Halloweensie 2025

Update: RETAIL SCARE-APY received an "overall" honorable mention in the contest

     No matter how hard life gets (and lately, it's been hard), I can still clear a tiny bit of time for my favorite tiny writing contest--Halloweensie! This spooky-themed 100-word children's story contest is sponsored by the wonderful picture-book author and writing teacher Susanna Leonard Hill.
     This year's three prompt words, which must be included in the story (in one form or another), were wings, spell, and fog.
     My writing muse loves this contest! Even if I feel uninspired, my muse visits me and comes up with some fun idea. I love the way this contest unlocks creativity.

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RETAIL SCARE-APY
by Heather Kinser, 96 words
 
An eerie light. A spooky scene.
A lonesome road on Halloween.
A gloomy fog. A rotten log.
A witch flips through a catalog.
The bat upon her shoulder flaps.
Her craggy finger swipes…and taps.
Frog leg, moth wing, eyeball—got it!
Wolfsbane, hemlock, mandrake—bought it!
Heard of retail therapy?
This is ‘retail SCARE-apy’!
Later, as she simmers tea,
here comes her delivery...
seven broomsticks sweep the mess
straight from ‘Sorceress Express’.
In the pot it goes to brew--
ingredients for witchy stew.
Good thing Witchy swapped her cell phone
for the latest “magic spell” phone!