A Moth's Date #100words for the #FridayFictioneers

Another glorious Friday and another 100 words for the FridayFictioneers hosted by Madison Woods. My snippet is a little longer than 100 words, but every time I cut something out of it, the feeling of the story changed. This little tale was inspired by Madison's photo.

Jasper disappeared over the ledge ahead of her just as Jade’s strength gave out.

“I can’t do it, Jasper.”

“Come on, Jade. You’re almost there. Just a little further.”

She huffed in disgust. “Just what is so great about this place, anyway?”

“The food is to die for.”

“And why can’t we use our wings to get there?”

“Did you want a predator to see you?” She could hear the shudder in his voice. “We have to remain under the radar. Come on!”

Jade dragged herself over the lip of the ledge and lay there panting for a few moments. The hiss of metal against metal made her antennae flutter and the most delightful smell wafted over her.

“Mothra’s Wings! What is that wonderful smell?”

Jasper laughed. “See? I told you it’d be worth it.”

Thanks so much for stopping by. Happy weekend and happy reading! :)

Watchers #100words for the #FridayFictioneers

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked for another 100 words for the #FridayFictioneers.

First I want to announce the winner of the Chocolate and Roses Blog Hop and Giveaway! The winner receives a digital copy of my new release Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack.

Julianne

Congratulations, Julianne!

Now, on to the #flashfiction. This piece was inspired by Madison Woods' photo below and is part of a WIP entitled The Navy's Ghost. Lt Christiana Brickman and two other women have been kidnapped by terrorists, and are awaiting rescue.

The hair on the back of Chris’s head rose in visceral awareness. She stared out the little window of the concrete bunker at the moon smothered in cloud and held her breath. Someone or something was out there, watching, waiting. She chaffed her arms, trying to settle the goosebumps, but the prey animal within her knew they weren’t alone.

“Lindsey,” she whispered. The former detective scrambled up beside Chris.

“What is it?”

“They’re here.”

“The Squad? Are you sure?”

The feeling of surveillance intensified. “Oh, yeah. I’m sure.”

“Where are they?”

Chris shook her head. “They’ll let us know when it’s time.”

Thank you so much for stopping by. If you'd like to read the other Fictioneers' offerings, please visit Madison Woods' site. Happy reading!

His Old Chevy #100words for the #FridayFictioneers

Welcome back to #100words with the #FridayFictioneers hosted by Madison woods. Today's snippet of a WIP was inspired by the photo below. This story is tentatively entitled The Cloudburst Bar & Spa and has just a little bit of magic as well as romance. It is just a little longer than 100 words, but I wanted to offer a sense of surprise to the tale.

Moira’s strides carried her down the winding road skirted by early spring forest and barbed wire. The old fence posts showed their graying age, but they still held the rusted wire faithfully if not straight.

Rounding a corner, her heart jumped into her throat when she caught sight of an old, rusted Chevy pickup, nosing the wire like a curious puppy.

Aiden’s pickup.

Squinting to see through windshield glass reflecting sky, she slowed her steps. When had he come back? And why had he parked here?

A shadow moved within the cab and Moira froze, not certain she felt fear or elation when Aiden pushed open the truck’s door.

        He met her eyes boldly, shocking her again. “Hello, Moira.”

Thanks so much for stopping by. Be sure to check out the other authors who participate in #FridayFictioneers. Happy reading! :)

Outside of a Dog #100Words for the #FridayFictioneers

Welcome back to the #FridayFictioneers. Today my story is a little longer than 100 words, but you needed the little extra to get you there. Here's the photo that inspired it.

“How do you know he went in there?” Cassie asked as she pulled her Sig.

“Caught a flicker of motion out of the corner of my eye.” Jack raised his Glock and darted across the street.

They crept along beneath the windows of the old abandoned brick school building, their soft soles crunching on broken glass and garbage.

Jack held up his hand and she froze behind him.

“What?” she whispered.

He tipped his hand forward, pointing. “Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read.”

Cassie blinked at the scraggly mutt wagging his tail at a dumpster. “I didn’t know you were a literary man.”

He chuckled as they moved. “Just loved the Marx brothers.”

For the record, I don't think the dog in the photo is scraggly, it just fit better with the story. :) Thank you for stopping by. If you'd like to read more of the #FridayFictioneers, please check out host Madison Woods' site. Happy reading! 

At the Gates #100words for the #FridayFictioneers

In honor of the #FridayFictioneers, I've written a little snippet inspired by a photo, but this time I chose my own photo to electrify my muse while I continue on my promotion journey. I'm promoting my recent release, Her Devoted Vampire, from Evernight Publishing, but I still wanted to write a little. My 100 word story is inspired by the following photo and is entitled: At the Gates.

The crowd filled the grounds before the gates, a muted roar hinting at the mood. Morning sunshine blazed off shimmering armor and woolen cloaks. Swords, knives, and bows flashed as their bearers moved. Anticipation ran rampant through the swelling mob and the volume of voices increased. Time was at hand.

Upon the parapets, Gabrielle the Mime looked down with mixed excitement and trepidation. Would the invading force abide by the agreements? In this time of celebration, would they ignore the rules and defy the Court?

A cannon fired and the gates opened.

Another day at the Renaissance Festival had begun.

Thank you for stopping by. If you're interested in the #FridayFictioneers, please visit Madison Woods' blog and see all the other writers who post their stories there. Happy reading! :)

A Story is Born!

As many of you know, I write a lot of flashfiction. I find it helps me tighten up my writing and makes my longer stories that much more believable and crisp.

It also brings new characters and stories into being. In fact, today I just wrote a third piece about a woman named Detective Cassie Tucker. She came into being from a 100 word flashfiction piece on Stevie McCoy's #TuesdayTales challenge. We had the word "legion" and the following photo to write on.

Cassie stared across the humped white backs of abandoned cars in mute frustration. Scuffed footprints marred the pristine snow covered spaces between them. Only the “road closed” sign hung in stiff silence, frozen solid, undisturbed.

She flicked the safety off her Sig and advanced slowly, holding her breath to hear anything in the winter silence. Snow dragged at her feet, thick enough it would take a legion of snowplows days to clear.

Cassie paused beside a silver Lexus and dropped her shoulders, sighing in defeat. No more footprints, not even tire tracks.

The kidnapper and the little girl had disappeared.

My writing twin asked me which WIP Cassie was from and I said I'd made her up just for the flash. But she'd planted a seed, because for last week's #FridayPictureShow hosted by Jen DeSantis, I added another 100 words for Cassie to the following photo.

It emerged from the golden wheat like a breaching submarine, dragging a wake of sunflowers with its heaving body. Cassie paused at the flower show to stare, a smile curling her lips.

“I’ve seen flower beds with head and foot boards, but never a flower caddy.”

“What are you talking about? Isn’t a caddy what the Brits call a cart?” Pierce quipped, laying one hand at her waist. “That’s just a bigger version.”

She laughed, reveling in his touch and the levity. It had been so long since she’d found joy in anything.

“I’d say it’d win best in show.”

Then today, again on #FridayPictureShow, Cassie made another appearance in 100 words to the next photo.

The mannequin lay in the wooden boat, rocking stiffly on the oily surface. Huge bug-eyed glasses reflected the multihued shimmer and brightly striped tights covered the legs under the torn skirt. The model’s hips and legs lay twisted ninety degrees from its shoulders, giving the body a broken look. The nails on the hands had been painted the color of dried blood.

Uniforms waded through the greasy water to retrieve the boat and its grisly contents.

“Shit.” Detective Cassie Tucker snapped her phone shut. “We got another one.”

Detective Daniels raised his eyebrows. “Another mannequin?”

“That’s not a mannequin, Daniels.”

And Voila! A new story is born. Where will Cassie go? How will she find her Happily-Ever-After (I am a romance writer, after all)? And since I tend to write paranormal, what fantastic creature will she encounter? Don't know yet. Have to see what other flashfiction pulls out of her. :)

Just a quick side note: I was the overall winner for #FridayPictureShow for Cassie's Mannequin story. Woo-hoo! Thanks to the judge and host for that one! :)

Just the Right Guy #100Words for the #FridayFictioneers

Welcome to the 100 words of the #FridayFictioneers hosted by Madison Woods. She offered us the following photo as a prompt and here's a little story that came from my imagination for it. Eloise is a secondary character from my forthcoming novel Queen Bitch of Callowwood, out in May 2012 from Siren Publishing. It seems like my Muse thinks she might get her own story after all. :)

Eloise sat down on the stepped rock and put her bare feet in the cool water.

“Oohhhhh,” she moaned. She closed her eyes and dropped her head back, willing her unhappy thoughts to fade away.

Tommy’s not the right male for you. He might be alpha, but he’s not your True Mate, her Sister self remarked.

She’d always had trouble with the idea of “True Mates” in the werewolf communities. Her parents weren’t true mates and they got along just fine.

And just who do you think is my True Mate?

“Hello, Eloise.”

She opened her eyes and stared into the sexy face of Kyle Howler.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you check out the other stories on Madison's site. Happy reading! :)

The Meeting #100words for #FridayFictioneers

Welcome back to #100words for the #FridayFictioneers. Last week I introduced you to Nik Wolffe, paranormal PI, and his investigations of a couple in Red Rock Canyon. This week, meet Chayse, CSI with the Las Vegas Metro PD.

Chayse trotted through the underbrush near Mt. Charleston, enjoying the brisk spring air. Gentle sunshine heated the rocks and pines around him, but the shadows remained cool beneath the overhanging bows.

A broken mushroom caught his eye. He paused, dropping his muzzle to the ground to investigate. Once a CSI, always a CSI. Not that this was a crime scene, but he always learned something new by seemingly innocuous artifacts left behind by someone’s actions.

A surprised wuff brought Chayse’s head up, his ears flagging forward. A pair of green wolfish eyes met his own. Nik.

     Hello, Brother, he growled.

Thank you so much for stopping by and please check out the other stories listed on Madison's homepage.

Silver Lining #100words for #FridayFictioneers

Welcome back to my little corner of the world. Today's photo prompt is all about perception - and a little bit of humor. I hope you enjoy this 100 words for the #FridayFictioneers.

  

Great arches in white soared above Leo’s head and looped like billowing clouds strung on ivory pillars. Sweet, distant music played in the echoing space and diffused light appeared to come from everywhere. A walkway stretched across his field of vision, filled with meandering figures in no apparent hurry. To his left a fountain cascaded down a white marble statue, the water splashing in a harmonious melody in sync with his heart.

“Hey, buddy, are you feeling better?” a familiar voice asked.

“Am I in Heaven?” Leo focused on the speaker.

“Nah, man. You fainted in the Mall of America!”

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to visit the other authors of the Friday Fictioneers here. Happy reading! :)

The Acorn #100words for #FridayFictioneers

Good morning. Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked for a little Friday #flashfiction. This morning, in honor of #WIP500 and #FridayFictioneers, I wrote 100 words on a little WIP slowly developing one flash piece at a time. Madison Woods hosts the group and you can find all the other authors' links on her blog. She provides the photo prompt.

The following story is a special military team has been brought in to search for a missing Senator's daughter. You can read an earlier snippet here and here. Captain Mack has just found the woman's horse, but no woman.

A horse whickered through the autumn trees. Mack signaled his team to move forward toward the archaeological site, trying to avoid marring the tracks. The path opened up in front of them to show flagging the scientists had left as well as a large chestnut Quarterhorse tied to one of the oaks outside of the site.

“Bryant, take a team and search the perimeter for more tracks.”

Something cracked under Mack’s foot as he moved and he bent, picking up a sprouting acorn with a frown.

“What are you doing here, buddy? It’s the wrong time of year for that.”

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend. Happy reading! :)

Gardening #100Words for the #FridayFictioneers

On this last Friday of 2011 I'm offering #100words for the #FridayFictioneers. Just a little story to send us careening into 2012. We had the following photo as a prompt and my little story is entitled, "Gardening".

She reclined in a garden of glittering light, warm scents of hibiscus and gardenia perfuming the air. Each leaf and petal seemed to sparkle as the breeze shifted them, drawing a soft fluttering sound. Theresa shook her head. The petals weren’t fluttering, something else made the sound.

“Faeries!”

Tiny flickers of light burst into the garden like stars, darting through the foliage. The garden magically transformed from shaggy wilderness to cultivated beauty. Theresa delighted in their antics until one of them crashed into her drink and sparked with a soft pop!

“Darnit, Ray! Stop using the nanos for your chores.”

That's the way of the world. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a delightful New Year! Happy reading. :)

Country Cooking #100words for #FridayFictioneers

Good morning. It started early for me, but that gave me the incentive to write #100words for the #FridayFictioneers this morning. It's a little more than 100 words (109) but it's part of a larger story about a woman who goes missing from the estate of her Senator father and he hires the best unorthodox team (No, not the A-Team) he can find to rescue her. This snippet happens after the debriefing Capt. Stephen McMacken has with the Senator, which can be read here, the snippet in blue writing. This snippet is entitled "Country Cooking" and belongs to this photo. Follow the link to the other Fictioneers writing today.

Stephen entered the stable, listening for the horses shifting in their stalls in the half-darkness from a lit doorway. The scents of hay, manure, and leather brought back memories of home, but a new scent and the hiss of meat cooking popped his memory bubble like a pin.

The source of the smell sat in an old plush Laz-E-Boy in the corner of the tack room, his head bent over a tiny space heater held in his hands. Though he wore a sleeveless t-shirt, he was using the space heater to reheat day-old bacon.

“What are you doing?”

The young man jerked in surprise, then glowered. “Cookin’. What’re you doin’?”

Thank you for stopping by and have a very happy Friday. Happy reading! :)

The Week in #FlashFiction Summary 11-14 thru 11-18

This was an interesting week for me. Busy and full of meeting new folks, both online and in person. It gave me a chance to really reflect on how much I enjoy talking to people. So if you were one of the ones I chatted with this week, I'm so glad I had the opportunity to hobknob with you! On with the summary.

On Monday, I entered the #MenageMonday challenge hosted by Cara Michaels. This time it was a YA version because her judge was the birthday boy and had just turned 10 years old. It was fun to come up with 200 words to the following photo, the phrase "eye of a [...]", and using Sherlock Holmes as a character, though not necessarily the main character. I won Honorable Mention for my entry.

“It’s gonna work, Tiffany,” Ryan stated as he set out all the paraphernalia he needed.

“You’re gonna bring Sherlock Holmes forward in time to help us solve the mystery of why your uncle went missing? Ryan, he’s a fictional character. You can’t bring him ‘forward in time’ when he never really existed.”

“He did,” he insisted. “And I’m gonna prove it. And then he’s gonna find my uncle.”

Four pop cans with railroad spikes wired to them stood half buried in the sand of the old playground, wired together in a large square. One corner went under the old swingset, but Ryan said “it couldn’t be helped” and they’d wound the swings up on the crossbar. Ryan said the sand was perfect for the “space bubble” to make the time tunnel.

“Okay, are you ready?”

“Are you?”

“Here we go.”

Ryan touched the wires to his dad’s car battery and the flash of light knocked him on his butt. A blue bubble grew beneath the swingset.

“It looks like the eye of a husky,” she whispered.

When the tall man in a long checkered coat holding a funky pipe stepped out on the sand, Tiffany's jaw dropped to the ground.

Elementary, my dear! Also on Monday, I wrote a 500 word piece for #MotivationMonday hosted by Wakefield Mahon. It's entitled "Amazing Grace" and I was the winner. We had to write to the following photo continuing after the phrase prompt:

“I heard the Asian preacher playing trumpet outside of the station.”

When Grace looked up at the strange statement, she almost dropped her latte. It wasn't an Asian preacher, but an extraordinarily beautiful male with a long horn pressed to his lips on top of the courthouse across the street. Chiseled features stood out starkly against the crystal blue sky as his chest expanded to blow another anthem of notes. Grace stopped short, gaping as a pair of great white wings extended out behind his back and the music of the horn danced through the autumn air. Grumbled comments of other pedestrians who hadn’t expected her to stop surged around her.

Grace glanced at her fellow foot travelers, wondering if they saw the handsome man with the wings and horn, but no one else stopped. She frowned and looked again, but he’d disappeared.

I must have imagined it.

She shook her head and resumed her journey, going over the chores she had to finish when she got home that day. She hadn’t realized she dropped her head until she ran into someone. Someone tall and hard, who smelled like sandalwood incense until her latte added its own scent when it splashed across his belly.

“Be easy, Grace. I’ve got you.”

She looked up, way up, into the light brown eyes of the man holding her steady and froze. The same chiseled features she’d seen on the rooftop faced her with a compassionate smile curling his sensual lips. The wings visible over his shoulders shone white in the reflected light off the buildings, but no feathers shifted in the mild breeze. The skin was leathery, like a bat’s wing, and a small clawed thumb gripped the edge of the longest wing-finger.

“What are you?”

He cocked his head to one side as his smile broadened. “What do you think I am, Grace?”

“When I first saw you with the wings and the trumpet . . .”

He laughed and the music in his laughter tempted her to join him. “An angel?”

“Yes, but now . . .”

“But now?” he prompted.

 She huffed with exasperation. “Now you don’t have a trumpet. Where did you put that thing, anyway? And what’s with the bat’s wings? I expected feathers.”

He laughed again, tucking her arm into his as one leathery wing extended around her shoulders, hugging her to his side.

“Contrary to popular belief, angels come in all shapes and sizes, with all kinds of wings. Mine just happen to look like this.” He pulled her against his chest as the other wing closed around her, encasing her in a sandalwood scented world with his blazing golden eyes staring down at her. “I wanted you to know I’m here for you.”

“Here for me? What are you talking about?”

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, then returned her to the world in front of a speeding taxi. Horns blared and people screamed as her world shattered into brightness, her latte spilling across the asphalt like golden blood.

“Be easy, Grace. I’ve got you."

Dragon winged angels are my all time favorite! :) On Tuesday, I found Buffy Christopher hosting Six line Sunday on her blog and while I was a little late, I couldn't resist writing a short six line story to the following photo. 

“Lift me just a little higher, Max.”

“I don’t want to lift you, I want to kiss you,” he grunted as her knee hit him in the side.

“But I want to climb the wall.”

“You’re not wearing the right shoes, Tess,” he remarked.

“Since when has that ever stopped me?” she retorted, reaching higher.

He sighed as he pulled her butt up higher, enjoying the soft press of her breasts against his face as she attained her goal.

Also on Tuesday, I wrote a quick 100 words for #TuesdayTales hosted by Stevie McCoy. There were two prompts, the word "hastate", which means "spear shaped" and the following photo.

Mirriam stared in wonder as she crouched at the edge of the glen. The sparkling lights had beckoned her from her home to Sherwood Forest and she’d expected faeries dancing in a sacred stone circle. But when she arrived, the lights glinting through the trees came from flowers. Each flower started as a hastate bud, then opened in a brilliant shot of light, adding its color and scent to the air.

One steel blue bud swirled open below her nose, bathing her in glorious sapphire light.

“Blessings be with you,” she heard whispered and her heart sang with peaceful joy.

Today, there are two blogs I write for. The first is #100words with the #FridayFictioneers hosted by Madison Woods. We were asked to write 100 words to the following photo. This is the beginning to a story that has been brewing for a few months and is waiting for the editing projects to end. I've entitled this 100 words "Taking the Reins".

Bethany viciously kicked the loose stones on the road as she walked while Killian ambled along beside her. She wanted to scream and hurl the rocks in a tantrum, but she had too much respect for her equine companion and her hands fisted on the reins.

“Damn him!”

Killian tossed his head at her outburst and she patted his neck. It wasn’t her horse’s fault her father was a controlling, arrogant bastard. Just because he was a US Senator didn’t mean he could dictate who she’d marry. Dammit, this wasn’t the middle ages when men sold off women for land!

More to come on Bethany and company soon! Also, today I wrote 100 words for #FridayPictureShow challenge hosted by Jen DeSantis. The requirements are 100 words exactly for the following photo prompt. Mine is entitled, "Seven Sisters."

Seven sisters in a line

Waiting for rescue sublime.

Seven songs sung at the dawn

Bring them to windows drawn

To gaze upon a frightful sight

Of Demon Horde and one black knight.

Says he, “One of you will have to pay

So others may survive this day.

Choose one among you for sacrifice

To pay for all the pain and vice

You’ve brought to our simple land.”

Seven sisters then clasp hands

And Serena, youngest one of all,

Offers to be the one to fall.

For six sisters she loves most

To save them from the Demon Host.

Thank you for joining me today and I hope you enjoyed all the stories. Come back for a snippet of a Pirate tale on Sunday and have a great Thanksgiving week! Happy reading! :)

The Artifact #100words for #FridayFictioneers

Good morning and welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked, where odd things appear to be normal and normal things are just plain odd. Today Madison Woods offered the following photo for the #100words and here's my little story. Enjoy!

Talia stared at the limestone marble on Sebastian’s desk with fascination. He’d told her he’d found an ancient artifact, but he hadn’t described it.

That was it? That innocuous little gray and white sphere?

Glancing around her to make certain no one saw, Talia reached out for the small marble with the tips of her fingers. Just one touch; that was all she wanted.

Bright light flashed and disorientation swallowed her, then spat her out into a busy archaic village full of warriors focused on one pale and disheveled man braced against an adobe wall.

She gasped in terror. “Sebastian!”

Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)

Haunting Autumn #100Words for #FridayFictioneers

Good morning and welcome back to #FlashFiction Friday.Thank you for stopping by and any comments are greatly appreciated. Today the prompts are the following photo and a limit of 100 words. Title: Haunting Autumn.

The house looked so forlorn in the dying light of the autumn sunset. MaryAnn remembered when it had been full of light and laughter on fall evenings. Candles burning in the windows welcoming revelers to the Harvest Parties; children laughing as they dressed in warm costumes and bobbed for apples or scarfed down popcorn balls. She remembered the adults sipping cider and mulled wine as they celebrated the changing season.

But that was done now, lives and celebrations relegated to the past, merely ghostly memories like her. She sifted through the darkened corners, singing one last haunting lullaby in farewell.

Thanks again for stopping by and happy reading! :)

The Predator #100Words for #FridayFictioneers

Good morning to you! It's #flashfiction Friday and my newest efforts are below. I hope you enjoy it and enjoy the tastes of autumn that have arrived with the turning of the year.

As always, this is a 100 word snippet using the photo prompt. Title: The Predator

The sun has set behind the hills, but the sky still shows its taint of day.

Mists rise as if the ground weeps in relief for the reduction of heat with the coming evening. I wait patiently while the horses meander toward their warm barn in hopes of sweet hay and grain to supplement their grazing. My own hunger stirs as the light fades, darkening the trees from the hints of autumn splendor to shades of murky gray. I sense night’s cloak descending and my hunger demands more than horse blood. Tonight I will hunt my fellow predator, the human.

Thank you for stopping by and commenting. It really makes my day. Be sure to come back on Sunday when I post a Six Sentence Sunday excerpt from my current WIP. If you'd like to join in SSS, please visit #sixsunday and add your blog to the list. Have a great weekend and happy reading! :)

Hunting on Wild Horse Beach #100Words for #FridayFictioneers

Good morning! Today's #FlashFiction snipped for the #FridayFictioneers is below. I hope you'll stop by and read the interview with Cara Michaels, as well. If you become a follower of the blog and comment on it, you will be entered to win a copy of her upcoming release!

So with no other ado, 100 words with this morning's prompt of the following photo:

I followed the trail of feathers like breadcrumbs. Hitting the cobblestoned beach, I momentarily lost the path, but one bedraggled feather caught between the wet rocks gave my quarry away.

Not this time. You’re mine.

I’d been tracking the Pegasus herd for two days straight and was a little punchy, but I knew this beach was a box canyon and this Pegasus was molting.

I found her, legs braced with her back to the rocky cliff, her head up, ears back, and challenge in her eyes.

I hefted my rope, grinning at her defiant snort. “Let’s dance, you and me!”

There you have it! I hope you enjoyed and thanks for stopping by. Be sure to tune in on Sunday for my Six Sentence Sunday snippet and Cara's interview below. Happy reading!