While I Write – prompt 2.3

On August 31, 2016 By HeidiIn Blog, Free Write5 Comments

Normally when I write for a prompt I don’t read anyone else’s response until I’m done with mine. That way what I write is not influenced by others. This time I accidentally read an answer by Joe Hesch to Sharyl Fuller’s Writing Outside the Lines prompt 2.3, which I didn’t realize until the end. What he said in his response about how he writes is a lot like how I write. So the dilemma is, how to write to this prompt and not sound exactly the same. Yeah….

Okay, let’s give this a go.

This weeks prompt is about someone I had not heard of before. Jack Kerouvac and his 30 essentials about writing called “Belief and Technique for Modern Prose”. The prompt asks us to pick one or two of the thirty techniques that fits our style of writing best. Since Joe has written so beautifully on those that also fit me, which one should I pick? I decided on #26: Bookmovie is the movie in words, the visual American form.

Many times I’ve been accused of seeing what I write in my head as if it were a movie. It’s true. I see the scene as if I am watching it on a 4D screen that gives me sight, smell, feelings and dimension. Then I do my best to put into words those images and feelings. Trying to make sure that the readers feeling what my characters feel. The pain, joy, anger, despair. Try to make it as realistic as I can. Sometimes I fail because I just can’t find the right words, or the feelings and images are too strong or weak. Then there are times that I hit spot on. All I can do it write what I see and hope that you as a reader see and feel the close to the same thing.

I am also a character driven writer. We have many conversations in my head, and if I don’t write something the way they think it should be written they drive me crazy, badgering and clamoring until I get it right. (Yes, that does sound a little crazy in and of itself, but what can I say. I have voices in my head that thankfully let me lead a semi-normal life. LOL) There are those who will understand what I mean.

So now that one of those characters is off pouting in the corner after throwing a snit, I’m going to go on my last day before I have to go back to work and do what I think I do best. Write. (You may have a different opinion. Who knows. 🙂 )

Have a wonderful day.

Daily Prompt: Mistake

On August 27, 2016 By HeidiIn Creative Writing, Flash Fiction, Free Write2 Comments

via Daily Prompt: Mistake

“Well that was a mistake.”

“Ya think?”

Pinching the bridge of my nose and closing my eyes, I prayed for patience. I really did not need help in reminding me that my brilliant plan wasn’t so brilliant.

“Don’t you have something else to do?” I sighed.

“Not anymore since you blew that up,” Sid snarled. “It took me three weeks to put together what took you two seconds to blow up. What were you thinking?” The exasperation in Sid’s voice had it higher than normal, not to mention louder. We were starting to draw a crowd.

“Apparently I wasn’t,” I grumbled.

“Apparently not,” Sid spat glaring at the wreckage in front of us. Then she sighed. A deep from your toes sigh, and from someone that was only five foot two that was a feat. In a much calmer voice that spoke of how much our relationship that had spanned a lifetime meant to her, she said, “Well. There’s nothing to do about it now except clean up the mess and start over again.” Turning towards me, she put a finger in my face and growled with narrow eyes, “No more bright ideas without my consent. Understand!”

“Yes ma’am,” I intoned quickly.

“Good. Now get your ass in there and help me,” she barked. Turning to the crowd she waved her hands in a shooing motion and yelled, “Nothing to see here folks. Just a young kid with more browns than brains. Move along.”

Groaning in embarrassment I whined, “Sid!” The only answer I got from the old bat was a cheeky grin as she waded into the pile of rubble that was once a speeder. Shoulders slumped, arms hanging at my side, the best five-year-old pout a twenty-one-year-old could muster, I shuffled in behind her.

Daily Prompt: Obvious

On August 26, 2016 By HeidiIn Free Write, Poetry3 Comments

via Daily Prompt: Obvious

It’s there,
right in front of your face.
Screaming at you to see
what everyone already knows.
How can you miss
something that is so obvious?
Take your blinders off.
Blink your eyes once,
twice,
three times,
whatever it takes
to realize the futility
of continuing along this path.

Copyright 2016 Heidi Barnes

Daily Prompt: Miniature

On August 24, 2016 By HeidiIn Creative Writing, Free Write4 Comments

via Daily Prompt: Miniature

The rocking horse flew through the air, buzzing, neighing, doing loop-de-loops. Not a care in the world. The summer day was hazy with heat, showing the pollen that flew into the air as the rocking horse zoomed in and out of the flowers that filled the meadow. What a glorious day to be free! it thought. Free to fly among nature and all her glory. For the rocking horse had never been free before. At least he did not think so. All he remembered was the golden cage that surrounded him from his very first memory. It had been a large cage, filled with toys, a miniature barn with bedding his master called fluff, whatever that was. Plenty of food and water, and he was treated like a prize possession. All and all not a bad place to be, but it wasn’t…free.

With a long whinny that was its laugh, the rocking horse took off into the sky like it had been shot out of a cannon, leaving a trail of vapor behind it. Once it got to the highest point it stopped. Its small wings fluttered furiously to keep him suspended as he surveyed the beauty around him. Green rolling hills butted up against majestic mountains, the tallest peek raising up into the sky like a silent sentinel, watching over all below. Farms dotted the landscape with a village centered in the middle, a gathering place for the humans to sell their wares, catch up on gossip and celebrate their holidays and special occasions. Today was one of those days. A wedding was taking place and everyone one was there, decked out in their finery to help the happy couple begin their new life together. Which was why the rocking horse was free.

Sighing in contentment, the rocking horse looked down at the forest below it. Surely there were more like him. Maybe he should go down and start….

A shadow fell over him and then was gone.

What the…?

Glancing around, the rocking horse could not see anything. Shrugging his shoulders, he once again surveyed below him, trying to figure out the best spot to begin his search. This time he saw the shape of the shadow floating across the tree tops. Large and silent, it drifted lazily around him. Taking a closer look, the rocking horse realized that the appendages that were out to the side of the body were wings and the large fan like thing in the back were…TAIL FEATHERS!

As soon as the rocking horse began his dive, a shrill shriek filled the summer air. Not daring to look back, the rocking horse streaked towards the safety of the woods.Dodging in and out of trees, he could hear the bird crashing and shrieking behind him. Must…find…shelter! There was a loud crash, then a crack of wood, then silence.

The rocking horse dared not slow to see if the bird had crashed into that large tree it had just flown through. No, it knew now where it must go if it was to remain safe. This outside world was a scary place, with things far to large that wanted to eat it for a morning snack. There was only one place it would be safe.

Sometime later, the front door opened to a small cottage near the woods and a young woman danced in, humming a lilting tune.

“What a wonderful day,” she sighed. “Full of laughter, good food and good friends. They really should have weddings more often, they are so much fun.” Putting her basket on the wooden table in the kitchen, she danced over to the small living area where there was a large golden cage and her childhood friend. “Hello, my little one. How was your day today? Uneventful, I suppose. Let me tell you about mine and we can relive it together, shall we?”

The miniature rocking horse neighed in response, rising up into the air and doing a somersault telling her it was happy to see her. With a small smile the woman did not see, it hung in the air, happily listening to his master’s voice as she regaled him with the days events. Happy to be safe and sound and alive in his home.

Have a wonderful song filled summer day. 🙂

Lost – writing prompt 2.2

On August 22, 2016 By HeidiIn Creative Writing, Free Write4 Comments

Paper thin
tattered around the edges.
The straight and true
float in the breeze
unaware of dangers,
the mighty are pleased.
Misty sails
break free of the night.
The dawn brings peril,
we fight at twilight.
Bring home our sailors,
the far away plead.
Don’t leave us stranded
we beg of thee.
Days turn into nights,
the gulls take flight.
Lost and despair
What shall we do?
How will be stay alive?
Pick and choose,
who lives
who dies.
Fate wins out.
Help has arrived.

This is from a writing prompt on Writing Outside the Lines. I wasn’t sure about this poem, but it is what came to me when I saw the feather and began to write. Hope you enjoy.

Photo Challenge: Rare

On August 19, 2016 By HeidiIn Creative Writing, Free Write2 Comments

via Photo Challenge: Rare

Growing up, I spent a lot of time in the summer at my grandparents cabin on an island near the San Juan’s in Washington State. We would spend our days riding around the island on our bikes or playing on the mostly rocky beach hunting for agates and small rock crabs. (Going to California and seeing nothing but sand was a novelty.)

The channel between us and the next island was always running. Sometimes, between the wind and strong tides, it sounded as if a river was outside our door. But on rare occasions, the waters would be a smooth as glass. This usually happened during ebb tide, when the direction of water flow was in the middle of changing, but when I was up there this last July we had a day that when the clouds broke at 2 pm there was not a wave to be seen far into the night, even with the tide coming in. The sun shone, the slight breeze was warm and it stayed warm enough that I sat out in shorts and a tank top until almost 9 pm. That is unheard of. Usually the winds will have picked up, and being off the water, the breeze would be cool enough to at least warrant a sweatshirt. It was a beautiful evening spent with neighbors eating crab, drinking wine and enjoying conversation out on the deck with the beautiful sunset in the distance.

Have a wonderful day! 🙂

Daily Prompt: Obsessed

On August 12, 2016 By HeidiIn Free Write, Poetry3 Comments

via Daily Prompt: Obsessed

You say you don’t love me
I know that is not true
How can you ignore
What I see so clearly
The one you say you love
is not the one you need
I am what you need
I should be the air you breath
If it is the last thing I do
I will make you see the truth
I will take you away
from those who would keep you from me
I will hold you in my arms
show you what it means to be truly loved
Hate me now
but you will see
In the end there will be no doubt
I am the one
In the end
there will only be me

This is in response to a daily prompt I receive in my feed every day. The image in my head was from my first book, funnily enough called Obsessions. LOL It is Shane’s thinking when it comes to Kirsten because he is obsessed with her.

Surface

On August 11, 2016 By HeidiIn Free Write, Poetry3 Comments

Do not judge what you cannot see
What lies at the surface
is only the beginning
It’s what lies underneath
that counts
It’s what lies underneath
that is joyful
angry
in pain
Do not judge what you cannot see
unless you want to be judge
so callously

What Is – Prompt #50

On August 9, 2016 By HeidiIn Creative Writing, Free Write7 Comments

Looking back there are times when I ask myself, what if. What if I went left instead of right? What if I had had the courage to say yes instead of no? What if I had taken that last step instead of hesitating, only to watch opportunity slip out of my reach? What if I had just kept my mouth shut.

What might have been if I had made different choices?

We could ‘what if’ ourselves to death, but I think the question you should ask yourself is would I be the same person I am today? I think we are here for a reason. It could be small. Something that affects one decision for one person that may lead to something bigger. Ir it may be something world changing. Something that affects each and every one if us.

We may never know the what might have been. We do know the now, and for better or worse we should make the best of what is.

This is for writing prompt #50 on the website Writing Outside the Lines.

Sleep Elusive – prompt 48

On August 9, 2016August 9, 2016 By HeidiIn Creative Writing, Flash Fiction, Free Write4 Comments

Sleep. What a wonderful idea. I just wish I could. It had been a long time since I’ve been able to turn my mind off. Around and around on problems that there was nothing I could do anything about. I can’t speak on them, act on them, ignore them. Oh, trust me. I’ve tried. I walked away, been told it was none of my business and to stay out of it. Yet here I was. Standing in the one place I shouldn’t be, contemplating sleep that I knew would never come. Not while the bane of my exsitance was not more than ten feet away on the other side of the wall.

Sighing, I drop my bag on the floor at my feet with a loud thump and rub my face with my hands. What am I doing? It was not the first time I’ve ask this question. Probably won’t be the last. Not until this nightmare was over.

Walking to the bed I sat down heavily on the end. Well, there wasn’t much I could do tonight. Everyone had gone to bed long ago. Only Christian had been awake because he was the only one who knew I was coming, otherwise I would probably be at some hotel. Not a bad idea really, but saying no to the seven year old had been hard if not impossible. I could still see the puppy dog eyes staring at me over the screen as he pleaded with me to help him.

I looked at the wall that seperated me from the catastrophe waiting to happen. I hope Christian was right and the person on the other side was ready to talk. Better yet, listen. Otherwise this would be all for nothing, because if this didn’t work I was washing my hands of the whole mess.

Flopping back on the bed, I knew a lie when I heard one. I should. I was the best of the best when it came to lying. Ask anyone. Yeah, with what waited for me when the sun came up sleep would be an elusive bitch. Might as well unpack. It was going to be a long night.

I seem to be on a role with these writing prompts tonight. Not sure what is so special about tonight, but I’ll see how long it lasts. This writing was based on Writing Outside the Lines writing prompt #48. It was also written on my phone. I tried to catch all the typing errors, but I apologize if I missed any.

To See What I See

Category: Free Write