Blogging beats other social media...at least for my readers. And a little romance...

Hello everyone!

My post for IWSG (below) was about whether we preferred blogging over other social media. It seems (not surprisingly) those who visit me prefer blogging. That's good to know. Most commenters who prefer blogging stated, however, that they have changed the way they blog. Instead of daily, or thrice-weekly posts, most are posting once a week. Personally, I think once a week is enough to keep in touch and have your little soapbox/inspirational/crafty moment, but more importantly, it enables us to devote more time to our writing.

Apparently, Wednesdays and Thursdays are the prime blog post reading days, so if you post once a week, maybe you, like me, are posting around Wednesday.

Today I am giving a shout out to my monthly bloghop, WEP, which is there to give writers of any ilk the chance to participate in a writing prompt. It is a great way to get feedback, and some (including myself) have used the bloghop to write a serial that will evolve into a publishable novella. It's amazing how the prompt can shape the story.

Some of you know that WEP evolved from RomanticFridayWriters, but that shut out those who didn't write romance, or didn't think they did. But most of us agree that whatever the genre, often a romantic element gives the story that buzz, that tension, that isn't present if there's no hint of romance.

I saw The Fault in our Stars yesterday. For those of you who've read the book, I highly recommend the movie which stays very true to the book. Even though this is a story of living with a terminal illness, without the romance between Hazel and Gus the story would not have been nearly as engaging. Their romance gave readers/viewers a focus for their shattered emotions as they viewed teenage angst from another point of view.

So, on Wednesday 24th June - Friday 26th June, I invite you to dabble in romance if you haven't before, or post romantic photos, post a photo essay from a romantic city/place/time in your life, pen romantic poetry, get your vamp on...whatever you fancy! There's a $10 Amazon Gift Card for the most creative entry!

As a taster for the ROMANCE prompt, here is a romance with a twist I wrote a couple of years ago for #FridayFlash when I got my vamp on...I hope you enjoy it.

I remember when the sky stretched above me, high and blue. I remember it filtering through the branches in slivers of light.

You reached out your hand and took the picnic blanket, red and black, made of the softest wool. You shook it free from its folds, its tassels floating in the afternoon breeze, until it settled onto the thick grass.

Mesmerised, I watched the rise and fall of your arms, then you stepped forward, held those arms out to me.

There we lay, bathed in sunlight and joy, inhaling the sweet smell of the sea.

So wrapped were we in each other we didn't notice the air had become cool.

I turn and see the stranger who is no stranger.

The strength of him is like nothing I've seen. His powerful arms fling me aside as if I were a rag doll. My face is in the grass. I squirm to the side, my head thick and throbbing.

I hear my Adoni grunt. The stranger is a madman. The two men struggle, but Adoni is no match for those arms, muscles like steel ropes, squeezing. 

Adoni is failing.

I fling myself onto the madman's back. I feel helpless but Adoni needs me. 

Pulling, pulling, on the ropey arms. The stranger turns to me and I see eyes gleaming like underwater stones.

It is the moment of inattention Adoni needs.

"Rialdo!" he screams. "She's mine now. Let us be!"

The madman falls to his knees. I peer closer. It is Rialdo. I remember the sweetness of our love...but this is another Rialdo, a man undone by love, Adoni's and mine.

I drop to my knees and face him.

"Adoni speaks truly, Rialdo. Our love was of another time, another world."

"My world is bleak and black without you, my love. I have come for you."

"No!" I hear Adoni scream.

Rialdo's eyes burn red in the fading light.

"No!" I echo Adoni's scream, dread thrumming through me. "I must stay with Adoni. He is my life now! We have many years of earthly pleasure before us."

"I'm sorry my beloved, but I must take you with me this time. Now. You will be mine into eternity."

I remember the last earthly sound I heard. It was the rustling of the leaves in the trees at the edge of the forest and my name in the wind - "Elspeth! Elspeth! Stay!"

Over to you...

You can practise your short stories, flash fiction, poetry etc during the WEP challenge each month. Current prompt - ROMANCE. You can sign up right here in my sidebar or visit WRITE...EDIT..PUBLISH.Love to have you - you can request critique, suggestions...we may even help you get published!!