"And Still I Rise"... Along With Back-of-the-Book Blurb Friday # 24

        Maya Angelou's poem, with the refrain "And still I rise" keeps nudging me.

        One blogging friend, who's battling cancer, recently posted photos of herself--posing with two different wigs and then one picture sans wig. Big, bold earring to match her smile.

       Bold + brave = beautiful

       Another blogging friend has been living a couple of hours away for a while. Now, she's living minutes away from me, which means that perhaps we can get together occasionally to write.

       My knee's still shot, but every morning I get up and hobble through the day, knowing that my health problems are inconsequential compared to others and yet hoping that soon, my past way of living can be restored.

       A manuscript I finished this summer is in an editor's hands right now. And now, I'm thinking about my next project. After all, November (and NaNoWriMo) is right around the corner... 

 And now onto writing a book blurb.
      

• Look at the photo below. That is the cover of your book.
• You choose the genre. A YA? A bit of chick lit? A historical romance? You decide.
• Write an enticing blurb--150 words or less. (The title doesn't count in the word count.) Lisa Ricard Claro is the original brains behind this writing exercise. Her third romance book just came out in July (Love to Win) so currently she's working on a lofty project:  a sequel to Tolkien's books, with the ultimate goal of penning a screenplay... which means if she succeeds, we'll get another chance to see long-haired Viggo on the big screen.
• Include your blurb in a blog post. Include a link to this post. 
• Link your post to Mr. Linky. Mr. Linky is easy. You don't have to buy him a drink or anything. If you've never done it, you'll be impressed with how simple he is.
• Check out the other blurb(s). It's interesting to see the different directions writers take, given the same photo.
• And most importantly, have fun. This is supposed to be enjoyable, not stressful.

          Here is the photo for this week, and my finished blurb:

photo by Lynn Obermoeller

The Fierce Phase

When she was young and stupid, Maggie thought she had forever. She ran toward her goals headlong and headstrong.

Living meant taking in big gulps of every bit of joy possible.

In the second phase of her life, she didn't care how much she had left. Maggie hunched over her laptop for hours and hours. She formed a cocoon to insulate herself from others. It was clear this was no life, but Maggie couldn't see any other path to take.

But then she entered into a third phase... and realized her determination would have to be rock-hard if she was going to survive. Better choices. True grit. And eyes trained on the horizon ahead instead of the path behind her.

Will Maggie emerge victorious from this phase? Read to find what life has in store for Maggie, once she carefully sets the fourth stone in place. (146 words)

     Here's the picture for next week... and have a great weekend.