an overseas position with a U.S. based oil company in Kazakhstan where she is mistaken for an international spy.

Hello my fellow Sixers! I am so excited to participate in the Weekend Writing Warriors!!

I’m working on many projects, from short stories, to novels to screenplays and a TV Pilot. And, last week, I had inquiries from a literary agent for three of my stories! To say I’m nervous would not suffice. This year, I will be sending off my very first movie I filmed to the comedy film festivals as well as other popular festivals like Sundance and Cannes. The movie and book can be found here. My TV Pilot tentatively called COLD-DE-SAC has a comedy spy theme. The website can be found here. The following excerpt picks up immediately following last week’s snippet. It is from my WIP comedy/mystery spy novel called Expat. Think: Spies Like Us meets “New Girl.” Enjoy! This is experimental writing with an outline. I thought it would be fun to write a novel exclusively for Weekend Writing Warriors.

* 15 lines. Sorry!!! I wanted to close scene out (don’t smack me). Next week is delicious.

EXPAT

Carrie Crain

CHAPTER ONE
Foreign Language

Tammy’s eyes flickered toward the ground. She glimpsed Eddie’s steel toed boots before turning her attention back to him.

“Well, you have to toot your own horn,” Eddie chuckled, scratching the side of his neck.

“My interning with the president of the university is bound to make a positive impact. Eddie, just send my résumé out to all the top oil companies like I’m paying you to do.” Tammy snuck a peek at her watch. “Yikes. Gotta run and pick up my cap and gown, Bestie.” She said with urgency, gathering her tattered backpack teeming with leadership and managerial books. She kissed Eddie and walked out the door, never looking back. Eddie placed his palm on his cheek where Tammy smooched him.

Eddie craned his neck towards the door making sure she was gone. He stretched his arms in the air like he was yawning and brought his hands to the keyboard in a slow motion. “You can marry me later, I mean — thank me later, Tammy Klimber.” There on the computer screen were the words that Eddie added to Tammy’s résumé: I speak fluent Russian and Kazakh.

Filed Under: Chicklit, comedy, creative writing, fiction, humor, Novels, WeekendWritingWarriors, writing Tagged With: Adventure, camels, Chicklit, College Life, Comedy, Creative Writing, Experimental writing, Foreign Language, mystery, Novel, oil companies, oversea jobs, Russian, Spy Novel, WeekendWritingWarriors, Writing

Weekend Writing Warriors #2

March 2, 2013 37 Comments

Novel website can be found here.

LOGLINE: A recent college graduate accepts an overseas position with a U.S. based oil company in Kazakhstan where she is mistaken for an international spy.

Hello my fellow Sixers! I am so excited to participate in the Weekend Writing Warriors!!

EXPAT

Carrie Crain

CHAPTER ONE
Foreign Language

The motivational words brought a tear of joy to Tammy. She had several career options and hoped that her GPA and resume would lead her to that right company where her skills and talent shined.

“You’re missing foreign language,” said Eddie, his fingers typing feverishly.

“I don’t speak a foreign language, Eddie.” Tammy thumped him on his noggin’. Tammy was graduating Cum Laude from Seminole University’s Journalism School and was hell bent on making her mark in the corporate world as a proven leader.

“Magic Eddie can change that minor snafu with a few exquisite keyboard strokes.”