Shadow Setting

 

Bend and Light by Tommia Wright

Bend and Light by Tommia Wright

While I may have let shadows ‘overshadow’ the collection this month, I hope you have enjoyed this month’s focus. Even splurged (time wise) on a few items with shadow for the elements:

Movies

  • Shadow of Doubt
  • Shadow Conspiracy
  • Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows
  • Shadow of the Thin Man

Time to conclude this month’s theme collection with the following quotes:

Seek happiness for its own sake, and you will not find it; seek for duty, and happiness will follow as the shadow comes with the sunshine. ~ Tryon Edwards

A person without a shadow should keep out of the sun, that is the only safe and rational plan. ~Adelbert von Chamisso

Shadow owes its birth to light. ~John Gay

Books are only the shadow and life the real thing. I believe this as strongly as any belief I hold. ~ Esther Forbes

 

 

 

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NaNo Fragment-Never Fails

Light's Out by Tommia Wright

Light’s Out by Tommia Wright

A ficlet/frgament from the NaNo collection  inspired by today’s Daily Post Prompt: Murphy’s Law says, “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” Write about a time everything did — fiction encouraged here, too!

 

Strike One

“I only asked for a new frame,” Deborah lamented when she entered the writing room. “What on earth did you-?”

Jacob looked over his shoulder, screwdriver clenched between his teeth, sleeves soaking wet. “The frame you picked for the painting was all wrong, and worn, and…well, it fell apart. A few pieces earned me two-points, by basketball standards, not that the goldfish liked it.”

Deborah looked from the fish tank to his arms and then pointed to the burnt out light. “Uh huh.”

“Went to move the tank, but that bench is crappy. Did you know the paint’s faded on the wall where-?”

“Uh huh,” she repeated, staring down at the remains of her writing bench.

“Went to plug in the drill, to fix the other problem I found, with the stand the fish sit on and blew a fuse.”

“Don’t tell me you’re planning on painting, dear. That’s why I hang up pictures, so you don’t have to paint, not after last time.”

Jacob made a face. “Do you want a frame for this or not?”

“Nah, you’re fired, old man. First strike. Get out.” She pushed her husband out of her sanctuary turned puzzle room, wondering how a simple request could go so wrong.

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Two for Tuesday

A couple of shadowy shots in the city:

City Shadows 1 by Tommia Wright

City Shadows 1 by Tommia Wright

City Shadows 2 by Tommia Wright

City Shadows 2 by Tommia Wright

 

 

 

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Monday Meandoring

Coop by Tommia Wright
Coop by Tommia Wright

Inspired by today’s Daily Prompt.

My brother and I failed to pay attention to one simple weekend chore while the parents were away. It wasn’t major, not then, given that the ‘list of enemies’ wasn’t as plentiful then as it is now. In fact, now the ‘enemies’ have eliminated the hobby outright, rendering it extinct.

To that, my brother and I would cry “fowl!”

No, not a misspelling, just an acknowledgment of fact. We had failed to close the door to the chicken coop completely and as a result, come egg gathering time, we were short. He went one way, I went the other and found three of the chickens. Caught one. Took forever and a year to try and get the other two, but we ended up taking our chances.

The good news – chickens seem to know the voice of the owner. So, when our father came home, so did the (choose your own foul-sounding name) chickens.

Do we miss them?  The eggs, yes, the chickens, no, but at least they were more likable than turkeys or geese.

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Sunday Snapshot

Old Wives' Tales by Tommia Wright

Old Wives’ Tales by Tommia Wright

Sundays are popular days for family and friends to go out for brunch. What favorite locations do you gather at? Or is Sunday a better day spent at home?

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Saturday Snapshot

Morrison the Fourth by Tommia Wright

Morrison the Fourth by Tommia Wright

How often have you walked the streets,

oblivious to those you’d never meet?

When was the last time you took a break,

discovering one’s passion isn’t fake?

There are many treasures to behold,

if you open your eyes to wherever you go.

 

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Friday Flash Fic

Candleholder 1 by Tommia Wright

Candleholder 1 by Tommia Wright

Today’s ficlet fragment was inspired by Mike’s challenge.

She longed to toss them all out; the slender fingers of wax reminding her of ghosts, goblins and boogeymen, wire frames making faces at her. Why her uncle continued to collect and make candleholders was beyond her. Every room, corner and conceivable writing surface had one.

Why? It wasn’t as though there weren’t enough flashlights gifted over the years – lightweight, heavy-duty, battery-operated, wind-up, rechargeable, none to be found.

The winds picked up and the lights flickered, shadows taunting her. She struck a match and lit one of the ugly nubs that hung on the wall, the submission made with anger.

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Thursday’s Thoughts

Rocky Arch by Tommia Wright

Rocky Arch by Tommia Wright

Today’s devotional verse fits the month’s themes – in part.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day. ~ Psalm 91:1,2,5

 

Then there are a few other ‘shadowy’ quotes to ponder:

“Some people seemed to get all sunshine, and some all shadow…” ― Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

 “There is strong shadow where there is much light.” ― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Götz von Berlichingen

 “… there are shadows because there are hills.” ― E.M. Forster, A Room with a View

 “Everything that is, casts a shadow” ― Neil Gaiman, American Gods

 “A shadow is hard to seize by the throat and dash to the ground.” ― Victor Hugo, Les Misérables

Book quotes found courtesy of GoodReads.

 

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Wednesday’s Words

Agatha Hattie by J. Fedyk

Agatha Hattie by J. Fedyk

Agatha Hattie arrived!

All right, I was told by Amazon I had to wait until Saturday for my splurge, but happiness is an early arrival!

I’ve had the chance to hear Jacquelyn read this story via an audiobook download. To read the story and see Leslie Nan Moon’s illustrations brings the story to another level of enjoyment!

What books are you waiting for? Which ones sound as well as they read?

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Paradise for bookaholics can be found in many places – where are your favorite locations?

rodalena's avatarrodalena

“If you want one thing too much it’s likely to be a disappointment. The healthy way is to learn to like the everyday things, like soft beds and buttermilk—and feisty gentlemen.” -Larry McMurtry, Lonesome Dove

In Archer City, Texas, there’s a dusty wonder with a stupid name not too far from the Dairy Queen where you can get a chicken finger basket and Blizzard in February if you want. Built by an old man, it doesn’t look romantic, or even clean, really, but this place holds more romance and beauty than many cathedrals. The ceiling tiles are stained and beat up. None of the furnishings work. The sign is ugly. Even the concrete planter outside the entrance is askew and filled with a cactus that’s thriving only because it can be ignored. The condition of the walls are unimportant, the paint color irrelevant. Only the contents of its myriad shelves…

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