Hello, FFFs,
If there are any faithful Friday fiction fans left. ;)
The weather has warmed up and now feels like summer again. But we've had some really lovely, cool mornings, some chilly nights, and some beautiful days. Now a few days of heat won't be too annoying. :) We haven't had a frost yet, so the trees haven't turned. But it is a little early for that.
This has been a good week. A busy one, but a productive one. All my Christmas books were ready to order the proof copies by Monday. I got Dylan's Story corrected and ready to order my final copy. No, it's not published yet. But I'm going to be doing a blog tour of it when the time comes, so if you have a blog and want to be a part, let me know. :) (I've never, ever done a blog tour with any of my 15 published books! I'm excited, nervous, and have no clue what I'm doing, so it's a good think I'll have someone putting it all together for me.)
And then on Tuesday, after I taught writing classes, I worked on formatting Finding Joy. And some on the cover.
On Wednesday I finished the cover.
Yesterday morning I ordered all 9 proof copies and copies of Dylan's Story! :D I can't wait till they come! I'll try to share a picture of the Christmas books on here if you want to see them.
Now, on to other things. For some time now, I've been thinking of this blog. I guess it started last year when I decided to re-post stories I had posted years ago. Now I'm wondering if I should keep doing that. I could keep posting my personal updates every Friday, since some of you only have time to read that anyway. And then when I had a new story to share, I could post it. But it's a bit difficult to decide on what story to re-post, and then wonder if it's just filling space or if it's being read. What do you all think? July and August were terrible for writing anything to post. This month I've been working on a story, but it's not finished yet, so I can't post it.
Let me know what you are thinking.
- Should I keep re-posting every Friday if I don't have a new story?
- Should I just post my personal update if I don't have a new story?
- Should I just post when I have something new for you to read?
Help me out! :)
As I was telling you, I haven't had much chance to write anything new. And I didn't have much chance to pick a story to re-post. So . . . I decided to give you the start to one story. I needed to just write something and this is what came out. If you'll give me some basic ideas for what you think happens next, maybe I'll actually write it. :)
And the other is a story starter, or a story prompt that I dreamed. Yes, I woke up just after I thought this line and found it rather amusing. So, either write a story using that line, or give me an outline for a story for it. :) Have fun!
The day was warm, warmer than most autumn days, and I knew it wouldn't last. Before long the air would be brisk and frosty. The leaves of the tall trees which marched across the landscape like a rag-tag army were changing already. Soon they would spread a carpet of riotous colors across my lawn and the long driveway. Nuts dropped from the few nut trees with soft thumps and from somewhere a chattering squirrel could be heard, the cry of a bluejay and softer twitters of sparrows and finches sounded from the feeder. I gave a long sigh and started my rocking chair creaking slowly back and forth, back and forth.
Time slipped by slowly as it so often does when one is alone and idle. I had nowhere to go and nothing to do, so why shouldn't I sit there and enjoy the warm afternoon? That was before it happened.
It was so startling, so unexpected, so . . . well, perhaps I should just tell you the story.
Time slipped by slowly as it so often does when one is alone and idle. I had nowhere to go and nothing to do, so why shouldn't I sit there and enjoy the warm afternoon? That was before it happened.
It was so startling, so unexpected, so . . . well, perhaps I should just tell you the story.
And now the Story Starter or Story Prompt.
She was heartbroken, and so was her dishwasher.
Did you laugh over that last Story Prompt? I do.
What do you think happens in the other story?
And what should I do about this blog?
Hey Rebekah!
ReplyDeleteHmm. If you don't have a new story to write, a personal update would be great! And that storyline...that is very....interesting. :) I am going to see if I can concoct some kind of sane story in my head with that. I probably won't be able to, but oh well. It's fun to try anyway. :)
Love
Ashley
ashleysyarnworks.etsy.com
I'd like it if at the least you would still do an update every Friday. But still post whenever you've got a new story. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Ashley,
ReplyDeleteThanks. Oh, yes, tell me if you get anything for that story starter! :) I don't know if a sane story can be written from it, perhaps a humorous one, but give it a try and let me know how it goes. :)
Hey Christian,
ReplyDeleteThanks for telling me what you think. :) I will certainly post every time I have a new story as I have to share them somewhere. :) But there are times that I just don't have one. And posting "re-runs" over and over gets old. ;) And I will keep doing updates each Friday, so don't forget about me.
Hi! Yes, I'm still here. Can't really forget about you when I get Friday's post in my inbox. =P That story start (the autumn one) has a very reflective feel to it, like an older lady thinking back. One part of it felt a little strange, which might cause trouble for your moving forward with the story. That part was the "Well, why don't I just tell you the story", because, as far as the reader knew, the story had already started, since we were in present time with her (or him. It could be a him =) The start seemed more conducive to someone who, in the current setting, sees something currently that makes him (or her. It could be a her. =) remember something startling, unexpected. Well, why don't you just tell us the story? It was back when you were oh, probably no more than ten or twelve, well over half a century ago. It was a day much like this one, calm, lazy, and good in every autumn way. You were sitting on the old porch steps--not the same porch you're on now, because that porch and house burned down years ago. But those porch steps creaked, and you took care not to make any noise as you raised your slingshot--well, it might have been your brother's slingshot, if you're a her--took careful aim, and...
ReplyDeleteThat was fun! =D
In Joy,
Liberty Bluebelle
"Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means.
The Lord be with you all."
II Thessalonians 3:16
And here's the rest of my comment, since it was too long for one post. =D
ReplyDeleteShe was heartbroken, and so was her dishwasher. No, no, it wasn't that kind of a dishwasher. Now that would be something to see. All dishwashers of the appliance variety seemed to take delight in misbehaving. Nothing could make one of those heartbroken. No, her dishwasher was Miguel, the little neighbor boy who was trying to help clean up after her birthday party for her nephew. And what had broken her heart? And Miguel's? Well, it was broken, and, being glass, would not heal in time as their hearts would. For her, it was an irreplaceable memory, doubly precious because of who had made it. For him, it was grief that he had caused pain to the very person who brightened his little seven year old world as no one else in his lonely life did. She touched the fragments slowly, trying to keep from letting her feelings spill out as Miguel's were. She should comfort him, tell him it was all right. But was it? It was just a thing. People were more important than things. And she loved her little neighbor with a love so strong only Jesus could have given it to her. But this-- Another ragged sob drew her attention to where Miguel was cowering in a corner. He was scared. The fear in his brown eyes did much to heal her broken heart, if indeed it had been as broken as she had thought. What was the value of one shattered coffee mug when compared against a living, beating, growing heart? "Dear Lord, give me wisdom!" she prayed silently. "Oh, Miguel. It was an accident. I know you didn't do it on purpose." She stepped around the shattered pieces and pulled the little fellow into a hug. She leaned down to hear his muffled reply. "But it--it was--your--grandpa's." "Yes, little man, it was Grandpa's writing mug. He loved it, and used it through all twenty five of his books he wrote. And I've loved it too, as I write. But you know what's more important than a mug to me?" A short, wavering breath preceded Miguel's response. "What?" "You, Miguel. I enjoy your visits, and your help around the place, and you know what we're going to do?" "What?" Miguel pulled back and looked up at her, expectancy on his face in response to the light-hearted tone she had suddenly adopted. "You and I are going to finish cleaning up the kitchen, then let your grandma know I'm taking you to town with me." "Where are we going?" "We're going to buy me another writing mug. We'll look until we find the perfect one, and it will remind me of Grandpa and you when I write. What do you think?" Miguel grinned. "I think God gave you a great idea!" She smiled back at him as she ruffled his hair. So he had been listening during her Sunday School lessons! "Yes, I think He did."
That was fun, too!
I see from your response to comments that you'll keep the Friday updates. Yay! Yes, post when you have a new story (or poem!), and maybe on the days you don't have something new, do something like you did this time, like one line story-starter. Or, another (or in addition) could be a writing tip. Not a full writing article, but a little tip, such as using three very short sentences in a row in a paragraph to increase tension. Or using an -ing word to give variety to sentence openers. Then you could write an example sentence or paragraph, and whoever wants to participate could write one in the comments. That might be fun. ;)
And, yes, please do post pictures of the Christmas books when they come! That must be so exciting to have that almost done. =)
In Joy,
Liberty Bluebelle
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13
Wow, Liberty! Great job! :)
ReplyDeleteI really liked the idea for the first fall story. But the one line story starter? I as almost crying! Very well done! May I use it and try writing a full short story with it?
And I really like your ideas! I've thought it would be fun to give some writing tips or suggestions, but they don't fit on my Read Another Page blog. Here they just might. :)
Thanks for taking the time to leave such delightfully long comments. :)
Yes! Feel free to write a full story. That would be neat to see what direction it might take. =) Thanks for the opportunity to exercise my writing creativity, and you're welcome!
ReplyDelete=)
Liberty Bluebelle