The Romance of the Rails

On By Liz HIn BOTS, Carrot Ranch, Fantasy, Flicker(>100 words), Stories1 Comment
Old railroad train, steaming
(Photo by Otto C. Perry, courtesy of Denver Public Library, Western History and Genealogy Dept.)

In TUFF Love, Carrot Ranch’s Charli Mills asked participants to revise an original western romance through a 99-59-9-99 word process with each step requiring a different craft twist. This event is an exercise of inspiration through to editing. I didn’t enter this one because it turned out to be more about discovering heart’s desire of Self, then traditional Romance. But I still like it, so I share with you all.

Original 99-word Draft: Molly Rides the Rails

Molly rode the rails these days. Cities had sprung up, like oozing boils, over the open prairie she loved. With the spread of progress came the spread of stifling rules.

Forced by her father to shed her buckskin, don heavy skirts with tight collars, binding her hair from the wind’s caressing fingers, she appeared the perfect little miss. Continue reading “The Romance of the Rails” →

The Wild, Wild West

On By Liz HIn Carrot Ranch, Fantasy, Flicker(>100 words), Sci-Fi, Stories1 Comment

First Place TUFF Romance

In TUFF Love, Carrot Ranch’s Charli Mills asked participants to revise an original western romance through a 99-59-9-99 word process with each step requiring a different craft twist. This event is an exercise of inspiration through to editing.

Original 99-word Draft: The Wild, Wild West

Anton shrugged out of his jacket, kicking off his boots, and with them, the urban muck of cow shit and cheap whiskey. Padding into the foothills in bare feet, he wrinkled his nose, drawing his lips back from canines that glinted moonlight. Continue reading “The Wild, Wild West” →

Mid Day at the Oasis

On By Liz HIn BOTS, Flicker(>100 words), Stories18 Comments

OasisThe task? Write a story in 6 sentences, no more no less, and if you’d like, share your creation or just visit and comment, with GirlieOnTheEdge, Denise. The prompt is ‘’Oasis”, and here’s where you join the party: 

https://girlieontheedge1.wordpress.com/2020/11/22/sundays-six-sentence-story-word-prompt-135/

The sirocco blew steady over the dunes, wavering in the sun and picking up speed and sand as it spun from the Sahara up toward the Mediterranean. Continue reading “Mid Day at the Oasis” →

Honoring My Gothic Present

On By Liz HIn BOTS, Fantasy, Flicker(>100 words), Poetry, StoriesLeave a comment
Norwegian Forest Cat
Norwegian Forest Cat

As part of my studies of Gothic fairy tales I offer up this quick write from our Carterhaugh class today today, all in the service of learning and expressing and using NaNoWriMo to focus in on what needs to be. As it is written, so mote it be…

Honoring My Gothic Present

I am the old woman you meet in the woods, dressed in shapeless, comfortable black, salt and pepper hair tucked under the hood of my green, woolen shawl as I follow the deer paths through the darker parts of the Wood. My boots are sturdy, laced over the ankle and meant for hiking, but if you look closely at my chicken legs, you’ll see that my boots are a deep burgundy color.  Continue reading “Honoring My Gothic Present” →

Bright Future

On By Liz HIn BOTS, Flicker(>100 words), Stories13 Comments

Man with an incredibly wide mustacheThe task is to write a story in 6 sentences, no more no less, and if you’d like, share your creation or just visit and comment, with GirlieOnTheEdge, Diana. The prompt is ‘’Wax”, and here’s where you join the party: 

https://girlieontheedge1.wordpress.com/2020/11/18/its-six-sentence-story-thursday-link-up-134/  

He was proud of his quarantine ‘stache; his teeth shone handsomely behind the luxuriant brush of hair.

Like many of his old-school buddies, he’d watched with great amusement as hair went long, then short, then business up front and party in the back, then shaved and polished, Continue reading “Bright Future” →

Avocado Toast in 99, Times Two

On By Liz HIn BOTS, Carrot Ranch, Flicker(>100 words), Stories8 Comments

Fancy Avocado ToastTwo 99-word tales of love and avocado toast.

Tea and Sympathy

“What’s the plan for today?” he asked.

Georgia watched out the window as squirrels chased each other through new-fallen snow, then up and around the trunk of the red oak they’d planted at Jessi’s birth. Snow chunks dropped like overcooked spuds.  Continue reading “Avocado Toast in 99, Times Two” →

Face at the Window (FlashNano Day 12)

On By Liz HIn BOTS, Fantasy, Flicker(>100 words), Sci-Fi, Stories1 Comment

rainy window, da
Image: Chippewa Valley news in WI

It was strange, that face, so familiar, yet not quite what he’d grown accustomed to seeing night after night. The nose was long, almost touching the sharp chin. The mouth was a straight slash, except where it turned down at its edges. And lately, it had been turning down at its edges more often than not.  Continue reading “Face at the Window (FlashNano Day 12)” →

Waiting for Spring (6-Sentence Story)

On By Liz HIn BOTS, Fantasy, Flicker(>100 words), Stories18 Comments

The task is to write a story in 6 sentences, no more no less, and if you’d like, share your creation or just visit and comment, with GirlieOnTheEdge, Diana. The prompt is ‘Clip”, and here’s where you join the party: Six Sentence Story on “CLIP”

Glacier

She’d hoped to make the rounds before the storm blew in and kept her indoors and isolated for the next week and a half. She started out with the usual chores–library, groceries, pet supplies for the cat, liquor store, quick visit with her mom—but wanted one final hike at the State Park, taken at a fast clip, with its rolling hills, pine forests, and sparkling creek. Continue reading “Waiting for Spring (6-Sentence Story)” →