Saturday 19 February 2011

First Crusader Challenge - Check out the Publication Party below!


The founder of the Writer's Platform-Building Crusade has set the first writing challenge. In Rachel Harrie's words: 'It’s a bit of a getting-to-know-you exercise with a little bit of a twist.'

The challenge is to write 300 words or less, telling readers one secret, one lie, one interesting quirk, one annoying habit · one of your best character traits, and one of your favourite things in the whole world.


All of that sounds hunkey dorey, but the challenge lies in using random words: “bloviate,” “fuliguline,” “rabbit,” and “blade”. Er, what's that you say? They are actual words, so excuse me while I google their meaning!

Right! Not that it makes it any easier to actually know what these little suckers mean, but now I see I have to finish my post with something along the lines of, “I may have revealed something about me that isn’t strictly true, can you guess what it is?” And then I have to give the answer in my next post!


After all that kerfuffle, here is my entry:

One of my most precious possessions is a fuliguline made by my son. Only a mother would love it - it's downright ugly - but it takes pride of place among my notorious collection of dust-gathering figurines. I'm not a bone collector, I'm a dust collecter. When I run out of inspiration and find myself darting about like some rabbit (er, rabbiting along I think that's called), I grab my trusty blade and head off into fuliguline-ville and work on my scenes for the fantasy epic I'm writing. Why a blade? Well, you can't feint and slash with a duster, that's so 1950s.

I tend to bloviate so did I keep under 300 words?

I may have revealed something about me that isn’t strictly true, can you guess what it is?

All my trusty followers are invited to comment on this post if you find anything worth commenting about. Do you think I've got a good mixture of fun/fact/fantasy in my few words?


37 comments:

Trisha said...

My guess - you don't dart about :D

Sylvia said...

I think the lie is the fuliguline made by your son!

Nas said...

It was great reading your answers!

Anonymous said...

Hmm, the dust collection?

Margo Benson said...

I like this! No idea of the fib but poss the fuliguline?

Unknown said...

Loved it, especially the 50's duster.

Francine Howarth said...

Hi,

This all sounds such fun! I tried to join the crusade - Alas too late, the cough slowed me down in every way.

Anyhoo, to your challenge: Fantasy Epic kind of sounds a bit far fetched for a Francophile - can't see you writing a Frog Prince theme AKA Shrekesque ;)

best
F

The Words Crafter said...

It's way too early in the morning for my brain! Hmmmm, I don't really have a clue, but it was fun reading how you worked in the weird words :)

Zan Marie said...

I don't think the house is dusty, Denise. : ) Really. That would be a great lie. We'd believe it because of our houses.

Unknown said...

Hmm... I kinda thought fuliguline was an adjective so maybe the lie is that your son MADE ONE? I don't know!

xx Rachel

Danette said...

I am at a loss on your lie except that you said your a dust collector-- so I am not sure about your collection. Either you don't have a collection of things or you don't have dust! Or I am out thinking this! :) Happy Crusading!

Summer Ross said...

good post! I have no clue what the lie is- I think the blade is the lie.

Unknown said...

Great post! I guess that you aren't working on a fantasy epic. :))

Hey -- I haven't checked my email this morning, but did you get my message that you won the Bernard Pivot Blogfest giveaway?!! Congrats, again! Info on my blog :))

Jai Joshi said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
N. R. Williams said...

I will have to look that "f" word up too. Entertaining post regardless.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, fantasy author

Jai Joshi said...

I guessed at what was the lie and then I second guessed myself. I think it's the fuliguline.

Jai

Golden Eagle said...

Hi, Fellow Crusader! :D

My guess is you don't actually have a fuliguline made by your son.

Witless Exposition said...

Great post! I'm going to guess that you're not a dust collector. Tough to pick it out!

Savannah Chase said...

Great answers...Not sure of the fib....

Anonymous said...

Hmmm,maybe the epic fantasy is a lie and you're writing a piece in a different genre.

These things are fun, like mini-mysteries :)

L.A. Colvin said...

Oh this is hard. I don't know but I like the picture

Unknown said...

I'm going to guess that you don't collect figurines? Fellow crusader, nice to meet you!

EJW

Regina said...

I'm going to guess that you are not a dust collector. Fellow crusader and new follower making my rounds. Really nice post.

Ann said...

I wonder if you really brandish that sword?!? Great take on the challenge.

dolorah said...

LOL; I didn't google the words. I probably should have b/c I used them totally in the wrong context.

My guesses:
- your probably did make a horrid figurine that has an embarrassing place of honor on your display shelf.
- you probably don't dart about like a rabbit; from reading todays Indie post life is pretty slow in Oz
- fantasy epic? Well, if vampires in a historical romance could be considered fantasy . .
- LOL you do have weird quirks if you use a blade instead of duster :)
- bloviate; if that means over write, I doubt that.

This was fun Denise.

........dhole

VR Barkowski said...

I'm going to say it's all true, Denise, except I don't believe your son gave you a fuliguline. It was probably something else. I doubt your house is dusty either, but you probably think it is. :)

Kerri Cuev said...

Is this find Waldo? Very well hidden, I have no clue lol.

J.L. Campbell said...

The light might be that your son made a fuliguline.

Amanda Milner said...

Hmm, toughie, I think you really are a bone collector! Ooh! heehee☺

Lisa Potts said...

I don't think your son's fuliguline is ugly at all.

Denise Covey said...

Hee hee hee everyone! You've got as much idea as I have what this means!

Denise:)

Patricia A. Timms-McGehee said...

I want to go out on a limb and say dust collecting. I bet that fuliguline from your son is sitting in a curio. Fun post!

Unknown said...

Is it that the fuliguline made by your son the lie?

Hello fellow crusader!

Len Lambert said...

Hmmm...fuliguline made by your son? Not sure about your lie...hehehe, you're good, Denise! :)

Anonymous said...

Wield that duster Denise! When you're finished you might like to check out the collective writing experiment I'm running in March:

http://tinyurl.com/4zd7or7

Chenoa

kar_took said...

Hmm...the lie is maybe that your writing a fantasy epic?

I'm so impressed with everyone's challenge entries. Good luck winning the prize.

Anonymous said...

I'm a finalist? YAY! Thank you <3