Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   what if you were  a 2000 year old tree no such thing and me neither there would be days of sunshine days of rain in Summer all the other trees would bloom around you green glowing fireflies would light the evening  moving their stars within your reach and you would […]

Writer,   April showers bring May flowers, except that we missed a lot of April, due to the creative re-org! We’re strapped in now though, and it feels amazing.   This week’s challenge is dedicated to all those moments driving around, walking around, running around, musing around… however you do it. Writing is directly connected […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham   Wnztar found a blue rose hanging in the mist of the frozen forest. This was a sign. A life amongst the frost and frozen ground. Wnztar loved the cold. It brought calm, stillness and quiet. You can hear your thoughts and find peace. Wnztar chuckled to herself, “Peace when the […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   you know there’s that part of you  that is like an old friend you know that one who knew you  in the beginning you know that one who knew if you leapt from a tree you would land already laughing you know like clockwork and tomato aspic    

  Writer,   The say that Edgar Allen Poe died of rabies. One of his beloved cats bit and infected him. At the time, there was no cure. And just like writing, once you’ve been bitten, once symptoms emerge, there still isn’t a cure.   Great thing about writing communities is that we’re all infected.  […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   there was something wild and steely about that comma it did not imply its way into the conversation it struck instead like the guttural growl of ancient tradition carving its way back into the future    

Written by: Collette Cottingham   “There is a tree in the garden of my home. The leaves reflect the color of my mood. This tree offers a knowledge of reflection to my family. A gift you might say.” “Or a warning” “Very funny Ja. It probably was a warning. My family didn’t enjoy a red […]

Hey Writer,   Remember me?   I’m kind of like Schrodinger’s Cat. Kind of. I have a 50% chance of creating an inspiration challenge! Actually, that’s exactly it. I’m a writer after all, and there is a 50% chance my words might escape my own head. That’s all of us, but unlike the kitty in […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   Marta imagined satellites only for two weeks and while standing she calculated their mass using love math and smoothed the furrows over their brows with her gentle thumb by her great heart she taught them to hear the ocean in a tin can and tethered them each to a star […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham   The storm’s rolled across the west. In a place of endless storms. They were meeting again for the third time. She believed each meeting would be different, yet each one was the same. The storms that followed revealed her deep pain. Their first meeting was young, fiery, love. They spent […]

Writer,   Let this week be double happiness – a writer’s date and a prompt.   It’s this simple: You are the character – in your own mind. Dress up if you like, or keep it a secret. Be yourself or someone else. Be fact or fiction. But most important, be from the future.   Fact, fiction, […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   the distance between your body and the future is but one molecule of thought move well think well create well Darling you are the future exquisite    

Written by: Collette Cottingham   The water is deep this time of year. The snow run off has filled her shores. One toe in will have you gasping for breath. At mid leg you are numb and can’t feel your feet. At your waist you find yourself sucking in your gut as if it would […]

Writer,   Wednesday UP! It’s smooth sailin’ all the way to the weekend.   This week: Make plans for one of your characters.  Give them a weekend to look forward to.   Ship’s ahoy!   Fact, fiction, poetry or prose. Write ON!    

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   diathesis: the tendency to suffer or perhaps: it is the wind enraged it is the storm suddenly here it is the canary in the mineshaft it is the human tendency to create it is emotion she sublimates it is alchemy  

Written by: Collette Cottingham   Justice is something you will never find in life. Stop looking for it. You will destroy yourself hunting for all wrongs to be righted and for those to get what they have coming to them. My mother cried for justice. She wanted him to suffer the way she had. When […]

Writer,   So. Many. Books. They’ve got you surrounded.   Your mission, if you choose to accept this mission:   Pick up the closest one in your reach. Turn to page 52. The fourth word in the fourth line. Start your piece this week with that word.   Go!   Fact, fiction, poetry or prose. […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   met with my exorcist  today   three Hail Mary’s six parts Jack White neat   she said   I am Geronimo and I am Grace too    

Written by: Collette Cottingham   She missed him today. Unsure why, maybe because the wind blew East instead of West. She tried to shake the feelings tearing slowly at her heart. She ran a mile down a hill and around a corner, it was still there. She soaked in a hot bubble bath, yet it […]

Writer,   “So I always get nostalgic with that song, but in my room, it’s forced. It has to be in some car across the street.” ~ Big Wreck   It’s that time of year! Not top down weather, quite yet, but windows open and the radio on. It’s inspiration heaven!   This week: Drive […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   there are writers and there are people who write   either we roll the world into something  the sun can smoke   and both we risk the cadence every time all in   the last hundred naked clean the dice and a match    

Written by: Collette Cottingham   Ebony dug at her face again. Panic filled her chest, she couldn’t breathe. She stood up hoping oxygen would come to her. She pulled on her ears, trying to draw a breath. People were staring. She somehow always drew unwanted attention. She needed to roar, but she would alarm people […]

Writer,   We’re going for broke.   This week’s challenge: Spend your last $100.   Spend it like Beckham.   Fact, fiction, poetry or prose Write ON    

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   I parked my Millennium Falcon in the driveway tailgate over the curb will probably get a ticket   my neighbours don’t like me they just stare   the caretaker sold the furniture painted the place white hung my favourite paintings lit a fire   he’d sent word but I didn’t […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham   Batya pulled the door to the train compartment open, “No, what are you doing, you can’t be here Dalton.” “I have to be here. I have to be a part of this process.” “No, Sarin needs to remember in a safe space with no pressure.” “You need me Batya, you […]

Writer,   It’s a current inspiration obsession… but it’s also part of our purpose as writers. We write what was, what is here now, and what is yet to come.   Like a painter with a blank canvas, we create. When that door opens in your mind, and you scurry to grab your pen, ideas […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham   She dug at her nose, “I need a drag.” She leaned out the window inhaling the sweet nicotine…awe “I needed that, life is fucking hard.” Dark surrounded her. It was in her eyes, hair, skin and in the night sky. Her daddy issues pounded at her heart. She often dreamed […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   Peter blew up at the front door   all bones and delicate ears tail between his legs   Wolfe’s in town he gasped   after a long pour his feet lifted   the smell of warm nights between his toes    

Writer,   Every sentence is a door to another world. It’s a new thought, a new experience.   This is the reason we write, to create these worlds of experience. It is also the reason we read, to be transported through the door of the stories and images on the page. This is true for […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham   He trembled with anxiety. He hadn’t slept in days. It was too soon. His shoes clunked across the cobblestone sidewalk. What was he doing here. He wanted to turn and run, but his legs were heavy. His heart was ready to leap from his chest, Sarin wasn’t ready. His shaky […]

Writer,   Straight up: If you, or one of your characters, a plot line, or a forest of sleeping buildings had one extra hour of sunlight, what would you do with it?   Fact, fiction, poetry or prose. Write ON    

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   and the rains came without waiting until yesterday   they sharpened their pencils and polished their boots   the clouds packed them a lunch   on the way to sunrise they talked non-stop  on the metal roof about seaside holidays   the birds listened in dreams    

Written by: Collette Cottingham   Tears falling, wind blowing, heart racing, I stare into the horizon. I hated being here, yet here I am. I can’t make a decision. I sit out with the wind as if the wind could decide for me. My innocent affair had drug on for years and was going no […]

Writer,   Writing is a joyous experience. That raw energy is what people are seeking when they read. It’s escape. It’s inspiration. We provide a bridge with our words and stories for the world to feel that deep connection with the joyous human experience. It is not, however, always a fairy tale or a feel […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham   The rain poured from the sky. The night had become a place of darkness. The streets were quiet. She enjoyed how the rain could turn a busy city into silence. Batya loved the rain. This was when she walked. The rain called to her like a good book. She closed […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   we’re at that part  in the story where Nina Simone meets The Mother of Dragons   they go slam dancing just for kicks   all the work is done stripping to the bone hair in a bun  for speed   not points   and in the end there is a […]

Writer!   The weekly inspiration challenge is a bit like a potluck party. We all show up at the table with something fabulous we love to prepare and eat ourselves. We gather, we put our fabulous homemade dishes in the middle of a big round table, and we share a beautiful meal together. We are […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham   She loves him, yet his love isn’t the same. She can stare into his eyes forever, but he won’t let her. Every time she is in his presence she wants to cuddle him and kiss him all over. She does her best to restrain herself whenever he is in her […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   after seven moons the council returned the Great Oak stepping forward   gently he asked Mystery why she did not settle   but I have kind wonders   my hands live deep in the bedrock my mind loves the city my heart belongs to the Mountain    

Written by: Collette Cottingham   The crickets whistled along the creek, the stillness of winter was fading, the birth of spring was upon her. She loved the night. It brought her comfort. This little village had called to her. She arrived in the frost of winter. Now she was immersed in all the village had […]

Writer,   The relationship you have with your Muse is sacred.   In the morning, it’s there. In the evening, it’s there. In the grocery store, it’s there.   Your thinks your fabulous. It’s like white on rice. It eats, breathes, and sleeps to fuel your ideas. In return, your collection of words it its […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   eat with your left hand only   it wasn’t dark yet when she said that but the clouds were becoming mountains already heavy with shadow   I hoped it would snow   she scooped up my chart from her printer studied it a diffuser bubbling at her feet   interesting […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham, en Watur   His humming broke her sleep. She sat up in bed. Was it real or a dream. She held her breath and let the quiet answer her question. Silence, it was just in her dreams. After all this time that melody still sent terror down her spin. She rested […]

Writer.   Darling. Every single day is a post card love letter from the creative frontier. Don’t over think it, or think it too much into a corner. You live this world you transcribe. You are it, with every thought, every breath.   This week, write what you know. You can make up the details that frame […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   don’t you tell me   to be careful  darling   your shoe is untied    

Writer!   Good Monday Morning Sunshine! What’s the wish of every writer? Well, there’s as many as we are far and wide, but what is something so many of us wish for? You got it. We want to write for a living!  Of course we do already live to write, but there is something special […]

Writer,   Start the car!!!   No time for ‘splainin’! We’re going to have a new challenge start day inside the private community – Mondays. Deets on that.. coming Monday of course! We will still post the challenge here on Saturday, for those who work on their own. In the meantime, let’s keep ourselves tuned […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham   Have you lived before? In another time or place? Sit with the idea for a while, what does your gut tell you? Everything was confused, even the weather was confused. It couldn’t decide if it wanted to rain or snow. Lily had been sitting with these thoughts for hours. Her […]

  Writer,   Write thyself. Our work as writers is to translate the world through our own experience, and then express it with words that slide the exquisite beauty of life into the heart of a reader, without a trace.  To the reader, it is their own interpretation of our work, and thus their owned […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   changeable blessed   bestowed upon a woman   to draw you near to become you to move you    

Written by: Collette Cottingham   Dust sprayed off the shelves, how can this be, I just dusted yesterday. The bell to the front door chimed. “How may I help you sir?” He squeezed her face with one hand, pressing her cheeks in. “How dare you speak to me in such a tone. You almost cost […]

Writer!   I say good day! The lights are on, and every one is home – figuratively and in our real lives. Weird times call for inner adventures to soothe our wandering minds. This week, wander around amongst those creative thoughts and ideas like it’s a proper cocktail party. These are the thoughts and ideas […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   your heart is open to the wilderness, the breath of the sky and brilliance of form   be yourself be free   sleep not in anger  for the world speak for her truth with your words   all of your words all of your worlds   be yours in keeping […]

Hey Writer! We talk about this all the time in creative circles, but it has never been more true, especially for writers. The world is your oyster. This week, write a piece that seals in your 2022 writing intentions. As always no need to share specific details, just let the words on the page be […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham   You can feel alone even in a city. The cold cuts right through to your inner core. This cold reminds me I am not alone. The cold can take a stinging bite out of you. It likes to add torment to the soul. I am alone. In a frosty city. […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   when I awoke my nose was so cold and the blankets  warm and heavy   arriving late in the dark I hadn’t noticed the curtains yellow checkerboard and new frost covering the windows   there were others awake now above footsteps and laughing the quiet smell of coffee   I […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   tame  the future   scratch every  itch   have    

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   there are certain  spiritual truths in my books written with coloured markers   I looked out over the Big Lake the biggest one he’s deep and cold don’t stay, he said but take me with you keep me too   I piled the warm sand smooth into the zip lock […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   I guess  I just  don’t know how to be   said the Wind one day to a tree   why do you worry? asked the Maple   well what if I am actually invisible?    

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   you don’t need anything buy it along the way Marta said over the phone   I’ll make up the spare bed in the studio it’ll be fun   I told her I’d bring the wine see you in 7 days she said   just like old times  

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   crashed the raven’s council one black feather at a time   neither did they see her when she slipped into the back room of secrets   the door was left open and they were in flurry lengthwise   the night was young yet seasons changing guard   inside one breath […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   poems  in the afterlife   such strange  memories here without bodies   as if we were born to wander timeless aimless   free   a man I imagine stops me gently   do you have the time? he twinkles go fish  I say   and then return    

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   this is the thing with trains:   they stay up all night and then sleep in parking lots their bones rolling and creaking in their concrete beds   they wait for the sound of darkness to thunder in on the air and drown itself in the lake   then they […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   we would be  idea mongers resolution keepers   we would sew  our thoughts into the finest fabrics   silken dreams to whisper life’s future  into honour   and she would feel proud and dangerous  in paisley   before them    

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye   I’ve lived here  for five years   whatever seven   people hear what they want to hear and see me in the image of themselves of that longing   late last night I got a message from the trees they’re thinking of making a change of going North   I […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman   most likely to  write fortune cookies they said   so I kept my word and spoke them only  instead   long roads teach us concession teach us grace   life is born of precision  handling to stop on a dime   destined    

  Hipsters. It’s time. It’s Wild Card week.  Roll the dice! Rip it up! Fact, fiction, poetry or prose. Write ON.    

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman   still life looks like a magazine airbrushed available   everything forty to seventy five off online during these strange times   the man behind the deli counter wished me a good day his eyes crinkling with smile his voice brave    

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman   Her velvety blue gown swished along the wood floor. The dress moved effortlessly, but in reality it was a heavy weight. Virginia wasn’t sure if the weight was from the dress or her mind. She scanned the room. She had been looking forward to this masked ball for […]

  Holiest of Holies, Hipsters. It ain’t no cliche. The world has gone mad. But that’s kind of a sweet spot for us. Madness is the birthplace of creativity. You need to be a little mad to understand the magnificent underbelly of the world and her people. This week: Tell us who is behind the […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman     there is darkness that’s just biology   in the evening it slides down my arms into my finger prints   it pours wine  into the glass and drinks me too   it smooths  the muscles in my back and wraps its arms around my belly   personified […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings   He found it in a North Dakota antique shop. It was the first open establishment he’d seen for a stretch and he was dying for a smoke. He hoped there’d be a lighter inside. Then he saw it and couldn’t take his eyes off of it. It […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman   She walked down the hall. Her long gown swooshed along the floors. People in the hall stopped and bowed. You would think a woman in her position would be full of confidence and power. In reality, she felt neither. Her head would have been on a spike, but […]

Ok Hipsters. There’s lots out there. Lots. Ideas and inspirations are bumper to bumper, and this space in time is like a creative road trip. This week, steal something you love and write it into something that is yours. Don’t plagiarise of course, but take something that inspires you in any creative work or plotline […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings   You don’t need it. But I want it. Are you sure? Yes. Because it’s sharp. Yes. That means you’ll depend on it. But that’s what it’s for, isn’t it? No… it’s a tool. You’re the weapon. You start out with this when you’ve got so much to […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman   “Attack” “Ahh…Thor stop attacking my feet.” “I am trying to save you ungrateful human.” “Thor you have too much energy. How about a walk to visit one of your favorite ladies?” “The goddess, human grab the lead.” “I will grab your leash Thor.” “I love this beautiful sunshine. […]

  Hipsters! Old age and trickery will outsmart youth and ambition every time. This week, your sense or teacher or mentor or elder tricks you into doing something fantastic. You succeed. Fact, fiction, poetry or prose. Write ON!    

  Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings   His pride and joy. I can’t stand the prick but there’s no doubt about it … he can restore cars like nobody’s business. It looks brand-spanking new. Mint, how good it looks. Look at these details. I’ve always loved this car. You’d think I’d hate them […]

  Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman   I hate waiting in the car. I can’t listen to the radio. I can’t make a peep. I have to be nonexistent. I sit here. My stomach is all in knots. What is happening? Are they okay? What could possibly be taking so long? I never take […]

  Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman   as the day is long I picked her up at 7 dishes done   I need a hit to be sure she said so I congealed reality  into the palm of her hand   Closing her fingers one by one tight around her likeness she actualised   […]

  Hipsters! This week: Drive the getaway…. plane, train or automobile. Drive it like you stole it! You definitely get away like a bandit. Fact, fiction, poetry or prose. Write ON!

  Written by: Adrienne Yeardye, Consciously Woman   nesting is dead   she packed the car broke three dishes  and a star   four CDs later she boarded the ferry and sailed the lake into molten darkness   cold silent mountain gallery into water deep   on the other side she stepped into the trees […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings   Her skin was a rich caramel and the texture of tough leather. She wore a blue fabric, which had simply been wrapped around her with two corners tied over one shoulder. It grazed the floor and, I would come to see when she walked, that it hid […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman     I needed to come back here. I am not really sure why. She calls to me. It doesn’t matter how far away I go, I can still hear her. Momma used to say the river had a song. If you sit still and be in the quiet […]

Hipsters! There are few things as inspiring – or telling – as a body of water. This week, write your piece in, on, or around a lake. Set sail! Wait… I mean: Fact, fiction, poetry, or prose. Write ON!

  Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; The Ish   I’ve had many labels titles job descriptions   doctor artist wife anarchist   my favourite is mistress its peace the silent reverence for separation   I unfold his t-shirt smoothing the stripes along my belly he has socks somewhere that match and it looks great with my […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings   What are you doing in the closet? I’m thinking. In the closet? Yes. It’s too loud. It’s just too loud. But we’re the only ones here. Yes, but it’s just too loud. I can see what you’re thinking. See what I’m thinking? You want me to be […]

  Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman   She walks all over. You could pass her a hundred times and she wouldn’t see you. She walks with her head down. A sign that she doesn’t know her worth. She loves her walks. She doesn’t have a routine. She shakes it up. Some find her bizarre. […]

    Hipsters. To fold or unfold, that is the question. For your piece this week, fold, or unfold your plot, your character, your voice between the lines. Like last week, write in any direction this suggestion wants to go. Fact, fiction, poetry or prose. Write ON!    

  Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman   On the back wall of the studio there is a green door leaning   In the space between Marta paints the real dream   On Friday nights she layers in the next letter having begun with A    

  Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman   The wind whistled around the storage units; a soda can danced with the wind. He couldn’t see her. She was quiet and motionless against the side of the building. The minutes ticked on, “Three, four, five.” This place looks like it should be next to a worn-out […]

  Hello Hipsters! It’s lucky number nine! Door number nine, that is. This week, with your best creative awesomeness, riff from this image: I got out of the car, walked across the street, took the keys out of the envelope, and opened door number nine. Remember, it’s a riff! Go ahead and change the subject […]

  Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman Photo: Sabine Roggermeier     Sunday Devotional:   Celery Avocado Spinach   Sunrise And the future Creative   Divine company You are My Hip friends    

  Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman   The wind whipped through the snow sending it into her face. It was the last straw. The tears which had welled up in her eyes, began to flow. Her sobs echoed. She had wanted to contain them for the sake of her children, but fate had other […]

  Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey   Sara handed Q a manual on how to fly the anti-gravity machine. The manual read “Titan 3.0 Guide to the Stars”. It had a picture of a sunset on the cover. Q studied the manual while walking down the hallway to the airfield. “I think we’re going […]

  Hipsters! It’s Blue Monday – the “saddest day” of the year, but we ain’t! It’s short and sweet o’clock. This week, you got it! Write something short and sweet! Bonus if you include a sunrise. Happy is as a Hipster does! You know you wanna. Fact, fiction, poetry or prose. Write ON!

  Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey   I had made my way over to the cooler and reached in to get another beer, when this beautiful woman reached in and grabbed the exact same beer I was holding. “Oh excuse me Captain, I see there is only one craft beer left. Why don’t you […]

  Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman   He came in the cover of darkness. Fighting the rough waters in a row boat; the wind and splashing water would conceal him. He didn’t want anyone to know he was there. He needed the key. Nat woke up to her shutters banging against the window. Despite […]

  Hipsters! We’re on the 2020 bandwagon! Dreams are coming true and new dreams are being dreamed up, as we write. There’s no philosophical debate needed; dreams are what life is made of – they make the world go ’round! Maybe they even make the world round. Spherical. Magical. Unlimited. This week, weave a dream […]

  Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman   The sun glisten through the windows. She rolled over and hugged her pillow. “Ah, day one of my staycation.” It was heaven to be awoken by the sun instead of Steve. Well, technically Steve did wake her up by opening the blinds, but he knows how much […]

  Happy New Year Hipsters! And, the long-awaited mythical new year it is. Like, it’s 2020! It’ll never get old. This week, write us the futuristic details you’ve been waiting for. They’re here! Fact, fiction, poetry or prose. Write ON!  

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings   It bothered her. She couldn’t fight how commercial it had all become and she missed what it once was: families gathered for a night together. Games were played, and stories were told in candlelight. The story of the Lord’s birth brought her so much delight. A real […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman   I have a headache. I’m not supposed to wake up with a headache. What is all over my sheets? Agh…glitter. I swear this stuff reproduces during the Christmas season. It is all around the Christmas tree, floor, and dining room table, sparkling green, red, white and blue…glitter. This […]

  Happy Holidays Hipsters! This week, write your favourite holiday tradition into words! Add it to your current plot or theme, or let it stand alone. Candy canes, Christmas trees, egg nog, or scrabble. Write ON!    

  Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings   Jackie Frost had sold Mount Crumpet after purchasing it from the Grinch. Her father had forbid her to go. Now she wished she’d listened. The South Pole was the same old thing…only she was homesick. After what happened, she had decided that she needed a new […]

  Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey   I continued to drift in and out of consciousness as the lab coats hovered around me. They lifted me onto a gurney and started wheeling me through a facility. I could see the overhead lights passing by as they rolled me down the long hallway. I could […]

  Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman   On a cold December morning an ordinary young woman walked down the sidewalk. In was a normal day in this mid-century town. Her navy coat was buttoned up tight and she tucked her snow white mittens into her pockets. The snow had been falling for days; the […]

Hipsters! Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat! Please put a cap in the old man’s… What?! Ba Humbug! Somewhere between the Scrooge and the Grinch, there is a bad Santa… This week, let him steal the sleigh and give him a cameo in your piece. What reindeer games will he get up […]

  Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings “So. What are we doing for your birthday this year?” “We are doing nothing. Absolutely nothing. And if you do anything I am going to be really angry. I just want rest. I just want quiet. I just want peace. If you want to gift me something, […]

  Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey   Nothing seemed to make sense about what was going on. The four of us had made our way into position for the execution of our rescue plan. Q and Sticks armed with their sasers’ maneuvered their way behind the infirmary while Bronco and I made our way […]

  Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman   The soft grass crunched under his shoes. He had been here many times before, but it had been years. The river once flowed through the canyon, but was now barren. The only thing that remained was the large hole she left behind. Out of breath he reached […]

  Written by: Adrienne Yeardye, Consciously Woman   preacher or politician I must be both   I must stand firmly for Creation as I am Her   I agreed to be silent I agreed to be patient I agreed not to cry   I agreed not to submit to anger not even my own   […]

Hipsters. It’s time. It’s Wild Card week.  Roll the dice! Rip it up! Fact, fiction, poetry, or prose. Write ON.    

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman   I am sticky hot. The wind blows through the yard sending the laundry into a dance. I can’t escape this heat. The wind stings against the cracks in my lips. My jeans are hot plates against my legs. My feet are on fire. I am melting from the […]

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey   I had briefed Bronco, Sticks, and Q on what Sara had told me at the top of the pyramid. I told them of how Sara had vanished on the way down, and yet somehow she showed up with Clark in the courtyard, 20 minutes later. I couldn’t explain […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman   the wind howled up the back of the mountain   summiting into the arms of the fog she was coaxed into the river of the valley where she caught the next train   the prairies were beautiful in the night around the slow curves she stretched her arms […]

Hipsters. The wind. She blows. Did you get the memo? Yes or no? Fact, fiction, poetry, or prose. Write ON!  

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey   I crouched beside a thick pine tree as the voices continued. The sky had turned a dark blue-pink to signal the oncoming of night. The voices didn’t seem to be getting any closer or further away. I decided to move with stealth and get closer. My unit was […]

written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman   the Moon is on sabbatical she’s doing research  on holy how the hell to be the Moon   in her absence the Stars have gathered together again each of the four directions home from the deep night   they abhor irony by quieting the sky   at dawn […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman   The god lounges in the sun. Suddenly he hears children screaming in terror. He snaps to attention and spots children locked hand in hand, forced into a continuous circular motion. Thor leaps across the sidewalk and pounces through the invisible gravity field surrounding the children. Thor’s sacrifice frees […]

Hipsters! “We are all the heroes of our own stories.” This is a famous quote, originally stated by writer and critic, Mary McCarthy. Of course, because of its nature and context, it has been used and cumulatively augmented by many a writer since. Because, yes! Writers are heroes.  We are super heroes on a super mission […]

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey   Sara and I made our way down the pyramid as it continued to get darker. The sky kept changing colour from purple-pink, to a blueish-green aura. As the sky changed so did the gravity. It was forcing us down. There was a great pressure on my body as […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman   I got pregnant for the weekend once my body its own knowing   In the warmth of the cabin and alone she took me into her arms and I slept ever deeply   In exchange for her freedom she told me everything   At dawn she rocked me […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman   I stole from him. I could make the usual excuses about being poor, but the truth is I am not poor. My parents do very well for themselves. If I told them I wanted it they would have bought it for me. I stayed quiet; I am not […]

Howdy Hipsters! It’s Movember. Moustaches everywhere, and for a great cause. Let’s riff our creativity over the handle bars! This week, include somewhere in your piece something that references the cowboy archetype. This man is an icon in our culture, and a character that comes with his own history. We hardly have to develop or […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings   “Are you alright.”, she says. It can’t be taken as a question. After all, she knows that I know she really would rather be lied to. “Can I call someone?” I’m silent. She’s desperate to keep talking, but my mind is fuzzy and I just want her […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman The door to upstairs swung open, “Colleen, Bobby is on the phone for you.” Mom slammed the door shut, shaking the upstairs. “I don’t want to talk to him, tell him I am not home.” The door to the upstairs swung open. “Colleen I will not lie for you.” […]

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey We had been walking for an about twenty minutes, though I had no clue about time anymore. It seemed to always be daylight down here. We hadn’t slept or ate anything for what seemed like days, but it’s hard to tell. The strange thing is we all agreed we […]

Hipsters! As writers, we hold a very special slice of life in our hands – that slice of life where the meaning of life reflects itself – undefined and still wordless – off of the life we are living that we are compelled to sculpt it into words. A better description, perhaps, is that we […]

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey Sticks scoured the jail house office for our weaponry, or something we could use. Bronco looked for a radio receiver or device to allow us to hear their communications. Axe and Pogo seemed kinda lost, while Q and I headed outside to evaluate the situation. We got to the […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings Warning: This is written from the perspective of a serial killer, so reader beware. This isn’t for everyone. I apologize, but I’ve read too much about the topic this year in educational materials … and far too much Stephen King and Poe. This is an ode to them […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman The thunder rumbled across the sky like the thoughts in my head. I haven’t seen my aunt in years. Aunt Marge was a great-aunt; she has lived many lifetimes. The woman had money. She has been a widow seven times. Aunt Marge isn’t a black widow though; all of […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman     wide knuckles and short fingers skirt her name into the search engine   the room is dark   a few strands of her hair left on the pillow a photograph and a letter she wrote folded and unfolded in a box   ritual   at the threshold […]

Ha! Hipsters. So creepy. This week, get your hallowed creep-on. Write us something creepy! Fact, fiction, poetry or prose. Write ON!

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey I stood next to the iron bars as I watched Clark and company leave the jail house. There was only one jawbreaker guard left behind, sitting at a table, just staring at us from the other end of the room. It had a blank look to it, like it […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings Wake up the nation There’s no time to waste We can’t roll back the clock We’ll be choosing our fate It’s no longer an option You can’t look away It’s time to step up and fight hate If you believe your Country’s worth saving We decide how time’s […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman     slow cruise into brake lights comes to a stop I am docked next to the golf course   Sunset beautiful into the horizon   two Birds on the hydro line a third swings in then a fourth wingtips apart like drunks in a midnight choir   proportion […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman Alas, beautiful sunshine, green grass with crunchy leaves – complete with a cold breeze; I so enjoy the park. Here I am free to roam and explore as a god should. The god squeezes into the shrubs to spy on the enemy. He spots a bird on a wire. […]

Hey, Hey Hipsters! What do you say?! There are iconic phrases in art, literature, and music, that illustrate a tight connection to the cumulative and collective nature of writers and their work. There are focus points, historically and artistically. “A bird on a wire” is one of those phrases, one of those images, that resides […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings She’s soaked from walking in the rain. Running to the car or holding up the umbrella are next to impossible today. Her eyes are fixed on her vehicle, until a man dashes to his car in seconds to avoid getting wet. She manages to swallow her envy and […]

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey Clark was with a bunch of business men in black suits. “Whiskey, Bravo, Charlie is ready and the white dove is light,” was the next thing to come out of Clark’s mouth. He stood there on the other side of the bars with the men, watching our reactions. My […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman Their eyes met across the room. She was completely memorized; it was love at first sight. She loved every crevice, smooth surface, and texture. She was in awe. Her life felt whole and complete. She thought, “Where have you been all my life?” People cut in between them. She […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman     Oh sure, I’m a lot of things. Life is hapless Without adventure.   But I certainly am not Logitech. I intend to die in the arms Of whatever an IBM keyboard becomes.   We will drink a sexy Czech pilsner Out of a crystal glass At my […]

Hipsters. This project absolutely rocks. Let’s celebrate. All around us, the world is in gratitude of the harvest and of the beauty that is created when the seasons explode with change. We are writers, sensitive to and responsible for, bringing energy into thought and thought into form. Our gift to the world is to break […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman I died in 1814. I continue to occupy my body, but my soul is gone. My soul is buried in the cold ground with the rest of my family, on a plantation in Virginia. My body now lives in New York, even though my life had ended, time continued […]

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey There was a blinding light; I couldn’t see. Then I heard a bell, like you would hear when the door opens in a convenience store. Suddenly I was in old man Drucker’s corner store back home. Look at all the candy! I had 52 cents, and I better make […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings Excuse me. (Pause) Excuse me. Yes? How much is that? This one? No, that one. This, my boy, is worth far more than what you can afford. How much? You want a number? Yes. (Pause) It’s not for sale. What? What do you mean it’s not for sale? […]

Hipsters! We freaking rock. As this project grows and evolves, it is incredible to wander through each of our individual collections and know that the next chapter for each of us starts with a single suggestion. The inspiration unites us, and then our creativity expands our collective library. Does it get any better than this?! […]

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey The guard picked up the jump suit guy with one hand and hoisted him over his shoulder, while still keeping his club pointed at the other jump suit guy. I could hear every one of the guy’s hearts pounding as they looked for direction. “We need that club weapon […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings I came to you softly like a cradle song. Your eyes and ears took me in, and little hands held on. I burrowed my way into your heart and then took root, and so once more my seed bore something new. I am the gateway to limitless journeys […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman   She stood on top of the vortex Unchanged Its ether curling around her ankles Like the neighbour’s cat.   Familiar.   She let her smile soften Down her back Becoming a tail And the words came calling Unchanged.    

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman Oh, the Grandma-human has arrived with food. I must inspect! “Thor is on the counter in the grocery sacks, he is so adorable.” “Thor has a mind of his own.” Let’s see…tuna, salmon…wait this salmon is too big for one feeding. Of course I will split it up; a […]

Hipsters! It’s that simple. This week, wild card. Write whatever you wish! Fact, fiction, poetry, or prose. Write ON!

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings *Please note that the following has substantial profanity, and please keep in mind that I’m not doing the talking.   Where am I? Here. Blacked out. Where did everyone go? Right, I kicked them out. Why did I kick them out again…right: they get on my fuckin’ nerves. […]

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey It was getting humid and the heat from above was blazing down on us as we made our way to the military base. The heat made me think of playing catch with my dad on a sweltering August afternoon. Those were the times when I had no pressure; the […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman My dear Sister, It is hot and dry here. My skin cracks from the craving for any moisture. I didn’t know pain until this adventure. The sun is a brutal friend. I long for the warmth of the sun at night and curse it during the day. I hope […]

Hello Happy Hipsters! We live in a sensual world, and we are sensual beings ourselves. As writers, we are tasked with the art of setting the emotions on stage, but then not always shining on them directly. It’s a subtle game, allowing the reader to connect with emotions and feelings in the story, and then […]

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey I cautiously made my way down the embankment to get a closer look without being detected. I needed to see if it was what it looked like. It looked like a pyramid. It had a bright light beam coming out of the top that reached up to produce a […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman   Marta smokes but Suzie doesn’t. It’s a disgusting habit. She throws live butts out the window on the way to the office.   Once upon a time on the Trans Canada the grassy median exploded into flames behind her.   That’s a lie. It was the 401 on […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings Okay, folks, give me what you’ve got. Everyone’s working on Maine coverage. So let’s get that out of the way so we can put that one aside. How many dead? 31. Stay on that. This one has been gold. No one expects this in Maine…Florida yes, but Maine…You […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman 10:45 pm: I am exhausted. My energy level is a minus 2. Okay not literally minus 2, but it sure feels like it. Work, work, work, it is never ending. My boss is so demanding. There are no thank yous, no appreciation, just a lot of complaints. No time […]

OK Hipsters, Like last week, this will definitely not seem cool at first: Write about the value of media.  Make it a character, a plot, part of the plot, or an exposé of something positive. Talk about it directly, indirectly, secretly, or metaphorically. Write. Educate. Transform. This week, as we are, we are writers on-purpose. […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman Awe…that was a nap. And there is my human sitting on the sofa starting at that rectangle box. This god must investigate. The God Thor springs down from his carpet tower. He moves with stealth around the sofa. Thor pokes his head over the sofa. Of course my face […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman I prefer to be six feet under all the shuffling and the limping. Soles peaceful Dangling Into the sunset. The 403 is growling along its backbone and on fire.   Wishing for her beauty The city flosses his teeth.

Written by: Steve Brown; Mansfield Grey We gazed at the wonder we had found; a paradise in a hole in the ground. It gave me the most eerie feeling and I had no idea of what was to come. With Clark’s voice in my head, I thought to myself, “Access, protocol, decide, communicate, execute.” This […]

Hipsters! For this week’s challenge, we’re going to do some group work. Grab a partner. I know…worst phrase ever in a writer’s workshop! Here though, it would be such a blast! We gots it goin’ on. Here’s the challenge: Pick a word from one of last week’s works – that’ll be your partner – and […]

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey “Before we go anywhere, we have to stash the ZX643 somewhere. I think we should put it in one of these holes behind one of these remains. Make it look as if no one has touched it. We can come back and get it when we know what the […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings It’s September, and it is very cold. A wee thing shivers by a concrete corner. She is five and afraid, but she doesn’t look down; instead she watches and postures herself, determined to be brave. She has a coat on, but it is too light for this kind […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman I walked along the peak of the roof barefoot with Jim Free. Mohawk from Thunderbay but I didn’t care. I loved his big laugh and his loud ideas.   He spoke easy.   The shingles were still warm from the day. I curled my toes around the edges bending […]

Written by: Diamond Rose The sun is still shining bright and the warm air is a slight breeze rustling the leaves. “Time to come in girls,” Mom yells out the door in our general direction. My sister and I are in our ‘fort’ eating Cheerios out of a Ziploc bag. I say ‘fort’ because it’s […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman It is tradition! Every year the seniors at Roosevelt High pull a “Senior Prank”. Last year’s class removed the benches from jock’s landing. Everyone thought it was funny, except the jocks. My brother’s class had the best prank; they moved all the desks and chairs out into the parking […]

Hipsters! You know what time it is! This week, write about that time. What is your favourite back to school memory? Weave it in undetected. Fact, fiction, poetry or prose.  Write ON!

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings I had pulled a 16-hour shift and walked home in that storm. I was soaked through and through. Even though the rest of me was shivering, my feet were burning. Eventually, I managed to get the key into the keyhole, but not before ‘today’s damned special’ tore its […]

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey As we walked uphill in the tunnel, not knowing what was to come, I could hear the guys reminiscing about past adventures and good times. They were giving each other verbal burns and sarcastic shots – just a bonding thing guys do. I felt good, as the frequency of […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman My past self must have thought my future self was a rock star. I can’t believe I booked four flights in one day. What was I thinking? I left no margin for error. All my flights had to be on time with no delays. Well, it all worked out. […]

Hipsters! It’s midnight. You haven’t slept in days, and you just got home. In three minutes you are unpacked, teeth brushed, and in bed. Your own bed! Just as you close your eyes, you hear a car pull into the driveway. The door slams, and feet clip-clop to the door. You think of all the […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman “Daven, seatbelt?” “Check!” “Knox, seatbelt?” “Check!” “Paxton, seatbelt?” “Check, mom.” “Why do you do that?” “I want to make sure the children are buckled up.” “Jesus, they are always buckled up, just give it a rest.” “Okay, we are good and heading home.” “Let’s get moving. I can’t wait […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman I wonder if we are mythical creatures incarnate lending our hearts to the grocery store clerk sharpening our blades into careless lovers relishing a moment’s peace in a cigarette crackling gently into the darkness and spreading into the vein truly

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey We all got some rest, if you could call it that. All I did was think. Thinking to myself was a new thing to me. I could see the difference from when we were being mind-controlled. Before, in this kind of situation, I would be calm, cold, and emotionless, […]

Yoo hoo Hipsters! You know who you are. You’re a writer. A writer’s task in society is to bring forth the genius of Zeitgeist, and sculpt it into words. From this magnificence, the world sees itself. We are transducers, magicians even. Kicker is, we all get blocked, uninspired, scared, disappointed, peevish, tired, lost… yes, all […]

Hello Hipsters! This is a killer collaboration already – so much talent and creativity between us. This week, let’s show off our mad skills… Dialogue. It’s a powerful tool in any piece. It is character development. It can accelerate the plot, and illustrate a point. Sometimes it is the way we bring the abstract of […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman I re-entered the atmosphere Stars aligned seamlessly before me After a conversation with the Man on the Moon. The Manitoba sunset fused my history With my bones. Balancing the lighter on the dashboard Upright The cars became cars again Destined for home.

Hello Hipsters! This week…we are dangerously flirting with a cliché… In your best awesomeness, caption this photo! Fact, fiction, poetry, or prose. Write ON!

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey We had been walking for a good hour now. The terrain was getting easier as we descended. The air was getting fresher and I was feeling a lot more awake. I felt stronger and my ribs didn’t hurt from the blast anymore. I asked Q, “Why do I feel […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Consciously Woman I want to glue them all together: The stars; Plastics; Provolone; Love. I want them to know there is less than one molecule between them, That they are not special. I want them to know how the Universe becomes them. Equally. And that they should be so honoured.

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman In 1810, a 10 year old girl clung to a cliff side in southwestern England. She scanned the cliff face for any odd shapes and rubbed her hands over the coarse, sandy surface, hoping her hands would find what her eyes might miss. This girl was Mary Anning and […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings The inflection of every sound is unique. The volume, intensity, pitch, and timbre produced by the movement, density, and temperature of Lake Ontario from one interval in time to the next. This confirms the Lake’s abhorrence of ‘permanent cadence’ and when I think I’ve figured out its pattern […]

Hello Hipsters! Well…last week was awesome! It feels amazing to combine the notions of freedom and sharing something from the vault. As writers, so many of our greatest works are lost to those two things – vacations and ideas locked away in journals. It’s a strange truth! So…let’s play that again. Let’s share something we’ve […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Boot Hill It was lunchtime, my favorite part of the school day.  I bit into my Rice Krispie, “Ow!” My front tooth hurt.  I tried another bite, “Ouch.” My friend Drew strolled up, “Hey Will, let’s play tag,” Drew reached out and tapped my shoulder and yelled, “You’re it!” then dashed […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Jupiter’s Hive Time slides only into its own puncture wounds, precisely.

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey As the blast hit the cave entrance, I was thrown forward into darkness. I could hear the cave collapsing behind us as I rolled on the cave floor. My flashlight had been ripped from my hand and I was face down. I think I blacked out then because it […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings There are a billion ways to be blindsided by it. You’re toast, done, you can’t ignore it. You’ve just been sucker punched. Sometimes it is so intense. You may walk into a room and that’s it. You’ve been utterly thunderstruck by the form in front of you; completely […]

Happy Summer Hipsters! It’s hot out there on one side of our world, and rainy on the other! Let’s have a stay-cation excavation. Here’s the task: Post something you have already written, but tucked away. This honours those inspirations that need completion. These are the stories written and unwritten, lurking around in your mind somewhere […]

Written by: Diamond Rose I live just a short seven minute ferry ride away from a beautiful, quaint, little Island. I come here to decompress and ‘get away’ from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Today, I decided to take a ‘me’ day: take the day off work, and just live a day of […]

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey We got to the mouth of the cave and took off our gear. Each guy had carried the basic necessities needed to survive through our ordeal. Q carried the electronics and medical supplies, Axe carried the nutrition, Pogo had the water, and Sticks carried his explosives and ammunition. I […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings “Not with a bang, but with a whimper.” ~ T.S. Eliot The centuries came and went and we were content living in denial; all too damned stupid to wake up. It had been here for centuries: persecution and deception, war, famine and pestilence. No one should have been […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Consciously Woman I cried for you today. It doesn’t matter the day or the weather, I cry for you. I manage to function each and every day, yet inside I cry for you. I look normal to the average person, but inside my tears flow. Time has not slowed my tears, […]

Hello Hipsters! Happy Summer! We are as freewheelin’ as ever, and perhaps even more. Last week was the eclipse, and it waxes spectacular. It leaves in its wake a brand new world. Gorgeous. Some cultures believe the Writers are bringing the future to the world with their words and their stories. Regardless of language, regardless […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings I remember those shiny years. I carried the weight of every thought and expectation but my own. Then came the first disaster – and after that it was easy. I was a source of disappointment, but in escaping their dreams, I had been released – and delivered to […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Boot Hill The God awakens and pauses for a good stretch…ah. Now, where is my servant? Oh look, he has opened the garden – how pleasant. I must say, this is a beautiful afternoon for a leisurely stroll. The smell of fresh flowers and green grass is…vroom, pop, pop, bang… Help […]

Hey-ey. Happy Humpday Hipsters. And I’m a flake! I flat out thought I posted the topic on Saturday morning. Yeah, yeah…. sleeping on the job. I’m sorry! I’m not going to apologize. I am, instead, going to brag. Things are going exceptionally well. These blog projects are finally starting to gel and move beyond the […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Boot Hill Ugg, I forgot to go to the market, so that means there’s no food and no coffee! The sun shines in through the window. It is a beautiful day. This means I can enjoy my coffee at the corner cafe. Ah, fresh morning air and sunshine, I enjoy how […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings I’d been looking out the window since first light. It had been sunny, but after three hours, a darkened sky and rain decided to scare the sun into hiding. I felt relaxed at first; because I had told myself that all I had to do was to walk […]

Happy Summer Hipsters! These are the days, the days of long sun and splendor for those of us who self-determine well enough to not know what day it is. But we feel it.  We feel that time of year when we can diffuse direction and sink into a sunset with a beer. You wake up […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Jupiter’s Hive I’m kidding. I am The Caterpillar. But that doesn’t make much sense to me either. Truth is, I’m Jack. I’m a normal, hyper-intelligent guy from Provo, Utah, trying to make sense of a contract I signed three years ago. They want to develop my work, so why not? I […]

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey As Q started to remove the chip from the back of Stick’s neck, my mind drifted off to a time when we were all together in training. How the Colonel kept telling us we were the elite force that would change the world. As a group, we all thought […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings My car smoked up and it took the day to fix. These clouds were the beginnings of a storm. Once I was on the road again, I blasted the music to drown out the noise of the forceful wind and hail. I eventually noticed the car was running […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Boot Hill The thing about living in the desert…anywhere you travel is far from home, especially for high school sports. The bus pulls into the post office in the wee hours of the morning. The lights are turned on so we can see, which only blinds me. I end up squinting […]

Hello Hipsters! Oooh. This is a good one: THIS week, write a non-fiction AND fictional movie scene. It can be romance, comedy, or drama. Embellish your own real-life experiences, and turn them into a fictional movie scene. Have fun with this! Who you are is who you want to be, and your own life is […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings “You can do this. You can do this. Just one more bloody day.” “You know you’re talkin’ to yourself. Got a smoke?” “No. I don’t smoke.” “Right.” “I don’t. And it’s rude to startle people like that.” “I was here…not my bad you didn’t see me. So why […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Boot Hill Bop, bop, bop…my gum is the only thing bursting with delight on this gloomy morning. The last day of school is always the longest day. It is so annoying, because it is the perfect day. A beautiful 80 degrees, the sun is out, birds are singing and yet here […]

Hello Hipsters! It’s the last day of school before the summer… The challenge this week will bring you back to the spirit of your youth: School starts in 10 minutes. You’re on your way, systems a-go.  Bell rings. That little part of you in charge of your freedom starts to itch, and your soul twangs […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Jupiter’s Hive I did see him first. I tried to duck back into the bank, but the pull towards him was too great. He felt me and stopped dead, looking up from his phone. There was no need to motion me over; my feet were already crossing the street. Magnetism is […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Boot Hill The yellow dust danced through the air. You could see it everywhere, roof tops, the ground, and stuck onto faces. The harvest had been good. The dusting was a sign that everyone would reap the rewards from the golden harvest. Zeed emerged from the bank happy. He had the […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings I took my laptop to a coffee shop to get Wi-Fi because I no longer had internet, or electricity for that matter; it’s warmer and more cheerful at the coffee shop and I can throw on my headphones and watch Netflix on my laptop – which happens to […]

Hello Hipsters! Finish this image: You are walking from the bank to the car in your hometown, and you run into an old friend. What do you do?  Write where this takes you in the life of that character. You can be you for real, or the Queen of England. You can be on this […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Jupiter’s Hive I arrived at the party, already one in, with an entire bag of bacon treats evenly spread between the pockets of my jeans and my left sock. The aim was to be loose and irresistible. Trevor called at 7 am this morning, desperate. His girlfriend’s aunt died two weeks […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings She delivered the most apologetic ‘no’ I’d ever heard, but then placed me on hold and returned to ask if I could come at 3:30 p.m. She had found a way to squeeze me in. I was to call back if I decided it worked for me. The […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Boot Hill I came into this world the runt of the litter. I was unwanted. I was dumped on the door step of a shelter. The shelter cleaned me up and made me presentable. A young college man came into the shelter looking for a cat. A friend to fill the […]

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey Q looked at me as Stick’s joint made its way around to him. He refused, and said “Gentleman I have some good news and some bad news. I found out from the flash drive, that we all have implants inside the back of our necks. The micro-implant is a […]

Hello Hipsters! Let’s take this week to muck about. Let’s go on an Artist Date. More specifically, let’s go on a Writer’s Date.  Perhaps from now on, we will call it that! It has a great ring to it, and it describes the exact purpose of this practice. You are going to romance the heck […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings Alright. I’ll tell you everything, from start to finish. Can I get something to drink, though? A coffee … or even just water? Okay. We were both invited but I was there to make Charlie look good. I had no intention of going. I hate getting involved in […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Boot Hill I had seen her before, but I didn’t know where. Her voice is what caught my attention. I knew the voice. I turned to glance, but seeing her didn’t answer my question. It will pop into my mind in the middle of the night, when it doesn’t matter anymore. […]

OK Hipsters. This week will be like that twisted Facebook status…or Judo: You are undercover at BBQ. Any season of the year. Any country.  Across the crowd of virtual strangers, you see a colleague. They need a ride out of town, and as a matter of fact, they need an accomplice. Who are you, and […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Boot Hill Her hair blows with the wind, a sight that takes my breath away. One simple smile from her and I forget everything. Her laugh makes me laugh. Ever since I met her, my nervous system has been in complete turmoil. She was dating a friend of mine. I knew […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings Every night when I put you to sleep and every morning when I collect you from bed, and on those days when I wake up to you breathing beside me, still asleep, peacefully living in your beautiful head. Your nose moves ever so slightly as you take in […]

Do we have Spring flings? Of course we do!  This week have a fling. Have a wild Spring romance with anyone or anything. Fall in love. Brave romance. Get obsessed. Get stalked too! Be anyone or anything and fall in love with any one or any thing. Fact, fiction, poetry or prose. Write ON!

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Boot Hill “I missed a call from Mother, what is wrong today.” “I don’t like your voice on this machine, you sound barley awake. It must be all those late nights.” “No, Mother.” “Your cousin daughter’s christening is on Saturday. I knew you would forget. It is at 10 am sharp, […]

Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Jupiter’s Hive Phone rings with a clang. Rotary dial. I’m in my hide out. “Marta. You have to come up for air.” “Mom. No can do. I’m only half way through the series. I’m just about finished the night. Morning will be tomorrow and the next day. Then, the afternoon. I […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings “Houston, we’ve got a problem.” “What now?!” “We’ve just been interrupted by an American messenger ship and Carter here received a space-o-gram from his momma.” “So? Why the hell is that a problem?” “Well, see here, you don’t know Carter’s momma. My momma isn’t an easy woman, but […]

Hello Hipsters! It’s Saturday night. Your Momma called and left a message on your voicemail. She said, be home before the dawn. Only rule, show up dressed in your Sunday best. And… She hates that you’re an astronaut. How do you make it happen? Because you do! Bonus: You blew a shoe on the way. […]

Written by: Diamond Rose Dedicated to my little tumbleweed xo How would you like to be tossed about by Wind every time she howls? Wind is not my friend. She is strong, and forceful. Her superpower is invisibility. I cannot see her. But I can feel her. And some days she is loud, too. She […]

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey “Hey Q, if it’s about that 100 bones I owe you,…hey man, I can get it to you after we are all done with this Caterpillar shit,” I said with a laugh. “No, Captain, it’s not that. It’s way bigger than that. It concerns the guys, and what we […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Boot Hill As I look at these old photographs I wonder Who are these people So perfect, so true, so young, so happy Their life so full of dreams A wedding day, babies, laughter, vacations in the sun Did these perfect souls really exist Or are they just pictures hanging in […]

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings It takes one person to plant the seed and sometimes they’re even able to make it take root, but an idea or movement to better the world can only truly flourish with the support of many. A collective can affect law, bring down corruption, demand justice, and make […]

OK Hipsters! This week is a wild card. Put all your cards on the table and draw the one that speaks to you the loudest. Let it tell you a story and write it down! Go in any direction you want this week! Fact. Fiction. Poetry or prose. Write ON!

Written by: Leni Sosa; Permanence of Wings What do we have here, Miss Fancy Paper Bag. Why all the bloody tissue?! Wait. Not bad. Not bad at all. Who would forget these here? They are the kind I see on all those downtown fools waiting in line forever outside in the cold for that new […]

Written by: Collette Cottingham; Boot Hill Walking in the warm sunshine brings me so much joy. I even enjoy the click of my heels on the payment. I love walking downtown. Everywhere I look I see a building my great-grandfather built. This was his town and now it is my town. I am running the […]

Written by: Stephen Brown; Mansfield Grey Bronco picked up the bag. It was heavy. Even for him – a 6’7” kick boxer that once beat up six guys in a bar room brawl without breaking a sweat. It reminded him of his younger days, picking up and dropping off for casino bosses and money launderers. […]

Yo Trixies. You are walking in an alley in the heart of your hometown. You’re comfortable and safe – it’s a good alley. Progressive and well-chiseled graffiti. It has just rained and the sky is thinking about a sunset. The clouds agree. You check the time. You’re on time for a change (ha!). You look […]

I am shopping at the high end stores. All the clothes I try on fit perfectly.  The fabric is amazing, plus the style of the clothes hide my flaws. I look at my face in the mirror, I am glowing. I look so beautiful. I need to buy this mirror. My hair has no static, […]

My memories of all past jobs came flooding back to me in the plane, as it always does. My life as a soldier seems totally separate from my civilian life. Now, I am focused on the task at hand and it’s as if I have two separate lives: one as a husband and father, and […]

Hello Hipsters! As writers, we struggle with time. This week, you are, as always, whoever you want to be. Choose your character, and choose your narrative voice.  Be good. Be bad, Be ugly. You receive a message or a phone call to remind you of where you need to be in less than an hour. […]

I sit. The sky is falling all around me. But I sit. My feet are firm against the ground. There is the Pain, of course. There is the Pressure. And I squeeze my eyes shut until they hurt, for I smell Fear. There are the questions: How long until my body gives in? How much […]

It was 0450 hours. I expected the Colonel to come busting through the mess hall door at any second, and just like clockwork there he was in all his glory. Standing tall and assertive with arms the size of cannons he piped up and said “Attention! Red Band 1! Whiskey, Bravo, Charlie is ready and […]

Time can be a friend, but it can also be an enemy. As time moves forward we have learned much and made mistakes with tragic consequences. Through all this we learned to move forward. There are parts of the past that remain hidden, secrets we will never uncover, or so we thought. My employer found […]

Hello Hipsters! Ok. Slayers of Words and Wranglers of the Magnificent… This: You are a caterpillar on the inside. On the outside, you are whatever your leader demands. Where are you? What are you wearing? What is your secret mission? Fantastic, metaphorical, or bona fide, give us a day in the life. Fact, fiction, poetry […]

The ground is wet, the wind is harsh…ouch, “Gosh darn it,” I wave my finger in the air, like that does anything. I suck the wound and spit. This takes some of the sting out. That barbwire sure can bite. I reach down into my yellow bucket. It’s my own dang fault. I should’ve had […]

The warm rays of the sun beam down on the fresh corduroy made by the groomer. Snow glistens and shines as if it’s made of diamonds. The sky is bright peacock blue, the colour of a crayola pencil crayon. Crows dance above and sway to the slightest breeze. It’s only 9:00 A.M. and my feet […]

Hello Hipsters! We return from the wild. We bring with us the experience of the adventure, and now we become the teacher. The challenge is to become the teacher, and teach something new to the reader, in the first person. Be the teacher! Channel your inner Einstein perhaps?  You can teach anything you want to […]

I traveled to the depths of my imagination to found myself tending bar…There’s dark raw wood, exposed beams in the ceiling, brown leather booths and extra long picnic tables in the centre, with a few small intimate tables by the window and one single round table.  The brushed metal and wood give the place an […]

The wind cuts like ice biting into ones flesh. Winter was upon them. She drew strength from the cold. Her gift was a treasure and curse. A power others longed to control.  As she descended the cobble stones steps the click of her feet echoed in rhythm with her heart beat. Her breath was like […]

I arrived at Fort Bragg at 0500 hours, the day of the debriefing. A little early but that is how our band was trained. The Colonel had trained us to always be prepared, live with integrity, and to discipline ourselves to know our job so we could do it unconsciously .  He always trained us […]

Hot and dry, sand and rocks, wind and the river, the only thing that bred here was sagebrush and rattle snakes. I am a daughter of the desert. I am a creation of the river waters that cut through the canyon on their way to somewhere greater. I still live here even after all these […]

I got the call at 7 am. It was Q. I hadn’t heard from him or anyone like him for years. I had been living a normal life with no drama, no anxiety, no craziness. Now I was being pulled back in to a life of no sleep, limited nutrition and a schedule that would […]

The call came in about a week ago and I could barely contain my bladder from the excitement. Nick told me “Come on, bud! It’s time to go. We’ll be in the city in no time!” I can usually understand him but sometimes he tells me stuff and all I can do is stare. He […]

Hey Hipsters! You’re a little bit Country, and a little bit Rock and Roll. Equal parts. You’re getting the band back together. Fact or fiction; poetry or prose. Write ON!

I died in 1814. I continue to occupy my body, but my soul is gone. My soul is buried in the cold ground with the rest of my family, on a plantation in Virginia. My body now lives in New York, even though my life had ended time continued on as if nothing had happened. […]

Time stands still vigil a moment of silence for free in reverence with honour then gently Time opens its hand returning to me that which was never lost but kept safely between the lines Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Jupiter’s Hive

I’m a time wizard. I am always in the right place at the right time. Especially at the ski hill. It’s so busy. The parking lot if full at 10:30 this morning. I’m late arriving, yes, but still, it’s way busier than it typically is for a Sunday. The sun is beaming wide and bright. […]

They had no choice but to enter the saloon; that’s where the bastard spent his nights before he became an outlaw and took a pretty red-haired farm girl with him – a girl he was presently charming into leaving with him. He would eventually leave her behind, once she got pregnant, without giving it a […]

Ridiculous. It’s Sunday! My apologies. It is supposed to be Saturday! WE are collectively a week ahead with this transition to the new forum, but I’M a day behind! Going forward the new challenge will be posted on Saturday mornings. So, let’s turn this into our Inspiration Challenge! This week, write about time – lost, […]

My name is Mansfield Grey. I don’t know if I should be writing this, or communicating my secret life to the public, but my only hope is to get a message to my contact  by . . any means possible. During one life, you see and speak to many people. There are many paths to […]

It’s late July and it’s the kind of exhausting heat that even 3 am doesn’t conquer. It’s not dark, nor is it light.  The moon is still glowing full, and the sun is slowly waking from its slumber. I’ve saddled up my horse, Eleven and spent the majority of  yesterday scoping out and setting up […]

“Mon, what is taking so long?” “Rach, the toilet paper is going the wrong direction. I have to fix it.” “Monica, no you don’t.” “Can I figure out how to work the toilet paper mechanism?” “What, no Monica we need to go.” “Rach, I did it” “Can we go now Mon?” “Rach, the people in […]

Jimmy would have found this funny.  Jimmy. These cops are so nervous, walking back and forth with inflated chests, crossing their arms, stopping to look down at me, to get in my face and ask their questions… all sad intimidation tactics.  Was it for Nucky?  Who sent me? What’d they think if they knew it […]

Hello Hipsters! This week’s writing challenge is a double-barreller! First: Who is your favourite fictional character? BE that person. Second: Get arrested! Write the story of what happened the day that _______ got arrested. Fact, fiction, poetry or prose. Write ON!

Falcon is her name; after the bird soaring above as she was birthed into this world. Her eyes are as black as the night and her skin the colour of caramel. Her straight black hair shimmers with a hint of blue in just the right light. She was born with gifts not even her elders […]

Robbie lost his wife four months ago and quit taking his medication after the funeral. It hadn’t occurred to him that he could just stop until one day he was about to take a pill and found himself flushing them down the toilet instead. He was just going through the motions these days. Robert wasn’t […]

Her screams were piercing. Her cry echoed through the neighborhood. The screams were in harmony with the objects being plummeting against the wall, windows and floors. Her rage is powerful. One scream sends shivers down my spine. I find myself holding my breath. I walk toward her door. Why do I have to do this? […]

And ultimately it was that job that drove me to this: The Book of Revelations is written on the souls of my feet Written by: Adrienne Yeardye; Jupiter’s Hive

Hello Hipsters! This week, use the line from a Hip song to inspire a piece. I had a job before this. And ultimately it was that job that drove me to this… Take “this” in any direction. Enjoy! Fact, fiction, poetry or prose. Write ON! PS It’s from New Orleans is Sinking, the live Killer […]

We go everywhere together. She’s bright and sparkly, and a smile forms on my face every time I see her. It all started with trips to the ski hill; long, windy roads with a cliff’s edge on one side and a rock escarpment on the other. The trip is an hour long, on roads that […]

I have a secret. One I have kept since I was six. It started out as any normal day for a six year old. I left in the morning to go exploring around my house. I walked to the great wall that lined our community. I saw two giant rocks resting next to each other. […]

I am not allowed to go to Boot Hill Cemetery located in Virginia City, Montana. There is a darkness that surrounds the cemetery. It isn’t a safe place. The cemetery got its name, because the first residences passed away with their boots on, which in the old west, is not a good thing. My family’s […]

A secret garden is within the mind that is controlled by ego until ego becomes secondary in ones evolution. The secret garden that is spoke of in so many songs is the oneness of being your true self with no words. Words are learned, manufactured and filtered by the ego. Everything is labelled to each […]

I’m never sure exactly what wakes me. I’m never sure if my eyes are open to the smell of coffee, to the breeze off the lake and through the sunshine, or if to the glint of the blue stain glass, its twinkling. The cat is always purring gently, and I always wonder how long she’s […]

I tend to overthink things. That’s me. I’ve come to the realization that I probably won’t lose that characteristic. Sometimes it will work for me and sometimes it can really work against me. When it’s working against me, I need to cut myself off. I need to decompress. The thing is, when you tend to […]

Calling all ya’ll: Do you have a figurative secret garden? Tell us about it!  

He knew better than to walk right into her kitchen when she cooked and so he stood by the entrance of the cramped room. He would have towered over the tiny barefoot woman if he were any closer. She stood on a stool by the oven because she was too short to stir the stew […]

For the record, my heart’s desire is to write fiction. Truth and fact, that’s easy and utilitarian. The real challenge, the real love of my life, is always the mythical, that force grinding the dullness off of the edges and sharpening life into the beauty that it already is. We do not resist fiction. We […]

Oh my goodness. It is a potato! I love potatoes. I will eat them mashed, fried, chopped, whole or baked.  Why? Why not! They are delicious. I try not to think of the great potato famine, because I cry. Did you know millions of potatoes perished? They couldn’t be eaten.  No mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, […]

I make coffee. And the best damn coffee on the planet for sure! Every morning my coffee ritual is my sanctuary. The place and time I carve out for myself. It’s not just any old routine, it’s a necessity. It sets the tone for my day. I prep my stove top Brikka espresso maker the […]

What is your favourite Food? Write 400 words in any direction on this topic! Whoop whoop!

Psoas long as the stars hang in the sky still The ankle bone is connected to the cervical spine Then Looking Up I wrote this a bunch of years ago. I have shared it 2 other times; this is the third. Both times, the reaction was silence, no comment. The first time to the man […]

When I was in high school I thought I was in love with two boys: the quintessential stoner and a preppy whose name I can’t even remember. I obviously wasn’t in love with either of them … that position actually belonged to a boy whose name will remain unmentioned! I was in denial. When I […]

I don’t want to spend my life with my dress tucked into my pantyhose. I have repeated this saying many times in my life. Why you may ask, because I learned from an embarrassing situation. I am a very shy person. I don’t know what to say to people. If I say anything it ends […]

Tell us about an embarrassing situation that happened to you.

Stephen Brown is a father,author, actor, and wellness trainer. he lives and grew up in Dundas On. Through his many life experiences he has come to realize, what the mind believes the body will follow. He believes Mindfulness should be taught in schools to adolescents to teach them how to control their thoughts and actions, […]

Collette Cottingham is a mother, grandmother, sister, daughter, and friend. She has been a taxi driver, chef, negotiator, mediator, house cleaner, decorator, personal assistant, tutor, landscaper, and toilet plunger queen. She currently enjoys the simple things life has to offer. Collette gets excited over board games, swings, music, dancing, writing, singing, doll furniture, sunshine, make […]

Diamond Rose, British Columbia Originally from Ontario, however I always knew I was going to end up in BC. When I was 25 years old I took myself on my first ‘real’ vacation to Cuba and did not want to come back to my life as a Dental Assistant. I wanted a ‘Life Break’. I […]

Leni Sosa resides in Ontario. She often thinks about moving to Canada’s east coast, but then remembers that hell can come in the form of a long, cold winter. She really digs music, the ocean, peculiar people, dirt, colossal movies, photography, forests (and oddly, lumberjacks), as well as things that go bump in the night, […]

Hello All! This is the place where we post a picture and a little bio about ourselves. Tell us who you are. Please use a picture of YOU that we can see. As the community grows this will be how we connect to each other. The connection to each other is our number one asset. […]

When I was younger I was gullible.  I’m not talking about when I was a little kid because if someone has had a fairly normal upbringing, at that age it’s easy to believe anything.  When I was a very young woman, I would walk around thinking that, generally, everyone told the truth and everyone that […]

My Grandpa lies. Big ones. Fat ones. Short ones. Skinny ones. And he’s good too. He can tell a thorough half-truth while shoe-horning into his hushpuppies, without even blinking an eye. In fact, some of his best lies are so good, they have been happily, and knowingly, traded for the truth.   When I was […]

I was completing my 35th year of life when my wife at the time, decided to throw me a surprise party. I am not one for surprises, or somebody making a fuss over me. I am calm , cool, and low key. I get along with everyone, and feel just like an observer of life […]

Or…. they don’t! Describe an incident that left you feeling people are quite gullible. Fact or fiction, we’ll never know!

Technically, Martin died of a stroke. The sound of his head hitting the floor pierced the silence. By the time the ice cubes from his Manhattan came to a gentle stop on the immaculate hardwood, he had arrived, and was sitting comfortably in the wing back by the fire. He was relieved that his body […]

I came to you softly like a cradle song, your big eyes taking it in and little hands holding on. I kept you close to me long after the first giggles … long after your last real laugh. You didn’t realize you’d been bitten and made eternal. I am the gateway to limitless journeys with […]

Happy New Year Hipsters! There is a meme out there slathering itself all over social media. Let’s capture it and put it in a bug-jar. “Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one.” Brad Paisley It’s on it’s second lap around the Universe and is sure to make […]

When I was a child I didn’t believe in Santa Claus. At least, I didn’t believe in the Santa Claus with the belly like a bowl full of jelly and the “ho, ho, ho”.  Nope, my mother didn’t buy into Santa. Mom explained that Saint Nicholas was a real person and did a lot of […]

Hello Hipsters! The season is about to have its way with us. Kids, candy, and Christmas cheer. It’s a holiday! This week, write about your favourite holiday tradition. Fact, fiction, poetry or prose…. and a reminder that you don’t have to be you. Write ON! Enjoy!

I’m an elf on the shelf Thousands are we I see you starting back at me But who is me? If all the same you and we I’m an elf on the shelf And I see the little girl who points And the little boy who laughs I don’t want to look at all the […]

Dear Santa, I hope this letter finds you. I stuck it in their outgoing mail pile when they weren’t home. I also hope you’re getting lots of rest and enjoying Mrs. C’s amazing Christmas cookies! I miss her Pink Snowballs. Just three more nights for Christmas Eve! It’s been a real adventure for me here. […]

When my agent told me she had just the gig to cure my mid-career crisis, of course I guffawed. I told her I still felt like I was 20. She said: “Yes. Ill-humoured, under-fed, and over-caffeinated. You’re a train wreck.” “Whatever. I look fabulous! These shoes are in, my friend.” “Yes. If you are 20. […]

Hey Hipsters!  The time is near…. YOU are the Elf on the Shelf. What do you see? Fact. Fiction. Poetry or prose. Write ON.