The Thursday Doors Writing Challenge 2026
is over, but I’m still writing the occasional story for
any image that catches my fancy … and hopefully yours!
Today’s story is inspired by an image by Resa @ Art Gowns.
Thanks to Dan Antion for making these images available.
Opening sentence is from Missy’s Mad Challenge.
Category: Short Story
The Good Stuff
Written for “It’s Story Time” with Jolene.
Our four prompt lines are shown below.
Big Blue
At Great Minds Think, Sarah & Rohini
offer up ‘The Object Speaks Challenge’
where we are invited to give a voice to
the objects we usually overlook. This
is a rewrite of a story I wrote in 2023.
Passage
Written for Muse On Monday where David
asks us to write a story about trying a new food.
The Letter
Written for Sadje’s What Do You See
Continue reading “The Letter”Chalmer’s Close
The Thursday Doors Writing Challenge 2026
is over, but I’m still writing the occasional
story for any image that catches my fancy …
and hopefully yours! Today’s story is inspired
by an image by David Booth. Many thanks to
Dan Antion for making these images available.
The Tortoise and the Hornbill
Written for MLMM Monday Wordle;
here are the prompt words:
shoulder, hide, care, join, share, pride
pleasure, steps, betrayed, friend, kind, missed
The Wrym
Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle. Our host is
Brenda Warren; her words for this week are:
wave ~ turning ~ unholy ~ lips ~ swagger ~ lost
dead ~ rise ~ twist ~ blade ~ feast ~ edges
Just Like Heaven
Written for FOWC with Fandango.
with the prompt word “earthquake”
and for Sue & Gerry’s Weekly Prompts
Weekend Challenge word ‘stop’.
Having Words
Written for Violet’s Literary Quote Challenge.
“It’s not what enters men’s mouth that is evil.
It’s what comes out of their mouths that is.”
Promised Land: Fire & Water – From Mount Breckan to SS Waratah
Inspired by Max’s blog called ‘Old Steam Ships’.
This is my fiction story combined with facts about
four passengers on board the doomed SS Waratah.
Let It Rain
Written for Thursday Inspiration #328 –
“Bad Idea Right?” and for Fandango’s
Story Starter FSS #251. Here’s my response.
Tender Spot
Written for Violet’s Literary Quote Challenge.
I have combined two quotes into one piece ….
from her stories “Left the Field” and “Sorrow”.
Orchard Street, NYC, 1906
Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle. Our host is
Brenda Warren; her words for this week are
shown below. Here’s where they took me.
fright ~ runner ~ potatoes ~ road ~ drifting ~ twisted
pinch ~ glassy ~ prickled ~ neck ~ shifted ~ still
What the Walls Kept Out: An Impossible Situation
Written for Great Minds Think Friday Challenge
where Rohini presents “An Impossible Situation:
Everyone hears their ancestors voices for a day”.
My story is about the brother I never got to know.
Porch Talk
Written for Violet’s Literary Quote Challenge.
I have combined two quotes into one piece;
They are shown below. This is my story.
The Last Ride
Written for “It’s Story Time” where Jolene
has given us four prompts to work with.
They are shown below; here’s where they took me.
Pinotage: A Thursday Inspiration
Written for Thursday Inspiration #327 –
“Love Is Like Oxygen”. Here’s my response.
The Weight of Silence
Story inspired by a photo by Crispina Kemp.
I created the plot based on true characters.
When Words Collide: Malone & the Saint
Happy to take part in the first Great Minds
Think Friday Challenge where Sarah and
Rohini present “When Words Collide!”.
This week we have two people from very
different worlds having a conversation.
Harwick: Small Town, Large Voice
Written for Muse On Monday. David asks us
to write a story where something is caught on
camera. Here’s where the prompt took me.
The Incident
Written for Fandango’s Story Starter.
Here’s where the prompt line took me.
Remember
Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle. Our host is
Brenda Warren; her words for this week are
shown below. Here’s where they took me.
kindle ~ risk ~ dig ~ until ~ differing ~ chill
spin ~ waning ~ ghost ~ softly ~ alone ~ know
AI Challenge: My Story
Written for Melissa’s Fandango Flash Fiction
Challenge using this image for inspiration.
Here’s where the image took me.
Caveat: This is not fiction
The Lifeboat – April 10, 1968
Inspired by a new blog called ‘Old Steam Ships’
by our friend, Max, this is a fictionalized account
in the voice of Tom Dartford, Quartermaster
of the New Zealand ferry, TEV Wahine.
Please show support for Max’s new endeavor
by checking out his blog. Thank you!
The Old Country
Written for Muse On Monday. David asks
us to write a story where a mistake ends up
being beneficial. Here’s where the prompt took me.
The Big Sigh: A Dirk Malone Story
Written for Sunday Whirl Wordle. Our host is
Brenda Warren; her words for this week are
shown below. Here’s where they took me.
sighs ~ siren ~ knocking ~ still ~ centered ~ lost
slip ~ doors ~ true ~ screams ~ beneath ~ curse
The Continuing Adventures of George & Martha, Vol. 10: The One That Got Away
Written for Crimson’s Creative Challenge.
Here’s where the image took me.
Showing Up
Written for Reena’s Xploration Challenge,
where we are taking a rather broad look at
AGE-ING, and the relationship between
generations. This is my story.
The Plank
Written for Thursday Doors Writing Challenge 2026.
This week I am writing a story inspired by a photo
by Katy Trail of an abandoned building that
looks like it holds a lot of dark secrets.
Here’s where the image took me.
The Elephant's Trunk 