It’s another really long sticky for this weekend, in part to celebrate the 4th of July.  And for the 4th, Daphne - of Ask Daphne fame - held a writing-prompt contest.  The three prompts were:

 - I didn’t expect to actually go swimming…
- As American as apple pie…
- The heat from the grill made it seem a mirage…

At first I was thinking Fie Eoin, but to tell you the truth I’m a little burnt out on Fie Eoin right now.  So while Sipi’s whale-fishing dip in the ocean might be interesting for the first prompt, I was actually leaning towards Holly Thompson and the second prompt.  I ignored the third prompt completely, until after I tried writing an apple pie story that was a miserable flop.  And then it came to me: Holly sees creatures, she thinks she’s crazy, it would seem a mirage… Bingo.  And I spent the weekend furiously writing about Holly, Phooka, and the Manticore (when I wasn’t hanging out with the grandfolks, that is).  Above is a couple of stickies I started at work, and the rest of the story can be found at Phooka Tales LJ.  A little 4th-flavor coming at you from Scotland.