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A to Z challenge: The letter B: Books

Ron's Books and Dogs

A to Z Challenge: Ron's Books

Writing prompt: BOOKS

Provided by: Allmyposts a fellow participant of the A to Z challenge. Visit him! Also, please drop me a prompt in the comments!

Genre: Fiction/Flash

—————–

Ron hated books. But his mother said they would do him good, and since he did not hate his mother, he took his books for walks. In the park, the books would jump at each other, snarl and snap at Ron’s heels.

Once, one of the books had managed to get him, and Ron suddenly found himself in another park altogether, with a crazy girl called Alice who kept growing smaller and bigger, giving him a dizzy spell. Then she wanted to pull him down a rabbit hole. Ron had struggled, and back in his own park, he had never wanted to touch books again.

Another time it was a gripey old man who wanted to catch a large white whale called Dick, which was not as bad as when he met a Don who spent more time falling off an old mare called Rocinante than riding her. Ron did not want any part of that.

After a childhood spent running from books that snapped and barked but never quite caught him, Ron found the book  A Boy and His Dog on his mother’s favorite park bench, when he was eighteen years old. His mother was long dead by then. Curious, he began to read.

But that is another story.

———————————-

I still need prompts for the rest of the alphabet, so keep them coming! I’m tweeting A to Z posts at #atozchallenge: mine, and the others’ I like!

Thanks and shout-outs to organisers Arlee Bird (Tossing It Out) , Jeffrey Beesler’s (World of the Scribe),  Alex J. Cavanaugh (Alex J. Cavanaugh) , Jen Daiker ( Unedited), Candace Ganger (The Misadventures in Candyland) , Karen J Gowen  (Coming Down the Mountain) , Talli Roland ,  Stephen Tremp (Breakthrough Blogs )

Damyanti Biswas

Damyanti Biswas is the author of You Beneath Your Skin and numerous short stories that have been published in magazines and anthologies in the US, the UK, and Asia. She has been shortlisted for Best Small Fictions and Bath Novel Awards and is co-editor of the Forge Literary Magazine. Her literary crime thriller series, the Blue Mumbai, is represented by Lucienne Diver from The Knight Agency. Both The Blue Bar and The Blue Monsoon were published in 2023.

I appreciate comments, and I always visit back. If you're having trouble commenting, let me know via the contact form, or tweet me up @damyantig !

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51 Comments

  • indigo bunting says:

    I freakin’ love this.

  • I love your site and as I browsed your blog I decided to award you the Creative Blog Award.
    Go to http://astorybookworld.blogspot.com/p/awards.html and pick up your award.
    ~Deirdra

  • SharleneT says:

    Visiting from the A-Z Challenge. I can’t imagine life without books. I’ve had my nose in one since I started to read — gosh, I think, before the alphabet was created. Wait! Let me go ask Og.
    Come visit when you can at:
    http://www.mainstreamsolarcooking.com
    http://rockingchairreflections.blogspot.com (A-Z)

    Sharlene, thanks for the visit. I’ve had my nose buried in books forever as well, and no book ever snapped at it :)WIll see you on your blog soon!

  • oh says:

    Dear D, THOROUGHLY enjoyed this one. Fresh. Fun. And turned story-ing on its head. Onward, onward!

    Oh thankyou! Means much to me to hear it from one of my beloved bloggers!

  • Nahno McLein says:

    That’s a nice flash story.
    Very Harry Potterish.
    Nahno ∗ McLein

    Thanks Nahno 🙂

  • Juliet Boyd says:

    Love the story, will definitely be back to see the rest of the alphabet.

    Juliet, thank you, appreciate it. Do come back.

  • Lucy Adams says:

    Wow. Excellent writing. I love this post. Keep it coming.

    How about zoomerang for Z.

    Sincerely,
    Lucy

    Lucy, that sounds like a good prompt…I’ll definitely need to be super-creative for Z! Thanks for the visit and I’ll come visit you soon.

  • Kari Marie says:

    I’ve come to appreciate (actually love) flash fiction. I enjoyed your B Flash.

    Thanks Kari. I hope you enjoy the rest as well. And I hope I’m able to write them. *runs and hides under the table*

  • Arlee Bird says:

    Cute twist. Fun story.

    Contrary to my usual practice of subscribing to comments, to save time during challenge I will not be doing so during April. If you want to respond to my comment , please email me directly from your email notification for the comment.
    Thanks.

    Lee
    Tossing It Out
    Twitter hashtag: #atozchallenge

    Lee, so sweet of you to comment every single day. Thanks again for organising this.

  • ExpatGab says:

    As usual Damyanti your writing is superb. I look forward to the rest of the month. I decided to start a blog but then didn’t put anything on it. I thought that I could kickstart it off with the A-Z Challenge. I hope I can make it all the way.
    I’m at giftof.wordpress.com

    Gab!!! Wow! fancy meeting you here! Am so glad you’re doing the challenge too. Will hop across to your blog asap. All the very best and hugsss!!!

  • Martha (MM) says:

    I’m visiting from the A-Z Blogging Challenge. Have a great weekend and a fun A-Z April!

    Thanks Martha, you too!

  • Ellen says:

    Great idea to post varied writing; This was so creative, books that snip and snarl. Loved it~

    Ellen, thanks. No book ever snarled at me. They’re selective, perhaps. 🙂

  • Stopping by to say, Hi.

    Nice to meet you.

    I loved your story. I’m doing flash fiction too.

    Hi Michael. I stopped by at your post and liked it! All the best for the challenge.

  • Ellie says:

    That was brilliant – a post about book, but really a book story! Loved it.

    Ellie Garratt

    Thanks Ellie, glad you like it. Come back for C :). I’m going to visit you soon

  • This is such a great idea 🙂 I love that you’re supporting other writers, and doubling the fun / challenge by asking for prompts! (We’re going to have a great 26 days!)

    Thanks Jolene, feel free to add prompts for me 🙂

  • Susanna says:

    Nice 🙂 Are you Malaysian or Singaporean, by the way? 🙂

    Thanks! Neither, actually. I’m an expat in both countries.

  • Grandpa says:

    Children and adults should be surrounded by books.

    C for ‘character’?

    Grandpa
    Life on The Farm

    I agree. Am afraid, I have already done C, and am now looking for prompts G onwards. A big thanks all the same 🙂

  • Alex Fayle says:

    I love these sorts of surreal clips. Wonderfully literary while still being readable. Beautifully done.

    Alex, thank you. That means a lot, coming from a writer like you.

  • doreen says:

    I loved this!

    Thanks, Doreen!

  • Ron Easton says:

    Great idea and great storyline too…my name’s Ron too. I think you stole a bit of my life… but I don’t mind I wasn’t using my past anyway.

    Ron, I’m glad you liked the storyline 🙂 This is the story of the past of a lot of lives…not everyone gets into reading early in life.

  • Julia Smith says:

    Love how it ended!

    A Piece of My Mind

    Thanks Julia! I don’t hate the ending myself 🙂

  • Haha! I couldn’t help but giggle! After reading this, I have this crazy urge to watch The Pagemaster, too. (That’s the one with the talking pirate and fairy books, right?)

    LOL, I looked up the movie, and now I want to watch it too 🙂

  • Fantastic! I thought this was going to be a post ABOUT books, and instead, it’s a STORY about books! I read blogs more for entertainment than for education, honestly – and I enjoyed this. Thanks.

    Holly Jahangiri
    It’s All a Matter of Perspective
    This year, it’s personal – I’m now a “survivor.” Please give to Relay for Life.

    Thanks Holly, I’m glad I could entertain you, you made my day!

  • Great story 🙂

    Wagging Tales – Blog for Writers

    Thanks Charmaine, and I liked your blog too.

  • The end of your post left me curious for more.
    Edge of Your Seat Romance

    Thanks Raquel. I’ve met you before on blogfests, from my other blog. Great to see you here.

  • Margo Kelly says:

    Fun post! Happy B-day. I’m from the A-Z Challenge – nice to meet you! 🙂

    http://www.margokelly.blogspot.com

    Hi Margo, nice to meet you too. I tried to comment on your blog, but could not, and I can’t access you on Twitter. So, I’ve mailed my comment to you 🙂

  • This was fun. I just got Flashed!

    It was, and you did :). Thanks for the visit.

  • If books kept after me like that, I would start reading as well.

    They did keep after Ron, and the book he picked at 18 tried to rein him in. I’ve always wondered what it is like for people who hated books.

  • interesting post. Good luck on Challenge!

    Thanks, and good luck to you as well.

  • TS Hendrik says:

    Nice ending! I love stories that give you just that quick punch at the end.

    Thanks TS Hendrik. Please come on by again for more stories.

  • Alison says:

    What a great, fun, creative, clever story! I loved it. Thanks for sharing.

    Alison, you’re most welcome. I plan to write flashes for all the 26 days.

  • Wonderful post, I enjoyed reading your take on books. Good luck with the challenge.

    Thanks Claire, for your kind comment, and good luck to you, too.

  • Beth says:

    This was a cute story, and it was a great idea to work short stories into the A-Z challenge. I would have never thought about that.
    bethfred.com

    Thanks Beth, both for your visit and the comment.

  • Ju Dimello says:

    Liked the story – simple and yet imaginative 🙂

    I didn’t know how to follow in wordpress…so hopping over to your blogspot to follow 🙂

    I got most of my A-Z idea in my dreams 😉

    Thanks, Ju, both for your comment, and the follow!

  • Lindsay says:

    Fun!! Thanks for hopping by Tiptoe-Kisses today:) So fun to meet these new people on the A to Z challenge!

    You’re welcome 🙂 Thanks for your comment.

  • I remember that grouchy old man too. I loved those two kids from the sticks and the runaway slave who navigated the great Mississippi River. Still can’t believe my library banned that book.

    Thanks for your thoughtful comment, and for helping to host the challenge.

  • Sue Roebuck says:

    What a great way to celebrate A-Z Challenge. Excellent story. So that’s “b” done. Now for “c”.
    Sue

    Thanks Sue, C is already scheduled…come back to read it on Monday 🙂

  • Rekha says:

    Lovely b post…books enthrall and inspire, churn our guts and burn our imagination.

    Thanks, Rekha, and yes, I agree with you about books.

  • Laura Eno says:

    Loved this! Very clever B!
    Thanks, and do stop by again on Monday 🙂

  • What a great story. Simple, and yet wonderfully visual. I would like to see what happened next!

    Thanks for stopping by my blog yesterday! =)

    I like your stuff.. I’m subscribed!

    Thanks for subscribing, I hope I live up to expectations! I’m loving your posts too.

  • Becky says:

    Again, this is just fantastic! I smiled the whole way through…

    Happy Saturday!

    Thanks, Becky, both for stopping by and your comment :). C and D are scheduled, and I hope you like them as well!

  • K.C. Woolf says:

    Great, a fellow ‘Books’ blogger 🙂
    Nice to meet you and see you around.

    Nice to meet you too, and do come back often!

  • Talli Roland says:

    I love this! Really looking forward to reading the rest of your posts.

    Thanks Talli! On Monday my post will be inspired by your prompt 🙂

  • Toby Neal says:

    What a wonderful idea. I may steal it (stories). Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, you know.
    Aloha
    T
    http://www.tobyneal.net/

    I’m flattered already that you’ve chosen to visit me the second time :D. Steal away!

  • Oh darn. I meant to tell you on the “A” post but this one also…love the creativity. Very impressive and can’t wait to read the rest.

    Thanks Christina. I hope I can hit the finish line 🙂

  • Prem Rao says:

    Wonderful idea. Look forward to the posts to come!

    Thanks Mr. Rao. I hope you visit often.

  • anna says:

    OH! You’re doing flash fiction too! Awesome sauce =)

    Yes, I am, and am so happy there are others doing the same!

  • That was a fun story!

    Thanks, Patricia. Appreciate your comment.

  • Dafeenah says:

    I don’t want to repeat myself for the next 26 days so I will have to figure out how many different ways I can say I loved this. Telling stories outside the box. Truly amazing.

    Dafeenah