Monday Flash Fic – Horses – 02/20/2017

Horses

I looked around and smiled. So much work and we finally did it. This was the chance we needed to get out of debt. With this contract, we could finally buy the extra acres we needed to expand our operation. When James smiled back, I knew it was time. Here, in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by our herd.

“Come here,” I said, extending my arm toward James. Pressing him against my chest, I inhaled his scent. I framed his face with my hands and rested my forehead against his. Closing my eyes, I said a small prayer. “Marry me.”

100 words

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Don’t forget to visit the Monday Flash Fics Group on Facebook to read the rest of the stories.

See y’all next Monday!

Monday Flash Fics – Bird Watching – 6/20/2016

Bird Watching

I grabbed my tranquilizer gun and placed it with the rope and the binoculars already in my bag. Setting my gear by the campfire, I took inventory of my surroundings before re-entering the tent. My latest sample lay asleep in his cage, giving me enough time to find his mate.

Leaving the grounds, I moved east toward the river’s edge. There, the swan was ready to transform and jump in the water— so lovely when they were in their human form. Those red long johns and the cabin in the background looked like Christmas in July. My personal present indeed.

100 words each

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Don’t forget to visit the Monday Flash Fics Group on Facebook to read the rest of the stories.

See y’all next Monday!

Of Shorter Stories

2016 #ROW80 Round 2: Check-In #22 | 10 Minute Novelist: Update 21

Since my last post about story lengths, I had been experimenting with a short story for an X-mas Submission. I planned for 6k words to start with, but after writing the first two chapters, I realized the story was snowballing into a novella. Instead of letting it flow, I went back and reconfigured the plot and re-wrote the chapters. I did plot and extra 2K words, but that’s better than doubling the story.

I love 100 words flash fictions because they allow me to convey a full story in a few words. I want to transfer that same principle to my short stories. I have a lot of transient characters that stop by to whisper their stories, and I know I can give them their HEA in a handful of words. I know most readers expect full-length novels, but I like to be able to read a good story in one sitting. I’m almost half-way through my story and hopefully, by my next update (last of this round) I’d be done with it or close to it.

And, by the way, thank you for letting me rant about the #OnePulse blood drives last week. As a community, we needed everyone’s help.

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Monday Flash Fics – Fitting In – 6/13/2016

Fitting In

“Are you sure this is the right place?” Leo asked.

“According to Ms. Molly’s directions,” Carl answered.

They continued walking down the beach trail towards the dilapidated house covered in ivy. A white spot in the distance had them moving faster.

“There,” Carl said pointing ahead.

“Are you here for me?” The girl in white asked when they reached her at the retaining wall.

“Yes,” the misfits responded. “Are you ready to join Ms. Molly’s Traveling Circus?”

“Yes!”

“Come on then.”

“Can you please help me down?”

“Should we hold your legs or your shell?”

“My egg shell, of course.”

100 words each

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Don’t forget to visit the Monday Flash Fics Group on Facebook to read the rest of the stories.

See y’all next Monday!

 

 

Length

2016 #ROW80 Round 2: Check-In #19

Since the last update, I managed to finalize the working blurb and synopsis for my next short story. I’m aiming for six thousand words, but it’s my first time attempting a true short story. Don’t get me wrong, the longest story I have available is only 25K, and my upcoming novella is at 38K pre-edits by the publisher. I have a story to edit at the end of the month that it’s currently at 55K, but anything more than that is epic in my book.

I like short and straightforward. I love 100 words flash fictions and 24K novellas. This 6K story is a welcoming challenge, though. It’s going to be more than a single scene, but it would expand only about twelve hours. That’s enough time for the MCs to meet and get a HFN, right?

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A Round of Words in 80 days is the writing challenge that knows you have a life.