Got Style?

"April, you're not wearing this to school. Please, change."

The daughter stood still.

Mom was stern, "Right now, young lady!"

April yawned, made a sulking face and walked to her room leisurely.

She took forever!

Mom knocked on the door of her room, "Aren't you getting late?" she inquired in a desperate tone.

"Nah! not really. It's okay!"

The response confused Mom. She walks in and demands an explanation.

"Since I don't get to wear the dress to attract attention; I rather make a big splash by arriving late to my class!" the daughter said with a straight face.


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 In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story that makes a big splash. It can be fluid, or you can play with the idiom (to make a big splash is to do or say something that becomes unforgettable). Go where the prompt leads! 

Light Up

"The usual!" Sarah said with a heavy accent to which the bartender was quick to nod and started preparing the concoction."

She sat there with one of her hand supporting her face while the other was fidgeting with her long brown curls.

The bartender noticed her and could not resist, "Long day?"


She nodded with a yawn.

"Here, this could cheer you up!" he brought the big glass towards her.

Her eyes lit up after a sip, "Wow, who would have thought strawberries and mint could compliment my Screwdriver!"

"Yup! these ingredients can light up anybody's screwed up day!"

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In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story that includes strawberries and mint. The combination evokes color contrast, scents, and taste. Where will the combination take you? Go where the prompt leads!

Spotlight: The Clockmaker (Jungle Series Book1)

Author: Paromita Goswami 

Genre: 

Paranormal Supernatural Indian Drama 

Blurb: 

Can you change destiny? What if you can?
Ashish, a passionate clockmaker is frustrated with his life - financial insecurity, his ongoing nightmares and his family, wife Lata and son Vicky, are driving him crazy. Lata is having a tough time in life with her arch-rival, Rashmi. Vicky wants to be a biker than rather join the family legacy of the clockmaker. He also has a crush on Kavya who is more interested in supporting her family than romancing around.
Lately, Ashish starts hallucinating things. The black hooded man, who traumatizes him in the nightmares, warns him of dire consequences if he doesn’t return the timepiece that was given to Ashish by his father at his deathbed. Burdened with despair, Ashish wishes he could change his destiny and end all his miseries. By sheer chance, he discovers the power of the timepiece. Ashish was still figuring out what to do with it when an incident shatters his life completely. Without second thoughts he uses the power of the timepiece to change his destiny. But, can he really change it?
Amid the chaos of the busy by-lanes of the East Delhi unfolds a paranormal, supernatural, Indian drama that will leave you thrilled.
The Jungle Series – Get ready to be assaulted!

About the author 

Paromita Goswami is a writer and storyteller by passion and a rebel by choice. She says the world is full of stories and as a writer she loves to pen them down. Her work is not genre specific. From literary fiction to children book to paranormal thriller and women fiction, Paromita Goswami‘s books offer the variety of life to her readers. Besides writing, she is also the founder of a reading club that enhances book reading habit in children. She lives in central India with her family.
@goswami.paromita

A Year Old

“Sammy, blow the candles!” Christine said with delight.

 Sammy claps her hands with joy and walks with ginger steps towards the table. She attempts to puff in the air as she pouts and her chest expands. Tired, she pauses with her lips contracted and then huffs the breath with all her might. 

“Oh, Oh!” All shouted in the background as something blew across Sammy and onto the cake.

She forgot to remove her dentures before the blowout! 

Needless of the incident, her grandchildren applauded Samantha who preferred to be addressed by her name had entered a three digit number.

===================

In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about growing older. It can be humorous, dark or poignant. It can be true or total fiction. It can be fine wine or an old fossil. Go where the prompt leads!

A New Bride

"Dad, I can't take it anymore!" the new bride lamented over the telephone.

"Give it some time. Don't make a hasty decision."

"But, Dad his family's so different than how I've been brought up! They have weird tastes, and most of the time they live with us." she sobbed.

"Look at the positive side; you have a loving husband. Give it some time; otherwise, we're always there for you!"

She put down the phone as she wiped her tear, "For the sake of Sam, I shall become sisu for a few days and then decide what to do next."


==================
A brief note: In Indian marriages when a bride marries she has to 'learn' to adjust with the groom's family and their various tactics!  As the saying goes, "If you marry an Indian guy; you tend to marry his whole family!" 

In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about sisu. It’s a Finnish concept of enduring strength, the ability to consistently overcome. Think long-term. Go where the prompt leads!

Spotlight: Alka Saklani's Beyond Scars

check out the schedule here

Beyond Scars 

by 

Alka Dimri Saklani

BLURB

Hi, I am Avinash, but this is not my story. This is the story of Avni, my sister. I know the smell of cement and bricks still pulls her to the incident seven years ago where she made a daring yet ruthless decision. I know she is drifting away. I know she has begun to find comfort in Vivaan. But I don’t know if I like it. 

Hi, I am Avni, but this is not my story. This is the story of Vivaan, the stunning, vivacious painter. There is something sad about the paintings he has locked away from the world in his storeroom. But he never talks about it. But then there are a lot of things he doesn’t talks about, like how deeply he loves me. 

And what about Dev and Kangana? Isn’t this their story too? It wouldn’t have been if only we did one single thing differently on that ill-fated night, the night that changed the course of our destiny. And hey, I am Vivaan. 

And what about me? Why does nobody talk about me? Or talk to me? Because I am a little girl or because…Well, this is my story too. You will ask who I am? The answer lies somewhere in the pages of BEYOND SCARS.

Grab your copy @

Amazon.com |  Amazon.in

About the author

"Alka Dimri Saklani writes contemporary fiction. Her books are labeled as ‘intense’ by most of her readers. Her debut novel ""45 Days in a Cancer Hospital"" was longlisted for Crossword Books Award 2013. Writing is her first love, the love that seized her when she was just 8.

She holds MBA degree in HR and worked with a leading MNC before turning to a full-time writer.

Born and brought up in Vadodara, a city in Gujarat, her roots hail from “Dev Bhumi” Uttarakhand. Apart from writing, she loves music, reading, traveling, and spending time with her two naughty kids.

"

Click here to check out all the titles by the author...

You can stalk her @

      

        

A Choice

“Come on! you can do it, Nate!” Mom urged her teen as he sat all heartbroken with a droopy head.

“Beggars can’t be choosers. I shall take what’s offered,” he shouted back at her.


There was silence.


With moist eyes, but a stern voice she said, “That’s untrue! Cause even beggars get an opportunity 

to choose. But they choose to take the easy route!” The son looked at her with a frown as she

continued, “What do you choose to do about your low grades? Accept defeat or get your concepts

right and take the retest?”


“Choice is yours!”


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 In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story using the phrase “beggars can’t be choosers.” You can play with the words, alter them or interpret them without using the phrase. Give it any slant you want — show what it means or add to its  meaning. Go where the prompt leads!
Join in the fun at CarrotRanch