Monday 1 December 2014

Family Times

1) Use the photos to write a 500-word story; both photos must be a feature in the brief story you create. We aren't counting, but for the fairness of the readers please, no 1000+ word entries.

2) The photos must be visible in your blog post.

3) Photos are the property of the hostess for the week, unless otherwise mentioned. Please do not share photos as your own.

4) In order to honour the community-purpose of the blog hop, we ask that you please reference the blog hop in your post (you can even display the Writer Wednesday Blog Hop badge if you desire) so your blog audience and the blog hop community may all be connected.

5) WHERE TO SEND YOUR STORY HAS CHANGED, JUST FOR THIS WEEK. I AM NOT ABLE TO GET THE CODE FOR THE BLUE FROGGY, SO PLEASE JUST SHOOT ME AN EMAIL TO: stantonsunshine@gmail.net WITH YOUR NAME, NAME OF YOUR BLOG, AND YOUR STORY, AND I WILL GET IT TO THE OTHER HOSTESSES NEXT WEEK. THANK YOU!

If you have any questions or need any help don't hesitate to contact one of the hop hosts: Tena, Debb, or Heather (our fourth host Leanne is on a sabbatical due to health concerns and we ask that you continue to keep her in your prayers for complete recovery and return to full health).

DO NOT USE THE BLUE FROGGY THIS WEEK BUT INSTEAD SEND YOUR NAME, NAME OF YOUR BLOG, AND YOUR STORY TO stantonsunshine@gmail.net.

Our host this week has chosen two pictures to craft a story around and she says:
the first picture o is pretty traditional for this time of year, but your story does not have to be about the holiday of Thanksgiving.

The picture on the bottom was chosen for its uniqueness (and out of my curiosity to see how you blend the themes of the two pictures). 




HERE IS MY CONTRIBUTION:



FAMILY TIMES
“Do you remember the time when we didn’t have family?”  Mary looked at her husband of 35 years and smiled as he sighed.

“Oh yes, wasn’t it lovely?”

Mary playfully jabbed Harold with elbow, ‘don’t be so curmudgeonly,’ she admonished.  “You know you love your kids and grandkids.”

“In small doses,” came his stoic reply. 

Mary walked into the living room and retrieved the photo album from the cupboard under the stairs.  She rifled through the pages until she came across the image she was looking for. 

“There it is.  I knew I remembered that cold, cold time when we were first married and went on that trip.”

Harold peered over her shoulder, squinting to bring the image in to focus. 
  
“Do put your glasses on.  They’re in your pocket.”  Mary was fed up with Harold refusing to acknowledge the passage of time although both their hair had turned white or silver or ‘distinguished looking’ as Harold like to describe himself.  She knew he was just thankful he still had a full head of hair. 

Mary and Harold reminisced about that trip they had taken; it was so cold that the rungs on the steps to the water had frozen solid.  It looked quite picturesque but wasn’t very conducive to taking a dip in the frozen water. 



Dashing back into the kitchen Mary surveyed the preparations for the roast dinner she was preparing for their family, daughter, Monica, her husband, Ray and the two adorable grandchildren, Sonny and Millie.  All the female names in the family began with the letter M, a tradition Mary hoped these grandchildren would carry on.  

It had begun a few generations back when her great-grandmother, Maureen came over to the States with her new husband from Ireland to have a better life.  Maureen and Patrick started the tradition which had carried on to this day.

Harold took the turkey out of the oven for her to allow it to rest for the required period. Mary was cross that her hands were getting arthritic and painful and couldn't take a full roast out of the oven any more but there were still lots of activities that she could and did enjoy.   

There was Tai Chi a couple of times a week, which she dragged Harold along to, the Italian lessons they were planning to start learning in the New Year and then babysitting duties in amongst the normal day-to-day routine of living. 


Monica and Ray arrived amid a flurry of activity, kisses and drinks were poured while Monica went straight to the kitchen to help her mother.  Ray and Harold set the table and lit the candle.

Once  the hot serving dishes were on the table, tantalising smells coming from each one, and they were all seated at the table, they joined hands and gave thanks for the meal they were about to eat. 



After the meal Monica spied the photo album.  Pointing to the image open on the coffee table, she said ‘do tell us about this photo.’


Word count: 503

Friday 28 November 2014

The Cephalopod Coffeehouse: November Meeting 2014



Friday 28 November 2014

This month I’ve read three seasonal short stories and nine novels, some seasonal as well and unfortunately one book that I had to give up on having read only a third of it.  I’m usually much better at choosing my books and reading through the blurbs but this one slipped through the net and obviously wasn't for me. 

My actual pick for this month is a psychological thriller by a British born author who now spends most of her time living in Cyprus with her husband.  I have read several of this author’s books and enjoyed all of them.  

This book is the second of of her ‘Dark Minds’ series, both stand-alone novels.



Behind a Twisted Smile
Dark Minds Series
By
Faith Mortimer
Approx. 208 pages

Product Description from Amazon:
Behind a Twisted Smile (A Dark Minds Mystery Suspense Thriller)

What do you do when an ex-lover won’t take “no” for an answer? Moya thinks Martyn will eventually take the hint – but the rejected lover has no such intention.

Three weeks later, Moya meets her older sister Evie at a picnic, and learns that she has recently met the man of her dreams. Only problem is – He’s Moya’s spurned ex.

Almost at once, Moya finds herself in a long and terrifying ordeal; she has to deal with an adversary who loves playing sinister mind games.

As the months slip away, the mental battles with Martyn move insidiously towards physical conflict. A conflict where only one person will step away…. Alive!…

Moya decides she doesn't want to take her relationship with Martyn any further; it’s only been a few dates so she doesn’t think any harm will be done to either of them, it’s just not working for her but Martyn doesn't take rejection lightly.   

Martyn is able to charm Moya’s family and friends to the point where they don't believe her misgivings about him and his manipulative ways.   When Moya tries to warn people against him she is the one who is ostracised from her friends and family.

Moya begins another relationship, one that is totally different and more loving than the previous one but her boyfriend has to work away a lot; she can't talk to him while he is working in the States and she is in the UK so she tries to manage the situation herself.  The police won’t believe her when she goes to them.  

This book will stay in your mind, it is not graphic in detail but there is enough detail to make it even worse in your mind and more realistic as you are subtly and cleverly led by the author through the twists and turns of a sociopath on the loose.