Write Anyway

The chef is taking a day off from the kitchen and all the kitchen’s patrons are left to fend for their own!

So today you have the Friday Feast a la Write Anyway. I do hope you enjoy it, as it’s a beautiful Friday here in Australia and I would hate to have my day spoiled by someone not enjoying it.

I hope you and yours have a wonderful weekend!

On to the feast!

Appetizer - If you could change your first name, would you? (Pretend that you would have been born with that name so you wouldn’t have to fuss with paperwork.)

I don’t think I would. I’m not exactly keen on my name, but it is unique compared to many names - especially with the French spelling. It also means “I love” which is kind of how I define myself as a person - loving. There is one name I might consider, but I’d rather name my future daughter it.

Soup - If you could have a brand new car, a brand new computer (laptop or desktop), or a brand new house - all for free - which would you choose and why?

I would choose a new house. The man and I are renting right now and the housing market here in Australia, frankly, sucks the big one. We won’t be able to buy for years if things keep on as they are. I would love a place that was truly our own.

Salad - If you were a punctuation mark, which punctuation mark would you be?

I would have to be an ellipsis. AKA, the … I feel like I’m always going somewhere, but ‘where’ is never quite sure until I arrive at the destination. I also feel like I’m ’suspended’ in one or more areas of my life at any given time.

Main Course - What is your meaning of life?

My meaning of life is to learn about everything I can. Learn what it is to truly live, truly suffer, truly love. Learn what it is to exist, what’s beyond the ‘bubble’ of my life, what I can do to help people who need it.

Dessert - Name your favourite characteristic about your partner. If you’re not with someone, what characteristic is essential in someone you have a long relationship with?

I absolutely love the fact that my husband is intelligent. I’ll be honest - he does make me feel dumb sometimes - but he knows a lot, teaches me a lot, and we can have excellent conversations.

Original idea brought to you by Friday’s Feast

This week’s Thursday Thirteen prompts are going to continue on with prompts, questions, first lines, and other inspiration to help you get writing.

If there is another prompt you think would be helpful, be sure to let me know in the comments or by using the ‘contact me’ button under the site description.

1. “Don’t let the chance just go by. Act on it. Take advantage of the moment.”
2. You walk into the front door of your house, just like you have done millions of times before, but once you step inside, it’s not your house anymore…
3. You have to give up one of your family members. Anyone who shares your blood can go, but someone has to go. Why? Who will you choose? How will you choose?
4. What is your biggest fear? Why? Do you know what caused the fear? What about it is so scary?
5. You suddenly find yourself without one of your senses. What sense is it and what do you do?
6. You have a premonition that a massive force of nature is going to destroy everything you know. What do you do now?
7. “You have to say it. You have to tell. If you don’t…”
8. You’re walking home alone one night and find yourself walking faster and faster because you can feel something following you. And it’s getting closer…
9. Your friend has just told you about his/her plan to start taking control of things and gaining power. You don’t exactly agree, but what can you do?
10. You go to a masked ball and have an excellent time dancing, laughing, and talking with someone you think you recognize but aren’t sure. Midnight, the time when everyone unmasks, is approaching…
11. “Well, it’s not like we’re going anywhere soon. We’re going to be stuck here for a while. So ask me anything you want.”
12. Write song lyrics or a poem about one of the most important events in your life.
13. What’s your favourite song? Why? What does it make you feel?

Check out my other Thursday Thirteens on The Book Stacks and Fiction Scribe

I know a lot of people (including myself) who hesitate to apply the term “expert” to themselves. It might just be a low ego thing, and then again, it might just be a fear of idiot coming up with random things to challenge the ‘expert’ label.

Either way, I don’t want that label to intimidate you today. I want to know:

What are you an expert on?

Maybe it’s an awesome lemon meringue pie or maybe you’re awesome balancing the books (which is an awesome thing to be able to do, that’s for sure). No matter what it is, today is your day to shine and talk about what you know.

~

In keeping with the idea that it is good to think about the positive things at least every once in a while, today’s prompt is about positive things again.

Today you get to do a little time travel, in a way of thinking.

Think back to the person you were ten years ago. The situation you were in. The people you were around. The place you lived. Everything.

Then think about your life now and do a little comparing.

List ten reasons your life is better than it was ten years ago.

Ten things, people, events, reasons, whatever you want. Anything that makes your life better than it was ten years ago is fair game for your list. Try not to get into what is probably a temptation and listing ways your life is worse. This is about the positive!

If there is one thing everyone can talk about, it is food.

Food is a huge part of our society and cultures around the world. It could be in the breaking of the bread or the preparation of the desert, but food in itself means something to everyone. Food can be a positive or a negative, pleasure or addiction, friend or foe. Some people even create entire careers out of cooking food, teaching how to cook it and/or tasting it and judging its quality.

Get your foodie self on today and talk about your favourite food-related things. Family traditions, holiday foods, or your favourite Chinese take-away place.

~

I love Melbourne. It is unlike any city I have ever been to. There are so many different people, places, and things to see. And the food.

My God, the food.

There is so much diversity in Melbourne that you don’t have to go far to find people and shops from many, many cultural backgrounds. And there aren’t many other places in the world where you will see a group of people, each person from a different ethnic background, walking down the street and smiling like the best of friends.

Even if you don’t live in or near a huge city like Melbourne, that doesn’t mean the place you live isn’t special.

Today, tell your readers about what makes your city special. Are there any special places you like to go? Things you love to do? Is there anything your town is famous for? The place I grew up had a haunted farm on its outskirts.

Take some time and talk about your city.

This week I am in the mood for something different! (I get that way every now and then.) I wanted to do something other than the usual weekly routine. That’s why, for this week only (maybe?), I am declaring a random writing prompts week.

I like doing my usual schedule of prompts, but every site needs a bit of spicing up every now and then. I hope you agree with me and enjoy this week of “something different than the usual”.

Today isn’t exactly a day for prompts, though; it’s more a post of nostalgia. Today I am listing all the Musical Mondays I have ever done (with links) so if a subject (or two) grabs your attention, you can go straight to it and have that week’s prompts easily.

I hope you enjoy this links post as well as the change of plans for this week.

Musical Mondays of the past…

Heroes
Royalty
Truth
Music
Men
Women
Write
Work
Dancing
Rain
Goodbye
Laughter
Money
New Year’s Eve
Christmas Eve
In Love - Butterflies and All
Loss and Remembrance
Getting Back to It
Passion
All About You
All Around the World
Time
Freedom
Wishes
Food
Unrequited Love
Respect
Forgiveness
Gratitude
Lying
War
Colours
New Beginnings

And now, for your listening enjoyment, (and because I simply can’t have a Monday with at least a little music in it) I have posted a song by one of my favourite groups – Maroon 5. This is “Won’t Go Home Without You” one of their most recent hits.

I can’t help it - I like tags and memes. I like getting to know other people through them. So, if you’re inclined, consider yourself tagged.

A is for age: Younger than I feel, older than I think, and evening out as time passes.

B is for booze of choice: Gin and tonic on hot days, vodka and lemonade on cold days, and a chocolate monk (my creation) when I have a sweet tooth.

C is for career: I’m a freelancer. Freelance writer, freelance editor, professional blogger, and tour coordinator for Pump Up virtual author tours.

D is for your dog’s name: We don’t have one yet, but we’ve talked about it and I think we’ll name our future german shepherd Odin.
E is for essential items you use/love everyday: Dove deodorant

F is for favorite song(s) at the moment: Won’t go home without you by Maroon 5.

G is for favorite games: I am so utterly addicted to Desktop Tower Defense

H is for hometown: Menomonie

I is for instruments you play: I don’t play much now, but I used to play: piano, drums (anything percussion), saxophone, keyboard bass.

J is for jam or jelly you like: On rare occasions, I’ll eat strawberry or rasberry

K is for kids: None yet

L is for last kiss: Kisses from my man this morning

M is for most admired trait: Erm. Love? I’m very loving. Giving? Maybe?

N is for name of your crush: Mark (husband)

O is for overnight hospital stays: Once because the doctors where I used to live are idiots

P is for phobias: Water/drowning

Q is for quotes you like: Looking at something and seeing it are two completely different things.

R is for biggest regret: Hurting my hubby.

S is for sweets of your choice: Tiramisu

T is for time you wake up: The first time, about quarter to six when hubby gets out of bed. The next time is quarter after seven when I get up for the gym. When I get to sleep in, between nine and nine thirty.
U is for underwear: What about my knickers?

V is for vegetables you love: Mushrooms. Broccoli. Potatoes. Carrots. Pumpkin. Mmmm.

W is for worst habit: Probably my eating habits, but I’m working on those.

X is for x-rays you’ve had:

Y is for yummy food you make:

Z is for zodiac sign: I’m a Leo who was born in the year of the Tiger. Meow.

ANYONE ELSE CAN DO IT

Hello and welcome to another lovely Friday Feast.

Today is a very cloudy, cold day in Oz. If I didn’t have a calendar, I’d swear it was winter already. That’s okay though because I do love my big comfy sweaters and snuggling up to my husband.

I hope everyone has a particularly lovely weekend full of love, laughter, and good times.

On to the feast!

Appetizer - Invent a new flower; give it a name and describe it.

Let’s see… It’s called a Snafflower and is a pet as well as a flower. It eats insects, like many flowers and plants do, by luring them with its ever-sweet and fresh breath. It’s petals - of which there are many around its mouth - are like a mood ring, changing colour as moods change. The colour changes are individual to each Snafflower, so you have to make sure to get to know your pet. They also like the sound of running water and soft music to fall asleep to.

Soup - Name someone whom you think has a wonderful voice.

Ha! I fell in love with my husband’s voice while we were still communicating online. It’s the right level of deep without being rough. It’s very clear and steady…and just yum.

He sings quite well, too, though he’d never admit it.

Salad - On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how clean do you keep your car?

Well, I don’t own a car all by myself. My husband’s car is probably an 8, but that’s his territory anyway.

Main Course - How do you feel about poetry?

I like poetry. I don’t like it when it’s extremely difficult to understand, but I love it when it makes me feel and emotion(s). I even used to write it.

Dessert - What was the last person/place/thing you took a picture of?

That would be of my husband while we were climbing in the Grampians mountains.

Brought to you by Friday’s Feast

Hello and welcome to another Thursday Thirteen!

This week we have been talking all about heroes. This week’s Thursday Thirteen prompts are going to continue on with prompts, questions, first lines, and other inspiration to help you get writing.

If there is another prompt you think would be helpful, be sure to let me know in the comments or by using the ‘contact me’ button under the site description.

1. If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
2. “You’re my hero.”
3. Do you have a hero? Who/what is it? What did s/he/it do to gain such a label from you?
4. You’ve just become a hero in the eyes of your friends, family, and community. What did you do?
5. You’ve met a woman in the morning, saved her life in the afternoon, and she tells you you’re her hero by the end of the day. Who are you? Describe your day.
6. Sometimes heroes are heroes for small things. What are some small things someone could be a hero for? Work them into a short story.
7. “You’re back. You saved me so long ago and then just disappeared. I didn’t think I’d ever see my hero again.”
8. What makes a hero, in your opinion? Write down your thoughts and then create a character from them.
9. Write a poem about heroes.
10. “I want to be your hero, if you’ll let me. Just tell me what to do.”
11.Has anyone told you that you are his/her hero? Why? When?
12. “The pen is mightier than the sword.” Do your heroes use pens or swords?
13. Write a haiku (5-7-5-) about someone who has been a hero to you.

Check out my other Thursday Thirteens on The Book Stacks and Fiction Scribe

Hello once again everyone!

Welcome to another mid-week random word bank. I rather like random word banks. There is a challenge in them that not only gets your mind working, but you can also end up with a scene that you didn’t know you had it in you to write.

I hope you find these word banks useful. If there is a type of prompt you would prefer to see, please let me know.

Remember, with all the words, you can use any form, any tense of the word. Eg. Laugh can be laugh, laughter, laughs, laughed.

For the first word bank, I don’t want you to write a short story or anything actually. What I want you to do is word association. For every word there, I want you to write the word and then write the first word that comes to your mind after.

For the second word bank, I do want you to write a short story (or something longer if you like) that incorporates this week’s theme. This round goes as usual; just include all of the words in the bank.

For the third word bank, it is something different yet again. I would like you to try your hand at writing a poem incorporating the words provided.

Enjoy!

Word Bank One
Charge
Female
Win
Wind
Yellow
Antenna
Metal
Pause
Brick
Phone

Word Bank Two
Hammer
Smile
Pink
Cotton
Dice
Ask
Symbol
Casket
Box
Sauce

Word Bank Three
Whisper
Strength
Meaning
World
Move
Branch
Curse
Breathe
Fear
Crash

You don’t need me to tell you that heroes come in many shapes and sizes. They can be human, animal, living, dead… Heck, your hero might be an inanimate object or name brand of products. Heroes are very personal to us and who we are. Often, they have saved us from chaos, headaches, danger, and sometimes they have saved us from death.
And thus they make great writing material.

My husband has a hero and whenever he talks about the now deceased man, his eyes light up just a bit and he speaks with a smile on his face. He even wrote a poem about his hero.

As I mentioned yesterday, my husband is my hero. I trust him, I love him, I look to him, and I wonder what he would do when I face problems in my life. He has literally saved my life, and I never knew I could love another person as much as I love my husband.

While my hero is also my love, I think that’s part of your feeling towards your hero – a little love. Even if it’s only a little bit and not the romantic kind.

Today I would like you to write about who or what has been a hero to you. What happened that brought you to feeling that person/thing is your hero (or one of your heroes)? What was the heroic act or deed done that brought your admiration?

Try not to censor yourself as you write. Part of great writing is letting your subconscious free…