#WritingCommunity – Page 54

#ThursThreads – Week 393 – Winners

Posted on December 27, 2019December 27, 2019 by Siobhan Muir

Week 393 of #ThursThreads had many fantastic tales. I’m honored to see all the writers come to tie a tale as we start our eighth year. If you’ve been doing it a while, thank you. If you’ve just found us, welcome! May you come back again and write more great flash. Thousand thanks to Miranda Kate for judging this week. Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: J. Thomas Ganzer | @J_Thomas_Ganzer Cara Michaels | @caramichaels Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea Charlene Mertz | @rrats1231 Mark A. Morris Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil Silver James | @SilverJames_ Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir Dr. Anita Sabat | @anitaexplorer Miranda Gammella | @MLGammella Atticus Stryker | @TAFORU M.T. Decker | @mishmhem Honorable Mentions J. Thomas Ganzer | @J_Thomas_Ganzer Miranda says: a nice complete tale with all the elements. Great ending too. Atticus Stryker | @TAFORU Miranda says: that cliff hanger had me really wanting to know what happened!! winner announcement Week 393 Winner Miranda Gammella | @MLGammella Miranda says: Her character was just dripping attitude and sass, I loved it. The Game Serena lounged in the beat up executive chair, idly polishing her favorite pistol as she listed to Garret drone on about the next job. He was such a tool but the boss liked him for some reason. As he continued going over what they’ve already gone over, she aimed at an invisible target off in a corner of the room, adjusted the sights, and slide the gun back into her thigh holster. Garrett finished at looked at Serena expectantly. She rolled her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair. “Yes?” “Do you understand where you need to be and who your point person is?” “Do I look like I’m twelve?” Garrett’s face turned red as he pressed his lips together. “Serena.” The Boss’s voice rumbled through the room as he filled the doorway behind her, chiding her. She sighed and stood up, turning slightly. Her eyes flickered briefly in the direction of the only man in the room who held her respect. “Trust me, Boss, I won’t let you down,” she replied, leaving the rest unsaid, of who had let him down before. Garrett’s expression darkened further and his hands bunched into fists. Serena smiled sweetly as she walked by Garrett’s stiff body, patting him on the shoulder as she left the room. ~~~~~~~ Congratulations Winner Miranda, and Honorable Mentions Joe and Atticus! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, MeWe, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂

#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 393

Posted on December 26, 2019December 26, 2019 by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of Weird, Wild, & Wicked Tales. Today is Boxing Day and a Thursday so that means it’s time to start flashing (and eating leftovers). We’re half way through our eighth year of weekly prompts! This is Week 393 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook and the Group on MeWe. 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. The prompt must be used as is. It can be split, but no intervening words can be inserted or tenses changed. Rules to the Game: This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250. The story must be new writing, not a snippet from something published elsewhere with the prompt added. 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 in the post (or be excluded from judging) Include your Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for you) The challenge is open 7 AM to 8 PM Mountain 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, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc. Our Judge for Week 393: Cat afficionado, Editor, and Mid Week Flash host, Miranda Kate. Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “Trust me, Boss.” 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 392 – Winners

Posted on December 20, 2019December 20, 2019 by Siobhan Muir

Week 392 of #ThursThreads had many fantastic tales. I’m honored to see all the writers come to tie a tale as we start our eighth year. If you’ve been doing it a while, thank you. If you’ve just found us, welcome! May you come back again and write more great flash. Thousand thanks to George Varhalmi for judging this week. Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Silver James | @SilverJames_ Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea Charlene Mertz | @rrats1231 Sarah Wente Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir Dr. Anita Sabat | @anitaexplorer Kel J. Heinen | @Aightball Cara Michaels | @caramichaels David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig Mark A. Morris Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil M.T. Decker | @mishmhem Honorable Mentions David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig George says: A good ole fashioned hanging fouled up by an archmage. Who does he think he is? Guess the paladin is in for one heck of a ride. Nice tension with a great ending. Mark A. Morris George says: Creepy, plain and simple. The conversation between the two investigators was good with just the right amount of sarcasm. It was a solid complete tale. Silver James | @SilverJames_ George says: Silver James. Frick and Frack made me laugh a lot. This was an excellent scene The back and forth banter between them made this story for me. winner announcement Week 392 Winner Cara Michaels | @caramichaels George says: The story was quite funny and it flowed nicely. Bear was a casual, cool, no nonsense bodyguard. What plausible crew, great little tale. The piece was complete from start to finish and why it is my winning choice. Why didn’t he contact me? The question bounced around Jamie’s brain as he ran through the hospital halls to the VIP wing. Staff grumbled or shouted at him to slow down, but he ignored their calls until a heavy hand caught him by the shoulder and almost yanked him off his feet. The sudden stop spun him around, anger boiling up from his lungs, ready to explode on his tongue. The rage died unspoken as he recognized the man standing in front of him. “Bear?” “Kim’s this way, Boss.” The aptly nicknamed bodyguard jerked his chin down a side hall he’d just passed. “If you’re here—Who’s on his door?” Bear just chuckled. “Trust me, Boss. He’s got no lack of protectors.” The guard led the way down the hall. “Official, unofficial. All lethal. The crew will be glad to see you.” Bear rapped on the door of room V108, a complex rhythm Jamie recognized as intentional. The door was opened from within, and Cook ushered them in with a cautionary finger to his lips. “He woke up for a few,” Cook murmured, “but he’s still pretty out of it. Probably another 24 to 48 before the drugs clear out of his system.” Jamie crossed the room to the bed. He lifted Kim’s unresponsive hand, wondering when the younger’s hands had gotten so long, when the boy he remembered had grown so tall. They’d been close as brothers once. Closer, even. “How did we get so far apart?” he whispered.~~~~~~~ Congratulations THIRTY-TWO TIME WINNER Cara, and Honorable Mentions David, Mark, 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, MeWe, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂

#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 392

Posted on December 19, 2019December 18, 2019 by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of Weird, Wild, & Wicked Tales. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing. We’re half way through our eighth year of weekly prompts! This is Week 392 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook and the Group on MeWe. 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. The prompt must be used as is. It can be split, but no intervening words can be inserted or tenses changed. Rules to the Game: This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250. The story must be new writing, not a snippet from something published elsewhere with the prompt added. 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 in the post (or be excluded from judging) Include your Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for you) The challenge is open 7 AM to 8 PM Mountain 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, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc. Our Judge for Week 392: Dead Thing Specialist, Mining Geologist, and Original Book Boyfriend, George Varhalmi. Facebook | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “Why didn’t he contact me?” 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 391 – Winners

Posted on December 13, 2019December 13, 2019 by Siobhan Muir

Week 391 of #ThursThreads had many fantastic tales. I’m honored to see all the writers come to tie a tale as we start our eighth year. If you’ve been doing it a while, thank you. If you’ve just found us, welcome! May you come back again and write more great flash. Thousand thanks to Heidi Rundle for judging this week. Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea Jaclyn Roche | @JMRoche79 Silver James | @SilverJames_ Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig Charlene Mertz | @rrats1231 Kel J. Heinen | @Aightball Mark A. Morris M.T. Decker | @mishmhem Richard Gibney | @ragtaggiggagon Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir Cara Michaels | @caramichaels Honorable Mentions Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil Heidi says: OMG this one had me smiling. That’s one awesome parent. Silver James | @SilverJames_ Heidi says: Very exciting story. It intrigued me. winner announcement Week 391 Winner Cara Michaels | @caramichaels Heidi says: I loved the concept and the author has a way of drawing you in. “I need to help him through this.” “You are.” Hope’s shoulders slumped, her hands dug deep into her hip pockets. Sean felt the other shoe dangling at the end of her words. “But?” “He needs to learn some things for himself.” “What things?” “That he’s safe. That he has a voice with us. That he’s heard. Listened to.” “Of course, he is.” Sean paced the room, dragging his hands through his hair. “How many times do I have to say—” “Shut the fuck up.” Hope spat the words like verbal bullets, and Sean staggered to a stop. “Excuse me?” “Please.” “Hope.” “Sean—just. Just listen, okay?” She huffed, like he wasn’t the brightest crayon in the box. “You can tell your brother he’s safe all day long. You can tell him he can trust us. But words have no value to a man who’s spent the last four years of his life knowing he couldn’t trust anyone around him.” “Why didn’t he contact me?” “Because that’s what your father wanted. He wanted Taye to lead him to you.” Hope sank down on the couch, head tossed back. “The only control he had was in the information he refused to give your father.” “Then he should have broken.” Sean wanted to rewind the years, to take back everything Taye had suffered. “He should have given me up. I could’ve taken care of myself.” “You protected him as kids, right? Took care of him?” “I guess.” “He only repaid the love.” ~~~~~~~ Congratulations THIRTY-ONE TIME WINNER Cara, and Honorable Mentions 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, MeWe, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂

#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 391

Posted on December 12, 2019December 12, 2019 by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of Weird, Wild, & Wicked Tales. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing. We’re half way through our eighth year of weekly prompts! This is Week 391 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook and the Group on MeWe. 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. The prompt must be used as is. It can be split, but no intervening words can be inserted or tenses changed. Rules to the Game: This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250. The story must be new writing, not a snippet from something published elsewhere with the prompt added. 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 in the post (or be excluded from judging) Include your Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for you) The challenge is open 7 AM to 8 PM Mountain 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, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc. Our Judge for Week 391: Book promoter and fantastic beta reader, Heidi Rundle. Facebook | Twitter | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “But he needs to learn.” 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 390 – Winners

Posted on December 6, 2019December 6, 2019 by Siobhan Muir

Week 390 of #ThursThreads had many fantastic tales. I’m honored to see all the writers come to tie a tale half way through our eighth year. If you’ve been doing it a while, thank you. If you’ve just found us, welcome! May you come back again and write more great flash. Thousand thanks to Jaclyn Roche for judging this week. Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Silver James | @SilverJames_ Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea Cara Michaels | @caramichaels Tina Glasneck | @TinaGlasneck Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir Teresa Eccles | @TeresaMEccles Charlene Mertz | @rrats1231 Richard Gibney | @ragtaggiggagon Catherine Derham | @catederham_ Mark A. Morris David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig Jaclyn says: There were so many awesome tales this week I had a really hard time choosing a winner and two honorable mentions. I really thought all the tales were excellent and deserve a mention, but that’s not my task. The ones that resonated with me the most were: Honorable Mentions Silver James | @SilverJames_ Jaclyn says: Amazing story; I loved where you went with it. I’d be mad if my old man was thinking about giving out a second property patch too! And who doesn’t love cinnamon rolls! I don’t know if I could handle two of them either. Cara Michaels | @caramichaels Jaclyn says: Great piece! I think everyone could use a good salt lick now and again. Don’t know if I could handle two weeks of him either without getting all hot and bothered. I loved the dialogue exchange between your characters. winner announcement Week 390 Winner Mark A. Morris Jaclyn says: You went there! I wasn’t sure that you were going to go so dark, but you did and kept the reader guessing until the end. Your piece left me thinking about the characters long after I finished reading. I want to know more, and I have so many questions. Awesome wordsmithing! He threads another wire through the marionette’s flesh, pulling it tight. He attaches it to one of the crosspieces and raises them both, letting the puppet dangle below the control bars. It hangs heavily, more a model than the living creature that it’s meant to be. He hasn’t practiced enough, and I feel the need to reach out and take over the control of the subject myself. Give him direction. Teach by example. But he needs to learn. I was like him once and my mentor exercised control over himself then, watching me fumbling with the articulations of my own doll, standing in silence as I struggled to make it look as though it was walking for itself. I can’t believe I was ever as clumsy as this boy is now, but I may have been. My perspective has changed and today I’m the one in the audience, witnessing his performance. “I don’t know if I can handle two controllers. Are you sure you can’t operate one while I do the other? Let me perfect my coordination with one hand at a time before doing both together?” I shake my head. The Puppeteers Credo forbids that I speak or do anything to assist. He must learn it for himself while I watch. Suffer the anxiety of knowing he is being judged and still succeed. The marionette begins to bleed, fat drops spattering heavily onto the ground. The anaesthetic will wear off soon and his task will get much harder. ~~~~~~~ Congratulations Fifteen Time Winner Mark, and Honorable Mentions Silver and Cara! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, MeWe, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂

#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 390

Posted on December 5, 2019December 4, 2019 by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of Weird, Wild, & Wicked Tales. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing. We’re half way through our eighth year of weekly prompts! This is Week 390 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook and the Group on MeWe. 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. The prompt must be used as is. It can be split, but no intervening words can be inserted or tenses changed. Rules to the Game: This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250. The story must be new writing, not a snippet from something published elsewhere with the prompt added. 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 in the post (or be excluded from judging) Include your Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for you) The challenge is open 7 AM to 8 PM Mountain 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, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc. Our Judge for Week 390: Resourceful time thief (aka boy-Mom), and Author of dark romance and fantasy, Jaclyn Roche. Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “Don’t know if I can handle two.” 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 – Tying Tales Together – Week 389

Posted on November 21, 2019November 21, 2019 by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of Weird, Wild, & Wicked Tales. Today is the third Thursday of #NaNoWriMo. How’s your word count going? We’ve reached our Seventh year of weekly prompts! This is Week 389 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook and the Group on MeWe. 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. The prompt must be used as is. It can be split, but no intervening words can be inserted or tenses changed. Rules to the Game: This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250. The story must be new writing, not a snippet from something published elsewhere with the prompt added. 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 in the post (or be excluded from judging) Include your Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for you) The challenge is open 7 AM to 8 PM Mountain 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, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc. Our Judge for Week 389: Scientist, Dad, and flash fiction author, Eric Martell. Facebook | Twitter | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “That would be a sight worth seeing.” 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 – Tying Tales Together – Week 388

Posted on November 14, 2019November 11, 2019 by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of Weird, Wild, & Wicked Tales. Today is the second Thursday of #NaNoWriMo. How’s your word count going? We’ve reached our Seventh year of weekly prompts! This is Week 388 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook and the Group on MeWe. 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. The prompt must be used as is. It can be split, but no intervening words can be inserted or tenses changed. Rules to the Game: This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250. The story must be new writing, not a snippet from something published elsewhere with the prompt added. 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 in the post (or be excluded from judging) Include your Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for you) The challenge is open 7 AM to 8 PM Mountain 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, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc. Our Judge for Week 388: Programmer by day, writer by night, Katheryn J. Avila. Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “Be harder for them to find you.” 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!