A Misfit, a Hedgehog, and a Fresh Start – Flash Fiction

Hi and thanks for coming back for another story snack, a 100-word flash fiction tale based on a photo prompt. I’ve been absent a few weeks. Life has just been too…lifey. I’ve had a houseguest, family stuff, big projects, and more. It was fun to get back to writing a story and seeing what the other participants of Friday Fictioneers wrote.

Flash Fiction (very short story) graphic

Come Play!

If you’d like to try your hand at a flash fiction story, we’d love to have you. Part of the “deal” is reading what others contribute as well as writing your own story.

This one’s for Friday Fictioneers for 15 April 2021.

The Photo Prompt

PHOTO PROMPT © Anne Higa  

Description for my blind and visually impaired friends: This one’s a complicated photo for me, visually. I had to ask the hostess, Rochelle, what was actually there. It’s a dark scene by a building, perhaps an alley or something, with a bucket and a spout pouring out water in the foreground. There’s some light source in the left background. Something gives off a purple cast. I have no idea what.

The Inspiration

My mind went a few places with this: dark alley deals, a redneck carwash (that’s what the country folk call it when a butter pours out rainwater, and you can drive under it for a free carwash), nefarious activity, spies…I settled on something else.

The Story: A Misfit, a Hedgehog, and a Fresh Start

“Good-bye forever, Jackass.” Carey bore the kind of bruises that don’t show. Signing, she massaged her temples. After one last look, she picked up the one item that could not be packed:  Misfit’s prized toy.

“You’ve belittled me for the last time.” She shut the door to her former life, revved the engine, and gave the tiny trailer the royal raspberry before driving away.

At doggie daycare pickup, Misfit curled up on the passenger seat with her hedgehog, merging her tan and white corginess with its deeper browns.

“Good luck.” Dana hugged her.

“Thanks. Let’s make our new home, Missy.”

Reading Birds graphic

Thanks for reading!

Cheers to your #BLISSfulLife!!

Ronda Del Boccio

Award-winning author, photographer, and artist

About Ronda Del Boccio

Ronda Del Boccio is an award-winning and best-selling author of both fiction and nonfiction. She has been mostly blind since birth, but she never lets that stop her from doing what she wants to do. She tells transformational tales and helps visionary authors turn their dreams and imaginings into published books. See and order Ronda’s books on Amazon at Amazon..com/author/rondadelboccio.

Delicious Clouds

Hi there! Thanks for coming back to read another flash fiction story snack. This one’s for Friday Fictioneers, a fun weekly blog challenge in which you write a story of precisely 100 words. IF you’d like to give it a try, just go to the link for the 12 March 2021 prompt, follow the guidelines, and come play!

The Photo Writing Prompt

PHOTO PROMPT © CEAyr

Description for my blind/visually impaired readers: This photo shows a wide open beach under a sky with puffy clouds.

The Inspiration

The clouds made me think of how much my dog, and now cat, as well enjoy it when I make hot chocolate.

Genre: Memoir

The Story: Delicious Clouds

It’s impossible for me to drink a cup of hot cocoa without Diva staring me down with pleading eyes. She wants the safe part of my delight. I love adding fluffy clouds of whipped cream in a can for added decadence.

Diva shows me the best sit in the history of sit, nose tipped up, awaiting her descending swirl of deliciousness.

“Give ma a paw first,” I say, and my gorgeous golden girl complies.

Now that I’ve added a Twitch cat to our little family, she sits beside her big canine sister, the picture of poise, awaiting her turn, too.

This is a photo of my 2 girls awaiting the whipped cream to come to them.

Reading Birds image

Thanks for reading!

Cheers to your #BLISSfulLife!!

Ronda Del Boccio

Award-winning author, photographer, and artist

About Ronda Del Boccio

Ronda Del Boccio is an award-winning and best-selling author of both fiction and nonfiction. She has been mostly blind since birth, but she never lets that stop her from doing what she wants to do. She tells transformational tales and helps visionary authors turn their dreams and imaginings into published books. See and order Ronda’s books on Amazon at Amazon..com/author/rondadelboccio.

Your days are Numbered | Friday Fictioneers Flash Fiction

Hi, and welcome back to another flash fiction story, which I like to call a story snack. This one’s for Friday Fictioneers 26 February 2021. These are all supposed to be 100-word stories. If you’ve ever considered writing a fiction story but haven’t tried, or you have but want to hone your skills, writing flash fiction is a great practice.

For me, being creative is helping me keep some shred of my sanity intact during the pandemic. It’s been almost a year since life as we once knew ended. What life will be once we get through this mess, who knows?

The Photo Writing Prompt

PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson

Photo description: I had to ask the hostess what I was seeing. Hazard of being mostly blind. It’s roses crushed under heavy snow.

The Story:: Your Days are Numbered

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Word count: 100

“Why would you say someone could come cut down trees?” Derek’s stomping vibrated the house.

“I’m tired of you telling at me.” Ali yelled.

“Well, if you’d quit doing stupid stuff, I could quit yelling.”

“You’re not perfect either.” Ali had lived under his tyranny for over thirty-eight years, crushed under the cold weight of his scorn and disrespect. She desperately wanted out. “You do stupid stuff too.”

“Sure, I can. How ‘bout this. For every stupid thing you do, I deduct a thousand dollars from your daughter’s inheritance.” He slammed his fist on the desk. “Your days are numbered.”

Reading Birds pic

Thanks for reading!

Cheers to your #BLISSfulLife!!

Ronda Del Boccio

Award-winning author, photographer, and artist

About Ronda Del Boccio

Ronda Del Boccio is an award-winning and best-selling author of both fiction and nonfiction. She has been mostly blind since birth, but she never lets that stop her from doing what she wants to do. She tells transformational tales and helps visionary authors turn their dreams and imaginings into published books. See and order Ronda’s books on Amazon at Amazon..com/author/rondadelboccio.

Dad’s Book of Death – Flash Fiction

Hello, and welcome back for another flash fiction story. T

Tflash fiction graphic

This is exactly 100 words based on a photo writing prompt for Friday Fictioneers for 19 February 2021. Rochelle Wisoff-Fields runs this blog challenge weekly, and anyone is welcome to participate. You’ll do a lot for your writing if you do.

The Photo Writing Prompt.

PHOTO PROMPT © Ted Strutz

Description for my blind and visually impaired readers: This is a mail bag. One piece of the mail in it says it contains cremated remains.

The Inspiration

This one’s fictional but based in reality.

The Story: Dad’s Book of Death

My dad orchestrated the world’s most organized passing. “Dad’s Book of Death” included all the numbers I needed to call to cancel his Social Security, cable, and everything else, plus whom to contact at his apartment complex, his investment guy, and the reclamation place that would empty his belongings and either donate them or pass to the appropriate recipients.

No memorial that he will know of, anyway.

He made me pick a necklace charm to hold some of his cremains, as if I could wear my father around my neck.

When the charm arrived, I melted next to the mailbox.

Reading birds on a branch

Thanks for reading!

Cheers to your #BLISSfulLife!!

Ronda Del Boccio

Award-winning author, photographer, and artist

About Ronda Del Boccio

Ronda Del Boccio is an award-winning and best-selling author of both fiction and nonfiction. She has been mostly blind since birth, but she never lets that stop her from doing what she wants to do. She tells transformational tales and helps visionary authors turn their dreams and imaginings into published books. See and order Ronda’s books on Amazon at Amazon..com/author/rondadelboccio.

Gifts of the Flood

Welcome back for another flash fiction story! If you’re new to flash fiction, or to my stories, that’s a VERY short story. In this case it’s for Friday Fictioneers for 12 February 2021 and is 100-words long.

Flash Fiction graphic

This week, I’ve been caught in my house since Monday. The dog hasn’t had a decent walk since last Thursday (due to FREEZING cold and precip, and lately, ice), and I am going a little bit out of my mind. Not that I was tryi8ng to go anywhere anyway but getting out my door to potty my guide dog is hard right now. The world is a skating rink, minus the cool skates and costumes.

Already bad enough I’m a blind nondriver living rural with precious little access to transportation, with or without a global pandemic.

But I digress…

The Photo Writing Prompt

PHOTO PROMPT © Alicia Jamtaas

Photo description for my blind and visually impaired readers. I had to ask Rochelle about this. I could see train tracks that looked disconnected and green. She said it’s a piece of train track up in a tree

The Inspiration

Back in 2017, we had flooding in our Tri-Lakes area. One of the lemonades coming ou of the lemons came from situations like the one in this story.

This one is based on real life.

Genre: realistic Humor

Word count: 100

The Story: Gifts of the Flood

“Hey, Carol, I’m gonna go git that canteen.”

“What canteen, Bob?”

“The one’s floatin’ toward the house.”

“You’ll get soaked.”

“yup. Clothes’ll dry.”

“You know six inches of water could whoosh you away.”

He chuckled. “Don’t you wish?”

She dashed outside, dishcloth in hand. “I do not. Who’ll fix everything if you drown in the flood?”

“Our son.”

Grunting, Carol swatted Bob with the towel.

He grabbed a big trash bag and stepped off the porch into the flood water. The 2017 flood gave them two canteens, four lanterns, four pounds of jerky, and even a bench from Dogwood Canyon.

Reading Birds Graphic

Thanks for reading!

Cheers to your #BLISSfulLife!!

Ronda Del Boccio

Award-winning author, photographer, and artist

About Ronda Del Boccio

Ronda Del Boccio is an award-winning and best-selling author of both fiction and nonfiction. She has been mostly blind since birth, but she never lets that stop her from doing what she wants to do. She tells transformational tales and helps visionary authors turn their dreams and imaginings into published books. See and order Ronda’s books on Amazon at Amazon..com/author/rondadelboccio.

Alexa…How Do You Spell…?

I’m a really good speller overall, but sometimes I want to use a word that I haven’t seen in print before, or one I’m just not certain what that vowel is That’s what happened while writing the last story.

Hmmm…Do you spell it with an e or a u?…

So I asked my Amazon Echo, “How do you spell turd?”

“I’d rather not do that,” she replied.

“Well, tht was a shitty reply. It was a legit question.”

She made a “boop” sound at me and said no ore on the matter.

Thanks for reading!

Cheers to your #BLISSfulLife!!

Ronda Del Boccio

Award-winning author, photographer, and artist

About Ronda Del Boccio

Ronda Del Boccio is an award-winning and best-selling author of both fiction and nonfiction. She has been mostly blind since birth, but she never lets that stop her from doing what she wants to do. She tells transformational tales and helps visionary authors turn their dreams and imaginings into published books. See and order Ronda’s books on Amazon at Amazon..com/author/rondadelboccio.

For the Turd Who Has Everything | Flash Fiction

Welcome back for another magical tale! This one is inspired by a photo writing prompt, and it’s for Friday Fictioneers 5 Feb. 2021. Thanks to Rochelle Wisoff-Fields for hosting this fun blog challenge. Anyone is welcome to play.

Flash Fiction graphic, showing a bolt of lightning on a night sky background and the words: Flash Fiction (VERY short story)

Flash fiction is very short, 100 words on the nose, in this case.

The Photo Writing Prompt

PHOTO PROMPT © Trish Nankivell

Photo Description for my blind and visually impaired readers: The photo shows a roll of toilet paper on a rack, ready to roll.

The Inspiration

Um…based on a person I know. And this has NOTHING to do with the pandemic.

The Story: For the Turd Who Has Everything

“Aw, crap.” I planted my face into my hands.

“What? Did you fail your level?” Cheri asked, looking up from her game.

“Dirk’s birthday is coming.”

“He always buys himself whatever he wants anyway.”

“Yes, but since he’s my mom’s husband, I HAVE to get him something or he’ll feel slighted.”

Cheri rolled her eyes. “That sucks.” She stared off, deep in thought. “Brownies?”

“He claims to be trying to lose weight.”

“Pfff, right. Dinner out?”

“They never go.”

“True.”

“I’ve got it. I can’t actually do it, but …he DESERVES toilet paper, since he’s such a turd.”

“Perfect gift!”

3 colorful birds on a branch, 1 reading a book

Thanks for reading!

Cheers to your #BLISSfulLife!!

Ronda Del Boccio

Award-winning author, photographer, and artist

About Ronda Del Boccio

Ronda Del Boccio is an award-winning and best-selling author of both fiction and nonfiction. She has been mostly blind since birth, but she never lets that stop her from doing what she wants to do. She tells transformational tales and helps visionary authors turn their dreams and imaginings into published books. See and order Ronda’s books on Amazon at Amazon..com/author/rondadelboccio.

Villain Fodder | Flash Fiction

Hi, and thank you so much for reading! Here’s a story inspired by a photo writing prompt for Friday Fictioneers for 29 January 2021.

Flash Fiction graphic

The Photo Writing Prompt

PHOTO PROMPT © Marie Gail Stratford

Description for my blind and visually impaired readers: There is a water bottle sitting on a rail in the foreground. Several chairs are beyond. A thick book is on one and maybe it’s a notebook on another.

TheInspiration

I’m going catharsis here.

The Story: Villain Fodder

Villain Fodder

I mark all his rotten deeds in a beautiful journal. Fine paper. Leather binding. Hand-stitched. Labeled as story ideas with pages of random observations between the notes about him. IF he ever picks up my book, he’ll never know. He’s too dense to see himself in his deeds delineated on those luscious pages.

He gives me the best villain fodder. He, who seems so jolly and nice to those outside his home, but to his “beloved” wife, he is the bane of her existence. Only ignoring his ranting saves her sanity.

But I see.

I know.

I will never forget.

Image of 3 Birds on a branch, each reading a book.

Thanks for reading!

Cheers to your #BLISSfulLife!!

Ronda Del Boccio

Award-winning author, photographer, and artist

About Ronda Del Boccio

Ronda Del Boccio is an award-winning and best-selling author of both fiction and nonfiction. She has been mostly blind since birth, but she never lets that stop her from doing what she wants to do. She tells transformational tales and helps visionary authors turn their dreams and imaginings into published books. See and order Ronda’s books on Amazon at Amazon..com/author/rondadelboccio.

Appearing on Ozarks Today | Flash Fiction for Friday Fictioneers 22 Jan 2021

Hello and welcome! I hope you enjoy this little slice of life for the Friday Fictioneers blog challenge for 22 january 2021

The Photo Writing Prompt

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Description for my blind and visually impaired readers: This is a sidelines shot of a news team in front of the cameras.

The Inspiration.

My first thought was of being on TV with my co-author Bonnie Tesh to promote our book I’ll Push You Steer: The Definitive Guide to Stumbling through Life with Blinders on, currently available only on Kindle.

The Story: Appearing on Ozarks Today

I had to get up before God rolled over in bed, but the coming day was worth the early rise. Since neither of us co-authors nor my guide dog Molly could drive, my mom played chauffer on a frigid winter day.

While waiting our turn to appear on Ozarks Today, we observed the well-oiled machine of a news broadcast.

You might think that being on TV sharing our book represented the highlight of the day, but for me, it came in a close second.

Bonnie teased me for months about my squee at seeing our book front-facing on the shelf.

Thanks for reading!

Cheers to your #BLISSfulLife!!

Ronda Del Boccio

Award-winning author, photographer, and artist

About Ronda Del Boccio

Ronda Del Boccio is an award-winning and best-selling author of both fiction and nonfiction. She has been mostly blind since birth, but she never lets that stop her from doing what she wants to do. She tells transformational tales and helps visionary authors turn their dreams and imaginings into published books. See and order Ronda’s books on Amazon at Amazon..com/author/rondadelboccio.

Chicago’s Senior Idol Winner, 2008: Flash Fiction for Friday Fictioneers

Chicago’s Senior Idol Winner, 2008

Hello and welcome to another flash fiction story, where in exactly 100 words, I’ll pull you into a story. This one’s for Friday Fictioneers 15 January 2021.

The Photo Writing Prompt

PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson

Photo description for my blind and visually impaired readers: This is a stage, dimly lit, with sound equipment on it.

The Inspiration

This story is based on the September, 2008 Chicago Senior Idol competition, which my amazing dad won in the vocal category

The Story: Chicago’s Senior Idol Winner, 2008

Ron strode onto the stage to take his position at the microphone in the Chicago Senior Idol competition. Several hundred audience members, including his competition and judges, applauded.

Decades ago, he emceed at Mangum Chateau seven nights a week. His daughter grew up backstage and inherited his gift of improvisational humor. Now, he imagined her amongst the crowd, sending him love, wishing for him to win.

While singing “Unchained Melody,” he sent happiness and good will to everyone. He threw himself into his performance, adding expansive gestures and well-honed showmanship to his performance.

He became that year’s Chicago Senior Idol.

Thanks for reading!

Cheers to your #BLISSfulLife!!

Ronda Del Boccio

Award-winning author, photographer, and artist

About Ronda Del Boccio

Ronda Del Boccio is an award-winning and best-selling author of both fiction and nonfiction. She has been mostly blind since birth, but she never lets that stop her from doing what she wants to do. She tells transformational tales and helps visionary authors turn their dreams and imaginings into published books. See and order Ronda’s books on Amazon at Amazon..com/author/rondadelboccio.