FRIED CHICKEN

It's Monday and time some flash fiction fun. Thanks to Barbara W. Beacham and her weekly challenge. Just 100 - 150 words, the photograph and the first sentence as your inspiration.

Today's finish the story begins with:  “As her mount shifted uneasily under her, she grasped the brim of her old felt Stetson, gazed upwards and remembered Jean Pierre.”

MONDAYS FINISH THE STORY

FRIED CHICKEN

 “As her mount shifted uneasily under her, she grasped the brim of her old felt Stetson, gazed upwards, and remembered Jean Pierre's promise.”

She'd made it, one day and four hours past their agreed upon rendezvous. Did he not wait?

Shaking off doubts, she slid from the saddle to the ground and walked her steed to the creek for a drink. Her eyes darting left then right as the search for her lover continued. Tying the stallion under shade with plenty of green grass, she removed her dusty cloak, washed the dirt from her hands and face, and then combed out her braided hair. Satisfied with her appearance and determined to keep busy while she waited, she laid out the blanket and unpacked the picnic basket.

Convinced Jean would never fail her, even as she had failed him, by almost two days, she opened the wine to breathe.

Jean watched from his hiding place, not sure if he should be angry at her lateness or thrilled that she'd remembered fried chicken.

150 words

Yolanda Renee © 2015

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Please feel free to upload your story by clicking on the little blue frog

and be sure to add your story to the list!

Wednesday, Elephants Child, the winner of the Spectacular Settings Challenge is guest posting about her writing journey.
WEP-Write...Edit...Publish

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Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers

Brought to you by Priceless Joy! 

Flash Fiction of 100 to 175 words

Don't forget to add your story to the 

InLinkz Link-up via the

(Blue Froggy button)


This week's photo prompt is provided by Louise with

 The Storyteller's Abode.

ENGINE 7 5 0 2 9

Seven years we were wed

Five million tears now shed

I pushed you in a rage

Not realizing I'd be caged

Onto the tracks, you fell

At the clang of the engine's bell

That moment's a blur

But witnesses concur

Zero friends have rallied

Their votes I have tallied

Instead, to her they throng

There is nowhere I belong

Two lives' you transformed

On that train platform

My heart was broken

When loves loss was spoken

For I alone held deed

To all your desires and needs

Nine days till the hangman's noose

Did she seduce

These thoughts I still ponder

For time, I can squander

Were you smitten

Did she make your heart quicken

My only regret

I couldn't kill Yvette

But if curses are true

She'll soon be blue

Her breath I'll steal

Your money made the deal

I want your pardon

To walk in heavens garden

Will you find it in your heart

Will death mean a new start

Or has destiny showed 
Hell, as our new abode?

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174 words

Yolanda Renée © 2015

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I'm no poet

as surly this shows

but after hours of trying

I wasn't denying

my prose a chance to shine

or it's place in the annuals of time.

(In other words, I had nothing else!) :)

Here's a lot more!

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Halloween is almost upon us. Are you ready with a spooky tale? The WEP is hosting a new challenge, you know you can't fail?

Youthful Frights vs. Adult Fears

DEAD GIRL RUNNING

COVER REVEAL

Dead Girl Running 

is a Young Adult/New Adult Crossover Dystopian, and a cross between 

The Giver, The Handmaiden's Tale, and Agenda 21.

In case you can't read the small print, 

here's the Back Cover Blurb:

Eight years ago, SILVIA WOOD's father died in an industrial accident. After suffering through years of Psychotherapy Services and Mandated Medications for depression and multiple suicide attempts, she longs to work in Botanical Sciences. When the Occupation Exam determines she must work in Mortuary Sciences instead, she wonders if the New Order assigned her to the morgue to push her over the edge.

To appease her disappointed mother, Silvia enters the Race for Citizen Glory, in an attempt to stand out in the crowd of Equals. After she begins training with "golden boy" LIAM HARMAN, she discovers he also lost his father in the same accident that ruined her childhood. Then Silvia meets and falls for Liam's older cousin, whose paranoid intensity makes her question what really happened to her father. As the race nears, Silvia realizes that she's not only running for glory, she's running for her life.

Scheduled release date: October 26th, 2015

Want to reserve a copy? 

Here's a PRE-PURCHASE LINK

Interested in Meeting the Author?

Just kidding, here she is - Meet Ann M. Noser

My to-do list dictates that I attempt to cram forty-eight hours of living into a day instead of the usual twenty-four.  I’ve chosen a life filled with animals.  I train for marathons with my dog, then go to work as a small animal veterinarian, and finish the day by tripping over my pets as I attempt to convince my two unruly children that YES, it really IS time for bed.  But I can’t wait until the house is quiet to write; I have to steal moments throughout the day.  Ten minutes here, a half hour there, I live within my imagination.

Like all busy American mothers, I multi-task.  I work out plot holes during runs.  Instead of meditating, I type madly during yoga stretches.  I find inspiration in everyday things: an NPR program, a beautiful smile, or a newspaper article on a political theory.

I’d love to have more time to write (and run, read, and sleep), but until I find Hermione Granger’s time turner, I will juggle real life with the half-written stories in my head.  Main characters and plot lines intertwine in my cranium, and I need to let my writing weave the tales on paper so I can find out what happens next.

Where to find Ann:

BLOG

FACEBOOK PAGE

TWITTER

GOODREADS

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The Winners of the 

WEP Spectacular Settings Challenge 

have been announced!

Please add your congratulations!

1st place winner - Elephants Child

2nd place - L. G. Keltner

3rd place - Samantha Redstreak Geary

LITTLE DARLINGS

Hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

A flash fiction challenge of 100 words or less.

A photo prompt. This week "Bay-Windows"

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS!

© Rochelle Wishoff-Fields

LITTLE DARLINGS

"You have to do something about those windows."

"Why, what happened?"

"The kids are drawn to them, they love watching the activity!"

"What's wrong with that?"

"People do look up you know. What if someone notices?"

"Good point. I'll get that window covering that allows the kids to look out but blocks the interior view."

"Wonderful. Thanks dear."

"What's on the restaurant's menu tonight?"

"Tonight the Soul Fusion Gourmet is offering Braised Doug, Fricasseed Joy, and Roasted Alistair."

"My favorites, such darlings, I'll miss them!"

"I know dear, but they kept trying to post Help Me signs in the window!"

100 words

Yolanda Renee © 2015

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FYI:

Fusion is a style of cooking that draws on elements from European and Asian cuisines; generally, the application of Asian preparation techniques to European or American ingredients; also known as East meets West.

In this case, it's East meets West meets cannibalism!

Following the advice of Stephen King, who recommends we kill our 'Darlings.' Sorry, bad pun, but I couldn't resist!

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The Blue Frog will take you to 

the other posts and 

give you a place to add your own.

Ready to take the challenge?

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This week WEP-Write…Edit…Publish announced the winners of the Spectacular Settings Challenge. 

A 1000 words or less flash fiction challenge with loads of extras!

Please stop by the WEP Headquarters and give your congratulations to the winners.

1^st place – Elephants Child

2^nd place – L. G. Keltner

3^rd place – Samantha Redstreake Geary

IWSG - JOY vs MARKETING

It's time to rock the neurotic writing world!

With the

INSECURE WRITER'S SUPPORT GROUP

The awesome co-hosts for the September 2 posting of the IWSG are Julie Flanders, Murees Dupé, Dolorah at Book Lover,Christine Rains, and Heather Gardner!

I was cooking dinner yesterday and realized how much I enjoyed cooking and the joy I felt doing the task. I'm no gourmet, believe me, but at least my family eats what I feed them. I was curious about why the feeling caught my attention. Was feeling joy, odd? No, the odd thing was that I noticed it. Stranger still is that it made me question what it was that had stolen my happiness in the first place. I reviewed the prior week.

Was writing stealing my joy?

Couldn't be, last night I wrote 3000 words from a dream that will go into my next book and writing it was quite satisfying, especially as book 4 is coming together, and that feels great.

It's not the writing that steals my joy; it's all the other things that go along with it. I'm beginning to think that writing in a vacuum would be more joyful than trying to jump through the hoops that are required to find an audience and convince them to buy your book.

Marketing steals my joy!

There's Facebook and their desire to have their cake and eat it too. I mean who wouldn't want to turn billions into trillions. On FB regular posts no longer reach but a few people, you want more folks to see them, pay for a boost. Everywhere there are fees for this and fees for that. Not to mention the fact that folks are fed up with seeing 'buy my book' on any social networking site. Because of spam, no one wants to share an email address, so good luck finding an audience for your newsletter. I think it's time to go back to the highway advertising road sign, just say'n.

I find myself wondering if real joy means turning off the computer, deleting all social networking sites, and going back to the things in life that bring true happiness? You know, painting the porch, cleaning the garage, and putting that closet organizer together, yes, these are all tasks I've been putting off.

What steals your joy?

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Today WEP-Write…Edit…Publish is announcing the winners of the Spectacular Settings Challenge. 

That exercise did bring me joy, and if you've taken the time to read all the great entries, you'll agree. 

Please stop by the WEP Headquarters and give your congratulations to the winners.

1^st place – Elephants Child

2^nd place – L. G. Keltner

3^rd place – Samantha Redstreake Geary

CONSEQUENCES

It's Monday and time for a little fun. Thanks to Barbara W. Beacham and her weekly flash fiction challenge. Just 100 - 150 words, the photograph and the first sentence as your inspiration.

 "The cemetery spread along the area known as Devils Abode."

MONDAYS FINISH THE STORY

CONSEQUENCES

  “The cemetery spread along the area known as Devils Abode.”

Under a full moon on All Hallows Eve in the Devil's Abode, we vowed our eternal love.

His body strong, athletic, and golden brown like the sand at midday when the sun paints the earth with its most potent rays.

His voice was deep and reassuring, his kisses soft and alluring, so warm and electrifying, deep and demanding. Conquered by desire, I surrendered all to the man I loved.

How was I to know that Jimmy was the devil in disguise? Or that losing my virginity that night would raise the demons of hell? 

For God's sake, stop blaming me for the world's ills! I was only sixteen!

104 words

Yolanda Renee © 2015

*****

Just click the blue frog to read more wonderful entries and to post your own!

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The WEP Spectacular Settings Challenge is over, and the winners have been chosen. 

Look for the announcement on 

Wednesday, August 2nd. 

Congratulations to all the participants. 

It was an excellent showcase of talent!

Thanks to all those who participated.

Now don't you wish you'd joined in on the fun?

Our next challenge is in October. 

Are you ready for Halloween!

TUCKED AWAY

FRIDAY FICTIONEERS

Hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

100 words or less.

© Claire Fuller

TUCKED AWAY

I danced through the snowflakes like the ballerina from my favorite ballet, Swan Lake. I've always loved winter especially how it tasted on my tongue, frosty, light, and clean. I looked around. Snow, brilliant white, and fresh surrounded me. The trees sparkled as though doused in diamond glitter. The lake while almost frozen solid showed bits of blue swirl as though just created with a painter's brush.

I couldn't remember where I was, how I'd gotten here, and then a voice pierced the atmosphere.

"Your daughter and all our cryogenic residents are safely tucked away until science catches up."

100 words

Yolanda Renee © 2015

Read the work of other participants HERE!

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Other Flash Fiction Posts:

A Future

Call of the Orca

Alaskan Dream

I'm Sorry

Melting Ice

Forgive Me

Haunted

The Illusion

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Looking for a unique flash fiction challenge try the WEP Write...Edit...Publish

October's Challenge is all about Halloween

Youthful Frights vs. Adult Fears

join us!