Friday Fictioneers – The Perfect Place

It has been ages since I had a chance to write for any online/blog writing challenges, I am looking forward to trying to manage my 100 words this week for FF – Friday Fictioneers.

Join in and check out the challenge at Rochelle’s blog. Click the icon  don’t forget to read the RULES.

 

 

PHOTO PROMPT
Copyright –Jennifer Pendergast 

They leant the bikes against the wall where the others were.

“It’s the perfect place to film.”

“We’ll struggle getting the equipment up, there’s no room for the van.”

“We don’t need it, we’d cycle again.” Adele sighed.

Stephen always picked holes in her ideas, no matter how good they were.

“I’ll phone them.” she said, finding the perfect excuse to turn away.

Stephen made a quick sketch.

 

“They won’t do it. They say it’s haunted.”

“What rubbish!”

The pair got back on their bikes, Stephen glanced up and saw the windows were open. He knew he’d drawn them shut.

Friday Fictioneers – Bohemian Business

I am so delighted to be back with the challenges this week – I haven’t written flash fiction for ages, although last week I did perform extended versions (300 words) of flashes I wrote for Rochelle’s challenge. It is much harder to perform a flash than a poem!

Here’s the prompt for this week, click the icon to discover more!

Copyright -Randy Mazie

Ornate bars and wild flowers on the outside, wooden planks nailed from the inside let horizontal shafts of light through. Tam started the group with three others, now they attracted quite a crowd.

Artists were happy in humble surroundings, glad of somewhere to share their work. It was bohemian with a capital B. For an afternoon of spoken word Tam charged £3.00, he provided old mugs for the ‘bring your own’ drinks. No one questioned the fee.

What they didn’t know was this was where Tam lived. He counted his money. Nearly enough to take him on the Writers’ Retreat!

 

 

 

FF – Friday Fictioneers – Recollection

Back for another challenge – join in by clicking the icon

Copyright – Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Clearing out Dad’s room at Sunnyvale Nursing Home, I found the old suitcase.

‘Mum used to bag these for doorstop collection and he’d go search the Charity Shops to buy them back.’ I said my voice cracking.

Mark embraced me carefully, resting his head against my shoulder.

‘We can keep them.’ he said.

I squeezed his hand gratefully.

Back home Mark dragged mum’s old bookcase in from the garage and carefully displayed every last item.

‘Thought it would be nice to have them together again.’ he smiled.

‘ I bet mum’s wishing for a charity bag right now!’ I giggled.

100 words

Friday Fictioneers – The Church has the Answers

Friday Fictioneers is a great challenge to write a 100 Flash Fiction each week. Click the icon to view Rochelle’s Blog and entry to the challenge.

Bloggers who regularly write for FF have started to use this icon*  it means concrit – we are open to constructive criticism. Of course, I hope my story touches you and that you connect to the characters, as a writer (and a fairly new one to the Flash Fiction genre) I am more than happy to receive constructive criticism and advice to improve the art of Flash writing. Be gentle though – I haven’t yet grown an extra thick layer of skin!

* Click the icon to find out about the origins of the scalpel.

They always came to this old Church, Gerry liked to read the visitors book. Gerry stared at the stained glass windows whilst Pip scribbled a hurried note,  finishing with a personal message;

‘Gerry I will always love you. Pip xxx’

She sensed this could be their last holiday. She was right, a few months later Gerry left.

The following Summer Gerry walked up the hill alone, to the church. He looked around then made his way to the back of the Church, to the guest book. Admiring the brand new leather bound book, he opened it and read the messages.

Friday Fictioneers – Karma

Copyright – Roger Bultot

‘Without the storm, you would not have known.’ … ’Without the storm the rest of your future would be different.’

Sandy tried to drill these positive mantras every morning, as he brushed his teeth and avoided looking at his jaded reflection in the mirror. He couldn’t stop the nagging thought. If it wasn’t for that storm, you would still have Lara.

Sandy found it almost impossible to recall any clues from before that night, he had no idea. No reason to suspect. There it was, the lover’s car, trapped in front of their house. Every branch telling its own story.

My entry to this week’s Friday Fictioneers

________________________________________

 Last week Doug posted about how we respond to each other on the Friday Fictioneers, you can find the post  here

– I suggested using an icon on our posts to clearly identify if we wanted an open crit or not.

This week Jen has added a scalpel to her blog (I was only joking about the knife ;)) with a post that explains the whole thing better than I can at 2a.m.

If you write flashes for ROCHELLE’S challenge and you are open to the opinion of others and feel you could benefit as a writer from advice given then I encourage you to COPY this image.  (I have linked the image back to Jen’s blog and the post which explains what’s going on)

Add this image each week to your Friday Fictioneers post -it will become an internationally acknowledged symbol amongst us for… read and reply honestly without fear of a cyber back lash or loss of followers.

Copy yours – Jen assures us it is copyright free and sourced from Wikimedia commons*. Go ahead, spread the word. 🙂

* Here’s another great source for copyright images.

FF – Friday Fictioneers – Bidwell Exchange

Oh My Goodness…. this is SO exciting and beats the fortnight where I managed to read every entry 2 weeks in a row! I am the first in!

Rochelle has been posting the prompt for Friday on Wednesdays for a while and usually I am still only 60 something on the list – I happened to be on my reader this morning – right place – right time -and right photo – the story idea just came!

Hope you enjoy my Flash Fiction written for Friday Fictioneers this week!  Click the button to find out more about this challenge and read other stories!

Bidwell Exchange

Copyright -Renee Heath

“That’s the one I want.”

“You sure?” mum asked “She’s a lot older than you.”

“I don’t care!”

Lauren’s mum thought there ought to be more paperwork involved with this sort of thing!

“Please!” Lauren begged.

Gravely her mum nodded, Lauren flung her arms around her, kissing her on the cheek. Mum stared at the radiant smile burning it to memory.

Lauren stepped forward.

 

“One exchange complete.” The Bidwell Clerk announced unnecessarily, Mum stared up at the tall, slender figure.

Lauren had always wanted to be an ice dancer. It would have cost her childhood either way, she thought.

Friday Fictioneers – Valentine

This is my entry to Rochelle’s wonderful Friday Fictioneers this week. Click the button to find out more and read some great flash fiction!

Four Years single, Nancy schemed to find the best way to avoid the mush. Now she was a girlfriend. Ironic. George was understanding of her plan.

She flew out to the Island the next day. Nancy decided she needed to mark the occasion by doing something spectacular. She followed the tourist trail to the dormant volcano.

It was an amazing experience! Despite the worrying notices stating potential eruption!

Claiming her certificate she felt great, alone but not lonely. She couldn’t wait to get back to the hotel to email George. This was one Valentine she’d always remember! The Volcano one!

 

Friday Fictioneers – Two Wheels, Two Legs & A Bar Full Of Tequila

Heather had the ‘luck of the Irish’ when it came to travelling. She’d never fallen victim to clothes being stolen from hostel laundry rooms, or lost her purse or jacket, she’d never turned up at the wrong place at the wrong time and last night she hadn’t even secured her bike to the trunk of the tree!

Heather hadn’t planned to stay out late at the bar, until she met Patrick O’Neill! Paddy had bought far too many tequilas and leant her his shoes to stagger home. Now she was meeting him to return them and fetch her bike, Irish luck!

 

 

 

 

This is my entry for Friday Fictioneers, click the image to find out what it is all about! 🙂 And to enjoy lots of great flashes!

Friday Fictioneers – The Guard

I have managed to get online this morning for a quick catch up in Blogland before the rest of the weekend (which I will spend packing boxes!)

This is my entry for Friday Fictioneers this week.

copyright -Managua Gunn

“How funny, in a modern world we cling onto traditions.” laughed Julia.

“I think it’s nice that loads of countries still dress their guards in uniform.”

“Katherine! You and uniforms!”

“Come on let’s see if we can make him smile!” giggled Katherine.

“Kat, he’s got a gun!” Julia retorted.

“Are you sure? I think he’s pleased to see us!”

Julia loved travelling with Katherine. To think one month ago she was about to give Paul his world wide travel dream. This experience made the split bearable. She couldn’t wait to see Kat’s face when they got closer to the guard!

Friday Fictioneers – Forgotten Circus Acts

Copyright –John Nixon

At the bottom of the tower, in a vast, dusty room lived the forgotten circus acts. Everyday they’d hope to be called. They never were.

Keeping each other entertained was challenging! The giant, clockwork mouse would sit frozen beneath the window, until the clown wound him up with his big key… or bad jokes!

Someone had dumped a piano in with them, Harrods had to get rid of them apparently, this one was saved by the Ringmaster.

The clown stood over the keys, he wanted to play but… the piano had other ideas.

“Encore, Encore!” Mouse cried without thinking!