(GRAPHIC UPDATED TO CORRECT DATES)
From the remote reaches of northern Idaho, the Carrot Ranch Weekly Challenges launched in March of 2014. From around the world, Norah Colvin accepted the first challenge from Australia. She’s held a special place at the Ranch ever since.
Norah cultivates the kind of growth mindset that marks a life-long learner. But she’s also a teacher. Norah frames her entries in posts that focus on education, giving her readers new points of learning or discussion. Last year she launched readilearn (a sponsor of the 2018 Flash Fiction Rodeo, so be sure to check out the site).
You can always expect to learn something new from Norah, and her Rodeo Contests is no exception.
INTRO
Rodeo #4 Fractured Fairy Tales
By Norah Colvin
Do you love fairy tales? Chances are, unless you are a parent or grandparent of young children or an early childhood educator as I am, you may not have encountered a fairy tale for a while. Well, I am about to change that by asking you to fracture a fairy tale for the fourth Carrot Ranch rodeo contest.
What is a fractured fairy tale you ask? It’s a story that takes a traditional fairy tale and adds a new twist. Sometimes the twists are dark and sometimes humorous. Sometimes they are dark and humorous. They may even be sinister or subversive but rarely patronising or preachy.
A fractured fairy tale usually takes a character, setting or situation from a well-known fairy tale and presents it from a different angle or point of view. Sometimes characters from different fairy tales appear together. A fractured fairy tale is never simply a retelling of the original story with characters painted black and white. In a fractured tale, the lines and colours blur. But the characters or situations are recognisable.
Roald Dahl sums it up well in the introduction to Cinderella in his book of Revolting Rhymes.
I guess you think you know this story.
You don’t. The real one’s much more gory.
The phoney one, the one you know,
Was cooked up years and years ago,
And made to sound all soft and sappy
Just to keep the children happy.
In preparation for the contest, you may like to re-familiarise yourself with some traditional fairy tales, and read some fractured ones; for example:
Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes
Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs as told to Jon Scieszka by A. Wolf
The Wolf the Duck and the Mouse by Mac Barnett
The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith
The Little Bad Wolf by Sam Bowring
Tara Lazar, author of Little Red Gliding Hood, has some helpful suggestions in this PDF.
Details about the prompt will be revealed on October 24, and you will have one week in which to respond. Judging your stories with me will be award-winning novelist and short story writer Anne Goodwin and children’s picture book author and illustrator Robbie Cheadle. Both Anne and Robbie were co-judges with me last year, and I appreciate the generosity of their support again this year.
Anne has already published two novels Sugar and Snails and Underneath, both of which I recommend as excellent reads. She has a book of short stories coming out soon and a third novel in the pipeline which I am eagerly waiting to read.
Robbie has published five books so far in her Sir Chocolate series of picture books. Her books are unique with their wonderful fondant illustrations. She also recently co-wrote While the Bombs Fell with her mother Elsie Hancy Eaton, a memoir of her mother’s wartime experiences.
The three of us are looking forward to reading your fractured fairy tales next month.
Here’s one from me to get the ideas rolling.
No Butts About It
Dear Editor,
I hereby repudiate rumours the Billy Goats are spreading. They accuse me of bullying, but they show no respect for me and my property.
All summer while I slaved to secure winter supplies, they gambolled frivolously. When their grass was gone, they proceeded to help themselves to mine.
I’m usually a neighbourly fellow, but when they come every day, trip-trapping across my bridge, scaring away my fish and eating my crops, it’s too much.
When asked politely to desist, the oldest one butted me into the river.
I ask you: Who is the bully?
Sincerely,
Misunderstood Troll
Rules and prompt revealed October 24, 2018, at 12:00 a.m. (EST). Set your watches to New York City. You will have until October 31, 2018, at 11:59 p.m. (EST) to complete the Fractured Fairy Tale contest. Norah, Anne, and Robbie will announce the prize winner plus second and third place on December 07. Carrot Ranch will post a collection of qualifying entries.
Other competitions:
Rodeo 1: Dialogue led by Geoff Le Pard and judges Chelsea Owens and Esther Chilton
Rodeo 2: Memoir led by Irene Waters and judges Angie Oakley and Helen Stromquist
Rodeo 3: Travel with a Twist led by Sherri Matthews and her judges: Mike Matthews and Hugh Roberts.
Rodeo 5: The Sound and the Fury led by D. Avery and her judge Bonnie Sheila.
The Tuffest Ride starting in September will see 5 writers qualify to compete in October and is led by Charli Mills. For Info
I have always loved fractured fairy tales~
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Great, Cindy! Will you be joining in?
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I’m learning they have a name, Cindy! This will be a fun contest to read, as well.
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The first one I watch on stage was Into the Wood. I loved it!
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Ah, Miriam. So you know what this contest will be about. I hope you join in!
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I don’t know, Norah. I didn’t enter any post this month, nothing qualifies me to enter into the contest. I’m trying to get my book done before I get exhausted!
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You need to do what is important to you, Miriam. If you get your book done this month, you may still enter the weekly contests next month. 🙂
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I thought I have to write at least one post with 297 words to enter the contests. 🙂
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Oh, Miriam — the 24-hour Free-Writes are only for the TUFFest Ride. The Rodeo is made up of multiple contests, each run by different leaders at the Ranch. Every Wednesday in October, a new contest will open up that is free to enter. All writers welcomed. Each one runs for a week. Winners are announced contest by contest after the entire Rodeo ends. The TUFFest Ride is the only one that has a pre-qualification. I hope you’ll join in all the Rodeo has to offer!
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Thank you, Charli. I’ll do some in October, hopefully the pressure of the final touch of my poetry book will be off by that time. Thank you for the clarification. 🙂
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Already got ideas rolling around in my head!
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That’s fabulous, Ritu. I look forward to your entry.
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😁
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Fractured thoughts! 😂
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Totally fractured! 😂
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Reblogged this on Norah Colvin and commented:
As promised, here’s some information to start your thinking in preparation for the fractured fairy tale flash fiction contest in the Carrot Ranch Rodeo next month. (Try saying that five times real fast! :))
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Ha! Fractured fairy tale flash fiction contest — that’s a mouthful, Norah!
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Exciting!
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I look forward to reading your entry in October, Abhijit.
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This will be a fun contest!
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Fractured sounds like fun, Norah. Great post.
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Thanks, Kelvin. Will you be joining in?
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I would like to, yes. And I have pencilled the date in.
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Fractured fun! I like that you’ve penciled in the date, Kelvin.
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I have a set of books from the 1940’s with the original fairy tales. They were rather gruesome. Little red riding hood isn’t saved, she’s dinner.
Looking forward to trying this.
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That does sound rather gruesome. I’m thinking you’ll have some great ideas!
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The original fairy tales were twisted. I’ve only read a few, and I’m not sure when we made them “happy endings.” This contest will be interesting!
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love a fractured fairy tale! Looking forward to this…
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Great, Sarah! So am I!
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Glad you are looking forward to the fractured fairy tale flash fiction contest, Sarah!
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What a Grimm event. Have you come across The 3 Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig? In my opinion “fractured” fairy tales are wonderful, another means of continuing the tale. What does damage to the tale and its characters is Disney. But I digress.
Good on ya, Norah. This is rich.
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I have come across that story of The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig, but I haven’t read it in ages and have forgotten (not lost) the plot. I look forward to reading your fractured tale, D.
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I knew you’d be up for this Grimm event!
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Oh goodness, my head is spitting out nonsense… was Pinocchio’s dad really the carpenter – what if he has a dna test and finds he’s beech not oak? Hansel and Gretel have planning problems because they’ve dammed the magic river with their cottage. What if the gold from the giant comes from an illegal African mine and Jack is arrested for dealing in stolen precious metals… or the seeds from the beanstalk create havoc the next summer by creating a forest of sky high vegetation blocking out the light… ooo this is going to be so good.
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Oooh, Geoff. You have a crop of ideas brewing there. If anyone is short of one, I’ll send them over to you. I’m so looking forward to reading your story. 🙂
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Yep I’ll happily supply free nonsense to anyone who asks…
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Geoff, your curiosity fractures a million fairy tales! I’m wondering how many recognizable characters, tales, and twists you can get into a single fractured fairy tale flash fiction?
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oooh sounds like I might have got back air just in time 🙂
Going back to see if I can catch that last one …
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I do hope you join in the contest, Kate. It doesn’t run until October though, so wait until then for the prompt and to submit your story.
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great, plenty of time for the ideas to percolate 🙂
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Percolate away, Kate!
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oh you’ve picked well Charli, they all sound very creative 🙂
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Fractured fairy tale.. Sounds interesting.. Fingers crossed
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It will be fun to give it a go, Deepa! Look at Geoff’s response above — he’s on fire with ideas.
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I wonder if you can work crossed fingers into your response. 🙂
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Hahha.. Sounds great
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Another much-loved source are the cartoons “Fractured Fairy Tales” featured on the Rocky and Bullwinkle show (1959-64), set in Frostbite Falls, Minnesota.
I was doomed from the very beginning, I tell ye!
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I had forgotten about “Fractured Fairy Tales” and just got a jolt of memory, watching Rocky & Bullwinkle at a daycare after kindergarten. You’re doomed to write one to honor Frost Bite, Minnesota!
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Frostbite Falls…located just northeast of Lake Woebegone…
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I’m not aware of those stories, Liz, but it’s great that you mentioned them to remind others who may be. Thank you.
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They’re up on Youtube, for sure!
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I’m sure I remember ‘Fractured Fairy Tales’ and the Rocky and Bullwinkle show in California in the 90’s, Liz. Nickelodeon? Were they re-made or re-runs? Not sure…but I do remember my children loved them. Me too… 😉
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Would be reruns in the ’90s, methinks. The writers were of a rare and twisted talent! 😀
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Haha…definitely! Thanks for clearing that up for me, Liz, glad to know I’m not completely losing the plot! 😀
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This looks too fun! I may try my hand at it again this year but actually submit it instead of posting for fun. These fractured fairy tales are a favorite of mine… Eek!
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I hope you do enter, Sarah. You’re a master at fractured fairy tales. 🙂
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Thank you, lovely lady. Perhaps I will give it a go. 🙂
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I’m looking forward to a read. 🙂
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This one is a good match for you, Sarah! I’d love to see you enter.
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There are quite a few that look interesting… I love this on but there are some others I might try my hand at. Either way, it’s going to be a great rodeo again this year!
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I am looking forward to reading all the lovely fractured fairy stories, Norah and Charli.
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It’s going to be fun, Robbie. I’m pleased to have you along as a co-judge again.
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I look forward to it, too, Robbie!
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Oh this does sound like so much fun! Which event shall I choose? Will I choose them all? We’ll soon find out! 🙂 xx
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I hope you do join in them all, Debby. I think you’d do a great fractured fairy tale, and you’re certain to enjoy Sherri’s travel tales. All the events sound exciting.
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They sure do Norah. I shall try my best! 🙂
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That’s all any of us can do, Debby. 🙂
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🙂
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All Debbie, all lol 😀
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LOL 🙂 ❤
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😀 ❤ xoxo
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All, and the cry goes up to Debby — All! 😀
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Lol Charli! 🙂
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Oh Norah, what a wonderful contest you’ve dished up for us! I can’t wait to give this one a go. I remember Revolting Rhymes, the incomprarable Roald Dahl enjoyed in many a reading session with my children. But I especially love your flash, having just returned from Norway where trolls roam just about everywhere, and just goes to show that some trolls have definitely had a lot of bad press. So exciting..so much to think about! 🙂
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This fractured dark humor reminds me of a certain Fred! Norah will get us all thinking up such great twists.
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Haha…funny, that! 😀 And yes, she will!!! ❤
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Sounds enticing and fun. I gather the stories are not for children? Do we know the word count yet?
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The contests will release on each Wednesday complete with rules. You can expect a certain word count given what we typically write. 😉 All genres welcome — we won’t publish this for children, but that doesn’t mean you can’t write the flash for a younger audience. Hope you join in!
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