PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
The bright colors made her think of children.
She swiped at the endless tears on her cheeks, but more fell.
In one night. Every child under ten disappeared.
Gone.
No one had seen.
No clue left behind.
Windows were closed, doors too. No sign of footprints or struggle. Just gone.
The detritus of their lives left behind. Toys, clothes, shoes.
No one knew what to do. All were lost.
In desperation she put up a notice calling on one of the crones for help and a gnarled hand had appeared over her shoulder. “We will help.”
And so, she waited.
This is a Friday Fictioneers Prompt
You can read more FF prompt responses here
Word count: 100
© Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. All Rights to the works and publications on this blog are owned and copyrighted by Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. The Owner of this site reserves all permissions for access and use of all documents on this site. NO AI TRAINING: Without in any way limiting the author’s [and publisher’s] exclusive rights under copyright, any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.
Terrific news – The Serpent’s Kiss (Book Four in the Stones of Power series) is now out in ebook format!
BUY NOW: https://books2read.com/u/m2GLxj
PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson
Many things go missing at a carnival.
Watches, wallets, phones, lunches, children…
Personalities was a new one.
When the reports came in that people were attending the carnival and then coming home wrong no one thought much of it. Too much sugar, too much adrenaline, too much food, too much activity, too much sun. A few days’ rest and they’d be back to normal.
The numbers of blank people grew.
No family, no lovers, no outside activities, no job, no phone, no life.
They became the empty people. Silent, not-dead things, haunting our once vibrant town.
The carnival moved on.
This is a Friday Fictioneers Prompt
You can read more FF prompt responses here
Word Count: 100
© Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. All Rights to the works and publications on this blog are owned and copyrighted by Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. The Owner of this site reserves all permissions for access and use of all documents on this site. NO AI TRAINING: Without in any way limiting the author’s [and publisher’s] exclusive rights under copyright, any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.
About the Book:
After a series of Mr Wrongs, Bee has finally found her Mr Right. Attractive, mature—William is everything she’s been looking for.
Gertrude is Bee’s best friend since forever (and also her flatmate, workmate and Insta content videographer). She’s happy for Bee—just as she’s been sad for Bee during those romantic missteps, and supportive of Bee in everything else. Actually, now she thinks about it, Gertrude isn’t sure there even is a Gertrude that isn’t determined by what Bee wants or thinks or feels.
Panicked to realise she’s not the main character in her own life, she turns to William’s best friend, Arthur. He isn’t the obvious choice for life coaching—apart from anything else, Gertrude doesn’t really like him—but everyone else is…Well, there is no everyone else. Just Bee.
Arthur’s mission is to find out whether there’s more to Gertrude than she thinks, and if so, what it is. The problem is, that might throw up some hard questions—about her life, her choices and above all, her friendship with Bee.
My Thoughts:
Oooooooo I adore this book.
I recommend this one if you like a fun romcom with strong Aussie vibes. I smashed through this book in two days. Such an enjoyable and easy holiday read. Debut author Olivia Tolich brings Gertrude, Bee, William and Arthur to vibrant life with a dry wit and strong Aussie voice.
Gertrude exudes side character energy and her best friend, Bee, is the star attraction. Bee is the one who has “main character” vibes… everything in Bee’s life is about Bee. The only problem is that everything in Gertrude’s life is also about Bee. The flat, the boy, the job… and every reaction Gertrude has is always checked, not only for how Bee will respond, but also to keep the peace in her own rather dull life. Meeting Arthur makes Gertrude question her responses and reactions to Bee’s selfish behaviour. She soon realises her own life has given way to Bee’s pulled focus. What about Gertrude. What does she want? She doesn’t know. Everything has always been about Bee. To find herself, Gertrude and Arthur look into what Gertrude might enjoy – outside of Bee’s presence – and it turns out, Gertrude has a personality and likes all of her own. She just needs to drop the Bee-blinders and find her own main character energy.
I mean, who doesn’t second guess every look given, or every word spoken ? Talk about writing stories in your own head about how a friend, or a boy, or a family member will react to something you do or say. And who hasn’t felt like an NPC at some point? It’s not often I feel “seen” in a romcom but this one really hit the nail on the head for me. So many of Gertrude’s anxious people pleasing internal conversations rang bells. (What will they think of me if I say that, what if they take that the wrong way, what if I say no, how will they judge me…) That inner voice spins so many circles you could be a failed ballerina getting dizzy from all the what ifs – and that’s before a word has ever been spoken.
It’s strange to say, but this is a terrific story about toxic friendship and people pleasers. It’s a reminder for the people pleasers not to lose their inner voice beneath the need to make everyone else happy. It’s also a reminder that wanting people to think well of you shouldn’t mean dimming your own light. It’s a book about learning to stick up for yourself. And also a warning not to lose your own personality amongst the bright lights of your friends. You can want things too. Big things, Bright things… the hot boi, for example. This is a terrific holiday read with strong romcom vibes and a lot of bite. Plus – it’s set in Melbourne. I love an Aussie Romcom and this one is set locally for me, so all the more fun to enjoy.
This one is available from the 3rd Feb 2026… Put it on your radar.
PHOTO PROMPT © Jennifer Pendergast
Knowing time was running out all I could do was stare at the ceiling as my own blood gathered in a pool around me. Would I be greeted on the otherside? Would they welcome me after all I have done in this life? Probably not. I hear footsteps. A shadow falls over me.
“Where is the interdimensional tear? Who are you working with. Are their more time agents.”
I chuckle and start to choke, coughing on my own blood. “We are too many. We are everywhere. The war to free our people from your control has begun.”
Blackness takes me.
This is a Friday Fictioneers Prompt
You can read more FF prompt responses here
Word count: 100
© Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. All Rights to the works and publications on this blog are owned and copyrighted by Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. The Owner of this site reserves all permissions for access and use of all documents on this site. NO AI TRAINING: Without in any way limiting the author’s [and publisher’s] exclusive rights under copyright, any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.
PHOTO PROMPT © Sandra Crook
The freeze hit overnight.
It was an impossibility.
The middle of the hottest part of summer in a country that was part desert, it was inconceivable. So how did a dried out pond fill with water and then freeze.
Scientists arrived in droves. They analysed everything from the grass, the water, the ice, to the mud beneath. They reported finding a molecular structure not found anywhere else on earth. That sent everyone into a frenzy. Religions popped up overnight. Governments demanded order and security be tightened.
Two little grey aliens laughed. Prank successful. Now to witness this silly world squirm.
This is a Friday Fictioneers Prompt
You can read more FF Prompt responses here
Word count: 100
© Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. All Rights to the works and publications on this blog are owned and copyrighted by Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. The Owner of this site reserves all permissions for access and use of all documents on this site. NO AI TRAINING: Without in any way limiting the author’s [and publisher’s] exclusive rights under copyright, any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.
PHOTO PROMPT © Lisa Fox
Cute. The disguise spell was a clever choice. She never would have picked this to be the entrance to the elaborate Mage hideaway she knew was beneath the forest. Of course, magic like that would also mean protection spells she’d have to circumvent to get inside. He surely wouldn’t rely on only the disguise spell. Would he? He was arrogant. It was possible he thought no one would get through this level of deception. She crept backward along the same steps she’d taken to get this far. With her sending stone she called her team. “Found it. We infiltrate tonight.”
Happy new year to all of the families or friends playing D&D!
This is a Friday Fictioneers Prompt
You can read more FF prompt responses here
Word count: 100
© Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. All Rights to the works and publications on this blog are owned and copyrighted by Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. The Owner of this site reserves all permissions for access and use of all documents on this site. NO AI TRAINING: Without in any way limiting the author’s [and publisher’s] exclusive rights under copyright, any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.
PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
I attend their festive dinner. Oh, they don’t know I’m here. But, given I died in this house … well, I think it is only fair.
Don’t you?
There are few things that I miss. Dinner, of course. The family drama. Spirits too. Though, I guess you could say that with my presence here, I am the spirit this year. It’s not the same.
Nothing is.
They sit and speculate my death and how it occurred. There is regret in my son’s eyes.
Not enough.
The evidence is in his jacket. I push it off the rack—clunk—and wait.
This is a Friday Fictioneers prompt
You can read more FF prompt responses here
Word count: 100
© Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. All Rights to the works and publications on this blog are owned and copyrighted by Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. The Owner of this site reserves all permissions for access and use of all documents on this site. NO AI TRAINING: Without in any way limiting the author’s [and publisher’s] exclusive rights under copyright, any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.
ANOTHER SURPRISE!
THE SERPENT’S KISS by Laurie Bell
The Stones of Power Book Four paperback is available now
Wyvern’s Peak Publishing
Paperback available now
“Tell him the truth, Tracey. Just don’t tell him everything…”
Four Stones of Power are secure, and Timothy is trapped inside the Serpent’s Kiss. Despite all odds, including a heart-wrenching betrayal by a mentor, Tracey and her friends have succeeded once more.
The only problem is that they are keeping the possession of the Crow’s Heart a secret from the grown-ups. Oh, and Tracey is keeping her recent possession of the Serpent’s Kiss from her friends. Oh, and Timothy won’t stop talking to her from inside the Serpent’s Kiss, and for some reason Stephanie has gone completely silent inside the Butterfly Stone… oh, and her crush won’t respond to her texts.
No longer sure of who she can trust, Tracey is forced to make riskier and more difficult decisions in her search for the final two Stones of Power. But an anonymous watcher and a creeping presence in her home town are making their own moves, bringing the mystery to her own doorstep.
As a dangerous hunter comes calling, Tracey takes matters into her own hands. But can she protect everyone and do what needs to be done while still keeping those hands clean?
PHOTO PROMPT © Peter Abbey
A beach is a place of fun.
It is supposed to be.
Full of family and friendship and sand and water and dancing foot to foot over scalding hot sand, of salt on the lips, of feeling the cool of the ocean pulling at your skin with every crest of the waves. Avoiding jellyfish and sharks and too many swimmers. Of children squealing, running from fathers who try to throw them in and of mothers shouting to come in for another dose of sunscreen. Christmas in Australia is mostly hot and dry with occasional torrential rains… There are no words.
I could not write for fun this week, of aliens and magic and monsters. True monsters walk amongst us. There are no words powerful enough for the horror of last weekend in Sydney and Bondi. My love to everyone affected. Hold your loved ones close.
This is a Friday Fictioneers Prompt
You can read more FF prompt responses here
Word Count: 100
© Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. All Rights to the works and publications on this blog are owned and copyrighted by Solothefirst & Laurie Bell. The Owner of this site reserves all permissions for access and use of all documents on this site. NO AI TRAINING: Without in any way limiting the author’s [and publisher’s] exclusive rights under copyright, any use of this publication to “train” generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models.
Rambles, writing and amusing musings 