When Writing Becomes A “Need to…”

Posted on May 12, 2015 by John Yeo | Leave a comment

A very inspiring piece of work for writers everywhere ~

Writing is (for some of us) a “thing” we keep trying to do. A ‘thing” that we NEED to do to keep ourselves sane in an impossibly insane world. We attempt to fit our “writing” into our busy schedules…because if we don’t…we suffer for it. It is a noble attempt on our part to keep ourselves pleasant company for others as well. Writers who do not write…get grumpy and miserable…no one likes to deal with such people, now do they?

Trying to make time to do the things that keep us happy (and well?) becomes a little like attempting to “nail Jello to a wall”, doesn’t it? We keep trying to find the TIME to do these “things”, we use different “tools” to get there, deciding to write our thoughts down on scraps of paper (napkins, tissue, receipts?) whatever’s handy when that “thought” hits us. You know, that “thought” that is…

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MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (23)

Posted on May 11, 2015 by John Yeo | 33 Comments

I am taking part in Mondays Finish the Story 11/05/2015, which is a challenge that provides a photo prompt and the opening sentence to your story. The rules indicate that the story you come up with must be between 100-150 words.

The link below takes you to Part Twenty-Two

MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (22)

© 2015, Barbara W Beacham

Arriving at the beach she reflected on her life.

With her thoughts unbound, Bella’s mind raced from her deep love for the organisation to her secret love for Alberto, Don Fernando’s son.

Bella was dragged to a launch by several masked men. The launch was moored in a very isolated bay surrounded by rocky cliffs, seemingly impregnable to attack from all sides.
A sudden alien sound filled the air as two helicopters approached. A blast of gunfire cut down the masked men. Bella was hit by a stray bullet, she screamed as a jolt of pain seared through her body. The leading helicopter landed and five men led by Marg raced to collect Bella. An intense volley of sporadic gunfire came from the surrounding cliffs as a counter attack began. Marg and Angelo carried Bella to the copter which took off immediately and flew to the fortified mansion of Don Fernando. He was shocked ………

(150 words)

To be continued

The link below takes you to Part Twenty-Two

MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (22)

https://mondaysfinishthestory.wordpress.com/

Picture it and Write ~ DOWNSIDE UP

Posted on May 10, 2015 by John Yeo | 12 Comments

This is the latest Picture it and Write prompt from Ermilia’s blog

As usual the image is supplied and credited by Ermilia

Picture it & Write

DOWNSIDE UP

by John Yeo

In the optical world of the in-between, the visual link with the outside world is very unusual. June was admiring the roots of the trees as growth was curling and springing upwards, sending them up in a tangled spiral. In the gathering cloudy dusk at the very bottom of the tree where the leaves met the clouds a bird began to sing to welcome the sun at night. The moon quickly disappeared beneath her head over the low clouds as the murky day began. Len, a very individual character, decided to go against all convention and stand on his legs. Grasping the trees for balance he was amazed and delighted with this new unusual view of the world. Extolling the difference, he begged his friends and acquaintances to try this new view of life. Everyone laughed. Religious leaders were scornful , how could you go up to heaven, when the heavens were obviously down. Scientists laughed at the idea of walking around upside down on legs, as man had always crawled around the cloudy firmament without any trouble. Len was quickly escorted to a hospital for the disturbed and lives there to this day, writing upside down poetry.

ESCAPE WITH DIGNITY

Posted on May 6, 2015 by John Yeo | 25 Comments

Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers ~ Writing challenge. The goal is to write a story between 100-150 words (give or take 25 words) based on the provided photo.

: Thank you Ady for our prompt photo this week

The boatman’s organisation were paid thousands to smuggle the family onto the mainland. They were escaping from a brutal regime that would have jailed Mr Shah and sold his wife and children into slavery. When they saw the transport for the last leg of the journey they were shocked. The boatman assured them all would be well as they would never be considered suspects on a paddle boat. That would be considered a pleasure trip.
A patrol boat sped by as they were halfway across the bay and ignored them. The family raised fishing rods and pretended to fish when a helicopter flew overhead. They reached land-fall, when a patrol ordered them to stop and produce their papers. With their hearts in their mouths, Mr Shah reached for the forged papers in his wallet. A radio crackled into life and the patrol instantly sped off on their motorcycles in the direction of the waterside. The family breathed a united sigh of relief and made their way ashore to a new life.

(175 Words)

This is in response to a challenge hosted by Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers. If you would like to participate in this challenge or need more information, please click the following link:

https://flashfictionforaspiringwriters.wordpress.com

Picture it and Write ~ THE MORNING AFTER

Posted on May 5, 2015 by John Yeo | Leave a comment

This is the latest Picture it and Write prompt from Ermilia’s blog

As usual the image is supplied and credited by Ermilia

__picture it & write

THE MORNING AFTER

by John Yeo

Katy had hosted her 21st birthday party. Her father, the Arch-Deacon and her mother, were away on holiday visiting the holy land. Katy had been talked into giving the servants some time off and the caterers had delivered sumptuous delights and food to be enjoyed by twenty of her very closest friends. Katy was furious, because her stupid unthinking boyfriend had announced her party on a famous social media site. People came from all over the South of England, some very rough and ready types gate-cashed her private celebrations. Everything that could be moved was stolen or destroyed, the furniture was removed, some very valuable wall-hangings and pictures were ripped off the walls. The destruction was incredible, even the round crystal chandelier was smashed and the pieces littered the bare floors. The police arrived and took the situation under control, but it was too late to recover the stolen property.
Viewing the ballroom the day after the event brought lumps to her throat. How could people be so dishonest and destructive, the strangers had got horribly drunk and drugs had been used as needles littered the floors in the toilets. Katy knew her parents would be furious with her for allowing her stupid empty-headed boyfriend to announce the party on the social media.
Katy ran, and ran away from home with the culprit and they set up home in a flat in Notting-Hill Gate.
Love is a very, very strange state of mind. ~~

MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (22)

Posted on May 5, 2015 by John Yeo | 23 Comments

I am taking part in Mondays Finish the Story 04/05/2015, which is a challenge that provides a photo prompt and the opening sentence to your story. The rules indicate that the story you come up with must be between 100-150 words.

The link below takes you to Part Twenty-One

MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (21)

: © 2015, Barbara W. Beacham

After losing her head, she realized that the rest of her body was falling apart.

Bella awoke in a daze as the effects of strong sedatives and sundry chemicals together with the restraints that held her securely bit into her arms. Bella had been captured after playing a double agent’s role with one of Dr Dickus’s operatives. She had lost her head completely, her mind was now disintegrating very slowly as time wore on and more drugs were administered to break the famous vow of silence.

Marg and the team on the island were shocked when Don Fernando produced a terrifying image of a headless doll with some body parts removed. This had been received anonymously by Bella’s family with a short message: “BELLA LA MORTE”.
Marg joined up with Angelo who was reportedly following leads in collusion with various ltalian contacts and they had traced the origin of the message to a small fortified village………

(150 Words)

To be continued

The link below takes you to Part Twenty-one

MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (21)

https://mondaysfinishthestory.wordpress.com/

A DECADE AFTER

Posted on May 2, 2015 by John Yeo | 12 Comments

Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers ~ Writing challenge. The goal is to write a story between 100-150 words (give or take 25 words) based on the provided photo.

Image © Dawn M Miller

Dawn broke, sunlight filtered through trees at the side of a placid lake. Not another human being stirred at this early hour. Kelly settled down on a log on the bank.

Ashes to ashes, she thought, you were a stubborn brute during the years of our marriage, callous, cruel and unfeeling to everyone around you. I despised you when you cold-bloodedly allowed the abortion of our grandchild and insisted that Shelley go ahead and abort the foetus in spite of my feelings and the look of horror on my only child’s face. A stronger man would have stood by her, now she is in hospital having treatment for severe depression.

I knew I had to kill you to remove a cancer from my life, your body burned slowly in our boiler as you stubbornly refused to succumb to the flames. In the end I reduced you to a pile of ashes and scattered your dust and detritus into this calm placid lake.

It is ten years since I reported you missing. You deserved your fate………..

This is in response to a challenge hosted by Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers. If you would like to participate in this challenge or need more information, please click the following link:

https://flashfictionforaspiringwriters.wordpress.com

(175 Words)

APRIL~ ”POEM-A-DAY”~DAY THIRTY~ BURY THE BLANK POEM:

Posted on Apr 30, 2015 by John Yeo | Leave a comment

For today’s prompt, take the phrase “Bury the (blank),” replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Some possible titles include: “Bury the Hatchet,” “Bury the Body,” “Bury the Past,” “Bury the Hate,” and “Bury the Acorns.”

Image From the net

BURY THE SEEDS

by John Yeo

Bury the seeds in the minds of the young,

Nurture and take care of their fertile minds.

Allow them freedom to think things through

Watch the growth of ideas spring forth.

Harvest the results of future growth

In technology, the arts, and science.

Enjoy the improvements in life.

Bury the seeds of peace and freedom,

Nurture a caring, sharing empathy for all.

Allow a mixture of cultures in life

Promote a feeling of self- worth with thought.

Harvest the feelings of peace and love.

No more war, free speech with equality.

Enjoy sharing the feeling of a natural life.

Written for Robert Lee Brewer’s Poetic asides blog on “Writers Digest”

http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/2015-april-pad-challenge-day-30

APRIL~ ”POEM-A-DAY”~DAY TWENTY-NINE~ WHAT NOBODY KNOWS POEM:

Posted on Apr 29, 2015 by John Yeo | Leave a comment

For today’s prompt, write a what nobody knows poem. It’s easy to write a poem about what everybody already knows, though it may be difficult to write an interesting poem about such things. Still, use today’s prompt to explore things people may not know–secret stories, locations, and so on.

WHAT WE NEVER KNOW

by John Yeo

The cycle of life is variable

An unknown gamble with time.

Everyone is striving for more life,

More happiness, more peace, more love,

More extreme quality to soften their life.

The cycle of life is indefinite

The length of your life is uncertain.

The date you will cease to exist

Your date of death is unknown.

Something nobody knows.

What nobody knows is the date

The exact date and time of death.

People would do some very strange things

As the date of their death approached

Life as we know it would change.

Some would prepare to meet God.

Some would be sure there is nothing,

Some believe the spirit lives on.

There is no proof of an afterlife

As our acquaintances never return.

The only certainty is: Nobody knows.

Follow your feelings and your dreams,

The teachings and pathways today.

There is no surety in placid insecurity,

Have faith my friend and Pray.

Written for Robert Lee Brewer’s Poetic asides blog on “Writers Digest”

http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/2015-april-pad-challenge-day-29

APRIL~ ”POEM-A-DAY”~DAY TWENTY-EIGHT~ MATTER and/or ANTI-MATTER POEM:

Posted on Apr 28, 2015 by John Yeo | 1 Comment

Here’s the final “Two for Tuesday” prompt of the month:

Write a matter poem. Matter is what things are made of.
Write an anti-matter poem. The opposite of a matter poem.

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Arriving at the beach she reflected on her life.

With her thoughts unbound, Bella’s mind raced from her deep love for the organisation to her secret love for Alberto, Don Fernando’s son.

DOWNSIDE UP

THE MORNING AFTER

After losing her head, she realized that the rest of her body was falling apart.

Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers ~ Writing challenge. The goal is to write a story between 100-150 words (give or take 25 words) based on the provided photo.

Dawn broke, sunlight filtered through trees at the side of a placid lake. Not another human being stirred at this early hour. Kelly settled down on a log on the bank.

I knew I had to kill you to remove a cancer from my life, your body burned slowly in our boiler as you stubbornly refused to succumb to the flames. In the end I reduced you to a pile of ashes and scattered your dust and detritus into this calm placid lake.

It is ten years since I reported you missing. You deserved your fate………..

BURY THE SEEDS

Bury the seeds in the minds of the young,

Nurture and take care of their fertile minds.

Allow them freedom to think things through

Watch the growth of ideas spring forth.

Harvest the results of future growth

In technology, the arts, and science.

Enjoy the improvements in life.

Bury the seeds of peace and freedom,

Nurture a caring, sharing empathy for all.

Allow a mixture of cultures in life

Promote a feeling of self- worth with thought.

Harvest the feelings of peace and love.

No more war, free speech with equality.

Enjoy sharing the feeling of a natural life.

WHAT WE NEVER KNOW

The cycle of life is variable

An unknown gamble with time.

Everyone is striving for more life,

More happiness, more peace, more love,

More extreme quality to soften their life.

The cycle of life is indefinite

The length of your life is uncertain.

The date you will cease to exist

Your date of death is unknown.

Something nobody knows.

What nobody knows is the date

The exact date and time of death.

People would do some very strange things

As the date of their death approached

Life as we know it would change.

Some would prepare to meet God.

Some would be sure there is nothing,

Some believe the spirit lives on.

There is no proof of an afterlife

As our acquaintances never return.

The only certainty is: Nobody knows.

Follow your feelings and your dreams,

The teachings and pathways today.

There is no surety in placid insecurity,

Have faith my friend and Pray.

THERE’S MATTER IN IT!

Universal Matter.

As a matter of fact with respect,

I agree dark matter is a matter of conjecture.

Light matter will be matter made from light

Light-dark matter is both matters interacting.

Creative Matter.

To the writer, poet or artist of thought

Words are creative matter.

To the painter of high renown

Pigment and paint are creative matter.

To a creative artistic sculptor

Many mediums form creative matter.

Personal Matter.

A dark matter is considered to be bad

A deep dark deliberate invisible secret.

A light matter is something unimportant,

Everyday matters interact together.

A famous quote from the Bard,

“Age is simply a case of mind over matter”

There’s certainly matter in it!