#ThursThreads - Week 70 - Winners

 

Week 70 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 Alison Packard for reading the stories.

Entries:

• @LupusAnthropos
• Revo Boulanger | @RevoBoulanger
• James Marshall | @JMwandering
• Kelly Heinen | @Aightball
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetShiel
• Kayla West | @bookwormattack
• Lizzie Koch | @Lizzie_Loodles
• The Imaginator | @theimaginator20
• Robby Hillman | @redshirt6
• Silver James | @SilverJames_
• Dr. Magoo | @drmagoo
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

 

Robby Hillman | @redshirt6

Alison says: What’s not to love about vampire hookers? Actually, when you think about there’s always plenty of victims…I mean johns, and during the day you get to sleep like the dead. It’s a win-win. I enjoy the author’s voice and the vampire hooker thing is intriguing. I’d really like to read more of this. And I don’t read much paranormal, so that’s saying something!

Kelly Heinen | @Aightball
Alison says: This entry was really lovely and well written. I could feel the bond between Eliza and her grandma, as well as Eliza’s nervous anticipation of what her grandmother will think of her sketch. Without a lot of flowery prose I got a sense of a loving, close-knit family. A wonderful bit ofvwriting.

Week 70 Winner

@LupusAnthropos

Alison says: I do love a surprise twist, and the end of this entry certainly qualifies. I could picture the scene in my head, complete with the stuffed wife/girlfriend sitting there with that stupid, glassy-eyed grin on her face, frozen for all time, while the nut job who killed and stuffed her breaks open a bottle of wine like it’s just another evening. I lift my glass to you, LupusAnthropos! Great job!

I HOLD YOUR HAND IN MINE

"You'll like this wine," I said, pouring her a glass of Zinfandel. "It's fruity and full bodied, like you."

Without moving, she just stared ahead with a smirk.

"Okay, fine - if you don't want it, I'll drink it., but you really should try it, sometime."

Still no reaction.

"You know, your conversation skills seem to have been lacking, lately. Is there something wrong"

There wasn't even the usual, "Oh, nothing" response.

"Well, you can get rid of the smugness, now, and the stupid, glassy eyed grin."

But it was no use. My skills in taxidermy had given her that grin five years ago, on our anniversary, no matter how much I hated it now.

Congratulations THREE TIME Winner Lupus, Robby, and Kelly! 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 - The Challenge That Ties Tales Together - Week 70

 

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked and a whole new year of #ThursThreads flash fiction. So let's get started. It's Thursday again, and what should you be doing? Writing #FlashFiction, that's what! Welcome to Week 70 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 as written 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 70:

Bibliophile, chocoholic, and contemporary romance author, Alison Packard.

Alison on Facebook

Alison on Twitter

Alison Goodreads

So now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:

“And the stupid, glassy eyed grin.”

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 53 - Winners

Week 53 of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales! Thanks to all who came to write in the New Year. I'm honored to see all of the returning and read your stories. Thank you for coming back again and again to write. And it was great to see some new 'faces' joining us. Great thanks go to Alison Packard for reading the stories. :)

Entries:

• Sean Adams | @SE_ADAMS_
• Raven McAllen
• Theresa Breaux | @TheresaBreaux
• Antonio Angelo | @AntonioAngelo21
• Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1
• Veronica Jordan | @RevolutionaryVJ
• Daniel Swensen | @surlymuse
• L.T. Dalin | @ChessnySilth
• Nick Johns | @nickjohns999
• Greg Nance | @acenance
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
• Jeffrey Hollar | @klingorengi
• Davina Jamison | @davinajamison2
• Ryan Strohman | @rastrohman
• Rebecca R. Kovar | @RRKovar
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• David A Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
• Alexandra O'Hurley | @alexohurley
• Kel Heinen | @Aightball
• Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster
• Shyla Colt | @ShylaColt
• Mike
• CR Moss | @CRMoss

Alison says: Wow! I was seriously impressed with every single entry. There’s some major talent going on in the #ThursThreads Challenge! Selecting the winner and honorable mentions was tough. Why can’t everyone win?

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

 

 Theresa Breaux | @TheresaBreaux

 Alison says: Theresa, immediately, I was drawn into the story and didn’t want it to end. You hooked me and made me want to know more about Jeb, Sully and Lisa. Great job!

Veronica Jordan | @RevolutionaryVJ

Alison says: Veronica, I really enjoyed your writing. Like Theresa’s story, I wanted more.

 Antonio Angelo | @AntonioAngelo21

Alison says: Antonio, I believe yours was one of the best uses of the prompt. Great opening sentence.

Mike
Alison says: Mike, I felt like I was in the mind of a stalker who doesn’t realize he’s a stalker. It was creepy. In a good way.

Week 53 Winner

Sean Adams | @SE_ADAMS_

Alison says: Sean, I loved, loved, loved your submission! It’s beautifully written; I was able to visualize the entire story in my head—like a motion picture…in Technicolor! I also enjoyed how you ended the story with the acceptance that there are things in our world we will never know. There’s something to be said for a little mystery in life…it makes it a lot more interesting.

The first time I met her was in the woods. She was beautiful, flashing between the trees filling the area with a wild energy that hit me like an arrow in the heart. Her voice rose above the wind and bounced off the trees, she thought she was alone.

Her wings spread out full glittering in the early morning sun with the most beautiful colors I had ever seen in my life.

I stayed back, watching, not wanting this sight to end. For so long I had searched, told I was crazy, the Fae were a myth, a legend told to children to keep them in line.

I knew better and I always had but now I could prove it. I lifted my camera slowly, like a hunter sighting in on an unexpectant deer. Just like the deer she stopped, looking around, and our eyes met for one sec.

That one second seemed like an eternity until I realized what I was doing. I quickly raised the camera and punched the button as she disappeared.

I had hurried home to develop the film and when I was done I sat and smiled. The only thing I had caught was my own thumb and the edge of a green tinted foot barely distinguishable from the under growth.

It was then that I realized that it was enough for me to know. I knew that there were indeed things we will never know about our world.

That is what gives me hope.

Congratulations two time winner Sean, Theresa, Veronica, Antonio, and Mike! 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 - The Challenge That Ties Tales Together - Week 53

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked and a whole new year of #ThursThreads flash fiction. So let's get started. It's Thursday again, so what should you be doing? Writing #FlashFiction, that's what! Welcome to Week 53 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 as written 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 53:

Bibliophile, chocoholic, and contemporary romance author, Alison Packard.

Alison on Facebook

Alison on Twitter

Alison Goodreads

So now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:

“The first time I met her was in the woods.”

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! :)

Next Big Thing Blog Hop - Losing the Cherry

Welcome to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked, where the women are kick-ass and the men are intrigued. :D I'm sure you've experienced the Next Big Thing Blog Hop on several other authors' blogs, but I think I've dropped the ball. I was out of town for the day my "tagger" Alison Packard posted her Blog Hop post and didn't promote her. :( Then I didn't tag 5 more authors who I think you all should check out. Sigh.

So to make up for my obvious short-comings, I'm going to do something a little different. I'm going to promote Alison now and you can check out her Next Big Thing Blog Hop Post. She really is a wonderful writer and storyteller, so I highly recommend her writing. Her first book is already out from Carina Press.

I'm also going to mention five authors I think you should check out. They are some of my favorites and they're writing is worth the reading. I was an avid reader before I became a writer and these folks have made my "auto-buy" list. But first, the questions I'm supposed to answer. ;)

What is the title of your next book?

Not a Dragon's Standard Virgin

Where did the idea come from for the book?

It actually had a working title of Double Standard because I'd been thinking about the "walk of shame/fame" issue that comes up when men or women come home from spending the night somewhere. The men get kudos, the women get ridicule and derision. So I started to think about what would happen if a woman set out to lose her virginity? And what's so valuable about virginity anyway? That gave me Isabelle Andersen, tavern keeper's daughter who'd rather not be fed to the dragon.

What genre does your book fall under?

I think you could say it's paranormal historical romance because there's a dragon shifter and it's set in 1547 Scotland.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I don't like this question because I very rarely base my characters on actors alive today and I'm not a big TV person (which means I don't see the actors much). So I'd have to say the actor who might wear a face similar to Jonarrion (the dragon shifter hero) would be Colin Farrell. Jonarrion is Irish and tall, athletic with a darkness riding him.

As for Isabelle, the heroine, the actress most similar would be Scarlett Johansson. Isabelle has a fire and a strength to take care of business despite the obstacles and Scarlett brings that to her characters.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Sacrificial virgins are so sixteenth century, but unless Isabelle finds a man to take her innocence, she may be next.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

It will be represented by a publisher.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I think all told it took me about five months, but I rarely write one story consecutively. I'm usually writing several all at once and when I get stuck on one I move to another, but then I return once the obstacle has percolated in my mind for a while and I see a way through to the ending.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

My writing is sexy, action-packed, and full of humor, which might be compared to the stories of Gena Showalter and Larissa Ione within the genre, but also can be compared to the stories of Karla Doyle, Gem Sivad, and Cara Michaels, who don't necessarily write paranormal, but their action and humor are first class.

What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?

I really try to write stories that appeal to both men and woman, regardless of the romance genre. There are male readers out there who love action adventure and sex just as much as women do, and so I try to write stories to entice them all. You can check out Her Devoted Vampire and Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack right now, and Not a Dragon's Standard Virgin should be out in early 2013.

One last question: If you had to choose between being fed to a dragon or losing your virginity, consequences be damned, which would you choose?

And now the authors you should definitely check out:

Karla Doyle - Contemporary Erotic Romance
TJ Michaels - Paranormal Romance
Goran Zidar - Science Fiction/Adventure
Kris Norris - Action/Adventure Romance
Deborah Coonts - Murder/Mystery with Romantic Elements

Thank you so much for stopping by. Happy New Year and happy reading! :)