Tumgik
daniellellanes · 10 months
Link
24 notes · View notes
daniellellanes · 1 year
Photo
Tumblr media
In this post, Writers Write explores dialect writing tips for fiction writers.
11 notes · View notes
daniellellanes · 7 years
Text
“Getting” yourself to write
Yesterday, I was trawling iTunes for a decent podcast about writing. After a while, I gave up, because 90% of them talked incessantly about “self-discipline,” “making writing a habit,” “getting your butt in the chair,” “getting yourself to write.” To me, that’s six flavors of fucked up.
Okay, yes—I see why we might want to “make writing a habit.” If we want to finish anything, we’ll have to write at least semi-regularly. In practical terms, I get it.
But maybe before we force our butts into chairs, we should ask why it’s so hard to “get” ourselves to write. We aren’t deranged; our brains say “I don’t want to do this” for a reason. We should take that reason seriously.
Most of us resist writing because it hurts and it’s hard. Well, you say, writing isn’t supposed to be easy—but there’s hard, and then there’s hard. For many of us, sitting down to write feels like being asked to solve a problem that is both urgent and unsolvable—“I have to, but it’s impossible, but I have to, but it’s impossible.” It feels fucking awful, so naturally we avoid it.
We can’t “make writing a habit,” then, until we make it less painful. Something we don’t just “get” ourselves to do.
The “make writing a habit” people are trying to do that, in their way. If you do something regularly, the theory goes, you stop dreading it with such special intensity because it just becomes a thing you do. But my god, if you’re still in that “dreading it” phase and someone tells you to “make writing a habit,” that sounds horrible.
So many of us already dismiss our own pain constantly. If we turn writing into another occasion for mute suffering, for numb and joyless endurance, we 1) will not write more, and 2) should not write more, because we should not intentionally hurt ourselves.
Seriously. If you want to write more, don’t ask, “how can I make myself write?” Ask, “why is writing so painful for me and how can I ease that pain?” Show some compassion for yourself. Forgive yourself for not being the person you wish you were and treat the person you are with some basic decency. Give yourself a fucking break for avoiding a thing that makes you feel awful.
Daniel José Older, in my favorite article on writing ever, has this to say to the people who admonish writers to write every day:
Here’s what stops more people from writing than anything else: shame. That creeping, nagging sense of ‘should be,’ ‘should have been,’ and ‘if only I had…’ Shame lives in the body, it clenches our muscles when we sit at the keyboard, takes up valuable mental space with useless, repetitive conversations. Shame, and the resulting paralysis, are what happen when the whole world drills into you that you should be writing every day and you’re not.
The antidote, he says, is to treat yourself kindly:
For me, writing always begins with self-forgiveness. I don’t sit down and rush headlong into the blank page. I make coffee. I put on a song I like. I drink the coffee, listen to the song. I don’t write. Beginning with forgiveness revolutionizes the writing process, returns its being to a journey of creativity rather than an exercise in self-flagellation. I forgive myself for not sitting down to write sooner, for taking yesterday off, for living my life. That shame? I release it. My body unclenches; a new lightness takes over once that burden has floated off. There is room, now, for story, idea, life.
Writing has the potential to bring us so much joy. Why else would we want to do it? But first we’ve got to unlearn the pain and dread and anxiety and shame attached to writing—not just so we can write more, but for our own sakes! Forget “making writing a habit”—how about “being less miserable”? That’s a worthy goal too!
Luckily, there are ways to do this. But before I get into them, please absorb this lesson: if you want to write, start by valuing your own well-being. Start by forgiving yourself. And listen to yourself when something hurts.
Next post: freewriting
Ask me a question or send me feedback! Podcast recommendations welcome…
41K notes · View notes
daniellellanes · 8 years
Photo
Write, edit, rewrite, edit.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
536K notes · View notes
daniellellanes · 8 years
Photo
So many good books, so little time. 
Tumblr media
Books can be so cruel.
Reblog to show your love <3
Follow on Instagram @BarelyFunctionalAdult
10K notes · View notes
daniellellanes · 8 years
Photo
Tumblr media
RIP Bowie - Nothing But Love!
248 notes · View notes
daniellellanes · 8 years
Quote
Writing Advice: by Chuck Palahniuk In six seconds, you’ll hate me. But in six months, you’ll be a better writer. From this point forward—at least for the next half year—you may not use “thought” verbs. These include: Thinks, Knows, Understands, Realizes, Believes, Wants, Remembers, Imagines, Desires, and a hundred others you love to use. The list should also include: Loves and Hates. And it should include: Is and Has, but we’ll get to those later. Until some time around Christmas, you can’t write: Kenny wondered if Monica didn’t like him going out at night…” Instead, you’ll have to Un-pack that to something like: “The mornings after Kenny had stayed out, beyond the last bus, until he’d had to bum a ride or pay for a cab and got home to find Monica faking sleep, faking because she never slept that quiet, those mornings, she’d only put her own cup of coffee in the microwave. Never his.” Instead of characters knowing anything, you must now present the details that allow the reader to know them. Instead of a character wanting something, you must now describe the thing so that the reader wants it. Instead of saying: “Adam knew Gwen liked him.” You’ll have to say: “Between classes, Gwen had always leaned on his locker when he’d go to open it. She’s roll her eyes and shove off with one foot, leaving a black-heel mark on the painted metal, but she also left the smell of her perfume. The combination lock would still be warm from her butt. And the next break, Gwen would be leaned there, again.” In short, no more short-cuts. Only specific sensory detail: action, smell, taste, sound, and feeling. Typically, writers use these “thought” verbs at the beginning of a paragraph (In this form, you can call them “Thesis Statements” and I’ll rail against those, later). In a way, they state the intention of the paragraph. And what follows, illustrates them. For example: “Brenda knew she’d never make the deadline. was backed up from the bridge, past the first eight or nine exits. Her cell phone battery was dead. At home, the dogs would need to go out, or there would be a mess to clean up. Plus, she’d promised to water the plants for her neighbor…” Do you see how the opening “thesis statement” steals the thunder of what follows? Don’t do it. If nothing else, cut the opening sentence and place it after all the others. Better yet, transplant it and change it to: Brenda would never make the deadline. Thinking is abstract. Knowing and believing are intangible. Your story will always be stronger if you just show the physical actions and details of your characters and allow your reader to do the thinking and knowing. And loving and hating. Don’t tell your reader: “Lisa hated Tom.” Instead, make your case like a lawyer in court, detail by detail. Present each piece of evidence. For example: “During roll call, in the breath after the teacher said Tom’s name, in that moment before he could answer, right then, Lisa would whisper-shout ‘Butt Wipe,’ just as Tom was saying, ‘Here’.” One of the most-common mistakes that beginning writers make is leaving their characters alone. Writing, you may be alone. Reading, your audience may be alone. But your character should spend very, very little time alone. Because a solitary character starts thinking or worrying or wondering. For example: Waiting for the bus, Mark started to worry about how long the trip would take…” A better break-down might be: “The schedule said the bus would come by at noon, but Mark’s watch said it was already 11:57. You could see all the way down the road, as far as the Mall, and not see a bus. No doubt, the driver was parked at the turn-around, the far end of the line, taking a nap. The driver was kicked back, asleep, and Mark was going to be late. Or worse, the driver was drinking, and he’d pull up drunk and charge Mark seventy-five cents for death in a fiery traffic accident…” A character alone must lapse into fantasy or memory, but even then you can’t use “thought” verbs or any of their abstract relatives. Oh, and you can just forget about using the verbs forget and remember. No more transitions such as: “Wanda remembered how Nelson used to brush her hair.” Instead: “Back in their sophomore year, Nelson used to brush her hair with smooth, long strokes of his hand.” Again, Un-pack. Don’t take short-cuts. Better yet, get your character with another character, fast. Get them together and get the action started. Let their actions and words show their thoughts. You—stay out of their heads. And while you’re avoiding “thought” verbs, be very wary about using the bland verbs “is” and “have.” For example: “Ann’s eyes are blue.” “Ann has blue eyes.” Versus: “Ann coughed and waved one hand past her face, clearing the cigarette smoke from her eyes, blue eyes, before she smiled…” Instead of bland “is” and “has” statements, try burying your details of what a character has or is, in actions or gestures. At its most basic, this is showing your story instead of telling it. And forever after, once you’ve learned to Un-pack your characters, you’ll hate the lazy writer who settles for: “Jim sat beside the telephone, wondering why Amanda didn’t call.” Please. For now, hate me all you want, but don’t use thought verbs. After Christmas, go crazy, but I’d bet money you won’t. (…) For this month’s homework, pick through your writing and circle every “thought” verb. Then, find some way to eliminate it. Kill it by Un-packing it. Then, pick through some published fiction and do the same thing. Be ruthless. “Marty imagined fish, jumping in the moonlight…” “Nancy recalled the way the wine tasted…” “Larry knew he was a dead man…” Find them. After that, find a way to re-write them. Make them stronger.
(via 1000wordseveryday)
178K notes · View notes
daniellellanes · 9 years
Text
I don’t want to say this may be an inspiration...but it is floating around as an idea for something in the pipeline....
xx
really feelin that (fake) engagement AU aesthetic so consider the following:
i hate commitment but my dad’s dying wish is to see me get married and you’re an old family friend i ran into at the airport on my way to visit him so hey let’s get engaged
we’re only engaged to get our parents off our backs and you’re in love with somebody else so feel free to hook up with them idc i’m not jealous (yes i am)
i proposed to you as a joke but my mom (who’s been wanting me to settle down) thought it was serious and we’re kind of going along with it until we can break it to her gently
our parents are forcing us into an arranged marriage and we hate each other but now i’m in love with you and i don’t think it’s mutual
we were both drunk when you proposed to me and i accidentally posted about it across social media so now we’re hungover and trying to figure out this mess bc we’re not even dating
you need a plus-one for your brother’s wedding so i’m going as a favor but there’s been a misunderstanding and now your whole family thinks we’re engaged
you broke off your engagement with your long-time boyfriend/girlfriend who you were supposed to bring home to meet your family so now you need me to pretend to be them
31K notes · View notes
daniellellanes · 9 years
Photo
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
some things I need to remind myself daily tbh
385K notes · View notes
daniellellanes · 9 years
Text
Tumblr media
Now that All of the Lights has released. I’m continually amazed at how awesome it has been received. Never did I imagine for it to get the reception it did. Thank you to everyone. 
For those that weren’t aware of it, I released two chapters on Wattpad for the next book in the series, No New Tale to Tell (for a sneak peek, click the read more). This time around, Valerie gets to share her story about meeting the sexy Norweigan footballer, Kai Holt. Yes, it’s sexy and super dirty--especially when Valerie has a run in with the always fascinating, mega famous, Mick Frost. This is going to be one tale that she definitely will be telling ;)
xx, Danielle
Community Service. My lawyer said the judge was a fan of the kid's show I had done in the early 00's. If he had been a fan, he would have thrown the whole thing out. I hadn't even punched the guy! Shay had been sent to a reading center for children in Santa Monica while I got to spend time at a program for at-risk kids in Long Beach. This had all started because Shay was angry at her boyfriend dumping her...again! We were a man down as our best friend, Rose, was still on honeymoon with her Swedish export, Eoin Sklar. The two were so saccharine sweet that it made me want to puke. I honestly loved them, but sometimes they were too much. Shay and I had been at our weekly Barre class when she got a text about her boyfriend, Lennon Jal getting cozy with the beautiful Kenyan actress, Georgie Rossi. I was mid-squat when she dragged me into her personal drama. 
"We have to go, Val! What is he thinking? Georgie is an A-list actress and he's telling everyone she will be his future ex-wife. He said the same thing about me! I'm so hurt! I need to talk to him."
"Let's meditate first. You don't want to go at him with darkness in your heart."
"I just sent him a Snap Chat of my boobs before class! He hasn't replied. This is not good. I promise I won't make a big deal about it. I can be cool. This is not the first time we have split up. We will get back together. Lennon and I share a connection."
The only connection they shared was her bank account. Shay was Hollywood royalty. She was born into one of the big studio families. Her biggest flaw was having a big heart. I met her the summer when every celbutante had a mug shot. I somehow had missed a brush with the law, because my mom held the reigns to my freedom. I was also overseas filming a dark British drama playing a monarch. Shay's parents thought we would be good for one another. One sleepover and I figured out Shay's big secret. Since she wasn't ready to come out, I respected her privacy. 
Shay's big meetup with Lennon at Real Food Daily had ended up on the front page of every gossip site. Headlines included: bam, crack, and my favorite-bonkers! The whole scene was complete when Georgie had run to Lennon's defense only to slip on a kale smoothie. We probably would have ended up with misdemeanors, but Lennon pressed charges over his broken nose. Georgie had signed a deal to be the new face of the First Lady's campaign for healthy eating. Meanwhile, I would have skated by without any charge, but my smoothie had been the one to cause Georgie's fall. Allegedly. 
I stood in front of the school that resembled a prison. Bars on the windows and fences with barbed wire. I wasn't sure who was protecting whom. This was going to be a nightmare. I wasn't even good with the kids they would cast on my show. I took a deep breath before reaching for the door. "Excuse me? What are you doing?"
I jumped at the voice from behind me. I spun around to see a guy around my age wearing a sports jersey and jeans. His hair was a wild mess of curls. How did he get his hair so perfect? Immediately I felt like the heart eyes emoji. Ah!
"Uh, I've got a meeting with one of the third grade teachers. Wha...? Hey!" 
He snatched the paper I was holding in my hand and smirked. What was this guy's damage? I watched him shake his head slowly before folding it and handing it back to me. Wordlessly, he reached around me and opened the door. He gestured for me to go in. I had so many questions now. Was he a teacher? Did he run the sports program? 
"Are you coming?"
"Uh, are you going to tell me who you are? It's not normal for a guy to harass a woman on her way to a meeting. Furthermore..."
"I'm Kai. I visit the school every now and then. Sorry I was a little tough for a moment. The school office is around the corner. This is the entrance for people doing community service and you didn't seem like the type."
"Of course, I'm not the type of person that gets community service. I'm from South Beach."
"Anyway, follow me."
My heart eyes were slowly being replaced by annoyance. Who did he think he was? I could swear I saw him grinning as we walked down the long hallway. 
From a distance, I could hear the children screaming and laughing. I wasn't sure I was ready for this. I sometimes wondered if I had PTSD from my days fielding kids around set. There was a line actors learned about never working with children and animals. At this point in my life, I wouldn't be surprised if my next job didn't involve an elephant. 
"The kids are in the yard playing soccer. Uh, maybe you want to wear something a little less...fancy?"
"I'm wearing Lacroix. I was told I would be reading to the children."
"This is a sports program, Amelia Bedelia."
"What did you call me?"
"Valerie? Valerie Michaels? Hi, I'm Karen Miller and I see you have met, Kai Holt. Well, now I just feel extra special to have you both here."
"You're happy to have two criminals?"
"Criminals? Ha! No, Kai actually spends his free time with the kids here."
"For fun?"
"Yes! Oh, you are a real kick, Valerie. We're going to have so much fun." 
I started to hand her my time sheet, but she waved it away. 
"I don't have time to fill it out now. Let's just get you out there and let the kids see you. How ya doing, Kai?"
"I'm good. Happy to see the kids."
Well, now I knew my reason for being here. I just didn't know what Kai's angle was. Could someone be that selfless? I didn't even know that existed in this town. Toto, we we're not in Hollywood anymore. Kai was right about my outfit. The second I stepped onto the playground, the kids openly stared. I thought my ensemble was smart. The jacket was vintage. These kids didn't know I had fought my mother for it when I was seven. My skirt may have been a little short, but it wasn't my fault the kids weren't taller. I must have groaned, because Kai turned around and laughed. 
"I warned you."
"Oh stop. Some of us have to work at our looks. We're not all lucky to be as cute as you."
Internally I was screaming at myself. I shouldn't have said that to him. I could tell he was taken back by my remark because he gave me a wide grin. 
"Cute? You think I'm cute?"
Kai had started to walk backwards toward the children. One kicked a soccer ball his way, he paused and stopped the ball with his foot. I was suddenly shown his skills when he kicked the ball up and started to bounce it off every surface of his body. 
"Whoa!"
The kids had gathered around to watch him show off. I glanced around to see how excited they were to watch him. If the kids were loud before we walked up, their loud voices were ear shattering. They wanted to play with Kai and kept asking him to kick the ball their way. Soon enough Kai did just that and the whole class was off to the soccer field. I glanced around to see their teacher struggling with a small ice chest. I hurried over to assist her. She smiled my way and we headed for an activity table. I was starting to rethink my Jimmy Choo's when we stepped onto the gravel. 
"You're going to need a pair of sneakers."
"Oh, it's fine, really."
"Hm, I know your shoes cost more than my rent. Anyway, this gravel is tough on your ankles."
She started to unpack water bottles along with juice boxes. I saw why the ice chest was heavy-oranges. I looked around until she handed me a plastic knife to start cutting the oranges into slices. 
"I thought I was part of a reading program?"
"You are. The library is under construction. The rainstorm last week caused a major leak. Funding is tight so we have to wait for repairs. It works out though, the kids are happy when Kai drops in for a visit. We're getting ready to lose him though."
"Lose him? Why?"
"Kai plays for the men's national soccer team. He's on what they call, "international break," so he will be leaving for his team overseas next week. His mom lives here though."
Soccer. Football. I wanted to melt into the ground. I looked over at him running up and down the field with the kids. That nerdy looking guy I was kind of interested in was an athlete. I inwardly groaned this time. Of all the people in the world. A slight wind came up and threatened to knock over the makeshift umbrella she had placed over the snacks. I rushed over to help her push it further into the ground. 
"Oh. Here, let me help you with that."
"Thanks, Valerie."
It was time to put my head on straight. I had to focus on my community service and push all mushy thoughts of Kai out of my head, no matter how cute he was. If it was one thing I had learned, showing any interest in a footballer was bad news.  I had three hundred hours to complete. I could do this. I knew I had overdressed, but so had Naomi Campbell when she had done her community service in New York City. And her only offense was throwing a blackberry! Granted, it had been at someone, but I hadn't even committed a crime. 
"Valerie, did you hear me?" 
I looked over at Karen staring at me as we walked over to her classroom. 
"What? Sorry no..."
Never having sat in an actual classroom myself, it was very surreal. This was nothing like set classrooms, there was more freedom there. I wondered if my manager was working on getting this dismissed. I couldn't even be labeled an accessory to a crime. My smoothie had done the real damage. This was Shay's fault and I was merely trying to be a supportive friend.  
"I forgot to have you lock up your purse when you got here. You can just put it in the bottom desk drawer so the kids won't damage it." 
I stared down at my Birkin bag, a gift from my manager by way of my bank account. I glanced back up at her and gasped. 
"This is not a purse...this is Hermès." 
She rolled her eyes and walked away. I tossed my bag on her desk. It landed with a loud thud and I double-timed it to the classroom where Kai was already passing our activity sheets.  
I wasn't sure I could continue so long as Captain America was assisting. Maybe I could pay my way out of this?
"Kids, we have a new helper today! This is Miss Valerie." 
The children gaped at me then started to laugh. Yes, I know Christian LaCroix can be a bit much for some people. Honestly, anyone outside of Europe would have trouble understanding his vision. I didn't understand it myself, but I learned because that is what you do when you are fashion forward. 
I somehow lost Miss Miller and wondered if this was her idea of punishment. I should tell her I was a woman scorned. Maybe suggest we needed to stick together, and later swap stories about dating disasters. 
"Do you guys want me to juggle?" 
I looked back when the children's laughter turned to shrieks and cheering. Ugh, Kai was already dazzling them with his tricks. He smiled and broke out a few orange to toss around. He was chatting with a few of the children while he juggled. I caught Kai watching me, he winked. Ugh. Was it possible for someone to be that infuriating? 
"Maybe you should ask Miss Valerie if she wants to juggle with me."
Twenty-two sets of eyes were all on me. I watched the kids giggle and whisper amongst themselves as I moved through the group. 
"I don't know if I'm a good juggler. I have managed to find a way to juggle work and my social life. Also, I'm in really high heels. It could be dangerous."
"Nah, I think you can." 
He winked again. Before I knew it, he tossed an orange into my hand followed by another. 
"Oh!" 
Just as I had one orange in the air followed by the next, I bobbled in my heels for a moment, and then he tossed the next one. I was soon juggling three oranges to the amazement of myself and the classroom. I didn't know I could hold my breath for so long, Kai was watching me closely. He held up another orange and I shook my head for him to stop. 
"I don't know about that!"
"Yes, you do. Try it. One more. I promise I'll catch you."
"No!"
And somehow I was throwing the oranges now faster. Already I was breaking out in a sweat and cursing the jacket I wore. Why did it have to be hot in March? Thanks, global warming! My hands were getting sweaty now and I could feel the oranges starting to slide in my grip. I wanted to curse badly, but remembered the kids. I didn't know how much longer I could go for and slowly, but surely, Kai plucked the oranges as they rotated in the air. 
"Congratulations, Valerie. You are a good juggler." 
I let out a deep breath and bowed to my audience. The children burst into applause. I couldn't remember when I had heard a live audience clap for me. I turned to see him applauding with them. 
"That was intense. My heart is racing."
"I'm glad I could help."
After four hours of hearing Kai was awesome-my day was over. I had walked into the place wanting my attorney to get my community service waived. The strange thing was, I didn't mind it so much. Even if I needed a cocktail and maybe a massage, I was looking forward to returning. I stood outside the school looking for my driver. I hunted around my too large bag for my cellphone. Why must they make bags so large, it is impossible to find anything? This could be an expose piece! Then again, no one would watch a segment on handbags. People only cared about weight loss tricks and Jennifer Lopez's dating life. A honk startled me from my thoughts.  
I looked up and saw Awesome Kai in his truck smiling at me. Was he ever upset? I never once saw him frown even when a little boy said he loved the Mexican national team. I imagined it was a rival team when he handed the kid two signed jerseys.  
"Do you need a lift?" 
"Thanks, but my driver should be here soon."
"I'll wait with you." 
He got out of his truck and walked over to where I stood. 
"You look out of place here. You're going to have to dress down if you plan on coming back."
"Oh, I'm only here for a few weeks. I'm going to talk to my lawyer about getting it moved."
"How noble of you." 
He glanced down at the sheet with my hours clocked and smiled. 
"How many hours did you get?"
"Three hundred. I didn't even commit the crime." 
"I'm not judging you. Anyway, the court likes to send girls like you to dangerous neighborhoods. You know you look familiar where have I seen you before?" 
Funny, I had heard this many times in my life. It was kind of refreshing to meet someone who had zero idea who I was. I found myself leaning against his truck. 
"I've been working since I was a little girl. I started out in commercials and over the years worked on a ton of tv shows. My last big series was a show in England. The War of the Roses." 
Kai smiled at me and nodded his head. 
"I think I binged that on Netflix when I was traveling for World Cup. I don't remember your part though. Which one did you play?"
"Lady Jane Grey. I was decapitated in season four."
I remembered being crowned at the end of the third season only to get the script saying I would bite the dust in the first episode. It was strange how I had gone a media blitz with every network only to be forgotten the following week. Getting arrested had been my best work yet. 
"That sucks. So, what are you doing now?"
"I thought we agreed I was a criminal."
Kai nudged my arm when I retrieved my phone to see a text from my driver. I wasn't sure I could continue talking about my failures with someone I barely knew. It was hard enough knowing I didn't have any real projects on the horizon. 
"Karen doesn't let anyone in her program without knowing their story. If you were some reject down the road, she wouldn't have accepted you."
I leaned in and smiled up at him. 
"I have a good lawyer."
He shook his head and I was suddenly caught in his gaze. This guy was good at a staring contest. I couldn't look away from him. I wanted to phone up my friends and tell them I had found the most beautiful man in the world. Stop it, Valerie.
"You can tell me. I promise I won't laugh."
"Fine, it doesn't matter anyway since we don't know the same people. I mean you kick a ball around professionally and I'm hosting an entertainment show for a local station. It airs late at night so you're probably asleep when it's on."
Los Angeles: After Dark aired after the late night shows ended and just before the early morning news started. It also filmed late at night which meant I kept vampire hours. It would be perfect for someone with a love for nightclubs and talking to drunk people. I just wasn't the person for the job. "That's crazy. Do you like it?"
"I guess. Wait, why do you care?"
"You just seem like a cool girl. Now, I'm curious as to why you are here."
Here goes nothing. He could run before he got in too deep. If Shay had been here, she would have called him out on his body language. I had discarded my jacket earlier and could feel the material from his jersey on my arm. If that wasn't enough to prove we were into each other, I could feel the soft material of his jeans against my leg. 
"My friend was pissed off about her sometimes boyfriend cheating on her. The crazy thing is she's in the closet. She doesn't care that he's messing around. It just means she has to find another guy to keep her secret. I still don't know why I'm here. I was having a smoothie and it fell out of my hand. It's not my fault last year's Golden Globe darling slipped and fell."
Kai was still at my side and was close enough I could see a tiny scar on his cheek. I now understood what Tyra meant when she said to smile with your eyes. Kai could do this. 
"Wow. The fact you said all of that with a straight face scares me. You really are a criminal. Where's your friend? Shouldn't she be here with you?"
"Shay? Her dad had a better connection. She was given a week of community service. I'm the fall guy, Kai. I'm also her sober coach. She is my best frenemy."
I beamed a smile at him and watched him burst into laughter.  He opened his mouth to speak then stopped when we saw the dark sedan round the corner. 
"Looks like your ride is here, Miss Valerie."
My single serving moment had ended. For the first time I bit my lower lip then stopped. I pulled on my jacket and anchored my bag on the crook of my arm. Taking a deep breath, I put my hand out. 
"It was lovely to meet you, Kai."
"Kjetil Paalson Holt, that's my full name on facebook. If you want to add me." 
He winked for what I suspected was not the last time. I let out a laugh and shook my head quickly. 
"What unicorn language are you speaking? Wow!"
Kai shook his head. 
"Not a unicorn, I'm Norwegian."
"This is by far the strangest day of my life and I'm totally okay with it. Also, you're getting a friend request from Brandy Alexander-that's me."
It was my turn to wink at him and hurry along to the awaiting car. For the first time, I was starting to feel better about my situation. Shay would tell me this was karma for all the good I had done for her. I glanced down at my fist to see the fading bruise. Lennon really did have it coming for what he did to her. Because the whole restaurant had cleared out when Georgie slipped, there was no evidence to prove I had been the one to punch him. It was laughable for him to suggest I had been the one to break his nose. What most people didn't know was I had been training with a former MMA fighter. I looked out the window to see the car slowly pulling away from the curb. Kai waved and I smiled. I just wasn't sure I was ready to let love in when I was still not completely over my last relationship with the incomparable-Mick Frost.
0 notes
daniellellanes · 9 years
Photo
Tumblr media
It’s finally here and you guys love it! First off, thank you to everyone downloading it to their Kindle. It means so much to me. I’m thrilled you guys are finally getting to read the book I worked so hard on. I love every one of these characters. I loved writing the character of Rose. She’s like a little sister to me. Nicole is back from Rolling in the Pitch along with Shay and Monica.
This story had a lot of heat. I didn’t intend for it to start with a bang, but it did. I’m not only bringing you one hot footballer, I’ve also included the sexy Swedish actor, Eoin Sklar, who only has eyes for Rose. 
This story has ups and downs. I tapped into my love for Footballer’s Wives and the soapy drama, Mistresses. I promise you will be entertained. 
If you have already downloaded your copy from Amazon for Kindle, take a moment to leave a review at Goodreads. 
Thank you, 
xx Danielle
ps: a print edition will be releasing soon and I will post dates just as soon as I know them. 
~~~
The long awaited stand alone novel includes characters from the 2013 release, Rolling in the Pitch.
Rose Wilson has been living a lie. Her friends believe she is struggling to make it in Hollywood. The truth is, Rose is a sugar baby to international soccer star, Danny Davis. Everything is first class when it comes to Danny, everything that is, except for going public with their relationship. And going public is the last thing they can do--since Danny is married. When a paparazzi photo is paid off, Danny's wife puts an end to the affair. Credit cards are declined and Rose is left wondering if the dream is finally collapsing. Turning to her friends and finally coming clean, will they be there for her? And can she move on with her life, when there is a chance to have a relationship with the sexy Swedish import, Eoin Sklar?
All of the Lights is available for Kindle readers for $2.99.
0 notes
daniellellanes · 9 years
Photo
Tumblr media
It’s here! Surprise! Go read, review and enjoy!
xx
4 notes · View notes
daniellellanes · 9 years
Link
420 notes · View notes
daniellellanes · 9 years
Quote
The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.
Terry Pratchett  (via wordsnquotes)
8K notes · View notes
daniellellanes · 9 years
Photo
Tumblr media
daniellellanes turned 5 today!
Wow...it’s really something knowing that five years ago, I decided to take the leap and start sharing my writing. Thank you for being along for the journey. 
xx
0 notes
daniellellanes · 9 years
Text
Always remember...one person’s two tier cake took time to master. Your little cake is just as good and tasty...also CAKE!
Tumblr media
People have written a lot of touchy-feely pieces on this subject but I thought I’d get right to the heart of the matter
881K notes · View notes
daniellellanes · 9 years
Photo
Nick Miller, my friends. He’s got good advice here. Write, have fun. Create. 
Times are hard for dreamers. 
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
371 notes · View notes