#FallWritingFrenzy is a free writing contest for kidlit writers hosted by literary agent, Kaitlyn Sanchez, and supported by an amazing list of prize donors. The writing challenge is to pen a 200-word poem or flash fiction for any kidlit age, inspired by one of the photos on Kaitlyn’s blog.

Scared A Latte is a middle grade piece, inspired by a fall photo of pumpkins and sprinkled with some of the relationship dynamics I observe between my children. As an only child, sibling rivalry was a mystery to me while growing up. And it was always something I envied. (For those with siblings, I’m sure this seems like the last thing to envy.)

As a mom of four, I was finally privy to the squabbling and seemingly nonsensical and endless comparisons of who gets what and who has more. I may not usually enjoy these squabbles as a parent but as a writer, I love to include them in my writing. For me, it’s a way to keep exploring these young relationships and how they teach kids to understand themselves and relate to others.

In Scared A Latte, I took a typical sibling disagreement and played with how they view each other and how we view them. In 200 words, I attempted to show an older sister who feels worldly and knowledgeable, in her own way, and her little brother, who may seem uncouth but has more substance and heart than we might expect. I wanted to explore how older/younger sibling dynamics can change, depending on the moment. Perhaps I was successful with this. Perhaps I wasn’t. But it was a fun exercise, and I now have a new piece of flash fiction to share.

Here it is:

Scared A Latte

“I’m so sick of hearing about pumpkin spice!”

            I choke on my PSL and nearly stumble over a broken corn stalk. “How can you not like pumpkin spice?” I ask, spearing my little brother with my best twelve-year-old glare.

            He hunches his thin shoulders. His light-up shoes flash red in the fading light as he stomps along the narrow path in the corn maze. “I don’t see what the big deal is,” he grunts, like a little monster.

            I ignore him and sip my latte. Warm hints of pumpkin and cinnamon wrap around me as cozy as my scarf.

            His eyes scan the crispy, brown leaves surrounding us. “You just like it because your friends do.”

            “No,” I draw out. “It’s yummy. And it’s, like, part of the fall season.”

            “Like walking through this haunted maze?”

            “Sorta. It’s just not very haunted,” I observe, trailing him around a bend.

            Two masked figures leap out of the corn stalks. “BOO!” they scream.

            I freeze, but my mutinous hand launches the PSL. It hits the path with a sad splash.

            A whimper escapes me as my brother drags me away from my latte. “Come on,” he sighs. “Let’s getcha a new one.”

I hope you enjoyed this piece. A big thanks to Kerrie Faye, who helped me with my title and gave me insightful feedback. Please check out her #FallWritingFrenzy poem on her website.

Finally, please follow Kaitlyn Sanchez for more information about #FallWritingFrenzy and for writing news about her clients.

Wishing you all a lovely Autumn season!