14 April 2023

Published April 12, 2023 by rochellewisoff

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PHOTO PROMPT © Lisa Fox

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Today I’m kind of cheating. The following story is an edited snippet of my soon to be published novel LAST DANCE WITH ANNIE. It’s about a 40 year old woman’s struggle with anorexia nervosa. This scene is early in book and based on a personal story. Oh those voices in our heads that distort any sense of reason! It’s a mindset that counts calories in a piece of chewing gum. No food is truly safe.

Genre: Fiction (sort of)
Word Count: 100

EAT YOUR HEART OUT

House of Hunan had something for everyone, including Tony. He filled his plate with egg rolls, crab Rangoon and bacon-wrapped Rumaki. Plenty of fried food to keep him happy.

Elise’s inner-voice crooned. “Buffets are great places to hide.”

She studied the huge mound of lettuce and sautéed green beans on her plate. How many calories? 200? Maybe less. Iceberg only had 50 per head. Her empty stomach roiled with the laxatives she’d gulped down. At the same time, it growled with hunger.

“It’s too much.” The voice sang. “It will make you fat. Huge as a hippo. Fat, fat, fat!”

20 January 2023

Published January 18, 2023 by rochellewisoff

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PHOTO PROMPT © Na’ama Yehuda

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Genre: Fiction/Novel Excerpt
Word Count: 100

I’m not sure you can call this a whole story, rather it is a snippet from my upcoming novel LAST DANCE WITH ANNIE. I’ve been so busy with edits that I just didn’t have the headspace for something new. Maybe next week.

SPIN CYCLE

After her parents died, within three years of each other, victims of their own bad habits—smoking and overeating—Elise ramped up her exercise routines. She took pride in achieving sixteen percent body fat.

Tony, obsessed with his personal workout program, never seemed to notice his wife had a problem. In fact, he praised her new slender form and stamina.

Elise’s flashbacks of childhood abuse surfaced in her mid-thirties. Each memory took her appetite, exacerbating her hatred for her body. When she sought help from a professional, Tony fumed and said she had no right to air their dirty laundry.

1 October 2021

Published September 29, 2021 by rochellewisoff

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Genre: Non-Fiction
Word Count: 100
NO WORDS

Seven years ago, after a long silence, Linda called me. “I need to hear your voice, Rocky. Are you okay?”

I laughed, happy to hear her voice. “Those eating disorder days are way behind me.”

We called her Mother Tucker. She was a platinum blonde firebrand who never suffered fools gladly. No one saw through my lies faster, loved me as fiercely or hurt me as deeply.

“I’m your bad habit.” She’d say, her eyes flashing ice-blue flames.

Recently I learned the damned virus took her. I whisper through tears, “I need to hear your voice, Linda. Are you okay?”

***

I worked with Linda Tucker in the late 90’s. She saw me through the worst of my eating disorder. She’s also the one who nicknamed me “Rocky.” No matter how I fought it, the name stuck. My former coworkers still call me Rocky. For a time Linda and I parted ways (a story for another time…or not 😉 ) We hadn’t spoken for years when she turned up on Facebook and then called. R.I.P. Mother Tucker.

Linda was just a bit on the ornery side.

8 May 2020

Published May 6, 2020 by rochellewisoff

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GO AHEAD…CLICK ME!

The following story is a work of fiction. Sadly, it’s based on fact for too many people.

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Word Count: 100

DRIVING THE BUS

Amy brushed, flossed and swished Listerine around her mouth. Spitting it out, she watched the blue liquid swirl down the drain. She raised her head, stared at her reflection, baring her teeth. “Minty fresh. I really gotta stop this ralphing crap.”

She took a mental inventory of everything she’d eaten. Basically, she cleaned out the fridge. Twinkies, two toaster waffles, a banana, a cheese ball, three hardboiled eggs and so on.

She’d gotten the idea of taking Ipecac from a recovering bulimic’s book, meant to be a testimony of her victory over her eating disorder.

“Handy little ‘how-to’ manual, eh?”

*Glossary:

Ralph is slang for vomit. Driving he Bus is slang for the same.

Ipecac is a substance used to induce vomiting. Parents of small children keep it in the medicine cabinet in case of accidental poisoning. I had to use it once when my son was two.

Listerine, for those unfamiliar, is a brand of mouthwash popular in the States.