PHOTO PROMPT © David Stewart
They say it’s haunted.
I mean, they ain’t wrong. I’ve been here too long to remember. I don’t like to think back on that time. My memory is all yellowy-gray. Now is better. Now is color and noise and brashness. I like now. I like the current family too. Not like them ones before. I got rid of them. All of them. But these ones, I like em. The girl especially. She can see me. We talk about all sorts of things. She teaches me how all the new fangled stuff works too. Yeah. I might let these ones live.
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:
Have you ever gotten lost in a book? Entranced into the world of a mysterious old story of Alice Springs published a hundred years ago, Millie, a Warlpiri teenager, is sucked up by a willy willy and transported to 1924. Here she meets a crew of oddly familiar young people, Sonny, Beryl and Spike. As the group compare notes, they realise the Alice Springs of the past and the future are not as different as they seem…
Desert Tracks is a time travelling novel about young people in central Australia, about racial profiling, the historical legacy of racist policies and the relationship between history and the present.
My Thoughts:
I read this in two sittings. A brilliant, easy to read, time travel book by Martha Wells and Linda Wells focusing on Alice Springs (Mparntwe) as both a character and a location in both the past and the present.
The characters (Millie, Sonny, Beryl and Spike) are brought brilliantly to life by the authors through their family and friendship interactions, as well as through memorable descriptions and voice. Millie shows us both sides of time travel. Going back into the past and then bringing the past into the present with explanations and descriptions that paint a genuine picture of youth living in the outback. We see the world through these different teens’ eyes, including their experiences of racism, colonisation and personal loss, along with the genuine wonder of discovering your home in the future and what changes have occurred for the better (though there is still a long way to go).
Language, Country and a true recounting of history is woven throughout the text in a way that is easy to digest. The weaving of the historical elements with the fantastical elements leads to a seamless and engaging read. A book that would be a terrific inclusion in schools to be read by students everywhere. Teachers and Librarians, please get onto this YA Fantasy now!
About the Book:
Ten years ago, Malik’s life changed forever the night his mother mysteriously vanished and he discovered he had uncontrollable powers. Since then, he has kept his abilities hidden, looking out for himself and his younger foster brother, Taye. Now, at 17, Malik is finally ready to start a new life for both of them, far from the trauma of his past. However, a daring act to rescue Taye reveals an unexpected connection with his long-lost grandmother: a legendary conjurer with ties to a hidden magical university that Malik’s mother attended.
At Caiman University, Malik’s eyes are opened to a future he never could have envisioned for himself—one that includes the reappearance of his first love, Alexis. His search for answers about his heritage, his powers, and what really happened to his mother exposes the cracks in their magical community as it faces a reawakened evil dating back to the Haitian Revolution. Together with Alexis, Malik discovers a lot beneath the surface at Caiman: feuding covens and magical politics, forbidden knowledge and buried mysteries.
In a wholly unique saga of family, history and community, Malik must embrace his legacy to save what’s left of his old family as well as his new one. Exploring the roots and secrets that connect us in an unforgettable contemporary setting, this heart-pounding fantasy series opener is a rich tapestry of atmosphere, intrigue, and emotion.
My Thoughts:
What a fantastic read! The magic, history and worldbuilding (specifically the magic and fantasy elements) within this story is fully immersive. It is easy as a reader to let yourself be carried away. This book has voice for miles. A story of Black history and Black power, and importantly what suddenly discovering you have strong magic can do to a traumatised youth.
It is also about how trust can be made and broken by even those closest to you. And it shows that only by learning about and acknowledging the past and accepting the self in the now can you truly grow into your power.
A terrific new magic school / magic world story to sink your teeth into. If you enjoyed Nevermoor, Amari and the Night Brothers and HP, jump into this one as the next stage in your ‘magic school for older teens’ fantasy series.
Malik as a character really feels his 17 years. A true coming of age story. Malik starts the story as an orphan and a foster kid, protecting his fellow foster sibling (his found family). The decisions he makes to keep himself and his brother safe lead to discovering amazing and tragic things about himself, his magic and his family. You viscerally feel his emotions time and again as Malik discovers more and more about his past, his family and his own magic, and reacts exactly as a teen would. The first book in a new exciting series. Cameo and side characters are full of life painted with delightful descriptions. A truly magical book.
About the book:
After years of dreaming and hard work, you’ve finally finished the first draft of a novel! With traditional and self-publishing as competitive as ever, you need to take that rough diamond and polish it to perfection, but where do you start?
Enter a writing craft book full of tried and true advice and checklists that you can use to strengthen your words.
From better sentences to stronger characters and more powerful endings, these checklists are a masterclass in revision that can help pinpoint what your book is missing and make every sentence shine.
Packed with over 50 checklists that cover everything from show, don’t tell, foreshadowing, world-building, POV, info-dumping, and outlining, plus tips that will teach you which words to cut, how to proofread, rewriting tricks and other editing essentials, you’ll have all you need to take your book from the first draft to publication!
My thoughts:
The Dunning-Kruger Effect: Being ignorant of your own ignorance. In other words… you don’t know what you don’t know and all of that.
This book reminds you what to look for. What you don’t know to look for. What you did know but in the heady-rush to publish you totally forgot. A checklist book for the organised and for the not so organised. A brilliant assistant. A must have for all authors and would be authors. A reminder.
… a checklist!
K.M. Allan makes it easy to pick and choose and use the various checklists within this book to remind you of all the things you should know, or don’t know, or forgot. A bunch of checklists to strengthen your writing & editing and get you ready for publishing. This is a book every writer needs to have in their armoury of research materials. Pop it right next to Save the Cat! Writes a Novel (Jessica Brody) or So You Want to Be a Writer (Allison Tait & Valerie Khoo).
What else do you need to know?
PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
I heard everything.
Every whisper.
Every prayer.
Every threat and bargain and offer.
It was too late.
She was long gone.
It was only the electricity from the wall that kept her body going.
I waited.
It wouldn’t be long.
“Do it.” The last voice whispered. A gut wrenching cry forced him from the room.
The gentle nurse with the reddened eyes nodded. Crossed herself. Flipped the switch.
When the solid note sounded. I lowered myself into the empty vessel and took my first breath at the short sharp beep. I opened my new eyes. The nurse gasped. “A miracle.”
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 © Ted Strutz
The mystery woman was indeed a mystery.
There were paintings all over the apartment of her.
We asked the artist for clues.
He couldn’t say.
He wouldn’t say.
For years people wondered.
On his deathbed he spoke. She was nothing but a dream. A dream woman he had seen every night upon closing his eyes. A woman who, as far as he knew, didn’t exist.
The call went out across social media. Face tracking technology searched images all over the world. Everyone looked.
Did she exist?
Would she come to call before he died?
Two centuries later she was born.
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 © Dale Rogerson
The keys depressed on their own. Only at 3am. Only in summer. When no one was watching. We had ghost hunters come, of course. They see nothing, record nothing. The writing was only to be seen by my family. Phantom tapping in the night. We all heard it. We couldn’t stop it. We put the typewriter in cupboards, in the basement, in the attic. Still, we heard it.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Eventually, we rolled in paper.
Page after page appeared. Chapter after chapter. A life unfolded before our eyes.
His own death.
Murder.
The killer’s name on the final page.
What would you do next?
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 © David Stewart
It was a train to the future.
That was what all the signage said.
To the future…
We boarded, all excited for the journey. No bags, no preparation. Just get in and go.
To the future…
How do you power such a thing?
A train to the future?
By the souls on board. By wishes, and hopes and dreams.
We traveled far and fast.
You cannot get off the train to the future.
But you never reach your destination.
Because the future is always out there waiting for you.
It’s a curse. A trap. Be careful what you wish for.
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 © Ted Strutz
It was a box I saw every day. A box I no longer saw.
A box that was always closed.
Until it wasn’t.
That was the day everything changed.
My daughter opened the box. She showed me the simple looking stick that lay inside because it started talking.
Telling her the rift was opening. That only her mother. Me. Could seal it again.
I knew nothing of this. I was confused.
Until I remembered a story my grandpa used to tell. Of a chosen one who would stop the end of the world.
I haven’t had enough coffee for this.
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 © Roger Bultot
The blinding light sent strobes into my eyes. “You saw it?” I asked my brother. Blinking the lights away I looked back to where it had been. All was still once more.
His voice returned out of the dark, soft with awe and fear. “That … that was a spaceship. Wasn’t it?”
“Yeah. Came right out of the water. There was nothing there and then, bubbles, like it was boiling. Then it rose and just hung there.”
“Yeah then the light. Did you see where it went?”
“No.”
“No one will believe us, will they?”
“No. We can’t tell anyone.”
This is a Friday Fictioneers Prompt
You can read more FF prompt responses here
Word count: 100 words
© 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 