25 July 2025

Published July 23, 2025 by rochellewisoff

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

Photo description: A large gnarled stump of a tree is in the foreground. Behind it is a stone building with a staircase that leads up to an entrance with double wooden doors.

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Genre: Fiction…sort of…
Word Count: 100

SLINGS AND ARROWS

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never harm me.” Elise stuck out her tongue and ran home, her playmates’ taunts echoing in her ears.

Brenda had wrinkled her nose. “I don’t want Elise on my team. She’s a lousy catcher.”

“I don’t want her either.” Mindy had scowled. “She’s slower than frozen molasses.”

Elise wrapped her arms around her stuffed lion and burst into tears. “If you were a real lion, you could rip those brats apart.” She sniffed. “When I’m a famous artist they can choke on my paintbrushes.”

Nonetheless, their words hurt like hell.

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This is unrelated to the story. It’s a painting I did of my granddaughter a few years ago. 😉

27 June 2025

Published June 25, 2025 by rochellewisoff

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PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

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Genre: Anecdotal History Lesson
Word Count: 100

GAME OF CONES

Leaving childhood behind at fourteen, I entered the workforce. I was hired by the local Dairy Queen for a dollar an hour.

I became adept at swirling those curls atop cones and sundaes.

Did I ever wonder about the company’s history? Nope.

That was then. This is now.

J.F. McCullough and his son Alex invented soft-serve. They shared it with ice cream shop owner Sherb Noble who, in turn, offered ten-cent cones to a sell-out crowd of 1600.

The men partnered, and the first Dairy Queen opened on June 22, 1940, in Joliet, Illinois.

Another delicious piece of history served.

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Thanks to Yvette Prior for a lovely interview. You can read it HERE.

20 June 2025

Published June 18, 2025 by rochellewisoff

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PHOTO PROMPT © Ted Strutz

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Genre: Rambling Anecdote
Word Count: 100

AUDITORY CORTEX

Round like a circle in a spiral…

Earworms—tunes that go around and around in my head like a merry-go-round.

Like a wheel within a wheel.

Some days they seem never ending like an ever-spinning reel, don’t they?

Pictures hanging in a hallway…

Every one of those pictures is crooked. This situation must be rectified immediately.

…and the fragment of a song.

There. The pictures are straight. Much better.

Half remembered names and faces, but to whom do they belong?

I had at least four anonymous commentors last week.

Why did I come into this room in the first place?

13 June 2025

Published June 11, 2025 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 © Dale Rogerson

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Genre: Anecdote/Sales Pitch
Word Count: 100

ARTISTIC PROCESS

When my friend Kathy asked if I could paint a picture of an antique typewriter, I replied, “I’m willing to give it a shot. I enjoy a challenge.”

I studied my model. Had I overestimated my ability?

To make an accurate sketch I used a drafting ruler. I counted each key. Everything had to be proportionately correct. Thank goodness I have a kneaded eraser and know how to use it.

Sketch complete, I relaxed a bit and dove into the watercolor.

Final note: While this composition has been hugely successful as prints and notecards, the original painting is still available.

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As Long as I’m self-promoting. 😉

21 February 2025

Published February 19, 2025 by rochellewisoff

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If this photo prompt looks familiar to you, it’s because it’s a rerun from Aptil 2016. I’m sort of rerunning my story from that week although it needed tweaking. 😉

Genre: Fact and Fiction
Word Count: 100

SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE

At a critique group I shared an excerpt from my historical novel set in 1904.

“‘…The taller officer, an imposing presence with dark skin, fascinated Havah. Although she had read about them in Professor Dietrich’s books about Africa and American history, she had never met a Negro face to face.’”

“I hate to burst your bubble,” said another writer with self-assured conviction. “I doubt there would’ve been a black officer back then.”

Returning her smug smile, I opened my Kansas City history book to a photo of Lafayette Tillman on horseback. “Second one on the KC force.”

.

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29 November 204

Published November 27, 2024 by rochellewisoff

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PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot

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Genre: Personal Musing
Word Count: 100

COME WHAT MAY

Every day it’s a-gettin’ closer.
Goin’ faster than a roller coaster…
I think back to the day we said our “I do’s.”
Sometimes we did. And all too often we didn’t.
Three babies came. Thankfully, one at a time—each with his own unique personality.
We weathered the lean times.
Hamburger Helper was what was for dinner.
We endured the alone times—both physical and emotional.
We survived chicken pox, broken bones and injuries requiring stitches.
Every day it’s a-gettin’ closer
Goin’ faster than a roller coaster
Life was never ever neat.
Love like yours has surely come my way.

Tomorrow marks our 53rd year of marriage. Our parents gave us six months. I guess we beat those odds. Sometimes I think we stayed together out of pure stubborness. At any rate, I’ve waxed reflective this month. Thank you for understanding. 😉

If you don’t already have an earworm, let me help. 😉

A Review to Savor

Published August 19, 2024 by rochellewisoff

I met Kathleen M. Rodgers at an Ozarks Writers League conference in November of 2015. (Wow, that was a fast nine years!) She was the speaker that weekend. We both felt the instant connection, not only in writing, but in the fact that both of us have survived ED, ie, eating disorder. And both of us are military wives. Her husband was a US Air Force Pilot and mine served twenty-eight years in the US Navy.

CLICK to read her Amazon Author Bio

and HERE to check out her writing. You won’t be disappointed. 😉

At the time Kathleen and I met, LAST DANCE WITH ANNIE was a short story in my anthology THIS, THAT AND, SOMETIMES, THE OTHER.

I knew at some point I needed to expand that short story into something longer, like a novel. I started and stopped more than once. Revisiting the past can be painful. One agent who represented LDWA for a season said she could sell it if it were a memoir. This just wasn’t an option for me.

Meanwhile, Kathleen has been in my court, cheering me on. The agent released me from my contract after a year. I set the manuscript aside for a yet another year, still feeling that this story had a purpose. Then two years ago, Lia Wu, owner of Ozark Hollow Press offered me a contract. The timing was right.

Happily, with help from OHP’s brilliant editing team, LAST DANCE WITH ANNIE was released and launched in June.

Kathleen called the morning of the launch to wish me well and let me know how proud she is of me. 😀

Yesterday, she posted reviews in all those familiar places: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and GoodReads. And the place that makes me smile the most

KATHLEEN’S BLOG

ONE FOR THE BOOKS

Published June 26, 2024 by rochellewisoff

HOP ABOARD

Genre: Anecdote
Word Count: 100

ONE FOR THE BOOKS

A roomful of friends came to share my day. Some of them supported me through my darkest days. They congratulate me through their tears.

This is surreal. What will others think of me when they read my–albeit highly fictionalized—life story?

My artwork graces the books stacked on the table, both hardback and paperback. Friendly chatter fills the winery. Everything is beyond perfect.

Penultimate singer-songwriter and dear friend Bradley sings my song among other crowd favorites.

Before the afterglow of this special time has a chance to fade, the sudden realization strikes me. “Where do I go from here?”

24 May 2024

Published May 22, 2024 by rochellewisoff

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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. 😀

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12 April 2024

Published April 10, 2024 by rochellewisoff

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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. 😀