#ThursThreads - Week 153 - Winners

Week 153 of #ThursThreads had some great tales. I'm honored to see all of the returning writers and read your stories. It was so nice to see so many of you this week and new folks. Welcome! Thank you for coming back again and again to write and for helping me celebrate these years of flash. Great thanks to Sonya Weiss for judging this week. Be sure to check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on FB to keep up with news, etc.

Entries:

• Charles W. Jones | @ChuckWesJ
• Kelly Heinen | @Aightball
• Anne Chowdhury | @TwiAddictAnne
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil (prose)
• Silver James | @SilverJames_
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil (poem)
• Sandi Layne | @sandyquill
• Charley Emma | @lindorfan
• Cynthia Hudson Keane | @AuthorCAKeane
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
• David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
• Eden Connor | @EdenConnor
• Cara Michaels | @caramichaels
• Josh Peters | @joshbgosh

Sonya says: This was a lot of fun and I loved the entries. I read the pieces as they came in throughout the day and it was hard to narrow them down. It's easy to tell that these writers aren't beginners.

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Josh Peters | @joshbgosh

Sonya says: Because Tina was interesting due to the way the scene was set up. His descriptions were excellent. His ending line gave an image of a character dealing with exhaustion, determination, and strength.

Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil

Sonya says: Because her piece had a solid opening hook in the second sentence. “Do you sleep better this way now that your wife is dead,” asked the prosecutor.” Opening hooks and chapter ending hooks along with characters to root for are something that editors and agents like to see. I thought it was a quirky way to start a scene.

Silver James | @SilverJames_

Sonya says: Because this, “He wanted to wake her, to gather her into his arms, kiss and shower her with words of love. That wasn’t his way. He was a solider. A hard man living an even harder life. But she made him want to be soft, tender” is a good way to present insight into the core of a character. Gave me a mental picture of a great hero.

Week 153 Winner

David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig

Sonya says: I picked David A. Ludwig’s piece as the winning entry because of the way he handled the characterization. With this part, “In his time Lenin Blackwell had been a hero, then a drifter and a drinker. By the time I met him he was just a drinker, but that didn’t stop him from saving Chris and I”, he was able to portray a great description. He made Lenin come alive on the page.

Insectile clacking rippled the plains unlike anything I had known. The dark haired drifter on the porch didn’t notice it at all. His stony gaze extended out to stars the other side of the sun’s languid descent. Something about the man was more disquieting than the unseen grass bugs.

In his time Lenin Blackwell had been a hero, then a drifter and a drinker. By the time I met him he was just a drinker, but that didn’t stop him from saving Chris and I. Fumes from his breath dispersed lazily through stifled air. Risking second hand intoxication, I resolved myself to join him on the porch.

Our stubble faced host proffered his flask to me without a sideways glance. Sitting down next to him, I waved off the gracious gesture.

“That stuff will keep you up, you know?”

Hawking a great wad of phlegm back in his throat, Lenin sent it sailing over the rails toward the setting sun. Then he took a long pull from the flask.

“I sleep much better this way.”

In the silence that followed I massaged my legs. My injuries no longer precluded travel.

“I suppose I’ll be heading out tomorrow.” I ventured. “I’ll send doctors back for Chris as soon as I reach town.”

“Doctors can’t do anything I ain’t already doing.” Lenin scratched his chin. “Besides, what happened’s my responsibility.”

I tilted my head, “How do you figure?”

“It’s my fault the bastard was alive to jump you in the first place.”

Congratulations Two Time Winner David, Josh, Sheilagh, 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, Tsu.co, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)

#ThursThreads - Week 54 - Winners

Week 54 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 CR Moss for reading the stories. :)

Entries:

• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Sandra Bunino | @SandraBunino
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir 
• Rebecca Hart | @bexbrennan
• Susan Hayes | @capricia13
• Goran Zidar | @gzidar
• J. Whitworth Hazzard | @zombiemechanics
• Sean Adams | @SE_ADAMS_
• Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider
• Greg Nance | @acenance
• Sarah Fiete | @SareeseFeet
• Cara Michaels | @caramichaels
• Doris O'Connor | @mamaD8
• Veronica Jordan | @RevolutionaryVJ
• David A Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
• Dr. Magoo | @drmagoo

CR says: Thanks for having me back as a judge. I really enjoyed reading all the posts and seeing the different takes on the one phrase. Reminds me of exercises we did in my Creative Writing classes back in high school and college. :) Now on to the fun part!

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

 

Rebecca Hart | @bexbrennan

CR says: I liked how the sisterly interaction was developed so quick in this short. Plus, it made me chuckle at the end.

Sean Adams | @SE_ADAMS_

CR says: I enjoyed the character's reaction to the standard grieving response the father gave him and his realistic statement at the end.

 Greg Nance | @acenance

CR says: I liked the descriptions and the honesty of the piece.

Dr. Magoo | @drmagoo
CR says: The umbrella! What's the deal with the umbrella? And the man cooking stew... Interested minds want to know, and if this snippet ever becomes a longer story, I want to be informed. That's why I picked this particular gem.

Week 54 Winner

David A Ludwig | @DavidALudwig

CR says: A wonderful piece. :) Great word usage to convey the setting and character in the short space. It also made me curious about the character, how he became a villain, and why he ended up on the island in the first place.

BIDING TIME

The island sun’s so hot I feel I’m boiling in my own skin. Sea breezes and palm shade help a little, until the humidity settles back in like a wool blanket. My sense of touch has been deadened by scorching sand and my vision obscured by intrusive light. I now find it ironic I had once planned to honeymoon on the next island over.

It took a month for me to shed the robes of civilization, mostly because I knew once I did there would be no further comfort I could provide myself on this island prison. I have committed crimes most heinous, for which banishment was my sentence. Stripped of my power and left to reflect on what I have done, some hope my time in exile will inspire me to repentance, others merely hope to never see me again.

But it isn’t enough; for me to rot or repent here where none can see. It may be months, years, or even decades, but eventually someone will come. They will come to see with their own eyes what has become of the vanquished villain. That is my chance.

That is what gives me hope.

Congratulations two time winner David, Rebecca, Sean, Greg, and Dr. Magoo! 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 32 - Winners

Week 32 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 David A Ludwig for reading all the tales.

Entries:

• Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider
• Theresa Breaux | @theresabreaux
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Cameron Lawton | @CameronLawton
• Elaine Hillson | @tollykit
• Jeffrey Hollar | @Klingorengi
• Olivia Grambo | @KelseyPotter13
• Charles W Jones | @ChuckWesJ
• Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1
• Goran Zidar | @gzidar
• Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster
• Martha Bechtel
• @LupusAnthropos
• Cara Michaels | @caramichaels
• Nellie Batz | @solimond
• Jason McKinney | @jason_mckinney

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Theresa Breaux | @theresabreaux

  David says: Great opening hook! Feeds right into the tension and mystery of the piece! The vague circumstances, likely very closely tied to said ‘overdose in a motel bathroom’, and enigmatic voice are great. I would definitely read the rest of this story to learn more about both the narrator and the mysterious benefactor. I especially want to know more about the sorts of favors a being capable of giving this sort of second chance would be interested in.

The last 4 words are perfect for summing up the piece and giving the reader direction after they leave it. Great imagery, great voice and a really compelling scenario are all so excellently presented; you definitely earned your honorable mention. You build and maintain a consistent atmosphere with this piece, with a lot of clouds and shadows, then leave us with hope at the end—and that is beautiful.

Charles W Jones | @ChuckWesJ

  David says: Wow… I don’t have a lot to say to this one, you really nailed my concept of love and that is a lot of points right there. I also kind of dig self-sacrifice for reasons I don’t feel like analyzing, so his insistence on a life of strife and suffering in order to be with “Her” is incredibly beautiful to me. Lines like “the cost of it is far too much” and “in that short time, I have everything I need for eternity” are exactly what I love about this one. Great capture of the character, the woman granting his incarnation, and the deep feelings around an entire life to be lived. I guess I did find something to say!
This one gets one of the coveted honorable mentions in very large part because it spoke to me so personally. I don’t know if it has the same effect on others who read it, but for me this is a story about someone who has his priorities so perfectly in order even angels are taken by surprise. That’s powerful.

Nellie Batz | @solimond

David says: Ooo! A contract killing witch and her supernatural cat familiar, or something like that. I love the sense of mysticism and weight to the old woman contrasted with the nonchalant relaxation of the sunbathing cat, which in proper feline fashion was ready to leap straight from pleasure to attack. Quick, simple, but very much in my genre and well executed. The cat is like a metaphor for the whole story, so appropriately you create a very clear image of the creature. I like it. In fact, I love it. This is definitely an honorable mention, because I have never seen a better ‘old woman and her cat’ scene than this. It’s got all the great things about a real old woman and her cat, plus the mysticism that takes it from endearingly accurate to awesome.
 

Week 32 Winner

Cameron Lawton | @CameronLawton

  David says: Great voice in your characters, I’m already smiling by the time the first speaker responds to the beleaguered administrator. Then his vindictive assignation of the problem client to Hebrew slave gave me very morbid joy. I’m left wanting more, it sounds like an amazing program/company/whatever-it-is with so many rich story possibilities I’m actually salivating a little. Perfect ending, in that the one client’s story is now fixed but there’s always more to come. It does make me curious whether the administrator is normally more accommodating and the one client just pushed him too far, or if he generally screws the patrons—and how much power he has to get away with that sort of behavior.

Picking an actual winner was extremely difficult after I narrowed the field to my top four. Ultimately what I feel gives this story an edge over the others is the infinite variety of additional stories that can be spun out from the seeds laid in this one—all without sacrificing anything in terms of completeness or self-containment of this particular story. You’ve got what I consider a writer’s gold-mine with your History Holidays company. I think the runners-up had stronger imagery, but there’s something here that I just want to keep coming back to, want to pick up and play with myself. I’d almost call this one proof-of-concept.

Your choice.

“Oo! Yeah! A pirate! A female pirate and that cute one with the headband falls in love with me, that one, all Black Pearl stuff, yeah.”

The administrator sighed and asked, “Is that really the story you wish?” His stylus was poised over the boxes on the screen. “Are you sure this time?”

“No! No – a Viking shield maiden! That's it! A Valkyrie. I wanna be a Valkyrie!”

Another deep sigh and the administrator repeated, “Is that really the story you wish? We have been through most periods of the human race's history. I must remind you that when you go, you are there. You cannot come back until the end of the holiday. If you become ill or are killed, it will neutralise your time in that sphere.”

“No! That Jane Heyer gal – Mr Dorchester's mad wife. That stuff!”

“Your time is running out, Miss. Would you decide please?”

“Pirate!”

The Administrator smiled and pressed the squares marked Egypt, Hebrew slave.

Enjoy, he thought, enjoy building your pyramid. The next client swam into view on the screen.

“History Holidays – how can I help you?”

Congratulations Cameron, Theresa, Chuck, and Nellie! 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 Tales Together - Week 32

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 32 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 32:

The writer for introspection and entertainment, and certified bartender, David A. Ludwig.

 

 

  David on Twitter

David on Facebook 

 

And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:

“Is that really the story you wish?”

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! :)