Kelly A. Harmon's Blog, page 4

Writing Prompt – Then and Now

Here’s a prompt that will make you think. Take your time and be honest with yourself.

First, make a list of ten-to-fifteen words that describe you as a child.

Next, make a list of ten-to-fifteen words that describe you as you are now.

Here’s Your Prompt:

Write about how the lists are the same. What child-like qualities have you maintained? (Or what adult-like qualities did you possess as a child?) How does it make you feel to know that in some ways, you’ve not changed? Do you wish you were m...

Writing Prompt – It takes Two

I’ll bet you thought, when you saw the title of this prompt, that we’d be talking about two people.

Couples.

It’s that close to Valentine’s Day, after all.

And I admit, I thought about it—but what fun is that? So, today’s prompt is about two of something—but not people.

Here’s Your Prompt:

Pick an idiom, write about it – a poem, character sketch, story sketch, scene—whatever. Mind the rules: no people as principal “players” in the prompt…

two of a kind of two minds one step forward, two step...

Honorable Mention – Writers of the Future

I posted this on Facebook last week, but forgot to mention it here: I just received my certificate from Writers of the Future for my story, Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble. It’s a wonderful little tale about witches who create the best steel cauldrons in the world–but their entire operation is put in jeopardy when the dragons fail to produce fire hot enough to make the steel.

I had a lot of fun writing it.

I’ll be sending it off to other markets in hope of placement. Keep your fingers crossed!

...

Writing Prompt – What’s In The Box?

The blizzard dropped a lot of snow on us, and we were digging out for days. As a consequence we hadn’t had mail delivery for nearly a week. But I finally got something in my mailbox yesterday.

There was the usual accumulation of junk newspapers and circulars, but there were also two padded envelopes and a larger box.

“What’s in the box?” asked the Husband of Awesome.

And I couldn’t remember what I might have ordered.

That’s what happens when a blizzard comes along and all you do is dig out...

Fairy Tale Interview over at eSpec Books

eSpec Books has posted an interview with me about my favorite fairy tales. It’s to promote the new “Gaslight and Grimm: Steampunk Fairie Tales” anthology coming out in the next few weeks.

Here’s the link, if you’re interested in reading the interview:
https://especbooks.wordpress.com/cate...

I’ve read some excepts, and I think it’s going to be fabulous.

Every story in the book is going to be illustrated in a “woodcut” style to mimic old-fashioned fairy tales books. Danny Bi...

Writing Prompt – The Big Snow is Coming

This is Grace. She loves the snow.

Winter storm Jonas is coming tonight. I’m one of those lucky people whose area is likely to received more than a foot — quite possibly two feet — of snow, if the forecasters are correct.

I’m looking forward to sitting by the fire, sipping martinis, and plotting out my next novel. I’ve also got a “snow to-do list” to tackle:

Build my first snowman of 2016 Try out my new snow shoes Bean the Husband of Awesome with a snowball before he gets me Get in some snowy...

Writing Prompt – Prohibition

New York City Deputy Police Commissioner John A. Leach (right) watches as Prohibition agents pour illegal liquor into a sewer in 1921. ~ Photo from History.net.

On January 15, 1920 the “Dry Law” went into effect in the United States. It was the 18th amendment to the Constitution and banned the production and sale of alcoholic beverages.

The law was intended to reduce the crime rate. But there were several loopholes. For instance, manufacture and sale of alcohol were prohibited, but drinking w...

Writing Prompt – New Beginnings

It’s still early enough in the new year to be thinking about new beginnings. I don’t know if its my innate love (obsession?) for office supplies, but new beginnings make me think of sharpened pencils and blank spiral notebooks. Or, blank, pristine papers waiting for me to desecrate them with words.

I try to do my organizing in December:

clearing off the desk to start the year fresh reviewing all the notebooks page by page: making to do lists for things which never got done copying ideas int...

Writing Prompt: What Would You Give Yourself?

Happy New Year!

It’s been a while since I’ve added any writing prompts to these pages, and I hope to get back to doing them weekly as I’ve done in year’s past. I hope today’s is as thought-provoking for you as it was for me.

Since it’s the holiday season, my mind has been on gifts lately: what should I purchase for whom? I’m still in that frame of mind, since I still have celebrating to do. Most of my gifts have been purchased, wrapped and given, but there are one or two more items that I st...

Year End Schedule

Hi All!

My schedule is filling up for the end of the year! Here’s where I’ll be, in case you’re interested.

Baltimore Book Festival
Downtown Inner Harbor, Baltimore
September 25 – 27, 2015
http://baltimorebookfestival.org/home

Hallowread
Ellicott City, MD
October 23-24, 2015
http://hallowread.com/

Carroll County Authors Day
Carroll County Farmer’s Market
Westminster, MD
November 7, 2015
http://www.carrollcountyfarmersmarket.com/page/page/7165898.htm

ChessieCon
Radisson North Baltimore Hotel....