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NEW RESOLUTIONS UNEXPECTED EVENTS
message 51:
by
Rebecca
(new)
Jan 14, 2018 10:40AM
Shelly, your story gave me chills. Too many relationships like that out there.
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I totally approve of women taking over the entire world - so next time maybe Micha can be Michelle !
Thanks Steve for telling me about using the edit. I thought it was too late.Thanks, Terry
I like the story just as it is. Micha is kinda off from the first But you brought the character around to his appetite in the end and all you need to do now is call in Criminal Minds
Glenda wrote: "Elaine wrote: "A SHORT, SHORT LOVE STORY 953 wordsHe came often to the park to rest in the shade beneath the trees, to bask in the sun or visit with friends, but, never had he seen such a lovel..." Glenda. You are wrong. It was not a cat and a bird. It was a black crow and an egret (white water fowl with long neck.) You'll have to go back and read it again.
Mod
No, I meant to say that I thought throughout it might be a cat and a bird, but I did see that at the end, it was 2 different birds. Loved it!
Thanks Steve. I'll have to give that a try. I guess I never thought about the fact that I must be a sexist...all my villains (serial killers) are male.
See! What fun you'll have messing with people's stereotypes and sexism. Scorned women, nice lady killers, Lady Macbeths! Female law inforcement officers who are corrupt - but hold high positions and are in league with the criminal fraternity. Really bad girls - Sugar and Spice and all things evil.....
Steve wrote: "See! What fun you'll have messing with people's stereotypes and sexism. Scorned women, nice lady killers, Lady Macbeths! Female law inforcement officers who are corrupt - but hold high positions an..."So true! Actually, I did write one for the 750 a couple years ago about a very violent woman scorned. She was so fun to create.
Dear All - A reminder that the January comp closes on the 28th - this coming Sunday. Please get those last minute submissions titivated and released for the whole world to view your work.When it comes to voting - and please any member of the group - please vote. You can submit your choices by sending a message via my Goodreads profile or email me : steve@transformyourskills.com
Muchissimo gracias.
Sunday 28th that's the close out date for the January competition.Please add you final touches or speed write a new story for this coming Sunday.
When it comes to voting you can either message me from my Goodread profile or email me: steve@transformyourskills.com
Thanks!
Hi all just finished my superhero story and a bout of flu like virus this past 4 weeks...not sure about a story this month as the deadline is fast approaching...
Mod
Hi. I'm having computer problems. Hopefully, I will have a fix in time to submit a story on Sunday.Thanks.
Steve wrote: "Sunday 28th that's the closeout date for the January competition.
Please add you final touches or speed write a new story for this coming Sunday.
When it comes to voting you can either message m..."
Saturday afternoon in the UK.These are the entries so far: We've still got another day to go before close out tomorrow.
1. Glenda - Rescuing Dixie Chicks
2 .Terry - Keme and the Bear
3. Rebecca - The Book
4. Elaine - Short Love Story
5. Shelly - Family Event
Roll Up Roll Up - Any more for any more?
Big thanks to all the writers who have put pen to paper.
Be gentle with me this month folks. Serious relapse today of flu virus thingy here with mouth breathing and snuffling: call me Mrs Snuffle-luff-a-lous... now you do remember 'Sesame Street" right?
My New Year’s Resolution 2018 By Christene Britton-Jones (word count 955).
It’s the start of the New Year, time to separate my resolution list into sections headed wishes, wants and outright fantasies.
Priority one this year is to find a quiet, safe space to write the final chapters of my book.
But first you need to know why I want to move away from this lovely old four level (that’s cellar, 1st level, 2nd level and attic) farmhouse circa 1860 out in the wilds of north-west Pennsylvania: where I am staying with my cousin Mary-Ann, her husband Roger and their three cats Clyde, Rufus and Pixie.
I am about to go crazy if I do not get out of here and get an undisturbed night’s sleep.
I have been here three months too long already.
*
Mornings I am woken up by small paws walking over my body, it is Stinky Pixie so named for her upset tummy and random methane attacks. I pretend to be asleep for as long as possible till groans give me away, it is at this stage Rufus joins her by landing on the bed with the full force of a 7.5 earthquake tremor. All twenty plus pounds of rolling ginger fur reminiscent of the cartoon character Garfield, Rufus is called Jabba-the-Cat. So I throw off cats, quilts and swing my legs towards the floor, only to be met with an unceasing mewling conversation from the dignified Boss Cat Clyde outlining his full daily schedule.
I shuffle, eyes blurred and barely opened in the dark room towards the bathroom next door so as not to trip on the delegation accompanying me for this morning ritual. If I can open the seat without Pixie completely diving in to investigate and manage a dignified seated position I am immediately surrounded by three circling, attention demanding, impatient cats. I now know how the circled Waggoner’s felt in the early westerns, totally trapped. The cacophony chorus is to be heard to be believed, it is an awful din.
The sun rises and I see evidence of Clyde’s midnight chores of window washing with a very loud, raspy tongue; can glass be eroded away over time in this fashion I ask? There are interesting streaks and patterns that Clyde artistically applies to his hard work, one day they may even rival the work of Jason Pollack’s ‘Blue Poles’.
Grimly grasping the stair rails for support I start a perilous descent through the waterfall of racing cats. Pixie usually leads the pack because of her agility and speed and reaches the ground floor in one fast straight line to the left of the stairs. Following is the fat fur ball with his pendulous tummy swinging from side to side, carpeted stairs rumbling and creaking with his weight; his is more of a rolling gait and looks like a ginger striped snowball on stumpy legs. He weaves from one side of the stairs to the other in a zigzag motion gaining speed as his weight reaches full equilibrium.
Slowly following behind this melee is the is rather more refined Clyde and he stops at least three times to turn and wait for me, suggesting that he is in no hurry what-so-ever now to reach the dining room with that common rabble. To date, somehow I have managed to arrive at the bottom of the stairs in one piece.
*
It is at this stage if I am being too tardy that Clyde subtly reminds me with a couple of well chosen cat remarks that he is starving and that my coffee is last on the list of priorities.
The sound of the can opener working around the top of the tin pacifies them somewhat and they just stare silently at me with a steely hypnotic glare until I place their bowls before them with utmost apologies for keeping them waiting. Temporary peace reigns amidst the slurping, subtle munching and frantic ‘hogging out’ that is definitely not a pretty sight I can assure you.
Sigh! At last I am briefly left to my own devices so I reach for a fresh pot of the evil black brew.
By now Pixie will have taken herself back upstairs, into Mary-Ann and Roger’s bedroom, without even waking them.
*
As soon as Mary-Ann and Roger stumble into the kitchen around 9am it was time to go next door to Maureen’s house for our usual morning coffee.
“You look tired Chelsea didn’t you get any sleep last night”? Maureen asked.
“Has that rogue Roger been trying to get fresh again”?
“You guessed it,” I answered yawning. “Every creaking timber floorboard at night wakes me in terror, I have to get out.”
Maureen then told me that her Aunt Jessica was off to tour Europe for six months and wanted her to look after her house.
“Come with me,” suggested Maureen, “It is a large luxurious house where you will have your own self sufficient wing without any bothersome human or animals. It is at a place called Retreat an exclusive small summer town at Maine. I was going to take my daughter with me but she doesn’t want to go now that she has met her new young man, Jarred”.
“I have two air tickets sent by Aunt Jessica, Maureen continued.
“What do you think Chelsea”?
“That sounds fantastic, just what I need”, I sighed.
“Good, can you be ready to leave tomorrow?” Maureen asked.
”It’s United Airlines, Flight 3755 E70, 07:15pm Fri, Jan 26. A 3 hour flight”
“I will be ready,” was my eager answer.
“Pick you up at 3.30pm tomorrow,” Maureen added.
“Maureen what a dear friend you have become in just three months,” I smiled back at her.
Christene - Under the Wire! Great job. Miss Snuffle-a-lot!
I started writing a January challenge but my laptop is is on the fritz. Funny. It was fine until I downloaded the latest release of Safari. I hate new releases. The risk is high for bugs. So it looks like I will miss this month's challenge. In the meantime, I'll enjoy reading the submitted January stories and maybe I'll have something for February. We'll see how the remainder of the day goes. After all it's only 8:05 a.m.!
How sad that I didn't see this until today. I suppose I could try to shoot from the hip on it if the deadline is midnight. If it's 11:30 AM here in Eastern time USA, what time is it in Great Britain?
Don't worry so much about time -as no $$$$ are involved! More than happy to be a little flexible for Randall and anyone else who wants to enter. Remember it's about a 5 hour delay in the East Coast and 9 for the West so it's about 2.34 pm in the afternoon in Florida and 10 am in California - so there's lots of time.
I think there is a problem with the Goodreads emails - sometimes people don't get them at all.
Randall to answer your question if its 11.30 with you it's 16.30 in the UK.
Here it is:"With Apologies to Mother Goose"
By: Randall Lemon
Selma Queen was beside herself. This was the fourth time this month! How frustrating! If she kept on this way, she’d never make any friends in her new neighborhood. That nice family down the street had dropped in to wish her a “Merry Holiday” season and when Selma had gone to her pantry to get some goodies to offer her neighbors, she had discovered once again that her cupboard was bare and she had only saltines and tea to offer to them. They hadn’t stayed very long and Selma suspected that they went on their way looking for other neighbors who could offer them cookies or fruitcake or pies.
Selma resolved that it would never happen again.
“I know, my mother taught me how to make delicious tarts when I was just a little girl. I’ll make tarts every Thursday and then if neighbors drop by on the weekend, I’ll always have fresh goodies to give them. I can choose a different fruit type each week. I can make cherry one week, strawberry the next, blueberry the next, apple the next boysenberry the next, and on and on and on. That way repeat visitors won’t be likely to get bored.”
So each Wednesday Selma would shop for fresh ingredients and each Thursday she would spend the day creating a batch of deliciously sweet tarts. The smells that emanated from her kitchen delighted all who walked by her modest bungalow.
Particularly delighted and enormously tempted was Selma’s neighbor, Jack Cardia. Jack was an awful cook and an even worse baker. Nobody ever visited him because all he would serve them is day-old store bought treats; as flavorless as they were cheap.
“I can kill two birds with a single rock. Each Thursday that ditzy woman next door makes delicious baked goods and puts them on her windowsill to cool. So each Thursday, I’ll just casually saunter by her window and make off with half of them. She’s not very bright and probably won’t even notice they are gone. Then I will have sweet treats for myself.”
Jack’s evil plan worked for three weeks, but on the fourth week Selma began to suspect something was going on. Seeing Jack in his yard one day, she brought up the subject of the missing tarts. But Jack prided himself on being a quick thinker.
“I’ve noticed things like that happening for years. I suspect that the thefts are committed by hungry birds and squirrels. Kind-hearted guy that I am, I always figure that even poor dumb animals deserve the occasional treat. I hope you’re not the kind of person that would hold it against them. I’d hate to think that you would poison or shoot some poor little birdie or cute gray squirrel just because they couldn’t resist the smell of your exquisite, tasty treats.”
Jack’s strategy worked. Poor, kind-hearted Selma kept making her tarts each week and Jack kept stealing them from her. But Jack was a greedy guy and gradually increased the amount he took until after a couple months, Selma was lucky to have a couple of tarts left from each batch. She loved animals but began to feel forlorn about the constant losses.
The Mayor, Bob King, had heard of Selma’s delicious tarts and dropped by her bungalow one Friday to welcome her officially to the town. Jack had been especially greedy that week and left Selma with only two tarts and she was quite embarrassed by the meager offering she had for the Mayor.
“I’m quite sorry Mr. King. I only have two tarts left. I made a double batch yesterday but apparently the animals hereabouts are quite ravenous and made off with all but these two. My neighbor, Jack Cardia says that this is quite common and happens to everyone in town. I really can’t afford the ingredients to make more.”
The Mayor was instantly suspicious. He had never heard of thefts by local birds and animals. Furthermore, Bob King knew that Jack Cardia was a rogue by nature.
“Being Mayor has certain advantages. Let me see if I can help you with your felonious critter problem.”
The very next Thursday as Jack was making off with the tarts from Selma’s sill, two police cars pulled up and the officers handcuffed Jack and took him off to jail where the Mayor sentenced him to receive one beating for each tart he had stolen.
Queen never had her tarts stolen again by that mischievous knave, Cardia, thanks to the beating he received by King.
Randall, Mayors typically don't met out punishment. Also , is top official a mayor it a king? Great story.
Patricia in keeping with the nursery rhyme, I took the liberty of changing the justice system slightly. King is the last name of the mayor.The Queen of Hearts
She made some tarts,
All on a summer's day;
The Knave of Hearts
He stole those tarts,
And took them clean away.
The King of Hearts
Called for the tarts,
And beat the knave full sore;
The Knave of Hearts
Brought back the tarts,
And vowed he'd steal no more.
Voting begins tomorrow Monday 29th and closes on Tuesday 30thWinners to be posted on this thread on Wednesday 31st.
3 marks for your First Choice story
2 for second
1 for your third choice
Please make 3 selections as the total marks are aggregated across all the entries.
Cast your votes by messenging me from my Goodreads profile
or via email to steve@transformyourskills.com
You may like to visit www.transformyourskills.com as the book is all about improving your personal communication skills - Speak Write or Present with confidence.
Thanks to all.
Submissions are now closed. Remember these three elements that had to be included when you pass your votes:3 Elements to be included:
• An inciting event
• An unexpected friend
• A scoundrel
Thanks
Thanks for the clarification, Randall. Always the consummate teacher. Lesson learned. Great story.
Oh, I'm sure you don't need any teaching from an old guy like me! Thank you for the comment.
Steve: I have sent my votes to your email address. Please let me know if they did not arrive.
Special thanks to Patricia who has been following but not entering this month. Pat - please vote if you can - and any other members of the 750 Group who can come, visit and encourage this month's participants.
My phone & I are on it , Steve. I'm reading the wonderful stories and will vote. Thanks.
Mod
I think I read in your story that Micha was tempted at the sight of the children in the mall (a child predator?) and was also tempted by the woman parked near his van (rapist?) There is something about his new friend that doesn't turn him on though. I could see a character who looks perfect "to die for" and be a sexual predator or even a murderer. And yes, most of the time it turns out to be a man. It would've certainly been different to have a female villain in that role.
Mod
The Queen of Hearts
She made some tarts,
All on a summe..."
I knew there was a Mother Goose nursery rhyme for that story and it is a cute one! - A Cute story too. It gave me an evil chuckle at the end. I love your stories, Randall :)
Mod
I sent you my votes tonight. I appreciate you hosting January! **Applause**
Glenda: Thank you for the sweet words.
1. Glenda - Rescuing Dixie ChicksGreat variety and interest there Glenda a real critter stand alone story with names like Chickadee, Peckinworth, Henrietta and Chickrita you had me rooting for the home team as the three bad guys, Skeeter the opossum, Bandit the raccoon, and Roxy the fox, plan came to nothing at all….Yah!!!! That punch line at the end really nailed it with “Sometimes it takes a woman to do a man’s job,” the cat said smugly, so am I correct in assuming that Granny was the cat or am I getting confused here. (My head still feels like it is stuffed with cotton wool right now…sigh!).
2 .Terry - Keme and the Bear
Wow! Terry what a well told tale, you built my interest into the story through the sequence of events through the invitation, the climb and then the treachery of your group of boys. Lastly you brought in an unexpected twist with the bear frightening off the group of murderous villains and then befriending Keme. Nicely turned out story there that I really did enjoy.
3. Rebecca - The Book
Wonderful tension there in your story, I loved those false leads about the intentions of Micha, my mind had him as a thief initially, then an overweight nerd with romantic intentions towards his friend, then a cookie addict?
Good solid advice/morale there “Remember, you are in control, not your cravings. When you find yourself thinking about giving in, occupy your mind with something else. It can only focus on one thing at a time. So, if you are thinking about a puzzle, for example, your brain can’t obsess about chocolate.”
Indeed that was a priceless thought to have kept his intentions in check, diverting his thoughts away from cookies or was it the person buying the cookies that interested him? My mind is still racing with possibilities and that is a great way to be after reading a really good story.
4. Elaine - Short Love Story
The twist that he was a crow was so unexpected even though you threw hints like breadcrumbs throughout the story. So she was a white egret and he was a black crow, his mothers words ring in my ears even now…. “Do not return to the pond, my son. Such a union as you desire is not possible. Like black and white, the differences between you are too great.” You gave me such a sweet ending, I love happy endings but this one was superb.
5. Shelly - Family Event
Good quality there in your unfolding story, you set it up well, nicely timed with friction between husband and wife over childcare, money and changing situations. You thought this one out carefully.
Everyone loves a cloud with a silver lining and your story ended on a wonderful positive note reminding me that we don’t have insurmountable problems in life, all we really have in life is situations requiring solutions. A seriously happy ending
6. Randall - With Apologies to Mother Goose"
Sincere standing ovation here to you Randal for creating and submitting your story just in the proverbial ‘nick of time...well done! Great tempo in your story telling it almost sounded like a poem in itself, great smooth tale and a cheeky play on names as well. That rogue Jack certainly got his well deserved comeuppance.
Thank you Christine. You have a fun style that reminds me of Erma Bombeck. Loved your story.
Thank you, Christene for taking the time to critique each ones story. That is not an easy endeavor, but is much appreciated.
Tuesday 30th Great voting response so far. Only Terry and Elaine of the particpants to cast their votes and Patricia as voter royalty to post as well.
It's tight - only 2 marks separate first and second at this stage so anything can happen!
Christene wrote: "My New Year’s Resolution 2018
By Christene Britton-Jones (word count 955). Have a cat in the past and now a dog (at one point 3 dogs) I could visualize every step. Good story.
By Christene Britton-Jones (word count 955). Have a cat in the past and now a dog (at one point 3 dogs) I could visualize every step. Good story.
Terry's votes are in. Elaine and Pat still to come.
Steve. Thanks hosting the Jan. '18 Challenge. I've submitted my votes via your Goodreads in box.
Mod
No, my female kitty is full of herself, much like Kitty Softpaws, the female cat that tries to best Puss in Boots. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xUII...
These are the winning entries for the January 2018 Competition:1st Place:
Rebecca for: The Book
Joint 2nd Placed by those who voted:
Christene - New Year Resolution
Elaine - Short Love Story
3rd Place:
Randall - Mother Goose
However Elaine did not vote before the time-out period and no vote has been received as of this morning 31st Jan. Under the rules of the competition:
You are not allowed to vote for yourself. If posting this month, you MUST vote, in order for your story to remain eligible.
So Christene gains 2nd Place. Coongratulations to all the winners.
I hoped you liked the theme.
