UPDATED: Campaign Challenge! Flash Fiction!

**Update at the end**
Campaign Challenge time! And just in time too! It's been a busy week... I'll work up another post this weekend to tell you why. In the mean time, here are the rules for the flash fiction challenge from Rachael Harrie's Fourth Writers' Platform-Building Campaign!

Write a short story/flash fiction story in 200 words or less, excluding the title. It can be in any format, including a poem. Begin the story with the words, “Shadows crept across the wall”. These five words will be included in the word count. If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), do one or more of these:

• end the story with the words: "everything faded." (also included in the word count)
• include the word "orange" in the story
• write in the same genre you normally write
• make your story 200 words exactly!

Here's my entry:

Shadows crept across the wall and the silence in the room was deafening. Lenore took in a deep breath and was surprised at how loud her lungs sounded. The last words she had spoken had been an oath… the name of her goddess. She had been frustrated. There was a blinding flash of light, and then everything went black. When she woke, she was the one who couldn’t speak and the mute little old woman she had taken in last week was gone. There were scorch marks on the hearth where she had been sitting… before the light… before the charm had broken. Was it possible that the little old woman had really been an all-powerful goddess in disguise? Had she waited that long for Lenore to name her so that she could break free? How had Lenore not noticed? She thought she was a better witch than that. Lenore rose and ran her fingers through her hair, still trying to make sense of it all. If she had just released the Sea Mither, it was possible that there was still hope for Lilith, as well. She had to find Steffan and tell him. There was work to be done.

It's 200 exactly (according to MSWord) and is a re-worked scene from my WIP.

**Oh yeah, and I forgot... if you like my entry, you can "like it" here... and I might win something cool :) I'm entry #193. Thanks!!**

Busy busy busy

It's always a good idea to participate on the web... I've been a tentative voice from the beginning... saying things here on my blog where I only have a few followers... and shyly commenting, although I'm getting bolder. Well, I decided I want to expand my reach... I want to join more actively in the conversation of the writers' world in the blog-iverse. So I'm joining in the Rach Writes Writers' Platform-building Campaign. I mean, why not, right? If anything, hopefully I will meet some new people in the on-line world of writers. And that's my goal for the campaign... because... aside from that I'm not REALLY sure what it is... I am just jumping in and trying it!

Whee!

In other news... it's February... but this February could not be more different from the last. Last year, we had SO MUCH SNOW!!! It was everywhere... piled up... packed in... and it was sooooo ccccoooollllddddd! This year we've had so many 50 degree days that even the swans got confused, thought it was spring, and came back to the pond.

The water in front of the swan is actually ice!

One thing I have accomplished this winter that I'm proud of is this quilt. I am excited to have finished it and that it didn't fall apart when I washed it!

Now if I could just have the same experience with my WIP, I'd be golden. Hopefully I'll meet some new people through this campaign who will help me find the courage I need to get it done.