My attempt at an alternative ending - Stray by Cynthia Rylant.

Hello everyone!

Before we begin, I'd just like to say that I am going to follow every single one of you back either this week or next. Please leave a comment including your blog name and link if you'd like to be followed. (:

Moving on, I had to write an alternative ending for this short story we're reading in English, Stray by Cynthia Rylant. If you've never heard of it, its about a girl named Doris who finds a stray puppy that her family cannot keep because of their small budget. But, in the end, instead of taking it to the animal shelter, her father brings it home for Doris to keep.

Please leave your opinions, positive or negative, suggestions or even errors that I made. They're greatly appreciated. (:

Here it is - my alternative ending to Stray.

Doris made herself a glass of powdered milk and drank it all down. Then, she walked back up to her room so she could sulk some more.


She found herself wishing that the snow hadn't cleared up so she could have kept the dog for a longer period of time.


Doris sobbed and sobbed into her pillow, thinking about the dog and what he might be doing now. She knew the people running the animal shelter weren't very kind. She wanted to blame her parents for all of this, but then she remembered that they had a point, not keeping the dog.


"Why can't I be richer?" she wondered out loud. "Why can't we afford the dog? Why?"


"Doris, its dinner time, honey." her mother called out in that quiet, petite voice of hers. Doris wiped off her tears and went back to the kitchen.


After a silent and mildly awkward supper, Doris returned to her room. She grabbed her pillow and thought about the good times she and her almost-puppy shared, and the memories they could have shared if she had kept him.


Suddenly, she heard someone - or something - on the awning. Looking out of her window to see what the commotion was all about, Doris saw a shape that looked vaguely like a dog... As the shape got closer, Doris saw that it was her almost-puppy.


"Is it really you?" she asked in wonder.


Realizing that she wouldn't get a response, Doris slowly stuck out her hand so she could pet her dog. She wanted to feel his warm, soft fur again; oh, how much she missed him! But, as her hand touched the tip of his fur, everything disappeared.


It was only just a dream.

Procrastination is my third hobby.

But I guess all writers have to do it in order to succeed, right? Or is it just me?

I've been neglecting my WiP lately. I really haven't written anything in about two to three weeks. I haven't even touched the notebook I'm writing it in, or the computer file. But, I have an excuse!

Oh no, you wonder. What is it this time, Isabella?

Blame it on middle school! School has eaten me alive, seriously. Its really just the pressure of the first few weeks or so, when you're desperately trying to get organized and into the mix again. I solemnly swore to myself that I would write more after I finished this post. Well, after I finish my English project, which is due on Wednesday...

I have, however, been thinking a lot about my NaNo novel, The London Eye. (read about it here.) I know NaNo isn't for another two months or so, but hey - it won't hurt to get excited. I've also been thinking of my current WiP as well.

It is still nameless, and I'm making no progress on names... Anyone care to help out? Read the (temporary) pitch here and give me some suggestions!

I've also thought about holding a blogfest - at least, once I get more followers. But, I was thinking of making it about your current WiP's "soundtrack", if it was to be made into a movie. Someone hasn't already thought of that... Right?

This weekend, I promise I'll get on track. I'll write as much as I can, especially tonight - Andrea and I are going to attempt to pull another all-nighter. I also need to finish The Diary of Anne Frank (still haven't finished!), reading more Campaign blogs and working on looking through the three book order catalogues one of my teachers handed out... Looks like I'll be spending quite a bit for some new books. [:

What are your weekend writing plans or goals? Anything new with your WiP (unlike mine... yet)?

I've been hit by a lightning bolt.

You know that feeling you get when you get hit by an idea? That tingly sensation? Yeah, that happened to me. Today, to be exact.

It has been nearly ten years since Charlotte Murphy last saw her birth parents in Birmingham, England. After her father starts to drink - more often than usual - and abuses her mother, she is whisked away to the United States. Charlotte, 16 now, begins to have nightmares; not about usual teen ones about zombies and werewolves. Nightmares about her mother being abused and what might have happened to her during the ten years.

When a two-week class trip to England is announced, Charlotte and her best friend, Bijou Sanders, take the opportunity to find out more about Charlotte's birth mother and her whereabouts, as well as her father and the punishment he has received for the cruel things he has done.

Two weeks. Two girls. One big mystery.

I'm actually really excited about this one. Its going to be my first (hopefully successful!) mystery novel, and I loosely based it off of the book Elixir by Hilary Duff.

I'll probably use this idea for NaNoWriMo; this one is better than the other hundred or so ideas I have. But I'm not sure yet.

I still don't qualify for the main event, so I have to participate in the YWP. (Young Writer's Program) Curse the fact that I'm not yet a teenager.

Anyway, what do you guys think? I honestly LOVE it - I'm super excited to start writing. I still need a title, though. For some reason, I was thinking about The London Eye.

I haven't worked on my current WiP at all today; I've been procrastinating. I'll attempt to write as much as I can once I finish writing this post.

So, I have to go. I must catch up on my WiP! (which, by the way, is still untitled.) Bye everyone!

PS: I recently joined the Third Writers' Platform Building Campaign, hosted by Rachael Harrie at Rach Writes, under the group Picture Books/Chapter Books/Early Readers/MG/YA. Hello to my new followers! *waves hello* I'll try to follow all of your blogs and introduce myself on Thursday; I have this rule where I have to read every one of your posts before following, so it might take a while. Thanks for following, though!

Information on my WiP.

Okay, as I promised in my last post, I'm going to tell you all about my current WiP (work in progress), which is untitled at the moment.

Paisley Tuckett is an animal-loving, tree-hugging twelve-year-old who works to make the world a better place. After her best friend Cheyenne wins a part on a tween-based reality show, Paisley is invited on set and finds out the shocking truth on what goes on in the world.

I apologize, I'm absolutely horrible on typing up summaries. But this is the temporary one until I finish writing it.

I'm on the first draft and I'm three chapters and 11 pages in. I would write now but I've been distracted by my new iPod.

I guess I'll stay up till later tonight to write. but for now, I'm going to watch YouTube videos. (I am such a procrastinator...)

By the way, happy 14th birthday to Greyson Chance!

Thanks for reading guys. [: