The Pen of a Ready Writer

    The morning sun filtered through the leaves, casting patterns of brilliant and dark greens on Ilona’s path.  Carefully fashioned bushes towered over her head, creating a familiar maze for her wandering feet.  A turn in the path brought her suddenly into Prince Detlef’s view.       He sat in a wide swing, sheltered by a stone arbor.  His eyes were half-shut, but he smiled when he saw her.  “We used to play in this swing every day.  I’ve rather missed it.”     Sudden shyness stole Ilona’s tongue, but some little-girl-part of her wanted to clamber up into the seat next to him.   The swing, in its little stone arbor, was one of her favorite places in the garden.   Now, looking at Detlef’s wistful expression, she wondered if that was because of him.      “But I’ve interrupted your walk.” Detlef looked apologetic and then hopeful as he swung to his feet,...

Hi, everybody! I just got an update from the contest Facebook page! Most of our stories are still in the first round, but one judge has finished and bumped her selections to the second round of judging. So exciting!!! The first round is the one in which the contest judges read each story given to them, fill out a feedback form, and choose five top picks. [The feedback forms judge the story in 12 different categories (plot, dialogue, pacing, use of Snow White elements, etc), giving ratings between "needs a lot of work" to "excellent". Anne said she might have some sort of Facebook celebration for people who got a perfect score, even if they didn't make it into the collection.] The stories are divided among the judges. I like to picture it like dealing cards. So each judge has a different set of stores to read and pick from. And each judge sends their top five picks -- and maybe some "honorable mentions" -- to Anne. I don't know how many judges th...

     Yep, time is picking up speed.  Especially since I have other things to keep me busy.      Here is my questions for you today: what makes your story special?  In the comments below, I want you to finish this sentence "It's a Snow White story, but..."  Did you change the setting?  Is Snow White the ugliest in all the land?  How did you swap out the elements of your story to make it unique?

    The birds were singing when Ilona awoke.  She stretched, feeling the delicious coolness of blue silk sheets against her skin.  Cordula’s plump form appeared in her vision, holding up a pink gown.        “Will this gown suit you for today?”     “Aye.”  Ilona rubbed the sleep from her eyes and accepted Cordula’s help in dressing.     “Did you enjoy the dancing last night?” Cordula cinched Ilona’s laces firmly.     “I did.  I had more partners than I knew what to do with.”     “Any of them catch your fancy?”  She smoothed Ilona’s hem with a practiced hand.     Ilona leaned against her mahogany bedpost and played with the edge of the blue silk covers.  “Two…I think.”     “Two!”  Cordula scowled.  “Well, you cannot marry but one.”   ...

     There is only 2 1/2 months or so before the winners are announced.  I've been scouting for updates -- any word on what is happening with stories and judges.  Sometimes it helps to know those things.  Like reading battle reports in the newspaper when you know your son might be fighting in them.        Have you heard anything?      

    There was something familiar about the prince – something that Ilona couldn’t quite put her finger on.  She puzzled over it as she followed him into the next dance.  Was it his name?  Or something in his eyes?  Who was he?     “How do you find your ball, princess?  I hope you enjoy dancing -- there seems to be an unending supply of partners waiting for your hand.”  His eyes twinkled as he nodded toward the crowd of eager suitors.     “Have you been to Hanadil before?”  Ilona puckered her eyebrows.  She was sure she had never seen him before…and yet…     Detlef's eyes sought hers.  “Do you remember?”     Ilona pulled back ever so slightly to study his face.  “No.”     He grasped her hand and spun her.  “No, I didn’t expect you would.”  He nodded toward the wall, where another handsome raven-hai...

      If' you're like me, you've just finished your entry for a contest and you are taking this time to breath.  Maybe you haven't started a new big project.  Maybe your thoughts still linger around your last story.         So why not create some backstories?     Pick a side character in your story -- one that interests you.  For me, that is Helka.  By the time Moriah meets her in my story, Helka is old and knowledgeable.  She has a history of both good and bad decisions that have brought her to this point.  But, due to word limits, I don't have time to explore that in Blood of Beauty.       If you want to explore all of your characters, you could write a little backstory snippet for each of them.  For me, I want to explore Helka in depth...kind of like I explored my villains in my first Beauty and the Beast story (for links to those posts see this post ), although Helka ...

     The countdown continues!  We only have 11 1/2 more weeks to go until contest winners are announced.  Time is flying like...a snail.      Snails fly, right?      Hmmm.  I was afraid you would say that.      So, while we are passing the time, I want to know: have you read the 3 previous anthologies?  Which of the 3 collections were your favorite?

    Colors swirled around her, keeping time with the music.  It was the first day of the ball, and guests flocked to the castle of Hanadil by the scores.  For a moment, Ilona felt dizzy, but it was a delightful dizziness that made her feel as if she could float away into the music itself.     Then the music stopped and the swirling colors resolved into the forms of lords and ladies in elegant array.  Reluctantly, Ilona glanced up into the beaming red face of her dance partner.  He hadn’t said a word through the whole dance.  What kind of husband would he make?     Her silent partner returned her to the throne, waiting until she ascended the few steps and rejoined her parents before he turned away.     “Any favorites?” her papa asked in a stage whisper.     “I hardly even know.”  Ilona brushed at a loose strand of blonde hair, and Cordula a...

     Hi, guys!  Let's make a story!  It will be fun!  I'll start it and you comment with the next few lines.  The next person will add onto your comment and so on until we have a little story!      Here are some guidelines: The main character is an 11-year-old boy names Gus. Gus lives in colonial America with his father and grandmother.      Here is the start of your story:      "Do you ever wonder where the sun goes?" Gus whispered as the sun slipped over the horizon, leaving a faint glow to the sky.  No one answered but his pet owl.

     Through the Rooglewood contest, I met this awesome artist named Melanie Morgan.  And she sketched the Snow White character in my story.  Here's the sketch!!!!  I love her!!!      She's going to sketch some of my other characters in the coming weeks.  I'm so excited!!!!

     The deadline for submissions is past.      Let the countdown begin.      If you entered this year's contest or if you wrote a Snow White story without entering it, comment below with a title (if you have one) and a short blurb about your story.  Let's see some of the stories we all get to cheer for!

   High in her castle, Princess Ilona of Hanadil leaned over the windowsill.   She gazed past the gardens and fields to the distant dark line that was the Great Forest.   Somehow it felt both ominous and welcoming.   For a moment, Ilona frowned in thought, but she was unable to decipher the strange flutter in her heart.      Behind her stood her nursemaid, Cordula, smoothing Ilona’s golden hair. Ilona winced as the comb caught a tangle.  But Cordula only clucked her tongue, which meant “hold still and we’ll be done sooner.”  So Ilona shifted her focus to the gardens below her.   A warm breeze wafted up, carrying the rich scents of late summer blooms.        Cordula sighed contentedly, as her fat fingers deftly twisted Ilona’s long locks into a regal braid.   “Aye, Princess, you are as lovely as the old woman predicted.  And your temperament just as sweet.”   ...