17 November 2023

Published November 15, 2023 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: Fiction
Word Count: 100

DEFENSE MECHANISM

Elise hated it when her parents fought. Daddy would say the most horrible things to Mommy.

Elise would hide. Shutting her eyes tight, she would make up stories in her head.

When she was seven, she would imagine herself in lead roles in her favorite TV shows like Bonanza or Dr. Kildare.

Elise grew up. Mom and Dad continued to shout at each other. Elise no longer felt the need to crawl under her bed. She became quite adept at hiding within the confines of her own mind.

Elise moved out.

Her parents passed away.

Today Elise is an author.

Weekend Writing Prompt – Pre-loved

Published August 21, 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.

HOLDING HER HAND

Wayne urged me to get in touch with my inner child.

“It hurts,” I whined.

“It’s the path to healing.”

One day, on the way to my appointment, I stopped at a thrift store. Spying a hand amid a pile of pre-loved stuffed toys, I pulled out a doll with a familiar face. I hugged her soft body and was comforted.

Wayne smiled at her. “She’s you.”

Coincidence? I think not.

“Hold the hand of the child
that lives in your soul.
For this child
nothing is impossible.”
Paulo Coehlo

Engaging, Uplifting and Altogether Heartbreaking

Published August 2, 2020 by rochellewisoff

Some of my readers may recognize the name of this prolific participant in Friday Fictioneers. Over the past week, I’ve been completely lost in this beautifully written novel. So I’m posting my review here.

I never did learn to speed read. It will usually take me a while to plod through a book, even if I’m enjoying the read. It’s rare for me to pick up a 400 plus page novel and read it from cover to cover in three days.

Emilia by Na’ama Yehuda is one of those books. The multi-faceted story sucked me in from the first paragraph and didn’t cut me loose until the last line.

Granted, other tasks ended up in the ignore pile. Things like sleeping.

Set in the 1800’s, the story opens with KayAnne, Emilia’s tutor, rescuing the child from the unimaginable horror she’s suffered at the hands of her guardian. Determined to take Emilia to a safe place, KayAnne boards a train to a place she’s only heard of in passing—a lighthouse run by an old woman who helps broken women heal.

Not only did the compelling story draw me in, but the well-developed characters from Marion the keeper of the lighthouse to Big Ben, a gentle intuitive horse. The moment I met Marion, I felt safe.

I laughed at the antics of puppy, Billy-Boo and ground my teeth at the cruelty exhibited by certain characters. The intricate plot twists kept me engaged and in suspense. As I came to the final line, my heart cried out for more.

Na’ama’s experience working with childhood trauma shines through exquisitely in this sensitively written novel.