Monday, March 31, 2014

FINISH THAT THOUGHT #39




We're back! Welcome to April! I hope you had a spectacular week! Spring is in the air and we may - please, please, please! - be finished with the long, cold winter weather. I have dreams of sitting outside to write rather than in my office... Soon! :) I hope everyone gets to enjoy warmer weather finally. Okay, enough rambling. Go write! I wanna know what's falling from the sky! :)



If you need to read the full version of the rules, go here. Otherwise, here's the short version:

Rules:
1. Up to 500 words
2. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)
3. Start with the given first sentence.
4. Optional Special Challenge
5. Include Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted
6. The challenge is open for 24 hours on Tuesday EST



Oh, and feel free to change pronouns, punctuation, tense, and anything in brackets to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...

Our Judge today is Rebekah Postupak also known as 
@postupak and @FlashFridayFic. Check out her blog here. Read her winning tale from last week here!



 Your first sentence for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #39 is:


It wasn't the first time [she] had seen [fire] fall from the sky.



 Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE from the judge is:


Include a really spectacular twist at the end.



 
AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!


Saturday, March 29, 2014

Illusion

This is my entry to Rebekah Postupak's Flash Friday! The challenge is a 140-160 word story created from a word prompt (today's was Space Travel) and this picture:


Bicycle Tunnel, double exposure. CC photo by r. nial bradshaw.

I also had a secret challenge to put in unicorns (for reasons I'm not going to disclose at this time because it would take too long to explain). It was tricky (unicorns, space, and bicycles???), and probably not my best story (I needed a little more time and a lot more words to make it kick), but I had fun writing it. Hopefully you'll have fun reading it!


Illusion


We waited with bated breath as Gwyllian approached, willing his power to hold the illusion for a little longer. He’d come the farthest and must be low on reserves.

The humans would build a road above our heartstone. How could they not feel the magic pulsing beneath their feet? Gwyllian wobbled – or the human riding a bike he was pretending to be did – and I shivered in fear. If he fell… No. He could make it another twenty feet.

Gwyllian made it under cover and dropped his illusion. His sides heaved. His mouth frothed. His withers twitched uncontrollably. His horn gleamed bright in the shade of the tunnel.

He drank from our bucket of water then spoke, “We haven’t much time. We mustn’t wait,” he said. We joined our horns together and connected to the heartstone.

Dematerialization. Rematerialization.

Our ship – in geosynchronous orbit over the dark side of the moon – stood ready. The counsel needed to hear our report.
 
 
 

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

FINISH THAT THOUGHT #38 - RESULTS!






WooHoo! That was crazy fun! If you missed any of the entries, go check them out here. If you want to read the judges take on his own prompt, go check it out here. If you want to know what the judge had to say about the entries....well then, read on!

 

We had four hearty souls this week who took up the challenge of writing a story with a strange first sentence. Since the prompt broke the rules (in countless ways), I’m going to judge all stories equally.

I had a lot of fun reading your stories this week. I deliberately picked a prompt outside the box, because I wanted to see if anyone could let go of the rules they write by. I have been very happy, and surprised, with the results. And speaking of the results. Here goes.

@CharlesWShort - A marvelous little tale of self forgiveness, and God waiting on his children as they learn to forgive themselves, and accept the events they’ve experienced.

@CaitlinStatus - A mysterious tale indeed. I have yet to come to terms with it, which is not to say it isn’t good, for I found it an entertaining, fast paced read. One that leaves me with plenty of questions. Are we dealing with clones? Animals? Or insane humans? Or some combination thereof? I can’t tell.

@stellakateT - Ah. The games the heart plays with the souls of men. The one he wants being right there, and him lacking the nerve to ask. What are you afraid of indeed.

@postupak - How do people cope with the death of an infant, born or unborn? How long does it take to admit your soul cries tears, and your heart aches? A sterling work of art.

Unfortunately, I have to pick a winner, and a special challenge champion. Wish I could instead hand out badges of courage and imagination to all four of you. You all took a shot at writing a story from a prompt that throws reality out the window. And you all four did well.



Special Challenge Champion - @stellakateT - Hope always springs eternal in the spring, doesn’t it?

Grand Champion - @postupak - As I said. A work of art.



And next week, I’ll be letting my imagination place words on paper.

Great little stories, all of you.



Monday, March 24, 2014

FINISH THAT THOUGHT #38




You are SO lucky.... I almost didn't get this posted! Phew! Glad we dodged that bullet. So I have nothing exciting or interesting or witty to say... Not that I do that on normal weeks, but I have an excuse this time. ;)  Today's sentence is so very random (Thanks, Mark!) that I am fascinated to read what you all come up with. So enough with the rambling; Get writing! :)



If you need to read the full version of the rules, go here. Otherwise, here's the short version:

Rules:
1. Up to 500 words
2. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)
3. Start with the given first sentence.
4. Optional Special Challenge
5. Include Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted
6. The challenge is open for 24 hours on Tuesday EST



Oh, and feel free to change pronouns, punctuation, tense, and anything in brackets to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...

Our Judge today is Mark Ethridge also known as @LurchMunster. Check out his blog here. Read his winning tale from last week here!




 Your first sentence for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #38 is:



Chickens have lips.



 Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE from the judge is:


The spring equinox.



 AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!


Sunday, March 23, 2014

The Watcher

I finally managed to write a story for Flash Friday! It's been a while. We get 150 words (give or take 10) and two prompts. The first is to include a detective in the story. The second is this picture:

Creative Commons photo by Kat/Swim Parallel.

My story ended up at 155 words. I hope you enjoy! :)



The Watcher

 

She would get on the bus shortly. I stretched my legs out and waited.

Vinnie drove me all the way to Stratford so I could be on before her.

I put my feet up and leaned back into my seat, feigning nonchalance as the bus pulled to a stop.

She entered amidst a large group – business people, young mothers, students – and glanced around the bus before sitting a couple rows ahead of me on the opposite side. She pulled out a book and put her back to the window, seemingly unaware of anything else.

Her bodyguard sat in the seat across from her.

One stop.

Two stops.

Three stops.

The drop needed to be made today.

I stood, heels clicking on the metal floor. I picked up my bag and hurried down the steps and out the door.

I didn’t have to turn around to know she was following me.

Stupid detective. I’m the decoy.
 
 
 

Thursday, March 20, 2014

FINISH THAT THOUGHT #37 - RESULTS!




WOOHOO! What fun we had in the basements ...er...um...well... fun may not be the best word... Certainly the characters in the stories didn't have any fun! But it sure was fun reading about them! :) Great job, everyone! If you missed any of them, go check them out here. Otherwise, let's read what the judge had to say:



@Michael Simko: I love the repetition of the first line throughout! It’s very ominous, and really builds the tension. I could really feel the chill in the air of the hippie girl’s house - a character I love, by the way. Her inability to keep her own legends straight made me giggle. Though I have to wonder at her motivations. Why did she let him go down to the basement? Hippies. They’re inscrutable.



@emilykarn: I laughed out loud when I realized which urban legend you had chosen! I honestly wasn’t expecting anyone to go that direction with the challenge. Your description of the basement really painted a picture in my mind, particularly the line ‘Filth dripped from a gaping metal tunnel behind the wall, plopping into the water.’ Ew. I don’t envy Sherillynn that mess!



@LurchMunster: Why must these people always do exactly what they’ve been warned not to do? I love the character you’ve created - foolhardy and confident without reason. Your last line makes me wonder how long they’ve been stuck in the ‘basement’. Will they eventually starve, or does this other universe operate under different rules? Was Diana somehow involved in getting them trapped there, or are they hallucinating her voice? You’ve really drawn me into this mystery!



@CaitlinStatus: Darn stupid teenagers! They just had to see the haunted house… I enjoyed the interaction between Chelsea and Jerry. Especially ‘Jerry flicked the light switch on at the bottom of the stairs. Nothing happened. He flicked the switch a few more times before he said, “Light doesn’t work.” Chelsea rolled her eyes and stepped off the final step behind Jerry.’ He’s so blase, and she’s quickly growing tired of it. (Good thing he dies first?) That last line - augh! It sent shivers down my spine.



@JM MacF: I made the mistake of reading this story in the middle of the night. Absolutely terrifying. I really felt for your character. Her terror seems ridiculously exaggerated until you reach the end of the story, and then her fear becomes much more understandable. Being threatened by an evil spirit is bound to leave an impression on a little girl! Making the note rhyme was a nice touch, as well. Extra creepy!

 
 

 
Special Challenge Winner: emilykarn

 
 
 
Grand Champion: LurchMunster
 
 
 

Monday, March 17, 2014

FINISH THAT THOUGHT #37




YOU SURVIVED THE IDES OF MARCH!!! AND St. Patrick's Day! Phew! I was worried. This is one of those tricky months. :) Well, let's start afresh as spring is right around the corner (...yes it is...don't argue...seriously...warm weather...or, you know, rain and stuff...). Let's begin to shake off the last of our wintery cobwebs and charge headlong into...the basement... Um...well...just go write. ;) (Wow, I have a lot of ellipses in this one...and for me to notice means it's probably too many...Oh well! :) )



If you need to read the full version of the rules, go here. Otherwise, here's the short version:

Rules:
1. Up to 500 words
2. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)
3. Start with the given first sentence.
4. Optional Special Challenge
5. Include Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted
6. The challenge is open for 24 hours on Tuesday EST



Oh, and feel free to change pronouns, punctuation, tense, and anything in brackets to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...


Our Judge today is Samantha James. Read her winning tale from last week here!




 Your first sentence for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #37 is:



[She] knew [she] shouldn't have opened the basement door.



 Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE from the judge is:


Include an urban legend.



 AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!



Thursday, March 13, 2014

FINISH THAT THOUGHT #36 - RESULTS!




And you made it another difficult decision for the judge! Great job, everyone! If you missed any of the entries, you can go here to read them all. Let's read what the judge had to say:



Emily Karn: I laughed out loud at the image of a unicorn trying to navigate public transportation, and again at Steven backed up against a wall while the unicorn inspected his purity. This sounded like it came out of a much larger piece, and I have to say, if it had, I’d be anxious to read the rest. You did a good job of setting up the interplay between the high fantasy of the unicorn’s world with the drab realism of Steven’s life. Steven sounds like something of a sarcastic and cynical fellow, and I would love to see him dropped into the middle of a fantasy world.

@stellakateT: I’m a little scared of Missy, and what her ‘gift’ is going to do to her. However, the evil lying dormant in her character is, upon a second reading, very apparent. She’s got a thin veneer of gentility barely covering a personality with the empathy of a spider. The gift clearly didn’t make her evil, it just let her be more of what was already inside. The inclusion of the details on how she reacts to the old woman make that clear, on a second reading. Missy becomes especially disturbing when she shows no signs of being ‘ungrateful’ for this gift, but rather enjoying it.

Rachelle Wood: Wow! You took a creative risk, and it totally paid off. I like the notion that maybe the centaur has experienced groups of frightened villagers chasing him with pitchforks before, and he seems to expect the same from these city-dwellers, but they’re all so blind to what’s going on around them that they don’t even notice. I laughed at the image of a centaur “trying to stay out of view.” I see him peeking out from behind a newsstand, or trying to duck down so no one sees the horse body he’s attached to. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this piece from beginning to end.

Samantha J.: You left just enough to my imagination that I got a little chill wondering what might lie in the Hidden Places. And Rose’s determination, even though she’s not really sure why she’s even following him, has all the hallmarks of great characterization. I really like Rose, and my first thought is that if anyone deserves to find the Hidden Places, it’s somebody like that, willing to go leaping off a subway platform in pursuit of she knows not what. Excellent story!

@LurchMunster: Your description makes me wonder if maybe I’ve run into one or two solitary fairies myself. I enjoyed the implied backstory that makes her spell on him really work—“Sex was something I hadn’t had a lot of”—he’s as much brought in by simple feminine charm as he is by this particular fairy’s wiles. And your description of what a solitary fairy would look like in the real-world context of downtown Atlanta was fantastic. “A stick with bumps” might have given this piece a Disneyfied feel, but as it is, you’ve created something that has a little more real-world grit to it. Her choice of words when she reveals what she really is give her a personality all her own. The dark ambience and streamlined characterization worked very well.

@Angelique_Rider: I like that I’m still not entirely sure what she is. Other than something supernatural, clearly. And also something free-spirited, but somehow chained to a reality she doesn’t want. The fact that a few moments of freedom are, for her, better than whatever price she’d have to pay when Treyon catches up to her give me the impression that she is much younger on the inside than she is being pressured to act on the outside. Her need for her own freedom was so compelling as she stripped down and strode out across the water, I was almost ready to head down to the park and try it myself. Thankfully the cop character showed up to remind me that I am just a regular old earth-bound mortal. You’ve created some fantastic imagery, as well as well-chosen details to suggest a rich backstory.
 
mary.lynne90@yahoo.com: “Her smudged mascara and droopy red lips”—this, combined with the other mental fuzzies that the main character mistakes for drunkenness, give the dream its own aura that, once I found out it was a dream, made perfect sense. You kept me just as confused as the main character, so I was, like a real dreamer, willing to accept odd occurrences like the appearance of leprechauns and the ground opening up to swallow people. I like the notion that when the leprechaun said “meet me here,” he was actually referring to a dream state, rather than a particular place.
 
 
 
 
GRAND CHAMPION RUNNER UP:
Rachelle Wood: I really enjoyed your piece. You chose details excellently, gave me a character I really cared about, and put him in a situation that really brought those character details out. And you did the whole thing in rhyme. Fantastic.




GRAND CHAMPION:
Samantha J: Something about this little story grabbed me and would not let go. I found myself more absorbed in finding out what happened than trying to adjudicate on its quality, and that’s a really good sign. Excellent work, Samantha.

Monday, March 10, 2014

FINISH THAT THOUGHT #36




I was so blessed to have my Momma, all my sisters (missing a couple brothers :( ), and all the kiddos (Nine cousins!!!) over at the house this weekend! So I'm feeling in a family-love kind of mood. If you feel so inclined to be inspired by this (or you thrive on extra focus and opportunity), I would enjoy reading some familial tales this week... But it's not really my opinion that matters here - the judge this week has a couple great prompts for you too. Go check them out and get writing!



If you need to read the full version of the rules, go here. Otherwise, here's the short version:

Rules:
1. Up to 500 words
2. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)
3. Start with the given first sentence.
4. Optional Special Challenge
5. Include Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted
6. The challenge is open for 24 hours on Tuesday EST



Oh, and feel free to change pronouns, punctuation, tense, and anything in brackets to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...

Our Judge today is S. Patrick Cunningham also known as @spcunningham. Check out his blog here. Read his winning tale from last week here!




 Your first sentence for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #36 is:



[Her] stop was still several blocks away, but [she] stepped off the train anyway, just beating the closing doors.



 Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE from the judge is:


Include at least one fantasy creature (chimera, leprechaun, talking animal, etc.).



 AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!



Thursday, March 6, 2014

FINISH THAT THOUGHT #35 - RESULTS!




Ahoy, Mateys! That was a wild ride! If you missed any of it, be sure to check out all the entries here. Thanks to Mary for judging. Let's see what she had to say:




Thank you for so many wonderful stories!  I truly did not know what to expect after tossing ya’ll out to sea.  After surviving ship wrecks, drowning in shipwrecks, soaring to the clouds to meet one god, and being tossed into the depths of the sea to meet another, picking winners was a tough choice!  But, I did eventually manage to choose and now to those results…   


Mercy:  I was immediately transported to the lighthouse with the keeper; watching as the waves smattered the poor little ship, biting my fingernails in suspense all the while, and finally letting my breath go as the little boy was carried ashore.  The command of language made the story flow, despite the choppiness of those waves!  I also appreciated how you personified the sea/storm as a goddess rather than directly attributing it to a deity.  It added an element of mystical mystery that was delicious.  My favourite lines: “The sea seemed to demand a sacrifice to hale the spring into life.  March winds seemed to feed that demand, pitching up a storm of great power every year.”
S Patrick Cunningham:  A delightful little tale about divine ex-lovers every bit as childish as your typical high school student.  I enjoyed how you handled going back and forth between dialogue and action.  It was fun and had me grinning through the whole piece.  I wonder if there will actually be wedding bells in the future for the “god of futility.”  My favourite lines: “‘You’re cheeeeating,’ he called. He ran back to the center of the cloud, and rummaged around inside it, returning to the edge to throw lightning bolts at the goddess and the small ship.”
Wrath of the Sea God:  As we all know, wine is proof that God wants us to be happy… oh wait, that’s beer.  The fact that the merman went to that great service just for a bottle of wine tickles me for some reason!  You painted such a masterpiece in my head with your vivid descriptions that I almost thought I was watching it take place before me.  My favourite line: “The ship sighed in relief as the tangle of dragging sails and wood was released.”
The Interview:  Quite a different take on the prompt as the reader is hurled into the mind of a terminally ill man.  As a friend of someone who has severe health problems and is struggling to find a way to make money to support herself, this piece really hit home.  I could fully empathize with the man, feeling his despair, his weakness, and finally the overwhelming helplessness.  A very insightful piece and very well done.  It almost seems heartless to pull out a favourite line, but I have one nonetheless: “He now understood how a butterfly on a pin must feel.”
From the Depths of the Irish Sea:  You certainly plumbed the depths of the sea for this one!  I felt sorry for the poor girl, but it reminded me a little of the story of Jonah in the Bible who was tossed overboard in the midst of the storm to appease God.  I was a little confused as to why the sea was so against women, but then the god of the sea saved her life.  I did like how you transformed the sea from the rough and tumble up above to the gentle lapping waters of Lir’s underwater palace. My favourite lines: “When the last of Binne’s life escaped, the sea reached up and claimed her. As she descended, the embrace transformed into a hand, an arm, a body. Into Lir.”
Not Quite Undercover:  A very well written piece!  It felt more like a chapter in a book than a piece of flash fiction.  I immensely enjoyed your diction and sneaking over the terrain with Captain Tennant to find the saucy heroin.  You brought your characters to life, unwrapped their story at the perfect pace, and left me wanting more.  My favourite line: “Patchy clouds scuttled across the sky making for tenuous, but sufficient, illumination.”
MurMade:  Very vivid imagery that almost got me seasick with the tilting of the deck and the rolling of the barrels!  There was such a sense of foreboding throughout the whole piece and the atmosphere sucked me right in.  It was a little wanting on the plot side of things.  Where had they come from?  Why were they going there?  There were many sentence fragments, but they wove together like lyrics in a song so it did not obstruct the flow of the story.  My favourite lines: “Chilled to the bone, their last meal long since spent, sleep put off to work through the storm. Barrels recaptured. Lines were replaced. Enduring through the storm.”


Special Challenge Runner Up:  Denise Callaway’s “Mercy.”  Congrats on fitting all three words as if they were meant to be there anyway!  I honestly had to go through the piece several times to pick them all out as they fit in so naturally.
Special Challenge Champion: Jeffrey Hollar’s “Not Quite Undercover.”  Not only did you use all three words, but you used them all delightfully.  Especially as you used riposte as a fencing term.  I loved the reference to the patched galligaskins as well.
Grand Champion Runner Up: Imageronin’s “The Interview.”  It really struck a chord with me and made me think a little more seriously about being a more constant encouragement to those in similar situations.  It was beautiful in a sad way and very well written.
Grand Champion: S. Patrick Cunningham’s untitled piece.  The more I reread your piece, the more I fell in love with the dialogue and manners of the gods.  You may well attribute your win to the lines I mentioned previously. Well done, sir, well done.


Congratulations to all the winners, and to S. Patrick Cunningham especially!  Happy judging next week!

 

Monday, March 3, 2014

FINISH THAT THOUGHT #35




Welcome back! I love the creativity and heart you all bring to your stories. It continually amazes me that each one of you begins with the same sentence and then takes it in an entirely unique direction. That said, this week, methinks the judge is fishin'....



If you need to read the full version of the rules, go here. Otherwise, here's the short version:

Rules:
1. Up to 500 words
2. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)
3. Start with the given first sentence.
4. Optional Special Challenge
5. Include Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted
6. The challenge is open for 24 hours on Tuesday EST



Oh, and feel free to change pronouns, punctuation, tense, and anything in brackets to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...

Our Judge today is Mary MacFarlane also known as JM MacF. Check out her blog here. Read her winning tale from last week here!




 Your first sentence for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #35 is:



The sea, which had been glassy only an hour before, now raged with an unholy vengeance [upon the small ship].



 Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE from the judge is:


Use at least one of the following words:

flummox
galligaskins
riposte


 AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!