onsdag den 6. april 2022

Words for Wednesday and IWSG

The Words for Wednesday is a movable feast, celebrating writing.

And this is a The more, the merrier kind of endeavour, so Please, remember to follow the links, go and read other peoples' stories.
And please leave a comment after reading. Challenges like this one thrives on interaction, feedback and encouragement.
We ALL need encouragement.


In April you'll find the Words for Wednesday at Messymimi's blog. Today she has given us:

Opinion
Shell
Clue
Seed
Attention
Sit
   
and/or
Story
Makeup
Corn
Emotion
Mess
Circle


This turned into a re-write of a bit of one of the first chapters of Unicorn Farm; my magical autobiography, and once again I took up the additional challenge of using the prompts in the order they were given.

"In my opinion," Susan said, "it is not possible to make  shells into plates. Not nice plates, anyhow.
"Susan," Heidi said, "you really haven't got a clue how transformation works, do you?"
"Oh yes! Of course I have. You swish your wand just so," Susan said and suited action to words, swinging her wand impatiently through the correct move, "and the you tell those stupid shells to turn into plates. Only they don't!"
"Listen, Susan. Inside every thing, every shell, button, or whatever, there's a tiny seed of being. A thing that makes a plate a plate and a shell a shell. You have to sort of push this seed into wanting to be a plate, then the rest will follow."
Heidi had Susan's attention now, her anger at Heidi's lecturing gave way to puzzlement. "Say what?" she said. "Can you say that once again in normal Danish?"
"Sit down," Heidi said and sat down at a big stone herself. Susan followed suit, and Heidi picked up a shell."Look at this shell, every scar and imperfection tells a bit of its story. It is not totally alike to any other shell on the  whole beach."
"Just like snowflakes?" Susan interrupted
"Uh-huh," Heidi said nodding, "something like it. Every grain of sand it ever met, every wave, is a part of its makeup. Pick up another one."
Susan picked up a shell. "Look at it," Heidi said. "Look at the shell-nes of it. Now imagine a cob of corn, all those small shallow holes where the corns have sat. Can you see the similarities?"
Susan nodded.
"If you notice the details of  what make a shell a shell and a corn cob a corn cob," Heidi said, "you can change one into another much easier than by forcing the change."
Different emotions cursed through Susan. Frustration that she was not able to do even the simplest transformation. Envy at Heidi, who could transform shells into plates or corn cobs or anything not alive. Gratitude that Heidi always willingly and patiently shared her knowledge - Susan never realized that she shared just as generously when she was in the know.
Susan said: "I'm tired of trying. My brain has turned to mush. Everything inside my poor skull is one mess. I can't even tell you if the plate I was supposed to think of, is a circle, an octagon or whatever."
"You need an ice cream cone!" Heidi said. "Let's walk up to the bridge and have one."
"Yes!" Susan said. "Doctor Heidi is right. Ice cream cones, and those from the parlour at the bridge in particular, are the medicine of choice to all evils."
Laughing and singing and skipping along the two apprentice witches went along the summery paths leading to the far away bridge with its famed ice cream parlour.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

April 6 question: Have any of your books been made into audio books? If so, what is the main challenge in producing an audio book?

MotherOwl's answer: Nope. None of my books have ever been made into audio books.  And as I love reading books on paper, and never ever have even tried an audio book, I would not know how or where to start doing this.

9 kommentarer:

  1. Learning to do anything so new and different is going to take time, i am so glad Heidi is kind and gentle and helps Susan along.

    Like you, i haven't taken to audio books, but maybe i should look into it as i could listen while i work.

    SvarSlet
    Svar
    1. I love writing Unicor Farm tales. Tahnk you.
      As for Audio book read what EC said. I totally agree.

      Slet
  2. There were a lot of answers of where to start in the posts today - maybe that will help you with an audio book.

    SvarSlet
    Svar
    1. If it ever becomes relevant, I will be sure to do just this. Thank you!

      Slet
  3. I am yet to try an audio book. And not tempted by them either. I like to read, to absorb, to think about what I am reading and sometimes go back and reread an earlier bit. None of which technology helps.
    I love your rewrite, and of course Susan generously shares her knowledge when she has it. And equally of course, she becomes frustrated when she doesn't.

    SvarSlet
    Svar
    1. This mirrors my thoughts on reading absolutely.
      And thank you. You know Susan (me) by now, don't you ;)

      Slet
  4. I am wondering now if shells, having a slight curve, would not rather be bowls than flat plates.
    Excellent story, all the words fitted in just right.

    SvarSlet
  5. Heidi sounds like a good teacher, very patient with Susan.

    I'm not a fan of audio books but I can see little children listening to stories read by others is more educational since hearing words help them sound them out better, I think.

    Have a lovely day.

    SvarSlet

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