6 November 2015

Published November 4, 2015 by rochellewisoff

(Not the Prompt)

The following photo is the PHOTO PROMPT. Please give credit where credit is due, ie the photograph contributor. It’s not just a nice thing to do, it’s PROPER ETIQUETTE.

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For those who would like constructive criticism on your story it’s my pleasure to introduce to you

FRIDAY FICTION CONCRIT SUBGROUP

for details click HERE

PHOTO PROMPT – © Connie Gayer …(Mrs. Russell)

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Genre: Historically Speculative Fiction

Word Count: 100

BLACK SUNDAY

My Ephraim’s shiny eyes was bluer than the April sky. I set him on a blanket where he cooed and sucked his fist. Then I laid out picnic fare for me and Tom.

“Our wheat’s a-dyin’ of thirst, Cora-Lee,” he said. “I hear tell them know-it-alls in Washington says we’re destroying the land and causing this here weather change.”

“Hogwash!”

Suddenly a black cloud ripped across the prairie and snuffed out the sun. I choked on dirt as we ran for cover. That day in 2035 Ephraim’s tiny lungs filled with dust and his colorless eyes don’t shine no more.

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Could it Happen Again? Click .

30 October 2015

Published October 28, 2015 by rochellewisoff

*A SPECIAL WORD OF APPRECIATION*

Thanks to all of your who responded to my message last week. Your words of affirmation renewed my Friday Fictioneers resolve for another year. It was also interesting to learn that others share my pet peeves and added a few of their own.

The most often mentioned pet peeve, aside from serials and multiple prompt stories, was that of certain blogs that make it difficult to leave a comment. I personally made the switch from Blogspot to WordPress three years ago and have no regrets.

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The next photo is the PHOTO PROMPT. There is only one prompt per week on which to base your story. However, it is perfectly all right to add other photos to go along with your story, just not to replace the prompt. Our rules are simple and few, this one is non-negotiable. Please remember to credit the photographer. It’s not just a nice thing to do it is PROPER ETIQUETTE!

PHOTO PROMPT – © Dale Rogerson

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Genre: Historical Fiction

Word Count: 100

GODS AND BEASTS

April 20, 1931

Dearest Brother.

Thank you for the sugar and the ham. I wish you could be here to share my strudel as I am quite alone in the world.

Remember when you came to visit me in Vienna and we went shopping? It was as if a brother dropped from heaven. I still have the dear brooch you bought for me.

How unfair of the insurance company to terminate me because of you. One day these insignificant beings will realize their mistake when your name shines and blazes over Deutschland.

Happy birthday,

Your loving sister,

Paula (Hitler) Wolff

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For more click here.

23 October 2015

Published October 21, 2015 by rochellewisoff

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**MESSAGE FROM ROCHELLE **

This past week marks my third anniversary as Friday Fictioneers Facilitator. To celebrate I’ve taken the liberty of rerunning a photo prompt and my story from the week Madison passed the baton to me. If you were part of the group at that time feel free to rerun your story as well.

I’d like to share some thoughts with you as I go into my fourth year as your “Fairy Blog Mother” (Thank you, Vijaya). I’ll begin by saying that I appreciate those who were part of the group before me and have stayed on the bus. Your encouragement has helped me through some difficult times as I’ve learned there’s more to facilitating than simply posting and hosting.

The discipline of writing an entire story in a hundred words has done wonderful things for my longer pieces. I’ve also experienced the joy of watching growth in other writers and I love the diversity and cultural exchange as we represent different parts of the world. I’ve made some delightful friendships that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

Since 2012 participation has doubled. I make it a point to at least read every entry. That being said, I’ll admit that serials that require my having to refer back to a previous story frustrate me. If you must write a serial, please make sure your entry stands alone. As one writer said recently, I can barely remember what I wrote last week.

My other pet peeve is the multiple prompt stories. I find these pieces that try to shoehorn three to four challenges to be stilted and confusing. Mind you, no one will be expelled for posting them. Everyone has preferences and I’m no exception.

I’ll end here with a hearty thank you for indulging me more than a hundred words. And THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION!!!

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Now it’s your turn. What do you like about Friday Fictioneers? How do you feel the discipline helps you as a writer? What are your pet peeves, ie what don’t you like?

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The next photo is the PROMPT which first appeared in October 2012.

PHOTO PROMPT © Ron Pruitt

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Genre: Para-Abnormal

Word Count: 97

FRIDAY’S BUS

Apprehensions whelmed the new driver. How could she steer the behemoth? Her feet barely reached the gas pedal.

A lithe maiden with pointed ears and iridescent wings, floated past her. Next was an imposing man whose black silk cape skimmed the floor. One by one, diverse passengers stowed their baggage and found their seats.

“Welcome,” said the last in line. “I’m Russell.”

Warmed by his congenial smile she tried not to stare at his plastic clown nose and grasped his offered hand.

Zzzzzzt! His joy buzzer sent shockwaves to her shoulder.

He chortled. “Are we there yet?”

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You can find the original posting of this story here.

I hope you’ll read the message before the prompt and take some time to give me feedback. Thank you.

Shalom,

Rochelle

16 October 2015

Published October 14, 2015 by rochellewisoff

The following photo is the PROMPT. Let it speak to you, then tell us in a hundred words or less what it said.

PHOTO PROMPT -© Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

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Genre: Realistic Fiction

Word Count: 100

NIGHT AND FOG

To escape the downpour, I duck into a musty antique shop.

“Willkomen, sir,” says the elderly shopkeeper.

I walk past her to browse the cluttered shelves. A hauntingly familiar porcelain teacup catches my eye.

“Lovely, isn’t it?” she asks.

“My sister had one just like it until we quarreled and I broke it.”

The shopkeeper’s eyes brim. “That was the day the train took my brother Helmond and me to Auschwitz. I thought he died.”

“Esther!” I gasp.

My heart pounds as her radiant smile transforms her into the mischievous child I remember. We embrace and she whispers, “Apology accepted.”

9 October 2015

Published October 7, 2015 by rochellewisoff

The next photo is the PHOTO PROMPT. How does it make you feel? Can you make us feel it in a hundred words or less?

PHOTO PROMPT © Ted Strutz

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Genre: Hysterical Fiction

Word Count: 100

STOP THE MERRY-GO-ROUND

“It must be fun to work in a bakery,” said a little girl, her eyes wide with amazement as she watched Elise make an icing rose.

“It can be,” replied Elise.

Twenty-two years ago it had been fun but now Elise’s hands ached and the clacking of the industrial mixer combined with the dishwasher’s racket made her head throb.

The clock ticked away her final hour of employment and she imagined herself turning cartwheels through the front door until a man with an eight-toothed grin plopped a cake down on her table and asked, “Kin I get this wrote on?”

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(I confess. My middle name is Elise).

THE END OF AN ERA

BEHOLD THE ~~CAKE DECORATOR~~ AUTHOR-ILLUSTRATOR

COWABUNGA!!!

2 October 2015

Published September 30, 2015 by rochellewisoff

The following photo is the PHOTO PROMPT. Does it download a story to your head. Tell us in a hundred words or less–beginning, middle and and end.

NOTE: We have experienced some technical difficulty with the inLinkz box. It was in the middle of an update at the most inconvenient time. PLEASE for future reference, if you’re experiencing a difficulty with the site EMAIL ME! I’m as close as runtshell@gmail.com. Thank you.

Shalom,

Rochelle

PHOTO PROMPT – © Marie Gail Stratford

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Genre: Historical Friction

Word Count: 100

TRASH 80

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Jan showed off his latest acquisition from Radio Shack.

I fumed. “Our electric typewriter works just fine. A computer will end up being another dust collector like your precious Polaroid SX-70.”

“How was I supposed to know the film would cost a fortune?”

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Thirty-six years have passed since that day. I’ve acquired my own desktop, scanner-printer combo, a netbook for travel and Jan takes sharp pictures with his iPad.

He reads my story over my shoulder and says with a sly smile, “Lemme get a rag for you.”

“Why?”

“You’ve been at it hours. You’re collecting dust.”

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25 September 2015

Published September 23, 2015 by rochellewisoff

The next photo is the PHOTO PROMPT. Where does it take you? Tell us in one hundred words or less.

PHOTO PROMPT © The Reclining Gentleman

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Genre: Speculative Fiction

Word Count: 100

UNINVITED

‘Ezra the guardian,’ showed up at Jenna’s reception carrying his file, a tattered notebook full of yellowed newspaper clippings and dog-eared photos.

“What’s that screwball doing here?” I laughed at his sky-blue suitcoat and checkered trousers.

“Ask him to dance.” Jenna winked.

Ezra smiled at me and my scalp tingled.

“I’d sooner die.”

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In my hasty getaway I collided with an oncoming semi. My windshield exploded, sharp pain shot through my chest and then all feeling ceased.

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“Shall we dance?” whispers Ezra the guardian.

His smile brings me peace as we hover, hand in hand, over my mangled mortal coil.

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*Note: In Hebrew Ezra (עזרא) means ‘help’ and is similar to Azriel (עזריאל) which means ‘God’s help.’ Azriel the Archangel of Death. My story is in no way meant to promote a particular belief system, it’s merely the product of my imagination.

18 September 2015

Published September 16, 2015 by rochellewisoff

The next photo is the PHOTO PROMPT. Does it speak to you? What does it say? Tell me in a hundred words or less.

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Genre: Realistic Fiction

Word Count: 100

PRICE OF A DREAM

At thirteen Myung Hee was three years older than the rest of my students. Despite my many scoldings, they laughed at her and called her babo.

One day I found her weeping in the schoolyard.

“What’s wrong, little one?”

“My baby brother and I escaped Kim Jong-il’s prison camp but two days later I buried him in the desert with only the stars to see. I thought South Korea would be the center of my dreams, but they lie with my brother in darkness.”

Myung Hee’s words resonated deep within me and, in that moment, the teacher became the student.

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That’s Life

Published September 4, 2015 by rochellewisoff

THAT’S LIFE

It isn’t often that my birthday falls on a Friday. In 1953, September 4^th also fell on Friday and I made my debut at 3:59 a.m. Perhaps that’s why I’m such an early riser.

I’ve been privileged to celebrate sixty-two birthdays, for the most part, in good health. When I was a child 62 meant Mah Jhong, rocking chairs and Geritol. But as I celebrate this, the beginning of my 63^rd year, it’s not old at all nor do I own a rocking chair. In fact 2015 has been, as Frank Sinatra sang, a very good year.

A ten-year journey has led up to this very good year, beginning with my first draft of PLEASE SAY KADDISH FOR ME and soon after that, its sequel, FROM SILT AND ASHES. Writing quickly became my passion.

Along the way, I’ve had the good fortune of having mentors who taken the time to help me hone my craft. In the midst of it, Louella Turner, the owner of High Hill Press invited me to write and publish a short story anthology. THIS, THAT AND SOMETIMES THE OTHER was released in November 2011 and features not only my short stories but my artwork as well.

Soon after that, I started a blog which, during its first year might have garnered ten views and three comments. One day as I surfed the net, I came across Madison Woods’ post with an open invitation to join a short story blog challenge called Friday Fictioneers.

How was I to know on April 12, 2012 that writing one hundred word flash fictions would become a magnificent addiction from which I do not care to recover? Nor did I know that within the inside of six months I would become the facilitator of Friday Fictioneers.

That same year, I signed a contract with my agent Jeanie Loiacono, president of Loiacono Literary Agency for my first novel.

Toward the end of January 2015, I received an email from her, saying she thought she was close to selling PSKFM and did I have FSAA ready to go? After three weeks of going over FROM SILT AND ASHES with fellow writer/editor/brutally honest friend, Douglas MacIlroy, I sent the manuscript to Jeanie.

https://ironwoodwind.wordpress.com/

March 13^th, Friday the thirteenth, if you will, I received an email from Jeanie that began, “I hope you’re sitting down…” William Connor of Argus Publishing wanted both novels!

PLEASE SAY KADDISH FOR ME, also whipped into shape with help from Doug, was released May 8, 2015. So far, I’m pleased with the responses to it.

As many know I’ve been counting the days to my retirement, slated for October 4 of this year. I’ve been looking forward to switching gears from job to career which seems to have come sooner than later after a fashion.

One morning in June I woke with a sore spot on my gum. Thinking I’d rubbed it raw with my new electric toothbrush I ignored it. After two weeks the sore had swollen and my tooth ached. I finally went to the dentist who treated it with medication which didn’t help. By the end of July I discovered a white spot which turned out to be bone poking through. The dentist referred me to an oral surgeon who told me it needed to be taken care of immediately.

The beginning of August I had the surgery which did bring considerable relief. Happily I went for my follow up appointment only to be told that I’d developed Osteomyelitis, a bone infection, in my jaw.

To quote John Lennon, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” I now find myself on six weeks short-term disability leave with a picc line in my arm and daily IV infusions of antibiotics.

It’s not nearly as horrible as it sounds and proves that blessings may come in strange disguises for I now have more time to spend with my husband Jan as well as time to pursue a dual career as author and illustrator.

In my mind I hear Old Blue Eyes singing and I smile and say, “Yes, Frank, that’s life.”

http://a-argusbooks.com/ http://www.loiaconoliteraryagency.com/ http://www.highhillpress.com/

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Check out my author page on the Loiacono Website. Also Rochelle Wisoff-Fields Art and Blogs.

Available Internationally on Kindle and in Print

If you’ve read and enjoyed, please leave a review on one of these sites. It helps sell books. 😉

Shalom,

Rochelle

ANGUS & ROBERTSON AMAZON B&N BAM BOOKWORLD FISHPOND SHELFARI BOOK DEPOSITORY WATERSTONES GOODREADS IDREAMBOOKS

4 September 2015

Published September 2, 2015 by rochellewisoff

The following photo is the PHOTO PROMPT. Tell me in a hundred words or less what story this tells you.

Note: There were quite a few who went over 100 words last week and felt that they couldn’t cut the excess without sacrificing their stories. I challenged one writer to cut 20 words and he rose to the occasion with skill. Trust me, it can be done.