Category Archives: Friday Fictioneers

March 25, 2015 · 8:07 PM

Fuzzy (Friday Fictioneers)

image

I walked up to the band and said ‘shhhhhh!’ Seriously, the noise was going right through my head. But did they listen? Of course not. They just kept playing and playing with little regard for how it was impacting me and my sensitive ears. ‘Shhhhh’ I tried again. The trombone player screwed up his nose at me. The violinist rolled her eyes. Then a young lady, who I’d never seen before in my life, appeared next to me wearing this big fuzzy white gown.

‘Gran! Come on, Gran. Let’s sit you back down over here shall we?’
——-

Friday Fictioneers is a weekly online challenge where writers from around the world post 100 word stories inspired by the one photo. To read more, click here.

27 Comments

Filed under Friday Fictioneers

Tagged as , , ,

March 18, 2015 · 9:21 PM

My little fairy (Friday Fictioneers)

© Copyright - Rachel Bjerke

Image by Rachel Bjerke at https://bjerke75.wordpress.com/

‘I’m not eating unless it’s green!’

She was being a difficult little fairy and not eating her vegetables. Except for the green ones.

I hadn’t signed up to this. I thought it would be all cute little wings and waving of tiny wands deep in the garden by the brick barbecue.

‘No carrots. No corn. And only green spoons!’

Sigh.

Do you know how hard it is to rhyme a bunch of vegetables in a fairy spell when it’s late and you’ve had a long day?

So I took the easy way out and just turned everything green.

*********

The Newcastle Writers Festival opens on Friday night (hurrah!) My writers group is presenting a session on Sunday called ‘The Next Level’, giving free practical tips on how to take your writing from hobby to publication. Here’s the link. Would love to see you all there (seriously, hop on a plane now and you’ll make it).

Friday Fictioneers is a challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields where writers around the world create 100 word stories inspired by the one image. For more information follow this link to Rochelle’s FF blog.

61 Comments

Filed under Friday Fictioneers

Tagged as , , , , ,

February 25, 2015 · 9:27 PM

Derailment (Friday Fictioneers)

©Dawn_Landau

Image by Dawn Q. Landau at http://talesfromthemotherland.me

Wake. Wee. Wash. Eat. Dress. Drive. Work. Work. Work. Work.

Drive. Cook. Cook. Eat. Clean. Clean. Sit. Watch. Brush. Sleep.

Continue reading →

34 Comments

Filed under Friday Fictioneers

Tagged as , , , ,

February 11, 2015 · 11:04 PM

Equus quagga (Friday Fictioneers)

PHOTO PROMPT -Copyright Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Image by Rochelle herself at https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/

‘Zebras’ stripes are like fingerprints. Every one is different.’

She loved animals, especially zebras. I loved listening to her talk.

We were lounging on the deck, the lines of shade from the banister settling across our backs.

After a while she said, ‘I gotta go.’

She stretched her long limbs and stood, shaking a mane of dark hair behind her.

When she walked away I saw what the afternoon of sun had done. The back of her legs and her bare shoulders were a criss-cross pattern of dark and light, unique and never to be repeated again.

***************

Could you write 500 words once a month? On Friday 13th/Saturday 14th February, Jessie Ansons will be presenting at a free livestream at the Digital Writers Festival. Come along and hear how Jessie wrote a personal 500 word story every month for two years then discovered she’d written an ‘accidental memoir‘. Times are as follows:

– Sydney, Australia, 11am Saturday 14th February
– London, UK, midnight, Friday 13th February
– New York, USA, 7pm Friday 13th February
– Los Angeles, USA, 4pm Friday 13th February

For more information about the session, click here.

*********
Friday Fictioneers is a challenge set by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields where writers around the world create 100 word stories inspired by the one image. For more information follow this Rochelle’s FF blog.

25 Comments

Filed under Friday Fictioneers

Tagged as ,

February 4, 2015 · 9:31 PM

Believable stories (Friday Fictioneers)

Image by Melanie Greenwood at https://thisismycorn.wordpress.com

Image by Melanie Greenwood at https://thisismycorn.wordpress.com

grandad tells the most marvellous stories
never know whether to believe him
there’s this overgrown thicket
used to be a maze
what happened to it
local boy got stuck in the maze
he should’ve put his right hand on the hedge and kept walking
no he was stuck
chainsaw to cut him out
getting dark and his uncle panicked
cut a big hole in the hedge
let it grow over then
why didn’t they fix it
bad memories
but why were they bad
grandfather held me close and put his hand on my shoulder
the hand with the three fingers

(Check out Mr Binks and his funny #replyfiction to this piece here)

*********

Interested in meeting me in person… well, via webcam at least? On Friday 13th/Saturday 14th February I will be presenting at a free livestream at the Digital Writers Festival, talking about my ABC Open 500 word stories. Times are as follows:

– Sydney, Australia, 11am Saturday 14th February
– London, UK, midnight (Friday 13th night… sounds spooky!)
– New York, USA, 7pm Friday 13th February
– Los Angeles, USA, 4pm Friday 13th February

For more information about the session, click here.

**************

Friday Fictioneers is a challenge set by Rochelle Fields where writers around the world create 100 word stories inspired by the one image. For more information follow this link. 

22 Comments

Filed under Friday Fictioneers

Tagged as

January 28, 2015 · 8:49 PM

Current trends (Friday Fictioneers)

image

Image by Ted Strutz at http://tedstrutz.com/

His first day of high school everyone laughed.

‘See what he’s wearing?’

‘Around his waist… what a weirdo.’

‘OMG.’

He ignored them. Acted like he didn’t care.

It only took a few weeks.

By the end of first term everyone wore cords instead of belts. Jim’s Hardware put in a special order from China just to meet the demand.

The first morning of second term he stared at the extension cord hanging over the back of his bedroom chair.

From his wardrobe he pulled a dusty old belt and threaded it through the loops of his jeans.

***********

Have you read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes? It’s the latest book I read as part of my 100 book challenge. Read my review here.

Check out the 100 book challenge list, and my other reviews, here.

Friday Fictioneers is a challenge set by Rochelle Fields where writers around the world create 100 word stories inspired by the one image. For more information see: https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2015/01/28/23-january-2015

38 Comments

Filed under Friday Fictioneers

Tagged as , , ,

November 19, 2014 · 9:14 PM

Tiring work (Friday Fictioneers)

Claire Fuller (7)

Image by Claire Fuller at http://clairefuller.co.uk/

“It’s spelled ‘tire’ with an ‘i’, you idiot,” my boss says.

“I prefer tyre,” I say softly. “Helps me tell the difference between tyre as in ‘car tyre’ and tire as in ‘I’m tired of this job’. We don’t always have that luxury.”

“What?”

I say casually, “For example, ‘ass’?”

“What do you mean, ‘ass’?”

“It’s spelled the same for a donkey or a rear end. And that can be confusing.”

His face turns red and he storms back into his office.

I guess it doesn’t really matter. Either way, my boss is still an ass.

*************

Friday Fictioneers is a challenge set by Rochelle Fields where writers around the world create 100 word stories inspired by the one image. For more information see: https://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2014/11/19/21-november-2014

22 Comments

Filed under Friday Fictioneers

Tagged as

November 13, 2014 · 8:13 AM

Vows (Friday Fictioneers)

Mr Binks challenged me to a #replyfiction this week so here it is. To read Binks’ story called Promises, click here. Over to you next week Binks!

PHOTO PROMPT -Copyright-Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Image by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields at http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/

She was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar.

That much was true.

Why do you keep saying that?

Sorry, keep going.

I walked into the bar, feeling pretty good about myself. I’d just won a promotion and bought a new car. She promised me everything. Said we belonged together.

And you believed her?

She was very convincing. Very good at what she did. I proposed that very night.

And this was…?

…30 years ago today.

And now you’re working as a waiter in a cocktail bar?

I told you… she was very good at what she did.

*************

Friday Fictioneers is a challenge set by Rochelle Fields where writers around the world create 100 word stories inspired by the one image. For more information see: http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2014/11/12/14-november-2014 

17 Comments

Filed under Friday Fictioneers

Tagged as , , ,

November 5, 2014 · 8:26 PM

Our place (Friday Fictioneers)

Image by Jean L. Hays

Image by Jean L. Hays

‘Can you see the car, George?’

George bounces on the spot and points. ‘Car!’

We’re sitting side by side on the front step. Traffic rumbles past just metres away. Not the best place to bring up children. But you do the best with what you’ve got.

‘Look, George! It’s a truck. Can you say truck?’

‘Quack, quack.’

‘No, not a…’

‘Quack, quack.’

‘Well, close enough.’

My son looks at me with big blue eyes and smiles. I bundle him up in my arms and carry him inside.

Not the best place to bring up children.

But this is our place.

*********

Bill Bryson’s Notes from a Small Island was my 5th book in my 100 book challenge and I’ve written a short review here. For someone who never used to read much (I hear you gasp – a writer who doesn’t like reading!?) I’m actually really enjoying working my way through the list. Check out the 100 book challenge list, and my other reviews, here.

Friday Fictioneers is a challenge set by Rochelle Fields where writers around the world create 100 word stories inspired by the one image. For more information see: http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2014/11/05/7-november-2014/ 

49 Comments

Filed under Friday Fictioneers

Tagged as , , ,

October 22, 2014 · 9:01 PM

Extinction (Friday Fictioneers)

image

Image by The Reclining Gentleman at http://thereclininggentleman.wordpress.com

‘2040,’ he reads aloud, ‘last living bird, the common sparrow, dies from avian influenza.’

He moves along to the next panel and taps the touchscreen.

‘2078: the last female crocodile in captivity, and last reptile known, dies of old age.’

He shakes his head in disbelief.

‘2123: rising water temperatures lead to the death of all oceanic fish and mammals.’

He takes a deep breath before moving to the next screen.

‘2236: last mammal on earth, male human living in southern China, dies age 98.’

He taps his antennae together thoughtfully.

And with a flutter of wings he is gone.

************

I felt a little sci-fi this week since my short story ‘Meet the Martians’ was recently published in the StringyBark Future Times Short Story anthology (hard copy and ebook). It’s an exciting moment to see my name in print, especially in a genre I’ve never attempted before. But bring it on! There’s something rather exhilarating about predicting the future, especially a future that’s been taken over by insects…

Friday Fictioneers is a challenge set by Rochelle Fields where writers around the world create 100 word stories inspired by the one image. For more information see: http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2014/10/22/24-october-2014/

49 Comments

Filed under Friday Fictioneers

Tagged as , , ,