9 October 2020

Published October 7, 2020 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 © Sandra Crook

CLICK THE FROG TO PARTAKE

Genre: Hysterical Fiction

Word Count: 100

STALKING THE WILD EDIBLES

“Seriously, Daddy?” Ariel jabbed her fork into a plateful of fishy-smelling seaweed. “You expect me to eat this?”

“Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it. Full of antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins,” said Louis. “Expertly prepared by Yours Truly. Ever hear of Euell Gibbons?

“Who?”

“Famous 1960’s naturalist. One winter, his family was down to their last egg and a few pinto beans. He went out and picked a knapsack full of puffball mushrooms, piñon nuts, and yellow prickly pear fruits. Kept them from starving.”

Ariel lifted a green strand, sniffed and grimaced. “It looks like something a Klingon would eat.”

Euell Gibbon, who became famous promoting Grape Nuts cereal. He took a lot of ribbing. Here he is taking a poke at himself.

To know a little more about him CLICK HERE

Weekend Writing Prompt – Zany

Published September 27, 2020 by rochellewisoff

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.

Some of you might know I’m a logophile…a word nerd. I have the old, no longer supported, Scrabble app on my phone and on my iPad. No bells or whistles. No connection to the internet. Just the way I like it. However I do miss the interaction of a rousing game with friends. So I give you a little wishful thinking.

GAME ON

“Z-A-N-Y” Rochelle arranged the tiles on the Scrabble board. “Ha! Thirty points to open the game.”

Dale flashed a smile. “Big deal.”

“Can you do better?”

To Rochelle’s chagrin, Dale played the Q, U and I off the Z for forty-four points on a double word.

Na’ama dumped her tiles back in the box. “I’ve a better idea. Let’s bake some bread.”

***

If you’re in the neighborhood come visit my virtual booth at the PeaceworksKC art fair to day from 11-5 CDT.

Weekend Writing Prompt – Rectify

Published September 12, 2020 by rochellewisoff

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.

This seems to be a recurring theme for me. In fourth grade my teacher nicknamed me “Messy Bessy.” My mother kept my bedroom door shut. I envy those neat-nicks who have a place for everything and everything in its place.

Is it the artist in me?

Or is it the writer?

Organization

Mission Impossible.

Try as I might I can’t line up all my ducks

They scatter in all directions

Can this situation be rectified?

Weekend Writing Prompt – Sentient

Published September 5, 2020 by rochellewisoff

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.

ARACHNOPHOBIA

Remember the animated version of Charlotte’s Web?

Who could resist Wilbur the pig,

The runt of the litter,

Sweetly voiced by Henry Gibson?

“Fine swine.”

Charlotte, a darling with eight legs,

Who sounded like Debbie Reynolds,

Spun the piglet’s praises into her web.

I wept

When she

Went to the great spiderweb in the sky

Leaving poor Wilbur to grieve.

Tender story.

However,

Should one of Charlotte’s eensy-weensy relatives

Visit me.

Whack! Splat!

I don’t care if

She was a sentient life form, Captain Janeway.

28 August 2020

Published August 26, 2020 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 © J Hardy Carroll

CLICK FROGGIE TO JOIN

Genre: Historical Fiction

Word Count: 100

LOST IN THE BRONX

“Oy the pain.” Jonathan Charasuchin would moan when his mother gave boarders his room, relegating him to sleep on dining room chairs.

“Quit your kvetching,” his mother would say. “We need the money.”

His sympathetic father introduced him to opera on the radio and took him to Yiddish theater productions.

The boy fell in love with the stage and dreamed of someday becoming an actor. Diligently he worked on losing his thick Bronx accent, imitating British film stars.

Forty years later, Jonathan Harris delighted Lost in Space fans with quips like “You bobble-headed booby” and “Oh the pain. The pain.”

***

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Weekend Writing Prompt – Misanthrope

Published August 9, 2020 by rochellewisoff

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.

I’m out of my comfort zone this week, sightseeing, swimming in the ocean and enjoying some sibling revelry with my brother Jeffrey Wisoff. 😀

SELF EXAMINATION

Me? Antisocial? Surely you jest. I interact with people all day long—online. Okay. I’m a little reclusive, perhaps. A cockeyed introvert, for certain. But a misanthrope? Nay I say. I’m merely comfortable with my own company.

Swimming laps gives me immeasurable pleasure. Water, as opposed to nattering human voices, whispers serenity to my soul.

Granted, I enjoy an occasional day out with the girls. Human contact is essential—in limited installments. Nothing pleases me more, after a day of shopping, than to sequester with my paintbrush

My office –slash-studio is my happy place where I control my reality.

17 July 2020

Published July 15, 2020 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 © Jean L. Hays

Genre: Rant

Word Count: 100

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

A week ago, my “keep refrigerated” medication arrived—three days late and warm—via UPS.

I called their support number to discover “customer” and “service” is a UPS oxymoron. After pressing one for this and two for that, I complained to one agent after another. Each guaranteed pick-up and a call back from their center.

Four days later, I tossed the deceased meds and resorted to messaging UPS on social media.

The standard excuse: “Additional volume due to global health crisis. We’re working on a resolution.”

My promised UPS call came today and so did the replacement package—via FedEx.

10 July 2020

Published July 8, 2020 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 @ A. Noni Mouse

Click the dancing frog to join the fun.

Genre: Hysterical Fiction

Word Count: 100

I REST MY CASE

My son slept on a mattress on the floor. Dirty glasses and plates with mold enough to save the planet from infection littered his room. Filthy clothes and towels covered the bed.

I fumed. “You could hide a body in this room.”

One morning I went to wake him for work. No Evan. I even called his friends.

My heart thrashed at red smears on my white cabinets.

Before I could call the police, Evan entered the kitchen. “Mo-om, why didn’t you wake me? Oh, sorry about the spaghetti sauce.”

“Told you. You can hide a body in that room.”

Weekend Writing Prompt – Syzygy

Published July 4, 2020 by rochellewisoff

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.

This would be such a great word in Scrabble, especially if you hit a triple word score. Of course, you’d need a blank because there are only two ‘y’s’.

WHEN FRIENDS ALIGN

“Sammi’s joking. Syzygy can’t be a real word.” Rochelle fumed.

“Look it up,” said Na’ama. “It’s between ‘systole’ and ‘Szechuan.’

“Oooh, Szechuan. Yum!” Dale flashed her million-dollar-smile. “Let’s do lunch.”

3 July 2020

Published July 1, 2020 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: Hysterical Fiction

Word Count: 100

STOP!

Jeff drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “Damned red light.”

“Down, Scruffy.” Meredith looked up from her magazine. “Can you imagine the chaos without traffic lights? In fact, until 1923, our fair city of Cleveland was a mess until inventor Garrett Morgan witnessed a serious collision between an automobile and a cart. The horse had to be put down and a little girl was severely injured.”

“And…?”

“And Mr. Morgan patented a three-position traffic signal which brought order to roads worldwide. He later sold the patent to General Electric who added colored lights. Hey, Jeff?”

“What?”

“The light’s green.”

****