Wednesday Wrap Up Post - I Need a Change...new Challenge, Romantic Picnic.

Welcome members and friends. A special hello to those new members who have signed up recently - Kavita Nair and Jaszy. Welcome to all new followers. Hopefully Donna and myself will find the time to pop by and say hello. Please feel confident to join in the fun here at RFW. We are a very supportive writing community.

Now to the wrap up for I Need a Change.This prompt brought forth mystery and hope. Great work everybody!

In the order I read and took notes:

NANCY: Welcome back to one of our earliest members who's had so much turmoil in her private life she hasn't been able to post for some time. This challenge brought her back with a vengeance with her story of a loveless marriage, putting up with it for the kids' sake. The humour was sustained throughout which made a painful story easy to read with a chuckle or two. I loved the allusions to old things - Old Spice - the things she likes. This story is about change - and second chances.

MADELEINE: Madeleine delivered a perfectly structured flash fiction prose piece which was lovely and romantic. I loved the comparisons of the delightful customer to coffee - 'Those delicious coffee mocha eyes". Obviously getting rid of the old boyfriend was part of the change. Something is definitely brewing.

CRYSTAL: Young love on fire. An eternal theme. However, like most young love, the fire had burnt itself out and she needs a change. But memories never die, they refuse to. First love never lets us go, no matter what the future holds. I found this a tender, life affirming story.

DONNA: Such an hilarious piece. I love Donna's dry humour which was there in her descriptions. It rang true, a bit like the Aussie stereotype of the slobby male in the lounge chair sucking beer watching the footy (definitely NEVER The Simpsons). Maybe that's why I found it so funny. The routine of the 9pm shower, despite the wife reclining in her revealing negligee, is about to be shattered. Is she off to greener pastures? Surely she won't miss him! Chilling ending...

ANNA: How we've all enjoyed Anna's ongoing saga of Paul, Jenny and Priscilla. Now we have Priscilla's POV in diary form. Anna has been very creative both with her story and with her delivery using different genres. This love triangle is no one's fault and there will be no easy answers. Hopefully, this story will be crafted into a novel. We'll all be queuing up to read it Anna.

HEATHER: Now Heather flummoxed us all with questions. Who is offering who a free cruise? Is it legit? Would we accept/reject? Heather didn't give much away so we let our imaginations run away with ourselves. I think it'd be a great opening to a thriller. Can see murder and intrigue on the boat already.

ROLAND: The familiar character of Samuel McCord narrates the story of Christmas in August, as Sam waits for DayStar to arrive and kill him. Sam is not alone - the strains of the Moonlight Sonata are playing in the background and Victor Standish pushes open the saloon doors. This is going to be a change for DayStar as he is about to experience his second worst Christmas Eve ever!

SALLY: Ah, this is what I pictured when I set the prompt - a romantic idyll in paradise. This girl needs a change and is she about to get one? The mysterious stranger called Charles Darwin wants a date. Is his name significant? Does this mean she's a survivor? I could imagine Sally's ballad being sung to strumming guitars as she reclines in her hammock. A hopeful story.

LINDA: Marta Braun's secret. She's finally going to change, going to take control of her life. She's turning the tables on her ungrateful son. She's disappeared. Finally he's trying to ring her, but clever mum has disconnected her phone. This story evokes sadness, yet there is a hopeful, optimistic spirit about it. I do feel sorry for the son though. Kids are often thoughtless which can be cruel.

REK: Ah, the mystery. What's in the envelope? You can't stop asking this question after reading Rek's story. There is a lovely voice throughout, then it ends with such impact. Is her hubby a scoundrel? Why didn't he take her to Goa? What's he up to? It's shattering really. Rek, you need to write on here...

ADURA: A very mysterious piece. Adura's character puts pen to paper as she considers her 'options'. As I told Adura in the comments, I was confused at times, and I think Adura meant us to be. The writer herself is confused. She's been derailed by seeing someone, given a jolt, which has sent her reeling to pick up pen and paper. Yet for all the confusion there is self affirmation.

ANDY: Andy departs from his ode to womanhood to take on the role of farewelling a lover who's been less than honest. I like his 'Final Scene' as in a movie. No looking back once this is over. This could have been sad, but I was uplifted that this man is nobody's fool. He could have hung about and been unhappy, but why? Move on. There'll be someone with 'honest tears' for him.

ECLIPSE: It's been awhile since Eclipse has posted and I was overjoyed to see her again. She is an amazing poet. She posted a perfectly-shaped poem, starting with 'I Need a Blank Page' and ending with 'I Need a Blank Mind.' The message was to forget the hurtful past, the 'harsh words' the 'heavy weights' and move on, change, to hope and 'cheerful dreams.'

DENISE: Mine was light and breezy and tempered by my island hopping in Fiji. Not hard to imagine scenarios such as this taking place on these gorgeous islands. But there's always pain involved in holiday romances, so not all light, breezy and romantic after all. I was pleased with the image I used. One of my pics from Mana Island I edited to look like a painting. Cool.

Thanks one and all. Now to our next prompt. Let the romance flow - The Romantic Picnic.

CHALLENGE NO 43

The "Romantic Picnic."  

- Who initiates the picnic; is this a first date or dedication to the continuing relationship? 

- Is there an agenda to the picnic: marriage proposal, pregnancy announcement, promotion or new job assignment? 

 - is the picnic all about the continuing romantic relationship: one lover affirming their devotion to the other, or a mutually shared, opportune moment of togetherness?  

***Any genre, any POV; just remember to include a romantic element and a picnic, in 400 words or less.***

This should be fun! 

Now we're hoping to make this challenge a real blast. Invite your friends, invite other writers or poets you know online. Let's aim for 20 entries. Let's go for our own record! Andy has offered to be our PR person and will take on Facebook via Events and Twitter to spread the word.

And don't forget to return on Monday 20 August to read about the writing successes of some of our RFWers members.