THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.
A few weeks ago, I announced the start of this year’s Rodeo. I hope you were able to participate in one, two, or maybe even all three of these special events I mentioned in that post. Heck, maybe you are being selected as one of the winners as we speak.
This week, it is MY turn to jump on the horse, grab it by the horns…
Oh, wait –
When I first volunteered to host this contest, I was thinking of all the other obligations I would have to attend to in the month of October. Admittedly, I was worried that I might not be able to fulfill all of my duties. If I am struggling, chances are that some of you might be, too. Mindful of your valuable time and your potentially overwhelmed minds, I decided to keep this contest easy. After all, this is meant to be fun! Yes, I want to push your boundaries but only a tiny bit; enough to get your creative juices flowing. Below, please find a few rules you will need to adhere to in order to be considered for the prize.
Oh, did I say: “prize?” Yes, I almost forgot. One lucky winner will receive $25* and bragging rights for winning the Rodeo contest of 20 bloody 20. (*PayPal, check, Amazon gift card, or donation)
RULES:
- Your entry must be EXACTLY 99 words. No more, no less.
You can use wordcounter.net to help you with counting the words accurately.
A title, if provided, will not count towards the 99 words limit. (Please make it clear what the title is.) - Your prompt:
“Reach for it, mister!” (Can, but does not need to be included in the actual story. It has to INSPIRE it, though.)
AND the below poster.
(What were they reaching for? How did they get in trouble?)

- One entry per participant only.
- Please do not post your entry anywhere until the results are posted (November 28th).
We want the judging to be as objective and bias-free as possible. - If you do not receive an acknowledgment within 3 days of you submitting a story, please feel free to drop me a comment here.
Do not post the story. Just mention your entry and ask if I got it. - You have until November 2nd, 2020, 11.59pm EST to submit your entry.
- Use the form at the bottom of this post to submit your entry.
Once you write and submit your story, I should receive it in my email. Then, without reading, I will extract it from there and save it into a Word document without your name. Once the contest closes, I will forward all of the submitted stories to the judges who will then select their top choice. I will only aid in the judging process should there be a need for a tie-breaker.
JUDGES:
Darlene Foster: Darlene has dreamt of writing books, travelling the world and meeting interesting people for as long as she can remember. It’s no surprise that she’s now an award-winning author of the exciting Amanda Travels series featuring spunky Amanda Ross, a twelve-year-old Canadian girl who loves to travel. Readers of all ages enjoy following Amanda as she unravels one mystery after another in unique destinations. Darlene divides her time between the west coast of Canada and the Spanish Costa Blanca with her husband and entertaining dog, Dot. She believes it is never too late to make your dreams come true.
Geoff Le Pard: Geoff began writing late in life and has been hurrying to catch up ever since. He likes all forms of fiction writing, from the shortest prose to the longish novel and even indulges himself with poetry (though he might debate with you whether there is such a thing as prose poetry – if there is and it walked into his muse he’d certainly ask it to leave). He has enjoyed writing about serious topics and some literary fiction but is happiest when he embraces the comic, the absurd and the surreal. He lives in London with his textile obsessed wife, loyal (if remunerated in biscuits) Dog, two ancient cats and a grape loving tortoise.
So, please, get your cowboy boots on and ride! I cannot wait to see what you come up with.
Stay golden,

***
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Ohhhh mr. Most wanted is handsome.
If I find him, I’ll keep him 😉
So just to be sure, does it have to be a cowboy theme?
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Now you know what my drawing skills are like…
Not necessarily cowboy but Western. It has to be about someone reaching for something and getting in trouble for it. It can have something to do with cowboys, horses, lassos, revolver, etc. Charli shared a cool website that might help you. https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WildWestTropes
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Ah great, I was Googling horse related jokes too.
I need to think some more, but in the meantime I doodled a western theme and introduced the contest with a link to your post.
That is OK, right? I don’t want break the hosting rules.
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Yes, that’s quite alright. As long as you don’t post your story on your blog until the end of November, you can do anything you want 😉
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Howdy Pardner… you’re prompt isn’t hooked up to Carrot Ranch yet…
Jist though you’all’d like ta know 😀
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Thanks, Jules! Yes, I know. This is the first time I do it, so… I’m fumbling a bit. I did email Charli earlier today, though. Hopefully, it will link us soon. How did you find this?
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I had a document I copy and pasted from the original Rodeo for this year which was linked to your site address (which I copy and pasted into my browser which lead me to choices for your actual blog. And when I saw the CR Rodeo post… well I clicked on to open it. 😀 When there’s a will … there’s a way 🙂
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I like your dedication. I actually wondered if more people did that 😉
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Hopefully once you are linked you’ll get more entries. I’m sure Charli will check her email sometime today. I haven’t started on mine to your prompt yet. But I will. so far I’ve entered everything 😉
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Nice!
I hope you have fun with mine. Stay golden!
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I’ve got something in the works. 😉
Thank you!
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Yay!
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Btw, is your blog private? I can’t seem to visit it.
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The icon doesn’t go to my open site, which doesn’t have the same name as the address. You can get to my blog via the last regular CR prompt: Damned Family?
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I see. Is that by design?
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I used to have several blogs. WP used to allow you to switch between them for addressing comments (but not for a long time now). And well it turns out that I get way less spam. I ended up turning the other sites on private and instead of creating a new one just put all my writing on this one, though I did change the title. So I kept it that way so I guess it works for me, by default design 🙂
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But you do know that you can change that link so that people get to your blog without issues. Right? If you like it the way it is (less spam), then cool. Just trying to make sure you’re aware of the options.
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I looked at changing the link, but that was also while the Block Editor stuff was going on. I think I like how it is. I like using the Classic Editor and figured out how to keep using it. I didn’t want to change that link and mess up what I had. – Thanks though. I just wish they’d kept the bit where you could change your comment to which ever blog you wanted to comment from (that stopped years ago). Now you can only do it through one blog (at least that’s what I think).
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I think I must have joined WP after this change. I only have 1 blog, but it does sounds awesome to be able to switch while commenting. I think it would help plenty of people who juggle multiple blogs.
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Jules,
I am able to comment on different blogs by signing into Worpress under a different email address. I use one email for my blog and another email for when I have a column on Carrot Ranch. I do have to check to see who I am replying as, but it can be done.
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You used to be able to have the same email and just switch WP blog accounts. But WP doesn’t give you that choice anymore. There used to be a little box that popped up if you had more than one blog under the same email, but had different accounts, which asked you where you wanted to ‘reply’ from. And it just isn’t there anymore – hasn’t been for years. I have a Blogspot account just to make it easier to comment on those who post there.
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That sounds ideal. Did you email support to check? I’m curious to know why they got rid of it.
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It happened years ago… so I have no clue how to even address it now.
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If you wanted to, you could go through the home page, then get help-more help-get in touch and describe the options from the past.
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I like how things are actually. If someone is interested I explain how things are. So much less spam… really.
I keep a document page of those who visit and their blogs so I can find those who use Blogspot, or even twitter to comment. It’s simple enough to create such a page. And if they found me though a prompt they used the link. So it’s good enough for me.
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Fair enough. Looks like you are very well organized.
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To a limited extent… for some things chaos reigns 🙂
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I hear ya.
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That sounds like a lot of extra work (having to remember to log on and off, etc.), though.
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That poster made me laugh with delight, Goldie! So much to play with from the grand green eyes to the fact the reward is yet to be disclosed! I also wonder what trouble this character will be to apprehend alive. Great prompt!
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Thanks, Charli! I had fun coming up with this poster. I hope folks can draw on it a bit.
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(hey, not showing up on the carrot Ranch main page under the recently posted section…not just yet.)
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How about now?
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Reblogged this on Carrot Ranch Literary Community and commented:
And here it is, Rodeo Writers — the final flash fiction contest of the season! Have fun with the prompt!
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That wanted poster! I think I had a date like that once…
😹😹😹
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ROFL!
I’m glad you got out… alive!
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It’s weird how I can’t see your latest posts in my reader section. 😔
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That is weird.
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Thanks for the prompt. Exactly what I’ve needed…The perfect prompt/
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I am so glad to hear it! Have fun and stay golden!
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But that drawing could be anyone? You need to apprehend whomever drew it stat
~B
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Are you saying that YOU might be the Wanted Westerner?
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Reblogged this on Norah Colvin and commented:
He’s the fourth and final contest in the Carrot Ranch 2020 Flash Fiction Rodeo. Get your pencil sharpened or your fingers poised and start writing. Only 99 words to go!
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Thanks, Norah!
I look forward to your submission.
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Thanks, Goldie. I’m thinking on it. 🙂
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Looks like fun. Love that poster. Good luck everyone!!
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I’d invite you to participate but that might be a conflict of interests.
Thank you for agreeing to judge this. We have some interesting entries already!
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I can’t imagine what the person REALLY looks like when they got a Most Wanted picture like THAT! 😂😂😂
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What do you mean by: “Like THAT?” Are you judging my superior drawing skills?
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Just saying that you draw excellent horror material! 😀
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Ok, fine. I will let you live this time.
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Also, will you be entering the contest? I would love to see your style of fiction.
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Unfortunately, I won’t be able to do so hahah Not exactly in a mental state to CREATE stories yet. 😛 I prefer reading them from people like you with greater abilities at conceiving them! 😀
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That’s just an excuse. Sorry to hear about your mental space, though. Hope it gets better soon!
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Hahaha definitely an excuse. 😉 Writing reviews consumes so much of my creative juice. 😂
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Fair enough.
But, you still have 2 days if you changed your mind 😉
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Story submitted.
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Story received. Yay!
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hadn’t got your connection with the Carrot Ranch .. go wild!
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You still have some time to submit.
This is a great opportunity for you to get in into our secret club.
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been there done that, find d’Verse much more conducive thanks Goldie 🙂
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The 99 words can be in verse! Didn’t you know?
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I often did that … I mean others actually read and comment! Charli read every entry and always gave kind comments but I found others would never bother to read mine although I commented on their posts frequently.
d’Verse is a real community where the energy flows all round, that’s more my type of community … not into the one way stuff thanks 🙂
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I understand and am with you on that.
I don’t always have the time, but when I do, I visit all of the blogs that entries I enjoyed and try to connect there. Most of the time it ends there. But I think it has a bit to do with the nature of my blog (not only creative writing, and longer content). Or so I tell myself.
I’m glad you found something that works for you. Stay golden!
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it sure does 🙂
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Hi! Did you get my submission? I hope I’m not too late! Thanks Sam!
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No, I have not. Did you submit it via the form?
The contest closed at midnight but feel free to email me at [removed] with the entry. I will see what I can do.
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I’ll send it there, although yes I submitted it via the form. Thank you! 😊
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I hope yours was the only one that got lost in action.
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