Wow! It is Valentine’s Day already and we are buried in snow here in Nova Scotia, thanks to the blizzard that hit us Sunday night and all day Monday, not ending until sometime during Monday night.
In lieu of a book review today, let’s ignore the snow for now and get on to some fun WRITING NEWS:
Since it’s Valentine’s Day – HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY, everybody! ♥ – I finally got up the courage to participate in Susanna Hill’s Valentiny contest this year. I had entered a story in her Holiday contest in December 2014; however, I never felt I had anything to contribute for her following ones. This time I’m giving it a try. Nervously, as per my usual.
Stories are to be no more than 214 words (for Feb 14 = 2nd month, 14th day), have to be Valentine stories in which someone is confused, and Susanna also says the following:
Judging criteria will include:
- Kid-appeal/Kid-friendliness – remember, this is a story for kids!
- Creativity in using confusion and success in making us feel the confusion!
- Valentine’s Day appropriateness – this is a VALENTINE story!
- Quality of story – we will look for basic story elements and a true story arc
- Quality of writing – use and flow of language, correctness of mechanics
- Originality – surprise us with something new and different! 🙂
As a participant, I am required to post my story here and then link to it on her blog by midnight tonight. She and her assistants will read through them all – and there are many of them – to narrow it down to 6-10 entries. Yike! Their selections will be posted on her blog February 20 for public viewing and voting. I’ll post a link to her blog then, so I hope you will go there and cast your vote for the one you like the best. After the voting period she will announce the winner(s) February 24.
I wrote my entry a few days ago, then spent some time tweaking it and changing things a bit. This morning I worked at it some more and … here it is.
Valentine’s Day Surprises
Timmy finished painting the vase.
“Mum likes red. When it’s dry I’ll tie this around it.” He pulled out of his pocket a pretty ribbon with a tag on it that said,
Happy Valentine’s Day, Mum. Love, Timmy
Timmy set the vase to dry beside the mailbox. He picked the prettiest wildflowers he could find and stuck them in. When he was carefully tying the ribbon on he heard his mother’s voice. He ran to see what she wanted.
“Did you call me?”
“Yes. I saw the mailwoman coming. Please watch the baby while I see if we got mail today.”
“Do I have to?” He sat with his sister, then jumped up. “NO! Wait! I’ll get it for you!”
“That’s okay, Timmy, it’s my turn.”
Timmy sucked in his breath and scuffed his toe in the dirt. He watched his mother walk to the mailbox.
She came back with only a letter! Timmy raced to where he’d left the surprise. It was gone! Where could it be? His heart sank. “What do I do now?”
At that moment the mailwoman returned. “I took this by mistake.”
Timmy ran and set the special present beside his mother. She hugged him. “It’s beautiful!”
Down the road, the puzzled mailwoman was staring at her red fingertips.
© Lynn A. Davidson
I don’t know how my story will rate alongside all the others, but I can hope. 🙂 It’s a good experience anyway.
On another note:
Take a look at the following pictures. The ones on the left and in the middle are of a cherry tree behind my house, the first taken during the beginning of the blizzard, the second at the end of it. Can you tell there’s much deeper snow around it? The third is our back door from which my husband dug out a narrow path to our driveway until he could get more cleared. Yes, it’s a lot of snow, but still not as much as our record-breaking snowfall of winter 2014/15.
Any comments – positive or negative – about my story? Do you think it passes all the criteria? I’m open to hear.
How are you managing this winter, much snow yet?
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY! ♥♥ I send you calorie-free love and hugs. 🙂
Thanks for reading, and … Creative Musings! 🙂 ♥
Polilla Writes 
Your story is wonderful. I liked that you used the British version of mom. That is a lot of snow. Glad I don’t have to deal with it anymore. Happy Valentine’s Day.
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Thanks, Darlene!
You’re not even jealous of our snow, just a little? 😉
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I”m glad his mom liked the surprise. Good luck!
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Thanks, Gregory!
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This is such a cute story, Lynn. And I especially love your ending! Good luck! And stay warm!
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Thanks, Jill!
Staying warm is a priority. 🙂
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I love your ending! Over here in southern Ontario, we have had a relatively mild winter, at least compared to what you are experiencing.
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Thank you, Linda!
Last winter for us was mild compared to this year’s. I’m glad you aren’t buried under the snow. Thanks for your comment.
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A Valentine’s disaster averted! Phew! You do a good job of making us feel Timmy’s panic. Way to go, Lynn, and best of luck to you!
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Thank you so much, Katelyn!
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So cute! I thought the mailwoman might think it was for her and end up with it permanently! Good luck with the contest.
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Actually, I briefly considered that but decided I didn’t want an unhappy child at the end for the young reader, and I didn’t have enough space in words to change to another project for him. 🙂
Thank you for your comment, Colleen.
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Good to see mom got the present in the end. Funny what happened to the mailwoman.
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I’m glad you enjoyed it, Rebecca. Thank you for your comment.
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What a sweet story. Love the twist at the end!
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Thank you so much, Carol!
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Poor Timmy – there’s just no good spot to hide a freshly-painted vase while it dries! Glad it all worked out and Mum got her lovely surprise. ❤
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You are so right, Cathy! Thank you for your comment. 🙂
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Ha ha, the mailwoman was caught red-handed. Sweet Story!
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Ooooo, I love your play-on-words. 🙂
Thanks, Jen.
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So cute! I hope somebody will give the mailwoman flowers, too 🙂
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Thanks, Franziska!
That would make up for her red fingertips, wouldn’t it? 🙂
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Glad the flowers found their way to their rightful owner! Such a sweet boy. Good luck in the contest!
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Thanks so much, Jilanne, for your kind words. 🙂
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Very sweet. Poor mailwoman. Good luck
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I felt sad for the mailwoman but glad she returned the vase.
Thanks, Maria, for visiting and for your comment!
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You’ve got double confusion, Lynn! Timmy when the vase is gone and the mailwoman with the red fingers. And I love that it’s a mailwoman, by the way! Nice work!
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Thank you so much, Amanda! I’m glad you like my story.
My mail is usually delivered by a woman, by the way. 🙂
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Lynn…I loved your story! Your mc’s voice was authentic…and I could feel his disappointment when he thought his surprise for his mum was gone. And how funny that it is the maillady who is confused by the red paint on her hands…well done!!!!
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Thanks so much, Vivian, for your comment. I’m very glad you
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Nice! Love the idea of red fingers on the mail person! Best wishes!
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Thanks, Angie! 🙂
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What a sweet story, Lynn, with nicely doubled confusion – for Timmy wondering where his vase had got to and for the mailwoman wondering how her fingers turned red! I’m so glad Mum got her lovingly-made present in the end! Nicely done! Thanks so much for joining in the Valentiny fun!
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Thank you, Susanna, for your encouraging words. And thank you for the opportunities you offer. 🙂
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