Category Archives: Challenges and Writing Prompts

The Three Graces

Photo Credit: J. Hardy Carroll

Photo Credit: J. Hardy Carroll

“Shhhhh…(whispering) Look! Just in front of the blue door. Do you see them?!”

“Oh wow! Yeah, I see ‘em. Heard about the “Three Graces”. Wow!”

The “Three Graces”?

“Well the story is that those three little girls died in a fire in the church back in 1907. Sad story. See how they’ve bricked up the windows? Used to be stained glass. The blaze was so hot there was nothing left of them. Sad. 

Quick! Get a picture with your phone. Nobody’s gonna believe this!

I never woulda’ believed it if I hadn’t see ‘em myself. But there they are!”

~kat ~11 November 2015

(99 Words/Genre: Supernatural Fiction)

This story in response to Friday Fictioneer’s 100 Word Story Challenge (Photo prompt provided by J. Hardy Carroll). If you would like to read more stories or participate in the challenge, click HERE.


Beansie

This week’s photo prompt is provided by pixabay.com (free to use photos)

 

“I live on Dogwood Lane just past the clock tower on Main. Take a right at the phone booth.” Sandy said. 

“Phone booth? Who has phone booths theses days? What’s the house number?” 

“Don’t worry about that. You’ll know when you get here.” I could hear the wide grin on her face. 

“Ok. See you soon.” 

Sandy was right. How could I miss it? 

It was Beansie! That old car took us on many an adventure. Hanging out at the Burger Barn, roller skating, football games, movie nights. She was a silent witness to our teenage angst. The hopes, fears and dreams we shared back before life got complicated. 

Old Beansie wasn’t burning any rubber these days. But seeing her brought back so many memories.  

“I can’t believe you still have Beansie!” 

Sandy smiled.“It’s so good seeing you! How long has it been?” 

“Too long!” 

She and I spent hours remembering.

~kat ~ 9 November 2015
148 Words

This story prompted by Priceless Joy’s Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers (FFfAW) weekly challenge. To read more stories or participate, click HERE.


Gold ‘n Crane Haiku

Ronovan’s Haiku Challenge this week presented the words, “Gold” and “Crane”, and as he often does, encouraged us to check our thesaurus out for these multifaceted gems. Naturally, once I found myself in synonym heaven, it was impossible to write just one Haiku…so I give you three. If you’d like to read more or join the challenge click HERE.

crane

More precious than pure gold
Fold one thousand paper cranes
Healing dreams come true.

Cauldrons of apples
golden delicious butter
suspended on cranes.

She was a rude oaf
craning her neck, eavesdropping
hoarding lies, like gold.

~kat ~9 November 2015


“Steam” 

A trio of Haiku in response to Haiku Horizon’s Weekly Challenge. Click HERE to read more.

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Steam Haiku

To sputter and hiss,
To spout steam like a kettle
Dial up the heat!

Like a whistling pot
She kept her feelings hidden
Until she was steamed!

“Just blowing off steam…”
Justifies their behavior
‘Til someone gets hurt.

~kat ~ 8 November 2015


Lady of the Woods ~ A Haiku Trio

I received a request from my friend Lynn, a fellow blogger of the site, “LynzRealCooking“, to write a Haiku inspired by an incredible photo she took while on a walk at a nearby arboretum. 

You should visit her blog. As its title suggests, you will find a variety of wonderful recipes that she has perfected over the years while raising her 9 children. But an added bonus and the heart of her blog are the compelling stories she shares from her life as a young mother raising children in the middle sat. Click HERE to visit Lynn’s blog.

I wrote a trio of Haiku inspired by Lynn’s tree photo. If you look closely at the tree on the right, I hope you’ll see “her”. 

Photo Credit: Lynn Swisher 2015

 

Lady of the Woods
Fragile limbs exposed await
Rebirth in the Spring.

Rebirth in the Spring
Reveals a resilience 
Surging from her core…

Surging from her core
Audacious perseverance
Weath’ring every storm.

~kat ~ 8 November 2015