Fall Writing Frenzy 2020

The Kid Lit-fabulous Kaitlyn Sanchez and Lydia Lukidis have created yet another fun and festive PB writing contest. And it was just too much of a frenzy for me to refuse. In honor of the start of October and all things pumpkin spiced, below are the contest guidelines and my contributing piece. And feel free to check out the other spooky and spicey, fun-filled entries here https://lydialukidis.wordpress.com/ , or these two creators on their pages https://kaitlynleannsanchez.com/ and https://lydialukidis.wordpress.com/. Sending a special Halloween Howl out to you both for hosting another opportunity for the kid lit community. I hope you, and everyone here joining to read with us, pick the prettiest pumpkins, cuddle the warmest blankets, and taste the cocoa-iest cocoa this season.

The rules (and there aren’t many….don’t ya love it when that happens?! 🙂…

Pick one of the Fall Images provided and write about it. It can be a poem, a story, mood piece….whatever comes to mind. Happy, scary, spicy, grotesque… blow with the leaves and write what you please! 200 words max, age range from board book to young adult.

Since I write primarily PB’s for the younger crowd, I took this opportunity to write for the more mature since this contest encompasses a broader range of age. The image I chose is below, followed by my piece.

Happy Fall Ya’ll! (because we had to endure Covid, that means we don’t have to endure winter this year, right???)

UNLESS YOU FALL

Words: 148

Fall down.

Trip over sticks

and get stuck in the muck.

Take the unlucky road

and lose direction.

Follow your feelings,

feeling each one,

one step at a time.

Fall down.

Take turns,

turn colors,

and color yourself another.

Let old things die

and new things grow.

Harvest and sow,

reap and repeat.

Leap in faith

and leave it behind.

Fall down.

Skim your knees

and let the leaves

soften the blow.

Blowing wind and winding roads…

who knows which way to go?

Go with your gut,

discover you’re wrong.

Stumbling,

stammering,

spinning webs.

Fall down.

Stick it out.

Gather nuts

and grow apples,

pine to shine.

Let the rain

wash hay away,

Let the chill

chase the fear,

Let the dark

discover light.

Give thanks.

Spice up the season,

and feast on the future.

Forget and forgive…

Yourself.

Rise up.

Because Spring can’t come

unless you fall.