Brief bits of fiction

My other blog, The One-Minute Writer, encourages readers to spend 60 seconds or less writing a response to a daily writing prompt. Friday is my favorite day for that blog--it's Friday Fiction. On Fridays, readers are asked to write a brief bit of fiction. I expect that more often than not, more than one minute will be spent writing on that day, and that's just fine.

When I participate in Friday Fiction, I have a ball. I'd like to share a few of my Friday Fiction writings. I edit minimally, if at all--the idea of The One-Minute Writer is to write quickly, to get the creative juices flowing, not to write perfectly. Here we go--hope you enjoy!

June 5, 2009
Friday Fiction: Breakfast
Write a brief fictional piece that involves breakfast.

I couldn't take my eyes off his hands. In his right was a sharp knife, which he was using to very carefully carve a perfect piece of bread.

"You do understand," he said in a calm voice, as if talking about the weather, "that we have a business arrangement?"

I nodded slowly as he spread a thin layer of butter on the bread.

"And if you do not, for whatever reason, pay my organization what you owe...."

He paused long enough to slowly drizzle honey in an even zig-zag across the slice of bread. Then he continued.

"Then, Regina, we will have no choice but to ensure that is the last chance you have to make such an error."

For the first time, I tore my eyes away from his hands and looked up. His eyes were dark black. His mouth curved into a smile, and I looked again at his hand, which he was using to offer me the knife.

His even voice continued. "Would you like a slice of bread?"

May 29, 2009
Friday Fiction: Epiphany
Write a brief, fictional piece about a character experiencing an epiphany (sudden, often life-changing, realization.)

I woke up that morning, June 24, 1965. The world seemed clearer than it ever had before. Birds outside my window were twittering in such a way that I could almost understand them. The smell of coffee was more deliciously pungent than it had been the day before. The red trim on my curtains was brighter, more crisp.

And my mind was alive in a way it never had been. Suddenly I knew the truth. Everything around me--the birds, the coffee, the curtains, my wife, the world--was a figment of my imagination. Even my young body was not real. The only thing that truly exists, I suddenly realized, is my mind.

The truth of this was thrilling and freeing. None of my worries have any merit since nothing physical actually exists. My mind is all there is in the universe.

I stood up and loosened my jockey shorts, letting them fall around my ankles. Stepping out of them, I made my way through the kitchen. I did not return my wife's greeting; I knew that I'd created her, and I'd created that greeting.

I opened the front door and walked across my lawn (how green it looked!) and into the middle of the street, reveling in the way the wind swirled around my naked body. I loved the way the world of my creation felt that day.

When my neighbors saw me they whispered, pointed, and laughed, and I laughed too, reveling in what a fantastic job I'd done, imagining these varied people I thought I'd lived next to for the past six years. I couldn't get the smile off my face as I continued to walk toward Main Street, enjoying my creation with every step.

May 22, 2009
Friday Fiction: Steal
Write a brief bit of fiction, including in it the word "steal" (or some version of that word.

I felt silly, with this wide grin on my face, as I said, "A grande decaf soy latte, please."

"You look happy today," the barista commented.

"Yeah," I responded, but I didn't go into detail, just continued to inwardly savor this time.

My drink was quickly made, and I took it. I found a tiny table in a corner and sat with a happy sigh. I spread out the three books I'd brought--a popular science tome, a mystery novel, and a trashy fashion magazine--and almost giggled at the decision I had to make. I grabbed the novel and cracked it open, and as I sipped my latte, I read.

I read my book, with no interruptions. No diapers to change, no snotty noses, no sibling squabbles to break up. I just read my book, and as I read I continued to grin, thrilled that I could steal away some time to myself today--time to be a woman, not just a mom.

Welcome, new readers

Well, a little over a month ago I started a little blog called The One Minute Writer. It's been a fun one to do but hadn't really "taken off;" the readership was staying consistently...small.

Until today. Whoa.

I'm giddy and honored and going a little crazy because it was featured as on the "Blogs of Note" list on Blogger. Suddenly as I was innocently out and about with my kiddos, my e-mail in-box was flooded with new comments on my One Minute Writer blog. My number of followers was multiplied by six. When I came home I had to enable comment moderation and quickly delete several obscene comments made by one reader who entertained no one but himself with his utter vulgarity.

Boy is this exciting! (Obscenity aside, of course!) Many of you who are fellow bloggers understand the thrill of getting new readers.

I know a few people have clicked from that blog to this one. Welcome to new readers of C. Beth Blog, my first blog and "my baby" (second to my real baby, of course.) This is where I talk about family and life, the things that are important to me and the things that make me laugh. Join the discussion. I'm honored to have you here.

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

A couple of weeks ago I thought to myself, "You know, I don't think I've ever been in a play and had an actor not show up for a performance. I wonder how we'd handle that if it happened."

This, my friends, is what we call foreshadowing.

Last Sunday we had a matinee of The Odd Couple. I'd arranged to come later than normal and came in the dressing room 30 minutes before the play was meant to begin. The conversation I walked into concerned me.

"Well, I guess we need to get Stephen (a stagehand) a script so he can start reviewing the lines."

Yep. One of our actors hadn't shown up, and no one had been able to contact him. So a few minutes after 3 p.m., the director explained the situation to the audience, and our fearless stagehand Stephen, script in hand, did a wonderful job filling in.

The actor rushed in the door after Act One, with a deer-in-the-headlights look. He'd laid down for a nap after arranging for his brother to wake him at noon. That didn't happen. His roommate woke him up a little after 3:00, and when he realized the time, he hightailed it to the theatre.

I understand this was entirely unintentional on his part, and to his credit, he felt absolutely terrible about it...terrible enough to probably make sure it never happens again. (Two words: alarm clock!)

As an actor, it was frustrating to me. This was a really good production, the type of community theatre play that is a credit to volunteer theatre. And I know how unprofessional it looked for someone to be onstage with a script, and then to be replaced by the casted actor halfway through the show. But theatre--amateur or professional--hits snags. The show must go on, and it did, thanks to a stagehand who did an incredible job acting for the first time in his life.

Saturday was closing night, and I'm glad it's over. I really enjoyed it, but it was a lot more stressful than I'd realized it would be. I don't think I'm quite ready to leave my baby as often as I had to, but there was no way to know that without trying. I hope to get back onstage, but I'll probably wait several months or more.

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The new blog...
If you'd like to check out my new blog, The One Minute Writer, please do. I'm excited about it! Instead of explaining it here, I'll let you visit it to get an idea of what it's about. If you know any other bloggers, writers, teachers, etc. who might be interested in it, please pass along the link. Thanks!

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Happy birthday (a day late) to my brother Sean, and happy birthday today to my dad! I love you both so much.

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Thanks to those of you who have been praying for our friend who was in the car accident. Brent has had three surgeries and is now in a rehab hospital, where he'll probably stay another week or so. He won't be able to put weight on his fractured hip for about three months, so the recovery may be a long one unless God intervenes miraculously, which we are praying for. His wife Lindsey is understandably going through a very rough time. Please keep praying. Thanks!

New blog

I'll write more about this later...but if you'd like to check out a new blog I just started, click here:

The One Minute Writer