A word prompt to get your creativity flowing this weekend. How you use the prompt is up to you. Write a piece of flash fiction, a poem, a chapter for your novel…anything you like. Or take the challenge below – there are no prizes – it’s not a competition but rather a fun writing exercise. If you want to share what you come up with, please leave a link to it inSammi’s Comment Section.
Sidewalk art fairs
A leap outside my comfort zone.
Either ego boosting.
Or ego busting.
Braving iffy weather,
Vendors compete for sales.
Yet bond
Over common aspirations,
Will it end in a joyful crescendo?
Or crushing disappointment?
***
This weekend turned out to be a good one weather-wise. Made some lovely connections and sold a lot of note cards. Getting involved in these vendor events is definitely like a box of chocolates. 😉 Ya never know what you’re gonna get.
No matter what your political leanings, it’s a compelling book about a longstanding relationship between two women. I loved it from cover to cover.
I must read this book soon!
Kathleen M. Rodgers, one of the most generous people I know.
With fear and trembling I sent my manuscript of my latest novel with working title WHAT THE HEART WANTS and a book proposal to her. When we spoke November 4, Diane opened the conversation with what every author dreams of hearing from a potential agent, “I loved your manuscript or we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
So far the book has been turned down a few times but, knowing Diane loves it, assures me she’ll find the right home for Bear Starfire and Asher Gorovich.
Here is short summary. (Yes, I’ve posted this before and might post it again. 😉 )
In 1879, Eastern Europe is a hotbed of Antisemitism. In the midst of a pogrom, a government sanctioned massacre against the Jews, sixteen-year old Asher Gorovich witnesses the slaughter of his father, the blacksmith in his Polish village. Life doesn’t improve for him as he endures more persecution and loss of other loved ones.
Meanwhile, in America, eleven-year-old Bear Starfire is torn from her family and forced to attend St. Salvinus Indian boarding school. There she is stripped of her culture and endures both emotional and physical cruelty at the hands of staff members.
When these two wounded hearts meet will they find more conflict or the answer to their prayers?
Bear Starfire on the Wings of the Wind
Enter the Quarantine. Yeah, as much as I’ve avoided writing about it, it is the proverbial elephant in the room (and all over the media). For those of you who remember elephant jokes, you can tell he’s there by the peanuts on his breath.
As per Diane’s strong suggestion, I’ve worked on my Twitter presence. You can follow me @RochelleFields 😉 At any rate, that’s how I met Jimmy Leonard, a young man with a podcast entitled “World on Fire”. In April he emailed saying I fit the profile of someone with a passion and asked if I’d be willing to do an interview on Zoom. Although we did the interview on April 22, it didn’t go “live” until mid June.
We spoke for at least 45 minutes. Please excuse my cluttered background. That’s my environment. Unfortunately, the above portion about meeting Diane and WHAT THE HEART WANTS didn’t make the final edit.
Disclaimer: I had no idea what his intro would be. Although, I think Mr. Leonard makes some good points and it is his podcast.
Keep in mind, we spoke in April. Our topics were my artwork, Friday Fictioneers and the novel I’m currently working on and am three-fourths of the way through. My interview begins about 11:36 into it.
Re his “off the wall” question, “If you could paint a portrait of any person, living or dead, who would it be?” This took me by surprise, because I’ve done quite a few portraits. For whatever reason, the first person who popped into my overloaded mind was Maya Angelou, a woman I greatly admire. What’s not to admire?
Nu? I had to put my paintbrush where my mouth was, right? Of course right!
A word prompt to get your creativity flowing this weekend. How you use the prompt is up to you. Write a piece of flash fiction, a poem, a chapter for your novel…anything you like. Or take the challenge below – there are no prizes – it’s not a competition but rather a fun writing exercise. If you want to share what you come up with, please leave a link to it in Sammi’s Comment Section
Once more the word prompt took me to a personal place. I’ve used this very word to describe the following story. 93 words, not counting the title. Dedicated to a very dear friend who had a hand in my being alive to write this story.
HIS SUCCESS STORY
One would think a book signing at Barnes and Noble would be a guaranteed success. Right? Of course, right!
Or not.
Few patrons stopped to chat. I signed some of my three-hundred-page masterpieces with “Shalom, Rochelle.”
Then my former therapist, who saw me through my darkest days, showed up.
I threw my arms around him. “Wayne, you came!”
He beamed like a proud father. “How could I not?”
Four months later I learned of his passing.
In a single moment, my perception of that Saturday evening went from “abysmal failure” to “cherished memory”.
Four years ago Dawn Q. Laundau of Tales from the Motherland (Click for more details) presented other bloggers with the challenge to spread gratitude throughout the internet. It’s very simple. Take 10 minutes to list 50 or more things you are thankful for. I managed to type 52 before the chicken went off on my iPhone timer.
My husband of 48 years
My children – 3 grown sons
My granddaughters- 2 adorable little girls.
A contract with Diane Nine, ninespeakers.com for my latest manuscript What the Heart Wants (She said she loves it! Who can ask for better than that?)
I can still do a cartwheel
My regular mile swim and a pool less than a mile from home
A word prompt to get your creativity flowing this weekend. How you use the prompt is up to you. Write a piece of flash fiction, a poem, a chapter for your novel…anything you like. Or take the challenge below – there are no prizes – it’s not a competition but rather a fun writing exercise. If you want to share what you come up with, please leave a link to Sammi’s Comment Section.
As always with this prompt, I wrote the first thing that popped into my head.
When I first began my writer’s journey, someone told me the characters write themselves. I gaffed it off as existential hogwash and hooey until Nikolai Derevenko, intended sidekick, evolved into the most complex character in my trilogy without asking my permission.
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.
This week Pegman takes us to the capital of England, a modern city with a history going back to Roman times.
Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to write up to 150 words inspired by the week’s location. You can use the photo supplied with the prompt, or find your own view from the virtually endless supply of streetview or photospheres throughout the city.
Once your piece is polished, share it with others at the link up below. Reading and commenting is part of the fun!
Thanks to Karen and Josh for facilitating the challenge.
Click the Frog to Join the Fun!
The following is an excerpt from two of my books FROM SILT AND ASHES, the second novel in my Havah Cohen Trilogy and from A STONE FOR THE JOURNEY, the coffee table companion book. The art store was established in London in 1855 and still is a successful business today.
I couldn’t decide between the two photos so I’m including them both. 😉 The second is lifted from a film shot in 1903. I used it as a visual to write the scene.
Genre: Historical Fiction Excerpt
Word Count: 150
THUMBNAIL SKETCH
With a leather portfolio under his arm and his medical bag in his hand, Nikolai wandered London’s streets. Since his chief errand was accomplished, he had no particular destination, so he seized the opportunity for an afternoon of sightseeing.
Passengers crowded themselves into square compartments atop coaches whose side and back banners advertised such necessities as Lipton’s Teas and Nestlé’s Milk. Above all else, London’s churches fascinated him with their clock towers. A man never needed to ask the time in Britain.
Now and then, he paused to read shop signs. One particular shop caught his interest with its display of paints and drawing papers. He read the sign aloud, “L. Cornelisson and Son. Artist Colourman.”
Suddenly, a flagrant dervish of henna hair and purple feathers in chartreuse skirts swirled past him. Curious to know what a woman of her ilk would want in an artist’s shop, he followed her.
Although I’ve never met Dr. Paul Reeves face to face, I come to see us as old friends. Other authors who have interviewed with him say the same thing. He has a knack for making a person feel at home. A month ago, after the release of my long awaited coffee table book, A STONE FOR THE JOURNEY, he invited me back for a second go around on Dr. Paul’s Family Talk.
Dr. Paul Reeves
I hope you’ll check out all four books of the Trilogy.
After we signed off, he invited me to return to his show in a month to talk some more about the new book and to read a few of the stories. Again, we had much to talk and laugh about. Below is the week’s interview. The other two interviews can be found in the side bar to your right. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Please be considerate of 70 or more participants and keep your story to 100 words. Thank you.
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.
Wow! Where does the time go? Nearly a year ago I did a radio interview with Dr. Paul Reeves on his Family Talk program. At the time we chatted about writing, Friday Fictioneers and the coffee table companion book I was working on.
A STONE FOR THE JOURNEY debuted the first week in September so Dr. Paul invited me back to discuss my opus. 😉
He has a way of putting the interviewee at ease. I think that particular morning the conversation could’ve continued well into the afternoon. We spoke of the joys of aging while staying young. As we did last year, we talked about Friday Fictioneers which is so much a part of my life. I hope you enjoy listening to the interview as much as I enjoyed doing it.
Stay Tuned for Part 2 as Dr. Paul invited me back to read a few selections from A STONE FOR THE JOURNEY. It’s tentatively set to air Monday, November 26.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Dr. Paul Reeves
I hope you’ll check out all four books of the Trilogy.
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 