What a difference a day makes!
Actually, what a difference a few hours made. This past week, the weather changed overnight from “turn on the fan” into “where’s my sweater?” The ants still haven’t left the kitchen completely, but at least I don’t worry that I’m going to melt before the day is over.
After reading 8LW Jeanne’s post on Thursday about her recent autumn vacation I wound up spending far too much time this week researching the Canadian Maritimes, Quebec, and various other potential vacation locations and oohing and ahhing over the lovely hotel Le Château Frontenac. I’m suddenly feeling a need to start a new story series set in that area so I have a pressing reason to visit. Or perhaps I should set a series in Paris?
Must cogitate.
While my sub-conscious is working on that thorny problem I think I’ll jump-start my creativity by giving today’s story prompt and random words a try.
Care to join me?
For those of you working away on a story (whether a first draft or a polished version on its way to publication), if you’re not feeling random, we’d love to hear a bit – whether it’s a scene, a paragraph, or even a phrase that you are especially pleased with and would like to share.
If you don’t have a story in progress, or just want to work on something new, I hope today’s story prompt and/or random words will catch your creative fancy.
Ready?
What if: “Your character found something unexpected?”
Feel free to interpret the “What if” any way you choose and include any (or all) of the following random words:
basket symbol siren bottle
freewill baby future confusion
absurdly little grabbing aroma
banana vision identical robbery
I look forward to seeing your stories in the comments. If you’re not feeling in the writing mood today, or don’t have time, feel free to post suggestions you might have for future “what-if” prompts. Ideas are always welcome.
Happy writing to all!
Eight Ladies Writing 
My neighbor, who generously shares her Louise Penny paperbacks with me, told me there’s a Louise Penny tour of Quebec that includes the town that’s the model for Three Pines.
I think you should definitely go to Quebec!
Jeanne – that sounds great. As you know, I’m a bit of a LP fan (understatement).
Loved Jeanne’s Canadian photographs. I suspect my Sunday may include an hour or two of travel research/armchair tourism.
This morning I went to a reading of a new play written by a friend of one of my fellow GH contest finalists. The piece was a kind of time slip encounter between Queen Elizabeths I and II, set in the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula in the Tower of London. The reading was held in the Armoury of the Tower of London, and the play will eventually be performed in the chapel itself. The historic chapel setting was an important element of the work, almost like an extra character.
Which made me think…maybe we could have a future what-if…the story takes place in an iconic location??
Great idea, Jilly.
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Better late than never, right? I broke my time record for writing this—only nine minutes! Not that this piece is anything great, but let’s talk sprinting.
The Gift
“What the heck is this?” Kyle peered into the basket, confusion written on his face. “It smells funny.”
Augustina sniffed the air. “The only aroma I can detect is that of the Bananas Foster you had for breakfast,” she said. “Of which, as you know, I do not approve.”
“I think it’s a little baby racoon,” Kyle said, grabbing the basket and taking it inside the house. “Either that or an unhatched dinosaur. He looks hungry. Maybe we should give it a bottle.”
“It looks identical to that llama that Dionysus fostered last month,” Augustina said. “We should take it over there.”
“It looks nothing like a llama,” Kyle said, fussing with the racoon’s blanket. “Besides, it’s absurdly tiny. What kind of future would it have in a house full of llamas?”
“Any arguments about free will versus determinism are best left to happy hour,” Augustina said. “Moreover, as a symbol of philosophical disquisition, this small creature falls short on the vision statement, I’m sorry to say.”
“It’s so cute,” Kyle said, not wanting to get into it with Augustina again. “Hey, maybe it got stolen from that kids petting zoo. Didn’t you hear the sirens? The news said there’d been a robbery.”
“That must be it then,” Augustina said.
“I’ll give them a call,” Kyle said, a little regretfully. “He’s a cute little guy, but he probably misses his mother.”
Augustina nodded, reaching for her car keys. “Don’t we all.”
Nine minutes! I am in awe of your skills. Loved the “any arguments about free will versus determinism are best left to happy hour” line.
I’d been down to 20 minutes, but I lost some skills while I was recovering from surgery. But nine minutes! I astonished myself. 🙂
Oh, what fun! I’ve just discovered a YouTube channel about a wildlife rehabilitator who is a quarter actor and a quarter comedian. She’s just a hoot, and goes to bizarre place with her little animals, especially her opossums. This little raccoon you’ve imagined is adorable!
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