Fact, Fiction or a Little of Both?

By Beverly Winters

Fact, Fiction Or A Little Of Both, is a book comprised of six short stories for children. After each story the reader is asked for his opinion on if the story is fact, fiction or a little of both. At the end of the book the author reveals the facts on each story for the reader.

Chapter I The Witchs House, is a story about 10 year old twins whose curiosity and vivid imagination takes them through the gate of a cottage which is believed to be haunted. They encounter a witch, or is she now? Their brief horrifying encounter leads them to a very interesting outcome neither ever expected.

Chapter II I Want A Puppy, is about an only child who longs for a pet of his very own. His mother doesnt feel that hes quite ready for the responsibility yet and together they decide to volunteer at their local S.P.C.A. (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), which prepares him to care for a pet. He gets to be a companion for the weekend to two puppies and has an adventurous day with them. In the end, his mother informs him of her decision on whether or not he can have a pet companion of his very own.

Chapter III The Red Hot Meet, centers around an elementary school gymnastic competition. When a high school junior runs out of ideas for her English essay assignment she finds a story where she never thought possible at a grade school function. Asked to accompany the meet with a friend she finds her story and a possible future Olympics champion.

Chapter IV The Bedspread, is a touching story about close friends who accidentally ruin an expensive bedspread. Together they try to repair the bedspread without success. Many months pass by and the bedspread is replaced in a unique fashion. Although it didnt cost as much as the original one it was totally priceless due to the ingenious thinking and dedication of the girls who originally were at fault.

Chapter V A Note From Santa, is a good news story about someone who loses their wallet during the busy holiday season. Upon return of her wallet she finds that true honesty is still alive out there in her hectic world. A message is delivered to her through the seasons jolly fat guy that will be remembered for holidays to come.

Chapter VI A Halloween Nightmare, is about a sister who teases, scares, and torments her younger sibling at Halloween time only to find herself frightened from the tales of ghost, goblins and all the creepy characters who come out at Halloween. A spooky story read aloud in her class at school turns into a nightmare for her as she falls asleep during class and lets her imagination take over her dreams. When she awakens from her sleep she realizes that she had been dreaming and her fears during that dream were not real. A lesson well learned she promises never to scare her brother again because no one enjoys being frightened.

Were you fooled by any the above stories? Which ones do you think were Fact or Fiction? And which ones do you think were a little of both?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 26, 2007
• ISBN: 9781465319463

Beverly Winters

Beverly Winters started writing at a very early age. In elementary school she started writing poetry and later short stories. Writing has always been her passion and in recent years she started writing for children as well as adults. This small collection of various short stories combined into a book is a first book publication for her. She has however published several of her poems and is currently working on a multitude of other writing projects, including an autobiography and a children’s novel.

Book preview

Copyright © 2007 by Beverly Winters.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in

any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,

recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission

in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the

product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance

to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

41212

Contents

Dedication

Chapter I

THE WITCH’S HOUSE

Chapter II

I WANT A PUPPY

Chapter III

THE RED HOT MEET

Chapter IV

THE BEDSPREAD

Chapter V

A NOTE FROM SANTA

Chapter VI

HALLOWEEN NIGHTMARE

Book Summary

Dedication

I dedicate this book of short stories for children to my SGI-USA Rising Sun Buddhist District in San Mateo County, California who encouraged and supported me throughout my practice and writings making the impossible—possible.

A second dedication goes out to my nephew Sheldon Eugene Meckling who was a great inspiration to me during the writing of many of my short stories. Born a fortune baby in our Buddhist Faith seventeen years ago he has not only inspired and encouraged me but have also been the highlight of my life and stories for many years.

Chapter I

THE WITCH’S HOUSE

Down the street from our grandparent’s house was a little blue and white cottage. Surrounding it was a white picket fence and a yard full of colorful stones made into a walkway that circled the house. The door and windows had diamond-shaped glass covered with tiny mesh wire, which gave it a look of fantasy and enchantment to us young girls.

No one had ever seen the residents of the cottage, and word had it that it was indeed haunted.

Each summer we would dash along the fence and run a stick across the pickets trying to spook one another. On this particular summer afternoon in August on our way home from the grocery store the intrigue became overpowering. It was said that the closer to Halloween it became the more the house reached out to you with its mystical powers.

Estella dared me to go inside of the gate and run the walkway that circled the house. Go on Gabby, she said. I dare you.

I double dare you. I replied back.

She came right back at me saying, I triple dare you and that’s final.

I took a quarter from the change in my pocket and said, Heads you go first and tails I will go first. I tossed the coin in the air and it dropped to the ground.