Life in progress


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91. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Thursday, November 30th, 7:00pm
Michael (and The Darkness)

 

Michael sits at the window, reading The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin. The Darkness takes the seat beside him.

The Darkness: (looking back and forth between the book and his own left hand) I am The Darkness.

Michael: (glancing at The Darkness) I beg your pardon?

The Darkness: (snatches the book away) I am the Darkness!

Michael: Hey, give me my book back!

The Darkness: (stands, holding the book up) I AM THE DARKNESS!! I AM THE DARKNESS!!

The Darkness gets kicked off the bus. With Michael’s book.

 

Next stop: Friday, December 1st, 8:00pm

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.


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Preorder ON FIRE today for just 99¢!

I’m excited to announce that one of my short stories will be released tomorrow, December 1st, 2017, in the anthology, ON FIRE. I’m waiting to find out from our editor when the price will go up, but one way or another, you’re not going to get a better deal than this. With just one click, for 99¢ you’ll get 25 fantastic, guaranteed to be burning hot stories delivered to your Kindle.

Thanks so much!

 

BURN, BABY, BURN

Capable of creation and destruction, fire burns within us.
Behind the thick, black smoke of our lives, we blaze with our own unique flame.
While love compels some, others feed greed and lust into their hearths.
A tool for the deft hand, used with magic or as a weapon, but irresponsibility leaves deep burns and promises dreadful consequences.

ON FIRE brings to light twenty-five tales that explore this unpredictable yet beautiful element.

Handle with care.


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90. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Note: Strong language

Wednesday, November 29th, 5:00pm
Monica (and Justin)

 

Monica sits in the window seat. Justin takes the seat across the aisle.

Justin: Hey, don’t I know you from somewhere?

Monica: Who, me? I don’t think so. I came here from out west.

Justin: Oh yeah? Whereabouts?

Monica: Calgary.

Justin: Calgary! You must know Jimmy Schrodinger!

Monica: Errr … no …?

Justin: How about Dave Brown?

Monica: I do know a Dave Brown, but …

Justin: Long blonde hair? Really skinny?

Monica: (shakes head) No. He has short black hair and he’s pretty big.

Justin: Weird. My name is Justin by the way. What’s yours?

Monica: (scoffs) Fuck you.

Justin: Well that’s nice. Are all people from Calgary like you?

Monica: Ask Jimmy Whatever, asshole.

 

Next stop: Thursday, November 30th, 7:00pm

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.


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One-Liner Wednesday – Heretofore

Bread shall heretofore be referred to only as “raw toast.” That is all.

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If you would like to participate in this prompt, feel free to use the “One-Liner Wednesday” title in your post, and if you do, you can ping back here to help your blog get more exposure. To execute a pingback, just copy the URL in the address bar on this post, and paste it somewhere in the body of your post. Your link will show up in the comments below. Please ensure that the One-Liner Wednesday you’re pinging back to is this week’s! Otherwise, no one will likely see it but me.

NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, like Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a pingback from someone else in my comment section, click and have a read. It’s bound to be short and sweet.

Unlike SoCS, this is not a prompt so there’s no need to stick to the same “theme.”

The rules that I’ve made for myself (but don’t always follow) for “One-Liner Wednesday” are:

1. Make it one sentence.

2. Try to make it either funny or inspirational.

3. Use our unique tag #1linerWeds.

4. Add our very cool badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!

#1linerWeds badge by Dan Antion


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89. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Tuesday, November 28th, 6:00pm 10:00pm
Stuart (and Maurice)

 

Stuart sits at the window. Maurice takes the seat beside him.

Maurice: Fancy meeting you here!

Stuart: (shakes his head) I’m lucky to be here, I tell you.

Maurice: Oh oh. What’s up?

Stuart: Well, I was supposed to have caught the six o’clock today, but I slept in.

Maurice: All the way to six in the evening?

Stuart: (nods) Uh huh. Had one wicked headache this afternoon, so I went to lay down. Then I started having this nightmare. I couldn’t breathe!

Maurice: It was only a nightmare though, right?

Stuart: Nope. Damned cat was laying on my face. So I pushed it off, as you do, and it mustn’t have liked that very much.

Maurice: No?

Stuart: Nuh uh. It jumped out in front of me as I was walking to the bathroom, I fell over: cracked my head on the door jam.

Maurice: No way!

Stuart: Yep. Just woke up.

Maurice: Wait, didn’t you say you slept in?

Stuart: Yep. Cat peed on the rug again. Slept in cat piss for oh (looks at watch) a good couple hours.

 

 

Next stop: Wednesday, November 29th, 5:00pm

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.


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88. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Monday, November 27th, 6:00pm
Amy-Sue and Billy

 

Amy-Sue: Nobody “gets” me.

Billy: I do.

Amy-Sue: How can you? I just moved here from Backwater-Hellville – I’ve practically never even seen a bus before…

Billy: But you’re the same as me inside.

Amy-Sue: …and you’re in the Geek Club.

Billy: I can quit.

Amy-Sue: What good would that do? (slumps in her seat) I’m never going to fit in.

Billy: (swallows hard) I wanna help.

Amy-Sue: How?

Billy: I can teach you stuff.

Amy-Sue: Yeah? Like what?

Billy: Like, how to play RPGs and stuff.

Amy-Sue: And make me a geek? That’s even worse!

Billy: (shrugs) Or I could quit.

 

Next stop: Tuesday, November 28th, 6:00pm

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.


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87. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Sunday, November 26th, 5:00pm
Andrea (and Thomas)

 

Andrea sits at the window. Thomas takes the seat beside her.

Andrea: (batting her eyelashes) Hi.

Thomas: Hey there, good lookin’ lady. (spits on the floor in the aisle)

Andrea: EW!!

Thomas: What?

Andrea: EW! EW! EW! EW!

Thomas: (spits on the floor again) What?

Andrea: EW! EW! EWWW!!!!

Thomas gets up, shaking his head, and moves to another seat.

 

 

Next stop: Monday, November 27th, 6:00pm

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.


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#SoCS – Why bother?

I spend so much time reading, editing, and (occasionally) writing fiction these days, I sometimes find myself narrating my movements around my house. Usually only in my head … usually. So I have to ask myself, why bother with ink? I do suppose it helps convey my narration to other people … but seriously, do you need to know I need to buy more toilet paper? My narration is incredibly interesting, as you can see.

Speaking of ink, I’ve recently discovered the joy of gel pens. Particularly Papermate InkJoy gel pens. They’re fantastic to write with. They make me want to write … well, pretty much anything. Shopping lists, permission slips to send my son off on field trips, notes about other people’s books … Hey! I should write a book of my own! Yeah, I should get on that.

I’m sitting here looking at my inky black cat. Why in heaven do we think of black when the word “inky” comes along? Ink comes in so many different colours now. We’re not living in an age where we have to use a feather to write with. And a pot of ink … can you imagine? Having to do that? Our computer screens would be a mess!!

Casper

On that note, I think it’s time to call it a day.

It’s a day!

This post is part of Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the link to find all the other posts in the comments. Read some, write one – it’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2017/11/24/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-nov-25-17/


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86. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Saturday, November 25th, 6:00pm
Herbert (and Georgette)

 

Herbert sits at the window. Georgette takes the seat beside him.

Herbert: I saw you running for the bus.

Georgette: I almost missed it.

Herbert: I’m glad you didn’t.

Georgette: Oh yes?

Herbert: You remind me of someone. Someone I loved a long time ago.

Georgette: That’s funny–I was going to say the same thing. You remind me of someone too.

Herbert: I’m Herbert. (holds out hand) What’s your name?

Georgette: (smiles and takes his hand) Georgette.

Herbert: Georgette. That’s a lovely name.

Georgette: Thank you.

Herbert: I’m getting off in a couple of stops. Can I buy you a coffee?

Georgette: Tea. I drink tea.

Herbert: I can buy tea.

Georgette: Then I’ll go with you.

Herbert: I’m so glad …

 

 

Next stop: Sunday, November 26th, 5:00pm

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.


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85. Scenes from the Second Seat on the Right

Note: Adult theme

Friday, November 24th, 9:00pm
Drommen (and Holly) (and Hillary)

 

Drommen sits at the window. Holly takes the seat beside him.

Drommen: Hey!

Holly: Hi!

Drommen: How are you? You look cheerier than the last time I saw you.

Holly: I’m much better. I don’t know what you did, but that guy with the fangs laid off.

Drommen: (smiles) Great!

Holly: And I got my own place for me an’ my baby (pats her growing stomach) so we’re all good.

Drommen: That’s wonderful.

Holly: Thanks again for your help. I don’t know if I coulda done it without you.

Drommen: You’re welcome.

Holly: I’d like to return the favour somehow … (bats eyelashes)

Drommen regards her silently.

Holly: (rubs his knee) Whadda ya say?

Drommen: (grins) Well now that you mention it … (reaches into his coat for his fly and sees Hillary board the bus. The smile leaves his face)

Holly: What? Did you want to show me something?

Drommen waves to Hillary, who is waving to him.

Holly: Friend of yours?

Drommen: Can I take a rain check?

Holly: (looking annoyed) She must be special.

Drommen:  She’s just a nice girl.

Holly: And I’m not?

Holly moves to another seat in a huff. Hillary sits beside Drommen.

Hillary: Who was that?

Drommen: A missed opportunity.

Hillary stares at him.

Drommen: (smiling) But I’m happy to see you.

 

Next stop: Saturday, November 25th, 6:00pm

Click here to learn all about this series, how it works, and where to find your favourite characters.