In honor of October’s upcoming holiday:
Or, maybe just as an excuse to drive in the carpool lane. This model of Jeep must be worth dying for.
©2022 Chel Owens
Friday Photo
Tag Halloween
Halloweensie!!
I have yet to even be a finalist in this contest (I’m just that good), but Susanna Leonard Hill is hosting her famous Halloween writing competition for a children’s story NOW. You have till October 31st at midnight to submit a story according to her specifications ON HER SITE:
THE CONTEST: write a 100 word Halloween story appropriate for children (children here defined as 12 and under) (title not included in word count) using the words glow-in-the-dark, goosebumps, and goodies.
- Your story can be poetry or prose, scary, funny, sweet, or anything in between, but it will only count for the contest if it includes those 3 words and is 100 words. Get it? Halloweensie – because it’s not very long and it’s for little people
- You can go under the word count but not over!
- Title is not included in the word count.
- Also, being super clear for this year, glow-in-the-dark counts as 1 word (even though it looks like 4 )
- You may use the words in any form i.e. glowed-in-the-dark, goosebumpley, goody (“Oh, goody!”, goody-two-shoes etc.), whathaveyou
- You are welcome to enter more than one entry – just remember you’ll be competing against yourself
- No illustration notes please!
And yes, I know 100 words is short, but that’s part of the fun and the challenge! We got just shy of 300 fantastic entries last year, so I know you can do it!
POST: your story in the comment section [on her site] between right now this very second and Sunday October 31st at Midnight – the witching hour! Please include your title, word count, and byline with your entry so that if your posting handle is MomNeedsAVacation I’ll still be able to tell who wrote your entry
- For those of you who would also like to post on your blogs, please feel free to do so! You are welcome to include the link to your blog with your entry in the comment section…so that people can come visit your blog, but all entries must be posted in the comment section of [Susanna’s Post] between now and Sunday October 31st at Midnight.
- If you have difficulty posting your entry to the comments, which unfortunately sometimes happens, you may e-mail your entry to [Susanna] and I’ll post it for you! Contact button or [susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com Please place your entry in the body of the e-mail including your title and byline at the top – NO ATTACHMENTS! They will not be opened.
- I know how hard you all work on your entries, and how anxious you are to get them posted, but please try to be a little patient if your entry doesn’t show up immediately. Many comments have to be manually approved, and it sometimes takes me a little while to post entries that come in by email. I promise I will get to everything as soon as I can. I try never to leave my desk during contests, but sometimes it’s unavoidable
- Side Note: WordPress will not properly format entries written in the shape of a pumpkin (or anything else!) or with fancy or colored fonts or unusual spacing. No matter how great it looks in whatever program you compose it in, be forewarned that when you post it in the comment section it is going to be basic and I am not able to change that for you, I’m afraid.
THE JUDGING: in a grueling marathon over the days following the contest close, my devoted assistants and I will read and re-read and narrow down the entries to a finalist field of about 12 which will be posted here for you to vote on I hope by Friday November 5th (though if the judging takes longer than expected it might be a little later – we will do our best!) The winner will be announced Monday November 8th (good lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise )
Judging criteria will be as follows:
- 1. Kid-appeal! – These stories are intended for a young audience (ages 12 and under), so we’re looking for stories that children will enjoy and relate to.
- 2. Halloweeniness – the rules state a Halloween story, so it must be crystal clear that the story is about Halloween, not just some random spooky night.
- 3. Use of all 3 required words and whether you came it at 100 words or less.
- 4. Quality of story – entries must tell a story, including a main character of some kind and a true story arc even if it’s tiny Entries must not be merely descriptions or mood pieces.
- 5. Quality of Writing: check your spelling, grammar, punctuation etc. If you’re going to rhyme, give us your best Use and flow of language, correctness of mechanics, excellence of rhyme and meter if you use it, PROOFREADING!
- 6. Originality and creativity – because that is often what sets one story above another.
- 7. How well you followed the Submission Guidelines – agents and editors expect professionalism. This is a chance to practice making sure you read and follow specified guidelines. If you don’t follow agent and editor submission guidelines, they won’t even read your submission.
THE PRIZES: So amazing!……keep reading
Skarla Skeleton
Skarla pulled her covers up,
A mask over her head.
Her mummy came with steaming cup
And asked, “Why haunt your bed?”
“Oh, Mum! The kids say, ‘SKELETON!’
“They run away in fear.”
Her mummy groaned. “Aww, that’s no fun.
“They just don’t know you, Dear.”
And then, they heard a creepy gong;
Some kids were at their door.
Skar dried her tears; Mum came along,
Bones clunking on the floor.
Skarla’s friends said, “Trick or treat!”
And, “Skar! Where have you been?”
Smiling, Skarla donned a sheet
And went out, with her friends.
Written for Susannah Leonard Hill’s Halloweensie Contest.
©2020 Chel Owens
WINNER of the A Mused Poetry Contest 10/30/2020
In honor of Halloween (sort-of), poets needed to amuse us with verses about masks! Who did so in the funniest way?
Masquerade, by Sara of Relaxitsallwrite
All I had to go on were his eyes
Hazel, hypnotic, alluring
They summoned me from across the ballroom
He had only my eyes as well
Ice-blue, and intrigued
I maneuvered my voluptuous gown through the crowd
And met him, mask to mask
While mine encompassed the beautiful butterfly I desired to be
With stunning wings, wide-spread across my cheeks
His was a bit silly, like a court jester
With speckles, peppering a long, triangular nose
I struggled to avoid it as we danced
And dance we did
Then, he tried to kiss me, but his nose got in the way
I grew frustrated
I wanted to sink into his lips, like a butterfly drinking from a tulip
So gently, I removed his disguise and leaned in
But was immediately put off
When I realized his nose was the same shape as his mask
Congratulations, Sara! You are the funniest poet for the week! I admired your rhyme, but laughed after the great buildup to a reveal no one wants upon first meeting!
Although only one could win first place, I loved the others as well:
The Masque of the Covid Death (With apologies to Edgar Allen Poe), by Trent P. McDonald
As midnight tolled the fateful hour
A new guest appeared
Amongst the revelers
Rheumy eyes
Stared from the mask
A cough shook the frame
Prospero, angry yelled
“Halt, false fellow
For we do not
Like your Covid-like mask
Who are you
To be so bold?
Show yourself!”
The guest
Dressed as the very victim of the plague
Walked from room to room
None dared bar his way
He stopped in room Seven
The room of Black and White
Prospero raised his AR-15 rifle
“Unmask yourself now!”
But when the guest turned
Prospero fell in a coughing fit
The other guests
In their madness
Tore the mask from the new guest
To their horror
An N95 was beneath
And then they knew
There was no escape
And Darkness and Decay and the Covid Death
Held illimitable dominion over all.
(OK, the last line was borrowed from Poe, about word for word 😉 )
Untitled, by DumbestBlogger
What’s behind the mask?
Stop it, not so fast!
Wait, what’s in the cask?
Poison? Poison you say?
Too bad
If only he had been more vigilant about his mask
He wouldn’t have drunk from the cask
Oh well
Time for the coroner’s task
De-masked, by Bruce
I have no idea
why you feel the need to wear
that fabric mask with style.
You’re so naturally ugly from ear to ear
that Covid19 cowers in fear
and droplets run a mile.
Night Of The Giving Dread, by Obbverse
We’re fast approaching October thirty-first
When once again good folk shall be cursed
By that gnawing feeling of impending dread
As the spirit of Gluttony raises its ugly head.
‘Twill be the night of Halloween
When every pre-adolescent ‘tween
Unbidden, comes a’rappin’ at your door,
That ain’t the kinda rap you can ignore.
They’ll demand a trick or treat,
The trick is- give ’em all they can eat,
Dole out them candies from the bowl,
Better being poor than have an empty soul.
Dish it out and don’t dare ask
What sweet child’s hiding ‘neath that mask?
Just kindly smile while putting on your happy face
A’praying the overladen urchins don’t egg your place.
Prompt at midnight, switch off the porch light-
Witching hour is done, Children Of The Night –
All pure but poor souls, sit back and enjoy the hush,
Soon ’nuff you’ll hear some kids full-on sugar ru- flush.
Untitled, by Deb Whittam
C’mon my chums, don’t be shy
Don’t you want to take a peek?
C’mon give it a try,
It could be the start,
Of your winning streak.
Five quid to look behind,
The Mask and try your luck.
Five quid for a quick glance,
C’mon fellows,
I promise you won’t barf.
It could be an angel,
Of delight and arouse your passion,
It could be a mad man,
With a very loud voice,
In need of a good thrashing.
Perhaps it’s your great Aunt,
Or, that cute girl down the street.
Perhaps it’s that annoying niece,
C’mon mates,
Don’t you want to compete?
Stand up lads,
It’s time to try your luck,
Five quid can’t be beat,
I’ll scream now when you turn green,
I promise we’ll have time to duck.
Time to be scared, by Gary
So many years and so many Halloween’s
Desperately trying to create a scary smokescreen
Always searching for the perfect Mask
The truly frightening one which is up to the task
I’ve tried them all but they end of just being lame
Freddy Kruger was just do ridiculously tame
Dracula and Frankenstein were as scary as the lovely Joan Hickson
Jason and Michael masks made me look like the unlovely Richard Nixon
But now I’ve seen the path to the perfect scary look
Maybe I should don a Chefs hat and carry a cookbook
Maybe I should dig out my old French Can-Can costume
Maybe a morning mirror photo of me from the bathroom
Actually there is a much simpler way for me to truly scare
Me just going unmasked is the perfect psychological warfare.
What’s behind the mask?, by sudrakarma
What’s behind the mask?
You might well ask,
but as well you might not want to know.
For I have as many
as needed, nigh twenty
to choose from to wear
for the daily show
But if you dare look beneath
that care-crafted sheath
to what’s hidden
deep, down below
You may fear what you find:
Though my smile is kind,
danger lurks in my Shadow
—–
A great BIG thanks to all those who entered! Come back around tomorrow at 10 a.m. for next week’s prompt.
Sara, here’s a badge for you to use on your site. Congratulations!
©2020 The poets, and their respective works
The A Mused Poetry Contest 10/24 – 10/30/2020
It’s the week before Halloween here in the United States! Let’s look to amuse with some boo’s!
Here are the spooky specifics:
- Our Theme is What’s behind the mask? Did two socially-distanced first-daters face a nasty surprise? Perhaps the Phantom of the Opera revealed an embarrassing birthmark? You decide, and you write a poem about it!
- Keep the Length manageable, at between 3 and 153 words.
- Rhyme if your crystal ball tells you to, but don’t if it’s not in the cards.
- There’s no need for tricks regarding Rating. You can scare your
victimsreaders and keep things clean. - However you choose to cast your spell, my dear, ensure your Halloween brew is brimming with humor.
You have till 10:00 a.m. MST next Friday (October 30) to submit a poem.
Use the magic form, below, to remain anonymous for a week.
Otherwise, include your spellbook poem or a link to it in the comments. Drop a comment or conjuring crystal if your link-back doesn’t show up by midnight of when you cast it.
—–
Happy haunting!
—–
©2020 Chel Owens
WINNER of the Weekly Terrible Poetry Contest
My apologies, as always, for the delay. I had an astounding number of very scary entries to review this week, unsure of who might haunt me after I chose a winner…
And that winner is:
Halloween Queen
I’ll be a queen
On Halloween
Oh that’s just mean
Did she declare
How dare you try
To be so high
And mighty
You’re a witch
You b*itch
Go scratch your
Head and
Think
Again
Queens are not scary
Or are they??
“Off with your head”
She screamed at her
“Your head will roll”
She raged at the troll
Oh me oh my
She makes me cry
I’d rather be a witch
Of course
—–
Congratulations, Ruth! You are the most terrible poet of the week!
While I had great (scary) fun reading all the marvelous (scary) entries, Ruth’s won for an overall effort of bad poetry. She missed the meter, missed the rhymes, and missed a coherent story arc. Well done!
I had many favorites who nearly won; see if you can get through them:
Resurrected for Halloween
Like a guy-rope swing eternally from a pendulum
With the fiery blast swelling, Superman sank
Into percussion of fiery anticipation
And landed with a plonk at the bottom of the hall.
Like a dreadnaught, it nosed its way, silently weeping,
And wished, well-wishing it had never left the ceiling.
Deep! Oh Deep down it thundered in the mall
Then landed with a plonk at the bottom of the hall.
—–
Untitled piece
by Nitin
Spooky nefarious ghosts
And their terrifyingly odd boasts
Blood, gore, grim and sin
But for them it’s a win-win
Awful phantasms
Ruining the coal-miner’s orgasms
Terrible, ghastly ruins
Deadly, doleful tunes
This is the season of rust
And don’t you dare say, ‘psst!’
You’ll find out why soon enough
When the one-eyed crone lets her dogs loose, ruff ruff
—–
Simplicity
O, what shall I be
for Hallowe’en?
A monster, a princess
or a Lima bean?
With pumpkins carved
and burning bright
if one tips over
the porch will ignite.
Trick-or-treaters won’t come
if the house is on fire
unless they’re as stupid
as an old flat tire.
Fake skeletons dangle
from the dead oak trees
One’s leg is on backwards
and his head’s stuck to his knee
Sometimes directions
are too hard to read.
O’ what shall I be
for Hallow’en?
Probably something simple.
Like me.
—–
I Love You Lorena
by Matt Snyder
We met in jail, I a drunken serial cheater, she a thief
The night I said I do, I shook like a leaf
Earlier that day I slept with her sister
What can I say I’m that kind of Mister
It was our wedded day of dread when they threw the rice
I felt like I was skating on thin ice
That night things got kinky, she tied me to the bed
I lied there awhile lost in my head
I called out her name and got no response
Then she came back with her sister both spouting hateful taunts
I tried to break free, I was quaking in my socks
Her sister handed her a knife and with a devilish grin she cut off my…
—–
Why I hate Halloween – A Protest
by Deb Whittam
I’m an Australian
The shops are full of chocolate treats
Designed to guilt trip me
Into participating in an event
That is for another county
I’m an Australian
The internet is obsessing
Over a tradition that
Means nothing to me
Can’t get away from it, can’t be free
I’m an Australian
Kids will be knocking on my door
Yelling trick or treat
I tell them to emigrate
I just don’t care you see
I’m an Australia
Why should I be involved in this farce?
I’d rather the kids went out and exercised
Than shoving more junk in their gobs
To mimic a country
That does nothing for me.
—–
This is Childrening
(A terrible homage to the song “This is Halloween”)
Pumpkins, ghouls and spaghetti strands
Oh my lot loves doing handstands
With jellied fingers and muddied hands
I find their artwork all over this land
Come with me and you will see, in this land of Childrening
Mustard stains, broken glass
Footballs punted into the nightstand
Come with me and you will see
The reason for my punctual screams
This is Childrening, this is Childrening!
Everybody scream, everybody scream
In this land of Childrening
Parents cry in the Dead of night
Wondering how they’ll survive the fright
Round that corner is their toddler of two
Wondering if he can fit more jelly into mom’s shoes
This is Childrening, this is Childrening!
Everybody scream, everybody scream
In this land of Childrening.
—–
Bed
by Rogblog666
Bed, bed what have you under thee.
A reflection of my peculiar mind?
Or just a hidey hole for your scary bits,
Do you mirror me, do you parallel me?
Or are you my dark side?
Boo no just a dust bunny
Bed, bed what have you under thee,
Is it my mothers’ reflection?
Is it a portal from another dimension?
Is it a collection of your what ifs?
being seen from the planet regret.
Boo no just dust bunny
Bed, bed what have you under thee,
Am I just shadows of something lost,
Or just shadows of something to come,
Am I a shadow of something more solid,
Or just a shadow of your imagination.
BOO I am no shadow I am you, killer dust bunny
© 2017 r leach
—–
The Vampire’s Night Out
There once was a hungry vampire
of fresh blood he could never tire
one night from his dark castle he flew
looking for a fair maiden that was new
until through a bedroom window he did see
a slumbering maiden who looked a beauty
so he crept into the room to have a bite
lucky for him she obviously had an early night
she was motionless and lying fast asleep
so right up to her he did silently creep
his fangs chomped down on her exposed neck
only to find the skin was hard, and his teeth now a wreck!
She was only a mannequin left lying in the room
he quickly left, flying in shock back to his tomb.
That experience left him feeling so pitiful
without his fangs, he now gets blood bags from the hospital.
—–
Dead Man’s Jamboree
by Violet Lentz
rattle me bones and shiver me timbers
it’s a dead man’s jamboree
from dusk till dawn
around the graves
a dancing they will be
a raspy throated woodwind howls
as drums are banged with bones
and out there in the mist somewhere-
another dead man moans
with but one night, the whole year thru
this gay thread to weave
they dance the jig, and tip the jug
in gleeful toast to moon above-
‘salute!’ all hallows eve…..
—–
Untitled piece
by Gary
The moon is full
It’s time for blood on the wool
Halloween terror
Your in the wrong place, a deadly error
Knifes sharpen
The atmosphere slowly darkens
The clock ticks
While the madman plays his tricks
This is sick
As bad as the worst horror flick
Witches potion
An unpredictable explosion
Straight from hell
Too horrific for Slasher Motel
Frankenstein creation
A Poltergeist apparition
Beyond X rated
The result is pure evil hatred
All hope is forsake
Dads been trying to bake a SPONGE CAKE
—–
Definitely scary! Thank you all for the frights, and come back tomorrow for next week’s prompt.
Ruth: D. Wallace Peach created this graphic that you can use (if you want) for a badge of honor as the winner:
Scampy Mouse
Scampy mouse looked ’round his house,
But all that he could see
Were must and rust and cheese crumb dust,
And a cobweb; maybe three.
“I must have flask or wig or mask;
Or robes, or vampire teeth.”
Yet, high and low and to and fro —
“No costume,” Scampy squeaked.
Then, start’ling him, a *quack* *ring* *knock*;
He jumped. “Who could that be?”
He opened up to Tammy Duck,
Who asked him, “Trick or treat?”
She held a wand, a potion, bag;
Plus extra, long, white sheet.
“You wanna be a scary ghost,
For this year’s Halloween?”
Photo Credit: Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay
Created for Susanna Leonard Hill’s Halloweensie Contest.
©2019 Chelsea Owens
Throwback Thursday: Midnight
Every year, I participate in Susanna Leonard Hill’s holiday writing contests. This is the first I ever submitted, inspired by some tiny candy corn men my son made -and inspired by his twisted sense of humor.
The Weekly Terrible Poetry Contest
Come here, my poet, and prepare to enter the Weekly Terrible Poetry Contest #49! You’ll find a basic outline on terrible poeting here. Ready?
Here are the specifics for this week:
- Our Topic is Halloween. Write something SCARY!
- As is usual, the Length is up to you.
- Rhyming is also up to you. Frighten us with what you do.
- Just Make it terrible! Make the very souls of the Wal-mart imps moan in agony and terror at the thought of your verses.
- The Rating’s fine at PG-13 or cleaner.
You have till midnight of All Hallow’s Eve, 12:00 a.m. MST next Friday morning (November 1) to submit a poem.
Use the form below to be anonymous for a week.
For a more social experience and immediate fame, include your poem or a link to it in the comments. If you do not see a pingback within a day, drop a comment as well.
Roll up your casting sleeves, and have fun!
Photo credit: NeONBRAND
Halloween Poetry Contest: Hosted by Writer’s Treasure Chest
Aurora Jean Alexander of Writer’s Treasure Chest is hosting her 5th Annual Halloween Poetry Contest.
According to her:
Every author and poet are invited to participate and deliver a “Halloween-Poem” to my email address: aurorajean.alexander@aol.com, together with their picture and a link to their website and/or blog.
There are a few rules to follow:
- Your poem needs a Halloween theme.
- Your poem needs a minimum of 99 words.
- Your poem has to be delivered to my email address between October 10 and Halloween, October 31, 2019, at 9 pm Pacific Time.
- Your poem has to be delivered together with your picture and a link to your blog/page.
- Please avoid violence, bad language, and sexual content within the poems. It would be disqualified.
Every poem that meets the rules and is delivered within the deadline will be published here on “Writer’s Treasure Chest” together with the provided picture and link.
The contest starts October 10, 2019 06.00 am and ends October 31, 2019 09.00 pm Pacific Time!!
—–
Brew something special and submit it within the 3 weeks she’s allowed!
Chel Owens 