I’ve been reading some good reviews of The Bird Sisters, local author Rebecca Rasmussen’s debut novel of place and family, based on her family and her place growing up in rural Wisconsin. She wondered, “what if…” Maybe, just for fun, you can invite some of the people in your life into a new story. Cloud their true identities and stretch your imagination. As a nonfiction writer, I have a huge respect for fiction writers. I’ve been trying my hand at flash (super short) fiction based on real life to pull more creativity out of my hat. It’s good exercise for the brain, and some of us really need that.

What if my childhood was less than ideal?
Oh, yeah – it was.
What if I didn’t get along with my sister?
Oh, yeah – I didn’t.
What if I wasn’t so popular?
Oh, yeah – I wasn’t.
What if I wrote a different story?
You mean – tell the truth?

Linda Austin
“Cherry Blossoms in Twilight”
http://www.moonbridgebooks.com