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
Twelve Months of 100-Word Photo Prompts
Pink is the Color of Death [August, 2024 - 100-Words]Through my bedroom window, I watched a mighty fist zip across the pink stratosphere, static electrifying my hair as it punched its way into my room through a faulty wall-outlet.
Buried in bed beneath piles of quilts sewn by my own hand when I was but a child, their combined heft pinning my arms, I watched the hand clench to cast the quilts aside, and I was afraid. Cool fingers unfurled. Smoothed my hair, then softened to lift my frail body. The room became the sky and I devoured the pinkness, my pain gone as I drew my final breath. ~ By Lisa H. Owens Just 100 Words 100 Word Story - August 2024 Photo Prompt |
[photo courtesy of www.100wordstory.org]
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On the Spectrum [July, 2024 - 100-Words]
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The sweaty young man curled into himself in the corner chair. He was always there, in that same metal chair. The one closest to the red telephone hanging on the gray wall with the cracked plaster.
His clothes were dirty, carrying the ripe scent of unwashed flesh, and a mountainous man folding mounds of cloth diapers, mumbled, “Someone oughta report him to management.” “Yup,” I shrugged, a mock sneer of contempt tugging at my lips. My brother looked up, hurt apparent on his face, but then a flustered woman asked him for change and he shuffled to the back office. ~ By Lisa H. Owens Just 100 Words 100 Word Story - July 2024 Photo Prompt |
[photo courtesy of www.100wordstory.org]
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The Harshness of Earthlings [June, 2024 - 100-Words]
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Martin the Martian bleep-blop-blooped across Central Park. His pulsing orb scanned the tent-city this once crime-ridden park space had become. The tents were a picture of organization, in alignment with adjacent tents to form a perfect grid, unlike the chaos of the luxury highrises surrounding the parklands.
His auditory orbs tweeted in glee at the sound of a zipper being unzipped to release a fair-haired maiden from within the confines of her tent. His tentacles released, wrapping the human in a soft hug and his voice modulator activated. “GREETINGS, EARTHLING.” Her snaggle-tooth wiggled with each throaty syllable, “Buzz-off, mother trucker.” ~ By Lisa H. Owens Just 100 Words 100 Word Story - June 2024 Photo Prompt |
[photo courtesy of www.100wordstory.org]
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City of Webs [May, 2024 - 100-Words]
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The villain ripped the laden grocery sack from an elderly woman's gnarled hands before punching her in the face. The hero watched, from his lofty perch, a spire adorning St. Patrick's Cathedral in Midtown Manhattan. His anger peaked as he surveyed the wretched fiend's course of destruction. Sidewalks were littered with bloodied grannies and kicked dogs.
He sneezed, his spidey senses tingling. It'd been a long night—him single-handedly taking out the villains—and he sighed, flexing his hands. Silken threads streamed from both wrists and he swung into action, avoiding the criss-cross of used webs littering his anguished city. ~ By Lisa H. Owens Just 100 Words 100 Word Story - May 2024 Photo Prompt |
[photo courtesy of www.100wordstory.org]
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God's Right-Hand Man [April, 2024 - 100-Words]
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The sky had taken on an ethereal, other-worldly glow. It reminded Brother Zachariah that Christ’s second-coming was drawing nigh and how God implanted a chip into his prefrontal cortex to keep him apprised of His holy plan.
“Waiteth, thou must, for the cloudy moon,” His booming voice overrode Zachariah’s thoughts. He knew it was God by the usage of Biblical words like thou and waiteth. So they waiteth in the bunker, he and his flock, naked as the day they’d been born. Some of the women had grown quite fond of him and he was able to loosen their restraints. ~ By Lisa H. Owens Just 100 Words 100 Word Story - April 2024 Photo Prompt |
[photo courtesy of www.100wordstory.org]
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It Was a Dark and Stormy Night... [March, 2024 - 100-Words]
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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 |
[photo courtesy of www.100wordstory.org]
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The Usual Brand of Entertainment [February, 2024 - 100-Words]
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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 |
[photo courtesy of www.100wordstory.org]
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Choosing Icicle Kisses [January, 2024 - 100-Words]
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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 |
[photo courtesy of www.100wordstory.org]
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*Notes on G. Ramsay's Progress [December, 2023 - 100-Words]
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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 |
[photo courtesy of www.100wordstory.org]
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A Conversation Regarding the Effects of Shrooms [November, 2023 - 100-Words]
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"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 Published on 101 Words - May 5, 2024 |
[photo courtesy of www.100wordstory.org]
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Helen's Finger [September, 2023 - 100-Words]
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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] |
[courtesy of www.100-wordstory.org]
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A Symbol of Good Fortune [August, 2023 - 100-Words]
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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 |
[photo courtesy of www.100wordstory.org]
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Audio / Video Narratives
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Scare You to Sleep: Tucked in a Gucci Bag Chuck: a tale of horror [read an excerpt here] Narrator: Shelby Scott Location at 22:37 on audio track |
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Inspiration Card
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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) |
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"
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
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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photos by lisa
"Big Tex" [State Fair-1988]
Rescue, Fred [Chihuahua/Schnauzer mix - 10 years old-2024]
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Rescue, Lucky [English Pointer - RIP], Autumn & Al
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Rescue, Buddy [Terrier mix - 16 years old-2024]
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Neo [Boxer Mix - RIP] & Rescue, Dingo [Shepherd mix - RIP]
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Rescue, Cleo [Basset Hound - RIP]
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Rescue, Henry [Labrador mix - RIP]
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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.