Written as a response to the Muse on Monday prompt for May 25, 2026: Write a story where a mistake ends up being beneficial Manly in Pink “So what’s this?” my neighbor Trent asked, swaggering over from his garage to stare at the truck-sized box in my driveway. “Nothing,” I said casually, trying to keep the smugness…
Tag: Muse on Monday
Muse on Monday – May 25, 2026
The writer Neil Gaiman accidentally misspelled the name Caroline in a book and wrote Coraline instead. It struck him as interesting and he eventually made a character and a whole book around that. It was a mistake but something good came of it. I don’t suppose anyone loves making mistakes, but it’s nice when it…
Grid Games
This story is a response to the Muse on Monday prompt for May 18, 2026: Write a story about a game Grid Games The chalked grid on the wall outside my door was two lines crossed with two more. A piece of chalk was wedged into a crack nearby. It was a pretty obvious tic-tac-toe setup, even…
Muse on Monday – May 18, 2026
Games are kind of like stories. There is a point of conflict (everyone is trying to win), a climax (the end of the game or round) and stakes (bragging rights, if nothing else, unless you’re playing for money). Some games, like Clue, have actual stories inside them, where the game is about a group of…
Muse on Monday – May 11, 2026
One of the most common story plots is the quest, and one of the main types of quests is trying to find someone or something. Think of trying to find treasure in Treasure Island or any number of mystery books about looking for a missing person. Then there’s Moby Dick with the hunt for the…
My Sister’s Keeper
Written as a response to the Muse on Monday prompt for May 4, 2026: Write a story that has to do with household chores My Sister’s Keeper I dip my hands into the scalding dishwater. As hot as you can stand it, my mother always said. “I’ve been taking care of her for my whole life. I…
Muse on Monday – May 4, 2026
You know what doesn’t normally make a good story? Doing the dishes. Or laundry. Or dusting or any of the other normal household chores we have to do. That’s because these are regular actions that probably don’t have much conflict involved. However, there are engaging stories everywhere so the fun is finding one. Story Prompt:…
History is in the Eye of the Beholder
Written as a response to the Muse on Monday prompt: Write a story based around a death or funeral History is in the Eye of the Beholder The king was dead, finally. The blessedly-late Kale XXVIII had white-knuckled onto life for 116 years until he had finally meandered away from his mortal coil. Now the…
Muse on Monday – April 27, 2026
Death is a major change event and not just for the person that just got ejected into the Great Beyond. It’s a huge adjustment for the people left behind. Beyond dealing with the grief and loss, there are financial issues like inheritance or losing money to creditors. If a leader dies, there might be huge…
Muse on Monday – April 20, 2026
What do you think of when you think of a first date? Maybe two people meeting nervously in a restaurant or coffee shop, maybe going to a movie. However, people meet and fall in love in all sorts of situations, ideal and otherwise. This week’s prompt is to think of one of those less-than-ideal situations….
The Green-Walled Treehouse 