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Chetta Achara
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Chetta is the nom de plume of Deborah Guenther Beachboard a poet writing since 1992. Her poetry has been published in Modern Haiku, Sijo West, Amaze: The Cinquain Journal, Short Stuff, Twilight Ending and numerous other online and in print journals.

After taking a 10 year hiatus from writing (for reasons not interesting enough to share) Chetta returned to writing, most recently having poetry published in Periwinkle Pelican, Puddick, Stygian Press, Snoozine, and Sweet Smell.

Chetta makes her home in the Adna Valley in southwest Washington in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

LIFE IS SHORT

It's not
as if you have
a choice in the matter,
but if you leave a poem
it's enough.

Fantasy Poetry Contest

Blog Posted by Chetta Achara: 2/18/2024 1:07:00 PM
Because I recently sponsored a Science fiction Poetry Contest I thought it only fair I sponsor a contest for Fantasy poems.

My favorite literature genre is science fiction, but I have read a bit of fantasy too. In fact, I have been reading it all of my life, as I suspect you have.

(I think it not unreasonable to say that all fiction is fantasy. The stories are birthed in the imaginations of the writers of fiction.)

My first exposure to fantasy was at a young age with Go Dog. Go by P.D. Eastman, and Green Eggs and Ham by the inestimable Dr. Suess. Those books were soon followed by the likes of Marguerite Henry's Misty of Chincoteague; Anne Sewell' s Black Beauty; and all of The Little House on the Prairie novels by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

In fifth grade I found Doctor Doolittle by Hugh Lofting~ which reminds me I must reread it now that I am in my second childhood

I then discovered Gothic Romance. I read every Victoria Holt novel I could lay hands upon beginning with The Mistress of Mellyn which I read at least ten times.

It was in high-school that I started reading straight-up science fiction with Arthur C. Clark and Issac Asimov.

Subsequently I ran into science fiction-tinged-with-fantasy in the novels of Andre Norton, first reading The Moon of Three Rings and Anne McCaffrey's Dragon RIders of Pern series.

Lastly, I must mention the ultimate writer of fantasy, JRR Tolkien. His novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy are filled with poems that are actually the songs of Middle Earth. Wasn't it delightful when the poems were set to music in Peter Jackson's film adaptations?

I look forward to reading the poetic submissions to the Fantasy Poetry Contest.



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Date: 2/22/2024 10:18:00 AM
Hi Chetta, thank you for your blog sharing how you came to love both fantasy and science fiction. Not only was I swept away by Tolkien but also by the Shannara series by Terry Brooks and it goes without saying the Narnia Chronicles by C.S. Lewis. How blessed are we that Lewis, Tolkien and company encouraged each other in the face of academic derision. Have ideas for a "fantasy" book. Your contest brought them back to mind. Thank you. Looking forward to dabbling in this genre through your contest. I think those of us with NW roots have time to daydream stories. Even though I now live in CA, was born and raised in Seattle. Thank you for the chance to write a poem in the fantasy mode!
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Kauffman Avatar
Sam Kauffman
Date: 2/22/2024 1:58:00 PM
When the sun comes out in the NW, everyone starts wearing shorts and heads for the garden or the beach! Amazing phenomenon!
Achara Avatar
Chetta Achara
Date: 2/22/2024 1:11:00 PM
I, to have read the Shanarra series. I think I will have to start reading Fantasy novels again. There are so many Classics within that genre that appeal to me, though now that Spring is almost here in southwest Washington I know the outdoor chores that need doing will interfere with my leisure time.
Date: 2/20/2024 9:27:00 AM
Chetta, I am going to try to write my own original fantasy poem based on just my own writing, it may work and it may not, lol, but like I always say, I will have a beautiful poem for my collection, hugs, Constance
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Achara Avatar
Chetta Achara
Date: 2/20/2024 9:41:00 AM
Nice. I hope you do enter it in the contest.
Date: 2/18/2024 11:00:00 PM
When I read all three parts of Lord of the Rings I was hooked on true fantasy. I recall thinking back in high school :73 that Lord of the ring needed to be a movie! Asimov is great too but I adore Ray Bradbury . He is able to really blend sci Fi with remarkable fantasy. Oh and I too was a fan of Little House on the Prairie
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Andrea Dietrich
Date: 2/20/2024 8:55:00 PM
I never read a book twice but I bet I forgot many details
Achara Avatar
Chetta Achara
Date: 2/20/2024 9:46:00 AM
I also read the Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings in high school sometime between 1972 and 1975. I only recently reread both and enjoyed them just about as much as I did the first time.
Date: 2/18/2024 9:56:00 PM
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by the Bard, is my favourite fantasy tale. Thank you for the inspiration to take up my pen again, Chetta. I'm heading over to the contest page ...
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Chetta Achara
Date: 2/18/2024 10:07:00 PM
Awesome!

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