Spring is Coming

Knights of MicroFiction are back for March.  If you want to join us, just sign up on the linky list below and post your piece by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 15th. this month's prompt, in honor of the coming of Spring is:  In around 100 words use the words "blossom" and "green" and describe a Spring scene from either the real world or a made up world.    
If you want an additional challenge, include the title of Jess's newly released novel, From the Ashes.
Here is mine:

Spring is Coming

Footprints in the snow
Traces of days past,
All gone now
Melted by the inner fires of Earth.  

New trails forged
Life is reborn
Green stalks rise
Forgetting what once was.

Darkened skies open
Ashes of the past
Float away and
Reveal the light that always was.

The glowing embers
Of Spring
Rise from the ashes of winter

Have a great weekend, hopefully you will have some nice weather to enjoy!

Kathy :)

National Worm Hole Day

To celebrate Einstein's birthday, he'd be 134 tomorrow, Stephen Tremp, Laura Eno, and Luanne Smith have come up with National Worm Hole Day.

In about 100 words what would you do or where would you go if you could traverse a wormhole through space or time just once? One safe round trip passage.

Boy it was hard for me to choose where I would go.  But I decided that seeing the future is not for me.  While I would love to finally see flying cars, the future is unstable.  I wouldn't want my knowledge to change decisions that must be made.  I'm sure I would accidentally throw the whole universe into chaos.

Instead, I would go back to London in 1590.  Here, I would infiltrate Queen Elizabeth's court and learn her most intimate secrets. I would also attempt to befriend Shakespeare and learn the ways of the written word from the Master himself.  


Where would you go and what would you do?


****

Knights of MicroFiction are back for March.  If you want to join us, just sign up on the linky list below and post your piece by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 15th. this month's prompt, in honor of the coming of Spring is:  In around 100 words use the words "blossom" and "green" and describe a Spring scene from either the real world or a made up world.   
If you want an additional challenge, include the title of Jess's newly released novel, From the Ashes.




Kathy :)

Knights of MicroFiction Prompt

Today is the 13th of November already which means it's time to give you the Knights of MicroFiction Prompt.

The Knights of MicroFiction is a bloghop hosted by me and Jess on the 15th of every month (except April, becasue the A-Z Challenge makes things crazy!).  We came up with it as a way to meet new friends, help build the blogging community and (hopefully) spark your creativity! 

The prompt is:  In 300 words or less write a scene where the main character realizes he/she is thankful for something.  Include the words "turkey" and "Mayflower" (this could be May flowers too or other creative variations).

You have until 11:59 pm on November 15th to post your entry.  Sign up on the Linky List below.  Can't wait to read what you come up with.  :)

****

In other news I'm hard at work editing my novel Hidden Truth (this is my title for now). In this draft I'm really trying to focus on the depth of each character and making sure my overall story line makes sense. It's going quite well but I get a good laugh now and then when I read something and ask myself, "What the heck was I thinking?  Maybe I fell asleep while writing because I would never have written that would I?"  

What are you working on?  

Kathy :)

Cooking Class Fun and Part II of Hetty

Here we are working together to roll out the pasta

My daughter, Alyssa, and I love to cook together and we love going to cooking classes.  This week we  decided to bring my husband along with us to learn how to make homemade pasta.  We weren't sure how he would do in the kitchen since he's not really a regular around the stove.  But he made us proud.        

  

Throwing lasagna noodles into pot

It was great fun!  We each had a little work station and prepared our own dough, which was surprisingly simple to make, just eggs flour and salt with a little liquid (milk or other flavoring) to moisten it.  He learned how to kneed and roll out dough, which will come in handy for Thanksgiving pies!    

He was put in charge of cooking the lasagna noodles, then Alyssa and I had to grab them out of an ice bath and dry them off with a towel before handing them off to the next couple who layered them in the pan.  It was quite an assembly line.  I can see why Italians have such big families.  They need all the help in the kitchen to make great pasta!  

Using pasta machine

It was delicious.  The best pasta I have ever eaten.  I don't know how pasta from a box will ever be good enough now.  We will have to try making it at home as a family project.  Should be interesting.  

****

Here is Part II of Sally's post about her grandma Harriet.   

Hetty circa 1917

Harriet was a great seamstress using a Singer treadle sewing machine making both her eldest daughter’s wedding dress in the 1950’s.  She would bake cakes and biscuits and cook everyday of her life, roast dinners on Sundays, cold meat and mash on Monday, then various meals during the week, including rabbit pies and always served with a dessert. 

Harriet was a very hard worker and worked for the local farmer from spring to autumn hop training, hop picking, fruit picking and potato picking.  She would also go primrose picking (taking myself with her) in the woods which were then bundled up into posies and taken to the next train and put on the train and sent to Convent Garden market in London.

Hetty circa 1920

She loved a social life and would attend the Darby and Joan Club (a social club for older members), the Women’s Institute, known as the W.I. and Whist Drives, (Group Games/Card Games) a social gathering where whist is played; the winners of each hand move to different tables to play the losers of the previous hand Collins English Dictionary), and Bingo during the evenings in the week.

On every Sunday evening she would provide a cold supper for her brother and sister-in-law (Bert and Dorothy) who would visit their house where they would play cards and socialise together.

Harriet wasn’t a very tall lady but quite a feisty one.  She would have rows with her neighbour over some disagreement.  Fred and Hetty could go days and weeks without actually talking to each other because they’d had a disagreement but nobody could deny they loved each other deeply.

In her 80’s she suffered a heart attack and after recovering from those began to display the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s.   Her last move was to a lovely facility with people who could look after her 24 hours a day where she spent the last four or five years of her life.  Her family visited her as much as we could and we took the new generations to meet her as well.

Harriet died in her 93^rd year having lived through two World Wars and saw many inventions, cars, televisions and telephones.  Even with all these inventions she never had a telephone in her house and didn’t possess a washing machine.

Harriet's 89th birthday.
Back row: June, Sally (me), Margaret
Front: my kids, Hetty, and a cousin

I spent a lot of time with my grandmother and loved every minute of it. 

****

Thanks so much, Sally, for sharing your grandmother's history.  

I have one more thing today.  As part of the Healthy Writers Club, hosted by Shallee McArthur just a quick update on my success at getting out of my chair this week.  

Since the weather was great, on Wednesday my son and I went outside and played baseball together.  We had lots of fun running around in the leaves.  

I also started learning the new set of moves, (they are actually called "Moves", I know not the most creative term!), for my next skating test.  Yay!

Have a great weekend everyone!

And don't forget next Thursday is the next Knights of MicroFiction.  The prompt is:  In 300 words or less write a scene where the main character realizes he/she is thankful for something.  Include the words "turkey" and "Mayflower" (this could be May flowers too or other creative variations).

Kathy :)

Knights of MicroFiction #8-Goddess of Thunder

The prompt was:  in 300 words or less create a superhero-like character and tell us how he/she uses his powers for good.

Ok I'm a little late in posting this, but here it is (it is 300 words exactly):

Goddess of Thunder

I sat with my cup.  Inhaling the earthiness of the roasted rice green tea.  Swirls of steam caressed my face and I looked down over the expanse of blue before me.  I wondered what was on the schedule today.  

“Hey Kami,” Asako said walking over with her silver touchscreen.  Her white robes flowed about her, but there was something different today.  She seemed hesitant.  

I looked up. “Good morning.”

She gazed down at her screen and slid her finger across the tablet.

“What is it?” I asked, impatience creeping into my voice.   

“I’m sorry.”  She faked a smile. “But the people of Earth are not behaving themselves.  You’re going to have a busy day.”

“Do they ever?” I sighed.

“This time is different,” she pressed her touchscreen again, accessing more detailed information.  She turned the screen to me.  

It was a file on Erlich Zane, the crazy physicist trying to create a weapon of mass destruction using dark matter.  He had stumbled upon some new data; now he had a missile and was forming an army.  

My job, of course, would be to stop him.  I wasn’t happy the Earth was in trouble again, but maybe this was my chance to prove that I, Kaminari Arashina, Goddess of Thunder and protector of Earth was more powerful than that other god of thunder.      

I jumped up, thanked Asako for the news and suited up. I strapped on my tight black armor and  black hood.  I grabbed a few shurikens and tied my sword belt around my waist.  I would rely on my speed and stealth to win this war.    

I raised my arms to the heavens, mumbled an ancient Shinto prayer, and summoned a bolt of lightning to transport me to Zane’s high-tech lab in Mumbai.  This would be my day.  


****
Hope you enjoyed it!
Kathy :)

Knights of MicroFiction

Well it's the 15th of October which means Halloween is fast approaching and it's time for the Knights of MicroFiction hosted by me and Jess (unfortunately, an error message is coming up on her blog and she can't get in to it, hopefully it will be fixed soon.)  We usually post the prompt on the 13th but because this month it was a Saturday, we will post the prompt today and give you until the end of the 17th (11:59 pm) to post your entry.

This month is all about superheros.  Here is the prompt:

In 300 words or less create a superhero-like character and describe how he/she became a superhero. Include his/her special powers and how he/she uses them for good.    


Just sign up on the linky list below and post your entry by the end of the 17th, then go around and check out all the other great entries.

Jess and I will choose two winners to be featured on our blogs.  Hope you have fun with this one.  We can't wait to read what you come up with.





Kathy :)



And don't forget the DID I NOTICE YOUR BOOK BLOGFEST hosted by Alex Cavanaugh and Ciara Knight coming up on Wednesday.

Interview with Sally Stackhouse-KoMF Winner

This morning I have the pleasure of introducing you to Sally Stackhouse from Sally's Scribbles.
Let's get right to it.

It's great to have you here Sally, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I was born in a small farming village in the South East of England in the Weald of Kent. I used to go with my mother and grandmother during the school holidays fruit picking, mainly blackcurrants and then later apple picking.

Oh I love apple picking in the fall.

My grandmother worked nine months of the year on the hops, starting with training them right up
to picking them and sorting them standing at the great big machine. I still love the smell of hops.
We used to have strings of hops on the ceilings of the ‘outhouse’ (a building attached to the main
house but with a sink and counter tops and toilet).

We moved to a large market/railway town when I was 16 when my father retired from the Royal
Navy and had to find employment in Civvy Street.

I've never smelled hops before.  That sounds like a wonderful setting for a story.
Speaking of stories, when did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I always had aspirations of writing but it never came to anything as jobs and family filled in all
my time until recently.

It's so hard to carve out time for writing.  I'm still struggling with that. When you do find time, what  inspires you to put pen to paper?

Ordinary everyday life and people, I love people watching whether I am out shopping, enjoying a meal out or generally observing people.

Oh me too!  My husband says I listen in to people's conversations far too often, but there is so much good material, I can't help it!
What books have influenced you the most?

The classics from my childhood, Heidi, Black Beauty (I cried and cried), Treasure Island (rather
violent I thought) and the classics from school, Dickens, Shakespeare, Pride and Prejudice,

Wuthering Heights and a personal favourite Louisa May Alcott and Little Women (I cried again)
and the follow up books. Then I moved on to Agatha Christie and mysteries, detective stories
and whodunits.

My favourite authors at the moment are Phillippa Gregory, Louise Penny, Jodi Picoult, Joanne
Harris, Jeffrey Deaver. Science fiction and fantasy, Arthur C. Clark, Ann McCaffrey and the
Dragon books and various others.

A real favourite is Jean M. Auel and her Clan of the Cave Bears series, they are fantastic books.
Oh to be able to write anywhere near some of these authors would be a dream come true.


Wow you have a lot of great books on your list.  Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorites and I've been wanting to read Clan of the Cave Bears.


What are you working on right now?

I have an idea for a book (don't we all) and have actually started it but I must admit I really
haven’t got very far. I love writing poetry but am now enjoying trying my hand at flash fiction.

We are certainly glad you are writing flash fiction! :)
I started doing some flash fiction pieces with my characters from my WiP, as back story and that helped me figure them out enough to keep moving ahead.

Other than finding time, what is the most challenging aspect of writing for you?

Wondering if other people will like what I am writing. Self doubt is the bane of most writers’
lives.

Hmm, yes I think we all struggle with that.  But I think if you write what is in your heart, you will find an audience.
Blogging is a great way to get your work out there and begin building a following.  How long have you been at it and what is the best part about being in the blogosphere?

I am a very new blogger and only started a blog because I wanted to join the A – Z challenge this
year which is where I came across some lovely helpful people. The best part is ‘meeting’ people
from all over the world and from all walks of life and all ages. The help bloggers give each other
generously and freely is an unexpected bonus of the blogosphere community.

I agree.  There are so many people who eagerly give their time and knowledge to help others.  It's very inspiring.  I'm finding that the best part about co-hosting the Knights of MicroFiction challenges is that I have an excuse to contact the winners and really get to know them better.  :)

Do you have any big goals for this year?

I’m not usually one for setting goals except in my head. I think the biggest one is to try and stay
healthy.

Oh that's very important.  Without health it's hard to accomplish anything else.  Good luck. (and eat your veggies!) :)
What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I knit. I’ve just made 20 hats with bobbles to go on top of the Innocent drinks for AgeUK – every
bottle of drink sold ‘wearing’ a hat will have 25p donated to AgeUK.
I’ve just made a knitted lacy scarf for my god daughter and a chunky cardigan for my step
daughter.
I also make and create greeting cards and Christmas cards.
I love to cook and bake.
I also have to do have to work to earn some money and I work from home as a transcriber.

Oh neat. I always wanted to learn to knit, but never got around to it.  AgeUK sounds like a good cause.
Is there anything else we should know about you?

Two years ago I had a heart attack which made me re-evaluate my life and my lifestyle and I
am so grateful to the medical staff who helped me recover and to my wonderful husband who
is such a support to me and my family. I am enjoying this period of my life as I watch my
grandchildren grow up.

That's scary.  I'm glad you have such a wonderful support system.  Friends and family can help us overcome so much.  It's great that you have time now to spend with your grandchildren, your perspective on life will help them grow to be better people.

Thanks Sally for being with us today.


Have a great weekend

Kathy :)

Genre Favorites and KoMF Winners

I hope everyone had a great weekend!  We sure had beautiful weather here in Ohio.
This morning Jess and I are announcing the two winners from the 7th Knights of MicroFiction.

Congratulations to T.Z. Wallace and Sally's Scribbles!  

Ladies we will be emailing you with more information so we can feature you on our blogs.  Thanks so much to everyone who played along this time.    

And now for the main event of the day...
Alex J. Cavanaugh is hosting another blogfest.  This time it is all about your favorite genres.  So head on over and sign up if you want to join in on the fun.  It's a great way to meet lots of new wonderful people!

One blogfest, four favorites!

List your favorite genre of:

Movie

Music

Books

And a guilty pleasure genre from any of the three categories!

Favorite movie genre:  Action/Adventure

Growing up with two brothers influenced me more than I thought.  When we went to movies it was either James Bond, Arnold Schwarzenegger or Star Wars/Star Trek.  I fell in love with the fast pace and quirky moments of humor.  My current favorite:  Avengers


Favorite music genre:  Almost anything except Jazz

This one was really tough for me because I love all sorts of music.  Classical and opera top my list but I don't usually listen to those while I'm writing.  Lately I've really gotten into the music of Red, Evanesence and Within Temptation.  For some reason they speak to my writer's soul and get my creativity flowing.  My current favorite (I keep putting it on repeat):  Hymn for the Missing by Red


Favorite book genre:  Historical non-fiction

Even as a kid I soaked up history.  I was enchanted by the Arthurian legends and while that might not be history, it got me excited about all things in the past.  I moved on to Middle Age Europe and then the French Revolution.  Lately, I've added some Asian history to the mix.   But recently I've been trying to widen my horizons and I've really enjoyed some sci-fi and fantasy as well.  Current favorite:  Taj Mahal:  Passion and Genius at the Heart of the Moghul Empire






My guilty pleasure:  Comedy movies

Anything that makes me laugh so hard that I cry.  It could be romantic comedies or spoofs or even stand up comedians.  Current favorite:  Jim Gaffigan's King Baby


Make sure you check out Alex's blog to find all the other participants.  Have a great Monday!

Kathy :)         

KoMF -Morning News

Before I get to the KoMF I have to wish my daughter Jess a Happy 16th Birthday today!  I'm so proud of you Jess!!

Ok now on to business.  Today is the deadline for the 7th Knights of MicroFiction.  Here are the prompts again in case you missed them.  The object is to pick one TELLING sentence and turn it into a scene where you SHOW it instead.

Here are the sentences to choose from:

• It was the most interesting birthday ever. (This is in honor of Jess's 16th birthday on Saturday! Happy Birthday Jess! :))
• He/she's so obnoxious.  
• It was dark.
• The meal was delicious.
• He/she was in a bad mood.

You have until the end of today (11:59 pm) to post if you want to join us.  Just add your link to the list on the previous post.  Jess and I will pick two winners by the 17th and  they will be featured on our blogs.

Here's mine:

Morning News

The bittersweet cafe au lait brought me to life.  The little coffee shop on Walnut Street buzzed with the morning rush.  I pushed my way through the crowded room and sat at my usual table, the one with the little heart scratched in the surface which surrounded the names,“Chad and Amy”.  It seemed out of place in an upscale java joint, that’s why I liked it.  

I scrolled through the headlines on my tablet.  Not much going on in the world today.  The top item was “Reality star, Jennifer Joyce brings judges to tears and wows America.”  1 million hits. Wow.

I glanced at the time.  It was only 7:00 am.  El would be here soon.  I hadn’t seen her in years. Why did she wanted to meet me?  I couldn’t imagine.    

A flurry of activity caught my attention.  I looked up.  El was at the door sporting skin tight black leather pants, a gold tank top and 5 inch heels.  In her arms she carried her Gucci bag and a miniature maltese puppy dressed in a cashmere sweater and a pink bow.  

A college kid with a backpack rushed forward to open the door for her.  She flashed a grin at him.  “Oh thank you,” she said strolling in and swaying her hips like a runway model.  Every head turned to gawk at her.  She pretended not to notice and called out to me, “Sami, how are you dear?”

I cringed at the volume.  It was like she wanted everyone to hear her.  I motioned for her to come over and sit, hoping the excitement would die down.  Of course it didn’t.  She sauntered toward me and picked out every good looking guy on the way to put her hands on and say, “Oh excuse me.”

I could almost see the drool slipping from their lips.  Ugggh.  I wanted to melt into the wall and hide.

She sat down and promptly displayed her left hand in front of my face.  The glare off the giant diamond almost blinded me.  Oh that’s why she wanted to see me.  I smiled and took her hand pretending to inspect it.  “Wow El, congratulations.  Who’s the lucky guy?”

“Oh Sami, I can hardly believe it.”  Her smile was so big I thought her the top of her head might fall off.  “It’s your brother...we’re going to be sisters! Yay!”                

     It was way too early for that news.

*****

Hope you enjoyed it. Can you guess which prompt I used? Have a great weekend!

Kathy :)

      

Knights of MicroFiction #7 Prompt

It's time for another round of the Knights of MicroFiction.  The Knights of MicroFiction is a bloghop hosted by me and Jess on the 15th of every month (except April, becasue the A-Z Challenge makes things crazy!).  We came up with it as a way to meet new friends, help build the blogging community and (hopefully) spark your creativity! 

We reveal the prompts on the 13th and you have until the end of the 15th (11:59 pm) to post your reply.  Just sign up on the linky list below. 

By the 17th Jess and I will choose two winners to be featured on our blogs.  We really hope you guys have fun and meet lots of new people!  We can't wait to read what you come up with!

This time we are giving you 5 TELLING sentences to choose from.  The object is to pick a sentence and create a scene in 500 words or less that SHOWS what the sentence is about.

For bonus points, don't include the sentence you chose (or any alteration of it) in your scene. Your readers should be able to guess which one you described!

Here are the sentences to choose from:

• It was the most interesting birthday ever. (This is in honor of Jess's 16th birthday on Saturday! Happy Birthday Jess! :))
• He/she's so obnoxious.  
• It was dark.
• The meal was delicious.
• He/she was in a bad mood.

We can't wait to see what you come up with!

Kathy & Jess :)

Interview with Roland D. Yeomans

Hope everyone had a relaxing weekend.
Today, as winner of the Knights of MicroFiction, Roland D. Yeomans is here to answer some questions on his life and writing.  I can't wait to learn a little more about him.

Thanks so much for joining us Roland.  Let's get started.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

     I was born in Detroit, but I left quite young so my only memories are of knee caps and hub caps!  My Lakota mother taught me that my mind was my best weapon against the dark, so I decided to become a teacher.  I saw so many students bruised by life that I decided to become a counselor.  When my mother contracted Cancer, I emptied my savings and started my own book store so that I could take time off to go with her for her treatments.

     When she died, the reason for my store died.  I made friends with the personnel at the local blood center, so I switched to being a rare blood courier.

I'm so sorry to hear about your mom. It's wonderful that you supported her and cared for her through her ordeal.  

When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

     When as a child, I was quite ill in a basement apartment during an ice storm in Detroit, Mother made up tales of Hibbs the bear with 2 shadows and the cub with no clue to keep her and my mind from how close to death I was.  I could actually see the hulking form of Hibbs, the guardian of all hurting children, at the foot of the bed during that long night.  I grew to believe that my shivers were from The Turquoise Woman whose touch was cold but whose heart was warm.

     Mother's tales made me believe that magic was in my room.  Against all odds, I survived the double pneumonia.  I decided I, too, wanted to cast back the darkness with the weaving of magical words.  I later elaborated on Mother's tales in my THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS.

Sounds like your mother was a wonderful and unique woman, you were lucky to have each other. And now she lives on through your books.
Speaking of books, I see you have like 17 books out! WOW!  How did you manage that?

     I compose on the road, speak out dialogue, and write when I drag back in at night.  I thought how in World War II, there were many theaters of action and many heroes, civilian and military, who helped win that war.  I thought how much fun it might  be to write of a global supernatural world war with several heroes in different times and places all fighting the same villain.   

     So I created the immortal DayStar (a supernatural Hannibal Lector believing he is Lucifer) against whom my cast of heroes would fight.  END OF DAYS is my take on THE AVENGERS MOVIE in which most of my heroes fight against an array of enemies, all set to trigger the TWILIGHT OF THE GODS.  A major 
victory was won then at terrible cost but the war still goes on.

You must not sleep much. I love the concept of all your heroes coming together to fight off a super bad guy.

With all these great characters do you have a favorite that you've developed?

     Samuel McCord, the undead Texas Ranger, is the BATMAN of my linked universe of stories.  His personality (albeit he is much more heroic) is most like mine.  Hibbs, the bear with two shadows, from my mother's tales has a warm spot in my heart.  He appears both in THE BEAR WITH 2 SHADOWS and in END OF DAYS.  Victor Standish, the son of the angel of Death, makes me laugh.

I would say you're pretty heroic for all you did for your mom and what you continue to do for others. You're an inspiration. What inspires you to continue battling the darkness with your characters?

     The memory of Mother casting back the night, the fever, and my fears with her tales.  I want to do that for someone out there in the shadows, reading to force back the darkness threatening their peace of heart.

What a wonderful reason to write.  
What are you working on currently?  Can you tell us a little bit about it?

     I have just finished a collection of short stories, BRING ME THE HEAD OF McCORD! 

     http://www.amazon.com/dp/

B008ZM9B8M#_

     Many people have emailed me with questions such as: Why does an undead TEXAS Ranger live in a jazz club in New Orleans?  How did Samuel lose his parents?  How did he get silver hair as a child?  Why does the vampire, Abigail Adams, hate him so?  When will you write another story of Hibbs, the cub with no clue?  What was Victor's and Alice's first Christmas after Katrina like?  What was Blake Adamson, my hero who is the clone of Jesus, like before his orphanage burned?

     I answered those questions and another fun one: What if our world was invaded by aliens and it was left to Evil to defend it?

That sounds like it was a lot of fun to write and I'm sure it will be a lot of fun to read as well.
What is the most challenging aspect of writing for you?

     Finding time for it all.  As a harried rare blood courier, I have so little free time.  I will be working 7 days straight now, half of that on first call all night after a long day at work.  Whew!  I need for my books to take off so I can rest!!

I hope the do take off for you!  Finding time is my biggest challenge as well.  There are never enough hours in the day.  
  
How long have you been blogging and what is the best part about it?

     I have been blogging for nearly 3 years.  And the best part about it is meeting nice folk like you and Jess!

*Blush*  Awh thanks, Roland.  That's my favorite part too.
Do you have any big goals for this year?

     I would like to finish the next Victor Standish YA urban fantasy, THREE SPIRIT KNIGHT.  But that will be a challenge!

Well good luck.  Victor sounds like a fun character.  
You must read a lot to get new ideas.  What books have influenced you the most?

     Roger Zelazny's LORD OF LIGHT.  Clifford Simak's TIME IS THE SIMPLEST THING.  Neil Gaiman's AMERICAN GODS.  Christopher Moore's LAMB.  Raymond Chandler's THE LONG GOODBYE.

I haven't heard of those, I'll have to check them out.
What do you like to do when you're not writing?

     I love to read: fiction (S.F. Fantasy, mysteries, comedies - I love Thorne Smith's THE NIGHT LIFE OF THE GODS), essays (Mark Twain's and Gore Vidal's), psychology, and philosophy texts.

Oh I love Mark Twain.  
Is there anything else we should know about you?

    I am enriched with each friend that I have made in the cyberverse.  Friends are the only true wealth in this world and the only treasure we can hope to find in the next.

Thanks so much for being here Roland, it was great getting to know you a little better.

Head on over to Roland's blog and check out all the fabulous books he has to offer.
Hope everyone has a happy Monday.

Kathy :)

    

Knights of MicroFiction Winners

Happy Friday everyone!  There is so much going on with all the blog fests, WRiTE CLUB, Write On Con, not to mention school starting up again soon.  I feel like I've been falling behind.  Hopefully next week I'll get it together!

Anyway, today Jess and I are announcing the winners of the 6th Knights of MicroFiction.  The lucky winners will be featured on our blogs sometime next week.  We had some really great entries and it was difficult to choose only two winners.

We would like to congratulate:

  Roland Yeomans  and Anstice Potts

Awesome job guys.  We will be emailing you two with more details.

Thanks so much to everyone who joined in.

Have a great weekend!

Kathy :)

KoMF #6-Trapped

Monday's prompt for the Knights of MicroFiction was:

Your character is trapped in a space (of your choice).  All they have with them is a broken coffee mug, an unlit candle and a cell phone with a dead battery.  What happens?

Your entry cannot be longer than 400 words.  We're still taking entries until 11:59 tonight EST.  So join in on the fun. 


Here's mine at 400 words, entitled:

Sparks

“What is this place, Hem?” Cora asked keeping a close eye on the thick spider webs crisscrossing the ancient stone walls.  

“This tunnel is supposed to lead to the Temple.”

“It’s creepy.  Do you think we’ll find anything?”  

Hem ran his hand through his thick dark hair.  “I don’t know Cor, but we’re running out of options.  We have to find the ancient texts.”

“I know, but I have a bad feeling about this.”  Her stomach tumbled about like a washing machine.  

“Hey, what can go wrong, I’m here?”  Hem flashed his cocky smile that infuriated her and melted her simultaneously.  God, he was frustrating.  If only he weren’t right all the time.

A sparkle caught her eye.  “Hey look at this.”

“Don’t touch that!” Hem yelled, but it was too late.   A rumble thundered through the tunnel.  Hem grabbed her and started running.   She struggled to keep up with him.   “It’s a trap!”

The tunnel was crumbling.  “Why are we going in deeper?” Her voice rose in panic.

He didn’t answer.  They just kept running to a large chamber with a heavy wooden door. Everything collapsed behind them.

“You had to go pulling on that!”

“I didn’t know!  You should have told me it was booby trapped!  I knew we shouldn’t have come!”  She choked on sobs.  “We’re going to die!”

“We’re not going to die, look...” he searched the dust filled chamber and bent down, “some broken glass and a candle.”  He held it up in triumph.

“Great, how is that going to help us?”

“I don’t know.”  He slumped down and dropped his head to his hands.  

Cora felt bad for being so harsh on him.  She looked around.  

“Isn’t this a cellnet the ancients used?” She held up a small object.

“Cell phone, but it won't help, the battery must be dead.”

“Trust me.”  She dug a hole under the door with a glass shard, broke the candle in two and pulled out the wick.  She rewired the phone, secured one wire to the wick and placed it in the hole.  She closed her eyes, focused  her energy, and blew on the wick.  A small spark escaped her lips, the wick ignited sending flames and sparks to the wires.  

The cell phone exploded under the door and knocked it loose.  They were free.

“Whoa, how’d you do that?”  Hem asked as they stepped into the light.  



******

Well there you have it. It was really hard to fit it all into 400 words!



Hope you're having a great week

Kathy :)