A Year of Writing Prompts: January 5

Ghostly ruins: Are these ruins really haunted?
Or is there a connection with a mystery, or an ancient crime?
Who used to live and worship here?

Prompts

1. In Syria, tonight is the Night of the Magic Camel. Write a story involving a magic camel.
2. It's the feast day of St Simeon Stylites the Elder, a hermit who lived on top of a ten foot high pillar. What might his thoughts have been as he sat there watching everyone else in the world going about their business?
3. According to the Kiowa tribe, in 1834, this was the night the stars fell. Why did the stars fall? What were the consequences?
4. "Our country, right or wrong." Stephen Decatur
5. This night was the last of the Wild Nights when according to pagan belief, animals could talk, the spirits of the dead would return and a Wild Hunt crossed the sky. Write a story about the events of this night.

Character Names

Leah, Lea, Simon, Alvin, Faye, Edward, Andrea, Hannah

Character Traits

• Live to enjoy themselves with little thought for the future.
• When hardships arise, they tackle them without complaint.
• Like to have an emotional connection with others but are not sentimental.
• Likely to travel a lot, possibly in connection with their work, and live romantic, exciting lives.
• Fond of horses and riding.
• An interest in dream symbolism.
• Capacity for learning which continues throughout life.
• Intuitive and artistic yet at the same time, practical.
• There may be an aura of mystery about them which stops others from getting close to them.
• They are generous by nature, but their intuition will be spot on when it comes to people who are sponging or taking advantage - so they won't get taken for a ride. They will only give to those in genuine need.
• See God as a spiritual intelligence.
• Want to be recognised for their talents and achievements.
• Musical conductor, running a business or farm, explorer or archaeologist are all careers they would be successful in.
• Daring exploits could lead to accidents.
• Relationships based purely on sexual attraction are likely to cause problems.

Possible Themes

Rivalry.

Physical fitness and spiritual teaching.

Uniformity.

Conscription.

Objects

A horse; books floating in the sea; dinosaur bones.