11 July 2025

Published July 9, 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 © Roger Bultot

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Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100

BLACK DEATH

Henry struggled to catch his breath. The nurse sitting on the chair beside his bed reached over and squeezed his hand. “Can I get anything for you, Sergeant Johnson?”

“Been a long time since anyone’s called me sergeant.”

In three days, fireworks would herald Independence Day 1929. Whose independence? Despite his service, he was still considered less than human in his own country.

“My brother served with you in France.” Her eyes shone. “Says you’re a hero.”

“I just fought for my life. A rabbit would’ve done that.”

Shutting his eyes, Henry heaved a ragged sigh. His broken heart stopped.

Henry was dubbed “Black Death” by the Germans

Command Sgt. Maj. Louis Wilson of the New York Army National Guard accepts the Medal of Honor on behalf of World War I Pvt. Henry Johnson, who served with the 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the Harlem Hellfighters, at the White House, Washington, D.C., June 2, 2015.

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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.”

3 May 2024

Published May 1, 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.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN

Genre: Historical Ficton
Word Count: 100

CALL THE MIDWIFE

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

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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: