Hi All!
We are back from our road trip to D.C. and Virginia, where we are visiting friends, and my flash fiction story, “Unwelcome Guest” has been published today with 101words.org, where they publish flash fiction everyday! Please check it out if you’ve got a moment–a brief and ghostly tale!
http://www.101words.org/unwelcome-guest/
by melanoma – license Creative Commons 2.0
Exciting news! Today is the day of the Flashdogs’ 2nd Anthology release! The anthology is in two volumes, Solstice: Dark and Solstice: Light. 143 stories are included in both volumes, written by 48 writers. I have been participating in weekly flash fiction contests, and have been excited to read all of the creative flash stories that these writers produce on a regular basis. I was invited via a Golden Ticket in Grace Black’s Three Line Thursday contest to submit stories to Solstice, and embraced the opportunity!
FlashDogs Solstice Anthology, available today, 6/21/15!
I worked from three of the available photo prompts, (two for Solstice: Light and one for Solstice: Dark) and I enjoyed the challenge. I got the opportunity to work with Brian S. Creek, and he gave me helpful feedback on my drafts, and I read one of his drafts as well, and am looking forward to the final version. I’ve ordered my paper copies, and I’m eager to read the other stories. I’m excited to see how a multitude of writers dealt with the same prompts. Based on what I’ve read from many of these writers in the past in various online forums and the first Flashdogs anthology, I’m expecting a variety of creative approaches.
If you’re looking for a summer read, I’d encourage you to get your own paper or ebook copies of Solstice: Light and Solstice: Dark, available via Amazon. The UK links are available on the Flashdogs website.
Hello! Happy May! I am excited to announce that my short story, “The Prophecy,” was published today in Gravel Magazine‘s May issue! What determines a person’s fate? What do hyenas and a hawk have to do with destiny? Find out here, and then click around Gravel and read the wonderful fiction, poetry, flash prose, creative nonfiction, and book reviews posted there.
Paul A. Souders/Corbis – http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/tag/hyenas/
Also, please check out a wonderful story, “Time Capsule,” by good friend Lisa Pais in the most recent issue of Nebula Rift. This is a science fiction story that explores what it really means to be human and is a must-read!
This story was written for the weekly Friday Fictioneers photo prompt from Rochelle Wisoff-Fields on her blog, Addicted to Purple. Check out her blog and click on the blue InLinkz frog below to read other stories and to add your own.
By the way, I have some news: I am honored to be the winner this week of the Three Line Thursday contest! Check out the link to see the stunning photo prompt and to read my entry along with some other fabulous responses. This context runs each week, so if you’re not writing three lines already, you could be very soon!
Copyright Douglas MacIlroy
Returning
(100 words)
Struggling to see through the planet’s haze, they almost missed the station.
“Thank God,” Ray said.
“They must be worried,” Maya said. “So long. They—“
The station door was ajar.
They clutched their guns, advancing.
The only thing out of place was a large green stone in the center of the empty room.
“Maybe they went to find us?”
“No,” Maya said. “We’d have seen them.”
She grimaced, aiming her gun at the green rock. Suddenly, it began to crack and expand. Unable to move, they watched until it became something with a mouth. Then, it was too late.
This story was written for the Friday Fictioneers weekly prompt from Rochelle Wisoff-Fields on her blog, Addicted to Purple. Check out her blog and click on the blue InLinkz frog below to read other stories and to add your own!
Copyright David Stewart
The Final Concert
(100 words)
The last generation of night creatures rustled. The band in the gazebo watched the conductor.
The tuba let out a low moan, too soon. The conductor shook his head. No one turned to look. Though they’d practiced, they understood that this was no rehearsal, and nerves would play their own part in the final concert.
The first flute waved to her son and grandchildren, arriving with a picnic blanket.
A distant grumble sounded; the earth shook. The conductor raised his baton, there was an intake of breath, and the last musicians of the world played an accompaniment to its end.
I hope you’ll also check out my story published with Necessary Fiction this past week. I’ve also been participating in the Three Line Thursday contest run by Grace Black, and won a Golden Ticket from the FlashDogs this week to write for their upcoming anthology! I’m very excited for the opportunity! Check out the FlashDogs on Twitter through #flashdogs and write three lines each Thursday based on a lovely photo prompt!
I’m excited to share that my short story, “Transmutation,” is the featured story for the week, published today with Necessary Fiction! Follow the link to read my story and click around the Necessary Fiction website to read stories and more from very talented writers!
I’ve been having a lot of fun participating in writer David Borrowdale’s weekly flash fiction contest, Micro Bookends. He provides a photo prompt, along with the first and last word, and writers have to fill in the middle with their stories of 90-110 words.
This week, I was chosen as the contest winner with my story, “Shifts.” I was very excited. I may or may not have squealed in the middle of a very intense Scrabble game with my husband. I lost that game, by the way. My husband, though not an English major or writer, is annoyingly brilliant at Scrabble. I love him anyway.
I’m very excited to be judging this week’s Micro Bookends contest, and can’t wait to read the entries at the end of this week! Today, Micro Bookends published an interview with me–I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my thoughts there and to be part of Micro Bookends. I hope you’ll stop by David’s website to read the wonderful fiction there, written by David and others, and to share your writing! You can also follow David and Micro Bookends on Twitter.
I’m excited to announce that my short story, “Not Safe,” was published today with Black Petals Magazine! My story appears right under that of a close friend, M.C. Colby, whose story, “Micah’s Gift,” appears in the same issue. This is my first publication with a magazine, and I’m psyched! There are many fabulous pieces in this issue of Black Petals, and I hope you’ll check it out and let me know what you think!
Here’s the tag line for “Not Safe”:
I have some exciting news to share! I entered the photo-prompted fantasy flash fiction contest on author Jennifer Deese’s website, “To Write is Right!”, and I won! My story, “Play Date,” is currently posted on her blog, along with Karen Mossman’s “I Am Alive,” which took second. Karen’s story is very creepy and hints at a difficult backstory for the narrator! I hope you’ll check out both stories and share your thoughts! Here is the photo prompt used for the contest:
(Jennifer Deese, “To Write is Right!!!!”)
As a prize, I have the opportunity to read Jennifer Deese’s new novelette, The Orchid Keeper. I’m away for a few days right now and borrowing a computer to write this, but I’ll get reading when I return and will let you know what I think. Here is the description from Amazon.com: “Buried in addiction and digging in even deeper with denial Cora’s life is a mess. Until one day her reality takes a turn that lands her in an unfamiliar world. With the otherworldly assistance of Sol she will begin to realize how close she has brought her soul to fading away completely. Is it too late? Or can Cora face down her demons and save her soul?” Very intriguing!
You can follow Jennifer Deese on Twitter: @d_eese
These are her blogs: jennjenn388.wordpress.com and jenniferdeese.wordpress.com
Happy reading and happy new year! Thank you Jennifer Deese! I’m grateful for the opportunity to have participated in your contest, for your blog post, and for your book! A great way to transition into 2015. : ) I’m also grateful for my good friend, author Lisa Pais’s kind words on her blog, The Enchanted Notebook. Lisa is a very talented writer as well, producing fantasy, science fiction, humor, songs, and just about anything she sets her mind to!
If you are new to my blog and enjoy reading “Play Date,” I hope you’ll read some of my other flash fiction:
Miss Literal over at literallyreading.wordpress.com nominated me for a Liebster Award! Thanks, Miss Literal, for your thoughtfulness! I enjoy your reviews, complete with cell phone images and related craft projects! I hope people will check out Miss Literal’s fabulous blog!
So since the rules for this award are:
1. Thank the person who nominated you for the award.
2. Display the logo on your blog.
3. Answer the questions the award giver asked.
4. List 11 facts about yourself.
5. List your 11 nominees with 200 followers or less, no tagbacks. (Sorry, I didn’t do 11!)
The questions I was asked:
1. Favorite comfort food?
My mother’s Swedish meatballs and rice. No question. She usually makes garlic bread with it, too. Damn. Now I’m hungry.
2. Favorite childhood movie?
Hmmm. There were a few–a big one was The Last Unicorn. As an adult, I have read the book, too, after a reminder I read from Patrick Rothfuss–great book, great movie–I still love it. I also love Patrick Rothfuss’s KingKiller Chronicles and I’m eagerly awaiting the conclusion of the trilogy. Eagerly.
3. Favorite current movie?
Oh no, I don’t know! Hmm. I love re-watching good period films–some good Austen will always get me! Then there are others, too, like The Waitress, Ever After, and others that I love. I’m a sucker for beautiful, colorful images on the screen, good lines, good soundtrack–beautiful food movies…
4. Favorite book?
Now I really can’t answer. There are far too many. I love Joyce Carol Oates, Michael Cunningham, Toni Morrison, Jodi Picoult, Stephen King, and so many more. I also have some fantasy loves: Juliet Marillier and Tamora Pierce, in particular.
5. Favorite YouTuber? I don’t have one! I enjoy YouTube, though. New question: What’s a location that means a lot to you? (A coffee shop? A favorite room? A place in nature? A place a world away?)
There are many, but one important one is my granndparents’ house. The house is no longer there, but sometimes we go to that area and remember it. It’s also by the ocean, so I like to go there and walk barefoot in the sand and look out at the familiar skyline. Sometimes, I just go there in my mind.
6. Favorite actor/actress?
Hmm…right now I’m leaning toward Johnny Depp and Claire Danes. My answer to this question will probably depend on what I’ve been watching. I’m not good at favorites–just at loving things, liking them, feeling ambivalent, or really disliking them.
7. Favorite song?
Right now I’m listening to Jewel, Sarah McLachlan and Sheryl Crow…different songs by each. It depends on my mood!
8. Website you cannot go one day without?
Email, Twitter, WordPress : ) …though I certainly hope I could go a day (or more…) without them…?
9. Clothing article or accessory you feel naked without?
A sweater. I hate being cold. I don’t like to allow for the possibility. If I’m not wearing the sweater, it’s in my purse.
10. Pet peeve?
Hmmm…well, not too long ago I saw someone blow through an empty four-way stop honking his horn and giving the world the finger through the sunroof. I was annoyed by that. I was also disturbed. Is he angry at the world? Why? Why express it this way? I have some questions.
11. Number one reason you keep blogging?
I used to blog and then took a hiatus and now I’m back. I like the community and reading people’s thoughts, and I think blogging is part of that; the reading and the writing pair nicely together. I’m also focusing seriously on my other types of writing (short stories and upcoming novels), and I want to share my other writing work here.
My 11 Facts:
1. I like gardening.
2. Miss Literal – I get carpal tunnel too. Knock on wood–haven’t had it in a bit!
3. I like cooking when I have time and energy. I like trying new things.
4. I am terrified of the idea of scuba diving and will never do it.
5. I just started watching Tiny House Nation on the FYI channel with my husband.
6. My dog basically talks to me using sign language and noises. I talk back.
7. I love elephants, and I have seen some in person, in their natural habitat.
8. I am wishing I had socks on right now because my feet are cold.
9. I love the early King’s Quest games (1-7, couldn’t get into 8).
10. Packing causes me a lot of anxiety. What if I forget something?? What if it’s a sweater, and I’m cold???
11. I love listening to NPR, and yes, NPR, I did make a donation. I love it all–Ted Talk Radio, Moth Radio Hour, All Things Considered, Science Fridays…
I now nominate the following diverse and excellent blogs (sorry if you already have 200 followers):
1. http://fieldnotesfromfatherhood.com/ – I enjoy the anecdotes about life and parenthood with humor, pictures, and video!
2. http://www.lisapais.com/blog-the-enchanted-notebookcom – Just started, but I know it’s going to be a good one!
3. http://hauntedpen.blogspot.com – Great blog – very knowledgeable author and blogger. Check her out on mostlymystery.com, too!
4. http://shortstoriesoftheordinary.wordpress.com/ – I enjoy the sudden turns in some of these stories, which could be humorous or sobering.
5. http://dreamingintoknowing.com/– Interesting thoughts on dreams, their uses, and meanings!
6. http://proudlybipolar.wordpress.com/ – I’m very drawn into these reflections on life, society, mental illness, and more.
Unmapped Country within Us 