Life Without Toilet Paper

After the coronavirus grabbed everyone’s attention, my first question was, “Is diarrhea a symptom of COVID 19?”  No?  Then WTH? Throughout history, when a pandemic struck, or war or famine, people worried about shortages of food, water, medicine, or even blankets.  Here in 2020 America, we are scared shitless (pun intended) of running out of…Read more Life Without Toilet Paper

Tunnel Vision

A 100-word story from a photo prompt. Thank you Rochelle for keeping us primed. PHOTO PROMPT © Dawn Miller Your bare foot strikes a rock, and agony flashes through your tormented body.  Far away across the sunlit field you’ve seen a big red barn.  But it runs from you and then swims back.  Is it…Read more Tunnel Vision

Queen of Crime?

with appreciation to Jane Wittingham, author & librarian Lately I've been (enjoyably) studying the women writers of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. It seems to be very popular right now to bandy the term "Queen of Crime" about, and there are many arguments over who exactly deserves the title. What makes a Queen of…Read more Queen of Crime?

Forgive

PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson (This post was inspired by Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rochelle. The challenge asks for bloggers to write a story in 100 words or less in response to the photo prompt.) I wait in the night park, winter in my soul. Begging you to speak to me again, like you did the night…Read more Forgive

Getting Away From It All

A 100-word story that floated up from the swamp of my forgotten past. Many thanks to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for another great prompt. You always get my imagination going. PHOTO PROMPT © C.E. Ayr Will crawled out of his little tent at dawn. His eyes sagged with weariness.  “Are they gone?” “No,”  I said,  “but they’re…Read more Getting Away From It All

Lost Letter

I'm wondering if I could make this a longer story for Memorial Day. Again, thanks to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for her thought-provoking prompts. I always think "no way" and always come away thinking, "Son of a gun!" So here's the latest 100 word story: Copyright Sandra Crook They wandered around the memorial, searching out the bricks…Read more Lost Letter

A sobering look at what an author is facing these days.

When Amazon was new, I thought it was a wonderful way to get people reading. I still think it's even better than those lurid paperbacks and comic books in the mid-twentieth century which caused a lot of sniffing and sneering amongst the literary crowd but enabled folks to read things they couldn't afford before.  Now…Read more A sobering look at what an author is facing these days.

With a Sigh

Another 100-word story to a writing prompt from https://rochellewisoff.com/. Thank you, Rochelle, for providing so much fun. Isn't it strange, though, how many of us tend to write sad stories at what is supposed to be the happiest time of year. PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson The snow-covered bench curved ’round the gazebo.  Its posts…Read more With a Sigh

My Inheritance

Another 100-word story from a prompt by https://rochellewisoff.com/ PHOTO PROMPT © J Hardy Carroll I stared at the dank storage cage and demanded,  “Where’s my grandmother’s stuff?” The building super chewed on a toothpick.  “This is it.” “Two beat-up boxes and a piano?  Where’s the antiques she collected?” He avoided my eyes.  “I don’t know…Read more My Inheritance

Another poignant pic

Or is it just me? As usual, this 100-word story is from a prompt picture posted at https://rochellewisoff.com/, the blog that gets my juices flowing. Also as usual, it seems to come from somewhere in my past. PHOTO PROMPT © Jean L. Hays I REMEMBER, MAMA I yank out drawers stuffed with outdated patterns, remnants…Read more Another poignant pic