#ThurThreads - Week 37 - Winners

Week 37 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 and some new "faces". Great thanks also goes to judge Cara Michaels for reading all the tales.

Entries:

• Rafe B | @etcet
• Cari Oleskewicz | @carilynn72
• Angelica Dawson | @AngelicaDawson
• Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider
• Daniel Swensen | @surlymuse
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Jeffrey Hollar | @Klingorengi
• Susan Hayes | @capricia13
• Nick Johns | @nickjohns999
• Charles W Jones | @ChuckWesJ
• Michela Walters | @MichelaWalters
• Miranda Boers | @PurpleQueenNL
• Sarah Aisling | @SarahAisling
• Kel Heinen | @Aightball
• Alex Bowman | @AlexBowman8
• @LupusAnthropos
• Clare Stubbs | @ClareStubbs2  
• J. M. Filipowicz | @SuperHappyJen
• Jalisa Blackman | @J_M_Blackman
• Aurora Lee | @AuroraLee
• Chris DeBoe

Cara says: It took some work to narrow down my list of favorite stories to just a few. In the end, I found myself drawn to the stories that took the prompt in unexpected directions. Well done to everyone who entered, and thanks, Siobhan, for having me as judge!

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Miranda Boers | @PurpleQueenNL

Cara says: I’ve never heard the ‘going nineteen to the dozen’ expression before, but Miranda painted a clear picture to illustrate the meaning. I giggled, imagining seeing this couple going on… and then BAM! Umbrella to the chest.

 

Jalisa Blackman | @J_M_Blackman

Cara says: Jalisa, all I have to say is… GIVE ME MORE WORDS! Your story ended and it was so cruel… how could there not be more? *sob*

 

Week 37 Winner

Charles W Jones | @ChuckWesJ

Cara says: I’m a cat lover, what can I say? This wonderful story reminded me of the antics of my four-footed fiends (especially when they don’t know anyone is looking). Unlike so many of the entries, Chuck took the prompt in a sweet, funny direction that I just loved.

 

He just stared out the window. What else was he to do but wait? How long had it been? She said she would only be gone for a few minutes. It seemed much longer than that. He got up and paced in front of the door. Where was she?

He returned to the window. He cocked his head from side to side looking down the sidewalk but she was still nowhere to be seen. He sat in the chair and watched. Birds flew by the window but they could not distract him from watching for her.

Click, click at the door. Quickly, he lay down and closed his eyes.

“Kitty, I’m home.”

Drowsily, he blinked his eyes open and lifted his head.

“Meow,” he said softly.

“You haven’t moved an inch since I left. lazy cat.”

Congratulations Chuck, Miranda, and Jalisa! 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. Next week I'll be out of town at Authors After Dark in New Orleans so #ThursThreads will be postponed until August 16th 2012 and I hope to see you all back then. :)

#ThursThreads - Week 34 - Winners

Week 34 of #ThursThreads had some great tales and some 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" along with our returning regulars. Great thanks also goes to judge Steve Palevich for reading all the tales.

Entries:

• Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider
• Theresa Breaux | @theresabreaux
• Wakefield Mahon | @WakefieldMahon
• Jeff Xilon | @JXilon
• Cari Oleskewicz | @Carilynn72
• Cameron Lawton | @CameronLawton
• Ryan Strohman | @rastrohman
• Charles W Jones | @ChuckWesJ
• Rebekah Postupack | @postupak
• David A Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
• Goran Zidar | @GZidar
• Jeffrey Hollar | @Klingorengi 
• Elaine Hillson | @tollykit
• Rebecca R Kovar | @RRKovar
• Robert Mahone | @Computilizer
• Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster
• Kel Heinen | @Aightball
• Kyle O'Connor | @CRRollinger
• Cara Michaels | @caramichaels

 

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider

Steve says: Loved the teasers, "Sometimes things don't turn out as you expect..." and "..a caterwaul." yet still delighted when the cat was let out of the bag, so to speak. The story delivered as promised and left me thinking, " Make your intentions really specific.
 

Jeffrey Hollar | @Klingorengi

Steve says: Touching and tender, with a spell of magic - cast by the full moon? Took me a moment to recognize the sightless attribute - and the heightened compensating senses.  The twinge of danger adds a sharpened edge.
 

Cameron Lawton | @CameronLawton

Steve says: Didn't see it coming, the surprise of a ghost ship. Ahhh. Full moon - and "...glaring at the chart."  The characters and conversations were a little confusing and the last paragraph defused the impact. But I liked the surprise.

 

Week 34 Winner

Charles W Jones | @ChuckWesJ

Steve says: Sweet - and swift.  The trepidation builds.  Who's not somewhere deep down afraid of the dark?  Disturbing sounds, distant then near.  Are they coming for me? Then the girl and the wolf- really seen in my minds eye.  Relief!  And delight! Gotcha.  It must be a full moon.

 

The clouds covered the night sky making it darker than I liked it when I walked this road through the woods. I heard a shriek in the distance and my heart began to thud hard in my chest. Why didn’t I take up my friends on the ride home? Alas, I didn’t want to inconvenience them to go so far out of their way. Twigs snapped in the woods then a great tussle in the dry leaves covering the ground. The next thing I know a girl wearing the brightest red hooded cloak ran across the road followed closely by a wolf.

It must be a full moon.

Congratulations Two Time Winner Charles, Robin, Jeff, and Cameron! 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. Next week I'll be out of town at Authors After Dark in New Orleans so #ThursThreads will be postponed until August 16th 2012 and I hope to see you all back then. :)

 

#ThursThreads - Week 30 - Winners

Week 30 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 Charles W Jones for reading all the tales.

Entries:

• Jeffrey Hollar | @Klingorengi 
• Cameron Lawton | @CameronLawton
• Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider
• Olivia Grambo | @KelseyPotter13
• Rebecca Allen | @RGraceAllen
• Elaine Hillson | @tollykit
• Jeff Xilon | @JXilon
• Michela Walters | @michelawalters
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster
• Eli M. Clark | @EliMClark
• Deb C | @debc
• Stevie McCoy | @theglitterlady
• Miranda Boers | @PurpleQueenNL
• Rosalind Smith-Nazilli | @MrsNazilli
• David Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
• Goran Zidar | @GZidar
• Wakefield Mahon | @WakefieldMahon
• Martha Bechtel
• Nellie Batz | @solimond
• Stacy Bennett-Hoyt | @Rowanwolf66
• Jalisa Blackman | @J_M_Blackman
• Jason McKinney | @jason_mckinney
• Ruth Long | @Bullishink
• Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1
• Anna Meade | @ruanna3

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider

Charles says: wow, I hate the dark too. I want know what happens next.
  

Jeff Xilon | @JXilon

Charles says: I really felt the emotion of this story. Wonderfully written.

Jason McKinney | @jason_mckinney

Charles says: ooooh, Nazi’s and werewolves, awesome.
 

Week 30 Winner

Stevie McCoy | @theglitterlady

Charles says: I love the vivid imagery of the landscape and the way I was drawn into the story.

“Tell me I’m not giving my life away for nothing.” Jayden paused looking up into Micha’s red-lined pupils solemnly. This wasn’t her idea of perfect vacation but she didn’t have much of a choice in the matter.

“I’ll tell you whatever you wish to hear.” Micha took her hand in his. Petting her hand with a soft thumb he proceeded to smile in opposition to his stone set face.

“Tell me, please.” Her insistence, she could tell, grated on Micha’s patience; his hand twitched trying to hold back the irritation from boiling over. Jayden was thankful, for a moment, at having her angelic powers bottled up; it meant she couldn’t feel his deep seeded anger and pain piercing at her human flesh.

“Your life isn’t ending only changing.” He led her further into what seemed like an endless desert.
“How long will I stay here?”

“Don’t be daft Jayden, this is your new home,” Jayden looked around at the red dirt and the steaming cracks creeping up the rocky walls, “This is the outskirts obviously we won’t be staying here; I plan on giving you the royal treatment.”

Jayden swallowed feeling the scratch in her throat from the dry air. It made her nervous the more being down here became and felt more real. This wasn’t a dream and the “royal treatment” probably didn’t mean massages and fluffy bunnies.

“Welcome to Hell, my sweet bird.”

Congratulations Stevie, Robin, Jeff, and Jason! Claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! :) Please DM Charles for your copy of Circus Tarot.

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 Tales Together - Week 30

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 30 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 30:

The giggling, torture-loving horror author, Charles W. Jones.

 

 

  Charles on Twitter

Charles on Facebook

Charles is generously offering an .EPUB copy of Circus Tarot to the winner of #ThursThreads this week, so get ready to write! And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:

"Tell me I’m not giving my life away for nothing."

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! :)