#ThursThreads - Week 98 - Winners

Week 98 of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales. I'm honored to see all of the returning writers and read your stories. Thank you for coming back again and again to write. And it was wonderful to have some folks we haven't seen in a while. Welcome back! Great thanks to J. Annas Walker for judging this week. :)

Entries:

• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Rafe Brox | @etcet
• Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1
• Silver James | @SilverJames_
• Kelly Heinen | @Aightball
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir 
• Eric Martell | @drmagoo

J. Annas says: This was a tough call. I had to read and re-read these several times to choose a winner. I love Siobhan's work. I hope the snippet I read is part of an upcoming project! Let me say how entertaining these were with so much intrigue jammed into only a few word. Great job everyone! I hope to read more from everyone next week!

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Doris O'Connor | @mamaD8
J. Annas says: Rafe has clearly sat is some hellish traffic. Haven't we all given a moment's thought to just hitting the pedal at an inappropriate time? The description of the doomsday soothsayers is something straight off the front page a tabloid. But what if the tabloid story is standing in the street yelling at you stuck in traffic? Interesting notion. What would you be tempted to do?

Silver James | @SilverJames_
J. Annas says: Silver James did a bang up job. The setup for a gut wrenching internal struggle was nice. I don't know enough about the gypsy girl to know whether or not the feel sorry for her, but she's clearly going to change the course of the story.
 

Week 98 Winner

Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1

J. Annas says: The heroine's anger and passion is very tangible. There's a good sense of both an immediate conflict and of a sub-plot conflict. I get the idea that the couple already had an uphill battle before the bodies littered the scene. Our hero gets to be calming logic, but he delivers it with the threat of a future reprisal. This would make a great story.

The Harbinger of Death

“Georgina, wait.”

Stephen stood between me and the door. I pointed the dagger at him. My words were measured as I tried to contain my anger. “Get. Out. Of. My. Way.”

He stood his ground, refusing to move.

“I won’t let them get away with this!”

He put his hands on my shoulders. “I promise you, their reckoning will come.”

“When?” I asked. “They do what they want, take what they want.” I turned and gestured towards my family. Their bodies still smoldered on the pyre, where they had been staked. “They are dead because the Council decreed it? Because they stood up to them? And I may die to, but I won’t go alone.”

“I said they would answer for what they have done, and they will. But you must be patient. Their reach is far.”

“I don’t care,” I spat. “If it takes my death to avenge theirs, than I will die.”

“And what of the child that grows in you?”

I felt the baby stir inside me. He was the reason for the decree. My vampire family… Stephan’s family, had refused to give me up. A human mating with one of theirs wasn’t forbidden, but bringing a half breed into the world was.

“You have to live. For our son.

“They will never stop hunting us,” I said.

Stephan touched my belly. “They fear our child for a reason. It’s been prophesized… their end will come... and our son will be the harbinger that brings it.”

Congratulations SIX TIME Winner Lisa, Rafe, and Silver! Don't forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it!

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)

Saturday Souvenirs - NaNoWriMo Motivation - How to Keep the Flame Alive

We're a week into National Novel Writing Month. Can you hear the nails being bitten and the coffee being drunk? And then the scream of frustration as you just can't get the muse to tell you more right when you need it.

With NaNoWriMo upon us, and everyone feverishly trying to write/finish a novel in 30 days, there’s hardly time to think about anything else. But sometimes even feverish efforts hit burnout and it’s hard to keep up the pace to finish 50K words in thirty days. How do you keep going when you hit a wall?

One of the best things to remember is you’re not alone. There are a lot of people in the writing world who participate in NaNoWriMo and they are all in the same boat. I have several friends who compete each year in NaNo. What they’ve told me works best is having NaNo-buddies, friends who can alternately cajole and whip you into writing when you just want to quit. Having someone like this is one of the essential tools to getting NaNo done. I make an excellent cheerleader and encourager. Just sayin’.

So when you hit that wall where you hate what you’re writing and you’re pretty sure it equals pond scum, just remember you can fix it later. Get the rough story down and don’t worry about its “goodness”. Good writing is rewriting anyway. It doesn’t have to be awesome, it just has to be done. You’ll be amazed how much you’ll get done.

Another thing that helps with inspiration is #flashfiction writing. There are several challenges during the week set aside specifically to encourage motivation and inspiration. #FlashFridayFic, #55WordChallenge, #ThursThreads, and the new one #RacetheDate, are all challenges meant to motivate you into writing and help spark your muse. Each of these challenges occur weekly and can help with your word count for the day.

This is a huge task you’re undertaking, but you can do it. One hour, two tops, and you can get that word count in. I’ll cheer you on.

If you've done NaNoWriMo before, what tricks do you use to keep yourself going?

Good luck and happy NaNoWriMo!

#ThursThreads - Week 80 - Winners

Week 80 of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales and a great turn-out! I'm honored to see all of the returning writers and read your stories. Thank you for coming back again and again to write. And welcome to the new folks who stopped by. Great thanks to Maureen O. Betita for judging this week. :)

Entries:

• Dee Little
• Silver James | @SilverJames_
• Rebecca Brennan | @bexbrennan
• Greg Nance | @acenance
• Brandon Yusuf Toropov | @BYToropov
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil 
• Susan Hayes | @capricia13
• Imaginator | @theimaginator20
• Kelly Heinen | @Aightball
• Dr. Magoo | @drmagoo
• David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
• Kayla West | @bookwormattack
• Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1
• Rebecca R. Kovar | @RRKovar
• Ryan Derham | @Ryan_Derham
• Kirsten Arnold
• Cara Michaels | @caramichaels

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Dee Little 

Maureen says: I really liked the revenge aspect of this bit. I really am a sucker for a good vengeance tale… I bought into the need for a pound of flesh. Very good!

Silver James | @SilverJames_
Maureen says: When a tidbit can make me want to read a full MS, it’s good. I’ve only read one other dragon shifter type story, but this makes me rethink that. I do love a confident man!

Greg Nance | @acenance

Maureen says: I really suck at a full story in few words, this was masterfully done. I saw the whole story in this snippet.

 

Week 80 Winner

Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1

Maureen says: I wrestled a lot between this and one other, but in the end…this proved terribly invocative. I’m partial to a steady eye when it comes to dealing with a bloody scene. Very well done, Lisa! You didn’t blink, you didn’t overdue, just enough description.

The Wolf

It was born at midnight, all teeth and fur… and hungry for blood. It climbed from its mother’s belly after having eaten through her womb. Even then it was hungry, so it picked her bones free. Watching the creature, Kylee reached out to pet it, but Nanna slapped her fingers back.

“Leave it alone.”

Kylee watched the creature feed and then studied its mother. Tara had been her sister. Kylee had been jealous when she’d been chosen for the Quickening. To be the mother of the wolf god was an honor. Tara hadn’t thought so. She’d screamed while its seed was planted.

When it was done eating, the creature looked at Kylee, growling slightly. Kylee felt something stir inside of her. It sniffed at her, sticking its nose close to her sex. Then Nanna shoed it away.

Kylee watched it leave, disappointed. “Will it come back?”

“When it reaches the end of its life it will return to choose a new vessel.”

“So he can be reborn.” Kylee felt the yearning again, a combination of fear, hope and desire.

“By then you will be very old. You will be Nanna.

Kylee looked crestfallen. “Oh.”

“Don’t be so disappointed, child. The wolf only exists when the moon is full and then it must feed. You do not want him here those nights.”

“And the other nights?”

“He will take another form, one more pleasing than the wolf, though no more tame and sometimes more dangerous. Those nights he is a man.”

Congratulations FourTime Winner Lisa, Dee, Silver, and Greg! Don't forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! :)

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)

#ThursThreads - Week 79 - Winners

Week 79 of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales! I'm honored to see all of the returning writers and read your stories. Thank you for coming back again and again to write. And welcome to the new folks who stopped by. Great thanks to Andrew Grey for judging this week. :)

Entries:

• Brandon Yusuf Toropov | @BYToropov
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• C.A. Keane | @AuthorCAKeane
• Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1
• Dr. Magoo | @drmagoo
• Kelly Heinen | @Aightball

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Brandon Yusuf Toropov | @BYToropov 

Andrew says: Brandon's tale had an interesting feel. There was definitely more there.

Dr. Magoo | @drmagoo
Andrew says: I like the puppet master angle. It captured my attention.

C.A. Keane | @AuthorCAKeane

Andrew says: What was in the case? Nice interest buildup.

 

Week 79 Winner

Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1

Andrew says: The one I liked best was Lara's Secret. A bit of action and a great buildup.

Lara’s Secret

“Lara, was that Michael I saw driving away?

“Yes.”

Lara’s back was turned, but Stephanie thought her voice sounded strained, as though she’d been crying. She put her hand on her friends shoulder. “Well, he is coming back, right?”

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know?”

Lara turned around and brushed past her friend. “I’m thirsty. You want a drink?”

“No. Was he cheating on you?”

Lara laughed. “Michael? No way. He’s a saint.”

“Then what happened?”

“He asked me about the basement.”

“So? I’ve wondered about it myself. You’ve kept it locked tight, ever since David’s death…“

Lara flinched, but ignored the pain she felt at her son’s name. “You’ve never pushed me. Michael went down there. He tried to break the lock.”

“No secret’s worth keeping, not if you lose the one person you love most.”

“If he knew, I would lose him anyway.”

“I don’t understand. Lara, what’s in that room? A shrine? It’s been ten years, you need to move on.”

“Leave it alone Steph.”

Stephanie’s eyes fell on the crowbar by the basement steps. She waited until Lara reached into the fridge for a beer.

“Stephanie, please… you don’t understand.”

Lara chased her down the steps, but Stephanie was already prying at the weakened lock. It didn’t take much to finish what Michael’s started. The lock broke, the door opened and inside the room, a roar sounded.

“David never died,” Lara sobbed. “It would have been better if he had… Stephanie, run!”

Congratulations Three Time Winner Lisa, Brandon, Doc, and C.A.! Don't forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! :)

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)

#ThursThreads - Week 63 - Winners

Week 63 of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales! Thanks to all who came to write yesterday. I'm honored to see all of the returning writers and read your stories. Thank you for coming back again and again to write. And I'm delighted to see new writers stopping by. Great thanks go to Jeff Tsuruoka for reading the stories.

Entries:

• Cara Michaels | @caramichaels 
• Silver James | @SilverJames_
• Kelly Heinen | @Aightball
• Jeff Hollar | @Klingorengi
• Theresa Breaux | @theresabreaux
• Rebecca Brennan | @bexbrennan
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
• Antonio Angelo | @AntonioAngelo21
• Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider
• Susan Hayes | @capricia13
• Dr Magoo | @drmagoo
• Sandra Bunino | @SandraBunino
• Meredith Smith-Lane | @squee79
• David A Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
• Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster
• Nellie Batz | @solimond
• Grace Black | @blackinkpinkdsk
• Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1
• @LupusAnthropos

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

 

Cara Michaels | @caramichaels

Jeff says: Got a big laugh out of this one... A great take on the prompt.

Susan Hayes | @capricia13

Jeff says: I love the pacing of this story, the whoosh of urgency carried from the first line right through the ending.

Dr Magoo | @drmagoo

Jeff says: What a powerhouse of a first sentence... and the rest of it stands up just as well. Perfectly rendered.

Week 63 Winner

Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1

Jeff says: Beautiful uncluttered prose partners with intense imagery and strong atmospherics.  Great stuff.

Justice

She felt his arms around her and shivered. Her stomach fluttered as his hands closed around hers, positioning her fingers around the cold instrument.

“Never point it unless you intend to use it. Aim… like this.” He guided her hand up, aiming the gun at the target that was in front of them. “The safety is here. Cock the hammer. Pull the trigger.”

Tanya squeezed and felt the kickback reverberate through her arms. He held her steady and showed her how to balance her stance so that it would be easier. She breathed in his scent. She had longed for her best friend’s brother for a long time now. She and Amy had once joked that they could be sister-in-laws if Jacob would only notice her. He never did and now it was too late. Amy was dead, the victim of a rapist that had been terrorizing the city and Jacob’s arms around her didn’t bring the comfort she had once thought.

After an hour he declared that she would at least be able to defend herself without shooting out an eye.

“Any questions?” He asked.

She had lots, but none that would provide a suitable answer. She had been there when Amy was attacked. No one knew because she had hid, watching… too afraid to move. But she’d seen his face. She knew who Amy’s killer was.

She cocked the hammer and put the gun to his head. Then she pulled the trigger.

Congratulations THREE TIME WINNER Lisa, Cara, Susan, and Dr. Magoo! Don't forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! :)

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)

#ThursThreads - Week 47 - Winners

Week 47 of #ThursThreads had some great tales! Thanks to all who entered this week. I'm honored to see all of you and read your stories. It was great to have our returning regulars. Thank you for coming back again and again to write. And great thanks go to Lila Shaw for reading the stories. :)

Entries:

• Theresa Breaux | @theresabreaux
• Susan Hayes | @capricia13
• Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1
• Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider 
• Jeffrey Hollar | @Klingorengi
• Charles W. Jones | @ChuckWesJ
• Kel Heinen | @Aightball
• Ruth Long | @Bullishink
• Nellie Batz | @solimond

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

 

  Jeffrey Hollar | @Klingorengi

Lila says: Reminiscent of Kathleen Turner and William Hurt Body Heat banter. Clever word choices in this one had me chuckling.

Susan Hayes | @capricia13

Lila says: Loved how it morphed at the end into something far more mundane than it started off as. I'm a sucker for a twist.
 

Theresa Breaux | @theresabreaux

Lila says: Interesting concept had me thinking about it even after I finished reading.

Week 47 Winner

Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1

Lila says: This one was simply told but compelling nonetheless with its preponderance of dialogue and showing vs. telling. It fit the prompt because with protagonist is now a vampire herself, and therefore her mission of killing her sire is called into question leaving us all wondering what she's going to do--choose her mortal friend and probably her own eventual destruction or the vampire who seduced and tricked her.

The Morning After

Trying to silence the ringing of her phone, Stacy knocked her cell onto the floor. The shrill tone continued to trill at her.

Pulling her head out from under the covers, she squinted in the harsh light. Closing her eyes she reached down, searching blindly for the phone.

“Hello.”

“Stacy, where are you?”
“Home. Where are you?”

“Waiting for you in the park. I thought we’d agreed…Hunter Graystone. Remember? Kill the vampire. I have the stakes, now I just need you.”

“Umm…” Stacy stared at the empty spot in her bed.

“Don’t tell me you changed your mind.”

“Right now, I’m not so sure.”

“Cold feet, I understand.”

“No, you don’t. Morgan, I have to go.”

“Stacy, it has to be done when he sleeps. He’s marked you. If we don’t…”

“I’ll talk to you later, I have to go.”

Hanging up the phone, Stacy forced her eyes open and crossed the room. Her neck ached. God, she hoped it was just a hickey. Staring into the mirror she inspected the two puncture wounds. Putting her fingers against the carotid artery, she felt for a pulse. Nothing.

“But I can see my reflection…”

“That’s a myth.” Hunter stood behind her with a plastic cup. He held it out to her. “Also sunlight… not that bad.”

“You seduced me.”

“You came looking.”

“I just… I wanted to be sure.”

“Now you are.” He handed her the cup. A suspicious red liquid sloshed over the side. “Drink up, while it’s still warm.”

Congratulations Lisa, Jeffrey, Susan, and Theresa! Claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! :)

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)

 

There will be no #ThursThreads next week because of the Thanksgiving Holiday. See you in two weeks. :)

 

#ThursThreads - Week 31 - Winners

Week 31 of #ThursThreads had some great tales and many new folks joined us! Thanks to all who entered this week. I'm honored to see all of you and read your stories. And it was great to have some new "faces" join us along with our returning regulars. Great thanks also goes to judge Lisa McCourt Hollar for reading all the tales.

Entries:

• Kimberly Gould | @Kimmydonn
• Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider
• Theresa Breaux | @theresabreaux
• Olivia Grambo | @KelseyPotter13
• Stevie McCoy | @theglitterlady
• Jeff Xilon | @JXilon
• Rebecca Allen | @RGraceAllen
• Elaine Hillson | @tollykit
• Sarah Aisling | @SarahAisling
• Cameron Lawton | @CameronLawton
• Rebekah Postupak | @postupak
• Mike E Miller | @MikeEMillerBook
• Charles W Jones | @ChuckWesJ
• Jalisa Blackman | @J_M_Blackman
• Alissa Leonard | @lissajean7
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster
• David Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
• Cara Michaels | @caramichaels
• Nellie Batz | @solimond
• Nanette Pitts | @nanettePITTS

Lisa says: Wow, this wasn’t an easy decision. So many great stories, so many twists on the prompt; I loved them all.Thank you for allowing me to judge! I had a lot of fun reading all the stories

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider

Lisa says: This started out as a simple story about betrayal. As I’m reading it I think she was having an affair. Then the twist at the end caught me by surprise. Not such a simple story after all. I would love to read more, find out just what Joey’s story is.

Cameron Lawton | @CameronLawton

Lisa says: The story put me in mind of I, Robot, one of my favorite technology movies. From the way she kept referencing the husband, I was expecting the robot to be worse, especially after it mentions the ‘defect’.  The ending made me laugh and couldn’t have been better.

Rebekah Postupak | @postupak

Lisa says: I wonder who her husband was and why she wanted him dead. Who is Jamir? And the last line, so bitter sweet.
 

Week 31 Winner

Jeff Xilon | @JXilon

  Lisa says: This is the story that I wanted to read over and over again. I loved the fun names, the stories he offered to tell… I wanted more. I see the beginning of an epic fantasy here

The Storyteller

“I’ll tell you whatever you wish to hear.”

That was the storyteller’s promise, and we all crept closer, lured by his sincerity.

“Will you tell about the day the moon cracked?” Twisted Sally asked him.

“I’ll tell you of the day the moon cracked and the Goblin King came to steal the clouds of earth.”

“I want to hear about when the the oceans boiled,” Big Gus said.

“I’ll tell you of the roiling, boiling oceans and how the Atlanteans had to crawl onto the the beaches and beg for sanctuary.”

“I want to hear about the great revolt,” One-eyed Jane called out from the back.

“Of course!” the storyteller said. “I can tell you of the rebellion that felled the arcologies and brought the Oxygen Barons low.”

“What about our parents?” Red Anne, the smallest child, called out. “Will you tell us where our parents went?”

Silence fell like dominoes as each child held his breath and looked to the storyteller. He clasped his hands together and stared at Red Anne.

“Is that really the story you wish?” he asked her.

She nodded slowly, as if she were afraid a faster movement might break something delicate.

“Is that the story you all want to hear?” the old man asked the other children.

No one said no. No one said yes.

The storyteller bent his head in agreement. His voice was barely a whisper. “Our tale begins a long time ago, though not so long as you might think…”

Congratulations Jeff, Robin, Cameron, and Rebekah! Claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! :)

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here and I hope to see you all back next week for #ThursThreads. :)

#ThursThreads - The Challenge That Ties Tale Together - Week 31

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked. It's Thursday again, so what should you be doing? Writing #FlashFiction, that's what! Welcome to Week 31 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Need the rules? Read on!

Here's how it works:

• The prompt is a line from the previous week's winning tale.
• The prompt can appear ANYWHERE in your story and is included in your word count.

Rules to the Game:

• This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250.
• Incorporate the prompt anywhere into your story (included in your word count).
• Post your story in the comments section of this post
• Include your word count (or be excluded from judging)
• Include your Twitter handle or email (so we know how to find you)
• The challenge is open 7 AM to 7 PM Pacific Time
• The winner will be announced on Friday, depending on how early the judge gets up. ;)

How it benefits you:

• You get a nifty cool badge to display on your blog or site (because we're all about promotion - you know you are!)
• You get instant recognition of your writing prowess on this blog!
• Your writing colleagues shall announce and proclaim your greatness on Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus

Our Judge for Week 31:

The Queen of Zombies, and only woman I know brave enough to marry a Ferengi, Lisa McCourt Hollar.

 

 

  Lisa on Twitter

Lisa on Facebook

Lisa on Goodreads

And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:

“I’ll tell you whatever you wish to hear.”

All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads. Good luck! :)

#ThursThreads - Week 27 - Winners

Week 27 of #ThursThreads had some great tales! Thanks to all who entered this week. I'm honored to see all of you and read your stories. And it was great to have some new "faces" join us along with our returning regulars. Great thanks also goes to judge Jason McKinney for reading all the tales.

Entries:

• Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1
• Wakefield Mahon | @WakefieldMahon
• Toni Wyatt | @Toni1777
• Stevie McCoy | @theglitterlady
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Aylah | @Aylah50
• Michela Walters | @MichelaWalters
• Ryan Strohman | @rastrohman
• Nicole Wolverton | @nicolewolverton
• Goran Zidar | @GZidar
• Jeff Tsuruoka | @JTsuruoka
• Nellie Batz | @solimond
• Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
• Jalisa Blackman | @J_M_Blackman
• Cara Michaels | @caramichaels
• Miranda Gammella | @MLGammella
• Rebekah Postupak | @postupak

Jason says: All the stories were fun and well put together, and I thank you all for allowing me to read them.

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Wakefield Mahon | @WakefieldMahon

  Jason says: the hilarious tale Men are from Mars, by Wakefield Mahon. This was so funny that I can’t begin to convey the truth in that statement. As a father and husband I saw a lot of truth in those 250 words put into a very whimsical piece of flash fiction. Well done, Wakefield. Deciding between this and my number one pick was very difficult. Wakefield can be found probing unsuspecting twitter Earthlings as @WakefieldMahon.

Jalisa Blackman | @J_M_Blackman

Jason says: JM Blackman’s short tale of two hopeful parents creating a brand new baby girl. I loved the Frankenstein’s monster theme being used to bring a child into the world.

Rebekah Postupak | @postupak

Jason says: Rebekah Postupak’s flash fiction of how time flies for a couple deeply in love. This story made my list because I’m a sentimentalist and it reflects how I feel about my wife and how time seems to move faster than any of us realize. Rebekah travels under the twitter name @postupak.

Ryan Strohman | @rastrohman
Jason says: a poignant and thought provoking tale by a man simply known as Ryan. Ryan operates under the twitter handle @rastrohman. Having been involved in something similar to the near accident in this story, I can relate to how the realization of “Few things are worth dying for” can take on a life of its own and make things we take for granted become important again.

Week 27 Winner

Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1

  Jason says: Now this was a sweet little flash fiction read of discovered deceptions and cold-blooded murder. I loved the exchange between the wife and husband, leading up to his insinuation that she’d lost her mind and her answer that she thought it was a fair trade for his life. It was a well written, brief tale highlighting the unspoken fear of all cheating spouses. Outstanding work, Lisa! Lisa can be found artfully dissecting the living under the alias @Jezri1.

A Fair Trade

“That didn’t take long…” George’s voice trailed off as I took off my coat. Blood was covering my white blouse, the crimson stain resembling a macabre flower in mid bloom. Dropping the garment on the ground, my knees buckled and I would have landed next to it if he hadn’t caught me.

“My God,” he said, easing me onto the couch, “what happened?”

“I killed her.”

“Killed who?” Confused, he looked me over, searching for a wound to explain the blood. “Were you in a car accident?”

“No.” My voice sounded hollow. Inside I felt dead.

“Then what happened? You were going to the store.”

“I lied. I went to see Sheila.”

“Tom’s wife? Why?”

“She called, told me about the two of you.” My words landed with a thud.

“Linda, what on earth…I would never...What do you mean you killed her?”

“She was pregnant.”

Shock on his face.

“Oh, you didn’t know? Well, you would have soon enough. She was going to tell Tom that she wanted a divorce. She said you would leave me. I tried to explain to her why you wouldn’t, the pre-nup that you signed. Then I realized, all the little accidents lately…my brakes, the gas leak…the broken basement step, they weren’t accidents.”

“You’ve lost your mind, that’s it.”

Lifting my coat from the floor, I reached into the pocket, pulling out a knife stained with Sheila’s blood. “Maybe,” I said, lunging for him, “but I think it’s a fair trade for your life.”

Congratulations Lisa, Wakefield, Jalisa, Rebekah, and Ryan! Claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! :)

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