Unicorn Challenge – Xmas Special

A one-off Seasonal offering from Jenne and The Unicorn, and it’s a Double Challenge!

First, write a story, maximum 250 words, based on the above image.

Second, send Pingo as a Special Treat Holiday Gift to yourself or someone you love (or your mother-in-law, that’ll teach her!)

Available as Paperback or E-book, minimum price on Amazon:
in UK: http://bit.ly/44Ljf8l
and in USA (amazon.com): http://bit.ly/4nqKiwc

Alternatively, on C. E.’s Amazon Author Page, spoil yourself and everyone you know with a book (or three) from the Sensei and Vidock trilogy:
in UK: http://bit.ly/4nhT6ET
and in USA: https://bit.ly/44KU9Wm

Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, whatever you wish yourself

Click here to hear me read an excerpt from Pingo, a very short chapter entitled Red River Rock:

Red River Rock

‘The thing is,’ says Pingo, ‘that everyone speaks so badly that it’s becoming official.’
Penny smiles, sensing another of his amusing rants on the way.
‘Go on.’
‘I saw this phonetic pronunciation thingy, a table with wee symbols that tell you how you’re supposed to say words, yeah?’
She nods, waiting.
‘Well, it baffled me, I didn’t understand it at all, until someone pointed out that it was for “Received Pronunciation”, that’s like BBC English, or it was. Now the Beeb’s not only corrupt, it’s down market.’
‘What do you mean?’ she asks for the seven millionth time in ten weeks.
‘Well, this thing showed that there were no “R”s in words like “here” and “there”.
She bites her tongue, refusing to ask for the seven million and first time.
‘Okay…’ she drags the word out, making it a question.
‘When I say those words, you can hear the “R”, yeah?’
‘When you say any word, I can hear the “R” very clearly!’
‘Okay, you say them now.’
‘Here and there?’
‘Exactly. They were written in this thingy as “hee-ah” and “they-ah”. Not a bloody “R” to be seen. On the other hand, your…’ his voice drifts into silence and he starts to laugh.
‘What?’ she asks.
‘I’m going to have to be very precise with my rhetoric here!’
She raises a quizzical but amused blonde eyebrow, and holds her tongue.
‘I was about to say that your “R”s are quite soft, certainly compared to mine, but that they are still audible. I didn’t want to get into a conversation about your lovely soft bum! But okay, let’s do that instead!’
She laughs.
‘No, stick to your point. And behave yourself!’
‘Nah, phonetics and stuff are dull, I’d rather consider your soft arse than your soft “R”s. Come here, wummin, I want to bite you.’
The discussion is put on hold.