The Sue Vincent Rodeo Classic « Carrot Ranch Literary Community

The Sue Vincent Rodeo Classic

Carrot Ranch is running a parade of fun challenges to take part in the Sue Vincent Rodeo. You can enter by writing a Flash Fiction entry, reblogging any of Sue’s beautiful posts or buying and reviewing her books. See the details below. I recently reviewed Sue’s beautiful guided journey of meditations in Petals of the Rose, you can read my review here.

 

Today, I’m also sharing a beautiful poem written by Sue. Please read how to join in the fun below the poem.

 

 

To leave no place for regret in a life
Save only mistakes from which to learn
Letting error serve good purpose
Redeeming remorse for hurt
Carelessly committed
Youthful folly wakes
To see itself
Mirrored eyes
Reflect
Pain
Joy
Growing
Unfolding
Other choices
From a deeper well
Embracing each moment
A gift of living presence
Harmony of body and soul
Accepting human imperfections
Part of the blueprint for the journey home

 

 

Here at the Carrot Ranch, we take the business of 99-word literary art seriously. Those who participate in the Ranch prompts or yearly Rodeo saddle up to TUFF (The Ultimate Flash Fiction) it out and train new Rough Riders as we go. Now, the Ranch is hosting a new event to sharpen minds, welcome new hands, and celebrate one of our own the best way we know how: our first ever Rodeo Classic.

In this Rodeo Classic, we’re here to celebrate a stalwart center of many blogging corners, Sue Vincent. Sue has variously contributed to the community here at the Carrot Ranch, through communication with many other bloggers, and run her own famous #writephoto weekly blog prompt. You can (and should!) follow her on her blogs, The Daily Echo and the shared blog France & Vincent. She has inspired us to become better writers and shown us the power of mystery and myth. We also suggest taking a perusal at her book corral and Amazon pages!

 

The Rodeo and Prizes

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the Sue Vincent Rodeo Classic serves as a special challenge. Riders will have to condense the following photo into a story of 99 words (or, if you prefer, a poem of 99 syllables). Writing 99 words has never seemed TUFFer!

 

 

Each story needs to have a beginning, middle and end. Poems must have distinctive theme, movement, and rhythm; no rhyme scheme is necessary, but neither will rhyme be punished. Go where the prompt leads you – any genre is acceptable, but keep it family friendly and related to the photo. If you haven’t wrangled here at the Carrot Ranch before, you can find some prize-winning 99-word flash from the 2020 Rodeo or the 2019 Rodeo at these links. Don’t cheat with 98 or 100 words or syllables! We’ll only accept 99 word stories or 99 syllable poems written in English! (We’ll be using https://wordcounter.net/ to count words and https://syllablecounter.net/ to count syllables so everyone has the same standard). Only write 99 word stories. Do not write 99 word poems – we want 99 syllable poems.

For this rodeo, we’re offering a $100 grand prize. Five runners up will each receive one paperback from Sue Vincent’s collection of published books (those who live in a region where the paperback is unavailable may receive an e-book instead). No fee necessary to enter but this is a fundraiser so we kindly ask for a suggested donation of $5 per entry (no more than two entries allowed per writer). The contest will close at midnight on Friday, February 19th, 2021. Winning entries will be announced and read at CarrotRanch.com/blog on March 22, 2021. Top entries published at Carrot Ranch. We will not accept entries previously published (even if published on your own blog), so keep them tucked away for now.

Please continue reading at the Carrot Ranch for details on submissions.

 

Source: The Sue Vincent Rodeo Classic « Carrot Ranch Literary Community

 

©DGKaye2021

bitmo live laugh love

 

The 2019 Poet of the Week Compilation – Word Craft ~ Prose and Poetry

Colleen Chesebro has generously put together a PDF compilation of all the Poets of the Week winners for 2019. Besides being thrilled to be part of it with one of my winning entries, there is a wealth of some wonderful poetry in this FREE offer to download for anyone to take advantage of. Check it out!

 

Yay for teamwork! The 2019 Poet of the Week & Honorable Mention Poetry Compilation from last year’s challenges is ready for distribution.

Please join me in thanking H. R. R. Gorman for his help in putting this publication together, including his many artistic skills. Not only did he reformat the PDF, but he also designed the cover art – all during the time he was graduating with his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering. Thanks, Dr. G. I literally could not have done this without your help!

I’m so proud of all of you… the poets, who worked so hard to perfect their writing craft to make this challenge what it is today. I’ve learned so much from you all. I can’t wait for the new challenges to begin!

 

Please Head Over to Collleen’s blog to download the poetry book directly!

 

Source: The 2019 Poet of the Week Compilation – Word Craft ~ Prose and Poetry

Rodeo #4: Fractured Fairy Tales Carrot Ranch #FlashFiction Winners

Fractured Fairy Tales Honorable Mention

 

 

My final entry for Charli Mills’ Rodeo Flash Fiction contest – Fractured Fairy tales. In 99 words exactly, re-write a famous fairy tale story with a fractured twist. I’m thrilled to share that I won an honorable mention for my entry.

 

Goldie’s Quest

 

Starving and tired, Goldie trudged through the forest, scavenging for anything edible when she discovered the house in the woods. After rapping on the door and no response, desperate for food and sleep, she turned the door handle and was pleasantly surprised to find it unlocked. There, before her eyes were three bowls of pasta which had her salivating.

She didn’t hesitate to gobble up all three bowls and then headed for the couch for a nap. Half hour later she awakened to the discomfort of her rumbling, expanding stomach. “Oh crap,” Goldie exclaimed. That pasta was not gluten-free!

 

Visit the announced winners post 

https://carrotranch.com/2018/12/07/rodeo-4-fractured-fairy-tales-winners/?fbclid=IwAR3S0F4TMw-x-jDA8YybXi1PfJm9yb0_6ujhP4fTleS2Utxs2F6lMC78twU

 

Source: Rodeo #4: Fractured Fairy Tales « Carrot Ranch Literary Community

 

 

 

Rodeo #2: Memoir Flash Nonfiction Contest at the Carrot Ranch Literary Community

Carrot Ranch contest

 

 

Last month Charlie Mills of the CarrotRanch ran a month long Flash Fiction Rodeo Contest. Each weekly contest consisted of a subject to compose our 99 word entries for. Today I’m sharing my entry for the Memoir Flash Fiction Challenge. The subject for the story was “She Did It”. Although I didn’t win, it was a fun challenge and I wish a hardy congratulations to those who won.

 

 

The Narcissist

 

Mother broke hearts with her beauty. Her heart was impenetrable. Her razor-sharp tongue peppered with acidic words, seared holes through my self-esteem, perplexing my childhood and self-worth. I envied her beauty, despite not desiring to emulate.

Cutting words, her specialty. Brainwashed by lies, I thought I needed help. It was my mother requiring analysis. Desperation loomed, anticipating escaping her twisted manipulation and projecting unto others of what festered in her soul.

I escaped. The wounds didn’t. Words embedded, stifled with guilt, my spirit shattered from her black, troubled soul.

Fifty years later, the shackles released. “I banish you Mother.”

 

If you’d like to see some of the entries and the list of winners please visit the CarrotRanch.