First Campaign Challenge: Flash Fiction & Books, Brews & Bards Info

It's time for the first challenge of the Platform Building Campaign. Here is a description of the challenge from host Rachael Harrie's blog, Rach Writes:

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, “The door swung open” These four words will be included in the word count.

If you want to give yourself an added challenge (optional), use the same beginning words and end with the words: "the door swung shut." (also included in the word count)

For those who want an even greater challenge, make your story 200 words EXACTLY!

If you like this, you can press "like" on entry #291 here (in the linky list): Campaign Challenge Linky.

The door swung open and in stepped one tall drink of water. He swept the room with eyes that shone emerald like his scales.

A few men looked up, quickly returning their attention to the drinks they nursed in front of them. He stood there another minute as if waiting for something then drew three guns, two with his hands, one with his serpentine tail.

Guns ablaze, he wiped out the entire room, save myself and the bartender, who promptly passed out cold behind the bar. The stranger's tongue darted out, tasting death and liquor, then snapped back into his mouth with a dry rasp.

I couldn't help myself; I was drawn to his shimmering beauty and strength. I wrapped my body around his and rubbed my cheek along his neck, purring.

"I'm not into furries," he said, not even wasting a glance my way. He shrugged his shoulder, forcing me to pull back.

"What'd these guys ever do to you, anyway?" I asked. Behind the bar, the bartender groaned.

Without a word, the stranger holstered his guns and turned, briefly silhouetted by the glaring sun as it peeked inside, as if for a better look.

The door swung shut.

Microsoft Word says it's 200 words exactly, so there you have it. I hope you enjoyed it! If you posted to the linky list for the Campaign Challenge, I will be by this week to read your entry.

Also, I wanted to pass along a local poetry shindig called Books, Brews & Bards, hosted by Friends of the Pikes Peak Library District with support from Phantom Canyon Brewing Company.

There will be poetry readings by our Pikes Peak Poet Laureate, Jim Ciletti, and Poet Laureate Emeritus, Aaron Anstett, as well as a brewery tour and open mic for poets and aspiring poets. Click HERE for more information.

What comes to mind when you read this piece? What sort of genre, characters, scene do you envision? Have you tried your hand at flash fiction?

May you find your Muse.

On The Campaign Trail

The Third Annual Platform-Building Campaign is officially underway, and I successfully nabbed a space (not shocking, seeing as how I wrote it on my calendar when I ran across it months ago, possibly during the A to Z Challenge).

If you're not sure what the Platform-Building Campaign is, it's a blog hop designed to connect writers to other writers, while building their platforms at the same time. As anyone who has participated in a blog hop can likely attest, though, it's the forging of relationships that is most valuable. You can check out the campaign at Rach Writes. This campaign was created by the wonderful Rachael Harrie.

To my fellow campaigners, I write YA Dystopian Fantasy and Adult Urban Fantasy, as well as horror short stories and even some poetry when the mood strikes. This blog is about my experiences writing and, ultimately (hopefully), the path to publication and my personal experiences with it. My blogging schedule is basically: Monday-writing, Teaser Tuesday, [Mostly] Wordless Wednesday, Thursday-writing and Feature Friday. I reply to everyone in the comment section and visit you back. Sometimes it may not be the same day, though.

If you haven't signed up for this campaign (I know I saw a few of you!), check it out. I hear only positive things about it from those who have previously participated. And for those already on the campaign trail...welcome!

May you find your Muse.

Platform Building Crusade, Colorado Top Blogs & Contest

It's a lovely sunny day outside. We've just finished our daily thunderstorm (something that occurs only every so many years here in Colorado Springs--usually we are quite dry with only occasional rain or snow) and everything smells delightfully clean and fresh. Add to all that natural loveliness that I opened my Warrior Muse email today to find an email saying my blog has been chosen to be on the site Colorado Top Blogs! I went to look and, sure enough, there I am on the list of linkies on the left side. Exciting!

This news brings the P-word to mind: Platform. While I did not start this blog with an eye to platform, I've learned it can be an aid in publication further on down the line. Because of this, I do keep a mind to that purpose. For that, and other reasons (my readers being the biggest one), I've been trying to post somewhat consistently, to the point of having a theme on some days. I've said it before, but one of the big things I learned about platform at the conference (PPWCON) was that you have to post regularly, at least twice per week, be established for a year and have followers who regularly read and comment. Even without that "requirement" I would seek comments, as I enjoy reading them. I especially enjoy when it becomes a conversation.

The interactions within the blogging community are important to me. If these interactions have the side effect of helping to build a platform, I am not going to complain. Every little bit counts, and every reader counts, whether you comment or not. Things like appearing on a local blog aggregate like Colorado Top Blogs are one of those much appreciated side effects of getting to know all of you better and discussing things that are important to me. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I am extremely grateful for the blogging community, and glad to have begun finding myself a place within it.

Getting back to platform, I am planning on participating in Rachael Harrie's Platform Building Crusade, which will take place from August to October. For more information, you can go to Rach Writes... and click on "Platform Building Crusade." Sign-ups begin August 22 and end August 31. It sounds like a fun crusade/blog hop to take part in, and is aimed at those wishing to create an online platform.

Aside from that, I wanted to mention a contest on author and fellow blogger Carole Anne Carr's website, where you can win a copy of her newest book Thin Time. You can either click on THIS LINK or go to www.caroleanncarr.co.uk and click on "News" in the upper menu banner. All you have to do is leave a comment as to why you'd like to read it.

Have you started building an online platform? What are your platform goals?

May you find your muse.