Casey Lawrence's Blog, page 16
April 16, 2024
April 10, 2024
Who’s to Blame When a ‘Missing Stair’ Kills a Project?
A much-anticipated horror anthology has been Cancelled due to sexual misconduct dating back years
April 7, 2024
April 5, 2024
April 1, 2024
LGBTQ+ Paid Writing Opportunities
An ongoing list of LGBTQ-specific calls for submissions (paying, no fees)
March 24, 2024
March 22, 2024
March 18, 2024
March 17, 2024
Everything That Went Wrong at My Wedding
Rhys & Casey’s Wedding © CassMariePhotography 2024Having heard all the horror stories,
I was prepared for some disaster
to strike the day I got married
to the great love of my life.
Would I set my dress on fire?
Would the officiant get lost?
Lose the license before it was filed?
Misplace the rings? Drop the cake?
Something (says tradition)
is bound to go wrong.
At Mary-Catherine’s wedding,
the best man locked the rings in his car.
Dwayne had to break a window
to get them to the altar.
Nothing so dire disrupted our wedding,
but still, we had a few bumps:
I feared no one would come
(whether illness, snowstorm,
or some act of god), but only one,
then three, then five guests
were as sick as a dog.
I bit my nails all morning
waiting for another shoe to drop,
but everything, it seemed, was fine —
once we found the “missing” cord,
put in a safe place (at the hotel)
that was promptly forgotten (and found).
At my mother-in-law’s wedding
twenty-eight years ago last May,
the handfasting cord was left at home
(but an improvised gift-ribbon
was there to save the day).
Nothing so dire disrupted our wedding,
but still, we had a good laugh:
I waited for my cue,
but the music was too soft.
(I had to run down the aisle,
after a good shove!)
The officiant was handed
the ring box upside down.
(But dropping the ring
some say brings good luck!)
“When does this start?” and
“Where do we go?”
asked our guests, the programs
having mysteriously disappeared.
My groom stepped on my dress
(having not accounted for train),
but he caught me before I face-planted
so I sure can’t complain.
And the photos? Oh gosh!
My makeup is running and
his kilt pleats are stitched shut,
but you’d hardly have noticed…
because we look so in love.
There were hitches in plans
and stitches in pleats
but in the end we got hitched
and there were enough butts in seats.
Prompt Yourself: Weekly Prompts December 25–31
If you enjoyed this silly poem, consider buying a book. My LGBT+ thriller trilogy is now available from JMS Books. Check out the first in the series, Out of Order:
Enjoying my content but not looking to buy a book right now? Consider showing your support by buying me a coffee, and make sure to subscribe to my stories on Medium!
[image error]Everything That Went Wrong at My Wedding was originally published in Promptly Written on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
March 15, 2024
Reviewsday Seasonal Theme: Spring 2024
Photo by Belinda Fewings on UnsplashGreetings reviewers! Welcome to Reviewsday Tuesday, the publication that posts reviews of all kinds. Books, movies, TV shows, people, places, things, even words in the English dictionary — you name it, you can review it.
In Reviewsday Tuesday’s first year, I introduced a monthly prompt attached to a small honorarium ($5 USD) for the best on-theme review submitted during that month. After a few months’ hiatus, the prompts are back with a twist: Seasonal instead of monthly, reviewers will have three full months to submit their entry for a $10 USD grand prize and $5 USD prizes for up to three runners-up.
Ground RulesYou must be a writer for Reviewsday Tuesday to participate. You can join by following the Submission Guidelines. All entries must adhere to the rules outlined in the Guidelines, including formatting, tagging, and citation of images.All entries must be submitted before the final Tuesday of the season. Since all our stories are published on Tuesdays, stories submitted late will be ineligible to win. This season’s deadline is June 18.Each entry must use the tag ‘Monthly Theme’ and identify itself as participating by linking this post at the bottom of the story.All entrants must be following Reviewsday Tuesday to be eligible to win. The winner will be announced in the Newsday newsletter.The PrizeThe best review submitted to Reviewsday Tuesday between March 19 and June 18 that follows the seasonal theme will receive $10 USD. Up to three runners-up will receive $5 USD. Prizes will be paid via PayPal.
Imaged created by the author using CanvaSeasonal Theme: A Fresh StartSpring is the season of beginnings. Flowers start to bloom, animals emerge from hibernation, and the birds — and retirees — return to the north from their winter vacation homes.
For the next three months, I want to see your take on the seasonal theme “A Fresh Start.” This theme can be interpreted as broadly or as specifically as you want. Here are some prompts to inspire you:
Review a debut author’s first book.Start a new hobby and write about your experience.Review the first book or movie in a series, the first season or first episode of a television show, or a musician’s first album.Review a newly released book or movie that is not a sequel or a reboot.Try something (a food, activity, or genre) that you’ve never tried before and review it from the perspective of the uninitiated.Review a classic film or work of literature from a fresh perspective.Remember, these prompts are designed to inspire your creativity and encourage you to write engaging reviews. (And of course, not all reviews submitted to Reviewsday need to follow the theme. Unrelated stories will still be published, they just won’t be eligible for prizes.)
Feel free to personalize these topics according to your preferences, or submit something totally unexpected: other entries related to the monthly theme are welcome and encouraged! Remember to use the ‘Monthly Theme’ tag for any entries you want to be considered. Multiple entries are encouraged (but only one per week).
Good luck to everyone who participates! The winner(s) will be announced in late June.
Reviewsday Tuesday is run by yours truly, Casey Lawrence. Running a publication is a time-consuming volunteer activity, and all contest prizes come out of my pocket. If you’re enjoying my content, consider showing your support by buying me a coffee.
Reviewsday Tuesday Submission Guidelines
If you would like to write for Reviewsday Tuesday, check out the submission guidelines above. I am accepting new writers at this time. Follow the publication here on Medium and also on Twitter.
[image error]Reviewsday Seasonal Theme: Spring 2024 was originally published in Reviewsday Tuesday on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
