What happens when a writer is given strange, challenging and completely unexpected prompts?
For Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop alum Laurie O’Connor Stephans, the result is Once a Prompt a Time: Stories Sparked by Quirky Contest Prompts (Peggy’s Library Card Publishing). Laurie’s first book is a collection of innovative short stories ranging from 100-3,000 words across multiple genres. Each was written under a tight deadline (sometimes just 24 hours) and within the guidelines of specific and decidedly unusual prompts.
Like the prompts themselves, the book is one-of-a-kind in that the original prompt appears at the end of the story it inspired, allowing readers to experience the story with no spoilers or preconceived notions.
For fans of fiction, Once a Prompt a Time allows the reader to explore a variety of genres and maybe try a new one without committing to a full-length novel. It’s an ideal option for book clubs — something for everyone and guaranteed to spur lively discussion.
For writers, it’s a playbook for entering prompted fiction contests and offers examples of what can be accomplished when writers overcome the trepidation of being forced out of their genre comfort zones.
O’Connor Stephans lives in a far western suburb of Chicago (aka the greatest city in the world). By day, she works at a law firm. By night (when not fighting crime), she exercises her writing muscles in favor of the real ones. Most of her fiction features humor and twist endings, while she observes real life on the pages of her blog, We B Late.