A Centennial Centus! - Mrs. Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus Week ONE HUNDRED

Welcome to Mrs. Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus, Week One Hundred. (Can you believe it? One hundred!) Saturday Centus is a writing challenge that requires participants to write their own text to a given prompt using 100 words plus a prompt. This week's prompt is 53 words: My untied shoelace changed my life. As I leaned down to re-tie it, I kicked away a few leaves. When I turned my head slightly to look where the leaves had been, I was astonished to see a rubber-banded wad of hundred dollar bills nestled in a little indention in the muddy ground.

Here is my text:
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Shoe strings can be very important to a man who walks a lot. They were to me, when I was a travelling-man; or a tramp, as some people might have called me. I wandered penniless, dirty and hungry, from place to place, without hope, until one day, my untied shoelace changed my life. As I leaned down to re-tie it, I kicked away a few leaves. When I turned my head slightly to look where the leaves had been, I was astonished to see a rubber-banded wad of hundred dollar bills nestled in a little indention in the muddy ground.

This money turned my life around. I had been homeless and out of work for a long time. Thanks to that unexpected find, I could get myself cleaned up, seek employment and find a home. I was no longer a hobo, thanks to what I picked up out of a pile of leaves.

[Text copyright 2012 Christina Wigren. All Rights Reserved.]

Word count according to WordCalc: 100 plus 53 = 153 words
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Best wishes,
Anna



P.S.
This is a completely fictional story from a male point of view. I was inspired by Preston Sturgess' film Sullivan's Travels. The voice I heard in my head telling me this tale was Humphry Bogart's Charlie Allnut, from the film, The African Queen.

First Commenter:

anitamombanita



of

Lovin' Life

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Here are Mrs. Jenny Matlock's instructions:
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Welcome to week ONE HUNDRED of Saturday Centus.

One hundred.

Holy my goodness.

Is that possible?

I wanted to make my blog explode with fireworks and send you all cupcakes to celebrate this crazy cool event! I wanted to write a mushy speech and thank you all for enriching my life and blah, blah... (which is quite true...I love reading these and I love our little SC community) ... but I'm sick again and will get all maudlin and emotional ...

AND...

I'm not that good at blog programming...


AND...

I figured the icing would melt on the cupcakes...


So...

I thought it might be fun to go back to where this little meme started.

For old times sake, let's use the first prompt...EVER!

Here's a link to the first SC ever...be prepared to drop your jaw at the lengthy first prompt I came up with!

The prompt this week is: My untied shoelace changed my life. As I leaned down to re-tie it, I kicked away a few leaves. When I turned my head slightly to look where the leaves had been, I was astonished to see a rubber-banded wad of hundred dollar bills nestled in a little indention in the muddy ground.

Number of words: 100 plus the 53 words of the prompt. Geez, I was wordy with the prompts back then!
Style of writing: Any
Pictures: As many extra pictures as you like

The regular restrictions apply: PG, no splitting of the prompt, play nicely and visit the other entries, any style or genre of writing you prefer.

Please display my link button or just a hyper-link back to Saturday Centus. Be careful to link your SC URL to the Linky and not just link to your main blog.

E-mail me directly with ???'s or ask your question in a comment and I will do my best to get back to you as soon as possible.

Feel free to link up anytime between now and next Saturday!

Robert reads a letter - Mrs. Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus - Week 99

Welcome to Mrs. Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus Week 99. Saturday Centus is a writing challenge that requires participants to write their own text to a given prompt using (this week) exactly 100 words. This week's prompt is 'I'm living the dream, man...'

Here is my text:

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A thermometer was thrusted under Robert's tongue while he was reading a letter:

Bobby-Boy,
I've done it! Yes! My invention works, and I have...

Robert put the letter down and looked up at the ceiling and then at the IV-stand and all the different apparatus, and then finally at his legs in plaster casts.

The thermometer was removed as Robert blurted, 'Can I have pen and paper?'

'Lucky your hand's alright', quipped the nurse, 'Want an envelope too?'

'Please', said Robert and continued reading:

I'm living the dream, man. You should...

Robert closed his eyes and fell asleep.

[Text Copyright 2012 Christina Wigren. All Rights Reserved]

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Word Count according to WordCalc: 100

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Best wishes,
Anna



First Commenter:

Miracle Makin' Mommy




P.S.
I've been asked about Robert's fate, so here are som answers:

This is a completely fictional text. The idea for the bed-ridden fellow, Robert, is inspired by James Stewart's role of 'the photographer 'Jeff' in Alfred Hitchcock's film, Rear Window. The idea that Robert's old classmate sends him a letter that discribes how he is living the dream (and not Robert) is inspired by a supporting character in Frank Capra's film It's A Wonderful Life.

Here are Mrs. Jenny Matlock's instructions:


The prompt this week is: 'I'm living the dream, man...'

n...

Number of words: 100 EXACTLY including the 5 words of the prompt.
Style of writing: Any so long as the total word count is EXACTLY 100 words
Pictures: As many extra pictures as you like

The regular restrictions apply: PG, no splitting of the prompt, play nicely and visit the other entries, any style or genre of writing you prefer.

Please display my link button or just a hyper-link back to Saturday Centus. Be careful to link your SC URL to the Linky and not just link to your main blog.

E-mail me directly with ???'s or ask your question in a comment and I will do my best to get back to you as soon as possible.

Feel free to link up anytime between now and next Saturday!

She wears my ring - Romantic Friday Writers Challenge No. 34

• New Post

Welcome to the Romantic Friday Writers' fortnightly writing challenge, started and hosted by DeniseCovey_L_Aussie , where participants share their own 300-400-word text - story or poem - on a given theme. This week's theme for Friday, 23rd of March, Challenge No. 34, is 'She wears my ring'. My text is written directly for this REW-challenge.

Here is my text :
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She wears my ring


Illustration by John Bauer (1882-1918)


Illustration by John Bauer (1882-1918)

Edvin Kloo* was a giant troll with long wavy hair, a bulbus nose, beady eyes and pointed ears with long, hanging ear lobes. While walking in the woods, he stumbled upon a tiny, faerie princess named Soft-Star, who had injured one of her wings and could not fly home. Edvin, who was delighted to find such a beautiful creature and wanted to help her, scooped her up in his enormous hands, that had claws instead of finger nails, and gently carried her home to his mother.

'Look what I found by the lake!' he said beaming as he handed Soft-Star to his mother. She could tell that he was smitten. Poor boy, she thought, taking the injured faerie princess and tucking her in a bed made out of a shoe box.

Soft-Star's wing hurt and she was so tired that she did not care about anything else but the opportunity to sleep and rest. But after a time her health improved and she wanted to try using her wings again. But before she was to leave, Soft-Star needed to satisfy her curiosity. So she asked Edvin, 'Has an evil witch cast a spell on you?' without thinking that she might be hurting his feelings.

'No, we are really trolls and shall remain so,' answered Edvin reluctantly, because he knew that he would be found out if he lied. But he wanted dearly to lie. He would have liked to have been a bewitched handsome faerie-prince who would regain his former self, if he were kissed by this beautiful fairy-princess.

'You are a very sweet troll', Edvin, comforted Soft-Star, 'Thank you for saving me.' And she threw faerie-dust on him as she disappeared into the dark woods.

Edvin kept thinking about Soft-Star, long after she had left.

'Oh mother, I keep dreaming about her every night. I see her dressed in white! I see it in my dreams! She wears my ring! Oh, if only she could be mine.'

'Yes dear', his wise mother replied, 'But your ring would be more like a bangle bracelet, a necklace or even a belt on her. You are just too big, or she is just too little for you. You will meet a nice troll-girl who will suit you better.'

'I suppose so', sighed Edvin, as a tear rolled down over his greenish-brown, scaley and bumpy cheek.

[Text copyright 2012 Christina Wigren All rights reserved.]



*'Klo' means 'claw' in Swedish. 'Kloo' is actually a name. I know a woman named 'Kloo'.

Word count according to WordCalc: 399; 'FCA'; Full Critique Acceptable.

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Best wishes,
Anna

P.S.
This is obviously a fictional text, inspired by faerie tales and two films that I have recently seen together with my seven year old daughter, Elisabet: Nanny McPhee and Beauty and the Beast.

Another and older source of inspiration for this gentle giant is actually a chapter of Mary Shelley's (1797-1851) novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818), where the monster stays hidden and observes, with envy, a family in a mountain village. He longs for their family life, and their 'normalness'. Read here.

I have been wanting to write a story about trolls since I've been going through a list of different kinds of creatures, faeries, gnomes, werewolves, witches, wizards, vampires, cats, etc. My idea of how trolls should look was shaped in my childhood by the Swedish artist, John Bauer (1882-1918) who illustrated trolls. (In English about John Bauer.)


Picture source

I am also inspired by N.R.William's RFW-text about the faeries, What-Not and Dip-and-Sway from last time, 'I love you because...' (Read it here). So, this one's for you, Nancy.

First Commenter:

Donna Hole



of Donna Hole

Or to read other texts for Romantic Friday Writers Challenge No. 34, with the theme 'She wears my ring', please visit this site, click on the image below or scroll down to the linky:

It was only ninety-eight cents... - Mrs. Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus, Week 98

Welcome to Mrs. Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus Week 98. Saturday Centus is a writing challenge that requires participants to write their own text to a given prompt using 100 words or less. This week's prompt is 'It was only ninety-eight cents...'

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Here is my text:

Caroline, always a sucker for a bargain, had a habit of buying things that she did not need, until one day her home became so filled with things, that she could barely move. When all of the cupboards and closets were filled to the brim, she arranged a garage sale. There, in Caroline's garage, were unused, plastic raincoats, pre-calculator, pocket-sized slide-rules, air-tight plastic food-storage boxes, as well as baby bottles and pacifiers. A sign under a lamp, made like a giant, green frog, had the words: 'It was only ninety-eight cents. Buy it now for only ten!'

[Text Copyright 2012 Christina Wigren. All Rights Reserved.]

Word count according to WordCalc:98

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Best wishes,

Anna



First Commenter:

Happier Than A Pig In Mud



Here are Mrs. Jenny Matlock's instructions:
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Welcome to week ninety-eight of Saturday Centus.

Still behind. I read week 94 and started on week 95 BUT it was Spring Break for Grandlittles this week! I only have 12 moving boxes in my office now so I'm feeling able to read blogs with less guilt, too.



The prompt this week is: It was only ninety-eight cents...

Number of words: 98 EXACTLY including the 5 words of the prompt.
Style of writing: Any so long as the total word count is EXACTLY 98 words
Pictures: As many extra pictures as you like

The regular restrictions apply: PG, no splitting of the prompt, play nicely and visit the other entries, any style or genre of writing you prefer.

Please display my link button or just a hyper-link back to Saturday Centus. Be careful to link your SC URL to the Linky and not just link to your main blog.

E-mail me directly with ???'s or ask your question in a comment and I will do my best to get back to you as soon as possible.

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To read other SC-posts please visit this site or click on the image below:

Good things come in fives - Mrs. Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus Week 97

Welcome to Mrs. Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus Week 97. Saturday Centus is a writing challenge that requires participants to write their own text to a given prompt using 100 words or less. This week's prompt is not a prompt, but a theme, 'Good things come in fives: (Scroll down past my first attempt and you will find my second entry. I did not read the instructions carefully enough and missed the word count of 25!)

Here is my text:

Good Things Come in Fives

'Let me see the palm of your hand, if you dare',
Said the Gypsy-woman to Katie, at the fair.

'Nice lines', said the fortune-teller, taking Katie's money,
'What would you like to know? 'Your future? Who'll be your honey?'

Katie thought, Do we really need to wonder what to do with our lives?
With layers of dust, wilting flowers, and piles of dishes, forks and knives?

'Please tell me how to keep my kitchen clean, and help my plants survive.'
'Remember your fingers and toes, On each hand and foot, there are five.'

'Good things come in fives', she said to Katie, sounding a little trite.
'Use them well', she assured, 'And everything will be alright.'

[Text Copyright 2012 Christina Wigren. All Rights Reserved.]

Word count according to WordCalc:120

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Here it is!

Good things come in fives

Ginny held out her hand.
'What lies ahead for me?'
'Great things', the gypsy replied.
'Tell me what you see!'
'Good things come in fives!'


[Text Copyright 2012 Christina Wigren. All Rights Reserved.]
Word count: 25

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Best wishes,

Anna



First Commenter:



Tanya Walton
of
Allotments 4 you


Here are Mrs. Jenny Matlock's instructions:
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Welcome to week ninety-seven of Saturday Centus.

Hi. It's me. Jenny. Yes, I'm behind. Waaaayyyy behind. I have about 712 more boxes to remove from the pod in my driveway and then I will be able to catch up on SC's.

Mr. Jenny took me out for dinner tonight and I had a margarita. A whole one. All by myself.

So I'm feeling a little wicked.

So I'm going to give you a wicked hard challenge this week.

There is no prompt BUT there is a theme.

The theme is 'Good things come in fives'!




Your writing challenge is to write a story in fives. Five sentences consisted of five words EACH.

25 words. Five sentences. Five words in each sentence. 5 x 5 = 25

The regular restrictions apply: PG, no splitting of the prompt, play nicely and visit the other entries, any style or genre of writing you prefer.

I love you because... - Romantic Friday Writers Challenge No 33 - 9th March 2012

Welcome to the Romantic Friday Writers' fortnightly writing challenge, started and hosted by DeniseCovey_L_Aussie , where participants share their own 300-400-word text - story or poem - to a given prompt or on a given theme. This time, for Friday 9th of March, Challenge No. 33, the prompt is 'I love you because...' and must be a part of the poem or story. My text is written directly for this REW-challenge. (I expanded a 100-word post for Mrs Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus.)

This is my daughter, Elisabet, who, in this photo, is very sad about Pelle the cat,
having to go. Elisabet is the model for the character Melissa.


[Photo Copyright 2011-2012 Christina Wigren]
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Here is my text :

'I love you because...'

'I love you so much, Pierre!' said little seven year old Melissa to the tuxedo cat that she held in her arms.'Hope they won't want you.'

'But Melissa, we've already talked about having five cats here.'

Surprisingly, the Jones family did want the nine-month-old kitten. He could roam their farm and still keep warm in their son's bedroom. Melissa had thought that Pierre was the one she liked least. But now that he was about to leave, he had become attractive.

Her mother said, 'Wish Pierre luck, give him a hug and then hand him over to Mr Jones'.
'Be a good cat, Pierre. I'll come and visit you soon', said Melissa kissing his furry face. Pierre was warm and soft to hold and he purred in her ear. Melissa loved him, but she could do nothing more than to let Pierre's new owner lift him from her hands.

Later that evening, Melissa fell asleep and dreamed. In her dream, she was on the farm. It was summer, not winter, last summer when the kittens were only some weeks old, fluffy and tiny. She saw Pierre with his brother and his sisters. Melissa approached Pierre and wanted to scoop him up in her arms. Pierre looked straight into Melissa's eyes, opened his mouth and said. 'Oh Melissa, you came!' He had a soft but clear voice. Melissa could not recall that Pierre could talk.

Melissa felt her limbs grow numb, and Pierre seemed to grow before her eyes. But his proportions remained the same as a kitten's. He just got bigger and bigger until she was standing looking at him eye to eye. It seemed that the whole world had grown with him. The trees and the farmhouse had also grown. She looked down and saw two white kitten paws where her hands should be. Her arms were covered in striped ginger fur! It wasn't Pierre that had grown; it was she who had skrunk and become a little kitten herself!

'Oh my!' said Pierre 'I must show you to our two-legged mummy. I hope she'll let you stay with us.

'Do you want me to stay with you, Pierre?'

'Oh yes, Melissa. Please stay. I love you. I have always loved you. Now I love you even more. I love you because you are the prettiest little kitten in the whole world.

[Text copyright 2012 Christina Wigren]
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Word count according to WordCalc: 400; 'FCA', Full Critique Acceptable.

This is Pelle, the inspiration for Pierre:

[Photo Copyright 2011- 2012 Christina Wigren]

This is Anna-Mathilda, the inspiration for Melissa's new life as a cat!


[Photo Copyright 2011- 2012 Christina Wigren]







Thank you Nancy for including Elizabeth Barett Browning's wonderful poem on the RFWers blog:

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways..." by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight For the ends of Being and ideal Grace. I love thee to the level of everyday's Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. I love thee freely, as men strive for Right; I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise. I love thee with a passion put to use In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. I love thee with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints, --- I love thee with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life! --- and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death.

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Best wishes,
Anna

P.S.
This is a work of fiction inspired by the departure of our boy cat Pelle to his new forever home. Pelle is Pierre and my daughter Elisabet is Melissa. The ginger kitten that Melissa turns into is a kitten named Anna-Mathilda.

Now we only have four cats in our crowded four-room apartment. Read my 100 word version of this for my post for Mrs Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus here.

First Commenter:

Ann Thompson



of
Ann's Snap Edit & Scrap

Or to read other texts for Romantic Friday Writers Challenge No. 33, with the theme 'I love you because...', please visit this site or click on the image below or scroll farther down to the main linky.

'Good-bye Pierre' - Mrs. Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus Week 96

Welcome to Mrs.Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus, Week 96. SC is a writing challenge in which participants are asked to write a text to a given prompt using only 100 words or less plus the prompt. This week's prompt is:
Saying goodbye was harder than she thought... .
Scroll down past my text to read Mrs. Matlock's instructions. Here is my text:

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'Hope they won't have him.'
'But Melissa, we've already talked about having five cats here.'
Surprisingly, the family wanted the nine-month-old tuxedo kitten. He could roam their farm and still keep warm in their son's bedroom.
Melissa had thought that Pierre was the one she liked least. But now that he was about to leave, he had become attractive.
'Give Pierre a hug,' said her mother handing her the cat. Pierre was warm to hold and purred in her ear. She loved him.
'It's time.'
Teary-eyed, Melissa handed over the kitten to its new owners. Saying goodbye was harder than she thought.


Photo & Copyright 2011-2012 Christina Wigren
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Word count according to WordCalc:107

[Text copyright 2012 Christina Wigren]
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Best wishes,
Anna



First Commenter:

Karen S.



of
21 Wits by Karen


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Here are Mrs. Jenny Matlock's instructions:

Welcome to week ninety-six of Saturday Centus.

I've been taking it easy on you because I'm swamped with job training and moving...but watch out next week!


The prompt this week is: Saying goodbye was harder than she thought...

Number of words: 100 PLUS the seven words of the prompt for a maximum of 107 words.
Style of writing: Any
Pictures: As many extra pictures as you like

The regular restrictions apply: PG, no splitting of the prompt, play nicely and visit the other entries, any style or genre of writing you prefer.

Please display my link button or just a hyper-link back to Saturday Centus. Be careful to link your SC URL to the Linky and not just link to your main blog.

E-mail me directly with ???'s or ask your question in a comment and I will do my best to get back to you as soon as possible.

Feel free to link up anytime between now and next Saturday!

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Or to read other posts for Saturday Centus texts please visit this site or click on the image below: