FLASH FICTION (and) LOOK-A-LIKE CONTEST

Nothing's ever easy! If you will believe this, most of the responses to the Contest Survey a couple weeks ago ended up with voting straight down the middle (like 50% vs. 46%) for every question I asked except one (I'll get to that one in a minute). To see the questions and to add your voice to the survey, click the button. The survey is not closed. I peek at it every once in a while. P.S. I enabled the Form so anyone can look at the responses. Saves me having to take screenshots to share. So feel free to go to the survey, fill it out again, and then click the "see previous responses" button at the end of the survey. I will try to remember to include that in future surveys and/or polls.

Contest Survey

A few more (56%) voted for monthly Flash Fiction story prompts instead of a seaonal contest once in a while, so for now . . . I will go with "Monthly" contests. Well, bi-monthly, actually because here's where it gets interesting.

There was one question that overwhelmingly shouted "Include a Look-a-like Contest!" So, I can't ignore this one. To tell you more, a Look-a-like contest is not an Art Contest, but rather Photo Fun, where you dress up (or dress up a sibling and/or friend) to see how closely you can resemble one (or more) of the characters from the Circle C or Goldtown books.

So, that is where the bi-monthly flash fiction and look-a-like contests come in. I can't afford to do double prizes every month, but I can do two $10 amazon gift cards every OTHER month. Here's a little bit more about the Look-a-Like contest, and you can see samples of past contests by clicking on the image.

Also, when you enter next month's contest (JUNE), you will need to choose either 1) the Flash Fiction Story Prompt . . . or 2) the Look-a-Like Contest. You may not enter both. Plus, the same rule applies: I must have 10 entries in each category to run each contest (I had close to 20 in April for the Flash Fiction. Yay!)

So if you would like to have fun with photography with any of the characters from the Circle C or Goldtown, go for it. Or if your talents lie in telling a story, you may write a 1,000-word (or less) flash fiction based on the photo prompt (many liked having something to spark their writing, so I will continue with the visual story prompt for the Flash Fiction segment of the contests).

CLICK THE IMAGE TO SEE PAST LOOK-A-LIKES

To finish off this week's newsletter, I have had some "Ask the Author" questions. I have room for a couple, which I will share and answer right now.

Ellie C asked . . . What is your favorite book out of each of the Circle C series you have written?

Circle C Beginnings: Andi's Fair Surprise. I liked learning about 1800s state fairs and thought it would be fun to have Andi do something that was not on the ranch. And it's my favorite cover!

Circle C Stepping Stones: Andi Under the Big Top. I loved the old 1960s Disney move, Toby Tyler, the story (based on a book written the 1800s) about a little boy who runs away to join the circus and ends up regretting it. I had Andi help the little boy (Henry) find a way home, and at the same time worry about Taffy (her horse gets stolen by the circus).

Circle C Adventures: Dangerous Decision. This book has a special place in my heart, as it is the first Circle C book I wrote years ago. I originally titled it Andrea Carter and the Golden Rule (kinda lame), so I'm glad I had the foresight to change the title to something a little more exciting. In the end, I wrote the second book, Long Ride Home, which--since this book took place in the spring--ended up being book 1. Also, I like it when the whole Carter family is in the books, and Long Ride Home--while an interesting mystery--is focused on Andi away from the ranch (since I couldn't change points of view. Sigh.)

Circle C Milestones: Courageous Love. I think this one is the most exciting, has the most danger, and . . . what's not to like about kidnapping stories, where the characters have to use all their courage, loyatly, and faith to get them through? I loved the "bad guys" (Procopio, a real-life bad guy) and especially that skunk Mateo (a made-up bad guy). I liked writing a survival story and enjoyed the little "twist" of Tucker, Riley's faithful dog, being the unsung hero of the story by following Andi and Lucy and leading Riley to the hidden camp. I set up Jed Hatton as a "good" bad guy andhe wins the day too when he helps Andi escape. (I always wanted to give Jed a redemption story and finally did so in Stranger in the Glade, book 6).

Molly G. asked . . . Do you have a horse named Taffy? When did you get your first horse? How many horses have you had in your lifetime?

This is a complicated question (and it's actually THREE questions, LOL). I will try to answer them in a short space. First of all, I don't have a horse named Taffy, but I DID. I named our new palomino foal "Jewels Taffy Kandy" (my daughter's mare foaled) back in 2023. Here are pictures of Taffy (and me).

The sad thing is, the move from California (Andi Country) to Texas as a foal (under a year old) ended up stressing Taffy to the point that as a two-year-old, she developed untreatable hoof laminitis problems in her two front feet, so much so that she could barely walk (no matter how much money my daughter put into finding a solution, no matter how many times she had special padded "shoes" made, etc.). So . . . Taffy had to be put down, and believe me, that was a terrible day! Yes, I was there.

I (we) got our first horse, Panda (I named Melinda's horse Panda after our Panda) when our daughter Kristel was 11. Rainy western Washington is not the best place for a horse, so we did not have her very long, sadly.

Kristel (11) and Chad (9) riding Panda

I can't keep track of the horses we (Kristel in CA and then TX) have had in our lifetime. Besides Panda, there were: Mini Mae and Colton (mini horses), Jewels, Rubicon (stallion), Shasta (a palomino), Wyatt, Maggie, Scarlett, and the foals: Star, Taffy, Kody (sold--a beautiful gelding colt!), the new filly (granddaughter Kristi's horse, Trissy, a buckskin paint, but I think she's a palomino paint. I think her spots will be golden), the new colt, Knightley (buckskin, for sale). Plus, Jewels foals again next month (June).

Kristi with her filly Trissy, and Mama Jewels.

That's it for now! I hope you enjoyed the pictures that I included with this issue's "Ask the Author." If you want to see LOTS of HORSE updates, you can click this link over to Andi's Blog, where you can learn tons of stuff about our horses.

HORSES!

Also, you can send more "Ask the Author" questions by replying to this email.)

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