Each week author Colleen Chesebro sponsors a Tanka Tuesday Poetry challenge. The theme for this week is "the illusion of power." 

Within the United States citizens are captivated by the presidential election -- and the use and abuse of power. Because of this, I created a Tanka poem about the elections and used the basic Tanka syllabic structure of 5/7/5/7/7. 

My contribution: 

I’m excited to share the cover of my latest novel. I began writing The Culmination, a new beginning in 2019, but then 2020 arrived. Who could have anticipated the turmoil that would befall us? Through one challenge after another, I kept writing and finally the manuscript is with the publisher.

Unlike my other books, this one had a life of its own. I was dragged unwillingly into the heart of the Middle East, into the political tensions involving multiple heads of state, into the uneasy world of nuclear disarmament, and into the horror of biological warfare. There’s good, there’s evil, and thankfully, there's a love relationship that transforms it all.

This is a novel I could not have imagined writing. And yet, it filled my dreams, my thoughts, and ultimately took hold of my hopes.
  
For a farm girl who enjoys reading romances and spirituality, writing this novel was a leap that required enormous research. I sit back now in wonder of it all. My world was turned upside down -- day by day and month after month.  Always, I was brought back to one word – family. We need to find a way to become family before it is too late. My hope is that this book draws readers to that same conclusion. 

​Publication date: November 23, 2020

Each week author Suzanne Burke provides a writing prompt. This is her 22nd week for a Fiction In A Flash Challenge and the image is an old diary.

I've decided to respond via a Tanka poem, which has 5-7-5-7-7 syllables. Perhaps you have a story you'd like to share or a poem or a thought. If so, please click on Suzanne's name and you'll travel to her website where she will welcome you and offer advice if needed. 

Some stories linger. They hit a nerve and force you to look deeper. At times the moral of the story is hidden, other times it is blatant, but always you're left with the weightiness of the truth. Over these last couple of months, I've read several books that have opened my eyes, even if I wanted them to stay closed. I've selected five of those books to share with you today.

Authors Mark Bierman, Kathleen Pooler, Sally Georgina Cronin, Beem Weeks, and Karen Ingalls address complicated, heart wrenching issues. Bierman writes about human trafficking and situates the story in an impoverished area of Haiti. Pooler writes of her struggle with cancer while attending to her son's addiction to alcohol and drugs. Cronin's story is one of recovery, of finding peace and worth after divorce. Weeks writes of family secrets and sorrows. Ingalls poetically looks at the meaning of life. 

Though each writer covers a different subject, they have three things in common -- they are all excellent writers, each of them earned my 5-star review, and all the stories remain alive in me.  

Breast cancer is very real in my family. There are three of us who have been diagnosed with this disease, and because of this, we are looking into genetic vulnerability. Tomorrow I will have surgery and join the thousands upon thousands of women who have done the same.

May God bless us all.  

Every week author  Suzanne Burke  invites readers to participate in a Fiction in a Flash Challenge. This week’s writing prompt is an image of an old vacant home.

For my response, I've chosen to write a short dialogue and have included a Tanka poem (syllables 5-7-5-7-7) as part of my story.

If you'd like to participate in the challenge, just click on Suzanne's name, and you'll travel to her website where you'll find guidance and the responses of other writers. 

I've entitled my short piece: FOREVER.​​

​“Grandma, why are we here? This old house is boarded up!”

“I’m not visiting the house, Charlie. There's something I want to show you in the back.”

“Did you used to live here, Grandma?”

“No. My friend, Johnny, did.”

“Who’s Johnny?”

“Someone I knew. He died in WWII.”

She let her head fall and with it the years.

“Grandma?”

“He was my sunshine. I called him that. No matter how bad I felt, he’d make me laugh.”

He darts her a glance and takes her hand. 

She inhales deeply, “He was my first love.”

Now behind the house, Charlie pauses to look around.

“Grandma, there’s nothing here.”

“I’ll show you. Let’s walk to that big oak tree over there.”

“Okay, now what?”

“Do you see a heart engraved on it?”

Charlie walks around the tree and shakes his head. “Are you sure this is the tree?”

“I’m positive.”

Charlie stares at the trunk and runs his hands over the rough bark, then looks up and spots something. Stepping back, he reads, “JS + MT -- is this what you were talking about?”

“Yes. I told you this was the tree. Now I want you to dig right here, below the heart.” She points with her cane.

Charlie grabs a thick stick and begins digging. After a few minutes he hits metal. He turns to Grandma.

“Pull it out, Charlie. It holds something I need to give to you.”

A few tugs and Charlie hands her a tin box.

“Can you open it for me please?”

He works on the lid until it pops open. Inside there’s a folded paper and a ring. The message reads, Yesterday, today, and tomorrow -- through all eternity. Charlie looks back at Grandma. She appears lost in thought.

"The ring, Grandma, what about this ring?"

She looks up and smiles, "It was my engagement ring. We made our promises at this tree. Soon you will be making yours, and I want you to have my ring. It will bring you laughter, you'll see what I mean. And when it does, you'll think of me."​

Each week author Suzanne Burke surprises writers with a photo prompt and invites a story or a poem or just a comment or two. Her image this week is the one below, one rider with two horses. 

This is Suzanne's 20th week of providing a Fiction In A Flash Challenge. My response is a Tanka poem of 5/7/5/7/7 syllables. 

Perhaps you’d like to join me in this effort. If so, just click on the link above and you’ll be guided to Suzanne’s blog site and her instructions. As well, you'll meet writers from around the globe.

​My contribution:

Author Colleen Chesebro's weekly poetry challenge is open-ended today. Writers and dreamers can submit any poem with a syllable structure. I've written a haiku of 5/7/5 syllables. It was sparked while watching children play outside my office window. Of course, with the approach of Halloween and my personal addiction to chocolate, it's no wonder why candy is the theme. 

​If you are interested to trying this art form, please click on Colleen's name. You'll be taken to her site, where you'll find much information about writing poetry.
​
My simple contribution... 

Today I'm participating in author Colleen Chesebro's weekly Tanka challenge. Using the 5/7/5/7/7 syllable structure, Colleen explains that this week's Tanka poem of five lines must be written from the first person point of view.

​If you are interested to trying this art form, please click on Colleen's name. You'll be taken to her site, where you'll find much information about writing Tanka verse.

My simple contribution...