The 15,000 Word Results

 

On Completing the 15,000 Words In A Month Challenge!

Congratulations, once again to all who competed the challenge. Below you will find page links to your submissions. Each story will have its own page on the blog which you can find under the 'Pages' section if and when you wish. 

I imagine that these stories still have further lives to lead and journeys to take so, if you're reading them as a visitor to the  blog, understand that they are, in part, works in progress. Enjoy!

(NOTE TO AUTHORS: CONTACT ME IF YOU SEE ERRORS IN YOUR SCRIPTS AND I WILL ATTEMPT TO ADJUST. SOME FORMATTING HAD TO CHANGE. Adrian )

WHAT SHE DIDN'T KNOW  by Nancy Nelson

I titled my story ‘What She Never Knew’.  Near the end of her life, my mother told us that she was adopted and knew nothing about her ancestry. Through my DNA matches, I pieced her story together and although it is historical fiction, there is a lot of accuracy in the story I wrote. It was a personal journey and one I have wanted to write. I am thankful that the challenge gave me purpose and deadline to do it

LA CASA LOCA  by Adrian Truss

Being the story of how I turned from a city mouse into a country mouse. New beginnings for an old actor who hasn't quite faded away.

THE RETURN OF SAINT JOAN by Bill Ferguson

I have had a fascination with St. Joan ever since I saw the movie, Joan of Arc with Ingrid Bergman starring. I remember there was an eclipse that night so I was alternating between watching the movie on television and watching the Lunar eclipse. It was about 1969. 

I had come across the picture at the beginning of the story and immediately thought about St. Joan. Could this Church, Abbey, Basilica, be named after her? I immediately pictured the Boys trudging through the snow to pursue the purpose of an audience with, originally the Bishop, but ultimately the Cardinal. The rest developed from there. There was originally a Fatima/Lourdes subplot. I couldn’t make it work.

This story is a first draft and should be viewed as such. It is a story in its roughest form. It is not accurate in many details. The internal workings of the Catholic Church are a weak area. To my mind they were not important to the story in the first draft. If I were to develop this story further it would reflect a more accurate picture of the workings of the Church. I would spend a great deal of time fleshing out of details, adding more descriptive passages and dialogue and rewriting sentences for a much greater effect.

 

SEARCHING FOR  BUNTY by Barbara Barrett 

It was about this time last year (January 2024), I stumbled upon a story while researching the name Hillier during some genealogy work. It was the name of family friends from my childhood. However, the Hilliers my family knew are in no way connected to the story I found. 

I was intrigued and determined to record the tale. My research revealed that little Bunty had long been forgotten. Over the past year, my intention was to write a historically accurate account, using events from the time of the tragedy to compare and contrast with the sad occurrence. The story would touch on several topics, including the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh Jr., the eugenics movement, the effects of the Depression, family history, and a more in-depth follow-up.

The story I have written for the “Roseneath Writer’s Circle 15,000-Word Challenge”  however, is not that full historical account. For the challenge, I’ve written a condensed, somewhat fictionalized version.

One day, I will write the accurate rendition. Until then, I hope anyone who reads this will help keep the memory of little Bunty alive.