An international community of blogging writers, hosted by the gracious, Rochelle, come together once a week to share their creative talents, these are the Friday Fictioneers. They are given the challenge of writing a ‘hundred word’ (roughly) flash fiction story prompted by a photo. Some use the photograph for inspiration while others use it as an illustration.
- Writers are encouraged to think outside the box.
- The story should have a beginning, a middle and an end.
- THE KEY: making every word count. As close to 100 words as possible.
If you are a writer, even an aspiring writer, have some fun this week and give them a try, tune up your writing skills and then share. Just click on the link above. This weeks photo prompt courtesy of Claire Fuller
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My offering:
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Reading Books – That’s What You Do With Them!
“Okay, so big deal, books!” ‘Yes, but these aren’t just any books. They’re special books!” “What’s so special about them?” “You don’t read them.” “What?” “I said you don’t read them. You just pick one out, hold it in both hands and if there’s a picture on the cover you think about it.” “Well that’s just stupid.” “Why would you say that?” “Because you’re supposed to read books, that’s what you do with them.” “Are you sure?” “Of course I’m sure. Otherwise what would be the point?” “What point?” “Of having books?” “I guess there’d be no point, would there?”*
Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed this brief conversation on the purpose of reading a book. Reading is almost at the top of the list of things I love to do – as a child and then as an adult. Encourage children and others around you to read. That’s what books are for, after all!
Have a great day.
~ Penny
The Why About This 
That is horrible to throw away perfectly good books. Don’t they have to tear the covers off when they do that? I loved the playful story. I would have liked it but for some reason my like button is not loading. Please consider yourself “liked”!
I consider myself “liked”, thank you very much! Yes they are supposed to tear off the covers, I never did understand why she did that. Thank you for stopping by and commenting, very much appreciated by myself! and the special like too! 🙂
Clever word play. Loved it. Reminded me of that classic “Who’s on FIrst?
Thank you lora, and thanks for stopping by, reading and commenting! 🙂
I liked this dialogue. Easy, natural, thoughtful.
Thank you for stopping by, reading, and taking time to comment, it is appreciated by me. Also thank you very much for your compliments!
Great bit of reverse psychology going on here, I thought. Thankfully not had to resort to such lengths to encourage my sons. Good use of dialogue.
Thank you Anne. Sometimes the direct approach about what most would consider obvious does the job (or one hopes it might, lol). Happy to hear about your sons, way to go mom! Thanks also for stopping by and commenting!
Your posts so often take me to a view I had not considered. Thanks Penny. 🙂
I’m glad for that, hope you’re taking it a little easy this weekend. Hows the weather being where you are (rain and all!)
Rainy again but at least no flooding where we are. Hope you are having a peaceful Sunday.
I’m glad theres no flooding where you are LuAnn, and today is yard day, but it is a sunny day so I’m looking forward to it! 🙂
Actually read books? What a concept. 🙂 I like the story. Good dialogue.
Thanks David. You know you’re quite gifted as a writer! 🙂
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My kid has a book or two that is nothing but pictures. it’s meant to prompt the child to create the story as they turn the pages. Your piece reminds me of that a little bit. The spring board for the imagination. 🙂
So very true Debra, sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, well spoken and thanks for stopping by and commenting! 🙂
Love this, thought provoking yet slightly sinister I find…looking at a front cover of a book and just staring does bring an extra depth to the book though.
Since I love everything about a book, any book most likely, I have to agree with you! To me, books continue to be both a mystery and a miracle in life to be thoroughly explored.
And of course, with every other book read, rereading books highlight new ideas and each book changes and evolves into a unique experience for every reader, a mindblowing thought that is.
Love!
Thank you!
A reminder to spread the word. I have some books here I want to donate to the local orphanage. I do some work there sometimes and they don’t have any books on their shelves! Hopefully today!
Yes, thank you for mentioning how easy it is to pass along books for others to read. Have a pleasant relaxing weekend, thank you for stopping by and commenting.
inculcate the habit of reading at an early age..a very good point, Penny
Thanks Padmini, I hope you have a relaxing and happy weekend!
I do read to my son during his infant stage until now 🙂
So read, brother, read is the way to go, as a (very) old television promotional spot for reading once proclaimed. ‘Very creative use of the prompt.
Thank you!
Loved it. Very true too, what would be the point if not to read..
Thank you for your time in reading and complimenting, it is appreciated. I think we all know people who have books but don’t read them. Some of us purely enjoy reading more than others. 🙂
Yup. What’s the point? LOVE it. Thanks, Penny!
Thank you and thanks for stopping by.
I remember studying some horrendous texts for English at school and wishing I could just absorb them rather than having to read the damned things! A thought provoking story this week 🙂
Thank you very much.
Dear Penny,
No point indeed. And if I only looked at the pictures I wouldn’t have read your delightful story. Smooth dialogue and food for thought.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thank you for your kind words Rochelle, I hope you’ve been having a good week and that your weekend will be a pleasant one for you! 🙂
How said it would be if you could simply absorb a book through the cover. One of the nicest parts of my week is when I return from the local library with a rucksack full of anything up to 12 books – such anticipation. This was a great dialogue Penny, with just a hint of reality ingering behind it.
I know that feeling Sandra. It is a wonderful one! Thank you for your kind compliments.
While not yet really reading even my almost 3 year old grand son know that books are for reading. Because grama has told him so. 🙂 And it is so cute when he goes to his shelf of his books and picks out favorites and ‘reads’ them to his ‘toy’ friends.
I’m trying to read all of the fictioneers in order this week. But my eyes grow weary and it is getting late. I do hope you enjoy my offerings. The one posted, and the continuing story that is still in progress. Cheers.
Your work is a pleasure to read Jules, always! 🙂
hahaha.
My kind of story. Funny.
Wait, was it really a story? It sort of came to me in a vision. Well, more like a flash.
Yes, i see it now, it was: flash fiction.
Randy
Thanks Randy lol! Flash fiction indeed!
i’ve seen books like those. decorative pieces. that’s one thing i’ll never truly understand. wonderfully written 🙂
Thank you kz. We certainly are a wide variety of people on this planet. For book lovers it is inconceivable. 🙂
I confess – That’s how I read books.
xx 🙂 🙂 xx
Wow, I am impressed. I wish I could read that way too, (and still get the content that is) although I do speed read pretty fast! You’re so cool RoSy, you can read any way you want to and I’ll still want to be your next door neighbor! 🙂 xo
I can’t imagine not reading. My dad bought me a new book every two weeks when he went into town to meet up with his friends. The book was always one of the classics. I don’t ever remember seeing him read, but he certainly developed a love of books and reading in me. Christmas and birthdays always meant new books 🙂
Lyn your dad sounds absolutely wonderful, what a wonderful gift to give you. A love of books. A perfect gift indeed! 🙂
Penny, I can so see Piglet and Winnie the Poo having that conversation. 😉
Honie, I reread it and you’re right. It does sound like a conversation they might have. I am in very privileged company, thank you! 🙂
I really enjoyed this, Penny. There are so many ways it could be read. Funny and yet so classic.
Thank you very much Honie!
Provocative post, Penny. Bookcrossing.com promotes leaving books in public places with the intention of having strangers pick them up, read them and pass them on (the books can be followed if you register them on the site).
Thank you. Bookcrossing.com sounds like an excellent site, I’m going to check it out now, thank you!
I need to try that. There’s a similar challenge on “Freeing the Writer Within,” a Linked In group. The group moderator provides a “Daily Writing Prompt,” which is a great cerebral exercise.
That one sounds interesting too, I’ll check it out, thank you Alejandro!
Once the purpose of the written word is gone humanity can so easily be controlled. Sometimes I see that happening, and I each time I hear intellectuals having problems with the kind of books people (or especially kids) read, I always tell myself that it’s better that rhey read something than nothing.
Thank you Björn. Expressed perfectly, My sentiments exactly. The more comfortable anyone and most especially children are with reading the written word the more likely they are to pick up and try more books to read!
It’s a process, your start with Harry Potter and Hunger Games and soon you’ll be reading Camus and Murakami or something like that.
A bit of a reach but now that I think on it, maybe not at all with those two authors. I meant that as a compliment to the authors, they each excel in their style and approach to the written word. I was thinking kids today would “get” those authors fairly quickly.
There is ALWAYS a point to having books, even if only to bemoan the fact you haven’t read them all! Love this!
What a great viewpoint, I love your comment!
I read this with a dystopia in mind, a world where no one remembers the purpose of books or literacy. I like the pure dialogue here; it reads so poetically.
I did go there in my thought process. I’m a sci-fi book lover and when I first read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury I was tempted myself to memorize a book (like that one). Just in case! (brrrr! Scary thought!) Thank you for your compliment.
I suppose if you have a good place for display there can be a reason to collect, but I do not. I find the exercise a bit maddening because if I have a book I do not plan to re-read it is actually a burden because I have nowhere to display.
I think the most important thing is the reading of a book, Joe. I should mention that I did own a small used book store for awhile, I’m still slowly weaning boxes and boxes of books in storage! lol
Reminds me of my husbands book collection. He’s into the collecting all the hard cover books of his favorite authors. He must own close to a ton of them by now. Does he re-read any of them? Rarely.
I am sorry to hear that Trinity. But perhaps there will be someone in your family who does wish to read them!
Penny, this reminded me of the books that people buy for show, the ones that come in leather-bound sets or are all first editions or whatever other all-for-show look that can be devised. But untouched, unread books are unloved books, not useless (because the books are there for the taking) but not made proper use of. How sad and what a waste!
janet
I agree with you janet. My most horrifying experience with books was years ago when I worked part time at a used book store where they accepted used paperback and hardback books in trade. One night as I was closing the store I had occasion to empty the trash in the large trash container at the back of the store. Inside where many many paperback books.
When I asked the owner why she had thrown the perfectly good books away I was told she had too many copies (from the trade-ins) of the same book and she couldn’t just give them away (why not?) as it would devalue her own books for sale. True story here. I never quite got over the senselessness and waste. Commercialism triumphs over the written word. Just wrong on so many levels. And yes it is a thriving business today! 😦
How sad! I have to admit that there are books I would rather seen thrown out than ever read by anyone, but she could have just donated them somewhere. Most libraries have on-going book sales to help with funding and even Half Price Books donates books.
Sometime I go into a home and don’t see any books. That’s something beyond my understanding.