SPRING FLOWERS

Friday Fictioneers is hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields @ Addicted to Purple. She has supplied us with a new photo prompt via The Reclining Gentleman To participate simply write a complete story in 100 words or less.

As Rochelle says, make every word count!

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS

(C) The Reclining Gentleman

SPRING FLOWERS

I plant my favorite flowers in the community garden for all to enjoy. The first to bloom, the cheerful daffodil, with crocuses not far behind, then the tulips, a constant display of color and beauty.

My husband would be unmoved, and yet I can't help but think of him.

George and his girlfriend, Juliet, prepared for a quick escape to Rio, after cleaning out my bank account. Foiled them I did, well, my murderous hearted brother, and me. His handiwork, their downfall.

Now my brother celebrates freedom in Rio and I plant flowers on the grave of George and Juliet.

100 words

Yolanda Renée © 2016

Click the Frog for more Flashes!

Don't forget Valentine!

PRINCESS OF TYRONE

Princess of Tyrone (Fairytale Galaxy #1)

by Katie Hamstead

Release Date: March 31st 2016

Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press

Genres: Space Opera, Sci Fi/Fantasy

Summary from Goodreads:

Apolline is happy hunting magical creatures on her pirate infested outer-perimeter planet. She is a fantastic shot, and doesn’t flinch at the blood and guts of her kills. Never once did she consider she could be the missing Princess of Tyrone.

All her life, she has heard the story of the Princess, cursed to sleep for eternity, unless her betrothed, the Prince of Oran, gave her true love’s kiss. Although Apolline knows she is betrothed, she thinks her fairy guardians arranged it out of ignorance of human ways. The thought she could be a princess is inconceivable.

Then Allard appears. Handsome, charming—but he’s not hers to have. He’s betrothed, too. Her guardians warn her against her new found friendship, but she and Allard meet in secret anyway. Despite her rough exterior, he sees beyond her gun-slinging bravado, and their love blossoms.

But the deadline for the sleeping curse is approaching. If Apolline falls in love with the wrong person, she could end up sleeping forever.

A quirky, adventurous retelling of Sleeping Beauty, with a less than princess-ly princess! 

Born and raised in Australia, Katie's early years of day dreaming in the "bush", and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories, inspired her passion for writing.
After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter and their dog.
She has a diploma in travel and tourism which helps inspire her writing.
When her debut novel, Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh, climbed into bestselling status, she believed she was onto something, and now has a slew of novels now available, and is published through Curiosity Quills Press, Soul Mate Publishing, and REUTS Publishing.
Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports, and be a good wife and mother. She now works as an Acquisitions Editor to help support her family. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.

Author Links:

   

A STUDY IN SNOW

Puffy gray clouds 

Icy flakes fall

Skin kissed by the cold

A sting so soft it's almost imperceptible

The world

a study in black and white

 tinged blue.

The silence of winter its own melody

A snowfall so tranquil

Winters light

Deadly it's inspiration

Trees dark in slumber.

Extend frozen branches skyward

Reaching for warmth

Promised but undelivered

Invaders these moist white flakes

Causing chills so deep

When shadows descend

Their mighty claws appear

Strong arms

Frozen hugs

Death's grip

Until spring's thaw

Yolanda Renée © 2016

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

ZOMBIES & WORLD PEACE

This month I'm running a give-a-way through 

Goodreads for 10 signed copies of 

When Zombies Attack: Tales of Horror & Romance.

 I hope you'll take part.

Amazon

Please enter!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

When Zombies Attack

by Yolanda Renee

Giveaway ends February 29, 2016.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

*******************

The 50-Word Fiction Competition

This is an example of a 50 word flash: I didn't win, but this was my entry. 

They hold a new contest each month. The photograph was the prompt!

February's prompt has been posted. 

The new challenge ends on February 23, 2016

http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/reading/the-50-word-fiction-competition

WORLD PEACE DAY

The continents had all chosen December 31^st as World Peace Day. All the wars had ended, and a new beginning was truly possible. At midnight, we looked to the sky. Instead of pyrotechnics, spacecraft descended. 

Then the fireworks went off. 

The population had no chance to escape the alien's fire.

50 words

Yolanda Renee © 2016

&

Don't Forget!

VALENTINE!

TEMPTATION

Hosted by RochelleWisoff-Fields @ Addicted to Purple has supplied us with a new photo prompt. To participate simply write a complete story in 100 words or less. 

As Rochelle says, make every word count!

PHOTO PROMPT © Erin Leary

TEMPTATION

I love rowing out to the old pier, long ago recaptured by the ocean. The silence calls to me, the isolation fills me with warmth, and the view – a city of potential mermaids makes my heart pump like that of a young stag.

I come here only during the daylight hours. When my mermaids frolic and play in the currents. Their beauty undeniable, their loving embraces my temptation.

At night, the moonlight turns them ravenous, deadly. Although, their sirens song does mesmerize as it combines with that of the bullfrog's baritone. Only a fool would answer, for certain death follows.

100 words

Yolanda Renée © 2016

Read More Wonderful Flashes Here!

*****

Join the fun!

VALENTINE!

Visit Hart today for the first sneak peek!

Parallels: Felix Was Here

Release Date May 3, 2016

IWSG - THANK YOU!

The New Badge!

IWSG – February 2016

Despite reading that Cover Reveals are on their way out because folks are tired of seeing the same announcement numerous times (understandable) I ventured forth with one for my latest release.

I've waited for over a year to see Murder & Obsession hit the shelves, and I was beginning to believe it would never happen. But on Monday, the email arrived and the whole world changed. Murder & Obsession will be released on March 10th with new cover for all three books.

And then another email arrived and the IWSG Anthology Parallels: Felix Was Here cover was ready. My story Ever-Ton won a place. Wow, too cool. So while I still have insecurities galore - I'm celebrating good news.

I was over the moon by the response of blogging friends who wanted to help. Totally blown away! Therefore, this post is to say thank you to all of you for your amazing friendship and help in making the cover reveal the kind of announcement all writers dream of! Amazing!

THANK YOU!

Clare Dugmore  ~ Denise Covey  ~ Robyn Campbell ~ C Lee McKenzie

Stuart R West ~ Guilie Costello-Oriard ~ Chrys Fey ~ Ann Noser

Christine Rains ~ Lexa Cain ~ N R Williams ~ Stephen Tremp

Elephant's Child ~ Nilanjana Bose ~ Bish Denham ~ Alex J. Cavanaugh

Donna Hole ~ Tara Tyler ~ T B Markinson ~ Elizabeth Seckman

Nancy Lynn Jarvis – Julie Press Simmons – L G Keltner ~ Michael Di Gesu

Damyanti Biswas – Gary Pennick - Tyrean Martinson - Hart Johnson

*****

Almost forgot!

Be sure to thank the co-hosts

Allison Gammons, Tamara Narayan, Eva E. Solar, Rachel Pattison, and Ann V. Friend! 

&

Be Sure to Sign up and share your story.

Valentine

LOST & FOUND: BROKEN HEART

As Guilie Castrillo-Oriard tells us:

Love... Even the word sounds like a sigh. But is it a sigh of contentment—or of regret? If you've found it, the world shines in colors vivid. If you've lost it, life fades into grays and shadows. There's nothing quite as intense as falling in love. Or as the feeling of loss when it ends.

And today is the day to post your love story or a fictional flash in honor of Love – Lost or Found!

Your hosts are Guilie – Arlee – Alex – Denise – Elizabeth & Me!

Join us!

      BROKEN HEART

Beautiful painting. As always your work is meticulous. Your subject...the girl. Who is she?

Elizabeth Fisher.

Your girl?

No.

Can you introduce us?

Can't; she's dead.

When did she die?

Two days ago, the same day I finished the painting. Now her parents want it for her funeral.

So young, such a shame. What killed her?

A broken heart.

Don't be so melodramatic. Truly, what killed her?

I told you, she died of a broken heart.

How?

Years ago, her fiancé, Jake, went off to war. She waited, kept her eye on the horizon for his return, but instead, she received a telegram.

The message of death?

No, the telegram claimed - he was missing behind enemy lines, presumed dead.

And?

Lizzy was certain he was alive. . She knew he would come home. Never doubted. Even hired detectives to find him after the war ended.

But she was wrong?

No. She was right. He'd survived.

I don't understand. She must’ve been over the moon. Oh, I see. He came back injured – a different man?

No, he came back a healthy man. Well, mostly. He was concussed and suffered memory loss. A young woman and her family rescued him; they hid him and healed him. After the war ended, he had nowhere to return to so he stayed with them. He fell in love.

Cruel turn of events for Lizzy.

Even more so when he finally regained his memory and came home. He walked in the front door with his wife and two kids in tow.

What did he say to Lizzy?

He didn't recognize her. He remembered his family home, his mom and pop, but nothing about the war or his engagement to Lizzy. I was finishing this painting when he’d arrived. Lizzy ran to him. Her happiness brimming at his return. He looked at her with confusion. Asked if she was his sister.

What did she do?

She wilted, like a dying flower. But for Jake, she smiled – told him she was a friend of the family. Said, "Welcome home, Jake. Congratulations on your marriage and lovely family." Then she walked out the front door.

Where'd she go?

To her parents' home. She died in her sleep that night.

A broken heart.

376 Words

Yolanda Renee © 2016

Read more fascinating love stories here!