Author: JoHawkTheWriter

O Tannenbaum — 100 Word Wednesday

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Title: O Tannenbaum
Source:  100 Word Wednesday: Week 100
Word count: 100 words

We passed the tree lot as we were finishing our Christmas shopping, and Sissy begged me to stop.

“Can we get one?” she pleaded, painting on her ‘Daddy’s best girl’ smile and clasping her hands under her chin.

Who was I to say ‘no’? Besides, it brought back memories of my childhood.

We loved it.

“It is a Charlie Brown tree,” my wife stated.

“It is full of needles.  They’ll drop and make a mess,” she proclaimed.

She banished the tree to the den, far from her picture postcard perfection.

Christmas morning, we discovered Santa’s gifts under our beautiful tree.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

What the Butler Saw — Weekly Writing Challenge

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Title: What the Butler Saw
Source:  Weekly Writing Challenge #170
The five words: LIVE, KNEEL, PLAN, EGO, LINK
Word count: 150 words

lady-colin-cambell-(1897)-by-Giovanni-Boldini

Lady Colin Campbell (1897)
by Giovanni Boldini

This was no way to live. Her marriage was a sham, orchestrated by her mother to raise her social status. Her mother insisted the wedding would take place even though her husband was not suitable. The road brought them here.

Gertrude watched the jurors kneel on the floor and peep through the keyhole of the dining room door. The judge charged them with determining the accuracy of the butler’s testimony. Could the butler, peering through the keyhole, see Gertrude In flagrante delicto with Captain Shaw?

The plan, of course, was a divorce. Prove the infidelity of a wayward wife, establish her dubious moral standards and suspect character, and sooth the great lord’s ego.

In the end, the judge denied the divorce refusing to sever the matrimonial link. Ostracized by society, she forged a new path, gaining acclaim and genuine friends. But, still, each day she prayed for her husband’s death.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Daily Quote

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My-favorite-thing-about-the-holiday-season-is-the-lights-I-love-walking-around-with-family-friends-and-a-cup-of-peppermint-hot-chocolate-to-look-at-all-the-beautiful-lights-and-decora

I find holiday shopping and gift-giving overrated. But it does not dampen my love of the season. Driving in the neighborhood, looking at the lights is a favorite pastime. Two or three streets away, every home on the block is festooned with lights. I detour to drive by every chance I get.

I also enjoy walking the Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza, (downtown Chicago). We often take a weekend and stay downtown for the weekend. I might make a purchase or two, but it is not the focus.  It is about enjoying the sights, sounds, and people.

What non-holiday, holiday traditions do you observe?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Countdown — Friday Fictioneers

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Title: Countdown
Source:  Friday Fictioneers sponsored by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple
Word count: 100 words

Copyright –Douglas M. MacIlroy

During the previous window, there was a moment, when it almost connected. Since then, the sisters had been working ceaselessly. They consulted the ancient texts, checked the schematics and reread the prophecy.

Sister Minette insisted they were close. She felt the equipment only needed minor tweaking. Sister Prudence demanded they pull it apart, dissect and question everything they believed.

They had been pursuing the answer for centuries, and in recent years, technological advances had given them new hope. It was hope they needed.

Sister Minette was giddy when they loaded the equipment into their cars and headed for the rendezvous.

 

***Note: Read about The Rendezvous here.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Birthday Breakfast Surprise

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bright-colored-cereal-floating-in-milk

Photo by David Streit on Unsplash

Caleb woke early. Today was her birthday, and he planned to show her how much he loved her. He slipped from the bed and tiptoed to the kitchen.

He dropped bread into the toaster and prepared a tray. Standing at the open refrigerator, he realized he hadn’t thought beyond the toast. He set butter, jam, and orange juice on the counter then added Lucky Charms and milk.

He filled the bowl with cereal, then topped the box, spilling cereal onto the counter and floor. He tried to pour the milk, but it sloshed over the edge of the bowl and onto the tray. Smoke snaked from the toaster and he beat the handle until the charred bread popped. His tossed the toast onto the plate and attempted to scrape away the black spots. Crumbs flew everywhere.

When he poured the orange juice, he knocked the glass and sent it crashing to the floor. This wasn’t going as he planned.

“Caleb! What are you doing?”

Caleb was pushing orange juice across the floor with a soaked paper towel.

“I’m sorry, Mommy. It was an accident. I didn’t mean to,” Caleb’s voice quivered, and a tear trickled down his cherub face. “I was making you breakfast in bed, and now it’s ruined.”

Darlene surveyed the splattered kitchen.

“You did this for me?” she asked as her hand covered her heart.

Caleb nodded.

“This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me,” she said as she scooped him into her arms.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Daily Quote

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Through-my-writing-I-have-made-new-friends-and-continued-to-learn-about-this-world-of-ours-in-all-its-wonder-with-all-its-challenges.-Sonia-Levitin

I could not have imagined the path I would travel when I first began to write. I have met wonderful people and I learn new things every day. I love facts and have often joked that my brain is stuffed full of useless information. Turns out it is damn handy.

Many times, I have been inspired to incorporate a reference to a Greek god or goddess, or the legend of a skilled Irish pirate queen. My stories have spurred me to research medieval living conditions, county plats of surveys from the 1890s, and details of the AK-47.

What have you learned from your writing?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

 

Daily Quote

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I-cant-even-imagine-writing-nonfiction-by-hand.-I-think-if-I-didnt-have-a-computer-I-just-couldnt-do-it.-Maybe-its-a-brain-section-issue.-Jennifer-Egan

Please disregard the word “nonfiction” above. I can’t imagine writing by hand. Period. Ok, so I like writing my lists by hand. I like the feel of my favorite pen, the sound of the nib scratching on paper… but anything else? No way. I love backspace, delete, cut, copy and paste and no red ink.

Then there is auto correct. Yes, sometimes it is a real pain, but it is also a time saver. I don’t have to waste time with a dictionary. I love the ability to search my files for a story and find it as opposed to sifting through notebooks and reams of paper, risking the dreaded paper cut to come up empty-handed.

Which do you prefer?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

The Rendezvous – FFfAW Challenge

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Title: The Rendezvous
Source: Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers
Word count: 170 words

dusk-car-headlights-in-the-distance-on-a-tree-lined-two-lane-road

This week’s photo prompt is provided by Jodi McKinney. Thank you, Jodi!

Hours ago, I parked my Harley on the graveled shoulder where the road curved, creating a sightline for miles. Dead flowers, candles, and crosses piled at the base of a scared old oak bore evidence of the dangers lurking here. A faded photo flapped in the breeze.

I leaned against my bike, waiting. A well-worn path cut through the woods ending at a creek. Across the road, trees lined a soybean field and, in the distance, sat an old farmhouse. I had seen no activity, no cars, no wildlife and knew there was no satellite surveillance until 11:47 tonight. It would be close.

Dusk descended, and I waited in the darkness with my bike. Two cars, following closely, approached, pulling next to me. The sisters emerged, nodded in my direction and opened both trunks.

They assembled the equipment and nodded once more. Stepping to the control panel, my fingers flew, playing the sequence I had memorized as a child. Lights flashed. The sisters bowed their heads, and our work began.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Daily Quote

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its-a-good-feeling-to-come-away-from-a-days-work-feeling-like-youve-achieved-something-tired-brain-is-good-dominic-cooper-

It is the busy holiday season, and I am doing more writing later in the evening. I am burning the candle at both ends, yawning as I write and yesterday, I closed a file without saving it. When I sit to write I am already tired. I prefer to write in the morning, but I also refuse to interrupt my daily writing goal streak.

Before I am finished, my brain gets tired. I know I will have to do careful editing later. I will admit to having written some incoherent sentences. Still, it feels good to accomplish my daily writing goal.

Do you write when things are hectic?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Painted Faces — Flash Fiction Challenge

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Title: Painted Faces
Source:  Flash Fiction Challenge
Prompt: Write a story about graffiti.
Word count:  99 words

graffiti-painting-john-Lennon-glasses-and-eyes

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

I work at night, heading home as office workers rise. Later it reverses. They sleep as I gather my tools and lock my door.

Deep into the night, I tread, cans clanking in my bag. The world is silence. A cat slinks through the alley and the wind whispers secrets.

Arriving at my chosen wall, I don my respirator and shake my aerosol can. The can’s clinking echoing the sound of the approaching freight train. Ever vigilant, I spray the wall according to plan.

The morning light reveals my newest creation, and they smile at yesterday’s plain brick wall.

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer