March 2013 - Laura E. James

Laura Gets Flash

Last week I blogged about my local writing group and the skills I’ve learned through attending Off The Cuff. It was this group that introduced and explained Flash Fiction to me. Wikipedia defines it as “…a style of fictional literature or fiction of extreme brevity.”

I have written stories as short as 25 words, and entered competitions with tales of 500 words. I’ve tried a 6 word story, but am not yet skilled enough to produce anything of value in this range.

As an over-writer who loves to hack and slash scripts down, flash fiction satisfies my desire for concision. It focuses the mind, and helps develop the ability to identify the relevant points of the story.

The following is a 10 minute, 100 word story, written at Off The Cuff. It’s not been tweaked – this is how it was presented.

From Hero to Zero

Handsome and rich. I had everything; Hollywood ranch, private jet, two Oscars. I had glacial white, virginal girls pleading to be walked on the red carpet.

My days were full of action. My nights too.

My face appeared on billboards, my palm prints on the Walk of Fame. My life was documented in magazines, news clippings, movies. “The greatest action hero of all time”, the tag line to my name.

And then I met her.

She taught me there’s no value to property, fame, or notches on a bedpost.

I’d rather possess nothing, and have her love.

Zero.

Not hero.

It’s not perfect, it possibly breaks all sorts of rules, and it’s not award-winning stuff, but that’s not why I wrote it.

I wrote it because I love to write.

Take care.

Laura x

Always On My Mind

Yesterday was the first day of spring. A time of renewal.

Today is the first anniversary of the loss of my mother.

Not much has changed, and yet, everything has.

I’m still vulnerable to attacks of naivety, anxiety, and concerns I might have said or done the wrong thing, but I’m the end of the line. There is no more ‘I’ll hear what Mum has to say about it’. That doesn’t stop me wondering. The advice and guidance she offered throughout our life together is drawn upon every day. ‘This time will pass’, features often.

As a family, we have moved forward, and we’ve taken my mum with us.

As Lilo and Stitch say, ‘Ohana’.

Laura x

It’s all Off The Cuff

What would I do without my lovely, local writing group, Off The Cuff?

We quite literally write off the cuff. We enter the library with no clue as to what the task will be and settle down to twenty minutes of writing. This may be inspiration taken from a line in a book, or ideas gathered from the roll of a set of story dice, or one person’s suggestion, prepared especially for the session.

Our meetings are split into two, refuelling with coffee at the break. The second half is shorter than the first and can consist of flash fiction, or poetry, amongst other styles, and this is when I experiment with different forms of expression. We’ve even tried writing a twenty-six line story, each sentence, or each word beginning with the next letter of the alphabet, but an observation was made today that, whilst this certainly stretches the creative muscle, most stories end with someone having an x-ray or playing a xylophone in yonder zoo.

Andrew Began Counting Daffodils. Each Flower Grew Higher…Whilst X-raying Yonder Zoo.

See?

I love Off The Cuff for many reasons, the first being the wonderful friendship offered. I am looked after and nurtured by writers with greater knowledge and understanding than I, and I am in awe of these wonderful friends and their skills. And how different we all are. Give seven of us the same title, the same subject, and we will produce seven different projects.

It’s a fantastic way to get the brain kick-started, and with a notebook full of OTC tasks, I have a collection of ideas and stories waiting to be developed.

At our latest gathering, we were given the title ‘Speak of the Devil’.

This was my twenty minute offering.

Speak of the Devil

Say my name, and I’ll cock an ear

Speak it twice, and a mist appears

A third time now, you’ll see my head

My tail you’ll see, a fourth time said.

Say my name, and I’ll come to you

We’ll whirl a dance in devil’s shoes

But take my hand and a deal we’ll make:

Your soul turns black, it’s mine to take.

Say my name and I’ll show you how

With worldly riches you can endow

Your lust for life will see no end

If I remain your one true friend.

But turn your back on all I’ve done

The gift I’ve wrapped will come undone

Betray me once and you will see

My living hell: Immortality.

Speak of the devil, and you will see his tail

Best to stay silent, if your soul’s not for sale.

Which writing tasks flex your creative muscle?

Laura x

Diva Days

I owe you an apology. Sorry.

On Friday, I removed my birthday notification from my Facebook page. It was a selfish act, I realise that now, but at the time, I was facing my very first birthday without my mother, having lost her at the end of March last year. The week leading up to my birthday was tough, as the corresponding days twelve months ago were when I took Mum to hospital for the operation from which she did not return. I wanted my birthday to pass by unnoticed.

At least, that’s what I thought until, on Saturday morning, a long-standing and very good friend posted birthday wishes on my timeline. Other notifications followed, and I also received texts and private messages. I was touched and teary, but most of all, moved by the warmth and kindness of friends and family. I give you my heart-felt thanks for your wishes and support, and I promise not to be so difficult next year.

And, as all writers know, one day, I might use the experience in a book.

It was a busy day, and a hectic weekend. Here’s my birthday, and Mother’s Day in pictures.

Take care.

Laura x