Hello everyone and a warm welcome to PART 5) of the entries for my weekly: “Fiction in A Flash Challenge” Week #12.
Today I’m featuring a contribution by Joan Hall.
Last week I set the following Challenge:
Hello everyone and welcome to my new “Fiction in A Flash Challenge!” Each week I’ll be featuring an image and inviting you to write a Flash Fiction or Non-Fiction piece inspired by that image in any format and genre of your choosing. Maximum word count: 750 words.
Here is the image prompt.
The clock was ticking. Only one week remained until Janie’s manuscript was due and she found herself staring at a blank computer screen. The pivotal moment, the last few chapters, eluded her like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. So close but just beyond her reach.
I’ll never finish this manuscript by the deadline. There isn’t enough time.
She rose from her writing desk then walked to the window. The falling snow made the yard and surrounding woods look magical. A true winter wonderland. A myriad of birds—finches, buntings, and cardinals—flocked to the feeders. They fluttered about, often fighting with one another. She watched—mesmerized by their movements.
Janie didn’t realize how long she had been there until her cell phone chimed to indicate a new text message.
Probably another reminder from my agent.
Choosing to ignore the message, she glanced at her watch. Fifteen minutes had passed since she first looked out the window. Fifteen wasted minutes.
Oh well, that’s not a lot of time.
She walked back to the computer to stare at the blank page again. Music always inspired her. Maybe it would help. Looking at her vast musical library, she came across the album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
The Beatles always lifted her spirits. Lots of good songs on this album. “With a Little Help from my Friends” was a favorite.
I can use all the help I can get now.
“Getting Better” was another cheerful tune.
Things can’t get worse, can they?
Then she saw it. “When I’m Sixty-Four.” Janie recalled seeing a video from the film, Yellow Submarine. Using cartoon illustrations, they stated how many minutes were in sixty-four years, then proceeded to count down the last minute of the song.
Janie immediately felt encouraged. One hour is sixty minutes. One day contains 1,440 minutes and a week is 10,080 minutes.
I can do this. One minute can be a very long time.
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Joan Hall can be reached here …
Thanks so much for stopping by! The prompt for week #13 is now live.
Joan really captured the use of time. Great story.
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Thank you so much, Denise!
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Thanks for featuring my story, Soooz!
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My pleasure, Joan. 😊
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A story all writers can easily relate to! Excellent, Joan.
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Thank you so much, Gerry!
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Good one, Joan.
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Thank you, John!
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😊
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I totally related to her desire not to procrastinate while procrastinating. Lol! Great job, Joan. 🙂
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Oh me too, Yvette. Today was my procrastination day. I was chatting with a writer friend online today and made a typo when trying to write “procrastinating.” Typed it as “prograstinating.” We joked about having a new word, “Progess + Procrastination = Prograstinate. 🙂
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Prograstinate! I love it! I may need to borrow that one. 😁
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Feel free to use it anytime, Soooz! 🙂
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👍Thank you!😁
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LOL! I love it! I think we all prograstinate sometimes. 😉
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Very clever and oh-so-relatable, Joan. It was fun to read! Thank you again, Soooz, for offering the weekly prompt. ♥
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Thanks, Gwen. Glad you enjoyed it.
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❤
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Joan came up with a great take on the prompt. I really liked her approach with this, and it’s so relatable!
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Seems like we never have enough time, Mae. Of course, I’m guilty of wasting a lot of time.
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Time is a fickle friend at best, lols. Great take on the prompt, Joan 😊
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It is indeed, Harmony. Glad you liked my contribution.
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Oh, Joan, I’ll remember your story when I misplace anything significant next time. I couldn’t rest until I found the file mistakenly dragged into another folder!!
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You sound like me. I’ve been doing everything but writing today. My OCD had me “fixing” a few things before moving forward.
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A certain level of OCD is good, Joan, to keep us on task until things get done. Hope you’ll get your little things fixed fast!!
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I enjoyed this piece from Joan when I read it on her blog, and I got to enjoy it again here. I loved the ending lines!
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Thanks for stopping by again, Jan. I agree it was such an enjoyable take on the prompt. 😊
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Thanks, Jan. Inspired by The Beatles. 🙂
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I enjoyed this a lot, Joan.
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