Weekend Writing Prompt – Oasis

Published August 1, 2021 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’ve been MIA re the Weekend Writing Prompt for the past couple of weeks. Between art shows, extreme heat, it’s been an insane roller coaster ride.

ON THE ALTAR

The promising manuscript

Hailed by beta readers

As my opus

Has been spurned by the major and minor leagues.

Dreams laid aside

For the moment

I sequester in my oasis

With watercolors and an antique photograph

Comforted by my grandmothers.

The photo was taken around the end of the 19th century in Eastern Europe. I used the photo as a model for my first novel’s book cover. Now I’m painting the “real thing.” The ladies are my grandmother Nettie and great grandmother Edith.

30 July 2021

Published July 28, 2021 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.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Word Count: 100

WITZ KRIEG

Allan sucked in his lower lip. Did Mom really say, “Your father and I are getting a divorce. Which of us do you want to live with?”

“Rose, the boy’s only eight,” said Dad.

Looking from one parent to the other, sensing no affection from either, Allen blurted out, “I want to live with Grandma and Grandpa Sherman. They love me.”

In the midst of his warped and disjointed world, being shuffled from house to house and school to school, Allan Sherman found comfort in food, writing and humor.

In 1962 his writing and humor made him an overweight success.

***

Allan Sherman’s bright star fizzled after President Kennedy’s assassination. In 1973 his poor life choices caught up with him and he passed away ten days shy of his forty-ninth birthday.

Allan Sherman has been called Weird Al Yankovic’s “Founding Faddah.” Reportedly, President John F. Kennedy was a fan of Mr. Sherman’s parody songs. To know a little more about the man under the beanie CLICK HERE.

23 July 2021

Published July 21, 2021 by rochellewisoff

The following photo is the PHOTO PROMPT, a cool picture for hot days, depending on your side of the globe. Where does it take you? Tell us in a hundred words or less.

PHOTO PROMPT© Na’ama Yehuda תודה חברה שלי 😉

Some of you may remember this story. I posted it exactly six years ago this week. Different photo prompt.

Genre: Science Friction

Word Count: 100

YOUNGER DRYAS

“The weatherman says we can expect another six inches of global warming tonight.” Kent knelt and shaped a mound of wet snow into a ball. Then he stood and let it fly. “Look out, Taffy. Here comes some of your greenhouse effect!”

The snowball splattered against the back of Taffy’s head and ice rolled down her neck. She spun around. “How can you ignore what’s happening right under your nose?”

“Climate change? Hooey and hogwash!”

Taffy bent and dug a conch shell from a knee-high drift. “Doesn’t this weather strike you as being a bit odd for Florida in mid-July?”

***

Climate-Change-Public-Domain-620x330 — **click**

Weekend Writing Prompt – Requisite

Published July 11, 2021 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.

Original Artwork © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

WHAT IS MOTHERHOOD MADE OF?

At twenty I had the requisite for motherhood—a husband and a womb. I danced for joy when the tests came back positive.

However, after Daniel’s birth, I resented him. I wanted sugar and spice. Instead, I got snips and snails.

One night, after putting the baby to bed, I turned on the television to an ad for flame retardant pajamas. Images of once handsome children, burned and scarred beyond recognition riddled me with guilt.

I bolted from the sofa to the nursery, gathered Daniel into my arms, inhaled his sweetness and whispered, “I love puppy dog tails.”

9 July 2021

Published July 7, 2021 by rochellewisoff

For those who know our MIA FF’r Ted Strutz who suffered a stroke a while back, I wanted to share his progress.

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.

CLICK TO JOIN

A few might remember a longer version of this story I posted for “What Pegman Saw” in 2017. With the summer being as busy as it is, it seemed like a good time to share a rerun. 😉

Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100

COUNTRY ROADS

“My dearest Jimmy,

Remember 1971? The year we came back from Vietnam. John Denver must’ve written his hit with you in mind.

“‘Pineville, West Virginia,’ you whispered low and sweet. Your eyes shone like the stars over the Shenandoah River. You laughed. ‘Just a Podunk town in the middle of nowhere.’

Nonetheless, to you it was ’almost heaven’.”

Sharon tucked the note inside his guitar and leaned it against his headstone. “I kept my promise to meet you here, Jimmy.”

Forever she would carry his face in her heart and hear his last words, “Nurse, please don’t let me die.”

***

In this image provided by the U.S. Army, the 2nd Brigade was faced with a new problem at their Bien Hoa, Vietnam base: from Fort Rilay to Vietnam come the 93rd Evacuation Hospital complete with nurses on Dec. 19, 1965. The problem of getting a private shower for the girls fell to Company B 1st Engineer Battalion. In the interests of the health, welfare and cleanliness of the nurses, the men of Company B decided to give up their own air-conditioned shower. The dressing area of the shower was boarded up and the entrance-way closed off. An appropriate “Off Limits” sign was made and posted. (AP Photo/U.S. Army)

2 July 2021

Published June 30, 2021 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.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100

HIS BROTHER’S KEEPER

“He drove that VW Microbus with “Love is progress—hate is expensive” painted on the back from St. Johns Island to Charlotte.” Grandma Selma’s dark cheeks shone. “Thanks to him I earned three diplomas.”

“Who?” asked Tanisha.

“Who indeed? Girl, he should be in your history books. When he was just a little boy, he had to quit school after the 4^th grade, but he still found ways to further his education. And then made sure us kids did the same. Took us to school or anywhere else we needed to go. Esau Jenkins was the wheels beneath our wings.

CLICK TO LEARN MORE

One Swell Foop

Published June 23, 2021 by rochellewisoff

It’s me again. Double dipping. When you read you might understand why. Nothing fictitious about this story…sigh.

Genre: Hysterical Faction
Word Count: 100

ONE SWELL FOOP

My husband and I raised our purple canopy for the weekly farmer’s market. A breeze cooled my back. “At least it’s not as hot as last Tuesday.

Jan mopped sweat from his eyes. “Still warm and windy, though. Wish we’d brought weights to hold this thing down.”

Then, he stood back and admired our handiwork—gridwalls loaded with framed works, tables full of books, notecards, and prints. “Nicest setup here.”

Perching on my purple chair, I posted pictures and greetings to Facebook and awaited prospective customers. Suddenly a strong gust upended my tent. How quickly triumph can turn to tragedy.

To my honey who puts his heart and soul into the setup to make me look good. Note the gridwall. Some of those frames bit the dust, but the artwork is intact.

We still carried on without shade. Next week will be better, right? New tent in transit. Plan B in progress. 😀

To View my artwork CLICK

25 June 2021

Published June 23, 2021 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.

Hear the author read. 🙂

Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100

FOREST OF THE MARTYRS

Avraham set the seedling in the hole he had dug. “Blessed are You, Master of the Universe, Creator of life. May the memories of my Sarah and our little Isaac be blessed.”

Hannah helped Avraham cover the tender roots with sandy soil. “May the memory of my Shmuel also be blessed.”

Under Israel’s hot summer sun many others had come to plant. Their goal was to raise six million trees, one for each life taken.”

Avraham placed his hand on Hannah’s belly and smiled through his tears when their unborn child kicked. “By their deaths, they commanded us to live.”

The six million trees, planted in 1951 by Jewish National Fund, World B’nai Brith and immigrants, are a living monument of eternally green memorial candles for the six million of our people who perished during World War II.

Weekend Writing Prompt – Galaxy

Published June 13, 2021 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.

BEFORE WE WENT THERE

“I bet I can make this one reach the stars.” Eight-year-old Alan spun the propeller of his latest model airplane. “Maybe it’ll even fly across the whole galaxy.”

“Aw, you’re goofy.” Bobby caught a firefly and dropped it into a fruit jar. “It’s just a toy.”

Alan dropped down on the ground. Cool grass tickled his neck. He gazed at the stars in the dark summer sky. “Someday. You wait and see. I’m going to fly clear to outer space.”

“Say hello to the little green men for me when you do.”

Alan Shepard was the first American to travel to outer space in May 1961. So began the Space Race.

To know a little more CLICK.

Weekend Writing Prompt – Crescendo

Published June 6, 2021 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.

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.