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Sunday, July 23, 2017

Writing Prompt: The Challenge: Love, True Love

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

This week’s prompt challenges you to write something outside of your comfort zone. It’s designed to push your creative boundaries and stretch those artistic wings.

This week’s challenge:

Write a love scene.


What type of love is totally up to you. It could be first love, passionate love, sexy weekend love, the love between a guy and his car, or a girl and her goldfish. As long as the emotion flows.

The goal here is to dig deep and draw on the emotions associated with being or falling in love.

If you already write romance, push yourself out of what you normally write and get steamier. If you write steamy, flip it and write a sweet, chaste love scene.

Have fun.




1 comment:

  1. Hi, Janice. I felt compelled to share a short extract from a longer piece written for an exercise about conflict. I hope it fits the criteria for your prompt.
    **
    'Shall we start this interview about your book by giving our viewers a little background information?'

    Sure. I was a Green beret. They taught me combat skills and techniques. For instance: a single sheet of paper, folded a certain way, can be lethal in a trained person's hands. I acquired such skills -- and used them -- that's why I'm still alive. My scarred body is testament to battles fought and won; each blemish a notch on a gun butt for a life taken.

    'Are you ashamed, or repentant of that period in your life?'

    No. A job needed doing, and I had the mind-set to accomplish it.

    'Have you found that useful in your current dilemma?'

    No. Few things from my military career are of any use against the enemy that consumes my current life. Discipline, tenacity, and fortitude perhaps. Love is my most powerful weapon against the unbeatable foe that's devouring my wife, Janet, piece by piece. Our love has been strong since the day we met over 59 years ago.

    '59 years together? That's something to be proud of.'

    It sure is. It's the lynchpin that binds us in a joint embrace of defiance as we struggle to delay the invincible assailant's onslaught. Some rare days tempt us to grasp the Victor's cup and hold it aloft...despite knowing it's a fruitless gesture, yet enabling the essence of joy to bless our remaining time together.

    'What about the other days?'

    On other days, when Alzheimer's drags Janet deeper into its relentless grasp, icy fingers squeeze my heart, threatening to stop the blood flow. These are the days when our love is more potent; its warmth driving away the icy fingers, and stifling my tears -- the days when my wife needs me most -- the days when I realise I didn't know my true strength.

    'Do you ever think about giving up?'

    Never. I get tired, scared, and despondent...but quitting is not an option. While there's breath in my body, I'll devote myself to easing Janet's pain however and whenever possible. I'll fight for her rights to the best care, protect her from harm, dry her tears, endeavour to bring a smile to her face and a twinkle to her eyes, join hands and revel in the tingle when she squeezes my fingers to show her affection, and continue to love her with deep devotion. Together, we are still a formidable force.
    **

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