Tag: writing

WonHundred Word Wednesday: “As He Fell, He Waited For. . .”

AlisonLeave a comment

On time this week with the Wednesday flash fiction! One prompt, multiple authors, 100 word story. It has been fun to see the variety that comes from everyone starting at the same jumping point. This week’s prompt is: As he fell, he waited for . . . .

December 10

            As he fell, he waited for the white rabbit to appear. It had to be a dream, right?

            Some strange dream with talking animals and glow in the dark words floating about.  They would all appear soon and then he would know he was actually fast asleep in his bed. Or slumped over at his desk, face smashed into whichever textbook he had been studying.

            No. Wait.

            It hadn’t been a textbook. It had been that strange tome from the library. The leather-bound, padlocked book with the warning he had laughed off.

            Was he actually falling down the rabbit hole?

 

Now we can check out what the other authors did with the same prompt 🙂 

Wendy Knight, Author: www.wendyknightauthor.blogspot.com

Kelly Martin, Author: www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com

Jessica Winn, The Distracted Writer:http://thedistractedwriter.com/

R.K. Grow: http://www.rkgtheauthor.com/

Stephanie Worlton’s Kreating Krazy blog: http://stephanieworlton.blogspot.com/

Leah Sanders, inklings: http://inklings-leahsanders.blogspot.com/

Laura D. Bastian http://www.lauradbastian.com/

Jaclyn Weist  http://jaclynweist.blogspot.com

Amryn Scott http://wildscottkids.wordpress.com/

K.R. Wilburn  http://krwilburnbooks.com/blog/

Lindzee Armstrong/Lydia Winters http://lindzeearmstrong.blogspot.com

Miranda D. Nelson http://www.mirandadnelson.blogspot.com/

Angela Schroeder http://angelaschroederauthor.blogspot.com/

Ginny Romney http://romneyrants.blogspot.com/

Canda Mortensen http://candamortensen.blogspot.com

Jenna Eatough http://mistglenmoon.net/blog/

Starimprint: http://starimprint.blogspot.com/

Kaye P. Clark: http://kayepclarkwriter.blogspot.com/

Jenifer Lee: www.myfam-i-lee.blogspot.com/

Caleb Warnock: calebwarnock.blogspot.com/

WonHundred Word Wednesday Catch Up!

AlisonLeave a comment

I fell terribly behind. Ugh. So, I have three weeks of 100 word stories for you right here in this post. That’s right, folks, 300 free words of story for your perusing pleasure. 😀 

My three prompts are: “He wanted her job, and it would be easy enough to discredit her”, “As he took in the view from the twentieth floor, the lights went out all over the city”, and “His voice had never sounded so cold.”

December 8

Here we go!

            Tanner adjusted his tie while he glared at Jackie. He wanted her job, and it would be easy enough to discredit her. She moved confidently around the raucous group, always being where she was needed.

            Always ‘so much fun.’

            Well, a few well-placed phone calls as a ‘concerned observer’ would seal her fate. Parents wouldn’t want to send kids to the camp if a suspected rock-and-roll singer was in charge. Sure, she was actually a gospel-choir singer, but Tanner was sure he could make up some kind of rumor.

            He would be King of Kiddie day camp before summer’s end.

* * *

            As he took in the view from the twentieth floor, the lights went out all over the city. Something churned in his center.  Something unfamiliar.

            Is this emotion? Is it fear?

            He looked at the street below and imagined the confusion and worry caused by his perfect plan.

            No. Not fear. Excitement. This is satisfaction.

            The world would crumble when the emotion-driven sheep panicked. And he would be there with the answers. The perfect, orderly, logical answers. He would rebuild the world to his specifications.

            Then perhaps he would experience that elusive sensation of triumph.

* * *

                Her head spun when the realization of what he said pierced through her panic. His voice had never sounded so cold. “Wait.” She stopped pacing and whirled on him. “You think I did this?”  She looked around the trashed apartment and tried to see what would prompt the idea.

                His face emotionless, he shrugged. “Why not?”

                Fury bubbled up, but she reined in the scream that wanted to force its way out. “You think I would destroy my home and endanger my children? For what?”  She narrowed her eyes at him. “To get back at you? I’m not like you.”

Other authors participating with the prompts:

Wendy Knight, Author: www.wendyknightauthor.blogspot.com

Kelly Martin, Author: www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com

Jessica Winn, The Distracted Writer:http://thedistractedwriter.com/

R.K. Grow: http://www.rkgtheauthor.com/

Stephanie Worlton’s Kreating Krazy blog: http://stephanieworlton.blogspot.com/

Leah Sanders, inklings: http://inklings-leahsanders.blogspot.com/

Laura D. Bastian http://www.lauradbastian.com/

Jaclyn Weist  http://jaclynweist.blogspot.com

Amryn Scott http://wildscottkids.wordpress.com/

K.R. Wilburn  http://krwilburnbooks.com/blog/

Lindzee Armstrong/Lydia Winters http://lindzeearmstrong.blogspot.com

Miranda D. Nelson http://www.mirandadnelson.blogspot.com/

Angela Schroeder http://angelaschroederauthor.blogspot.com/

Ginny Romney http://romneyrants.blogspot.com/

Canda Mortensen http://candamortensen.blogspot.com

Jenna Eatough http://mistglenmoon.net/blog/

Starimprint: http://starimprint.blogspot.com/

Kaye P. Clark: http://kayepclarkwriter.blogspot.com/

Jenifer Lee: www.myfam-i-lee.blogspot.com/

Caleb Warnock: calebwarnock.blogspot.com/

WonHundred Word Wednesday: “Why shouldn’t they help themselves, after the way they’d been treated?”

AlisonLeave a comment

Ack! I am late with last Wednesday’s flash fiction. So the prompt was:”Why shouldn’t they help themselves, after the way they’d been treated?”  And my 100 word story follows. 

November 12

 

                Chet scowled. Why shouldn’t they help themselves, after the way they’d been treated? “They tell us to guard the food and won’t explain. I’m sure they won’t miss two truffles. “

                He grabbed them and held one under Larry’s nose. “Here. Quick. “

                Larry bit down to a crunch and scrunched up his face. “Maybe these are rich people chocolate? You know, swallow them, not enjoy them. Like fish eggs. “

                They gulped them down as the boss arrived. “Where are the diamonds? The chocolates had the ice in it for the switch.”

                The two guards stared at the floor.

Now you can see how the other authors used the same prompt 🙂 :

Wendy Knight, Author: www.wendyknightauthor.blogspot.com

Kelly Martin, Author: www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com

Jessica Winn, The Distracted Writer:http://thedistractedwriter.com/

R.K. Grow: http://www.rkgtheauthor.com/

Stephanie Worlton’s Kreating Krazy blog: http://stephanieworlton.blogspot.com/

Leah Sanders, inklings: http://inklings-leahsanders.blogspot.com/

Laura D. Bastian http://www.lauradbastian.com/

Jaclyn Weist  http://jaclynweist.blogspot.com

Amryn Scott http://wildscottkids.wordpress.com/

K.R. Wilburn  http://krwilburnbooks.com/blog/

Lindzee Armstrong/Lydia Winters http://lindzeearmstrong.blogspot.com

Miranda D. Nelson http://www.mirandadnelson.blogspot.com/

Angela Schroeder http://angelaschroederauthor.blogspot.com/

Ginny Romney http://romneyrants.blogspot.com/

Canda Mortensen http://candamortensen.blogspot.com

Jenna Eatough http://mistglenmoon.net/blog/

Starimprint: http://starimprint.blogspot.com/

Kaye P. Clark: http://kayepclarkwriter.blogspot.com/

Jenifer Lee: www.myfam-i-lee.blogspot.com/

Caleb Warnock: calebwarnock.blogspot.com/

Wonhundred Word Wednesday: “What do you mean, you lost the lottery ticket?”

Alison1 Comment

Since this month I should be writing an entire novel (NaNoWriMo) I chose to do this prompt as a character study for my work in progress. The prompt was: “What do you mean, you lost the lottery ticket?”

November 5

            “What?” Her voice through the phone pierced Jaron’s skull. Katerina’s pitch climbed as she continued, “What do you mean, you lost the lottery ticket? You’re such an idiot. Always messing things up. Typical—“

            “Katerina.” Jaron smiled a little at the garbled choking sound from her shock at being interrupted. “I’m not sure why you called. You chose to remove yourself from my life long ago. And I said I felt like I just lost the lottery. A woman that brilliant, vivacious, and beautiful doesn’t come along often.”

            “Aww, you still can’t get over me?”

            “I wasn’t talking about you.”

 

The other authors’ :

Wendy Knight, Author: www.wendyknightauthor.blogspot.com

Kelly Martin, Author: www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com

Jessica Winn, The Distracted Writer:http://thedistractedwriter.com/

R.K. Grow: http://www.rkgtheauthor.com/

Stephanie Worlton’s Kreating Krazy blog: http://stephanieworlton.blogspot.com/

Leah Sanders, inklings: http://inklings-leahsanders.blogspot.com/

Laura D. Bastian http://www.lauradbastian.com/

Jaclyn Weist  http://jaclynweist.blogspot.com

Amryn Scott http://wildscottkids.wordpress.com/

K.R. Wilburn  http://krwilburnbooks.com/blog/

Lindzee Armstrong/Lydia Winters http://lindzeearmstrong.blogspot.com

Miranda D. Nelson http://www.mirandadnelson.blogspot.com/

Angela Schroeder http://angelaschroederauthor.blogspot.com/

Ginny Romney http://romneyrants.blogspot.com/

Canda Mortensen http://candamortensen.blogspot.com

Jenna Eatough http://mistglenmoon.net/blog/

Starimprint: http://starimprint.blogspot.com/

Kaye P. Clark: http://kayepclarkwriter.blogspot.com/

Jenifer Lee: www.myfam-i-lee.blogspot.com/

Story setting can really matter AND a Chocolate Sausage Recipe

Alison1 Comment

 

 

 

 

November 1st kicks off National Novel Writing Month: NaNoWriMo.  And instead of furiously writing words on my new novel, I am here writing this. 🙂

Here is the thing. While I was preparing during October for the new story (I’m trying a new genre even), I was looking at old pictures I have of my story setting.

Rome, Italy

I LOVE Rome. I went there for a study abroad trip in college. So, keep in mind, the pictures I have were from more than seventeen years ago, taken on a lousy 35 mm camera.

Setting:

In general, I feel that setting can be extremely important. It will influence the plot as it may determine what your characters will encounter or what they are allowed to do. It will influence the characters as it may influence their world view, their customs, their priorities, their baggage, or their habits. The setting itself may act as a character, giving life and color to the story and interacting with your other characters in a very personal way.

It was fun to look through my photos and imagine situations that my main characters would stumble upon.

 

 

alisonmillerwoodsBoccaDellaVeritaRome

 

La Bocca Della Verita: The Mouth of Truth.  (and me, many moons ago)

 

 

alisonmillerwoodsColloseumRome

 

The Colosseum and the costumed “Roman Gladiators and Soldiers” for tourists’ group photo opportunities.

 

 

alisonmillerwoodsPantheonRome

 

The Pantheon, one of my favorite buildings in the world.

 

 

 

alisonmillerwoodsSpanishStepsRome

The Spanish Steps, taken from down one of the shop-filled streets below it. (I bought a whole set of dishes in this area. Talk about a heavy carry on for the airplane!)

 

While I was looking through the pictures, I got a craving for Chocolate Salami (NO meat involved in this one). This is a recipe I learned when I lived in Italy for a year and a half in the 90’s. (I served a volunteer mission for my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints). 

Check out this beauty (and that is actually the platter that I bought in Rome near the Spanish steps) :

 

 

alisonmillerwoodsChocolateSausage

 

I was taught how to make this by a wonderful woman in the town of Vercelli.  The recipe was a lot of ‘handful of this’ and ‘a few spoonfuls of that’. So as I made it this time I tried to measure with measuring cups to get a better idea of a recipe. Also, online there are versions with rum, or dried fruit. Since I don’t drink and the version I had was the just the essential ingredients, that is what I have done. You may feel free to adapt it how you like. Here it is!

 

Chocolate Salami (Salame di Cioccolato)

3 cups crushed vanilla wafers (or other dry type cookie)

1/2 cup melted butter

1/4 cup white suger

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup slivered almonds

splash of milk (will vary depending upon the dryness)

 

Add crushed cookies to a bowl. Pour the butter over the cookies and add the sugar and cocoa powder. Stir it all together (I was taught to mix it with my hands, but a spoon works as well). If it isn’t sticking together and seems too crumbly add a splash of milk. Add the almonds and mix well.

Dump the mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form it in the shape of a salami. Wrap tightly in the plastic wrap and place in fridge until it sets up (a few hours). When it is all solid, you can dust with powdered sugar if you like for an ‘authentic’ look. Slice in small pieces (a little goes a long way) and enjoy!

What do you think of setting. Do you have a favorite setting and does it remind you of something you love?

WonHundred Word Wednesday: Was it a knock that had woken her?

Alison2 Comments

Here is the last of my spooky Halloween offerings. The prompt was: Was it a knock that had woken her? My 100 word story follows. 🙂

October 29

 

            Tammy’s eyes opened slowly. Was it a knock that had woken her? A couple more soft thumps on the roof and telltale rolling sounds confirmed her suspicions.

            Walnuts. Dropping off the tree.  Who would be this far from town at three in the morning anyway?

            She was drifting back to sleep when she heard two soft knocks, coming from inside the headboard of her bed.

            She froze.

            Then two knocks from the closet. Then soft knocks continually from the bathroom.

            She grabbed her pepper spray and stumbled into the bathroom. Her hollow-eyed reflection inside the mirror knocked while she watched.

 

Happy Halloween! Now you can check out the other authors’s stories. 

Wendy Knight, Author: www.wendyknightauthor.blogspot.com

Kelly Martin, Author: www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com

Jessica Winn, The Distracted Writer:http://thedistractedwriter.com/

R.K. Grow: http://www.rkgtheauthor.com/

Stephanie Worlton’s Kreating Krazy blog: http://stephanieworlton.blogspot.com/

Leah Sanders, inklings: http://inklings-leahsanders.blogspot.com/

Laura D. Bastian http://www.lauradbastian.com/

Jaclyn Weist  http://jaclynweist.blogspot.com

Amryn Scott http://wildscottkids.wordpress.com/

K.R. Wilburn  http://krwilburnbooks.com/blog/

Lindzee Armstrong/Lydia Winters http://lindzeearmstrong.blogspot.com

Miranda D. Nelson http://www.mirandadnelson.blogspot.com/

Angela Schroeder http://angelaschroederauthor.blogspot.com/

Ginny Romney http://romneyrants.blogspot.com/

Canda Mortensen http://candamortensen.blogspot.com

Jenna Eatough http://mistglenmoon.net/blog/

Starimprint: http://starimprint.blogspot.com/

Kaye P. Clark: http://kayepclarkwriter.blogspot.com/

Jenifer Lee: www.myfam-i-lee.blogspot.com/

WonHundred Word Wednesday: “As she searched, her movements were frantic.”

Alison3 Comments

This is the 31st 100 word story I have done. And, since it is October, 31st has me thinking Halloween. So here is my take on the prompt: As she searched, her movements were frantic.

October 22

            The silence pressing down on Mykell was louder than she thought possible. The only noises were from her; feet pounding, leaves crunching, breath in ragged gasps.

            How was it possible that their happy group of eight was now—only her? Furtive glances over her shoulder revealed nothing. She collapsed against the car, the warm metal reassuring.

            Keys? As she searched, her movements were frantic. A soft sound drew her attention up.

            Blake? Did he make it out too?

            The disjointed movements of the figure emerging from the trees were wrong.

            No. Not Blake, unfortunately, nor any of her other friends.

Now you can see what the other authors did 🙂 :

Wendy Knight, Author: www.wendyknightauthor.blogspot.com

Kelly Martin, Author: www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com

Jessica Winn, The Distracted Writer:http://thedistractedwriter.com/

R.K. Grow: http://www.rkgtheauthor.com/

Stephanie Worlton’s Kreating Krazy blog: http://stephanieworlton.blogspot.com/

Leah Sanders, inklings: http://inklings-leahsanders.blogspot.com/

Laura D. Bastian http://www.lauradbastian.com/

Jaclyn Weist  http://jaclynweist.blogspot.com

Amryn Scott http://wildscottkids.wordpress.com/

K.R. Wilburn  http://krwilburnbooks.com/blog/

Lindzee Armstrong/Lydia Winters http://lindzeearmstrong.blogspot.com

Miranda D. Nelson http://www.mirandadnelson.blogspot.com/

Angela Schroeder http://angelaschroederauthor.blogspot.com/

Ginny Romney http://romneyrants.blogspot.com/

Canda Mortensen http://candamortensen.blogspot.com

Jenna Eatough http://mistglenmoon.net/blog/

Starimprint: http://starimprint.blogspot.com/

Kaye P. Clark: http://kayepclarkwriter.blogspot.com/

Jenifer Lee: www.myfam-i-lee.blogspot.com/

WonHundred Word Wednesday: They say everyone who looks into their family history will find a secret sooner or later

Alison1 Comment

This week’s prompt is : “They say everyone who looks into their family history will find a secret sooner or later.”  We take that prompt and write a 100 word flash fiction story. It is fun to see all the different directions that one sentence can take a group of writers. Come play! 

 

October 15

 

            I’m a professional genealogist. People hire me to help them hunt down their missing roots. From proving their ancestors were in the civil war, to proving that their ancestors had nothing to do with the same. There’re different reasons and different results for everyone.

            They say everyone who looks into their family history will find a secret sooner or later. For example: wandering through an abandoned cemetery doing gravestone rubbings for a client, I tripped over a body. Unlike the rest of the descent cemetery residents, this one was unburied and freshly killed. Not the secret I was hoping for.

 

Now you can check out the other writers’ stories: 

Wendy Knight, Author: www.wendyknightauthor.blogspot.com

Kelly Martin, Author: www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com

Jessica Winn, The Distracted Writer:http://thedistractedwriter.com/

R.K. Grow: http://www.rkgtheauthor.com/

Stephanie Worlton’s Kreating Krazy blog: http://stephanieworlton.blogspot.com/

Leah Sanders, inklings: http://inklings-leahsanders.blogspot.com/

Laura D. Bastian http://www.lauradbastian.com/

Jaclyn Weist  http://jaclynweist.blogspot.com

Amryn Scott http://wildscottkids.wordpress.com/

K.R. Wilburn  http://krwilburnbooks.com/blog/

Lindzee Armstrong/Lydia Winters http://lindzeearmstrong.blogspot.com

Miranda D. Nelson http://www.mirandadnelson.blogspot.com/

Angela Schroeder http://angelaschroederauthor.blogspot.com/

Ginny Romney http://romneyrants.blogspot.com/

Canda Mortensen http://candamortensen.blogspot.com

Jenna Eatough http://mistglenmoon.net/blog/

Starimprint: http://starimprint.blogspot.com/

Kaye P. Clark: http://kayepclarkwriter.blogspot.com/

Jenifer Lee: www.myfam-i-lee.blogspot.com/

WonHundred Word Wednesday: “There was nothing left of the money except…”

AlisonLeave a comment

October 8

This week’s 100 word story is based on the prompt: “There was nothing left of the money except…”

 

            Betsy lay silently under piles of blankets on the massive bed. Outside the bedroom, family—but still virtual strangers—argued fruitlessly over her fortune.

            There was nothing left of the money except for the memories.

            A whirlwind romance and marriage on the Grand Canal in Venice.

            A lonely, makeshift funeral on a battlefield only four years later.

            There were schools and orphanages in Nepal and wells dug for villages in Africa.

            Even the estate and the manor were promised. They had been donated to an addiction recovery program.

            She alone could hold the memories. And they were greater than treasure.

Now you can check out what the other authors did! 

Wendy Knight, Author: www.wendyknightauthor.blogspot.com

Kelly Martin, Author: www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com

Jessica Winn, The Distracted Writer:http://thedistractedwriter.com/

R.K. Grow: http://www.rkgtheauthor.com/

Stephanie Worlton’s Kreating Krazy blog: http://stephanieworlton.blogspot.com/

Leah Sanders, inklings: http://inklings-leahsanders.blogspot.com/

Laura D. Bastian http://www.lauradbastian.com/

Jaclyn Weist  http://jaclynweist.blogspot.com

Amryn Scott http://wildscottkids.wordpress.com/

K.R. Wilburn  http://krwilburnbooks.com/blog/

Lindzee Armstrong/Lydia Winters http://lindzeearmstrong.blogspot.com

Miranda D. Nelson http://www.mirandadnelson.blogspot.com/

Angela Schroeder http://angelaschroederauthor.blogspot.com/

Ginny Romney http://romneyrants.blogspot.com/

Canda Mortensen http://candamortensen.blogspot.com

Jenna Eatough http://mistglenmoon.net/blog/

Starimprint: http://starimprint.blogspot.com/

Kaye P. Clark: http://kayepclarkwriter.blogspot.com/

Jenifer Lee: www.myfam-i-lee.blogspot.com/

WonHundred Word Wednesday: “He didn’t understand…”

AlisonLeave a comment

 

October 1

 

This week’s prompt is: “He didn’t understand what he’d done to her, but he would by the time she was finished.”

This one was admittedly tricky for me because I don’t generally enjoy revenge tales. The character needs something else besides that to get me through a whole story with them. So this is my twist on it 🙂 

            He didn’t understand what he’d done to her, but he would by the time she was finished. Her fingers shook with rage. And still she was able to savagely, meticulously, snap each and every one of his crayons.

            He would know the pain. Balance could be restored to daycare.

            Her four-year old mind flashed to the image of him, holding scissors. And a single golden lock tumbling from her doll to crash silently on the floor.

            The memory made her reach for his glue stick and toss away the cap. Never would he unthinkingly wield those tools of destruction again.

 

Now you can check out what the other authors did! 

Wendy Knight, Author: www.wendyknightauthor.blogspot.com

Kelly Martin, Author: www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com

Jessica Winn, The Distracted Writer:http://thedistractedwriter.com/

R.K. Grow: http://www.rkgtheauthor.com/

Stephanie Worlton’s Kreating Krazy blog: http://stephanieworlton.blogspot.com/

Leah Sanders, inklings: http://inklings-leahsanders.blogspot.com/

Laura D. Bastian http://www.lauradbastian.com/

Jaclyn Weist  http://jaclynweist.blogspot.com

Amryn Scott http://wildscottkids.wordpress.com/

K.R. Wilburn  http://www.krwilburn.com/my-blog.html

Lindzee Armstrong/Lydia Winters http://lindzeearmstrong.blogspot.com

Miranda D. Nelson http://www.mirandadnelson.blogspot.com/

Angela Schroeder http://angelaschroederauthor.blogspot.com/

Ginny Romney http://romneyrants.blogspot.com/

Canda Mortensen http://candamortensen.blogspot.com

Jenna Eatough http://mistglenmoon.net/blog/

Starimprint: http://starimprint.blogspot.com/

Kaye P. Clark: http://kayepclarkwriter.blogspot.com/

Jenifer Lee: www.myfam-i-lee.blogspot.com/