Friday Fiction: The Ins & Outs of Love

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Photo prompt copyright: Kelly Sands

The Ins And Outs of Love

They lie on their backs in her garden, watching the storm clouds roll by. It was Kate’s idea, she saw it in a film and hopes Sam will think her quirky, cool and romantic. Sam thinks it’s weird, but stays because he’s hoping for some action.

Kate is in love; Sam is in lust.

He makes his move…

Kate is inexperienced; Sam is in luck.

Her clothes slide off and he slides on…

Kate is in the buff; Sam is in Kate.

Something’s happening deep inside her…

Kate is in trouble.

Sam is in a taxi, heading out of town.

 

(100 words)

 

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For those who don’t know, Friday Fictioneers is a challenge to write a 100 word story from a picture prompt. It’s hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, and anyone can play. Thanks for hosting, Rochelle! Check out the link below to see what other fictioneers did with this week’s prompt.

Need more Friday Fiction? Click the blue frog to read more stories from other fictioneers!

Friday Fiction: #callingmrcupid

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Photo prompt: Claire Fuller

 

#callingmrcupid

The words flashed on the screen, the ones she’d been dreading for weeks. She’d been thrilled to discover online dating, and even more thrilled when she’d been matched with Derek. They chatted every day, sometimes late into the night. But now the moment had come:

derek_132: Let’s meet.

Her heart raced and sank in equal measures. She knew it would be a disaster, it always was. Men changed when they met her, every man she had ever known, and she couldn’t bear to lose Derek. Still, maybe this time it would be different.

medusa_1: How do you feel about snakes?

 

(100 words)

 

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For those who don’t know, Friday Fictioneers is a challenge to write a 100 word story from a picture prompt. It’s hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, and anyone can play. Thanks for hosting, Rochelle! Check out the link below to see what other fictioneers did with this week’s prompt.

Need more Friday Fiction? Click the blue frog to read more stories from other fictioneers!

Need more stuff to read? Give Firewords Quarterly a go (there’s one of my stories in Issue One!) NOW AVAILABLE AS A DIGITAL DOWNLOAD – CLICK HERE FOR MORE

Friday Fiction: Perforated Walls

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Photo prompt copyright Mary Shipman

 

Perforated Walls

Maureen was suffering from palpitations, mood swings and night sweats. Her mother recognised the symptoms immediately.

‘The Change, Mum? Seriously? I’m too young!’

‘Nonsense, dear,’ said her wise old mum. ‘It comes when it comes.’

That night, Maureen felt worse than ever.

*

Come morning, Maureen’s mother clambered over what remained of the door, ‘How was your night?’

‘The facial hair’s pretty unpleasant,’ Maureen said, surveying the destruction of the previous night, the shredded curtains, perforated walls and splintered furniture. ‘But running wild, eating whatever I damn well please was seriously liberating . And you say this happens every full moon?’

 

(100 words)

 

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For those who don’t know, Friday Fictioneers is a challenge to write a 100 word story from a picture prompt. It’s hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, and anyone can play. Thanks for hosting, Rochelle! Check out the link below to see what other fictioneers did with this week’s prompt.

Need more Friday Fiction? Click the blue frog to read more stories from other fictioneers!

Need more stuff to read? Give Firewords Quarterly a go (there’s one of my stories in Issue One!)

Friday Fiction: Eau De Teenager’s Bedroom

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Photo Prompt Copyright – Douglas M. MacIlroy

Eau De Teenager’s Bedroom

January.

Ellen pins her resolution to the noticeboard: No more picking up other people’s shit.

‘Mummy swore!’ says her youngest, Lucy.

‘Challenge accepted,’ says her eldest, Danny.

 

February.

A ripe pungency escapes from Danny’s room.

‘What’s that smell?’ asks Lucy.

‘Smell?’ says Ellen, adjusting the clothes-peg on her nose.

 

March.

Danny’s room disappears under magazines, washing, junk,

‘What are the candles for, Danny?’

‘Can’t find the light switch,’ says Danny. ‘Or the window.’

 

April.

‘I give up,’ Ellen adjusts her gas mask. ‘I’m coming in!’

‘Stop!’ Danny points at her feet. ‘Shoes off first. Were you born in a barn?’

 

(100 words)

Following on from a couple of comments I received, and having a few hours to pass on a train yesterday,  I wrote an extended version of this called No More Picking Up Other People’s Shit. Find out about Ellen’s next resolution, Lucy’s secret obsession and Danny’s future ambitions in this 500 word story!

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For those who don’t know, Friday Fictioneers is a challenge to write a 100 word story from a picture prompt. It’s hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, and anyone can play. Thanks for hosting, Rochelle! Check out the link below to see what other fictioneers did with this week’s prompt.

Need more Friday Fiction? Click the blue frog to read more stories from other fictioneers!

Need more stuff to read? Give Firewords Quarterly a go (there’s one of my stories in Issue One!)

Firewords Quarterly – Get It While It’s Hot!*

Firewords Issue One

I may have mentioned this in an earlier post. I may have been a little over-excited because Firewords Quarterly is publishing my story Crik Crak in its first edition. My excitement was entirely justified, they’ve done a sterling job on my story, encasing it in the most incredible illustration by the hugely talented Kirsty Greenwood. It’s beautiful..

Firewords Quarterly is a new and exciting concept where art meets stories, text gets mixed up and re-formatted and everything is given a Firewords makeover.

Or in their words: “Firewords Quarterly is a newsprint magazine packed full of powerful fiction and poetry – all enhanced by bold design.”

My copy arrived through the door while I was on holiday so my first glimpse was on Saturday night/ early Sunday morning. I was exhausted after a long journey home, but ripped open the envelope as soon as I was in the door and sat down to read. Each page is a new adventure in design, art and incredible writing. But enough gushing, why not find out for yourself how good it is.

Pop over to their website now to buy Issue 1, sign up for updates, or to find out how to submit your own work for Issue 2. For Friday Fictioneers, there’s even a writing prompt (the limit is a ‘massive’ 400 words, though!)

 *My shocking pun in the title is not endorsed by Firewords Quarterly. I take full responsibility (but I couldn’t resist).

Friday Fiction: Here Comes The Sun

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PHOTO PROMPT Copyright -Jennifer Pendergast

 

Here Comes The Sun

Lucy was ashamed. She’d pinched small things before: hotel shampoos, glass ashtrays from cafes. And on holiday, she reasoned, it doesn’t count as stealing. Everybody does it.

But this was big.

Once she’d worked out how to compress it, she’d squeezed it into a single suitcase for her flight home from Ibiza, but when she unpacked it, it filled her garden and threatened to spill out into the street.

Lucy shook off her guilt, you could hardly blame her, England was all grey skies and drizzle. She slipped on her bikini and went outside to enjoy her stolen Spanish sunshine.

 

(100 words)

Please check your spam folder for my comments – I’m still having problems with mine disappearing and I’d hate you to think I was ignoring you! Am on holiday this week in France, so comments, likes etc. will be sporadic. And if I can find out how to bring the sunshine back home with me – I will! ________________________________________________________________________________________________

For those who don’t know, Friday Fictioneers is a challenge to write a 100 word story from a picture prompt. It’s hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, and anyone can play. Thanks for hosting, Rochelle! Check out the link below to see what other fictioneers did with this week’s prompt.

Need more Friday Fiction? Click the blue frog to read more stories from other fictioneers!

Friday Fiction: Whither Goest Thou, Fair Lady?

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Photo Copyright Erin Leary

 

Whither Goest Thou, Fair Lady?

One misty morning, a dapper young chap went a-walking in Kilkenny and happened upon a fair lady.

‘Whither goest thou?’ quoth he.

‘To be sure,’ said the lady, for she was Irish to the core. ‘I’m after catching meself a frog.’

‘And willst thou kiss thy frog in the hopes of landing thyself an enchanted prince?’ enquired the gentleman. ‘For I’d be charmed to be your frog. Ribbet!’ And he puckered up for a kiss.

‘The frog’s for my biology class – it’s dissection day. Sure, you’ll do though,’ said the lady, producing a scalpel.

But her suitor had hopped off.

(100 words)

I had loads of problems with WordPress last week which left me with intermittent access to most blogs (including my own!) and most of my comments seem to have ended up in people’s spam folders. Never mind, new week, new story, new start 🙂 ________________________________________________________________________________________________

For those who don’t know, Friday Fictioneers is a challenge to write a 100 word story from a picture prompt. It’s hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, and anyone can play. Thanks for hosting, Rochelle! Check out the link below to see what other fictioneers did with this week’s prompt.

Need more Friday Fiction? Click the blue frog to read more stories from other fictioneers!