Featured Writer - Ties That Bind - Challenge No 28.

Hello All! Happy 2012!

I was surprised and gratified to see so many entries over the holiday period! You're a wonderful group!












Thank you to our new followers. I hope you may decide to post to a prompt that catches your eye in the future. New Year's Resolutions coming up, followed by a prompt by a guest prompter, writer Jules Preston, partner of our own Laura Bambrey. Jules has sent me several, so I'm so excited to have fresh input. Keep those poems and stories coming!

Don't forget to support each other. RFWer posts primarily for each other to read the different takes on the prompts. Make sure, as time allows, you get around and read each other's entries and leave a comment. It's nice to follow each other's blogs, twitter and facebook etc. It is good to tweet entries if you like them, so make sure you have a twitter button enabled at the end of your post. I am still trialling the Vote system, mainly as a back up for me not having Francine's input any more. This poll lacks truth if voters haven't read all the entries. By going around to read up to three times for my own benefit in choosing the FWer I see that some entries have only been visited by two or three RFWers. Can we improve on this?

The Ties That Bind challenge brought forth some great writing, prose and poetry. One of the beauties of writing in this group is that you are encouraged to challenge yourself. Both Anna and I tried a little poetry this week. It is refreshing to have a go. I warn you that my next entry is all poetry.

This week we had visits from other-worldly figures, we had humour, we had heart-pumpingly beautiful poetry. We have some stupendous poets in the group, and hats off to Andy who's often the first to post each challenge!

This week Andy didn't make Featured Writer, but I'd like to award him the Encouragement Award. This is because Andy exemplifies the word encouragement. I see his generous comments to you all, he encourages me by posting to every challenge (except for when he was very ill), and he's a great roving ambassador for RFWer. Thank you Andy. Please accept this award and display it on your blog.

 Runner up this week goes to two gifted writers. Firstly, Heaven, who's poem made me tingle. What a great use of the prompt. That line: 'your lips bend close and savor my red wine lips' got a lot of well-deserved comments. Sharing Runner Up is Donna Hole, with her creepy blood-oath tale.

Which brings me to, tada! Featured Writer. I could have chosen Heaven, Donna or...Laura. I went with Laura as she SO cleverly used the theme to the extent real 'ties' were involved and this worked in a perfectly circular story. The romantic element was present, alongside a very annoying character to add interest. Congrats Laura. I hope you write a lot more for us in 2012. Please take the badge and display it on your blog as you wish.

Let's congratulate all the winners. I hope you enjoyed this challenge as much as I did. 

As I am running RFWer alone now I'd really appreciate any suggestions you have to improve it. Feel free to drop me an email if you have something constructive to say, or you can offer suggestions in the comments which might lead to an interesting discussion. 

• My main aim for the group is to practise our writing, to improve our writing, and to help each other. What is your main aim?
• I'm enjoying the fortnightly postings. It gives me more time for other ventures. Is it working for you?

My email is: den.covey@gmail.com

May New Year's happiness continue!

Looking forward to your comments/emails:

Denise (L'Aussie)