It’s been a while since I shared any of my submissions from Creative Copy Challenge (CCC).

CCC is a word prompt site designed to smash writer’s block. It posts on Mondays and Thursdays.

• There is a list of 10 random words or phrases
• The challenge is creating a cohesive, creative short story using the words/phrases
• CCC welcomes professional and non-professional writers alike
• The results are fabulous – check it out

Here are just a few of my submissions. The words in bold are the challenge words.

Challenge #205

The road here had been an uphill climb. There had been little time to party, but, no one needed to ask Sherrie twice to slip off her killer shoes that were squeezing the life out of her toes. What a woman does in the guise of fashion.

“I’m getting too darn old for dumb fashion,” she sighed as she settled into her chair of comfort and clicked her computer to life.

The party had been marketed as the networking event of the year. Seeing how it was held on New Year’s eve, its sparkle was short-lived.

“That should have been my first clue,” she mumbled.

Sherrie wanted to set a fire under her own marketing efforts – a task she viewed as a necessary evil. She hoped the last several hours of torture would pan out to something more than sore feet and an overwhelming urge to crawl into a cave for the coming year.

No amount of glitter and face gunk made Sherrie feel any more than what she was – a writer. She felt like a total impostor in another world made up of too many people, too much food, and way too much noise. She shook off the fear she had of being stuck in that world to return to the calm she felt in her seat facing her dream.

Here was power, she mused as her fingers raced across their private world

Challenge #204

Dedicated to my 3-year-old grand-niece, Sunniva, who is visiting for the holidays.

Her tiny fingers raced against the blue backboard in a dance against the confinement of lines. Rather than freak at the thought of coloring outside the lines, her laugh carried a tune of youthful innocence enacted on a sheet of hope. Never too busy to find the joy, she knew she could always count on the love of those around her. And that made her very happy.

Challenge #201

Somehow I keep coming back to detective stories…hmmm…

So maybe it was a little ambitious to promise the capture of the killer before Christmas. Lieutenant Michael Stapleton could still feel the bright burn of rage from the killer’s arrogant slap of laughter. It would make any sane person fighting mad.

To say the case wasn’t exactly the luckiest, when it came to breaks, was putting it mildly. The memory of the killer’s excitable glee over his latest victim had Michael throwing his half-full coffee cup at his closed door.

It went sailing over his partner’s head. Once again, Jason Scott showed his impeccable timing by choosing that moment to open Michael’s door.

“Holy crap. I know the coffee sucks, but don’t take it out on me.”

“You would be very wise to turn around and shut the door behind you.”

“I always love how you make the yuletide gay.”

“Scott, what do you want?”

“Certainly not any Christmas cheer. You ought to lay off the caffeine and try the eggnog. Okay, okay,” he said, holding up his hands to ward off the answering scowl.

“Before you get your tinsel in a tangle, I’ve got something for you.”

Michael shifted his gaze from his computer and nailed his partner with a sardonic look.

“Well, seeing the way you’re strutting around like a rooster, I hope it means it’s something good.”

“Buddy, we just landed the howitzer of clues.”

Michael raised his eyes from the paper Jason handed him.

“Merry Christmas,” Jason smiled.

Turning the Page

Hope you enjoyed these brief departures into fantasy.

You really should check out CCC and leave a submission of your own. It’s a great community.

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Live…Laugh…Love

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