Thursday, October 20, 2022

Killer Thriller Review to Live #WEP #WEPFF

I haven't been around as much as usual. Last weekend marked the eighth funeral this year. I don't have enough of myself left to split into smaller pieces. I spent the start of this month shuffling back and forth between hospitals as two people, one a very dear friend ("found family") and one an aunt-in-law, fought for their lives. The aunt is better. My friend is still fighting. There just isn't more of me to give right now. I'm hoping and planning to do NaNoWriMo next month. (https://nanowrimo.org/participants/j-lenni-dorner) There's a project I want to finish before the end of the year. 

https://litreactor.com Nuts and Bolts: “Thought” Verbs
I came across this. And now I wonder how often I've made that error. 
Because absolutely nothing will help motivate me to focus on finishing something like an article that points out a potentially serious flaw in my writing! (Heavy sarcasm.) 

I considered not entering WEP this round. I don't want to share my "sob story" of why I've been neglectful in my blogging and visiting. (I'm running a blogging challenge at A to Z, and I haven't even managed to take part. 🤦🏽‍♂️ The shame!) I really was going to skip this WEPFF, even though I LOVE this prompt. I feel so guilty about not devoting my usual amount of time to visiting other blogs that I've worked my disgrace into the story.

I was watching tv in the hospital room while a nurse tended to my friend. And a line from the show wormed into my mind. It brought up a memory of something I did on Twitter years and years ago, back when I was a noob and didn't know any of the unspoken social graces of social media. I had reached out to ask some people why they didn't follow me back. (Never do this.) A few actually did follow back instead of answering. But more attacked me for being passive-aggressive. (Definition: "indirectly expressing negative feelings instead of openly addressing them.") I didn't know my question was an expression of a negative feeling, or that I had a negative feeling. I thought I was just trying to learn why some people opted not to follow back, especially if they joined a "follow-train." (A thing that Twitter has largely phased out.) The 😡 anger that was spewed back at me by some people caused me to abandon Twitter for a few weeks.

 
Noun. enbyfriend (plural enbyfriends) (slang, neologism) A non-binary partner in an unmarried romantic relationship.
Vocabulary lesson

The character in this story has a very different response. I hope you enjoy the story that almost didn't exist. 
Dedicated to David, RIP, cowboy, husband, and father taken too soon. 

Tagline: Not reviewing really kills you.


Review to Live


Body disposal is one of life's little annoyances. Decomposing human remains have to be dealt with though. I read that over a hundred billion people have died since the beginning of human life. Yet some detective might focus on just one missing body, blame me entirely, and then I'd need to be disposed of as just another corpse. Ridiculous. 


Thus, I am exceedingly careful with the remains of my lessons. Such a shame that it comes to this. If only people could be better to each other.


For example, I recently sent a message to someone. "Hey, Dave! Just a reminder to leave a review for the thriller That Was It by Jackson Michaël. It's the one about the guy who summons monsters to scare a girl he likes so he can save her from them, but she ends up saving them both, as well as her enbyfriend."


I'm doing a service. Grandmama always said, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." She said it was the most valuable lesson of her faith. That same faith is well-known for killing those who don't follow it. So it stands to reason that, if someone doesn't follow this golden lesson, I have a duty to send their soul for punishment. You see?


Jackson Michaël always leaves reviews. Jackson Michaël follows back all who follow first on social media. Jackson Michaël leaves a like for every like received, and gives a share for every share given. Jackson Michaël does unto others as he would have them do unto him. Me. I am Jackson Michaël. But I am also ReminderBlade77. 


Do you know how Dave replied? 


@ReminderBlade77 That's a #PassiveAggressive way to ask for reviews #AttentionWhore. I'm blocking you and the author.


Not leaving a review is bad enough. Insulting me for a friendly reminder? I was doing unto Dave as I want done unto me! I like getting a reminder if I've forgotten to do something, especially something as important as maintaining good manners. I explained this to Dave as I chopped him up and disposed of his body. See how polite I am? Some killers would leave a body to rot, to be picked at by animals, or to suffer a prolonged death by not properly finishing the job straight away. 


Do you remember getting a copy of the thriller That Was It by Jackson Michaël now? One simple review and we could have avoided all this messiness. Did you enjoy it? How was it interesting as a thriller? Would you recommend it, and to who? What kept you turning the pages? Will you read more of Jackson Michaël's works? Do you usually read thrillers?


If you had just taken the time to answer a few simple questions, to scribble down a few thoughts and feelings, you wouldn't be living in a thriller right now. Or dying in one.




Google proof there is no ReminderBlade77

FCA 480 Words

J Lenni Dorner (he/him 👨🏽 or 🧑🏽 they/them) ~ Reference& Speculative Fiction Author, OperationAwesome6 Debut Author Interviewer, and Co-host of the #AtoZchallenge

Questions toward the end of this flash fiction are borrowed from my reference book:
Writing Book Reviews As An Author: Inspiration To Make It Easier



Thriller Song by Michael Jackson Movie: Michael Jackson's This Is It GOOGLE SEARCH

14 comments:

  1. Hi,
    Your barrel has been full lately and I am sorry to hear that. Be kind to yourself as you go through your challenges. All the best.
    Shalom aleichem

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  2. Condolences for your losses. That you even maintain a blog at such a time is miraculous. Taking part in NANO too. WOW. Just remember to take care of you.
    I'm afraid I'm still ignorant of all the 'social' liabilities/obligations.

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  3. Sorry for your losses this year.
    Some writers go to extraordinary lengths to get a review. Sort-of "Review my book or else..." A terrifying idea. I hope never to encounter such an aggressive review-seeker. But then, I don't usually read thrillers. Maybe I'm safe.

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  4. I know how important reviews are to writers in order to gain the attention of buyers to consider purchasing the book. But I don't believe they are quite as important as Jackson Michael believes. What a topsy turvy story!

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  5. I'm so sorry for the loss that's been surrounding you this year. That's so difficult!! Hope things ease up for you and yours.
    Loved the twists in your piece - you always have intriguing pathways to follow!

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  6. I am sorry for the tsunami of losses you are facing.
    Social media manners? Sadly neglected. Wrong as it is of me I can see and understand just where your protagonist is coming from.

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  7. I'm so sorry for your losses. Take care of yourself.
    I have no clue about netiquette and twitter/SM manners.
    Your takes on the prompts are always interesting and unique, enjoyed reading as usual. Neat little horror flash, chilling but also relatable, not sure what that says about me.

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  8. It sounds like you've had an annus horribilis, as the late Queen Elizabeth II said. I'm sorry to hear that.
    Twitter (or, as I'm more inclined to call it, Twatter) is a cesspool. I would have ditched it long ago, except it's been the most useful of the social media platforms as far as sharing links goes.

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  9. Hi J Lenni! I knew you were having a bad year, but surely it can't get any badder, eh? Hospital visits can be draining. I hope your friend makes it and so glad your aunt is better. You need to take care of you, too. Give yourself a break. NANO is a useful way to tidy up some work. But something has to give when you're time/emotionally poor. Even more reason we're thrilled at WEP that you took the time to write for us.

    BTW, thought your thrilling story was great and very up to the minute. I hope reviews don't really lead to murder. I'd love to ignore social media. I practically ignore FB but I know I'm supposed to keep my followers happy. I prefer Twitter as I can just post something small and get outter there!

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  10. I'm sorry you're having such a difficult year. Loss seems to come in waves. I had a similar year in 2011. I hope things get better for you soon.
    I absolutely loved your story! The tone was perfect. I can understand your protagonist's frustrations. Manners are definitely lacking on the internet.

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  11. Wow, interesting and intriguing take on the prompt. I avoid social media for the sake of my sanity.

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  12. Hi JL - you've had lots going on - hospital/s are always so difficult - emotional and draining - with thoughts. I'm glad I've been as careful as I can with social media ... I try and relate to the person I'm communicating with ... but I'm not published, nor do I do much social media at all - your storyline sadly rang true ... take care and all the best - Hilary

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  13. Will need to watch out for that writer friend of yours.

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  14. Maybe I have a dark sense of humor, but I laughed at the chopping up of the body for not writing a review! I write reviews for theaters and some books. I get reminders and pressures. This past weekend, some local theater folks asked why I reviewed one show and not the other. So, this entry hit home for me. (I hope no one chops my head off for not writing a review, or not writing it they way they want!)

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