PHOTO PROMPT © Fatima Fakier Deria for Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneers. Other stories featuring the prompt can be found here.
Note: A little different this week. Sometimes we have to work with what we have… or don’t have… The snarky muse is back. She can also be found here.
MUSE: Oh no Tannille, I can’t work with this.
TANNILLE: Why not?
MUSE: It’s too much like last week’s prompt.
TANNILLE: No it is isn’t.
MUSE: Yeah it is. Road, turning corner…
TANNILLE: It’s a city, night, a bloody bus, not a roundabout.
MUSE: Don’t give a shit. You made me watch you shop all Black Friday week. I’m not playing.
TANNILLE: Come on, I’ll let you mug that woman.
Silence.
TANNILLE: A bomb on the bus?
MUSE: Nice try, Keanu Reeves got in first.
TANNILLE: Now you’re just being difficult!
MUSE: Payback is a bitch.
TANNILLE: Ok back to Christmas shopping…
Now I’m wondering what sort of life would a person have who autonomised her muse as a separate entity. Hearing voices, sure. But, I’m sure there’s so much more that would happen. A whole world of possibility
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I’ve taken courses by author & teacher Holly Lisle. She trains us to treat the muse in such a way to get stories out.
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Muse is only a part of it. Amuse is the full title and if I’m not impressed you begin to sulk. The ancient Greeks had a very different view of the muses. Perhaps that’s why mine has the the sulks too. With wax in my eras, I can’t hear her anyway.
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They get stubborn! Haha wax doesn’t stop them when they are excited.
Thanks P
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Ha ha – loved reading your conversation with your muse! Very original take on the photo prompt.
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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When all else fails rely on stream of consciousness 😀.
Thanks S
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There are a lot of distractions at this time of year – your muse seems as fed up with shopping as I am! 🙂
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I’m feeling out of balance. Seems to lately I have to make a lot of decisions and put creativity on hold. There is a light though.
Thanks I!
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It seems to get harder each week to get in touch with the muse. I have similar conversations.
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The communication needs a curtain mind set. Frustrating.
Thanks S
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A perfect way to say you are uninspired! Love it!
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Yet, the muse came to the party… sort of lol.
Thanks C!
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Dear Tanille,
Lives there a writer so dead she or he hasn’t had a similar conversation with an obstinate muse? I laughed out loud. Although I’m with the muse on Black Friday. Personally, I went swimming. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I think to be a fiction writer one has these internal conversations. Perhaps not as colourful as mine lol.
Your swimming sounds like bliss. Been hot here…
Thanks Rochelle
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Love this.
My muse is much less sociable, simply disappears without a word.
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I have a rule with these flash fiction tales, to run with the first thing, no matter how odd, or I can sit stewing for hours.
Thanks C!
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It’s working for you, this was fun
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When my marriage ended I thought I’d done with conversations like that until, like you, I became slave to a muse! Nice one Tannille.
Here’s mine!
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I think fiction writing brings out the voices… re crazy 😀. I imagine your Rosie tells you a thing or two?
Thanks K!
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She’s the worst!
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I think your muse must have been packed into that bus and went away… Yep, sometimes I feel this way.
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Haha maybe she was on the bus…
Thanks T!
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T, this was a fabulous way to deal with writer’s block or with a stubborn muse. I think I shall borrow this technique of stream of consciousness next time I sit and stare at a picture that causes me some consternation…
So good!
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I’m surprised I haven’t been stumped with any of the picture prompts for this group. Key is not to over think it. In my real life writers group I recall times just sitting there frustrated… wish this technique worked for novels lol.
Thanks D!
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Hasn’t happened too often for me, either. And sometimes, you just have to walk away, do something else and then return.
It must help, no?
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Walking away for a bit is gold for novel writing. For flash I like to just go for it, trains the brain for quick ideas – so far so good.
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Excellent!
Maybe one day, I’ll try my hand at something bigger…
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Cute, original, and funny 🙂
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Thanks Linda!
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Ha ha, this was fun to read! Delightful spin on the prompt.
By the way, I hear Amazon has 12 days of savings … 😉
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Oh no! No more shopping! My head hurts lol.
Thanks N!
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😁
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I am sulking because I did not write this, I enjoyed the conversation
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Nothing like a splash of writer craziness 😀.
Thanks M!
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These muses! I’m still trying to figure out how to placate mine and have him/her show up when I need ’em.
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Try having a stupid argument. This is the second time I have tried this. It’s pushing passed the middle finger. 😀
Thanks S!
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I might try that! 🙂
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Your tale left me grinning. I love the little bit of blackmail at the end…
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The muse is still sulking, but shopping is over – woohoo 😀
Thanks P!
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Loved the snarky side of your muse!! 😀
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The battle between the left and the right side of my brain is amusing… just word choice haha.
Thanks B!
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Taking the little bus to go Christmas shopping! 🙂
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There’s an idea!
Thanks D
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Marvellous piece of writing! My muse can be extremely recalcitrant too – I threaten her with daytime TV.
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Haha daytime tv, now there is a torture device!
Thanks S
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Chortling gales of laughter! Since my Christmas is already done (I don’t have anyone besides my hubby and myself to buy for & we take each other shopping), I can laugh. The closest thing I came to shopping this year was to find a veggie tray for tonight’s potluck. Enjoy!
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All done now! My problem is I second guess my purchases. At least online I don’t have to leave the house – woohoo.
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you took us for a ride this time around destination unknown. 🙂
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Haha a bit like going around in circles.
Thanks P
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