Authors can share a link to their short stories (less than 2000 words please) or poetry, and it won’t cost you a penny! The deadline is 28th February. Stories or poems can be on any subject, but please keep them reasonably family friendly. On 1st March I will pick a winner and runner up and share the links to the stories on my website, Facebook and Twitter pages. Please ensure that you add the link to your story to February’s submission page and not any previous month, or it may be missed.
I look forward to reading your efforts. The winners can use these laurels to add to their story:
Here’s a little poem to keep you entertained while you think up a lovely story for me:
THE IRONING BOARD BLUES, BY STEVIE TURNER
COPYRIGHT STEVIE TURNER 2019
When I was but twelve years old
My mother said to me,
Somewhere a woman irons shirts
Of the boy you’ll one day marry.
I met the ironer of his shirts
When I was twenty one.
She could hardly bear the sight of me,
When I took away her son.
Ironing his shirts then fell to me,
After we were wed.
His mum threw her iron on the floor
And wished that I was dead.
After seven years of wedded bliss,
I’d had enough of ironing.
He’d never offer to help at all,
My love for him was expiring.
I showed him how to use an iron
He burned his favourite shirt.
He watched with green-eyed envy
As I pressed my cotton skirt.
“You’ll soon get the hang of it”
I said to my erstwhile lover.
He thought a bit, smashed down the iron
And telephoned his mother.
Round she came, that vexatious witch,
That thorn in my backside.
She gave me a glare
While standing there
So angry I’d not yet died.
“Bring me your shirts, you lovely boy
Bring every shirt you’ve got.”
She starts to rant.
“Bring trousers and pants
I’ll do the bloody lot!”
With a gimlet eye I asked her,
“D’you fancy doing my stuff?
I’m never ironing another thing.
I’ve laboured long enough.”
A middle finger was raised to me
And so it’s safe to say,
Mother-in-law won’t be ironing
My skirts and dresses today.
RichDHarris said:
I was all excited at the chance to enter, and then I realized the date.
I’ll see about hitting up the April contest.
Would something like the following be “family friendly enough”?
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Royal said:
Here is a short story I’ve been thinking about for a while called Given the Opportunity.
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks. Can you submit it in April when I have a new contest please? February’s one has been and gone unfortunately.
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Royal said:
Loved the poem. Here is a short story that I wrote recently called Given the Opportunity.
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks for connecting.
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jwebster2 said:
I was very torn this month as to which to share, so I decided on this one, for no real reason
written with St Valentine in mind 😉
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks Jim for taking part this month.
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jwebster2 said:
You’d have to beat me off with a stick to stop me taking part 🙂
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Stevie Turner said:
Lol!
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Artistic Fox said:
Mine is at https://books157518712.wordpress.com and is titled My Nightlight. I hope I’m not too late!
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Artistic Fox said:
https://books157518712.wordpress.com/2019/03/01/my-nightlight/
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Stevie Turner said:
Do enter your story in April. Just leave a link to it when I publish the post.
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Lisa Savitzky said:
I’ve been blogging for a while, but just recently started writing short stories. I just published my first post here … https://lisasavitzky.com/2019/02/16/the-morning-walk/ I think it’s GREAT that you do this. It allows for people to get their stories out to a larger community!
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks for submitting your story, Lisa.
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D. Avery @shiftnshake said:
First of all, I enjoyed your poem. I don’t iron, it just isn’t important. It is to my husband and he does his own.
Perhaps though you’ve heard of this poor fellow:
He had trouble multitasking in fact burnt his ear
Put the hot iron to it, calling his mother dear
I’d like to tell you only that one ear does he lack
But he burnt the other when his mother called him back.
Second of all, thank you for this opportunity to share my writing. Here is the link for my February story. https://shiftnshake.wordpress.com/2019/02/15/agitation/
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Stevie Turner said:
Great poem! Thanks for submitting your story.
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Pingback: Agitation | ShiftnShake
Stevie Turner said:
Thanks for linking up.
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Writer In A Hat said:
Ooh! I’m glad I spotted this before the deadline. Here’s a short flash fic from me:
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Stevie Turner said:
Thank you!
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penjungi said:
Thanks for this. Here’s a link to my short story: https://millenialfiction479021743.wordpress.com/
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks for taking part this month.
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PEACE said:
POEM
https://beautifuluniverse06.wordpress.com/2019/02/09/am-i-introvert/
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marisundays said:
Fun poem, I love ironing! here is the link to my short story: https://unomaswriter.wordpress.com/2019/02/09/a-scrumptious-secret/
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks for taking part this month!
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savu makkar said:
hey checkout mine closer to heart .
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks.
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savu makkar said:
thanks for the opportunity stevie ! i written a short story closer to my heart .you can read that https://betheflyinggirl.wordpress.com/2019/02/07/that-daddys-girl/?preview=true
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savu makkar said:
i have always written one of the short story closer to my heart much i hope you admire it https://betheflyinggirl.wordpress.com/2019/02/07/that-daddys-girl/?preview=true
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Stephen Bentley said:
Loved it. Hated ironing, myself. No problem any more living in the Philippines. Tees and shorts don’t need ironing 🙂
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Stevie Turner said:
Lucky you!
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abbiejohnsontaylor said:
Here’s a link to a poem I just posted on my website’s poetry sample page. I’ll try to post a new poem there every month, so after reading this one, you can bookmark the page and check back at about the same time next month. While you’re on my site, you can learn more about my books and find links to purchase them. I also have a fiction sample page and will soon be adding a nonfiction sample page. Enjoy!
http://www.abbiejohnsontaylor.com/poetry-sample/
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks for submitting, Abbie. My next contest will be in April, so just add a link in April if you want to take part again.
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thefpiaf said:
Hey, Stevie! An apposite, good poem that is!
And thankyou so much for this opportunity. Here’s the link to my story:
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks for submitting.
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Phil Huston said:
My mother taught me to iron when I was very young. Even to defeat what she called the evil Levis that had inseams “cut on the bias.” Whatever that meant. Which is good because it seems every woman I ever knew failed Home Ec, or got out of it with a different elective like art or music. Including my wife of 39 years. Then I discovered – eureka moment – The Cleaners! Pants that can be worn a week and never lose their crease as long as no stray gravy finds your leg. Motivation like that is reason enough to keep your table manners sharpened.
But that’s not why I’m here. Why? Snakes and shotguns, that’s why!
Thanks!
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Stevie Turner said:
It doesn’t find your leg, because it’s dripped down your tie instead! Thanks for your story, Phil.
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Phil Huston said:
Thanks. You know when I thorw things up on the big screen I find all the things I should have fixed on the way to the page…
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Phil Huston said:
Like spleelling and stuf.
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Stevie Turner said:
Wot spleelling? Oi headn’te knotissed…
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OIKOS™-Publishing said:
Lovely poem, with a very great headline! Thank you for sharing, Stevie! Have a beautiful weekend! Michael
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks. You too, Michael.
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OIKOS™-Publishing said:
:-))
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Steve Boseley said:
Reblogged this on Author Steve Boseley – Half a Loaf of Fiction and commented:
Something to get your teeth into…
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks for re-blogging!
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HL Carpenter said:
Thanks for the opportunity! Here’s a short mystery story published on our site.
https://bit.ly/2TpjT4f
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks for submitting!
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Gigi Sedlmayer said:
Hi Stevie, very nice poem.
Here is my little story for the competition.
http://gigised.com/daydreaming/
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Darlene said:
I love your poem, Stevie! Here is a story for the competition. https://darlenefoster.wordpress.com/2019/02/01/ghosts-in-the-attic/
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Pingback: Ghosts in the Attic | Darlene Foster's Blog
Julie G said:
Reblogged this on Writing and Rhythm.
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks Julie.
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Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life. said:
Reblogged this on Smorgasbord Blog Magazine and commented:
Have you posts a short story recently that you would like to share.. then read the post and follow the submission guidelines so you can put our link in the right place to be noticed… head over to Stevie Turner pronto..
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks Sally!
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Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life. said:
Pleasure Stevie…
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Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life. said:
Love the poem Stevie.. my first mother-in-law has spoiled my husband thoroughly and she criticised my ironing… finally after four years and reaching the end of my thether and our relationship she sat on the sofa one day and told me I should iron his underpants.. I told her only with him still in them! Will pass the post along… hugsx
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Stevie Turner said:
I laughed at this comment, Sally. I have had numerous mother-in-law issues over the years, but finally I think she has calmed down. However, it’s taken 40 years…
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Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life. said:
Well done Stevie, my second mother-in-law was a delight but unfortunately died 25 years ago.. xxx
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richarddeescifi said:
Hi Stevie and thanks for the opportunity. Here’s my effort for your February contest https://richarddeescifi.co.uk/be-careful-friday-flash-fiction/
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks Richard.
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Julie G said:
Hi Stevie. Thanks and done. Here is the link:
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks for submitting your story, Julie.
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Julie G said:
Lovely poem. Here is my short story submission for the February contest.
https://storytellingdancer.files.wordpress.com/2018/07/our-bench-by-the-sea.docx
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks Julie.
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Stevie Turner said:
Hi Julie, you need to publish the story on your blog, then put a link to it in the comments section of this blog. Thanks.
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jwebster2 said:
loved the poem. I assume for the short stories we just put the link on our blogs?
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Stevie Turner said:
Hi Jim – publish the story on your blog, then put the link to it in the comments section of my Share Your Short Story blog for February.
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jwebster2 said:
I’ll get on to Tallis about it 🙂
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