Welcome to the first Friday Writing Sprint of a brand new year.  I hope things are off to a good start and that you’ve all managed to stay out of the grip of Covid.  Several of my team members tested positive this week but, unless it’s actually a computer-virus, I should be safe here in the writing castle.

You’d think all this sheltering in place would mean I’ve been able to make a real dent in my to-be-read pile and gotten thousands of words on the page but, sadly, not.  Possibly due to all of the home remodeling/decorating shows I’ve been watching.

Nah, that can’t be it.

Whatever you are doing today, I hope it is something enjoyable.  I began taking down the holiday decorations the other day, once the tree left the house.  I miss having a big sparkly object in the living room, but the tree had started to lean toward the sliding doors–apparently attempting to make its own escape–so I took the hint.  The end of the holidays always means a clear-out for me.  I have a car full of things that will either be going to a local shelter or a local thrift shop.  The trick will be to keep new things from making their way into the house . . . at least for a time.   

First up on my list after work today is some quality time on the elliptical machine.  The holidays disrupted my routine a bit but now it’s time to get back to it.  After that I think I’ll give today’s writing 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 either today’s random words or writing prompt will catch your creative fancy.

Ready?

Prompt:   What is that thing?

Feel free to interpret the prompt any way you choose (or ignore it completely) and include any (or all) of the following random words:   

monkey            focus              mind             flutter

pipe                  bald                riddle           position 

lemon               treasure          bench          gargoyle

swollen             freakish          bouncy        club

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 writing prompts.  Ideas are always welcome.

Happy writing to all!