24 May 2024

Published May 22, 2024 by rochellewisoff

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PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

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Genr: Memoir
Word Count: 100

ON A ROLL

My father was a cook by trade and a baker by passion.

There was nothing he loved more than cooking for a crowd or creating delicious desserts. Pineapple cheese pecan pie was his signature dish. It’s my decided opinion that the Philadelphia cream cheese company owes him for the publicity. In fact, as I was giving birth to my third son, Dear Old Dad was outside the door feeding the nurses cherry-cream-cheese muffins.

At his funeral a year later, the young rabbi delivered a beautiful eulogy.

I couldn’t help but think, “If Dad were here, he’d bake her a pie.”

My dad is the reason I became a cake decorator. We took a class together. I surprised him with this cake on his 65th birthday. 😀

********

10 May 2024

Published May 8, 2024 by rochellewisoff

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The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.

PHOTO PROMPT © Lisa Fox

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Happy May, Everyone! It seems whatever issues WP has had with sign ins and commentors continues. I had a few comments from Annonymous last week. I noticed also that I’m not the only one. A few times I’ve had to sign back in to leave a comment. It is rather irritating. If you could leave your name it would be helpful. Thank you.

Genre: Coming of Age
Word Count: 100

MUZAK TO MY EARS

In my teens I was a raving Beatles fan. Oh, the memories each of their songs evokes from different stages of my adolescence.

I still have my collection of vinyl 45 rpm records. Not familiar? Look them up. No time to elaborate in one hundred words.

One afternoon my mother came into my room as I was rocking to “I am the Walrus.” With a disgusted look she said, “You only tell yourself you like that dreck.”

Seriously I still love the crazy cacophony.

Imagine my surprise the other day when I heard it as background music in the supermarket.

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Last Dance With Annie, by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, will be available June 4th in paperback, hardcover, and ebook. Preorder on Amazon, Nook, Kobo, and more!

“Much flows through the pages of “Last Dance” and all of it is worth reading. In this well-written, poignant story, Wisoff-Fields offers the reader a front row seat into less-spoken-of and rarely seen realities of lives weighted by years of expectation, exploitation, secrecy, trauma, and turmoil; but also to the powers of love, truth, and creativity to offer healing and feed hope. As Elise and those around her lose, then seek to find their step, we weep with, cheer for, and dance with them. Hurrah, Rochelle, for a story well told!”

Na’ama Yehuda, MSC SLP (Author: Communicating Trauma, Emilia, Outlawed Hope, Apples in Applath)

19 April 2024

Published April 17, 2024 by rochellewisoff

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The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

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Genre: Non-Function
Word Count: 100

AROUND THE BLOCK

Who chose this prompt anyway? Oh, yeah. I have only myself to blame. Not only did I post this photo, I snapped it as well. It’s one of those cute little shops in the Cotton Exchange in Wilmington, North Carolina.

One would think, given the place’s rich history, I could find something to write about.

Lemme see. I could write about the Chinese Laundry that resided there in the early 1900s. Or what about the barber shop that was destroyed in a fire? Nope. Google’s leading me nowhere and my mind’s stuck in neutral.

Sorry, y’all. Nothing to read here.

*******

WE HAVE A BOOK!

LAST DANCE WITH ANNIE is still set for release June 4th. But this past weekend I received two hardback author copies of the book at our Ozarks Writers League conference. My publisher had a few advance copies for sale as well. 😀 The first autographed copy goes to my husband. 😉

12 April 2024

Published April 10, 2024 by rochellewisoff

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The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.

PHOTO PROMPT © Susan Rouchard

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Genre: Anecdote
Word Count: 100

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO PROCRASTINATE

“It’s time to clean this cluttered basement.” Stacks of boxes from our last move wait on shelves to be gone through—later.

Opening a cardboard box, I sneeze at the musty odor. I pick up a tattered paperback and thumb through its yellowed pages.

Bunnicula.

How my now-grown son and I laughed at the antics of the family pets. I lose myself in the adventures of the dog, cat and, of course, the titular vegetable-sucking vampire rabbit.

“Look at the time.” I return the novel to the box. “I’ll get back to cleaning—later.”

Note: Bunnicula was a fun read. And my story is true. I really could use some organizational help here. 😉

And on the subject of books:

My book LAST DANCE WITH ANNIE is available for ebook preorder on the following sights: HERE, HERE and HERE! Release Date is June 4! If you’re not an ebook fan, paperback and hard back copies will be available on and after that date. 😀

24 November 2023

Published November 22, 2023 by rochellewisoff

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The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

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This week in the USA we celebrate the holiday known as Thanksgiving, which is usually characterized by watching parades, football and eating oneself into a coma. On that note, I want you all to know how thankful I am for you who participate in Friday Fictioneers. Some of you were part of the challenge before I joined. Some of you are newbies and others fall somewhere in between. A hearty THANK YOU, MUCHAS GRACIAS, DANKE SCHÖN, MERCI, MARAMING SALAMAT, TODAH RABBAH to all of you.

Genre: Anecdotal Fiction
Word Count: 100

DAUGHTER OF VOICE

For two years I saved to travel to the Holy Land where I dreamt of walking in the footsteps of the great Bible prophets.

After five days of touring ancient ruins and being dragged into schlock shops, I’d had no transcendent revelations and didn’t feel any closer to heaven.

On the sixth day I encountered the violinist. No crowds gathered around her, yet she performed with captivating passion that would’ve humbled Paganini. I dropped several coins into her open case. And there…

…in Jerusalem’s Cardo, amid patrons and peddlers, I came face to face with the unpretentious countenance of God.

3 November 2023

Published November 1, 2023 by rochellewisoff

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Our Mantra:

The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.

PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson

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Genre: Anecdote
Word Count: 100

PHOTO PHINISH

Like so much of the population these days, I spend more time on Facebook than I should. To my defense, it’s how I’ve managed to ~~steal~~ find some great pictures to use as Friday Fictioneers prompts.

Fictioneers, David Stewart, Sandra Crook, and Dale Rogerson are talented photographers, so I often peruse their pages. I promise that I will always ask permission. Well, almost always.

Last week Dale posted this beautifully lit photo. Stunning, isn’t it? In fact, I thought it would make a nice painting—if I could pull it off.

This is my story and I’m sticking to it.

9 June 2023

Published June 7, 2023 by rochellewisoff

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The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.

PHOTO PROMPT © Lisa Fox

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Genre: Hysterical Faction
Word Count: 100

CHILD’S PLAY

The TV shows I loved as a kid are now retro footage on YouTube.

When did Paul McCartney, the cute Beatle, become an eighty-year-old, albeit nice-looking, grandfather? Man from U.N.C.L.E.’s heart throb David McCallum is pushing ninety.

My favorite toys such as Chatty Cathy and the little red spinning wheel are considered vintage and are available on eBay for three times the original price.

Somewhere along the line I stepped through Alice’s looking glass. Help me! I’m a child trapped inside an old woman’s body.

“Age is only a number.” I shrug. “Growing older is inevitable. Growing up is optional.”

I had the blonde version. My mom once sat down with her and wrote down all eleven of her sayings. 😀

26 May 2023

Published May 24, 2023 by rochellewisoff

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The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.

Genre: Anectdote
Word Count: 100

LIFE HAS ITS UPS AND DOWNS

After 15 hours of cumulative flight time and layovers, we made it to our hotel in Tel Aviv. I stowed my luggage in my room and boarded the elevator to join my companions in the lobby.

Just before level L the elevator stalled. In desperation I banged on the door.

“The technician’s on his way,” a serviceman told me. “But he’s stuck in traffic.”

I sank to the floor and played video games on my phone; grateful claustrophobia isn’t one of my problems.

An hour later, I was released from my 6-by-6-foot prison.

From now on I’ll use the stairs.

The management was quite apologetic about my ordeal. I told her I’m a writer and would have to write about this. I promised not to use any names. She just laughed and said, “Free publicity.” At any rate, she said they would treat me nice. She was true to her word. Later when I went to my room, this was waiting for me.

A few more pics from the trip. I’ve way too many to share. The lady with the two-towned hair and beautiful smile is my cousin Wendy who lives in Tel Aviv. Could’ve been the highest point of my trip. ❤ One of our missions as a humanitarian group was to take stuffed animals to hospitalized children. (will never forget the smiles).

21 April 2023

Published April 19, 2023 by rochellewisoff

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Genre: Anecdote
Word Count: 100

TITANIC BLUNDER

Remember renting VHS movies in the 1980’s? We’d make a big bowl of popcorn, put the cassette in the VCR and settle back for cheap entertainment on the small screen.

One Sunday, my husband, a huge John Wayne fan picked up a copy of “The Conqueror” starring his hero as Genghis Khan, infamous Mongol conqueror.

As the Duke uttered his lines, he sounded more like a Texas cowboy. “Your treacherous head is not safe on your shoulders—(Pilgrim).”

“Are you into this?” asked Jan, remote in hand.

“Are you?”

I’ll never know how the movie ended… Nor do I care.

***

Here’s the trailer for this miscast disaster:

To read more about this epic failure of a movie and the deadly consequences of shooting location CLICK HERE

Launderette Trauma

Published March 1, 2023 by rochellewisoff

TAKE A SPIN AND CLICK

I double dipped this week. The sight of the laundromat triggers a not so pleasant memory for me. I’m sure I’ll be able to let it go one of these days.

Genre: Memoir
Word Count: 100

LAUNDERETTE TRAUMA

As we crammed our bedspread into an industrial-size dryer, my iPhone pinged with an email from my agent. “Last Dance with Annie” was in the subject line.

“Good news?” asked my husband.

I bit back tears. “Maybe I’m not meant to be an author.”

The well-known publisher who’d expressed an interest in my novel based on personal experience turned it down flat. My agent released me from my contract.

“Failure,” intoned my inner voice.

A year later, at a writers’ conference, struggling with doubt, I pitched LDWA to a new publisher. Within twenty-four hours my book had found a home.

If I’d had a few more words (blasted word limit! 😉 ) I’d go on to share how my manuscript was turned down a few more times before my agent released me from the contract. I ignored the manuscript for more than a year I think. At the Ozarks Writers conference in October I met Lia Wu who owns Ozark Hollow Press. She was interested in my story of a middle aged woman’s battle with anorexia (A fictionalized version of my own struggle). I sent her the manuscript Sunday morning and she offered me a contract Sunday night. Hopefully Last Dance with Annie (title negotiable) will be out this year.