I had a great chat with my fellow Ranch-hand, writer and educator, D. Avery over at the Saddle Up Saloon at the Carrot Ranch. We discussed my favourite topics – children, education and writing. Not your usual saloon fare, eh? A bit dry for Kid and Pal too.
Category: Blogging
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Time flies …
This week at the Carrot Ranch, Charli Mills challenged writers to In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about a swift passage. You can take inspiration from any source. Who is going where and why. What makes it swift? Go where the prompt leads!
I think life itself is a quick passage. Time flies, as “they” say, quoting Virgil.
It is often also said, quoting George Bernard Shaw, that time is wasted on the young.
It’s only wasted because they have so much of it, they don’t know what to do with it. I wish they could save it up and use it when they get older and don’t have enough. I know I never have enough and wish I’d been able to save more of it for these rainy days.
Why is it that a day in a child’s life can be so looooong, and a year in an (older) adult’s life can be so short?
That’s where Charli’s prompt took me. I hope you enjoy it.
Regardless
“How long does it take to get old, Grandma?”
“Not long enough, Mickey. Never long enough.”
She’d once thought anyone over fifty was old, that it’d take infinity to get there. Now she well exceeded that number. She didn’t feel older, just creaked louder.
“My birthday takes too long. I want it now.”
“It’ll come soon enough, Mickey. Then another, and another. Soon you’ll be counting as many years as me.”
“That’s too long, Grandma.”
“When you get to my age, Mickey, you’ll see how short life is. Time doesn’t only fly when you’re having fun, it flies regardless.”
Thank you for reading. I appreciate your feedback. Please share your thoughts.
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Announcing the WINNERS of the Sue Vincent Rodeo Classic
The results of the Sue Vincent Rodeo Classic are out. You’ll never guess who won. You’ll have to pop over to see.
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The Sue Vincent Rodeo Classic
Are you ready to ride in the Sue Vincent Rodeo Classic? The contest, with a $100 prize, is now live. Pop over to the Carrot Ranch for details.
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Sugar and Snails by Anne Goodwin #free ebook
I am absolutely delighted to invite Anne Goodwin back to my blog today. It is just over five years ago that her debut novel Sugar and Snails was published by Inspired Quill and I had the pleasure of her joining me to discuss the importance friendships — in person, virtual and in her novel.
At the time I had known Anne (virtually) for two years, but we’d also had the pleasure of meeting up in London (briefly) the year before when she revealed the (then still secret) book contract. I am honoured to count her as a friend.
My admiration for and enjoyment of Anne’s writing has only increased over the years. Since then, she has had another novel published and the publication of a third is imminent. I’ve lost count (she hasn’t) of the number of short stories she has published.
If you haven’t yet ventured into Anne’s writing, then now is the perfect time. During February, you can read the ebook of Sugar and Snails free. What a wonderful opportunity to get to know this amazing author.
Here is the link to sign up to this generous offer which closes on 28 February: https://www.subscribepage.com/sugar-and-snails-free-e-book
About Anne
Anne Goodwin is the author of two novels and a short story collection. Her debut novel, Sugar and Snails, about a woman who has kept her past identity a secret for thirty years, was shortlisted for the 2016 Polari First Book Prize. Throughout February, subscribers to her newsletter can read Sugar and Snails for free: https://www.subscribepage.com/sugar-and-snails-free-e-book
About Sugar and Snails
At fifteen, she made a life-changing decision. Thirty years on, it’s time to make another.
When Diana escaped her misfit childhood, she thought she’d chosen the easier path. But the past lingers on, etched beneath her skin, and life won’t be worth living if her secret gets out.
As an adult, she’s kept other people at a distance… until Simon sweeps in on a cloud of promise and possibility. But his work is taking him to Cairo, the city that transformed her life. She’ll lose Simon if she doesn’t join him. She’ll lose herself if she does.
Sugar and Snails charts Diana’s unusual journey, revealing the scars from her fight to be true to herself. A triumphant mid-life coming-of-age story about bridging the gap between who we are and who we feel we ought to be.
If you need a little more enticement, please view the trailer:
Find out more about Anne, or connect with her on social media via any of the links below:
Website: annegoodwin.weebly.com
Twitter @Annecdotist.
Link tree https://linktr.ee/annecdotist
Amazon author page: viewauthor.at/AnneGoodwin
Listen to Anne read
You may enjoy listening to Anne read excerpts of her stories on her YouTube channel:
Anne Goodwin’s YouTube channel
Including this excerpt of Diana’s earliest memory from Sugar and Snails.
Remember, to get your free Sugar and Snails ebook throughout the month of February, all you need to do is click this link and sign up to Anne’s newsletter.
Thank you for reading. I appreciate your feedback. Please share your thoughts.
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Out of Time #flashfiction
This week at the Carrot Ranch, Charli Mills challenged writers to In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about lost time. You can write a realistic scenario or something speculative. How does lost time impact the character of your story? Bonus points if you include a 1982 brown rubber watch Go where the prompt leads!
Time is something there never seems to be enough of, and it’s like many other things — if you don’t use it, you lose it.
One common saying is that time is wasted on the young. I don’t think it’s wasted, but I think to young people it seems infinite. It did to me anyway. I thought there was time enough for everything I wanted to achieve. I thought that, as this song from my youth said, time was on my side.
As I got older, I realised that time wasn’t infinite and that in fact, it was not only precious, it was also slipping away.
While we may not entirely be able to make up for lost time, we can always make the most of our present time.
One of my favourite quotes about time, sometimes but not correctly attributed to Einstein, is that its only purpose is to stop everything happening at once. I think this is true of events in both the past and the future. If we are unable to associate them with a date or a context, they may as well have happened or happen at the same time.
If the only time we have is now, we must enjoy it and make the best use of it we can until our time is up and there are no more ‘present’ moments.
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift, that’s why it’s called the present.
Every day we open that gift with anticipation and use its joys to create our tomorrows.
I guess I don’t need to state the obvious, that I’ve reached that stage of life where there’s more time in the past than the future. However, for as long as I have the present, I’ll be doing my best to make the most of it.
Here’s my response to Charli’s challenge. I hope you enjoy it.
Out of Time
“Time’s up!”
“Not yet! I’m not finished.”
Mallory stared at the page, blank except for some scribbles and a few false starts. Others smiled as they handed in their papers, earning accolades and rewards for tasks successfully completed.
“Please, just a little more time?”
“You’ve already had more than most.”
“I can do it. Promise.”
The timekeeper tapped the watch. “Five more. That’s all.”
Mallory worked frantically until the timekeeper declared, “You’re out of time.”
Mallory smiled, “It’s never too late to begin.”
The timekeeper agreed. “But you could have achieved much more had you not wasted time earlier.”
Thank you for reading. I appreciate your feedback. Please share your thoughts.
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TUFF Flash Fiction Contest Part Four
Coming ready or not!
Here’s the fourth and final part of the Carrot Ranch 2020 Rodeo TUFF contest. How are you going with your story? There’s still time to complete all stages if you’re not done yet.
Good luck, writers!Share this:
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Chores #flashfiction
A discussion about whether children should be expected to complete set chores is always peppered with a variety of viewpoints.
I don’t remember having set chores when I was growing up, but there was always the expectation that we kids (ten of us) would do a bit to help out. Some of the tasks included sweeping, doing the dishes, hanging out or bringing in the washing, going to the shops for items such as bread and milk, selling the produce from Dad’s vegetable garden around the neighbourhood or looking after the younger siblings.
Some of the chores were more enjoyable than others and, I must admit, I was often chore-deaf when I was reading a book, which was most of the time. I must also admit that I didn’t always complete the chores to Mum’s satisfaction, particularly sweeping. I don’t know why but I just couldn’t seem to sweep up all the dirt. She would often say that I had given it a ‘lick and a promise’. I probably thought, but never aloud (hopefully), that maybe if she wanted it done well, then she should perhaps do it herself.
I must also admit that some things never change. I am still not fond of housework and would rather be reading or writing than sweeping (or vacuuming and mopping) anytime, and often as I complete (I use this word lightly) these chores, I am reminded of Mum’s words. Next time, I think. Next time.
This week at the Carrot Ranch, Charli Mills challenged writers to In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about chores. It doesn’t have to be a western ranch chore; it can be any routine task. Go where the prompt leads!
I, of course, have gone with the lick and a promise of a BOTS (fiction based on a true story). However, before I share my story, I’d like to share with you another post I recently read that has some relevance to the topic.
In his post Extrinsic Rewards Reduce Intrinsic Motivation: Using Psychology to Pick Up More Followers, Jim Borden discussed the suggestion that inferior work is submitted when extrinsic rewards such as stars, grades, payment or other rewards are given.
Jim wondered (not really seriously) if we should ‘pay’ children to not do the things they don’t like doing; for example (if I’ve understood him correctly), I could have been paid to not sweep. Because, if I was being paid to not sweep, my dislike of not sweeping would increase. If the payment was gradually reduced, then removed altogether, perhaps I would so much want to sweep (the opposite of what I was being paid for) I wouldn’t be able to help myself. Since I wasn’t ever paid to sweep (at home – there was no pocket money), I am unable to even consider the difference it may have made. (You might want to read Jim’s post to untangle my faulty thinking from his.)
I’m not sure it would work, but if anyone wanted to pay me to not do housework to test this theory, I’d certainly be willing to give it a try.
Anyway, here’s my story, in memory of my Mum whose words continue to influence my thinking if not my actions.
A Lick and A Promise
Lisa dropped her bag, discarded her shoes, and darted down the hall.
“Where are you off to, miss?” called her mother.
“Read.”
“You’ve got chores first.”
“Did them this morning.”
“Did them? Ha! Was no more than a lick and a promise.”
“But, Mum. I’m up to the last chapter.”
“No buts. You’ll do your chores before anything else.”
Lisa muttered as she stomped to the broom closet.
“And don’t give me any more of that lip or you’ll be reading on the other side of your face for a week.”
When I’m an adult … Lisa promised herself.
Thank you for reading. I appreciate your feedback. Please share your thoughts.
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Carrot RODEO #2: DOUBLE ENNEAD SYLLABIC POETRY
And here’s the second contest in the 2020 Carrot Ranch Rodeo. If you like a challenge – particulalry of the poetic form – then this one’s for you! Rustle on over to Colleen’s blog for all the details.
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It’s time for the 2020 Student Blogging Challenge — Join Now! – #readilearn
The 2020 Student Blogging Challenge starts on March 15. If you wish to participate, it’s still not too late to join in.
What is the Student Blogging Challenge?
The Student Blogging Challenge encourages students around the world to create a blog and experience the benefits of publishing online including:
- developing digital writing skills
- becoming aware of the possibilities and responsibilities of digital citizenship
- writing for and developing an authentic audience
- making connections with others around the world.
The project was founded in 2008 by Sue Wyatt and has been held twice a year since then in March and October. Each Challenge runs for eight weeks. A different blogging task is to be completed each week. You can download a copy of the schedule and a checklist of tasks here.
Who can be involved?
The challenge is open to students from K–12 around the world. However, organisers suggest that it is most suited to students from 8–16 years. Students can join in as part of a class group or individually. Participation is free.
There are three ways to participate:
Continue reading: It’s time for the 2020 Student Blogging Challenge — Join Now! – readilearn
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Norah Colvin 