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January 4 – Flash Fiction – Copper Country

05 Jan 2018 33 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch, Fiction, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #CarrotRanch, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Charli Mills, Copper Country, Flash Fiction, Police

Charli’s prompt this week:

January 4, 2018, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about Copper Country. It can be any place, fictional, historical, or on another planet. Go where the copper leads.

January 4 Flash Fiction Challenge by @Charli_Mills

Though it should say January 4!

Hmmm… interesting prompt… where will it take my 99 words?

I went with the meaning of copper as a policeman, a common nickname for them in the UK, as is a Bobby! You can check this link out for more police-related slang terms and their meanings!

The Land of Bobbies!

Wherever you turned, they were there.
If you popped out for a bite to eat, guaranteed there would be at least four you would see in the establishment.
On your way to work, you were sure to be flanked by a couple.
Putting your rubbish out on collection day, there would be eyes on you.
Even in your home, you couldn’t escape. At least one family member was going to be one.
Still, at least you felt safe,if a little intimidated, by their presence.
That’s what you got for moving to Copper Country – The police were just everywhere!

https://carrotranch.com/2018/01/05/january-4-flash-fiction-challenge/

#JusJoJan – January 5th, 2018 – Memories

05 Jan 2018 29 Comments

by Ritu in #jusjojan, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #jusjojan, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Cage Dunn, Ill, Linda G Hill, Memories

Day five of #JusJoJan!

I’m going to try to write on each of the prompts!

Today the prompt is:

Your prompt for January 5th, 2018, brought to you by friendly “gender undefined female” (click to read the post) Cage Dunn, is “Memories.” Use it any way you’d like within your post. And make sure you visit Cage Dunn at her blog, “Cage Dunn: Writer, Autory, Teller-Of-Tall-Tales” to read her post and say hi! 😀 Here’s her link: https://cagedunn.wordpress.com/

Thanks, Cage, for a great prompt word!

You should see my house – heck you should see my parents house!

It’s a place those minimalists in you would be itching to declutter!

And believe me, both my mother and I have tried to declutter our respective homes many times. Sure we get rid of many bags and boxes of things, but there are still piles of ‘things’ that we can’t seen to let go of.

Because those ‘things’ that others may see as tat, or unnecessary clutter, are memories.

In the garage of my parents house, are boxes and bags full of items from my brothers and my childhood, and university years. There are boxes of books, films, paperwork, sports equipment, and old toys. Even cassette tapes that no one will ever listen to again!

But they won’t be tossed away recklessly.

No.

My mum lovingingly goes thought boxes and keeps then in order for us to check out, and claim for our own memory chests.

My parents have has so many precious items from various members of our family, gifts from our grandparents who are no longer with us, photos of members of our family who passed away.

My brother and I do say to them to try and get rid of things. but deep down we are just as bad.

He’s lucky because, being in Finland, he is limited to the amount of stuff he can transport back there, but for me, all it takes is a boot-full and I have transported the memories to my house!

My home is a treasure trove of items. thousands of photos, real ones not digital, books, treasured pieces of clothing – all items which make me smile when I look at them.

My children love to look back on old things. They are getting to that age where our memories are of interest to them.

This past summer, when we went to visit my folks, the kids discovered the Cine projector! What a fun evening we had, looking back on these tiny reels of soundless film, showing their mummy and uncle as little tykes! Pops had more squirrelled away, which he couldn’t locate at the time, but there is promise of another evening, where we can revisit memories soon!

Now, having written this, and being still off sick, I may just go and wallow in old memories, checking out some of my old photos!

And no, you’ll never convince me to declutter… NEVER!!!!!

See you tomorrow!

If you want to find a full list of rules and the daily prompts visit here.

#BookReview – Oath Breaker by Shelley Wilson @ShelleyWilson72

05 Jan 2018 37 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Book Review, Oath Breaker, Shelley Wilson, YA Fiction

I am indebted to Shelley Wilson.

SONY DSC

Last year I was encouraged to read her Guardians trilogy, Young Adult Fantasy fiction. This is a genre I have never been pulled towards in the past. But, as a fan of Shelley’s blogs, I thought I’d give them a go.

I wasn’t disappointed at all!

Thrilled to meet Shelley at the Annual Blogger’s Bash in 2016 and 2017 (captured above)! She’s the tall one!!!

In fact, since then, I have read a few others from the YA Genre, including Sacha Black’s Keepers, and I haven’t been disappointed.

I was thrilled to hear that Shelley had written a new story, which would develop into another series of books, Oath Breaker.

Now YA fantasy fiction is one thing. Werewolves are another. I have to confess (sorry Shelley) but Twilight and the suchlike have never been on my radar, and I wasn’t sure how I would enjoy this…

Shelley, why did I even doubt you?

The blurb…

Will she follow the pack…
Or will she destroy them?
A dead mother.
A violent father.
A missing brother.
When Mia’s father is murdered, it’s her estranged uncle that comes to the rescue, but what he offers her in return for his help could be worse than the life she is leaving behind.
Taken to Hood Academy, a unique school deep in the forest, she discovers friendships, love, and the courage to stand on her own.
As she trains hard, Mia takes the oath that seals her future as a werewolf hunter, but not everyone wants Mia to succeed.
Screams in the night. Secret rooms. Hidden letters. Mia becomes an important piece in a game she doesn’t want to play.
Will the truth set her free, or will it destroy her?

**Medallist Winner in the 2017 New Apple Summer E-Book Awards**

Oath Breaker by [Wilson, Shelley]

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Imagine living a life of fear, and then watching the object of your fear, gruesomely murdered in front of your eyes?
Then being whisked away to an unfamiliar world, filled with mythical creatures, secrets and betrayals?
That was Mia’s life.
I have to say I loved this book and was pulled into the story of Mia’s life from the off.
There’s love, hate, friendship, hardship, and mystery… All great ingredients for a novel of this genre.
I was rooting for Mia from the off, and my support for her never waned. Not wanting to give any spoilers away, I was thrilled with the ending, and it’s left me thirsty for more.

Goodreads Review – Here

Amazon Review – Here

Check out Shelley’s Amazon page here.

And her bookshop here. Shelley is not only a fantastic YA author but a wonderful motivational writer too.

Come on Shelley Wilson! We need the sequel!

If you want to know more about Shelley Wilson, click here for her full bio and media kit!

#WritePhoto – Window

04 Jan 2018 50 Comments

by Ritu in #WritePhoto, Fiction, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #WritePhoto, Barbie and Ken, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Fiction, Photo Prompt, Sindy, Window

Sue’s #WritePhoto Prompt this week:

I thought I’d continue the adventures of Barbie and Ken.

“It’s beautiful Ken!”
Barbie gazed out of the window, focusing on the scarlet bloom in front of her.
“Where did you find this place?” she enquired.
“Oh, someone recommended it, said it was a great romantic getaway, and I thought, you know, we needed a bit of time away from the rest of the gang.” Ken was feeling quite pleased with the hotel actually. It was all old buildings and four-poster beds – old skool luxury. Okay so it wasn’t a palace with turrets, but he was pretty sure Barbie would like it.
“Someone? None of your mates would know anything about romance! Can you even imagine Gaz taking Mitzy here? And Joey, well, he’s never had a girlfriend!” She tittered to herself.
“No, Sindy mentio-” He stopped, realising he’d uttered the one name certain to start World War 3.
“Sindy? Sindy? Really?! So, when did you and that tart become such good friends that you started exchanging ideas for romantic getaways?” Suddenly, this room started to feel suffocating.
“Babe, come on, it’s not like that! She’s only trying to help…” Digging himself into a deeper hole, Ken continued, ” she was asking about us the other day, and said she wanted to help-”
“Help? Really? Help with what? Have you been complaining about me? Oh My God, Ken! Sindy? Of all people!”
Ken turned to the window, tuning out the string of compaints flowing from Barbie’s mouth. That rose appeared to be drooping…

To be continued…

#writephoto

#JusJoJan – January 4th, 2018 – Passionate

04 Jan 2018 26 Comments

by Ritu in #jusjojan, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #jusjojan, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Ill, Linda G Hill, Passionate, Rosemary Carlson

Day two of #JusJoJan!

I’m going to try to write on each of the prompts!

Today the prompt is:

Your prompt for January 4th, 2018, brought to you by the ever-charming Rosemary Carlson, is “Passionate.” Use it any way you’d like in your post. And make sure you visit Rosemary at her blog, “Rosemary Carlson, Writer” to read her post and say hi! 😀 Here’s her link: https://rosemarycarlson.com

Thanks, Rosemary, for a great prompt word!

You can be passionate in so many ways, passionate in love, passionate about something you enjoy, passionate about your beliefs.

I am passionate about my family. I think that would come as no surprise to those of you who have followed me for so long. My family mean the world to me, and I can’t even fathom the thought of a life without them around me. My husband, my children, my parents, my siblings and their families… Without them, I wouldn’t be the me that I am…

I am passionate about my job. Teaching is a vocation, or so I believe, and I go through so much stress at work, but I wouldn’t change it, because ultimately, what I do shapes the futures of those children in my class.

I passionately believe that a smile is the cure for everything. When you smile, even if you are down, certain hormones are released that help with happiness. If you are smiling, even the toughest situations feel just a little easier to handle. Equally, if you smile at someone else, you never know, that smile may have been the positive sign they were looking for, to make their day better.

And right now I feel passionate about my bed… the sickness bug has hit our household, as of 5 am this morning, so there are at least two of us hugging bins/buckets/sinks/toilets… wonderful start to the new term…

No school for me today, methinks…..