I refuse to ignore autumn. I refuse to go from Halloween straight to Christmas. So let’s give a cheer for this wonderful time of year. . . Autumn. Before the hectic holidays begin, savor this moment. The slant of the sun casts a soft glow, highlighting fall colors of yellows, burnt oranges, umber and browns. Pause and enjoy the wonderful golden light of autumn. Recently, I looked everywhere for a garland of fabric autumn leaves to decorate the archway between my kitchen and dining room. None of the usual suspects had them in stock. “Oh, you missed it by a week,” said a store clerk amidst Christmas decorations . . . on November first. A friend told me about gluten-free oatmeal with quinoa at Raley’s. Sounded good, so I headed there. I strolled the seasonal section, as I had been doing in every store, looking for that elusive autumnal garland. I…
Author: mcullen
Marlene Cullen is enthusiastic about encouraging people to write, even those who think they can’t write. Her series of books, The Write Spot anthologies, features writing that entertains as well as inspires writing. Every story, vignette, and poem in The Write Spot books include writing prompts motivating readers to become writers.
Marlene hosts The Write Spot Blog, a treasure chest of inspirational gems for writers.
Fulfilling her passion for writing and sharing with others, Marlene has created unique writing environments such as Jumpstart Writing Workshops, where participants often experience transformational changes. Her workshops provide essential elements for successful writing.
Marlene is the founder of Writers Forum of Petaluma, a monthly literary event featuring presenters talking about the craft and business of writing.
Marlene's awarding winning short stories and essays have been published in literary journals, anthologies, and newspapers, including Tiny Lights, Building Bridges, More Bridges, Redwood Writers anthologies, and The Write Spot anthologies.
She is a member of the California Writer's Club.
Darkest Hours Contest
Have you been following the writing prompts on The Write Spot Blog? Especially Prompt #293 and Prompt #294. If you have, you might have some ideas for The Writer magazine writing contest. If you wrote true stories for these prompts, turn fact into fiction and enter the contest. Write a 2,000 word fictional short story using any nuance, definition or understanding of the word “dark.” “Our Darkest Hour” writing contest, sponsored by The Writer Magazine. Deadline: November 15, 2016 Story starts from The Writer magazine: After dark . . . Deep, dark secrets . . . A dark horse . . . The dark side of the moon . . . That line’s gone dark . . . Don’t leave me in the dark . . .
Dark times can illuminate . . . Prompt #294
The bewitching hour is near. All Hallows Eve approaches. Are you ready, my dear? Are you sure, my pretty? If it happens in the dark and no one sees it, did it happen? What goes on down those dark, narrow, alleys? What happens after dark here and there and everywhere? Are you the keeper of deep, dark secrets? Did you ask for that position? Can you give it up? Do you want to give it up? Write about the dark. . . dark times, dark streets, dark thoughts. Don’t leave us in the dark. Enlighten us.
Dark, murky, spooky . . . Prompt # 293
Writing Prompt: Write about your darkest moment, or a murky hour, or a gloomy day or a dreary night. Dark. Murky. What odd words. Dark. Murky. Is it the “k” sound that makes them spooky? What is it about these words that convey doom and gloom? What if you could spin the wheel, turn the dial, press a button and turn that dark day into a bright day? Would you do it? Would you trade your weary days for cheery days? Write about a lesson learned, an epiphany realized, a notable reconnaissance gained from what looked a worst nightmare.
Porter Gulch Review
Cabrillo Community College produces Porter Gulch Review, a literature and arts journal. The journal reflects the diversity and creativity of its contributors. 2,000 print copies are given away free and there is a longer online version. Submit: stories, poems, novel excerpts, plays, screenplays, photos and artwork. Submit work to PGR – at – cabrillo.edu; include the work as an RTF (rich text format) attachment, with your name on it, a short, playful bio, and your contact information. All visuals images must be high quality, 300 DPI or higher. They may need to sent individually or uploaded through Dropbox. Deadline for Spring issue: December 1, 2016 NOTE: If you have work ready to submit, scroll through Places to Submit, find a place where you can submit, check the deadline and go ahead. . . Submit. Places that are currently accepting submissions: Reed Magazine (No. 1, 2016) Writer Advice Scintillating Starts (Dec….
Writer Advice Scintillating Starts Contest
Writer Advice Scintillating Starts Contest for Fiction, Memoir, and Creative Nonfiction is now open to anyone who has not signed a contract for the book (which the scintillating start is in). Submit up to 1000 words of your first chapter by 12/01/16. Details on Writer Advice. Writer Advice (B. Lynn Goodwin) is known for their feedback and “would love to tell you what’s working and what an agent might say.”
Fire Angels by Elizabeth Kern
Fire Angels by Elizabeth Kern Reviewed by Janet Snyder: Fire Angels by Elizabeth Kern will touch your soul with its grace, its grit, and its gravitas. It’s a tragic story of a fire that took place at the Our Lady of the Angels school in Chicago on December 1, 1958, and resulted in the deaths of 92 children and three nuns. Kern guides her narrative through the viewpoints of a janitor, teachers, survivors and their families, church leaders, firemen, the suspected arsonist, and his parents. But the most unique and powerful voice is that of Fire itself, a lofty and sardonic protagonist if ever there was one. Fire’s voice is woven deftly throughout this tale of despair and grief and bravery and hope. Whenever a match is struck, Fire makes its appearance. Sometimes Fire struts like a peacock, preening and showing off. Other times it’s alternately cruel and egotistic, like…
From Chaos To Creativity
Guest Blogger Suzanne Murray writes: What if the chaos we experience in the world today and in our lives is actually an invitation to let go of the old ways and create something new. What if in letting go in the face of fear of the unknown we actually make room for the new to enter. Often when we give up trying we find a sort of magic that can bring unexpected opportunities beyond what we thought possible. We tend to resist chaos. We associate it with war or natural disasters or with the unraveling of the structures that we have always thought of as solid. We cling to what feels comfortable. Chaos can rattle our bodies and emotions leaving us feeling overwhelmed. It can trigger a reaction of fight or flight which puts us in our reptilian brain which is incapable of creative problem solving. What we call chaos…
That Family Member . . . Prompt # 292
Let’s do some relaxation exercises before writing. Settle into your chair. Feet flat on floor. Hands relaxed. Rotate shoulders in a circle. Reverse direction. Stretch arms out in front. Arms overhead. Arms to the side. Big deep breath in. Hold. Let go. Feel your feet connected to the floor. That connection goes down into the earth, way down, deep down, to the center of the earth. Firmly planted, deeply rooted. Take a nice deep breath in and bring your shoulders up to your ears. And then let them down with a loud hrumph sound. Another deep breath in, shoulders up and down with the outward breath. Completely supported in your chair. Feeling the connection to the earth. Feeling connected to the center . . . the core of the earth. Your connection goes deep. We’re going to do a bit of exploration here. . . scanning memories. Sitting comfortably in…
Prompt Contest: A Picture is worth . . .
A picture is worth . . . you know. . . lotsa words. Redwood Writers, a Branch of the California Writers Club, is sponsoring The 2016 Prompt Contest. Write a fictional story inspired by this “Highway through the Redwoods” photo by Tim May. The connection between the story and the photo must be apparent to the judges. The words “redwood” and “highway” must be somewhere in the story. DUE DATE: October 16, 9:00 p.m. Fiction only. Contest submissions are open to all California Writers Club members and to non-member residents of Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Marin, Lake, Humboldt and Solano counties. $8 for California Writers Club members; $12 for non-members 1,000 words or less 1st place: $100, a certificate suitable for framing, and a signed photo by Tim May 2nd place: $50 and a certificate suitable for framing 3rd place: $25 and a certificate suitable for framing