Flash Fiction Friday

The Dragon's Curse

by Donna L Martin

"Tis foolishness to be here," Amari whispered as she grabbed a low hanging branch and pulled herself up to the ledge beside Cerelic.

"Aye, but tis more foolish to have the others defenseless against the beast," Cerelic replied for what seemed like the hundredth time.

The two had argued the same point ever since they left the village in the morning mist and now, hours later, the midday sun shone above the tree tops as they inched their way toward the cave's entrance.

"Do you still have the wolfbane powder?" Amari asked again.  

Cerelic looked at her, his irritation beginning to show as he removed the pouch from his tunic and thrust it toward her.  "You hold it if you think me not trustworthy," he hissed.

Amari looked down at the pouch, knowing she would not take it, when the hair on the back of her neck prickled a warning danger was near.  Glancing above the cave's entrance, she saw the claws first.  Long and razor sharp, they clung to the edge as wings flexed and expanded until the sun hung in the shadows of the beast's wingspan.  

Cerelic saw the fear growing in Amari's eyes and tightened his grip on the pouch.  "Don't move. The beast can't find you if you are still.  We just need to use the powder and all will be well."

Suddenly a high pitched screech shattered the quiet as wings beat against the tree tops and a ball of fire shot across the cave entrance toward the two crouched in fear...


***Okay, it's your turn!  What happens next?  Can the beast be stopped?  will Amari and Cerelic make it out alive?  Put your creative cap on and add a sentence or add a paragraph.  Continue my story or start one of your own.  Join the fun and see where this picture prompt takes us!***

Flash Fiction Friday

Dragon's Breath Island

By Donna L Martin

Layla tightened her vest before tucking her sword in the double wrapped belt and scabbard tied at her side.  All she needed were her boots and she would be ready. The villagers said she was crazy.  No one had ever gone to Dragon's Breath Island and returned.  Well, knights had returned but never alive.  And now Layla thought she would be able to fight the dragon all on her own.

Quickly saddling her horse, Layla took the path through the forest leading down to the water.  The loch was calm today, a good sign the gods favored her crossing.  Her father had taught her to command a boat when she was knee high to a grasshopper and the oars felt at home in her hands as she rowed straight for Dragon's Breath Island.

The morning sun was just leaving the horizon when Layla saw the coastline.  True to it's name, smoke curled around the cliffs at the water's edge and ended halfway up the mountainside looming above her.  Dragon's breath.  Layla almost expected to see flames shooting from the caves dotting the cliffs as she reached land and pulled her boat on shore.  Saying a quick prayer for the gods' mercy, Layla slowly began to climb the path leading to the largest cave on the island and home to the dragon...


***Okay, it's your turn!  What happens next?  Why did the villagers allow her to go to the island at all?  Will she encounter the dragon?  Will she make it out alive?  Put your creative cap on and add a sentence or add a paragraph. Continue my story or start one of your own.  Join the fun and see where this picture prompt takes us!***

Festival Time In Tennessee

The annual Children's Festival of Reading in my city was an amazing experience.  Between recovering from serious sunburns from standing in the sun for 6 straight hours and getting my house finally repaired after last year's storms, I didn't get a chance to post a blog about the festival last week like I wanted, so I'm doing it today.  Below are some of the few pictures I was able to take while standing in front of my booth.  There were so many people roaming around that I never even got a chance for a potty break much less water break, lunch break, or a chance to visit the other booths.  Everyone was excited about all the autographed items I had at my booth and word must have spread about my goodies because a lot of people came to the festival specifically looking for us!

Here's my booth at 7:30 Saturday morning.  I was still trying to set up when I stopped long enough to take a picture.

I created posters where I had printed off the book cover of every author who participated and wrote their names on stars next to their books because to me, THEY were the stars of the day!  I also had a basket full of cards and handouts that authors had sent me for the kiddies, along with bookmarks they could color and take with them.

At one point there were different dragons strolling through the grounds right before the parade and this fellow was the longest.

More dragons wandered in and was followed by Biscuit the dog as part of the parade of books.

More dragons but a red one this time.  The kids sure did love those dragons!

At the storyteller's tent, authors like internationally known Diane De Las Casas  entertained the crowd with her stories.

Biscuit and author Alyssa Capucilli read about his adventures to the crowd.

Melissa Thompson talks about her Keena Ford book series.

I didn't have time to chase down the people on stilts in order to get a picture of their faces...boy, could they travel great distances on those things!

These next two photos were taken right around 10 am when the festival was just getting started.  Within a short time you couldn't turn around without bumping into someone...lol...

The tent in this picture with the balloon roof had to be one of the most popular booths at the festival.  It was a "petz 4 sale" booth where you could buy mylar balloons of different animals like frogs, giraffes, dogs, cats, dinosaurs, etc. with crinkled legs and weighted feet so that as you pulled the string attached to the balloon, it actually looked like the animal was walking along with you.  So cool!

This was Dolly Parton's Playhouse performance of Otis on the performance stage.  This stage was across the field from me but the place was packed and you could hear the laughter drifting across the field in my direction.

I had to take a picture of this book by Susanna Leonard Hill.  For the younger visitors who stopped by my booth, THIS book caused such a stir with some of the kids that one little boy actually grabbed it off the table despite my and his mother's request for him not to touch it.  We both literally had to wrestle it out of his hands and he was very upset because he REALLY wanted to take that book home with him!


Thanks again to all the wonderful authors who went out of their way with their generous donations!  I am still getting in touch with all the winners to make sure everyone gets their prizes...all 350 of them!  If you want to read more about the festival, here is the link to our city's newpaper coverage of the event...
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/may/19/childrens-festival-of-reading-at-worlds-fair/


All I can say is I can't wait until next year and I hope to get the word out even sooner so that I can help promote even MORE authors next year!!