Texas State Fair [original painting on display in the office of Scott Zashin, M.D. in Dallas, Texas - circa 1970s]
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Featured Stories and Narratives
Audio / Video Narratives
The Holly Berry Ritual [read the story here]
by Lisa H. Owens
Winner of the Weird Christmas 2023 Weird Card Category
(location at 45:45 on the audio track)
by Lisa H. Owens
Winner of the Weird Christmas 2023 Weird Card Category
(location at 45:45 on the audio track)
The Haunting of a Cracked Window [paranormal]
Happy Halloween!
Day-Six of Creepy Pod Podcast's 31 Days of Horror, 2022
(The Haunting of a Cracked Window begins at 18:40)
Published in Unwelcomed: Stories of Hauntings and Possessions
Day-Six of Creepy Pod Podcast's 31 Days of Horror, 2022
(The Haunting of a Cracked Window begins at 18:40)
Published in Unwelcomed: Stories of Hauntings and Possessions
Christmas in Four Parts [horror]
The Poets Lounge
Production, Narration and Music by: Alan Johnson
Written by: Lisa H. Owens
First publication: "Journeys: the Writers' Journey Blog Anthology"
Read this story along with two others by author Lisa H. Owens in "Journeys"
Till Death Do Us Part
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Her Chair
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A Lover's Kiss
The Poets Lounge
Production, Narration and Music by: Alan Johnson
Written by: Lisa H. Owens
Published on Spillwords
The Eyes Have It
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The Gatekeeper
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Twelve Months of 100-Word Photo Prompts
It Was a Dark and Stormy Night... [March, 2024 - 100-Words]
Fred the Mosquito enjoyed the author’s process, perpetually hovering over her shoulder while she toiled. One word at a time, the story emerged.
Fred was captivated by the myriad of unexpected things that could occur on a dark and stormy night. He buzzed, awed by her ability to bring life to a story. She inserted a comma, pausing again to slap at the annoyance circling her ear, as she contemplated how to proceed. She shifted, fingers flying across the keyboard. … and on this particular dark and stormy night, the mosquito finally succumbed to his illness. “Zzzzz,” Fred’s final word. By Lisa H. Owens Just 100 Words 100 Word Story - March 2024 Photo Prompt |
The Usual Brand of Entertainment [February, 2024 - 100-Words]
The show was over, curtains drawn. Nothing to see here, folks. Just a typical evening in Hell. Malicious words flying like shrapnel, doggos’ toenails scrambling to find purchase on the linoleum floor as they scattered out of harm’s way.
The children fed-and-read to sleep well before the arrival of the hungry beast. Well before the opening music swelled a foreshadowing of the night’s entertainment.
The beast sits mute, shoveling meat and potatoes into his gaping maw, cruel eyes watchful. The beast’s wind-up toy hovers dutifully. Anticipating his needs, praying this evening’s show will be, “Sated Man Sleeps on the Sofa.”
By Lisa H. Owens
Just 100 Words
100 Word Story - February 2024 Photo Prompt
The children fed-and-read to sleep well before the arrival of the hungry beast. Well before the opening music swelled a foreshadowing of the night’s entertainment.
The beast sits mute, shoveling meat and potatoes into his gaping maw, cruel eyes watchful. The beast’s wind-up toy hovers dutifully. Anticipating his needs, praying this evening’s show will be, “Sated Man Sleeps on the Sofa.”
By Lisa H. Owens
Just 100 Words
100 Word Story - February 2024 Photo Prompt
Choosing Icicle Kisses [January, 2024 - 100-Words]
The snow killed me.
It wasn't your words, soft and menacing like an eiderdown pillow laced with quills; nor your barbs, like an ice-pick, filling me with holes. It wasn't the veil of shame, cast over my face like a shroud, nor the precipice upon which I teetered, my toes dangling over certain destruction. It wasn't the thunder of my heart when you ran me in circles, nor the breathlessness of your glowering disappointment. It wasn't the hunger of being starved for affection. It was merely snow - my choice. Frosty eyelashes and icicle kisses, warmer than yours ever were. By Lisa H. Owens Just 100 Words 100 Word Story - January 2024 Photo Prompt |
*Notes on G. Ramsay's Progress [December, 2023 - 100-Words]
Gordon was late to class again, and as if that wasn’t bad enough, his organizational skills - and frankly, common-sense - were lacking. His station was utter chaos and he confused the salt with the sugar. I blustered, as would any instructor of merit, and though I wouldn’t tell the lad, he may be on to something. Who could have predicted how delightful sea salt and caramel would taste when blended together? (lesser quantities are warranted, as a cup of salt in anything would choke an elephant)
On a positive note, he’s the master of concocting a hot-cuppa. *address young Ramsay’s potty-mouth By Lisa H. Owens Just 100 Words 100 Word Story - December 2023 Photo Prompt |
A Conversation Regarding the Effects of Shrooms [November, 2023 - 100-Words]
"Your eyes are funny. You trippin', man?"
"Uh Huh." "What are you on?" "Shrooms, man." "I remember shrooms. My college days, they had me trippin' balls. Seein' things. Talkin’ to ghosts and such." "I know whatcha mean, man. Magic mushrooms wrote my senior thesis. My professor said it was the most detailed paper he'd ever read on The Drake Equation as related to communication with extraterrestrial civilizations. Gave me an F." "You failed? What the Hell, man?" “My theme was, The Cold War and Cuban Missile Crisis.” The old man in the mirror laughed and gave him a knowing wink. By Lisa H. Owens Just 100 Words 100 Word Story - November 2023 Photo Prompt |
Helen's Finger [September, 2023 - 100-Words]
Andrew was a strange kid. He’d been born with an index finger where a lateral incisor should be. His body was riddled with bites and odd scratches, as without thinking, he often used the tooth-finger to scratch his itches.
The dentist suggested amputating the finger. Digging the appendage out of his upper gum to replace it with a pearly dental implant. Well hell, they would brighten all his teeth, giving him a winsome smile. Andrew loved the words “winsome smile,” but he also loved the only evidence of his twin sister, Helen, whom his body had absorbed in the womb. By Lisa H. Owens Just 100 Words 100 Word Story - September 2023 Photo Prompt [Dedicated to The Birch Twins] |
A Symbol of Good Fortune [August, 2023 - 100-Words]
Uncle Ken’s been different since his notorious Lockdown-Meltdown of 2020. He’s a real peach these days. Thoughtful and content. No more rants on misuse of tax dollars or declining work ethics.
This Uncle Ken senses what is not apparent. He freely gives bear-hugs and is in high demand on family outings and holidays. He winks when I snap photos of him, his arm draped over the neck of his everpresent guardian, Haru the Dragon. The grown-ups scoff and roll their eyes, but I know he’s real. Haru tells me he will rain fire on the villains. I whisper their names. By Lisa H. Owens Just 100 Words 100 Word Story - August 2023 Photo Prompt |
Howard's Photo [July, 2023 - 100-Words]
"Can't think of anything to write?" Howard looked over the author's shoulder, his beak brushing her earlobe—the one with the fake diamond stud.
He’d eaten the real diamond on his last visit. He was tricky that way. Drawn to sparkly things. Lesson learned, the author wore knockoffs when Howard was home. "What's the July prompt?" He snuggled up, delicately pulling at the earring backing. “Well, oddly enough, it’s a photo of you,” she deflected his beak with a light karate chop, “Walter’s Saint Paddy’s Party, I think. You’re wearing green.” “Aaah.... Walter’s party. That night was quackers. There's your story!” By Lisa H. Owens Just 100 Words 100 Word Story - July 2023 Photo Prompt |
The Fourth of July's Actual Grand Finale [June, 2023 - 100-Words]
The wind awoke as Dad gingerly carried the punk, its firey tip enhancing his coppery hair.
“Light’er up,” we cried. Dad squatted to light the fuse while the breeze caressed and teased his graying sideburns and the low side-part above his ear. “Come on wind,” we urged. The wind billowed—speeding the flame along—to ignite the lift-charge of the Grand-Finale-Rocket. Against a starburst backdrop, a glorious gust disengaged the flap of Dad's hair, sealed into submission by a wad of pomade, and we broke out in song, “It’s a Grand Old Flag…” finally celebrating the release of the combover. By Lisa H. Owens Just 100 Words 100-Word Story - June 2023 Photo Prompt |
Clara's Infamous Key Lime Pie [May, 2023 100-Words]
Clara wasn’t sure how to sign a letter to a dead man. Not because she was at a loss for words; for she had written salutations in the past. It was the mechanics of it. The pencil-lead tip snapped off.
My Dearest Bubba, I hope you enjoyed your last slice of my special key lime pie. I know Roberto, Nico and Bjorn certainly did. They all said it was a pie to die for, may they rest in peace. Here’s wishing you a happy afterlife! Yours Truly, Clara Santiago-Papadopoulos-Jorgensen-Delmont (Please forgive my switch to blue ink at your end.) By Lisa H. Owens Just 100 Words 100 Word Story - May 2023 Photo Prompt |
The Vengeful Murder of Mittens [April, 2023 100-Words]
Mittens destroyed the kingdom. ‘Twas merely an accident, for though he looked ferocious, he wasn't a vengeful dragon—simply plagued by allergies.
Upon hatching, an approaching thunderstorm induced a sneezing fit, setting every candle wick aflame, and Sally realized she had a problem. Not in keeping a dragon (though it was frowned upon by the council), but in slathering a poultice of aromatic herbs and lard upon Mittens’ ruby throat at the first rumblings of thunder. In a drunken stupor, she was, the night of The Great Storm followed by The Great Burn and fed-up villagers arrived wielding enchanted pitchforks. Lisa H. Owens Just 100 Words 100-Word Story - April 2023 Photo Prompt |
County Drive-Thru Testing Site [March, 2023 100-Words]
The line of cars started alongside the makeshift tents. It snaked through abandoned fair ground concessions—dotted with wayward cups and haphazard propane tanks—and ended miles later beyond the stockyards.
Ben fidgeted in the driver's seat. “This is fuckin’ madness,” he grumbled, “and you hacking up a lung.” I lifted my mask to pop another flavorless lozenge, choking back a cough as dry as the Sahara, and cracked my window. “Roll it up. Smells like shit out there,” Ben shifted his eyes to the adjacent cattle barn. Another cough. Another tear soaking my mask. I hadn’t smelled a thing in days. Lisa H. Owens Just 100 Words 100-Word Story - March 2023 Photo Prompt |
Read More Photo Prompt Stories
It's not that we are bad pet owners; it's just that we've had many dogs over the years that led post-rescue lives, long lives, filled with kindness. RIP to those we lost.
Until we meet again someday.
Until we meet again someday.
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