Orange Autumn: Beer, Hot Cider, and Trump

A Prism & Pen Writing Prompt!

It’s fall! Autumn, as British Prism & Pen writer Fred Shirley would insist. This morning, P&P editor Esther Spurrill-Jones suggested we do an autumnal theme for today’s two-week prompt.

What a great idea, I thought, mind immediately flashing to cider and pumpkin-spiced beer. But those pleasant orange hues sent me spiraling to something horribly orange — to remembering that this autumn in the United States is fraught and frightening.

Scarier than Halloween.

Hayrides and bonfires with hot cider just won’t be the same while we agonize over the possibility that Donald Trump may well be re-elected before winter blankets us with snow.

Orange Autumn

What about you? What stories does Orange Autumn bring to mind? Can you write about beer, cider, or the American elections — or does your imagination whisk you to someplace completely different?

At Prism & Pen, we want your queer perspective, your words, your poetry or prose. Your stories — fiction or plucked straight from your life — are why we exist.

P&P’s new two-week challenge starts today

What can you write about Orange Autumn? New to Prism and Pen? Here’s the link to our submissions guidelines. Hope to hear from you soon!

Don’t forget our master classes —

If you want help polishing your prose, David Wade Chambers is offering a series of interactive workshops for P&P writers and prospective writers. Wade is an accomplished author and creative writing professor volunteering his skills at the Master Class link at the top of every Prism & Pen page and story.

Stories so far—

Esther Spurrill-Jones, BFoundAPen, Kathy Lee Tolleth, Brian Pelletier, Fred Shirley, Ikedi Oghenetega, neil chapman, David Wade Chambers, Artemis Shishir, alto, Sean Stephane Martin, Gabriela Penelope Carolus, Lois Shearing, b.henriques, Carl Rebeiro 🏳️‍🌈, Rodney Frazier, Simon, Carl Rebeiro, Brian Fehler, Deneishia Jacobpito, Chris Hedges, Ronald C. Flores-Gunkle, Kathy Lee Tolleth, Brian Pelletier, Alex David Bevan, Ikedi Oghenetega, David Wade Chambers, Sean Stephane Martin, Gabriela Penelope Carolus, Lois Shearing, Valentine Wiggin, b.henriques, Carl Rebeiro, Rodney Frazier, Simon Z. Brian Fehler, Cassie Brighter, Deneishia Jacobpito, Ronald C. Flores-Gunkle, James Patrick Nelson, Brigid Maloney, Gabriela, Presley Thomas, Evan McCoy, Loren Olson, Ken Wilson, Chandler Myer, NaNa’sworld, Arabelle J., Liam Heitmann-Ryce, Edis Rune, Prickly Pam, Dawn McGrath, Jonathan | sex & theology, Tabitha Lowndes, Emma Nwosisi, Melissa Speed, Dr. Thomas J. West, Till Kaeslin, Dave Smurthwaite, Ellie Rebecca, Zoey Milford, Edris Quinn C., Dennett, Michael Constable, Jim Martens, Stephen Foster, Kravitz M. Kristen Nadel, William Kuhn, Denisa Bogdan, MSci, Rafaela Mempin, Tre L. Loadholt, theoaknotes, Rachel Brindell, Elle Fredine, Jess Darnell, Emma Holiday, Gabe Evaristo, Joshua Mackey, Steve Alexander,