Archive for the ‘Writing’ Category

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Wake Up Where?

In Fiction, Writing on May 18, 2012 at 8:20 am

“What song is this?” I ask, but the big man only smiles. His ukulele, playfully played, turns one chord over into the next.

The sun is strong here. The land spills eastward in emerald slopes to a line of trees, where colors stripe the overhanging mist and mourning doves call from the shade.

I remember nothing from before but I am not sad, only calm, and when I see a movement at the tree line, a figure slowly walking, I start downhill.

The big man sings and the mournful birds echo his melody.

It is a good song.

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This story is my response Madison Woods’ Friday Fictioneers prompt (the picture, from her blog, is the prompt). Check out the other stories (including Madison’s) and submit your own on the comments page!

Feedback and other stories welcome below! Please feel free to check out some of my other fiction — I’d love the feedback!

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The Runaway

In Fiction, Writing on May 11, 2012 at 12:11 pm

moon stars sky

They floated downstream, the river sliding silently beneath the raft. The stars, reflected in its undulations, were like smoldering embers in a vein of shiny black coal.

“How long?”

“Til they come looking? Not before morning, if we’re lucky.”

“And then?”

“Then we’ll go to ground — hide out in them trees. Thicker past the mill.”

Tom rolled aside. Up the bank, the trees were marching by in gray and black bands, broken only now and then by the glow of a lamp in the distance. They had left the town behind.

“And then?”

“You know what then,” the man said. “Now stop asking.”

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This story is my response Madison Woods’ Friday Fictioneers prompt (the picture, from her blog, is the prompt). Check out the other stories (including Madison’s) and submit your own on the comments page!

Feedback and other stories welcome below! Please feel free to check out some of my other fiction — I’d love the feedback!

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The Albino Black Cowboy

In Fiction, Writing on May 9, 2012 at 1:46 pm

Grackles

The Albino Black Cowboy

“I gotta slither, sweetheart – there’s no changing that.”

He said it to himself, his snakeskin boots making tracks in the desert. The winds had renewed the sand overnight and the sun was coming up, a deep, fleshy red.

He angled his hat to shut out the flare.

“No point in looking back anyway,” he said. “Back’s where you’ve already been. Nothing to see there but what you’ve seen before, just from a new perspective.” Read the rest of this entry »

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The Old Bagel Biddy

In Fiction, Writing on May 8, 2012 at 3:39 pm
Im Café

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If there was anything she hated worse than backtalk it was sass, and these little bastards today were full of both, right up to their baby teeth.

The boy kicked his fat little legs against the booster seat.

“Pbbfth,” he said.

Nefarious.

“You’re sure you don’t mind, Batia?”

“Goodness, no, dear. You go ahead — we’ll be fine.”

“Thank you so much.”  Mrs. Dierbach leaned down and kissed her son. “Five minutes, I promise.”

“Take your time.”

Batia settled back into her chair and looked the boy over. He was patting his hands on the table, a line of drool marching unchecked down his chin. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Mirror Lady

In Fiction, Writing on May 7, 2012 at 5:54 pm

Mirrored Alfama

We were born when I was nine. Or is it that I was born when we were nine? It doesn’t really matter; I picked it up and there we both were.

Mind you, I am not crazy. Neither is she. But my mother used to read to me when I was young, and told me how the characters only lived for as long as I would listen. Read the rest of this entry »

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Stolen Identities Week: Real life characters

In Writing on May 7, 2012 at 8:04 am
Silhouettes

(Photo credit: dbbent)

When it comes to creating interesting characters, sometimes the best inspiration comes from the people we encounter in our everyday lives.

Not to belittle the writer’s craft, but with quirky mannerisms, notable turns of phrase,  idiosyncrasies and internal contradictions — sometimes real people are just more interesting than the ones we can imagine. Read the rest of this entry »

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Renovations

In Fiction, Writing on May 4, 2012 at 12:53 pm


Standing in that room was like standing inside a giant collapsing lung.  The plastic sheets billowed in from the wooden frame, suffused with pink, organic light, rounded like alveoli by the gusts of a heavy wind.  The sheets cracked like tiny bones fracturing in the pressure of deep water.  Outside, the sea sifted into the pebbles along the shore and sucked at the spaces between the rocks, drowning breaths, though far away and out of sight. Read the rest of this entry »

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Origin Story: My first foray into fiction

In Fiction, Writing on May 4, 2012 at 9:30 am

On a quick trip home yesterday, digging through some boxes in the basement, I came across what may be the first story I ever wrote.

It’s something of an origin story, my own origin story, written when I was seven — and after reading it, it’s amazing my parents didn’t decide to take me to a child psychologist.

Parts of it were too good not to share though, so here it is. I present to you, without corrections (as if any were needed!)…

Adventures on Dipstick Island ! Read the rest of this entry »

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Advice for new bloggers: Keep it up

In Writing on May 2, 2012 at 1:14 pm
Iridium fountain pen nib, macro.

This is a pen. Don’t use it on your computer.

A month ago I started this blog, gave it a name and wrote my first post.

I received an underwhelming four views that first day, and had few hopes I would ever do much better than that. But here I am, still going, and I’m glad to say my initial skepticism has been proven wrong. Read the rest of this entry »

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Short Story Contests: June

In Writing on April 30, 2012 at 2:51 pm

At the beginning of April I put together a list of some of the short story contests you could look forward to entering in May. Now, on this the last day of April,  the first of the May deadlines is upon us, and the final hours are winding down to make your submissions.

However, if you’re not quite ready to submit your story, you’re in luck — because now is also the time for an updated list of contests, this times with deadlines coming up in June! So keep writing and check out your options (and the potential rewards) below!

Read the rest of this entry »