Writing Contest

Susanna Leonard Hill hosts an annual Halloweensie writing contest. This is my second year participating. Spoiler - I didn't win! But I love the constraints she provides for these exercises. Check out my entries from the last two years. 

2016 Prompt: Write a 100-word Halloween story appropriate for children 12 and under using the words spider, ghost, and moon. 

FRANKIE’S FABRICATION by Amanda Sincavage

Little Frankie N. Stein was excited for Halloween night.
She went door-to-door collecting treats that would complete her masterpiece
– a leg here, an ear there, nose, mouth, tongue, hair.
Back at home alone in the garage, moonlight shone in as she assembled her montage.
The last step – spider cider potion, a ghostly chant, and a magic motion…

POOF!

Smoke settled; the table was bare. Her creation’s alive! But where?
Frankie N. Stein heard sounds from behind.
She turned slowly around and happily found
her greatest creation – a girl’s best friend.
She extended her arms and her dog jumped in.

Yeah, yeah, my meter is off, and I have (gasp) approximate rhymes and assonance. But, I got a little attached to the subject matter, not to mention the word count, and didn't want to change it.  My dog Tucker passed away the month prior and the majority of my writing in October connected back to him. This was me wishing to see him again.

2015 Prompt: Write a 100-word Halloween story appropriate for children 12 and under using the words costume, haunt, and dark. 

THE HAUNTED DASH by Amanda Sincavage
Dark night
Eerie light
Echoing “Boo!”
Ghostly tune
Up ahead
A severed head
Black cats
Blood-sucking bats
Ugly goblins
Vampire coffins
Skeleton bones
Zombie zone
A grim escort
Hairy warts
Wicked witch
Eek! Hide in a ditch.
Limbs sprawling
What’s that crawling
Up my back – 
Spider attack!
Scurry away.
Am I being chased?
Bloody feet…
No more tricks and treats.
Haunted house?
No - just a mouse!
Forget the doom & gloom,
They are only costumes.
It simply must be
All Hallows’ Eve
So this one was a lot of fun to create. However, the plot wasn't clear and didn't really develop until halfway through when the main character hides in a ditch (and maybe not even then). That's why I love picture books, the images tell half the story. Regardless, it was a fun exercise.