Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Rhymer Throw-down Entry






As posted previously, we are having a friendly rhymer throw-down amongst some Storyteller Academy folks to push ourselves to try a rhyming picture book. I must admit, it has been difficult to even get to the lousy draft phase. Hats off to people who write in rhyme. I have enjoyed this exercise (and already have a prose version inspired by this one), and am adding my entry:

Ninja Cat Attack

Midnight prowling, grumbly tummy.
Time to feast on something yummy.

Empty food dish?! Woe is me. 
Life is through! Catastrophe!

No surrender! Time for action.
My poor tum needs satisfaction

Come on human, I need cat chow. 
No more sleeping. Get up. "ME-NOW.” 

Kitten scorned?! Enough of that. [Cat gets dumped outside bedroom door.]
Time to bring out … Ninja Cat. 

Ninja Cat spies tasty kibble.
Going in for one sweet nibble. 

Flatten ears and arch the back.  
Here comes Ninja Cat’s A-
Thwack!

Foiled! Defeated. And unseated.
Ninja Cat feels quite depleted.

Hark! What’s that? A feathered snack? [Sees a bird outside the window.]
Come on Ninja! Cat A-
Whack!

Curse that window, freshly cleaned.
Ninja Cat got submarined. 

Submarine? That sounds like fish.
Mac would make a tasty dish. [Fish’s name is Mac, maybe another fish is there named Cheese, but Cheese is hiding.]

Sneaky swimmer. Hold still, Mac!
Got to Ninja Cat A—
SMACK.

Sushi's gone. All hope is dashed! 
Ninja Cat is fading fast. 

Drastic measures. Spot is sleeping.
Ninja Cat is kitty creeping. [Dog has snack near bed.]

One more pounce to get that snack,
Here comes Ninja’s sneak A-
MYAACK

Fur is flying. Spot is growling.
Ninja Cat is hissing, yowling. 

Could it be? Inside that sack.
Ninja Cat needs this A-
TTACK!

Yummy kibble. No more growling. [Dog is eating kibble and Ninja Cat’s tummy isn’t growling.]
Ninja Cat is back to prowling. 

Pillow’s waiting. Sun is dawning.
Ninja Cat can't stop the yawning. 

Purring into dreams so deep.
Ninja Cat is fast A-
Sleep

Sunday, June 2, 2019

Rhymer Throw-down


Under the leadership of the talented Pamela Courtney, we are hosting a tiny, crappy-draft challenge for a small group of writers brave enough to attempt a rhyming manuscript.  


We finished a poetry writing intensive with Diana Murray through Arree Chung's Storyteller Academy and Pamela threw down the challenge to dust off some rhyming ambitions (of which I have none, but love the discipline of trying), to write a crappy first, rhyming draft of 200 words-ish by July 22 using any of the prompts: 



  • All Things Ninja
  • That's When I Noticed It
  • Something Wasn't Quite Right
  • When the Sun Shines or 
  • I Didn't want To
My draft is still a WIP and will be posted by deadline. Others, and you know who you are, may post theirs in the comments section when ready, or add your link to your blog, or contact me to post on your behalf. 

May the rhyming odds be ever in your favor! 


Bonnie: https://bioluminosityblog.wordpress.com/2019/06/15/craft-ninja-by-bonnie-fireurchin-lambourn-%E2%80%A8%E2%80%A8-draft-written-for-rhyming-informal-contest-sa-members-prompt-all-things-ninja-298-words-6-14-19/


Kathy: https://booktails1.blogspot.com/2019/06/my-dear-and-mojo-writer-woman-partner.html?fbclid=IwAR1mG5KaxD27CxPZ11rgNZIwzHawxvk6cQB8kBufUQTl9RwaW4oohZRj7Mg

My entry: https://dewdropsofink.blogspot.com/2019/07/rhymer-throw-down-entry.html