Category Archives: Randoms

100 +Short Story Writing Prompts- Release The Writer in You. #amwriting

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As the autumn days draw in I’ll spend less time outside, and more time inside writing. It’s a chilly day today in London, I will not be at the pool for our usual Sunday swimming fun. We’ll spend the day in pyjamas instead.

Are you looking for inspiration to write? I  just stumbled across these great little websites, with  writing prompts! I have books with writing prompts, but I feel like trying something new. A little research and hey presto. Here are a few sites I found, what you’ll find are a mixture of situations or the start of a story (prompt) to continue writing :

100 short story ideas

More short story ideas

Twenty-Five creative writing ideas

This one generates random one line prompts click here.

 Release the writer in you-I look forward to reading some of your short stories in my news feed.

 

NEW YEAR, NEW CHAPTER_ 20 Quotes About Life, Creativity and Travel ___

Are you a #Writer?Here’s A Submission Call For #Stories From A #Publisher #amwriting #halloween

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I thought I’d share this with you all as it appeared in my inbox. Now I’m far from a scary writer.  Horror, scary or paranormal stories are something I’ve never turned my hand to. But if that’s you , or you’d like to give it ago and win a chance to have your work  published in a book, check out this  Halloween submission call from Tell-Tale Publishing. Click here

Good luck!

14 Nights of #Halloween Hop & #Giveaway

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The nights draw in early, the pumpkins are in the supermarkets- that can only mean Halloween is near.  Here is a fantastic giveaway for you! Just tell me what is your favourite scary movie or book?… I do like Halloween more for the dress up than anything else. I remember earlier this year, I did a writing prompt challenge and wrote a short story, with Halloween as the setting. You can read  part one  by clicking here, and part two of it by clicking here. Then enter below to win yourself some fantastic Halloween goodies.

What’s your favourite scary movie or book? Leave me a comment. One scary movie I’ll never forget is the Poltergeist. That movie totally freaks me out.

It’s that time of year again. The days are getting shorter, the air is
getting cooler and the nights are getting spookier. Yes, it’s time for
tricks and treats, goblins and ghouls, chills and thrills and huge
amounts of sugary sweets. But at the Laughing Vixen Lounge blog it’s also time for the 5th annual Attack of the 14 Nights of Halloween Giveaway. Join Laughing Vixen Lounge and our bewitching co-hosts The Kids Did It, The Mommy Island, Herding Cats and Burning Soup, The Hopping Bloggers, Mama Smith’s Reviews and Women and Their Pretties for a spooktacular Halloween event.

Enter to win a $250 Prize Pack filled with goodies from 10 wickedly
fabulous shops. All shops are offering Gift Cards or your choice of
item(s) so there will be something for everyone. Many of the shops have items perfect for any book lover along with lots of
unique, handcrafted and custom designs to choose from.

Visit the Laughing Vixen Lounge
blog daily during the giveaway for the Halloween Movie Marathon. Test
your movie knowledge with the Guess the Movie Game. Then try to solve
the Murder Mystery Scavenger Hunt, if you dare! Each event will get you
daily entries in the giveaway plus a special giveaway for the Scavenger
Hunt. Find full details for these events HERE.

You can start by entering the Rafflecopter widget below. To
experience all the games, movies, shop features, giveaway info and all
around awesome fun make sure to stop by the Laughing Vixen
Lounge blog HERE.

The giveaway runs October 18th – November 1st and is open worldwide to
anyone 18+. 1 winner will win the Prize Pack and 1 winner will win the
Scavenger Hunt Prize Pack. Laughing Vixen Lounge is responsible for all
giveaway details. Click HERE for full details.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Writing Prompt: Mid-Season Replacement, Are You Ready For Change? #amwriting

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Writing prompt: For many of us the seasons are changing, bouncing unpredictably between cold and warm. Are you glad to be moving into a new season, or wishing for one more week of the old?

Personally, I’m a warm hot-blooded woman! I love the sun and everything that comes with it the  beach, parks, ice cream, cute sundresses, sunglasses, sandals, pedicures and bold colour nail varnish. Without a doubt summer has to be my favourite season, followed by spring.

That said, there are a number of things I love about fall – or autumn as we call it here in the UK. Autumn is well and truly on us here in the UK, the rain, chilly wind and darker evenings are all the signs you need as a Londoner,  to know it’s time to pack away the flip flops for another year.

I’m always keen to drag out the summer months for as long as possible, but when I thought about this writing prompt when I saw it, there are a number of things I love about the change of season to autumn.

  1. An excuse to read! Oh yes, with the cold windy weather it is a great reason to stay in and cuddle up with a great book.
  2. I’m more productive as a writer in the colder months- I don’t want to go out in the wind and rain, I’d rather be behind my lap top than out in the bad weather.
  3. The fashion: There is something about autumn fashion that really gets me going, the colours of autumn are really cool.  Nice stylish winter coats and hats.Not black or grey I mean browns, golds, dark greens. I love boots, and autumn is the time when all the nice ones are in the shops. Be it ankle  or knee height I don’t mind, I just love a new pair of boots. 
  4. I love to wear scarfs – nice chunky ones with bold prints. No better time than in the autumn.
  5. The change in colour and look when it comes to make-up and nail polish. You just have to take a glance on You – Tube, as soon as 1st September comes, to see all the make-up artists show-casing their “fall make-up” as soon as August is up. Reds, berry colours, browns I love all the deep  colours when it comes to lipsticks which are perfect for this time of year. Nail colour trends turn dark and vampy out goes the pinks and pale shades in come the reds, burgundy, navy and purple shades. I love it all. 
  6. Christmas- oh yes my favourite time of year. I love Christmas not for the gifts or money spent, purely for what it represents ( to me) family time. The one time of year you get to sit down and catch up with your loved ones and friends over a great meal. All year you’ve been busy, at Christmas everything slows down and the focus ( in my house) is on family time. I really, really enjoy cooking up a storm in the kitchen too this time of year.
  7. Meal times- in autumn are all about soups,stews, roast dinners and nice wholesome foods, which I enjoy cooking and eating.
  8. Reflection time- often this time of year I start to look towards the new year, (yeah like two months early.) I’m already thinking about what I’d hope for, for the new year, what I want more  or less of in the new year to come. This time of year I’m very out  with the old and in with the new.
  9. The start of a new academic year: as a teacher this is the chance to really make an impact on each student’s life, by preparing them for what’s ahead. Be it an exam, coursework or the next stage of study.
  10. My son’s birthday: yep! My baby boy is a winter baby just like me when it comes to his birthday. This time of year I get to celebrate another year spent with the best toddler in the world. I always look back and see how much he’s developed I can’t believe he’s going to be three.

So I guess for me, the change of season brings around a lot of positives, especially as I’m more productive as a writer.Even if I’m not a fan of the weather, without it ( the shift from sunshine to wind and rain) I would not enjoy my usual piqued interest in fashion, be  more creativity while cooking, or start  preparation and planning for the new year. 

So yes, while I’m wishing for one more week of sunglasses and a sundress, at the same time autumn, for me personally brings around a lot of personal growth as I look towards the future. It just occurred to me while writing this, my spring time eg new-begging is not in March/April time when spring actually starts  but in autumn September/October!

How do you feel about the change in season? Does it represent anything for you? What’s your favourite season and why?

 

Writing Prompt: Write A Short Story Using The Title/Lyrics Of A Song. #Soul #Sunday #amwriting #music

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Careful

 Writing prompt: write a short story using the title/lyrics of a song.

These songs just came on my ” Sweet Soulful Sunday” Spotify player randomly. Here’s a short( love) story using the lyrics from the two songs.. here we go!

I keep forgetting we’re not in love any more, I keep forgetting things will never be the same again. It all started a year ago, we fell out of love. Slowly, like a cancer eating away at an organ. It started in one area of our relationship , then spread and took over every other aspect. Before  I knew it you were  asking me to leave. To give you space to think and reflect on exactly what it is that you want.

What happened to us? What happened to the days when I thought  we were happy? Sometimes I sit down and wonder why? Why are you gone? I thought our love was real and true.   

It was spring  when we met, like a breath of fresh area  we got caught up in the whirlwind of dates, laughing, joking and getting to know this wonderful new person.  But now you’re gone, and I no longer lay down at night with you. I see you in  the street, at the library, at the cafe and every time you’re near, every time I see your face, and  hear you say “hello you can only stay awhile”  it makes me want to break down, and  cry. How comes I keep forgetting we’re not in love anymore? How comes I keep forgetting things will never be the same again? 

Every time I hear how you never want to live a lie, I wonder why? Was you ever happy or  just her for the sake of it. The love went, then the  intimacy . What is the lie, what is it that you can’t stand anymore. Are you hiding something from me?

Here’s a response from the other person in the relationship!

I’m sorry I told you to go, but it was the best thing for me as I needed to grow. Every morning I wake up, before I put on my make-up I say a little prayer for you..  wishing that you will be OK, and you will find someone new  who can love you and be true. While I’m combing my hair, and wondering what dress to wear everyday, I say a little prayer for you. That God can send you someone new and true.

We were together for a year and I swear that forever and ever you’ll stay in my heart, I will always love you. But I don’t think I am the one for you.

Break ups are hard, especially when you can’t understand why a relationship  fell apart, to live with out you will mean heart break for me.  When I was with you trust me darling there was no one for me but you, yes I’m still in love you .But I must do what’s best for me. I wish you well but now I must say fair well.

Aww! How sad it’s never nice when things fall about in relationships, but sadly they do. Be careful who you give you’re heart to. 

Happy soulful Sunday people!

Writing Prompt: Tree- A Poem #amwriting

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Tree

 

Write a response to today’s WordPress one word writing prompt the word “tree”.

Through rain, wind, snow and heat you remain rooted and firm.Sometimes I wish I was that firm. In life I’ve had many lessons to learn, that’s how I’ve become firm.

Regardless of what’s going on you’ll always be there, just five minutes away, in the playground where all the local kids go to play. Whenever I need shelter, comfort or a place to escape, tree, you’re  always there for me.

Each season that passes I visit you often. Sometimes weekly I’ll head out,  and seek thee -my beautiful tree. For some time to reflect, digest and de-stress , it’s the best place, as  while I sit under you somehow

Everything seems brand new,  I see the world from a complete different view. My beautiful thinking tree, I’m happy for the day I sat down on the grass and found you.

 

It’s been a bit of a stressful day today! I can’t actually write – not what I’ve sat down to work on about two hours ago, so I’ve done a writing prompt poem instead.  

Writing Prompt: Value- One For The Ladies

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o Lol

Value

Today’s WordPress writing prompt is the word value, and I noticed it’s been suggested by one of my favourite bloggers Roberta Primentel all the way in Norway.

 Do you value yourself? Seriously do you? Don’t just say  “yeah I do” think about it- when was the last time you put yourself first? When I saw today’s prompt, what came to mind is one’s self, how much value we place on us.  Secondly, I thought of myself and how much I (now) value myself, compared to this time last year. As a romance writer it is so easy to whip up the perfect characters and everything is nice and everyone is happy, (after a few hurdles), but in reality love and life is not always like this. I’ve found in my thirty-three years of living, that the slightest thing can cause you to de-value yourself or compromise yourself. Sometimes with no thanks, or without even realising it.

You all know how much I love music, Amy Winehouse just came on my Spotifier player I thought of her, the poor girl. She was just a year younger than me  and sooooooo talented I went to one of her concerts here in London – when she was at the top of her game. And I brought the album Back to Black the day it came out, as well as her first album Frank. I have a lot of respect for her as an artist dead or alive, especially after I heard her sing live. But she died not because she was addicted to drugs and drink, what brought her to that point? In my view low self value. She valued another person more than herself ( her lover), it got so much for her the heart ache of placing this guy above herself she turned to drink and drugs to numb the pain.  I have read interviews over the years where her ex-husband has stated that he does feel guilty, and partly to blame for her death. So sad. She never got the chance to bounce back from Back to Black and come out the other side valuing herself more than some guy who clearly did not deserve her heart. Have you listened to that album? I mean really listened, not just to Rehab and Valarie the well known songs. Every every song has some reference to her heart ache. One thing I’ve always said about Amy is, out of her heart ache, came a masterpiece of art, her words, her feelings and her great voice earned her award after award all that from a broken heart and low self value.

Tell me ladies, is it really worth it? Not valuing yourself enough ? Letting yourself go so badly that you go from one extreme to another in your looks, ability to perform and be who you are?

RIP Amy.

The Amy I’ll always love

 

Last Friday, I read the morning’s papers and there was an interview with Britney Spears, how she’s fearful that her boys were growing up so fast, how she feels more herself in her thirties than her twenties. I can relate to the latter 100%. Britney is another woman who lost herself by placing less value on herself and more on someone else. We all remember watching her decline from a pop princess to a shaved headed maniac, hitting the paps with an umbrella… why? Why did this happen? We’ll never know but my guess is that a lot of it was to do with pressure of motherhood, then single motherhood , divorcing her shit-bag husband, a  breakup with Justin Timberlake all kinds of bull shit, I guess she was trying to please everyone but Britney, and it ended up with her melting down. Thank God she bounced back. Over the years, I’ve been secretly rooting for her comeback,  when I heard her her comeback song ” Gimmie More”  in 2007 the opening is   ” it’s Britney bitch” then she sings, I laughed and I still do when I hear it as it’s like two fingers up to all her haters. Good for you Britney! You’ve had so much stick over the years, I’m glad you’re back on top and doing what you do best.

 

The Britney I’ll always love

 

That’s not all what about Whitney Houston? Gosh that voice, the hair in the 80s, I love Whitney but she too lost her self worth and value  to yep- another person. Bobby Brown. We all know her story and it is so sad that she died, and even sadder how she died. Just another example of what can happen when a woman loses her self value and worth.

 

RIP Whitney

 

 

And my last female example is Lauren Hill, I am a MASSIVE  fan of her, it was her and the group The Fugees that introduced me to Hip Hop. My older sister brought me the album     “The Score” by the Fugees on tape I remember LOL, and she also brought me Lauren Hill’s album ” The Mis-education of Lauren Hill” back in the day. Lauren’s story is not so much highlighted as the other ladies in the media, but she too lost her self worth and value to another person. She also considered aborting her son due to media/industry pressure. Now she’s back  and is now on the up from watching You- Tube updates on her. Good for you Lauren!

 

Glad to have you back Lauren

So what is the point that I’m actually trying to make… a very simple one. Ladies value yourself . Choose your male mate wisely Aretha Franklin said it “R.E.S.P.E.C.T. ME! ” Remember you are like a flower you need to be watered and tended to regularly in order for you to bloom. If not you will wilt away and die- your personality, goals, hopes, dreams, ambition and self belief that you can do whatever it is you’d like to achieve. You will not value yourself as you should and may make poor decisions.

The four ladies I’ve used as examples of women who have lowered/compromised or lost their self value are extreme I know, as two of the four died, but two of the four have bounced back and   that’s the message I want to give.  Bounce back! As I said earlier in this post, this time last year, I would not say I had no self value, but it was lowered, compromised and  I was pleasing everyone but Kim. I put a stop to it, for the sake of my own sanity so I’m able to continue to  be the best mother I can be,  write, laugh, be me and over see the safety of both myself and my son.  Now life is much more better!

 The last thing I want o say is, this month is Domestic Violence Awareness month, I was alerted of this yesterday…. so  if you are in any form of abusive relationship or friendship, get the help you need NOW and get out. And if you are in an emotionally abusive relationship (this is just as bad) get the help you need NOW and try to walk away. The year is ending start 2017 with a new attitude… love you before anyone else.

Thank you to Roberta Primentel for today’s suggestion, and inspiring me to write.

 

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Thank you For Voting, The Result is…. #amwriting #standup2cancer #charity

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Morning,

Thank you if you left me a comment or vote on what genre story I should write, for the standup2cancer writing project I’m taking part in for 2017. It seems that the vote swung towards the romance genre, as it will be the month of February the book of short stories is published. Then I had one person comment, and  it swung back to a level playing field! But by then I had already confirmed with my publisher, a romance genre story. Thank time difference for that, I saw the comment late but thank you for it.

Voting is closed now, so that’s it.  It’s a romance I’ll be writing, using the writing prompt ” code redhead”. I will try to spice it up a little and add in a lil’ of the old suspense.

Thank you for your help! I’ll keep you posted on when the book is available and don’t forget,  all money raised from the sales go to cancer research, we authors won’t see a penny.

 

Have You Voted For A Genre Story For Me To Write For #standup2cancer charity project?- Quick Note From Me

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Hi all

Thank you to the two voters who picked a genre for me to write a story for, for the standup2cancer writing project I’m  participating in, with some other authors. All sales from the books will go to the charity to help raise money for cancer. Authors will not see a penny.

I need more votes! As  two voters have voted in opposition, and so there is no clear indicator on what genre has won the vote. I’m inviting YOU to vote, don’t think too hard on it. Right now, all I’m asking is someone takes the hard choice out of my hands over what genre I should write in. The writing prompt is “Code Redhead”,  we need to write something using  this prompt….. and you all know how much I love a writing prompt! Now… do I write a romance or a thriller story? The month the book is published  with my story and other author’s  stories will be February 2017.

You can find out more details and vote by clicking here

It’s Real….The Journey has started

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This is a copy of my paperback!  This picture was sent to me today by a very excited reader. Who has just unwrapped their Amazon package, in a hurry to meet me inside? Do you remember when I did the writing prompt for the word “admire”?… It’s Ellie !  You can read that writing prompt by clicking here.  Find out who she is.

I can’t wait to receive my paperback copy, it’s one thing to see yourself on Amazon but to see yourself in print… man that makes it all seem so very very real. Hurry up delivery man! I’m getting twitchy.