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.
Today, as this week’s Friday Fictioneers airs, it’s June 19th. In the States it’s Juneteenth, a Federal Holiday to celebrate and commemorate the ending of slavery in America. I hope my piece doesn’t sound defensive, although at the time, I was hurt by my friend’s barbs.
Genre: Memoir Word Count: 100
IN BLACK AND WHITE
A while back, a fellow artist and I met for coffee. In the midst of the conversation, I said something my African American friend perceived as racist.
He frowned saying, “You white people say you don’t see color when you really do.”
His comments hurt, sending me on a soul-searching expedition.
He was partly correct in his assessment. The fact is, I do see a person’s skin color, as well as eye color and physique. I am a visual artist, after all. What I wanted to tell him is thatI appreciate the brilliant rainbow the Ultimate Artist has created.
Here I am with some delightful friends in Israel. I’m glad they didn’t have a problem with short people. 😉
If only we could see how alike we all are.
****
And now for some shameless publicity 😉 This coming Sunday is my official Book Launch.
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.
“I like the pretty golden bird on the cover of this book, Opa. What’s it about?
Herrick gently took the blue, leather-bound volume from his granddaughter.
“This was given to me a very long time ago.”
“Will you read me a bedtime story from it?”
Gathering Gretchen onto his lap, Herrick closed his eyes and remembered the day the youth leader had issued him a fresh uniform and the virulent tome. So proud he’d been to serve his country. So fervent.
Herrick fished a pack of matches from his pocket.
“Nein, Liebling. I ‘ve a better plan für dieses buch.”
LAST DANCE WITH ANNIE is available to order in hardback, paperback or ebook, HERE, HERE, and HERE! Also available on Amazon Canada, Australia, UK, Germany and New Zealand.
LAST DANCE WITH ANNIE is available to order in hardback, paperback or ebook, HERE, HERE, and HERE! Also available on Amazon Canada, Australia, UK, Germany and New Zealand. 😉
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.
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.
Tony, Elise’s husband, had never considered himself a candidate for therapy. He’d always believed all that psychobabble was hogwash and hooey. However, since he’d met Dr. Hank Rogers at the verteran’s support group meetings, his opinions had begun to change.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND WELCOME HOME
Tony had great respect for Hank, a Vietnam veteran who’d lost both legs in battle. He was the recipient of two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star, and a Distinguished Service Cross.
At their first meeting, trying not to stare at the therapist’s stumps, Tony focused on the medals in their shadow box. “You must have some stories to tell.”
“You bet, but we’re not here to discuss my service history, Chief. Surely you have a few medals of your own. Nightmares?”
“I see how it is.” Tony had bristled. “What’s this gonna cost me, Doc?”
“Nothing, save some emotional baggage.”
All Versions are availabe for preorder HERE. Official release date June 4! and if you’re in the area:
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.
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. 😀
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.
Mama’s words echoed in Sister Benedicta’s memory. “Edith, how can your turn your back on your people this way? To be baptized is an outrage! You are a Jew.”
“Our Lord Jesus himself was a Jew.” Edith had calmly replied. “I am still a Jew.
The Nazis agreed and forced her to pin a yellow star to her habit.
It boggled her mind that anyone could be so cruel.
The gas chambers of Auschwitz loomed before her. Her sister Rosa wept at her side.
Putting an arm around her shoulder, Sister Benedicta whispered, “Come, we are going for our people.”
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.
Happy May, Everyone! It seems whatever issues WP has had with sign ins and commentors continues. I had a few comments from Annonymous last week. I noticed also that I’m not the only one. A few times I’ve had to sign back in to leave a comment. It is rather irritating. If you could leave your name it would be helpful. Thank you.
Genre: Coming of Age Word Count: 100
MUZAK TO MY EARS
In my teens I was a raving Beatles fan. Oh, the memories each of their songs evokes from different stages of my adolescence.
I still have my collection of vinyl 45 rpm records. Not familiar? Look them up. No time to elaborate in one hundred words.
One afternoon my mother came into my room as I was rocking to “I am the Walrus.” With a disgusted look she said, “You only tell yourself you like that dreck.”
Seriously I still love the crazy cacophony.
Imagine my surprise the other day when I heard it as background music in the supermarket.
***********
Last Dance With Annie, by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, will be available June 4th in paperback, hardcover, and ebook. Preorder on Amazon, Nook, Kobo, and more!
“Much flows through the pages of “Last Dance” and all of it is worth reading. In this well-written, poignant story, Wisoff-Fields offers the reader a front row seat into less-spoken-of and rarely seen realities of lives weighted by years of expectation, exploitation, secrecy, trauma, and turmoil; but also to the powers of love, truth, and creativity to offer healing and feed hope. As Elise and those around her lose, then seek to find their step, we weep with, cheer for, and dance with them. Hurrah, Rochelle, for a story well told!”
Na’ama Yehuda, MSC SLP (Author: Communicating Trauma, Emilia, Outlawed Hope, Apples in Applath)
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.
We couldn’t afford for Mama to have her baby at the white clinic, so Daddy hired Miss Coley.
“I ain’t lettin’ no dirty colored woman touch me,” said Mama.
Daddy shrugged. “Ain’t no choice, Maybelle.”
When Miss Mary came, she patted my head. “Look at them purty blue eyes.”
She arranged her birthing tools on newspapers. Then she scrubbed her hands. “Everything gotsta be extra clean.”
Miss Mary sat with Mama all night until my baby brother was born. Two years later, even though times was better, Mama wouldn’t trust nobody else to bring my baby sister into the world.
I couldn’t resist using the title. It just seemed to fit. You can read more about Miss Mary HERE
You can watch the 1952 documentary about Miss Mary HERE
***********
Last Dance With Annie will be available June 4th in paperback, hardcover, and ebook. Preorder on Amazon, Nook, Kobo, and more!(click “more” for four more places to preorder. :D)
Here’s an installment of an interview I did for Ozark Hollow Press:
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.
The following is admittedly a seven-year-old rerun. I’ve been extremely distracted of late and didn’t feel I could get away with another “my muse didn’t show up story.”…which she didn’t. 😉
Genre: Historical Fiction Word Count: 100
FAMILY TREE
“‘And they lived happily ever after.’” Leah shut the storybook.
Shifra’s raisin-brown eyes, round as bottle caps, sparkled. “Bubbie? Did you love Grandpa at first sight?”
“He was only eight when we met. Mama took him in…hid him from the khappers, bad men who snatched little Jewish boys from their homes and made them serve twenty-five years in the Czar’s army.”
“Did she hide him in the closet?”
“No she was smart, my Mama.”
“He was like your brother, right?”
Leah pointed to a tintype on the table of two little bonneted girls and grinned. “More like my sister.“
*****
Below is my first attempt at creating a reel on Canva and posting it to Instagram. It works on my end if I click the picture. Let me know how it works for you.
The ebook can be preordered 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 June 4! 😀
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 