But I Smile Anyway...

#Blogmas2018 Ritu’s Blog Tips #16

16 Dec 2018 30 Comments

by Ritu in Blogmas 2018, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Blogging Groups, Blogmas, Blogmas 2018

Day 16

Join blogging groups on Facebook.

I had underestimated the power of a group of bloggers behind you, but around two years ago, I was convinced to join a Blogging group on Facebook.

There were daily opportunities to share your work, with specific reasons, from sharing others posts, to commenting on them, and even a day where a specific blogger was showcased.

My stats rocketed, and there was a whole load of advice available on tap. I didn’t feel like I was asking silly questions.

But… (there’s always a but) try to look into groups which don’t have thousands of members, unless you are ready for reginemted sharing policies.

Since then, the group I had joined, closed, but the members had formed a closeknit group and three or four others set up their own similar groups to carry the momentum on.

It can be time consuming, but you can choose when you want to interact.

The main stipulation is that you should share/comment on a mimimun of 2-4 other particicipants posts.

I try to visit all posts on the threads I am involved in.

By joining a blogging group, you will find yourself exposed to a whole host of blogs you wouldn’t have known existed, and others will find you. It’s a win win situation, as long as you are able to give the time to sharing!

#SoCS Dec. 15/18 – Hairy

15 Dec 2018 49 Comments

by Ritu in #SoCS, Socs Tags: #SoCS, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Carols, Christmas, Hairy, Linda G Hill, Stream Of Consciousness Saturday

Linda’s prompt for SoCS this week…

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “hairy.” Use it any way you’d like. Bonus points if you use it to mean more than one thing. Enjoy!

It’s that time of year.

The cold has set in and you wrap youself up as much as you can to buffer yourself from the chill.

One huge benefit (for us laydees, anyway) is that we don’t feel the need to defuzz with great regularity, because who’s gonna get their legs out in this weather??!!

So, 

Of skirts and dresses, please be wary
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Deck the legs with many a layer-y
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Don we now our tights and jumpers
Fa la la, la la la, la la la
Tis the season to stay hairy
Fa la la la la, la la la la

Ritu 2018

But, have you ever ended up in a bit of a hairy situation because you genuinely haven’t been bothered about your bodily follicle growth in the winter? I did, the other day, when I went for a bra fitting, and I had to lift my arms for the tape measure to go round my ribs…

Eeeks! is all I can say!

Adn thinking of hairy… I may need to defuzz next week, as we have our work Christmas do!

Double Eeeks!

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for #SoCS Dec. 15/18

#Blogmas2018 Ritu’s Blog Tips #15

15 Dec 2018 19 Comments

by Ritu in Blogmas 2018 Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Blogmas, Blogmas 2018, Twitter

Day 15

Link your Twitter Handle to your blog!

I can only speak for WordPress blogs really on this one, but it is another of my little bugbears!

If you have a Twitter account, enter your Twitter handle into the sharing and social media section of your blog set up.

If you don’t have one, set one up, and then link it!

The reason?

If you write an amazing post, then it gets shared via Twitter, you will get notified, and can acknowledge.

If you don’t, it can still be tweeted, but WordPress have their own Twitter handle that gets inserted anyway, and they get the credit for your post!

Come on!

Youve worked hard to write that post, you want the credit to come your way!

December 13: Flash Fiction Challenge – Cora Kingston

14 Dec 2018 36 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch, Fiction Tags: 99-words, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Carrot Ranch, Cora Kingston, Flash Fiction

Charli’s prompt this week:

December 13, 2018, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about Cora Kingston. You can answer any of the questions history obscures or completely make up a Cora Kingston story. Go where the prompt (and the name) leads you.

Cora’s Love

Cora wept as she carefully reread the card in one of her hands.
Tears blurred her vision but the words were etched on her eyeballs.
“You are cordially invited to the union John Yendow and Cora Kingston…”
The proofs of their wedding invitations had arrived earlier that week,
but so caught up was she in her grief, she hadn’t looked at the mail.
Instead of stepping into the church as a blushing bride-to-be,
she had entered it to bid farewell to her one true love.
In the other had she held today’s order of service.
“In loving memory of…”

December 13: Flash Fiction Challenge

Rodeo #5: Sound and Fury Winners « Carrot Ranch Literary Community

14 Dec 2018 25 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Carrot Ranch, Ranch Rodeo, Winners

The final Rodeo results are in… and GUESS WHAT?

I got third place!!!!!

Wow!!!

Some fantastic entries. Please click the link below to read them.

As always, I’ll leave my entry for you to read at the bottom! ❤

Thanks again judges!

By D. Avery Sometimes fear, respect, and awe are the braids of one rope. Sometimes that one rope is all a buckaroo has to hang onto. Your flash should never let go of that rope. That was my lead-in…

Source: Rodeo #5: Sound and Fury Winners « Carrot Ranch Literary Community

Third place and a copy of Chicken Shift go to Ritu Bhathal forGoodbye Fall.

Below me flowed water, fast and furious.

I tightened my grip on the pot.

“All ready?” The instructor checked my harnesses.

I gulped.

But I nodded. I needed to do this.

Launching myself, as instructed, I fell, headfirst, feeling the air zoom past me.

The elastic went taut and I bounced up and down several times.

My heart was in my mouth.

As I came to a stop, I looked at the pot, still in my hands.

Loosening its lid and allowing the contents to fall into the water, I whispered “Goodbye Jake,” before slowly being pulled back up.

What is apparent from the beginning is both the narrator’s fear and resolve to make this jump, though Ritu reveals this through discreet details, such as a tightened grip, a gulp, a silent nod. The motivation isn’t revealed until the end, with the detail of whispering and being pulled back up slowly adding to the poignancy.

I am honoured!