Lance Greenfield's Blog, page 2
October 17, 2023
Book Review: A Walk in the Woods and Other Short Stories by Esther Chilton
A Walk In The Woods: and other short stories by Esther ChiltonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I enjoyed every story of this little collection.
Each story is compact in its writing and, I felt, exactly the right length to convey its own message.
There is always a twist in the tale or a clever punchline. The endings are mostly surprises. That’s good!
Some of the stories are dark. Some are humorous.
I particularly liked the slight, but understandable kinkiness of ‘Book Lovers.’ The ending made me chuckle.
‘Operation Flora’ is a Christmas tale with a difference. There is a tiny niggle of regret but the battered fairy comes out on top.
The signature story, ‘A Walk in the Woods,’ is good, but I preferred ‘A Walk in the Park,’ which was blatantly heading for a predictable reunion, but then there was a beautiful twist at the end.
The most hilarious story, again with a nice twist, is ‘The Secret Diary of Marvin Martin aged 14½’.
Its doesn’t take long to read this book and I guarantee that you will be delighted.
View all my reviews
September 27, 2023
At last! “SOON” became “TODAY”
For several weeks, as I walk my dog, I have been passing a takeaway outlet near to Andover station, which was being refurbished. I made friends with the proprietor, Jai. Whenever I asked him when he intended to open, he would tell me, “SOON!”
Jai’s place, Jiggaz Grill, will be selling Caribbean food, including goat curry, rice and peas and all sorts of spicy jerk chicken dishes.
I teased Jai about how soon is “Soon!” and eventually wrote a little poem for him.
He’s going to display this image on the wall of his outlet.
Andover Jiggaz will open soon.
I’m stood at the door with my wooden spoon.
We’ll all be pleased
With their rice and peas.
But how soon is “SOON”? The next blue moon?
Finally, the day has come!
He opened this evening and I was treated to ‘Dumpling Mania”.
It was absolutely delicious.
I look forward to trying many more dishes from this intriguing menu.
September 4, 2023
A Fabulous Fable – The Truth (?)
“You’ll never get away with it,” he said.
“We will. All the smart money is on you, but your speed of foot can’t beat my notorious cunning and Shelley’s ancient wisdom.”
“When you release me and I run to the finish line, all of the other animals will not believe that I fell asleep and let that crusty pie on legs beat me.”
“Hmm. You may be right. It would make a fabulous fable.”
“Yes. Too incredible to be true.”
“There could be a steward’s inquiry. The bookies may not pay out my winnings.”
“The race will be re-run and I won’t let you catch me next time.”
“You’ve convinced me. I’ll just have to kill you and eat you. They’ll never find your bones.”
Headline:Tortoise wins race. Hare disappears without trace.
August 28, 2023
Slow Service (microfiction)
As a follow-up to my earlier post about my participation in the 2023 NYC Midnight 100-word Microfiction Challenge, I am sorry to tell you that I was eliminated in the second round.
Although the judges were clearly unimpressed by my attempt at a 100-word drama, I thought I’d share my failure with my followers and ask you for your honest opinions.
Go on! Comment! Be brutal!
BTW, I interpreted ‘drama’ as being either tragedy or comedy or both. What do you think?
Prompts:Genre: Drama
Action: Laying a table
Word: Previous
Six previous generations of his family had served the Belvederes.
It had taken Alfred considerably longer to set two places at opposing ends of the grand old table than when he’d learned his trade, as a boy.
“Pass the cruet, Alfred.”
“Yes, m’lady.”
Having complied, Alfred shuffled back to his seat.
He awaited his next instruction.
Seven minutes passed in silence.
“Take the plates and serve dessert, Alfred.”
No reaction.
“ALFRED!”
Still no reaction.
His lordship walked over and nudged the butler who promptly slumped to the floor.
“Good grief! He’s dead, Virginia!”
“How tragic! Who will serve dessert?”
August 23, 2023
Book Review – Short Story Focus: A Helping Hand For Writers by Esther Chilton
Short Story Focus: A Helping Hand For Writers by Esther ChiltonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A great book for those who want to make their short stories grab their audience and have reviewers saying, “Wow! That was a good story.”
It almost gives you all of the ingredients and the order that you need to put them in to create something worthwhile. So, I feel justified in calling it a recipe book for sort story writers.
However, no two dishes are the same and that goes for stories too. You can follow the instructions and be left with enough flexibility to put your personal stamp on the end product.
I am looking forward to writing high quality, much-admired stories which will win competitions and feature in published anthologies.
Thanks Esther!
View all my reviews
July 20, 2023
Shopping for Cheese (Microfiction)
I rediscovered my writing mojo, or part of it, by participating in this year’s NYC Midnight 100-word Microfiction Challenge.
The idea is that hundreds of participants around the world are given 24 hours to write a one-hundred word, or less, story, given a genre, action and featured word. There are three rounds. In the first round, the top 15 stories in each of 100 groups are chosen to progress to the second round. Only 200 writers make it all the way through to the final round.
The submission window for each round runs from midnight to midnight EST or New York time.
It is great fun and I am very proud to tell you that my first round effort came FIRST in my group!
Let me know what you think.
Prompts:Genre: Horror
Action: Tracing something
Word: Lite
Only four items to buy.
Card, candles, cake, cheese.
Locations known. Tracing my product path in my head, I enter.
Simple! No wucking flurries.
In, fetch, pay, out; free.
Card and candles: aisle two.
Cake near bakery.
Cheese: aisle sixteen.
Not there!
Stink of Roquefort guides me to next aisle.
Ah! Cheese!
Wrong tub. Trouble ahead. Muscles tightening. Shaking. Headache. Hard to breathe. Buzzing.
Phone rings.
“Have you got the right cheese?”
Other shoppers surround me. Closing in. Jabbering.
“No. I’ve got to get out.”
Overcrowded. Pressure.
Shaking. Head exploding.
Fall to floor. Smashing display.
Aisle seventeen: obliterated.
March 14, 2023
Funny Of The Week
Mashed Potato….
WARNING – contains potato
This week’s funny was sent in by Lance Greenfield. Many thanks, Lance 
March 13, 2023
Your Title Matters
The title that you put on your work can make a huge difference.
Who would believe that simply rewording the title of that famous 1970s Martini advert could win it seven Oscars?!
Headline – “Oscars 2023: Everything Everywhere All At Once cleans up with seven awards”
December 13, 2022
Funny Of The Week
Hilarious!
You’ve got to love a church bulletin.
Image credit: Pinterest
October 24, 2022
A Limerick for Today
I am always very grateful to my good friend, Esther, for her regular challenges which she bases on one-word prompts. On Mondays, the challenge is Laughing Along With A Limerick. On Thursdays, the challenge is Can You Tell A Story In . . . [five words].
Today, I am particularly grateful to Esther, because her prompt set me up beautifully to not only meet her challenge but to write a rhyme that could not be any more topical in UK current affairs.
Her word of the day is PET.
Larry is a fearsome pet.Four household tenants, he’s already ate.Rishi’s his fifth.Who’ll be his sixth?Well that, dear reader, is anyone’s bet!
