Platform-Building Campaign - Challenge One

The first challenge for the current campaign is underway.  The challenge this time:

Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “Shadows crept across the wall”. These five words will be included in the word count. 

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), do one or more of these:

• end the story with the words: "everything faded." (also included in the word count)

• include the word "orange" in the story

• write in the same genre you normally write

• make your story 200 words exactly!

Here is my take on this challenge; which does indeed meet all of the above criteria:

The First Day

Shadows crept across the wall as Lila blinked her eyes and attempted to recognize her unfamiliar surroundings.  The combined sounds of a crashing wave and deep breathing to her left calmed her and brought everything into mental focus.

She was on the island.  Well, she corrected, as the man beside her shifted and settled again, they were on the island.  They’d flown in late last night and driven straight to the hotel.  They’d gone for a walk on the beach but it had been too dark to properly take in their destination.  Now, too excited to stay in bed, she got up and went out onto the balcony.

“Oh wow,” she whispered reverently.  The early morning sky was filled with dark blue, a bit of purple and the edge of orange as the sun made its ascent onto the horizon.  Lila heard the soft glide of the glass door and turned to smile at the sleepy, black haired man stepping outside with her.  “Good morning.”

“Wife,” he said grumpily even as he smiled at his own use of her new title.

“Husband,” she tossed back with a laugh.  He pulled her in for a tender kiss and everything faded.

The Fourth Writer's (Second for Me) Platform Building Campaign

Rachael Harrie of the wonderful Rach Writes is hosting her Fourth Writer's Platform-Building Campaign.  What exactly is this, you ask? Well, in her own words - here are the details:

Basically, the Campaign is a way to link those of us in the writing community together with the aim of helping to build our online platforms. The Campaigners are all bloggers in a similar position, who genuinely want to pay it forward, make connections and friends within the writing community, and help build each others' online platforms while at the same time building theirs.

As the Campaign kicks off, you'll have the names and blog addresses of the Campaigners on my List of Campaigners page (above), so you can keep in touch with the other Campaigners. That way you’ll have a list of bloggers in the same position as you, who genuinely want to help you succeed. And you'll be able to meet those who have the most in common with you. You can visit their blogs and other places they haunt, follow along, leave comments galore, and share your highs and lows as you journey through the blogosphere and build your online platform. And they'll be doing the same for you.


I participated in this event for the first time last fall and absolutely loved it! So obviously, I want to participate again.  This time the even will run until March 17, 2012.  If you want to sign up, there's still time - until 11:59 ET tonight, so hurry.  Just go here for more in depth details and to sign up.  Believe me, you won't regret it!

Second Campaigner Challenge - Conceivably Broken Imago

Conceivably Broken Imago

    There was burgundy blood rapidly pooling around the still female body prone upon the floor. Cadence knew that there were people screaming and rushing forward to help but she couldn’t actually hear any of it. She was immobilized by shock over the fact that her mother had just stabbed her life long friend - repeatedly. And quite possibly to death. There was a suffocating miasma as Cadence finally tore her disbelieving gaze from the victim to oscitate at her own flesh and blood. She gave a hysterical, frightened and wholly inappropriate laugh over the thought of flesh and blood considering that’s what was all over the floor.
    Cadence looked into the green eyes that she knew were the mirror image of her own and asked, “Why Mama?”
    “Oh dear, I’ve listened to her self absorbed prattle for two decades. I decided that I simply would not tolerate one more minute.”
    Sinking to her knees, the daughter moaned in agony over the fact that her beloved mother had committed a crime over bottled up annoyance.
    In a seemingly blasé moment of synchronicity - the television screen faded to black and the one hour, weekly drama went on a four month lacuna.



As you've probably figured out - the above is my second challenge for Rachael Harrie's wonderful Platform Building Campaign.  I just have to take a moment and admit something: OH MY GOD, THAT WAS HARD! Now that I have that out of my system I'll add that it was also fun.  And educational.  I had to look up the meanings for lacuna and imago.  Now that I'm done, I'm going to link this post up, sleep and start reading others' entries tomorrow.  Have a great weekend everyone!

Adding: This was another 200 word or less challenge and I'm proud to say that the above is exactly 200 words.

The First Campaigner Challenge: Evening Begins

The First Campaigner Challenge is posted and ready for entries.  I am so excited about this entire event.  My level of excitement is possibly just a tad bit ridiculous.  As soon as I saw the challenge posted last night - I started gushing enthusiastically about it to my husband.  At first he was just smiling at me but then he actually started giving me some ideas.  Of course, I thought that was quite sweet.  I hope he'll be all right with the fact that I didn't actually go with any of his ideas, though.

Here is the first challenge, straight from Rach Writes:

Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “The door swung open” These four words will be included in the word count.


If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), use the same beginning words and end with the words: "the door swung shut." (also included in the word count)

For those who want an even greater challenge, make your story 200 words EXACTLY!

Without further rambling, here is my piece for the first Campaigner Challenge:

Evening Begins

     The door swung open and a swarm of brightly clothed, happily chattering children sprung free. They gathered their equally bright backpacks, lunch boxes and cast their eyes about for their adults. A big, chocolate brown pair met those of her mommy and she came running forward. After thrusting the stuff she’d just obtained at her mom, she asked, “Can we stay and play?”
     “Not today, sweetie. We have to pick up your sister and get groceries for dinner.”
     “Fine,” she sighed and her shoulders drooped in momentary sadness. Then she smiled sweetly and batted her dark lashes. “Can we get ice cream?”
     “Yes,“ laughed mom. “How was your first day of school?”
     “Fine.”
     “What did you do?”
     “I don’t know.”
     “Did you do math?”
     “Yes, a little.”
     “Did you do an art project?”
     “No. We’ll do one tomorrow.”
     “Do you sit near any of your friends?”
     “No. I sit next to a boy I don’t know.”
     By now mother and daughter were at their car. As the little girl buckled into her seat, mom asked, “Do you like your teacher?”
     “Of course,” said the smiling little girl. She stuck her tiny fingers in the handle and the door swung shut.



That was a lot of fun but I have to admit - a little hard.  I mean, 200 words? I am chatty in real life and in my writing.  I have a tendency to go on and on so 200 words was definitely a challenge.  I love it, though.  And now I can't wait to read the other entries!

Third Writers' Platform-Building Campaign

I remember reading about this the last time this event occurred at Trisha's
W O R D + S T U F F.  It sounded amazing but I was too late to sign up for it.  Sniff.  I was so sad.  This time, thanks to a post made by Trisha - I am in time to sign up for the event.  I am so excited to take part in this networking, hopefully writer-friend-building experience.

What is this event I am blathering on about? Go to here at Rach Writes for every single detail you could possibly want about the event.  Here is a very concise paragraph that I borrowed from the post to explain what the event is about:

"Basically, the Campaign is a way to link those of us in the writing community together with the aim of helping to build our online platforms. The Campaigners are all bloggers in a similar position, who genuinely want to pay it forward, make connections and friends within the writing community, and help build each others' online platforms while at the same time building theirs."

Sounds awesome, right? Absolutely! The Campaign runs from August 22nd until October 31st. If you want to participate, make sure you sign up by August 31st as that is when Rachel is closing the 'List of Campaigners'.


I am anticipating having a lot of fun and meeting a lot of new writer-friends.