28 February 2025

Published February 26, 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 © Jen Pendergast

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Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100

THE SEVEN DWARVES OF AUSCHWITZ

“As in the fairytale Snow White, there were seven of us,” says Perla. “My brothers, Micki and Avram, my sisters, Frieda, Rozika, Elizabeth and me. All of us entertainers—singing, dancing and playing musical instruments.”

Tears sting her eyes. “Not only were we deformed, we were also Jews. The Nazis deported us to Auschwitz.

“We fascinated Dr. Mengele. He syphoned our blood, extracted our teeth and did painful experiments.” Perla shudders. “Yet he kept us alive.”

“Are you sorry he wasn’t executed?” she’s asked.

“No. I was saved by the grace of the Devil. Let God give Mengele his due.”

To read a more about them CLICK HERE.

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.”

.

.

CLICK TO CHECK OUT MY HISTORICAL SERIES

14 February 2025

Published February 12, 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 © David Stewart

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A bit of a note here. WordPress is getting more and more challenging. There were a few posts I tried to comment on the last go around and was notified that I wasn’t allowed to comment. But with a second try it worked. Athough there was one in particular that wouldn’t let me comment at all. Very frustrating.

Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100

THE BEST BASEBALL PLAYER YOU NEVER HEARD OF

Arms folded across her chest; Mama’s dark eyes blazed.

“Marcenia, where you been?”

There was no sense in lying. “Playing baseball.”

“And playing hooky?”

Brushing mud from her trousers, Marcenia nodded. “Yes, Ma’am.”

Mama shook her head. “Toni Tomboy they calls you. Why can’t you be more like your sisters?”

The ten-year-old grinned. She liked the nickname so much that she went on to make history competing with men in the Negro leagues as Toni Stone.

She later told reporters, “Women got as much right as men to dream. When the roll is called up yonder, I wanna play baseball.”

24 January 2025

Published January 22, 2025 by rochellewisoff

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PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson

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Genre: Fictionalized Story of a Current Reality
Word Count: 100

22 TISHREI 5784

More than a year had passed since Yani had seen her daughter Ori who would soon be freed from the hell of captivity. Forced to live in a damp, filthy tunnel beneath what was once a village, what stories would she tell? Would she be able to speak at all?

Hamas. Hebrew for violence. They say they have technical issues freeing their captives.

“Technical issues? They endanger their own children,” mused Yani’s grandmother Hannah who had survived Ravensbrück. “These animals should be found dead in every sector of their tunnels.”

“Ema!” Ori’s arms encircled Yani. “I’m home. Ahm Yisrael Chai!” *

*The people of Israel live!

17 January 2025

Published January 15, 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 © Robbie Cheadle

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Genre: HIstorical Fiction
Word Count: 100

UNTAMED

“Oh, you can’t be serious, Margaret,” said Ethel. “He gave that monstrosity to a young child. It will give her nightmares. What’s wrong with a Teddy Bear?”

“Mortimer isn’t too keen on Teddy Bears. Too cliché.”

“Then he shouldn’t have one. But a stuffed chimpanzee for a one-year-old?”

Margaret smiled. Her husband had brought the stuffed monkey he’d named Jubilee a few days prior.

She led Ethel to her daughter’s room where Jane slept with her arm curled around the monkey. “See for yourself.”

To this day, ninety years later, Jane Goodall’s beloved Jubilee sits on her dresser in London.

Baby Jane Goodall with her toy chimpanzee Jubilee.

10 January 2025

Published January 8, 2025 by rochellewisoff

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PHOTO PROMPT © Lisa Fox

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Genre: Anecdote
Word Count: 100

PURPLE PROSE

Addicted? Me? Nah. No way.

It is true that I’ve always loved purple—all shades of it, from pale lavender to deep violet.

It’s more than a color, or colour, depending on your locale. In North Carolina there’s even a boutique called, of all things, Purpleologist. They sell everything from knickknacks to jewelry, sunglasses, and clothes.

Twelve years ago, at a writer’s workshop, we bloggers were encouraged to create a memorable title to build our brand. “Addicted to Purple” was born—a bit of humor that seems to have caught on. That’s all.

Addicted? Me? Nah, I can stop anytime.

Here’s a link to Russell Gayer’s take on my addiction that he posted in 2012. (Note, he was at that same workshop)

A few years back, someone sent me the link to this song. He said it should be my theme song. 😉 It is my iPhone’s ringtone. 😀 What can I say? It works.

I can quit anytime.

27 December 2024

Published December 25, 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 © Jennifer Pendergast

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Happy holidays to all who celebrate at this time of the year! In light of that and the fact that I’ve been battling some kind of sinus crud, today’s story is a rerun. However, the prompt is new. 😉

Genre: Pure Fiction
Word Count: 100

SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Ted set up a row of chairs in the reception hall. Jessica plopped down on one and pouted. “This is all-kinds-of wrong.”
“Hey sis, ever hear of John Cram?”
“No.”
“Lemme educate you. John Cram patented the folding chair in 1855. Then in 1947 Fred Arnold created the first aluminum one and by 1957 his company was manufacturing—”
“Ooh, cram your history, Mr. Wikipedia.” Jessica gritted her teeth. Tears stung her eyes. “It’s just not fair.”
Ted hugged her. “You’re going to be a gorgeous bride tomorrow.”
“What about my garden wedding? It’s not supposed to snow in May!

We celebrate both holidays in our house! Happy Merry from us to you!

In Loving Memory of John Scheuch.

6 December 2024

Published December 4, 2024 by rochellewisoff

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Genre: Fiction
Word Count: 100

I
EXCEPTING ALICE

Despite my husband’s protests, I gather seashells along a Massachusetts beach. They are my favorite souvenirs from my travels.

I pick up a rock and hold it in the palm of my hand. A whimsical drawing of a cat smiles at me.

Later as we have lunch at Theresa’s Stockbridge Café, I show my find to our server.

“Oh!” she exclaims. “You don’t see many of those on the beach these days. That’s an Alice original.”

My heart pounds. “You mean as in the Alice?”

“Yes!”

Suddenly I find myself singing, “You can get anything you want at Alice’s Restaurant.”

The photo prompt this week is mine and while it’s true that I can’t resist collecting shells on the beach, the ones pictured came from St. Thomas, Florida, and Wilmington NC. I’ve never been to Massachusetts. 😉

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This is a phoo of one of Alice's painted rocks. She enjoyed leaving them around for others to find and enjoy.

Genre: Tribute – Non Fiction
Word Count: 100

II
REMEMBER ALICE?

Alice’s Restaurant wasn’t really a song about Alice—or a restaurant. It’s just the name of the song.

As the story goes, “It all started two Thanksgivings ago…”

Rock stations across the United States play Arlo Guthrie’s classic narrative every Thanksgiving which falls in late November.

While she enjoyed cooking, Alice Brock never expected fame or fortune to come of it. In recent years, she reminisced how, thanks to her “funny looking friend with the guitar,” and his eighteen-minute ramble, she became the “living legend Earth Mother.”

She left us this year, a week before Thanksgiving. Rest in peace, Alice.

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And if you really want to step back in time, (or have eighteen minutes with nothing better to do) here’s the song about Alice…and the restaurant:

29 November 204

Published November 27, 2024 by rochellewisoff

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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. 😉

22 November 2024

Published November 20, 2024 by rochellewisoff

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Genre: Personal Musing
Word Count: 100

MISHPOCHA

When I was a small child, we all went to the same synagogue. Passover seders and bar mitzvah receptions were epic events.

I remember how excited I was to be the flower girl at my cousin Marshall’s wedding. So nervous, walking down the aisle, I forgot to throw the petals.

We grew up, married and went our separate ways. My parents, aunts, uncles, and most of my cousins succumbed to the inevitable.

Time has scattered the rest of us to the wind. Fewer invitations, cards, or even texts are sent.
Recently I learned of Marshall’s passing—in a Facebook post.