In Which Maddie Writes Flash Fiction

Anna at Yearning for Wonderland is holding a flash fiction contest.  The basic rules are that you select a picture of her Faerytaleish Pinterest board, write a three hundred word flash fiction, and then link up on her site by the end of Friday.

This is Maddie. She just turned four. Also, she is cute.

I've been meaning to write something, but have yet to do so (eta: finally wrote it, see mine here).  Maddie, however, has selected a picture and written a flash fiction story about it.  It is slightly less than the 300 word goal, but this is her first flash fiction...actually her first story I've written down other than her amazing dream idea for my upcoming dragons book.  I should probably spend more time writing down her stories, because she has some great ones.

So here is Maddie's first writing contest entry:

Maddie's inspiration picture

Golden and Magical

by Maddie Melendez

Once upon a time there was a fairy who was turned to gold.  

She was turned to gold by the sun.

She became a golden robot and all her friends were fairy robots.

And then her father was happy because he was all golden and magical.

The end.

 (48 words)

If you have a Wordpress blog, here is the proper code:

The Last Full Measure of Devotion

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.


Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.


But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate - we can not consecrate - we can not hallow - this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.


President Abraham Lincoln
November 1863




 

As you celebrate this Memorial Day with your family and friends, please consider a donation to the Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund.  Thanks.

Costume Party Madness

Prepare to die of cute.

I'm not joking.  You've been warned.

My now four year old daughter, Maddie, came up with the genius idea of having a costume party for her birthday.  She was incredibly committed to this scheme and it ended up being ah-mah-zing.  This kid has more style and savvy in her little finger than I do in my whole body.

We had a blast.  We made princess wreaths out of pipe cleaner, ribbons, and fabric flowers.  We had ring pops and made linky necklaces.  There was a Rapunzel cake.  Her brother took a huge spoonful out of it before the party but she told him it was okay.

We had little girls in adorable costumes and poor Jamie the lone knight among the ladies.

It rocked.