Friday Fictioneers is hosted by the wonderful Rochelle, the undisputed master of what I call Sound Bite Fiction.
She sets the weekly challenge, and the standard.
And gets my thanks for her kind words in today’s introduction to this challenge.
I remain, unhappily, still severely handicapped with a trapped or damaged nerve which renders my right hand almost paralysed.
Today’s photo, by Kent Bonham, is a stoater, as we say in Scotland.
Just brilliant.
The idea, as always, is to write a story of around 100 words based on the picture, below.
© Kent Bonham
A Tale for Children
I write the words.
She creates the images.
And the pictures, of course, are what make a book special for children.
The uncomplicated words tell the story of Béthune, a lovely town in Northern France.
And a Turtle with extraordinary abilities.
The rhymes are short, just enough to lead the reader, or listener, to the next fascinating painting.
Listener, because the book talks.
But, unknown to anyone else, it also listens.
That is simple with today’s technology.
An excited, enthusiastic child generates a special essence.
My book steals a little piece of that each time.
A fragment of a soul.
A Children’s Tale
Sound Bite Fiction 
Firstly, wishing you a speedy recovery – I too suffer from nerve damage that is unpredictable in when it shows up, and so can sympathize with the pain and discomfort, as well as the frustration of not being completely able-bodied. 😦
This is a wonderful story – I really appreciated the direction/inspiration from the photo prompt – and what totally captivated me – was the idea of “Listener” – how, in effect, we are, as readers, listeners, slipping into worlds where perhaps, we belong, or don’t, experience the wonderful or the dark. Great write 🙂
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So nice to see you here, especially as a little bird told me you had damaged your hand. The story has a magical feel to it and the illustrations are just lovely.
Take care and get well soon 🙂
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So many fragments, reminds me of the northern lights. I like the turtle book cover. Mike
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Such a nice gentle story and then wham! Walked right into that sucker punch. Hope you get better soon and best wishes for the book.
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Recently returned from two wonderful months in Bermuda — in St. George’s — a rented apartment with a deck that looked out on the harbor. T’was wonderful! But — now back to Boston’s sunny but chilly fickle spring. So very sorry to see news of your hand. So very frustrating. We take our bodies so much for granted that when an appendage is affected we are dumbfounded at how much we miss it, never having fully appreciated it before. So….sending you well wishes, patience, and good reading to speed your way.
Good tale and great artwork too!
Good to be back to Friday Fictioneers – writing and reading and being challenged too! 🙂
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Nice story. Great that you have the artwork to go with it.
I just read you are having problems, I too pray you get well.
Phyllis
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Nice. Get well soon.
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Nicely done. Get well soon.
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Lovely story. I wish you a speedy recovery.
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I was told you hurt your hand with attending a baiting seminar down at the fishing pier? I would have thought you were a Master at that skill by now.
I write for adult children and attempt to steal small pieces of their soul as well.
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Your little turtle looks delightfully playful.
Having suffered from two frozen shoulders – the last in my right side that resulted in my hand going numb for weeks due to the nerves in my shoulder being squashed – I can greatly sympathise with your plight. Hope you’re managing to get some proper sleep.
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This is wonderful. You lure us in with the beautiful imagery, and then bring in the darker side. But is it really that dark? Books have so much to give, maybe it’s only fair that they take something back. I’ve been lured in and trapped by books as a young child, and they never let me go. If they ever did, I would be very unhappy. I wish you a speedy recovery and good pain killers. You’d need a secretary, or dictation software. 🙂
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Hi, CE! This is only my second time here in FF, but last time I failed to participate in the community. It’s nice to meet you. I loved your story. The last three lines are just beautiful!
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I love these lines~
“Listener, because the book talks.
But, unknown to anyone else, it also listens.”
Well done, CE! And oh, get well soon…
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Wow. This is magic. If this is you operating whilst incapacitated, I can’t wait to see what you can produce at 100%. I wish you a speedy recovery!
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Since a little blind grandson arrived in our family, we’re very attuned to different ways of enabling him to access the world, including stories, which he loves.Your story is wonderfully engaging, and I’m sure your book will engage all its young readers too. Keep well.
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Thank you, Margaret.
If you send your email address to ceayr99@gmail.com I will send you a pre-release copy of the book in digital format.
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You are very kind. Email on the way.
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Wow so awful! But well written!
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Gentle non-hurting hugs your way, mon ami… What a beautiful way to plug your new book… I shall be ordering it when it is available. Simply because you wrote it… And one day, I’ll read it to little ones… xoxo
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I hope you’re feeling better soon, C.E. Lovely story. That’s quite a book. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Oh I hope you’re feeling better soon.. What a great book it sounds like.
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Beautifully crafted on every level 🙂
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I’ really hope you ‘ve been feeling better. Your story is an interesting Personification of a book. Good literature, good reading material in general , can often give that impression, that it has come to life.
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I love the dark edge creeping in at the end.
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Does great fiction take something from us? Interesting because I feel grief sometimes when I finish a great book, perhaps that grief is for what I’ve left behind. Thanks for the thought provoking tale.
Tracey
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Dear CEAyr,
I’m sorry you’re dealing with what sounds like very painful physical issues. Hope you heal soon. Keep writing. We need of your brilliant and morbid Sound Bite fiction!
And that story is beautiful!
(I suspected, but wasn’t sure, that you are “An Elephant Can’t. That book looks very tempting.)
Your FF friend,
Vijaya
(Dreamer of Dreams, StrangeLander, MagicSurrealist)
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We pass Bethune, each time we come to France. I’ll keep an eye out for your turtle. That looks like a lovely book, and it sounds like the reverse side of my ‘soul-eater’ of Finn fame. There’s something about a beautifully illustrated childrens’ book – and this looks like a keeper. Well done! Get well soon.
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Oh dear, that is not a nice thing it does, this book of yours.
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Looking like a lot of great last lines and epic stories this week :). Love the gentle set tone and the calm feeling at the end.
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Wow, wow and WOW. C.E., as we say in America, “ya done good.” I have books from my childhood that took me away into another world and kept me there until it was over. One of life’s great experiences. Is this book available?
Take care and praying for you to get better. It’s no fun having nerve damage (I know that for myself, too) 😦
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CEAYR, you are in my prayers for healing. ❤ ^^ (heart prayers raising)
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Ah, CE, another lovely piece! So good to see you here in spite of the nerve.Wishing you a speedy recovery.
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Clever story there with a dark undertone, sort of.
Because true enough, some books take a piece of your soul or enlarge it. The same can be said for illustrations, as some pictures are never forgotten.
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Just came to say that I hope your nerve mends soon. I’m so glad you could still get a piece up this week! Beautiful post and a lovely tribute to a glorious artist. 🙂
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Dear CE,
Carolina’s work is sheer delight. Coupled with your words, double delight. Sending gentle hugs and a hope that your trapped nerve is set free soon. I’m glad it hasn’t taken you completely out of FF. Take care.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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so beautiful and so lovely 🙂 Thank you, have a nice day, Love, nia
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