GARLANDS AND GOODIES

Prompt 2: Plot twist of 2025

The Wild Arcs of April :

It's been a worthwhile time spent on the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge 2025. While time was not entirely in my favour after April 9, I had to suspend the event due to unforeseen, unavoidable and unfortunate circumstances when my dear father exited the earthly realm on the 10th. I picked it up from where I left off after April 27 th.

Having lost a crucial chunk of time didn't deter me much and I did write just for the love of it.

During these 26 days of writing-- spanning the alphabetical order from A-Z, it was an enriching experience with my theme of Wellness/Lifestyle/Philosophy and Self care with every title picked from a foreign language.

From ANAM CARA to ZÕV AMDRAL, I wrote a whopping 30,356 words on my blog!

In view of the blogging team's theme of gratitude for 2025, I'm brimming with joy to see the unexpected readership count on each piece.

With everyone's unwavering support and especially for the mini series of the two adorable cats Muay Thai and Fluffnut from the letters G-M, I limped through the event.

Writing about the felines was what kept me going until I found some calm and stability when the going got rough and rugged.

While the tough in me kept going, 2025 was a year I wish could rewind and rewrite if I had the power to.

But in sole acceptance of how things have turned out to be, this virtual trophy is a salve on the enduring and surfacing through the depths of dim waters for a gulp of fresh air and warm sunshine.

The Plum Rewards of Novel Writing November NaNoWriMo:

19 Days and 30 K words! Sailed through the choppy waters of a pre- decided target on a limb. I relive the rip-roaring moment every single day hence. Did I really...? But then, of course I did!

I had grossly underestimated myself over a seemingly impossible larger than life NaNoWriMo when I had dived headlong into it without a charting course.

Registering myself as a Pantser, I wandered aimlessly through the plot, but not quite! The deep dark woods of words without a prior outline led me to discover untrodden, pristine paths and that was the beauty of the unfurling of the script!

All said and done, I'm one of the unsung heroes of NaNoWriMo 2025 and yet it's a flex! And with a flourish I accept my laurels in the quiet of my own writing bubble celebrating with my accountability buddies.

I did it! This day goes down in my history 💜 What a high 🥂🍾🏆

****

Now that wasn't so intimidating as I thought it would be now, was it! When I crossed the 30K word count target on Day 19, my novel was incomplete by far...a very, very far stretch.

Six more chapters of approx 1,670 words--sometimes more a day and I reached my highest summit with total word count of 41,485 words on Day 25 sealing a deserving finality to all the characters! Some with Just Desserts too 😉

You know what was the most exhilarating bit? To type "The End" !

Phew ! What a joyous journey that was that wore me wafer thin on days, yet I committed to it like none other. Polished three-quarters of the way, the story still holds a wide scope to make it concise and tautly knotted up in a neat bow. Well, but that's for another day when I revisit it.

Thank you Nano2 for helping me discover my strengths with your pep talks which in turn boosted my resilience to keep at it. SUAW Wrimos for giving me fantastic writing groups and accountability buddies. What else can I say except that it truly was a memorable November of 2025!

Cover Image Courtesy:Pinterest

Comments

TALES FROM THE GLEN BLOGGING CHALLENGE 2026

Image Courtesy: Pinterest This post is a part of BlogchatterA2Z Challenge 2026 Chapter1 https://sanguineallegory.blogspot.com/2026/04/abercrombie-locke-mansion.html?m=1 Chapter2 https://sanguineallegory.blogspot.com/2026/04/brambleshire-woods-day-2-letter-b.html?m=1 Chapter3 https://sanguineallegory.blogspot.com/2026/04/meadow-brook-cottage-day-3-letter-m.html?m=1 Chapter4 https://sanguineallegory.blogspot.com/2026/04/egad-shambles-in-brambles-day-4-letter-e.html?m=1 Chapter5 https://sanguineallegory.blogspot.com/2026/04/veiled-night-at-meadow-brook-cottage.html?m=1 Chapter6 https://sanguineallegory.blogspot.com/2026/04/library-of-cryptic-clues-day-6-letter-l.html?m=1 Chapter7 https://sanguineallegory.blogspot.com/2026/04/hopper-hare-day-7-letter-h.html?m=1 Chapter8 https://sanguineallegory.blogspot.com/2026/04/chipper-chipmunk-day-9-letter-c.html?m=1 Chapter9 https://sanguineallegory.blogspot.com/2026/04/dapper-dormous...

ANAM CARA

The waves are soft and frothy. Laced with gossamer frills tenderly kissing the tips of my toes covered with the grainy sand of the rugged seashore where I'm sitting, wistful. A gust of briny breeze tousles my hair as I gaze as far as my eyes can see. A flock of terns wheel overhead, their sharp, shrill cries punctuating the air as they dive and swoop over the surfs. A lone frigate bird , its crimson belly dazzling like a jewel skims majestically above, its long, slender wings outstretched as it rides the thermals high above the ocean. I absorb the sights and sounds of the late afternoon while absentmindedly scooping seashells beside me. As the afternoon phases, the furthest rim of the ocean is fringed in a gilded hem and the sleepy sun yawns, its dipping glow streaking the sky in a mellow tangerine and warm cherry. As I continue sitting there, the ships and yachts appear --specks of light from the portholes glimmering in the distance, reminding me of the phrase “That ship has sai...

THE BIG BAD WOLF( DAY 17, LETTER T)

CHAPTER 16 THE BIG BAD WOLF The pigs snarled like proper rascals, fixing their cold steely eyes on the Wolf's cottage. How dare he refuse to part with his cottage! When the pigs demand, it's given to them---no questions asked! Porkinn limped, Baconne was soggy, Swinedell rubbed a sore bump on his head, but they were far from defeated. Swinedell snorted, a crooked grin spreading across his face. "Wolf thinks 'e's posh, don't 'e? " Baconne sniffed the air, his nostrils flaring. "We want the cottage!” He growled. Porkinn cracked his fingers, his sly glance darting about. The pigs crept towards the back door, their footsteps silent on the soft grass. They spotted the Wolf through the kitchen window, stirring a pot of steaming stew for dinner. They kicked the door in, the wood splintering jaggedly. The latch gave in....

ABERCROMBIE LOCKE MANSION

This post is part of the Blogchatter A2Z Challenge 2026. CHAPTER 1 ABERCROMBIE LOCKE MANSION The sky bled bruises of plum and cherry over the rolling hills. A full moon hung low against the mauve casting silver shards through the trees. The mansion made of cold greystone loomed large beyond the rusted iron gates. It grated on the gravel, rasping on the hinges and yawned open like a predator's jaw as Goldwynn booted it open with her foot. Her sneakers squished heavily on the mulch of dead leaves. Clutching her backpack, she looked up at the towering, grim structure forebodingly. "Are you sure you want to do this?" her friend Lexi whispered, hesitating by the gate. "This mansion's totally cursed, they say." Lexi's voice was a thin thread. A chill crept up her back and she tight...

OMINOUS ORDEALS ( DAY 19, LETTER O)

CHAPTER 18 OMINOUS ORDEALS The bears startled, then Papa Koala rumbled, "Goldilocks! You…how can it be !” Goldwynn knelt among the bears in the arbor, Mama Koala still sniffling into her shoulder. "I'm Goldwynn, Papa Koala...Goldilocks was my great grandma. So... what happened that day? Why are you hiding away here ?" Papa Koala’s fur bristled.He growled low, his eyes clouding. "The pigs... they came like a thunderstorm banging on the doors and shattering our windows." Mama Koala trembled, clutching a torn apron corner. "I hid Baby Tasha in the cupboard. Told her... 'Hush, sweetpea, like a little mouse!' But…" Papa Koala’s fur ruffled as he puffed out his chest. "I stood tall.'This is OUR cottage!' I said. Goldwynn leaned in and patted his arm Papa Koala snorted. "Baconne pig struck me with a stick. Porkinn pig fluffed porridge e...

Sangeetha Kamath

Search This Blog