Author

by

FLASH FICTION FOR THE PURPOSEFUL PRACTITIONER: 2023: Week 5

A photo prompt topic is to be used as your ‘muse’. They will arrive promptly at midnight each Wednesday morning.

Include the photo prompt and its credits with your story on your blog.

All stories are to be crafted and honed to under 300 words in length.

Each flash fiction piece should have a clear beginning, middle, and end. No serial stories. It is harder to stay abreast of a serial story. (Please keep content PG-13.)

Once you have your post complete, create a pingback to this post if you are on WordPress. If that is not an option for you, add your post’s link in the comments section. It is the desire of this blog to become a flourishing writing community.

Plan a day to visit the writings of our challengers to enjoy our creations and to provide a little positive feedback.

Photo by Rendy Novantino on Unsplash

“Do you think they are aiming to get the packages?”

“Why not?”

“”I mean, who doesn’t put packages up on the top of a flagpole to
entice bored shoppers.”

“Why not?”

“I’m betting on the lady. She’s one tough cookie.”

“You shouldn’t call a lady a tough cookie.”

“Why not?”

“It’s not nice.”

“I’m not nice.”

“Yes, you are.”

“You are mistaking me for somebody else.”

“Not possible.”

The taxi pulled away from the curve, barreling out into traffic.

“Entirely possible and probable.”

“Obviously, Mr. White Tie has them all beat.”

“I’m still betting on the lady.”

“You would.”

“Of course.”

“What do you think is in the packages?”

“Purses?”

“Really?”

“Why not.”

“Ok. Why not purses.”

“Do you have all the information for the 3:00 meeting?”

“Yes.”

“Mr. Singleton arrived?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“Are you sure….”

“Positive.”

The taxi pulled up in front of the hotel. Mr. Rice got out, leaned back down to the window. “Positive, Andrew. And just think, by next week, you might be climbing the flagpole, too.”

“God forbid.”

“Surely your wife can use a new purse.”

“God forbid.”

Rice laughed, stepped back from the taxi. “Don’t worry, Andrew. By next week, you’ll be rolling in money.”

“Better than climbing the flagpole.”

“Take a chance, Andrew,” Mr. Rice shot back, heading for the entrance of the hotel. “See you at three.”

The taxi dashed away as Andrew settled back into the seat. “Purses on a flagpole. Who’d ever.”

 

 

by

Retro Thursday 5-20-2021

 BY ATHLING2001

The Little Prince On Essential Matters

“Grown-ups love figures… When you tell them you’ve made a new friend they never ask you any questions about essential matters. They never say to you “What does his voice sound like? What games does he love best? Does he collect butterflies? ” Instead they demand “How old is he? How much does he weigh? How much money does his father make? ” Only from these figures do they think they have learned anything about him.”

It seems to me knowing about butterflies, games, and the sound of somebody’s voice are much more important than knowing a weight, an age or even money.  Money doesn’t make friends, at least not the kind of friends I’d want. Frankly, I hate figures, whither it is a math problem or figuring out my checkbook.  Thank goodness for on-line banking so I no longer have to struggle monthly with the hell of balancing; I do much better checking my account daily and keeping the balance in my head.  That way, my math output is limited and that brings me happiness.

I am proud to say I never questioned my sons about their friend’s parents – unless it was to clarify in my mind I was thinking of the right persons. I never asked about weight or height.  I decided once another boy was not the appropriate friend and, covertly, gave my son’s regrets to his birthday party.  Realistically, my son was 7 or 8 and this boy cursed in ever sentence.  Not something I wanted my child around.

I don’t, however, remember asking about those essential matters.  What does essential mean?  According to the dictionary:

: extremely important and necessary

: very basic

We all know this.  The words isn’t unusual or vague.  But looking at the definition in black and white it struck me that essential matters are extremely important and yet very basic.  Food, clothes, shelter. A purposeful life and the ability to find happiness inside. Our health.  Family. Friends. Love. Peace.

It all boils down to balance.  Is my life balanced? Can I somehow find the fine line between my life, my work and my son’s still living at home.  Am I content in my work? Do I care about butterflies and voices and games?

Yes, yes, I believe I do.

by

Question Of The Week 5-5-2021

If you could only have one book for the rest of your life, which would it be?

This is a hard question because as soon as I list one book, I know multiple others will come to mind, each one dear and worthy in its own right. The first book that always comes to mind is The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. However, after more thought, I have to say The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I don’t know how many times I have read The Little Prince, but it makes me cry every single time. It also always reminds me of the important things in life.

If you haven’t read The Little Prince, I whole-heartedly recommend it.

by

JSW 2-8-2021

The JSW Challenge is open to anybody who wishes to participate. Using the writing prompt, write a flash fiction no longer than 200 words and post to your page. The Challenge starts on Monday and runs through Sunday each week. Please remember to link your story back to this post so everyone can read your entry.

Use the following line to begin…

“Once upon a time is such a cliche way to start a story but here we are.”

by

Response Question of the Day 4-10-18 by newlifeduringmidlife

If you could only eat one food and one drink for the rest of your life, what would it be?

If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life it would be pasta….all sorts of pasta’s with sauces.

If you told me I could only have one type of drink for the rest of my life…I would frown but then choose water. Water can be flavored with fruits using an infusion method if you needed a little flavor. 

 

via Question of the day

by

Response – Bookworm Challenge 4-10-2018

If you are a bookworm, how would you answer this challenge?

  • A book you read in school –Pincher Martin – William Golding
  • A book from your childhood –The Three Investigators and the Secret of Terror Castle –  Robert Arthur, Jr
  • A book published over 100 years ago – A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
  • A book published in the last year –  Hard-Core Twenty Four – Janet Evanovich
  • A non-fiction book –The Perfect Horse: The Daring U.S. Mission to Rescue the Priceless Stallions Kidnapped by the Nazis -Elizabeth Letts
  • A book written by a male author – The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien
  • A book written by a female author – Life After Life – Kate Atkinson
  • A book by someone who isn’t a writer (think Paul Kalathani or Richard Branson) – The Hidden Life of Trees –  Peter Wohlleben and Tim Flannery
  • A book that became/is becoming a film – The House With A Clock In It’s Walls –  John Bellairs and Edward Gorey
  • A book published in the 20th Century – The Little Prince –  Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
  • A book set in your hometown/region – A Killing Sky – Andy Straka
  • A book with someone’s name in the title – Mist of Chincoteague – Margaret Henry
  • A book with a number in the title – First Grave on the Right – Charley Davidson
  • A book with a character with your first name – Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich – Connie Rosolli
  • A book someone else recommended to you – A Study in Scarlett – Brittany Cavallaro – recommended by my son and well worth the read.
  • A book with over 500 pages – The Book Thief by  Markus Zusak
  • A book you can finish in a day – Stone Cold – Robert B Parker
  • A previously banned book – For Whom The Bells Tolls – Ernest Hemmingway
  • A book with a one-word title – Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
  • A book translated from another language – Faceless Killers – Henning Mankell
  • A book that will improve a specific area of your life – Writing Past Dark: Envy, Fear, Distraction and Other Dilemmas in the Writer’s Life – Bonnie Friedman
  • A memoir or journal – Let’s Pretend This Never Happened – A Mosty True Memoir –  Jenny Lawson
  • A book written by someone younger than you – “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children, #1)”  – Ransom Riggs
  • A book set somewhere you’ll be visiting this year –Kentucky Horse Park: Paradise Found by Victoria M Howard
  • An award-winning book – From the Mixed-up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler –E.L. Konigsburg
  • A self-published book – Animal Eyes – CS Knotts (okay so maybe cheating, but what the heck).
by

Bookworm Challenge 4-7-2018

If you are a bookworm, how would you answer this challenge?

  • A book you read in school
  • A book from your childhood
  • A book published over 100 years ago
  • A book published in the last year
  • A non-fiction book
  • A book written by a male author
  • A book written by a female author
  • A book by someone who isn’t a writer (think Paul Kalathani or Richard Branson)
  • A book that became/is becoming a film
  • A book published in the 20th Century
  • A book set in your hometown/region
  • A book with someone’s name in the title
  • A book with a number in the title
  • A book with a character with your first name
  • A book someone else recommended to you
  • A book with over 500 pages
  • A book you can finish in a day
  • A previously banned book
  • A book with a one-word title
  • A book translated from another language
  • A book that will improve a specific area of your life
  • A memoir or journal
  • A book written by someone younger than you
  • A book set somewhere you’ll be visiting this year
  • An award-winning book
  • A self-published book