WOTD

Page & Line Challenge — Going Dark

Fandango23 Comments

Teresa Grabs has issued her first Page & Line Challenge since returning to WordPress. For this challenge, Teresa asks us to “grab the book you’re reading or a random book off your shelf and turn to page 182 (or location if you’re using an ebook). Scroll down to line 16 and write a story using that line somewhere in it. Be sure to share the original line along with the book and author.” I love this challenge, so I have to play along.

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The book I chose is an ebook in my iPhone’s Kindle library, Going Dark, by none other than fellow blogger Paula Light. I went to location 182, scrolled down to line 16, and this is the line I found: “You knew just where to touch me.” Oh Paula, you’re making me blush!

Okay, then. Here’s my tale built around that line.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, looking at the canvas on which he had completed painting her portrait. “You captured all of the details perfectly.”

“Thank you,” he said, as he put his arm around her waist and pulled her toward him. “It’s funny, Diane, but when your husband commissioned me to paint this portrait of you, I figured you were going to be another snooty rich bitch. Instead, you turned out to be a warm, genuine, down to earth woman and I’ve fallen for you big time.” He bent, pulled her even closer, and kissed her passionately.

She broke off the kiss and pushed him away. “Oh Peter, you’re such good sport,” she said. “And I have to admit, you knew just where to touch me. But now that you’ve completed this work of art, I’m going to do you a big favor. I’m going to let you off the hook.”

“Diane, what are you saying? Can’t you see that I love you?” Peter said. “And I know you love me, too.”

“Peter, don’t be silly,” Diane said. “My husband is extremely wealthy. Why would I jeopardize my marriage and my station for a starving artist like you? And for what it’s worth, Peter, your first impression of me was right. I am a snooty rich bitch.”

In addition to being written for Teresa’s prompt, this post includes today’s Three Things Challenge prompt from Di at Pensitivity101, where the three things are “sport,” “hook,” and “canvas.” Also for today’s Word of the Day Challenge (details) and for Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (snooty).

Call In the Experts

Fandango5 Comments

“Nothing takes the place of experience when it come to dealing with a crisis.” Edward said. “There’s always the temptation to search for easy answers, but in order to triumph in the face of a crisis, one needs to be thoughtful, deliberate, and leverage the collective wisdom of experts.”

“You’re absolutely right,” Billy, Edwards younger brother, hardily agreed.

“Good,” Edward said, “So hop on your bike and ride to the fire department and tell them to send out their hook and ladder truck to retrieve our cat, who is stuck up in a tree.A33EDBE7-B8A0-4AFB-811F-AA413AE14D00Written for today’s JusJoJan prompt from Linda G. Hill, where the word, suggested by Dan at No Facilities, is “experience.” Also written for these daily prompts: Ragtag Daily Prompts (nothing), Fandango’s One-Word Prompt (crisis), Word of the Day (temptation), The Daily Spur (answers), Your Daily Word Prompt (triumph), and Daily Addictions (bike).

It’s Priceless

Fandango14 Comments

FDD8BF0D-F7E0-4B7E-BCF8-57348309E8CE “Hey Sally, do you wanna take a ride in this cherry, 1977 Chevy Caprice Classic I just bought?” Matt yelled to his girlfriend as he pulled the car into her driveway.

“Have you gone completely daffy?” Sally asked. “Why in the world would you go out and buy a 43-year-old junker car?”

A disappointed expression darkened Matt’s face. “Are you kidding me?” he said. “This is a friggin’ Chevrolet Caprice Classic. Look at her, she’s in great shape. This is not just your average car, you know, Sally. The Caprice Classic was the most popular American car in the sixties through the mid seventies.”

Sally rolled her eyes and shook her head. “So how much did you pay for that old piece of shit?” she asked Matt.

“There you go again, Sally, off on some irrelevant tangent,” Matt said. “This car is a  true classic. It’s priceless.”

Written for these daily prompts: Daily Addictions (ride), Your Daily Word Prompt (caprice), Word of the Day Challenge (complete), Ragtag Daily Prompt (daffy), The Daily Spur (average), and Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (tangent).

SoCS — First Three Words

Fandango9 Comments

For today’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt, Linda G. Hill has upped the ante a bit. She’s asked us to:

  1. Grab the closest book to you when you sit down to write your post.
  2. Open it to a random page.
  3. Locate the first complete sentence on that page.
  4. Use the first three words of that sentence to start your post.
  5. Then take it from there and write whatever comes to mind.

All of my books are on my iPhone’s Kindle app, so I chose fellow blogger Iain Kelly’s book, A Justified State, opened it up to page 81 (in the Kindle version) and the first three words of the first complete sentence were, “She had seen.”3CF7274B-8240-496E-84B6-2C0A92EFA823So let’s see what my stream of consciousness brain can conjure up from those three words along with today’s six daily prompt words, shall we?

She had seen the model wearing her creation many times before, but this time it looked a little different. It was not fitting the way it should have, and the fashion show was scheduled to start in less that two hours.

Carolyn knew it had been a mistake to permit the show coordinator to have access to her creations. The world of haute couture was not just competitive, but cutthroat. She should never have let her guard down like this.

She motioned for the model to come over to her. “There’s something wrong,” she said to the model. “The pants, they don’t fit the way they’re supposed to, the way they did earlier today.” The model — so tall, so thin, so beautiful, so empty — just stood there.

“Is there anything you have to tell me?” Carolyn said to the model, more as a demand than a question. “I hope that you’re not a part of this demonic scheme to ruin me.”

The model started to cry. “I’m so sorry, Carolyn,” she said, “but Felicia gave me five thousand dollars to give her access to this pantsuit. Can you forgive me!”

“That bitch, Felicia, couldn’t design her way out of a wet paper bag,” Carolyn said. “I’m tempted to fire you, Charlotte, but if you’ll accompany me to the police when I report Felicia to the authorities and are willing to corroborate that it was Felicia who paid you off to sabotage my show tonight, I might just keep you on as my top model if you promise to never do anything like this ever again.”

“I promise,” Charlotte said, reaching over and hugging Carolyn.

In addition to today’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt, this tale was written for these daily prompts: The Daily Spur (model), Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (permit), Daily Addictions (pants), Ragtag Daily Prompt (hope),   Word of the Day Challenge (scheme), and Your Daily Word Prompt (corroborate).

Turning Over a New Leaf

Fandango8 Comments

F4F93C0D-D73F-4F5E-9D3A-67C0E0840601“I’m turning over a new leaf,” Nick announced, “starting tomorrow, anyway.”

“What kind of chicanery is this?” Sarah asked. “You’re almost 18 years old and you won’t even go out and rake the leaves, much less turn over a new one.”

“Hey, why are you always trying to turn the table around on me?” Nick said, a hurt expression on his face. “Do you really think I’m incapable of changing?”

“Don’t sweat it, Nick,” Sarah said. “I’m your mother. I’ve become accustomed to your lazy and garish ways. It’s just that you’re so much like your father and you know what an asshole he turned out to be. So, please, my son, I encourage you to turn over a new leaf. In fact, here’s the rake. Why don’t you start by going into the backyard and turning over a whole bunch of leaves right now instead of waiting until tomorrow?”

“Aw, Mom,” Nick whined, reluctantly grabbing the rake she was holding up.

Written for these daily prompts: Word of the Day Challenge (turning), The Daily Spur (tomorrow), Ragtag Daily Prompt (chicanery), Daily Addictions (table), Fandango’s One-Worr Challenge (sweat), and Hour Daily Word Prompt (garish).