Ouija Board--First Campaigner Challenge (of the 4th Campaign)

I'm so excited that Rachael Harrie's First Campaigner Challenge has started. Click on Rachael's name to see other participants and for more information on what the Campaign is about. Here is the challenge.

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!

My flash fiction story is exactly 200 words, in my genre, includes the word orange, starts with shadows crept across the wall, and ends with everything faded.  I hope you like it.

***Thank you for voting! Ouija Board came in 6th place! I'm glad you enjoyed it!***

       Ouija Board

             Shadows crept across the wall, and the flame of the candle flickered orange in the darkness. I looked up at Julie because, I know, I wasn’t moving anything. The movable indicator inched toward hello, stopping over it. The clear plastic magnified the word.

             Julie’s hand shook, and she pulled it away, sucking in a breath of air. “I swear, I’m not moving it! Let’s do something else instead.”

             My nerves quivered, but I wanted to continue. “It’s harmless. Come on, the game is made by Hasbro. Let’s ask a question.”

             “I don’t think it’s a good idea.” Julie sighed and put her hands at the edge of the indicator, with mine resting gently on the other side.

            I concentrated, “Tell us who you are.”

            It was still, so I concentrated more. I opened my mind and took deep breaths. “Tell us who you are!”

            Julie sat straight, looking over her shoulder. “Did you see that? I thought I saw a shadow.”

            The indicator began to move—I—N—G—R—I—D.

            Julie pulled her hand away, but I left mine. 

            Goose bumps prickled my arm. “Who are you, Ingrid?”

            I—AM—GOING—TO—BE—YOU

           Everything faded.

Fourth Writers' Platform-Building Campaign

Rachel Harrie's Fourth Platform-Building Campaign has begun. This is a great way to build your blog and find more great blogs to follow. To sign up, click on Rachael's name. It will run until March 17, 2012


Also, there are still more slots for the Third Choose Your Own Adventure Bloghop. Click here for more information and to sign up.

Happy Writing everyone!

My Mother's an Imago

Rachael Harrie is at it again with another crazy challange. Here are the rules.

Write a blog post in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, whether flash fiction, non-fiction, humorous blog musings, poem, etc. The blog post should:

include the word "imago" in the title. (DID THAT)  

include the following 4 random words: "miasma," "lacuna," "oscitate," "synchronicity," (DID THAT)

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional and included in the word count), make reference to a mirror in your post. (DID THAT)

For those who want an even greater challenge (optional), make your post 200 words EXACTLY! (AND DID THAT)
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Upon doing some research the random words above are actually words. Yes, Rachael did do that! This was quite the challange. Here are the terms  according to Wikepedia and about.com to help you understand my flash fistion story below.

* In biology, the imago is the last stage of development of an insect, after the last ecdysis of an incomplete metamorphosis, or after emergence from the pupa where the metamorphosis is complete. As this is the only stage during which the insect is sexually mature and, if it is a winged species, has functional wings, the imago is often referred to as the adult stage.

*The miasma theory (also called the miasmatic theory) held that diseases such as cholera, chlamydia or the Black Death were caused by a miasma (ancient Greek: "pollution"), a noxious form of "bad air".

*a lacuna is a gap (in text)

*oscitate To gape; to yawn.

*Synchronicity is the experience of two or more events, that are apparently causally unrelated or unlikely to occur together by chance, that are observed to occur together in a meaningful manner.

Let me know how I did and if you enjoy this please CLICK HERE to vote! I'm #136
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My Mother’s an Imago

My bed shook and I woke to oscitate at an angry mother shaking my mattress. Joy. She was in a lovely mood. At least I still had ten minutes before the bus came. With luck it would be late again due to Delany losing another contact.

My mom complained, “Get your lazy butt out of bed!”

I smiled thinking of ways to sick some miasma at her. Then she would go back to bed and forget all about me going to school today. What a synchronicity that would be.

I dressed with clothes that were on the edge of my bed. I checked the mirror to see if my frizzed hair was tamed. That was a BIG no, and then I shoved an orange in my backpack.

“Don’t forget your report. Although the lacuna’s are sure to get you an F.”

I took the papers and headed for the door, “Love you mom.”

“So, how’d we do?”

“Vocabulary-check, Science-check.”

My mom clapped, “and what am I today?”

“Imago, because I know how much you like ladybugs.” I smiled.

“And drama.”

“Double check!”

“Love you honey. I’m glad we had this study session.”

I left knowing I would ace my tests.”

First Campaigner Challange

The first Campaigner Challenge is this week and I'm super excited. Here are the rules.

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)
My story is exactly 200 words and I managed to use "The door swung open" and "The door swung shut."

This story is dedicated to all the students starting school this week. Good luck!
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Good Grub

The door swung open. A meatball whizzed by my head landing with a splat on a locker before sliding to the ground.

The cafeteria was wild with protest. I wanted out, but someone pushed me in and used me as a shield. Spaghetti stuck to my neck.

“Down with school lunch,” they screamed.

I held my brown bag, picked off the wet noodles and ducked trying to make my way to the courtyard.

At the food counter angry lunch ladies waved spatulas and the principle’s bald head was now covered with sauce and overcooked carrots.

Crumbs of a dried brownie rained down into my hair. I clutched my brown lunch bag and made a dash to the door while avoiding the milk cartons and puddles.

I was one step away from food fight freedom when someone pointed and said. “You. Class President. Do something!”

I wanted to get food out of my hair, I wanted quiet; I wanted to forget that I, Jessie K. Burgenstein, was class President.

I climbed and stood on the table. “Principle Taylor I demand we have McDonald's on the menu!”

It went quiet. They cheered. The lunch ladies stormed out and the door swung shut.

Do you want to be a Campaigner?

The Third Writers' Platform-Building Campaign invented and hosted by Rachael Harrie will begin soon. The list is now open until August 31st so hurry on over and sign up if this is something you are interested in. For all the specific details CLICK HERE.

It is a fantastic way to meet awesome sauce peeps and build your followers list. During the Second Writers' Platform-Building Campaign, I hosted a Choose Your Own Adventure Bloghop for my buddies who were in my group. I will soon be hosting another one for only fellow Campaigners who are also blog followers.

If you are interested click on the badge on my sidebar to see what it entails.

You must be dedicated to write a small piece to the adventure within a short span of time, use goggle docs, work with your partner to write opposite decisions...do you run...or do you fight...da da dum. You MUST be available the night before it's to post to give your permanent url, and lastly have fun and go crazy!

This was so much fun to do and collaborating with 14 other writers was totally cool beans! This will run during the Campaign. The theme for this adventure will be a ship with a sea serpent.

LOOK FOR SIGN UPS NEXT WEEK!
Have a wonderful lovely day :)