Little Holiday Contest Type Thing–Life is Not a Pony Farm

I’ve been happily laboring (or not really laboring at all) with the conviction that no one ever read this blog, because no one ever comments on it. But I recently learned that I was mistaken.

So, silent friends-o-mine, I’ve decided to give myself a holiday writing challenge. I’m going to write a short story about a winter holiday by New Year’s Eve. I’m leaning towards the title “Black Christmas”, but perhaps that’s a bit cliched? Anyway, I’m happy to include requests, so leave a comment and give me one.

For example, this morning a German friend told me that life is not a pony farm, and alcohol is the only consolation. Apparently this is a well-known axiom in Germany, and my Russian friend seemed to know it as well. They were disappointed to learn it was not well-known in the States and insisted that I use my writing to popularize it.

Of course I agreed to use the phrase in an upcoming literary project, like this one.

So if you’ve been dying to read a short story about, say, an author who looks like a bespectacled tator tot, now is your chance. I will ask that you keep it to one request per comment, please, as it makes it easier for me to keep track of things.

So: one character, location, or object per comment.
-Post your request by Christmas, so I have time to work your idea in in a sensible, compelling way (or try to, anyway.)
-Check the blog on or after January 1 to see what I come up with.

Happy holidays!