TRA's Inanimation Blogfest

If you're here looking for Romantic Friday Writers challenge it's below this blogfest post.  

This blogfest is hosted by The Red Angel in celebration of 100 followers.

As the title suggests the subject matter inanimate theme!



I’d been sitting there for 50yrs: same porch, same house and same view. New folks and new kids moved in and out a half dozen times, and the garden rearranged as many if not more. New owners always assumed I to be a forgotten item, and the kids always said, “don’t throw it away, IT’s kind of cute.”

Year in year out, the seasons changed; I got baked, frozen, and on occasion a duster flicked over my rainbow coloured self. When that happened a frisson of something indefinable warmed my cold-to-the-touch form, for I felt loved if but for fleeting moment.

Kids, visiting kids, used to stand and stare at me, kind of like they’d wished they’d had one just like me. Adults, though, a wary eye cast in my direction, their verbal responses unrepeatable. I’d oft pondered why I existed at all if so regrettably bizarre. Then, a rather cute and inquisitive old dear came to visit one day, capacious handbag the like I’d never seen before. She too stopped to stare, and then in kindly manner laid a pat to my head and whispered: “Rather fetching plumage, dear chap, I quite like the look of you.”

Well, strike me pink, shortly before saying her good byes, I found meself snatched from the porch and careful secreted to bag. Now I do sit all proud and mighty with friends a plenty; our plumage dusted daily, and us all loved and treasured. Paradise is this house, a china parrot’s paradise.

To see entries by other participants, go here: TRA

Romantic Friday Writers challenge/blogfest

For this week's challenge the theme is "Dire Moment".

Brief: mine is the opening to a historical novel. Unfortunately, at 400 words the hero has yet to step centre stage! 

How could his stable be empty? She rushed across to a stable lad, straw and dung already pitched to wheelbarrow. “Where is Tobias?” His face flushed pink, and before she could question him further two shots echoed across the valley. “No-nooo,” her wail, yet her voice seemed somehow distant, not hers at all.

“I be so sorry yer ladyship, but his lordship said as how Tobias were finished. No good to any man.”

“Where, where has he taken him?’

“To the meadow.”

She turned, fled, and on approach to the meadow her heart sank for her brother came striding through the gateway a triumphant air. “How could you do that?” she screamed, heart wrenched by loss of Tobias.

“It had to be done, Emerald,” replied her brother, pistol to hand. “Would you have had him die a slow death?”

“But he looked and sounded so much better this morning.” Tears flooded forth, and it felt so good to pummel her hateful brother’s chest in childlike rage. “We thought him quite well, his breathing sound?”

Ned’s strength far greater than hers, and in spite of pistol in hand he managed to brush her aside and hold her at arm’s length. “We, who is we?”

“Your head groom, who else. Jenkins felt sure Tobias had not broken his wind despite persistent cough, and if you walked him to the meadow did you not hear his steady breath?”

“It is done, Emerald.’ He let slip his grip on her shoulder, and began to stride away. “The horse is now out of its misery, and no more to be said about it.”

“How dare you, take that tone with me. Tobias was my horse.”

He paused, turned to face her his hooded eagle-like eyes those of hardened soldier used to death and of killing. “Your horse, yes, and had you heeded my warning to ride in the manner befitting a lady, Tobias would be alive now, not dead.” She sensed him angered at her for reasons beyond compassion toward her horse, Tobias mere weapon in his arsenal of do as you are told or suffer the consequence. He wished to crush her defiance in refusing the Earl of Moorby’s hand in marriage: confirmed in venomous outburst. “With nothing to hold you here, now perhaps you will see your way to acceptance of the Earl’s offer of marriage.”

“You beast, utter beast. You murdered Tobias, and I shall never forgive you, never.” She drew sob-choked breaths and ran to the meadow. “Poor, poor Tobias. I shall love you always.”

She could not bear to stay there in bright sunshine, for his blood-streaked head and dappled grey lifeless body tore at her heartstrings. She ran across the meadow, the woodland edge a tear-laden blur of green and shadowed gloom. Once inside beneath its comforting cool canopy she trod the path that led to the creek. She would not be wed to a man twice her age. The waters, the waters of the creek, so cold, so inviting: she and Tobias would soon gallop forever.

To see entries by other participants, go here and select from thumbnail images in sidebar.

Above image is clue to the hero's status!

Romantic Friday Writers - Get Seen, Get Published.

The above banner represents a new platform for romance writers!

We will be sending advertising blurb to Lit Agents and publishers.

We aim for online blog club in which members will post up to 400 words for Friday/weekend viewing.

Content may well be from a recent WIP, from a book newly published (yes pubbed authors welcome, if not I'd be banned from contributing to club posts), poetry etc.

To find out about membership go here RFW.



On the blog you will find a club banner and details re club membership.

Blog Award Alert.

Thanks go to  Laura for this hotty!  

I really do appreciate every blog award bestowed, and in my side bar you'll see a link to Award Page, where there are awards up for grabs and lots of Qs & As as answered by moi for differing awards.   

For this award I have to pass it on to five other bloggers.

Pass on the love, so to speak,  or in this case, pass the heat!

I hate this bit because it means picking specific names, and in truth I'd award it to everyone as I have done with other awards (see award page).

So, to the deserving few! But I feel sure the heat will travel fast across the ether to grace all blogs in a short while. 

Wendy Tyler Ryan: having slaved away at getting her book ready to hit Amazon!

Anne Gallagher: whom I know has been slogging away at getting a novel ready for subbing!

L'Aussie: who has written a brillliant series of blog posts relating to Byronic Heroes.

Paula Martin: who has a book release date coming soon!

Ju Dimello: who moved home to the other side of the globe, and didn't forget to drop in to my blog as soon as able!

There you have it, five deserving bloggers.

Driving a novel forward within descriptive Prose!

Tapestry of words!

The discussion this week at Heroines' with Hearts: moving a story forward within descriptive prose regarding characters' physical appearance via POV.

Please feel free to join with us in discussion at above linked url!