THE BLUSHING GROOM

It's Janet Reid's The Sayonara Amy, Smooth Seas Ahead Writing Contest
Let's send Amy off on her amazing journey with a writing contest!

The usual rules apply:
1. Write a story using 100 words or fewer.
2. Use these words in the story: sea   blue   salt   safe    land
3. You must use the whole word, but that whole word can be part of a larger word. The letters for the prompt word must appear in consecutive order. They cannot be backwards. Thus: sea/seattle is ok, but salt/gestalt is not
4. Post the entry in the comment column of THIS blog post.
5. One entry per person. If you need a mulligan (a do-over) erase your entry and post again. It helps to work out your entry first, then post.
7. Titles count as part of the word count (you don't need a title)
11. You agree that your contest entry can remain posted on the blog for the life of the blog. In other words, you can't later ask me to delete the entry and any comments about the entry at a later date. 

Contest opens: Saturday March 12, 10am ~~ Contest closes: Sunday March 13, 11am 

(yea, hello daylight savings time)

My Entry:

At the seasoned age of eighty-two, Luella was getting married for the first time.  Waiting for the organist to begin, she ran down “the list.”

“Something old: me!  Something new: my shoes.  Something borrowed: my dress. Something bl… Oh my, I must confess something NOW!”

It’s safe to say Luella’s sins altogether wouldn’t amount to one decent confession.  Even so, Father O’Hara was immediately summoned.

Minutes later, Luella marched down the aisle, on her brother’s arm, wearing a garland of flowers in her hair, a smile on her face and "sinfully sheer blue undergarments" she bought in the lingerie department.

    Photo by my father, John Gould © late 1940s

And the winner is.... Not I, but Janet had this to say about my story: "This story was just utterly charming: kitty 2:50pm." I may not have won but I'm smiling :)

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BROTHERLY LOVE

Janet Reid's latest flash fiction challenge...

The So Long Colin it was good to meet you Writing Contest

Colin Smith took leave of his senses this week (egged on by LynnRodz, to be sure) and suggested a writing contest leaving out the letter "e"

Colin Smith: 

@LynnRodz: I was thinking the same thing (a flash contest without the letter "e"). Maybe with a few prompt words thrown in too. After all, we have Donna's deal to celebrate, and there's that map book Janet's been tormenting us with... :)

And then suggested my precious prescioussssssssss map book as the prize.

Well, clearly this kind of rebellion from those exiles in Carkoon must be squelched at once.

There IS a writing contest of course, since that's how we determine their fate.

Usual rules, plus a new #9, apply:

1. Write a story using 100 words or fewer.

2. Use these words in the story:  eject  chute  plunge  gape  less

[You'll notice all those words contain an "e". ]

3. You must use the whole word, but that whole word can be part of a larger word. The letters for the prompt word must appear in consecutive order. They cannot be backwards.

Thus: chute/parachute is ok, but chute/chutney is not

4. Post the entry in the comment column of THIS blog post.

5. One entry per person. If you need a mulligan (a do-over) erase your entry and post again. It helps to work out your entry first, then post.

6. Titles count as part of the word count (you don't need a title)

9. By posting an entry, you agree your contest entry can remain visible on the blog for the life of the blog. In other words, you can't ask me to delete the entry and any comments about the entry at a later date. 

Contest opens: Saturday 10/24, 10am  Contest closes: Sunday 10/25, 10am

My Entry:

BROTHERLY LOVE

My brother dared me to plunge down the coal chute. “Prove you ain’t no reject.” 

My mouth gaped as I stared down the dark hole.

“I triple-dog-dare you!”

Afterwards, Ma examined my sprained ankle and said, “I hope you learned your lesson!”

Leading the way, he triple-dog-dared me through schoolyard bullies, The Great Depression, basic training and three wars.

…

“I triple-dog-dare you to stay,” he whispered.

“This time I go first. I’ll be there waiting for you. Okay, Father.”

“By this holy unction, and through His great mercy, may God pardon you whatever sins you have committed…”

UPDATE:  I didn't win, but I got special recognition: Not quite a story, but not a dry eye in the house after reading this one!

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