Weekend Writing Prompt – Paradox

Published November 21, 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.

IT BEGAN IN 1971

(IN 71 WORDS)

“You’re not in love.” My mother fumed. “You’re in lust. Only eighteen. Too young to know your own mind.”

Nonetheless, I dug in my heels. My dad walked me down the aisle, a sorrowful expression on his face and tears in his eyes. “You can always come home if it doesn’t work out.”

“I give them six months,” said my aunt.

A paradox in progress.

Forty-nine years later, we’re still married.

This photo is only 15 minutes old at this posting.

November 28, 1971

Season of Light!

Published November 21, 2020 by rochellewisoff

David Bayard is doing it again. Today, Saturday, November 21, 2020 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm! A virtual arts festival! Come to David’s Festival Page and meet the artists (including Yours Truly). The interviews will be run simultaneously on Facebook Live here: https://www.facebook.com/SkyboyPhotos. Check out David’s new calendar and handcrafted holders.

Be sure to visit my art page. Lots of prints and originals to choose from as well as a large selection of note cards!

20 November 2020

Published November 18, 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 © Sarah Potter

CLICK THE FROG!

Genre: Historical Fiction

Word Count: 100

AKA WEEGEE

Adolescent Arthur Fellig rented a pony and took pictures of neighborhood kids with his secondhand View Camera.

“I wipe their faces and give ‘em a ride.” He winked. “Then sell their folks the photos.”

Years later, armed with a police-band radio, Speed Graphic camera and a makeshift darkroom in his trunk, he lurked in the shadows of New York. His black and whites captured the city’s seamier side like no others.

“You’re always on time.” Amazed reporters shook their heads. “You must have a Ouija board or something. What’s your secret?”

“Ain’t no secret.” Weegee shrugged. “F/8 and be there.”

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This a picture of my dad at 6 in 1920 in Brooklyn NY. 😉

quote-when-you-find-yourself-beginning-to-feel-a-bond-between-yourself-and-the-people-you-weegee-54-22-54

Weekend Writing Prompt – Wrangle

Published November 14, 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.

THE CHILDREN’S MARCHING SONG

“Stupid song.” My brother turned the dial.

“It’s not your radio.”

“Is, too.”

Today, any wrangle is settled with a grin and

“It wasn’t your radio.”

“It was a stupid song.”

“Was not.”

I’m happy to report that sibling rivalry has turned to sibling revelry. Although both of us are still as ornery as we ever were. Blame it on our dad.

13 November 2020

Published November 11, 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 © Dale Rogerson

CLICK FOR FUN!

Genre: Historical Fiction

Word Count: 100

BY DESIGN

“The final Yuletide of the 19^th century is upon us. What will the 20^th hold? Perhaps we women will be allowed to vote.” Maud settled back against her pillows. “We’ll make it happen.” Light snow fell past her window. Nearby carolers sang, “Silent Night.”

Her latest illustration sat unfinished on her easel.

“Salutations, my little masterpiece.” She studied the infant in her arms. “I daresay those dark blue eyes shall turn brown. What a dear subject you’ll make, my Humphrey baby.”

“Humphrey baby indeed. Come to Papa, my son.” Maud’s husband Belmont lifted the child. “Merry Christmas, Humphrey Deforest Bogart!

Click to know more about Maud

Maud and Baby Humphrey

Humphrey Bogart.

Maud Humphrey

Weekend Writing Prompt – Bequeath

Published November 8, 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.

My paternal grandmother, Miriam Reuben Wisoff ©

My Grandma Miriam

Was a cynical and lonely

Old woman who bequeathed

Her reflections and perceptions

To her descendants in prolific poetry.

My heritage.

***

IMAGERY*

In fancy I see, like a flock of birds

Diverse poems from here and there,

Each with a different song in its throat,

Winging its way toward the editor’s chair.

Some fly low, of earthy things to tell,

While others to the sky must soar,

Each longs to impart,

What is in its soul and heart,

To a sympathetic editor.

TATS AND STATS

Published November 5, 2020 by rochellewisoff

This past week I posted a flash fiction of a granddaughter’s devotion to her grandmother who was a Holocaust survivor. I wrote it as a sequel to a story I posted the week before. One of our participants, an Israeli herself, Na’ama Yehuda, told me she knew someone who had done what the granddaughter did in remembrance. CLICK HERE TO READ

After one commenter asked about the configuration of numbers, I went to You Tube to find video footage to back my story. This video is a brilliant illustration of a phenomenon among children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors. I’m so touched by this I must share.

6 November 2020

Published November 4, 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 © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

I almost never write sequels to my stories. Although I think this one stands alone, it is, indeed Chapter 2 to last week’s story N2MB3RS.

I’m blaming it on Na’ama who put the bug in my muse’s ear. Thanks, my friend. 😀

Click me! Click me!

Genre: Fiction

Word Count: 100

LEST WE FORGET

Bubbie lifted her glass. “Next year in Jerusalem!” The numbers 45457 on her arm had faded in seventy years but remained legible.

“I bought the tickets.” Beaming, Dad raised his wine. “Jerusalem!”

***

Miriam shielded her eyes from the noonday sun over the old city. “I wish you were here, Bubbie.”

Miriam remembered her argument with her grandmother over tattoos.

“My friends have them.”

“What do they know?”

Later Bubbie passed away in her sleep.

Miriam went to the tattoo parlor.

The artist frowned. “You sure? ‘45457? Just numbers?”

Back in the present Miriam studied her arm. “I’ll never forget, Bubbie.”

In the States we commemorate 9-11. The Jews commemorate 11-9. November 9 marks the 82nd anniversary of Kristallnacht, Night of Broken Glass.

Weekend Writing Prompt – Histrionics

Published October 31, 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 one’s fiction for me…but tragically not for everyone.

REPARATION

Each time he’d wail and beat his chest. “It’ll never happen again.”

Histrionics and lies.

Cosmetics couldn’t conceal the vicious truth.

Her flight left at 06:30.

At 10:00 they found the gun in his hand.

“Suicide,” said police.

Gazing out the airplane’s window, she smiled. “Nope. Never again.”

30 October 2020

Published October 28, 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.

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Genre: All-too-realistic Fiction

Word Count: 100

N2MB3RS

Miriam paged through tattoo parlor designs. “Should I get a rose or a bird?”

Eva’s faded eyes flashed. “Why blemish such beautiful skin?”

“You’ve got one, Bubbe.”

“I detest it.”

Miriam skimmed her fingertips over the numbers on her great-grandmother’s arm. “Why don’t you have it removed?”

“The needle burned into me while they carried Mama away. They silenced Papa’s pleas with a bullet.” A spectral smile spread Eva’s withered lips. “It took four of them to hold me down.”

“I get it. You keep it so you’ll always remember.”

“No, bubbeleh. I keep it so you will never forget.”