Fall Fun, Reads, and Frights

Fall temperatures are finally arriving in our area. Orange decorations, and pumpkin everything, seem to be surrounding us. We usually stay busy all month long with many seasonal activities. For instance, in addition to the many Fall festivals, we just enjoyed a trip to the Texas Renaissance Festival. We also enjoy visiting the local pumpkin patches and Scarecrow Festivals.

If you prefer to stay home cuddled up with a good read instead of heading out to crowds celebrating seasonal festivals, try one of my suggestions from 10 Scary Reads to Terrify Your Inner Child.

I also recommend my short story "Lights Out" which can be found in Road Kill, Texas Horror Volume 4 from Hellbound Books Publishing: here.

If you're looking for something a little lighter, try my romantic Halloween short story (about 800 words): Madame Tooshkas Spell.

Interested in FREE scary books? Try one of these!

Need a few scary good costume ideas? Try one of these 10 Minute Literary Halloween Costumes and dress like your favorite characters.

How are you celebrating this season?

Welcome to #WEPFF - Write...Edit...Publish October Challenge - Deja Vu or Voodoo

Welcome writers! Are you ready for a spooky challenge? For more specifics than I have listed here, or to visit the source: https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2018/10/welcome-to-wepff-writeeditpublish.html

OCTOBER is the month for screams and chills, ghosts and ghoulies, mystery and fear, and this month’s prompt is DÉJÀ VU OR VOODOO!.

Most WEP-ers go with horror for October but what if it isn’t your bag? No problem. Just interpret these prompts without a smidgen of anything extra-sensory. Amaze us with a romance or adventure flash without a drop of gore!

Lots of things can happen on Halloween or in October that doesn’t resemble horror…

A nightmare comes to life. A not-so-pleasant experience repeated after years. A vague memory that ends up being something more ominous. A house of horrors revisited with fearsome results. If you don’t scare us, impress us….

The Halloween challenge has proven to be a favorite, so get those stories churning.

If you need some inspiration give these stories a read: 10 Creepy Stories to Tell After Dark then make up your own “urban legend!”

Our August challenge was the first month that we welcomed the writers from the IWSG (Insecure Writers Support Group) and it was impressive. In case you missed the announcement, The WEP team have a GUEST POST on the IWSG website on August 6 that explains everything. Here is the link:

http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/2018/08/writing-together-with-wep-and-iswg.html

I hope we’ve tweaked your curiosity and ambition. We’d love to read your story so please, Sign up now.

Please remember to add WEP to your post title, so it's easily spotted. 

We like to have all participants on the blogroll, please have a quick scan and tell us if your blog is missing and email Renee if it's not there! yolandarenee@hotmail.com 

 

FLASH FICTION, POETRY, NON-FICTION, ARTWORK, PHOTO ESSAYS

 

1. 1. SUBMIT your name to the list below NOW
   2. CREATE your entry for the October challenge – Déjà vu or Voodoo. Go HERE for further ideas
   3. EDIT your entry, making sure 'WEP' is in the TITLE
   4. PUBLISH your entry onto your BLOG or FACEBOOK page on the date shown - state feedback preferences
   5. Leave a COMMENT on the WEP website. We add your DirectLink
   6. READ other entries, giving feedback as requested
   7 SHARE THE CHALLENGE on social media. 
   
   ALL GENRES WELCOME except erotica - 1,000 words maximum 
   FURTHER ENQUIRIES VISIT www.writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com and leave a comment or: email: yolandarenee@hotmail.com

1.	Denise Covey - DL	13.	Orlin - DL	25.	J Lenni Dorner - DL
2.	Yolanda Renee - DL	14.	Toi Thomas- DL	26.	Rebecca M. Douglass - DL
3.	Nilanjana Bose - DL	15.	Tanya Miranda - DL	27.	Christopher Scott - DL
4.	Olga Godim - DL	16.	Dixie Jo Jarchow - DL	28.	Adura Ojo - DL
5.	L. G. Keltner - DL	17.	Roland Clarke - DL	29.	Joey Lynn Resciniti - DL
6.	Desk 49 - DL	18.	Hilary - DL	30.	Susan Swiderski - DL
7.	Roland Yeomans - DL	19.	Operation Awesome - DL	31.	dolorah - DL
8.	Sally - DL	20.	Michelle Wallace - DL	32.	Jemi Fraser - DL
9.	DG Hudson - DL	21.	Deborah Drucker - DL	33.	Damyanti - DL
10.	Kalpana - DL	22.	Jamie Lightcap Dorner - DL	34.	Michael Di Gesu - DL
11.	Jemima Pett - DL	23.	The Real Cie - DL	35.	Robert Jones - DL
12.	Pat Hatt - DL	24.	Alex J. Cavanaugh - DL

IWSG: Characteristics of Your Favorite Genre

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

OCTOBER QUESTION - What do you consider the best characteristics of your favorite genre?

MY ANSWER - My favorite genre (at the moment) is YA romance. Romances usually include the full cycle of a romance, beginning with their first meeting (although sometimes characters will already know each other and rather than having an adorable or awkward meeting there will be a trigger event that begins the change in feelings from platonic to romantic). Then, the relationship will be tested or stressed by some series of events. These events can range from simple misunderstandings that are blown out of proportion to serious matters of life and death. Eventually, the conflict is resolved, and the characters are able to fully acknowledge their love, usually resulting in a happily ever after. Some focus on historical scenarios, and others on more contemporary life. They can range from sarcastic, dry-witted, and/or out-right weird, to traditional and sweet. Some even have a heavy dose of trauma or life-threatening situations as part of the plot.

How about you? What are some characteristics of your favorite genre?

Fall Writing

It's finally Fall! Although, you wouldn't know it in southeast Texas with temperatures hitting near 100 degrees as I'm writing this. I'm looking forward to the changing season. I'm also hoping to increase my writing output as I've been too distracted to write as much as I would like lately. I'm working full time, going to school full time, my kids are involved in a lot of extracurriculars which require a lot of travel, and we've had several family and friend losses lately. Don't get me wrong - I'm grateful for everything we have and share. It can all just be overwhelming at times and writing continually takes a backseat when it isn't directly related to a school or work assignment. In that vein, I thought I would share some writing prompts - not all of them are season related, but you can make them such if you wish. I hope they inspire some wickedly wonderful Autumn tales!

1) Write a Fall or Halloween special for your favorite television show.

2) Design your own school of magic: what does it look like? what subjects are taught? Who are the teachers? What are some of the back-to-school traditions?

3) Create a legend about your city.

4) Write an acrostic poem.

5) Write about a Thanksgiving dinner attended by your favorite fictional character.

6) Write a scene from the POV of Alexa or Siri.

7) Create a fake news report.

8) Write a retelling of your favorite Shakespeare play.

9) Write a scene that takes place in your favorite bookstore or coffee shop.

10) Write about a character who has terrible luck.

11) Write a Fall scene without using the word pumpkin.

12) Write about the worst possible break up you could imagine.

13) Make up your own conspiracy theory.

14) Write a story that takes place in a corn maze.

15) Write a ghost story.

16) Take a favorite Christmas song and rewrite the words to be about Halloween, or Thanksgiving.

What are you writing? Are you trying any of these? Any other prompts you want to share?

Banned Books Week

September 18 is the beginning of "BANNED BOOKS WEEK 2022". Below is a couple of lists of ten of the most frequently challenged books.

A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. A banning is the removal of those materials from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others.

The Top Ten Most Frequently Challenged books list is compiled by the Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) and is based on or derived from communities across the United States. According to their data here, the ten most challenged books of 2021 were:

1.  Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content, and because it was considered to have sexually explicit images

2. Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison
Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit

3. All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson
Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content, profanity, and because it was considered to be sexually explicit

4. Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez
Reasons: Banned, challenged, and restricted for depictions of abuse and because it was considered to be sexually explicit

5. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity, violence, and because it was thought to promote an anti-police message and indoctrination of a social agenda

6. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Reasons: Banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references and use of a derogatory term

7. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
Reasons: Banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and degrading to women

8. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Reasons: Banned and challenged because it depicts child sexual abuse and was considered sexually explicit

9. This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson
Reasons: Banned, challenged, relocated, and restricted for providing sexual education and LGBTQIA+ content.

10. Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin
Reasons: Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit. 

You can also view previous lists as well at OIF. The list of the most banned books for 2022 will be available in April of 2023. However, if you're curious about the most frequently banned books in their records in America:

TEN OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY CHALLENGED BOOKS IN AMERICAN HISTORY:

Some books have been repeatedly banned or challenged throughout history. This is a list of books that appear the most often on THE UNITED STATES banned books lists.

• 1984 by George Orwell
  Call Number: PR6029.R8 N49 1984
  Publication Date: 1984
  Reason: pro-communism ideas, sexuality

• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (Performed by); Emory Elliott
  Call Number: PS1305 .A1 1996
  ISBN: 0585363447
  Publication Date: 1999-01-01
  Reason: racism

• The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
  Call Number: PS3537.A426 C3 1979
  ISBN: 0316769533
  Publication Date: 1951-07-16
  Reasons: offensive language, unsuited for certain age groups

• The Color Purple by Alice Walker
  Call Number: PS3573.A425 C6 1982
  ISBN: 0156028352
  Publication Date: 2003-05-28
  Reasons: offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for certain age groups

• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald; Matthew J. Bruccoli (Preface by)
  Call Number: PS3511.I9 G7 2000
  ISBN: 9780684830421
  Publication Date: 1996-06-01
  Reasons: reference to drugs, sexuality, and profanity

• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
  Call Number: PS3551.N464 Z466 1997
  ISBN: 9780394429861
  Publication Date: 1970-01-12
  Reason: sexually explicit

• Lord of the Flies by William Golding; E. M. Forster (Introduction by)
  Call Number: PR6013.O35 L63 2003
  ISBN: 9780399529207
  Publication Date: 2003-10-28
  Reason: profanity, sexuality, racial slurs, and excessive violence

• Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
  Call Number: PS3537.T3234 O2 2002
  ISBN: 9780142000670
  Publication Date: 2002-01-08
  Reasons: offensive language, racism, violence

• One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken kesey
  Call Number: PS3561.E667 O5 2002
  ISBN: 9780670030583
  Publication Date: 2002-01-28
  Reasons: profanity, unsavory theme, sexuality, and racism

• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
  Call Number: Adult PS3562.E353 T6 1982
  ISBN: 9780061743528
  Publication Date: 2010-05-11
  Reasons: offensive language; racism

If you would like more information about banned and challenged books, contact the Office for Intellectual Freedom at (800) 545-2433, ext. 4220, or oif@ala.org. Another god source of information on banned books is the "Libraries and Center for Academic Technology" site by Butler University: https://libguides.butler.edu/c.php?g=34189&p=217684

21st Anniversary of 9/11

High School and many college students were not even born yet when the Twin Towers were attacked. They learn about 9/11 as an historical event - if at all. I mentioned this anniversary to some of my students, and I was surprised at the number who either didn't remember learning about the event at first, or at all. Has our nation already forgotten this horrendous day occurred?

It's hard to believe that it's been more than 20 years since the attacks. America's motto following 9/11 was "We Will Never Forget." I was so proud of the way our country came together following that terrorist activity. Just as we have following any other attack by foes in our nations history.

Yet, now I see our country participating in another form of war - one of hate and disrespect. So many of our citizens are all too often ready to jump straight to hate. They can't wait to point out someone else's mistakes. Or worse yet, attacking an opinion or point of pride for someone else just because they do not feel the same. When did it become necessary that we all think, act, and feel just alike?

Has this intolerant culture been bred by social media making it easy to bite back immediately without facing the adversary? Have politicians stirred and fueled our hate and distrust of others? Have we forgotten what it's like to fear for our country? Will it take another act of war to force us to join together?

Where were you when the planes hit New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington DC? What is different about how you act and feel today than in 2001?

Take some time to consider and write about your feelings, memories, and what you think needs to happen in the future. Here are a few ideas:

1)      Write about your reaction to and activities the day of the September 11th attack.

2)      How have your feelings and understandings about the attacks of 9/11 changed?

3)      There were many heroes during the September 11th tragedy. Write about a hero or a heroic event that made an impression.

4)      September 11th is a Day of Remembrance. As we honor those who lost their lives on this day 2001, make a list of everything in your life that you are thankful for.

5)      Did the events of that day change your thoughts about your life? In what ways, if any, did you change?

6)      Sometimes a mistake becomes an opportunity. Explain…

A)    The terrorist mistake of bombing on 9/11 became an opportunity for the United States to demonstrate it is the strongest nation on earth.

B)    9/11 offered America the opportunity to learn from its mistaken efforts to dominate the globe.

Obviously your answers to #6 will offer diametrically opposed positions depending on how you view the United States' role as a world power, and on the extent to which you believe America should fight terrorism.

7)      BuddyProject.org offers suggested activities that your children can do as they research the events of September 11, 2001. Explore the various sites with your children and discuss with them the information that you find. Encourage older children to write about their findings and feelings.

Do you remember? Are you doing anything to commemorate this day? Is your town? To learn more about this event and how to commemorate. check out the 9/11 Memorial & Museum

IWSG: Genre Difficulties and a Book Launch!

It’s time for another group posting of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group! founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Time to release our fears to the world – or offer encouragement to those who are feeling neurotic. If you’d like to join us, click on the tab above and sign up. We post the first Wednesday of every month. Your words might be the encouragement someone needs. You can also join us on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG, or on the Facebook page.

Now, IWSG hosts have changed up the format in an effort to make it more fun and interactive. Every month, they will announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

Don’t forget to visit others that day to see their answers. Want to join, or learn more? Visit our - Sign-up List.

SEPTEMBER QUESTION - What genre would be the worst one for you to tackle and why?

MY ANSWER - I would have the most difficult time writing anything that required a deep understanding of medical, political, or legal terminology. I'm not saying I couldn't reach a level of proficiency, and even enjoyment, in sharing this type of tale. I just currently do not have the knowledge to effectively tell such a story.

The First Love anthology is finally here! My short story "Paper Faces" is included in this sweet YA romance collection. If you are interested in learning more, or supporting the authors, check out the official tour schedule in my previous post.

How about you? What genre would be the worst one for you to tackle, and why?