Category: Short Stories
This category is for your Bonanza Short Stories from 500-999 words in length.
The Ugliest Christmas Ornament (by DJK)
Summary: Little Joe thinks an ornament is too ugly for the Cartwright tree. Adam has the opposite opinion in this slice-of-life vignette.
Rating: G 610 words
Mother’s Day 2024 (VCLS)
Summary: In honor of all mothers who are still with us in person or in spirit, Bonanza Brand presents this Mother Day’s compilation containing the work Inca, MonicaSJ, faust, Southplains, Krystyna, Patina, DJK, and Sibylle–authors who responded to the 2012 Pinecone Challenge prompt: “Mama died today…” from The Stranger by Albert Camus. These wonderfully creative writers had to limit their entries to under 500 words. The stories are presented in the order of posting.
Rating: T Word Count: 3,880
Serenity (mcfair_58)
Summary: A follow-up to The Crucible. An unexpected visitor helps Adam Cartwright heal his broken heart before breaking it again. A story for Valentine’s Day.
Word count: 3296
Rated: G
Deep in December (by JC*)
Summary: A moment of reflection for Ben as he contemplates Christmas without Adam.
Rating: G
Words: 730
Written for the Bonanza Brand 2023 Advent Calendar
The Shiny Surprise: The Hair-Raising Christmas Prank (by ElayneA)
Summary: Not even Christmastime is safe from pranksters.
Rating: G
Words: 855
Written for the Bonanza Brand 2023 Advent Calendar
How Can You Mend a Broken Heart (by BluewindFarm)
Summary: To some, the holidays aren’t always merry, nor bright.
Rating: G
Words: 950
Written for the Bonanza Brand 2023 Advent Calendar
Yesterday Series, links included
We Are Merry (by PSW)
Summary: An explanation and WHL for the episode The Iron Butterfly
Rating: G
Words: 420
Written for the Bonanza Brand 2023 Advent Calendar
Longings (by BluewindFarm)
Summary: Written in Response to the May 2023 – Double Drabble Prompts: “Will he kiss me?” and “Metamorphosis!”
Rating: Teen (Words: 650)
Men Are Still Boys (by BettyHT)
Summary: This is a set of five stories that are not related except in showing that men are still boys in many ways whether it is what they do, say, aspire to be, or the mistakes they can make. A short summary precedes each story.
Rating: T Word count: 6,995
A Shady Encounter (by JC)
Adam entertains an old flame. Could it be love the second time around?
Rating: Teen Words: 750
Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch (A Bonanza Really Short Story) by JC
The Cartwright brothers – you know them, you love them, but let’s face it – after all these years things have gotten pretty predictable around the Ponderosa. It’s the same old story in a nutshell…
Rating: G WC: 563
Baubles (mcfair_58)
Summary: A barren tree and a string of glass beads bring two lonely men together on Christmas Eve.
Rated G
Word count: 4121
The Fifth Sunup (by Annie K Cowgirl)
Summary: To fall meant capture. Capture meant death. And I wasn’t ready to die; not yet, not when my life had barely begun. Joe’s thoughts as he flees from the Lassiters in Five Sundowns to Sunup.
Rating: K
Word Count: 563
Part of the Five Sundowns to Sunup Series, links included within.
Home For the Holidays (by Southplains)
Summary: Inspired by a Pinecone prompt.
Rating: K
Word Count: 1400
A Cruel Sort of Kindness (by Annie K Cowgirl)
Summary: “Pa’d once told us boys that a person shouldn’t go into marriage thinking that they could change their spouse; they’d only tear each other apart in the end. It was a piece of advice that I’d nearly forgotten.” A missing scene from the episode The Courtship.
Rating: K+
Word Count: 625
