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Rodeo Fest Kicks off October 3!

October is here and we the Flash Fiction Rodeo prepares to ride October 5-31.

First, we kick off with  Rodeo Fest! On October 3 you can follow live readings at www.facebook.com/CarrotRanch at 10 AM, 2 PM, and 6 PM (Eastern Standard Time). If it helps, it’s the same time zone as NYC.

Recordings will update in the Rodeo Fest blog post here at CarrotRanch.com/blog after each live reading from the Congress of Rough Writers Flash Fiction Anthology, Vol. 1. We will do random prize drawings from the comments at the Rodeo Fest blog post and at www.facebook.com/CarrotRanch. Winners will be announced after each live reading.

Some randomly drawn winners will get to select a book of their choice from Books by the Rough Writers; others will receive Endangered Species Chocolate; and three will get rocks. Rocks! And not just any rocks, but Lake Superior rocks.

During Rodeo Fest, watch for updates to the blog post and on FB, welcoming the newest Rough Writers, offering tips for the Flash Fiction Rodeo Contest and revealing the Congress of the Rough Writers Flash Fiction Anthology, Vol. 1. It’s going to be an exciting kick-off to the Flash Fiction Rodeo. Be sure to join in the fun!


71 Comments

  1. Chris Mills says:

    I believe I see some puddingstones in the Lake Superior stone collections.

    • Susan Budig says:

      Minnesota Puddingstone was the name of a radio-show idea I pitched to KFAI years ago. I’ve not seen that word–puddingstone–used elsewhere until today. 🙂

    • Charli Mills says:

      You might be correct, Chris! I tried to select some good ones!

      • Chris Mills says:

        I’ve hauled quite a few away from Drummond Island in the past. Beautiful stones with so many colors.

      • Chris Mills says:

        Next time you offer prizes, I can supply you with an unlimited number of Petoskey Stones from Leelanau County near Traverse City.

      • Charli Mills says:

        The Lady Lake never disappoints me with her gifts, though I’ve been on her shores when she’s thrown rocks at me in her undulations. It’s her quiet days after the storms when she reveals an agate or two. I love finding copper inclusions, Michigan Thompsonite and fossils. The jasper that’s typically in puddingstones are beautiful, red and sometimes yellow. So many colors from this region! I have not found a Petoskey stone, yet! Ha! I’ll have to hit you up for a few prizes next go around, Chris!

      • Chris Mills says:

        To find Petoskey stones, you’ll have to venture south of the bridge. They are only found from Leelanau County north to the city of Petoskey.

      • Charli Mills says:

        Okay! I have yet to cross the bridge. Is Leelanau where they also find Leeland Blues (blue slag, I believe)?

  2. Adele Marie says:

    Reblogged this on firefly465.

  3. susanzutautas says:

    My mother in law has a puddingstone from Sault Ste. Marie Ontario 🙂 Shee’s carried that thing around with her everytime she’s moved. Right now it’s in Largo Florida with her 🙂 I love it!
    I’m so excited about the rodeo and couldn’t sleep tonight. As I’m typing this it’s 3:04 am.

    • Charli Mills says:

      Now that’s a puddingstone with mobility! We often say on this side of Lake Superior, we take in a lot of Canadian rocks from the glaciers. Ha, ha! Looks like we’re both up late!

  4. Norah says:

    The excitement builds! I hope I can manage to tune into some readings. I haven’t figured out the time difference yet. There’s some great prizes. I hope there’s enough endangered chocolate to go round. Superior rocks really rock!

    • Norah, go to google. You don’t need to do math. See you here at some time, same time. (Are you also paying attention to our shared moon? Wax on))

      • Norah says:

        I actually have the NY time on my iPad. It’s been there since I visited last year. I just haven’t checked it out with these times yet. Tooooo busy!
        Remind me. When is the next full moon – a couple of weeks. Yes, I know. Google it. 🙂

      • Norah says:

        Okay, I’ve checked. Our times are midnight, 4am and 8 am. Hopefully I’ll be able to check in at 8 am. The other times will see me in lullaby land, hopefully. 😴

      • Full moon end of week. For the rodeo. Get out and bathe and/or howl, as you wish.

      • Charli Mills says:

        Are you two mooning over time zones? I have to pay attention to time which will be my challenge. 😀

    • Charli Mills says:

      The excitement builds, the last minute flurry with nails and boards, words and links. It’s going up! And yes, Superior Rocks do rock! I’m resisting the chocolate prizes. 😀

      • Norah says:

        Don’t eat all the endangered chocolate before anyone wins the prizes! 🙂 Having said that, I’m sure you deserve some.

  5. Deborah Lee says:

    Lake Superior rocks look superior. 🙂

  6. A. E. Robson says:

    Looking forward to being able to participate in this fun event. It has been a long, long, long time since I was last entered in a rodeo. Some of your music selections certainly brought back some fond, vivid memories from my days of old.

    Good luck to all who enter up in this literary rodeo.

    • Charli Mills says:

      It’s been a loooong time for me, too! It does bring back memories — did you sit on the back fence at all? The privilege of being in an event, was getting to sit on the back fence. Thanks, Ann! See you in the arena!

      • A. E. Robson says:

        The back fence, the announcer’s stand, in front of the chutes and in the arena. If I wasn’t participating, I was volunteering behind the scenes. It was the best life and the best people!

  7. julespaige says:

    I think my nerves will settle a tad when my own prompt has been filed as done! I look forward to attempting to participate as a non-contestant.

    Good luck to all however you dip your quill into the ink and ride your wild imaginations!

    How is puddingstone different from what we learned in science as conglomerate? Some looked like brown eggs with a bunch of different stones in it.

    I think I saw some of those on the on the shore of lake Michigan while in Wisconsin. I’d like to get back to Port Washington – that was a nice little town.

    • C. Jai Ferry says:

      With you on the nerves there. I’m nervous no one will come play with me, so I am going to do my best to participate in all the other rodeo events.

      • julespaige says:

        I’ll attempt to play – just not as a contestant. So far I’m not a professional – and I’m not sure about being judged. That’s just too scary. While I know the fear is irrational… I’ll plod along as comfortably as I am able.

      • Charli Mills says:

        I’m nervous about that, too! 😀 I’ll keep unfolding the promotions from event to event so hopefully…! The wheel keeps turning.

    • Charli Mills says:

      My nerves are jangled tonight! I always miss something obvious, so I’m waiting to find out what that is. Otherwise, I’m getting lined up, ready to ride. Ready to see every one else ride. Hoping I remember not to ramble live and actually stick to the script!

      Puddingstones in general are conglomerates but I think the distinction is that the inclusions are more round, like bread pudding. MI puddingstones contain quartzite and jasper, I believe. The rocks up here are found in infinite configurations of silica-based minerals, basalt, granite, limestone and sandstone.

      Whoo! Need to come up to Lake Superior! Fine towns in the UP. 🙂

    • Norah says:

      No worries about being professional or not! I’m not either. If we’re Rough Writers we’re good enough to join in and give it a go. Don’t be nervous. There’s nothing to lose and much to gain. With my contest first, and a childish one at that, I hope I get a few willing to play my game. If not, well, I tried. If you both join in, I’ll know there’ll be at least two. Please say you will and not leave me hanging on the birch, or at least in the lurch. 🙂

  8. C. Jai Ferry says:

    Yeehaw!

    I feel like I should be out on the tractor, lassoing the raccoons… (if you don’t hear from me, the raccoons have likely taken me hostage)

    • julespaige says:

      Wrangle them masked marauders! Us ranch hands will have to come up with the ransom! Can’t have them critters takin’ our Rough Writers!

      Oddly while my neighbors get them, ‘coons. I don’t. Maybe the Gophers have claimed my yard? I used to also get muskrats…but I haven’t see any lately. But that’s what living by a creek will bring.

      • C. Jai Ferry says:

        Today I have been dealing with (i.e., obsessively watching) a giant wild turkey as he meandered all around my house. Yesterday I got too close for comfort to vulture behinds as they attempted to take off from the ditch during especially strong winds. (I also got to enjoy a blue heron as he flew alongside my car and a bald eagle — both within 2 miles of my house — so I figure the vulture butts were a fair trade-off). The raccoons haven’t made an appearance yet tonight, but we’ve got some nasty storms tearing through the region, so they may still be hunkered down for a bit…

      • julespaige says:

        I’m on the edge of suburbia…so I get quite a few wild critters. Once a young owlet fell out of a tree during the day. Though I’ve lived in the city and stayed in the country side.

        I’ve gotten very comfortable with seeing lots of sky 🙂

    • Charli Mills says:

      Ha, ha! Raccoons will not win this time!

      • C. Jai Ferry says:

        pffft. famous last words… 😉

      • Charli Mills says:

        Got hostage money set aside in case…!

      • “Quick, we gotta head off a gang of raccoons. Sounds as if they’s plannin’ a hostile takeover. ”
        “Whatcha talkin’ about Kid?”
        “Heard they’s plannin’ on formin’ a conglomerate. But we got a community. There’s no tellin’ what those banditos will do. ”
        “It’s bad?”
        “They been up to no good, got CJ all tied up.”
        “Let’s git a move on. If they git to the ranch they might take all the carrots! ”
        “An’ what if they eat up all the stone pudding?”
        “Puddingstones.”
        “Yeah, we should be putting stones over the carrot crib.”
        “Let’s ride. This ain’t no raccoon rodeo.”

    • Norah says:

      I love all these wildlife stories. The critters sound so exotic to me. How wonderful to be surrounded by such treasures.

      • Really? We have exotic critters? Your muskrats have duckbills and lay eggs! Your deer hop around on two back legs, punch, and carry the younguns in a built in front pouch. Ours exotic… Really.

      • Norah says:

        To me, yes. Those you describe are my ordinary. But I do think they are rather special just the same. 🙂

      • All creatures great and small are bright and beautiful. Can’t wait for your premiere contest Thursday, wise and wonderful one.

      • Norah says:

        They are indeed, each and every one. Though I have read a few articles debating whether mosquitoes are really necessary in the natural order of things. 🙂 I hope my prompt is okay. I’ll be interested to see what you think.

      • Your prompt scared me, as I have to do one and now question it in the wake of yours. Yours is classic you, with its thoughtful post on children and education. It’s well done and I hope you are getting lots of goodies in your dropbox.
        If I can find my book “Tales of Mouse Woman”, I will send you an explanation of why we have mosquitos.

      • Norah says:

        You’re so kind. I’m sure your prompt is extremely clever and will raise my childish one. There’s two entries already in the box and I’m starting to get them organised. Writers have until next Tuesday though, so there’s no hurry or pressure. 🙂
        “Tales of a Mouse Woman” sounds interesting. It was a scientific paper I read refuting the need for mosquitoes. I always thought they were essential to the food chain. Seems I was wrong.

  9. Exciting! Good luck, everyone. And have fun. 🙂

    • Charli Mills says:

      Thanks, Sarah! <3

    • Sarah, have you seen a long raincoat in your travels?

      Flash Forefront

      “Kid, what are you rummagin’ for?”
      “Lookin’ for a duster, one a them long buckaroo jackets.”
      “What ya need a jacket like that for?”
      “Misplaced my raincoat.”
      “An’ what ya needin’ a raincoat for? It’s sunny skies over Carrot Ranch.”
      “Oh, right. Do ya have sunblock too? Like, lots?”
      “Kid, what the heck?”
      “Ah, Pal, the rodeo is almost here! Ain’t you ready to flash?”
      “This ain’t the usual flash, Kid.”
      “I know! Come on Pal, I hear the jingle of spurs.”
      “That’s the jangle of nerves.”
      “It’s just flash. Harmless fun. Let’s go!”
      “Keep yer shirt on Kid.”

      • julespaige says:

        Reminds me when I traveled with my folks… Dad would say; “Quick Draw a Bridge…” ’cause that’s what the sign said!

  10. I am really looking forward to this, Charli. So exciting!

  11. How cool are those rocks? I grew up in Milwaukee, WI. Had a few visits as a kid to Lake Superior. I love it! Yee Haw, Rodeo! I’m ready to write! <3

  12. Exciting times. I had hoped to come to the party but like Norah will most likely be in the land of nod by midnight and 4am. May be able to catch something before 4am but if our weather is gray like today it could be unlikely. Have full all and will catch the competitions. I’ll be with you in spirit if not in person.

    • Charli Mills says:

      Oh, goodness! I have to go to bed, yet! Lol According to my time stamp, you were just her so 10 p.m. Does that mean we might be 12 hours difference? I am recording the live readings and will post them after each so even if time is a debacle for live, we can extend the festivities. Thank you, Irene! <3

      • C. Jai Ferry says:

        (just a casual observation: your time stamps are about 4 hrs off)

      • C. Jai Ferry says:

        (actually, your time stamps are set to Greenwich Mean Time)

      • Charli Mills says:

        Great! Then pay no mind to the time stamp. The raccoons did this, didn’t they?

      • Norah says:

        You’re fourteen hours behind us (Irene and me), Charli. Your 10 am is our midnight; 2 pm, our 4 am; and 6 pm, our 8 am. I’m not sure how close you are to others in time. Recording the live performances is great though. We should be able to catch them when they’re – dead? LOL!

      • julespaige says:

        I had an issue with time stamps for my WP accounts too. I think I finally adjusted them. But it’s almost 12 noon here and no Rodeo (Norah’s contest) up yet. So I’ll keep looking.

      • You sound like you have so much on I doubt you have time for sleep. Hope it all went well.

  13. Reblogged this on ShiftnShake.

  14. […] Rodeo which kicks off today. There are many prizes for both writers and readers. Check out the post for details of how you can […]

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