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Honest Scrap Award

 While I was busy marshalling the Family Powell up the Brocken in the Harz mountains a few weeks ago, Wildernesschic, from over at Life, The Universe And All That’s In It, was kind enough to bestow the Honest Scrap Award on my blog. I only found out about receiving the award earlier this week when I installed twitterfox and checked the mentions tab. This award is meant to be passed on to bloggers who post from the heart. The rules for receiving this award are simple, pass the award on to seven worthy blogs and list ten honest things about yourself. It’s all about driving traffic to your favourite sites…

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#fridayflash report

 Following J.M. Strother’s guest post on Maria Schneider’s blog, Editor Unleashed, contributions to #fridayflash saw a spike this week, with a total of thirty-five new pieces of flash fiction for your reading pleasure. Well played, Jon for getting the word out in such a successful way and for compiling this giant list of links: A Basement Story, by Shannon Esposito @soespositoA Robot Argues With Her Creator’s Father About Reading a Eulogy, by Christine Love @christineloveAdelaide, by Heather @unlikelyedenBrain Helmet 2000, by Chris Chartrand @ChrisChartrandCyber Mummies, by Anthony Deaver @AnthonyDeaverEggs Over Easy, by Matthew Bacon @FogJuiceExile of Innocence, by Tomara Armstrong @2maraAFirefighting, by Pippa Hennessy @battypipFinal Call, by Kevin J. Mackey…

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Impact – #fridayflash

 Sam drags his feet to school, swinging his rucksack back and forth over the rough path that bisects the field behind his house. Right then the sound becomes audible enough to notice, grows quickly from a hum to a growl. He sees a light in the sky, burning towards him, growing larger as the noise grows louder, blossoms into a sustained boom that threatens to crack the sky. He puts his hand up to protect his face. The meteor, for that is what Sam later discovers it is, strikes him, slicing a scar into the back of his hand before knocking him down. He lands, dazed and utterly alive, staring…

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#friday flash report

 Another bumper #fridayflash with eighteen participants including three new writers. Click through the links for some excellent flash fiction. Be sure to leave a comment if you like what you read. A Damsel’s Distress, by Violet Hilton @violethiltonA Moment With the Pirate Wheel, by Jim Wisneski @WisneskiA Normal Life, by Lauren CudeAn Ill Wind, by Kevin J. Mackey @kevinjmackeyEven the Angels, by Victoria Anisman-Reiner @dragonwritesGargoyles Revenge, by Jodi Cleghorn @JodiCleghornGrief by Dan Powell @danpowfictionHarvest, by J M Strother @jmstroI Seek, by Chris Chartrand @ChrisChartrandMiss, by Alison @unlikelyedenProof of Life, by Laura Eno @lauraenoOut of the Blue, by Pippa Hennessy @battypipOn the Road, by anniegirl1138 @anniegirl1138Pok, Unveiled, by Jeff Posey @AnasaziStoriesRemnants…

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Grief – #fridayflash

 Laying Joseph in his cot I was struck once more by his resemblance to my father, his grandfather. There, in miniature, were the lively almost mischievous eyes, lit with laughter from some private joke he could never share. The smile Joseph beamed at me as I zipped up his sleep bag and tickled his feet through its quilting was totally Dad, warm and embracing. I kissed my little boy on the forehead and turned to go, my head filled with thoughts of my father. Thoughts of how his hand felt to hold when I was a boy, the skin rough with hard work, the fingers strong and inescapable. His deep…

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How On Earth Did I Only Manage To Discover Amy Hempel Now?

 I found Amy Hempel by accident. This last year I have been slowly courting short fiction, reading collections voraciously as the relationship moves beyond simple dating to something altogether more serious. Along the way I have been reading the usual suspects (Chekhov, Carver, Joyce most notably) along with younger, more contemporary turks (Ali Smith, Wells Tower, Michel Faber, Tania Hershman). I found Amy Hempel by accident, in a recommendation from one of my favourite novelists, Chuck Palahniuk. Both in his essays on writing found at chuckpalahniuk.net and elsewhere on the web, Chuck waxes lyrical about Amy Hempel’s power to break you heart. In his essay on Hempel’s ‘The Harvest,’ She…

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4th Fiction – Rejection #1 – Isis!

 The first Fourth Fiction vote has been counted and verified and the first contestant to be rejected is Isis. To be fair, the vote was very close, with the final decision being down to who had the most positive comments posted on the Fourth Fiction website for their opening sentence of round one. On that basis, Isis is one her way out of the competition. Since the pre-competition phase launched on July 4th, Isis quickly positioned herself as the kooky, spiritual, new-agey one of the group, her tweets filled with references to divinities, Ghandi quotations and a 140 character diary entries describing her juice fast. During the pre-competition dares Isis…

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#fridayflash report

 This week’s bumper crop of #fridayflash fiction. Be sure to click through the links and comment on those that grab you. A Certain Destiny, by Selina Jane Eckersall. You can follow @selinajane, and the rest of the crew on Twitter.A Lovers’ Tryst, by Jodi Cleghorn @JodiCleghornA Muse?, by Kevin J Mackey @kevinjmackeyExpecting, by Tomara Armstrong @2maraAFinale, by Laura Eno @lauraenoFor Love of Vater, by Greta Igl @gretaiglGear Heart, by Violet Hilton @violethiltonHello Jones, by Chris Chartrand @ChrisChartrandHey, Jealousy, by Ryan Harron @rharronHubble Over Slurpees, by Dana Larose @ywgdanaLove Letter, by judy b. @jbonzeMarigolds, by Pippa Hennesey battypipMice Among Men, by Jeff Posey @AnasaziStoriesOne Side of the Story, by Dan Powell…

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One Side Of The Story.

 If you would just shut up and listen, I’ll tell you. I’m not shouting. Don’t pull that face, just listen. It wasn’t my fault. I didn’t do anything. What? How can you say that? We’ve been together how many years, and you say that to me. No, I didn’t know that. No, she didn’t tell me that. I keep trying to tell you, I didn’t know. Okay I lied about where I was but only because I knew you’d be like this about it. Oh, that’s rich. Right, so if I’d told you the truth you’d have been okay about it? I don’t think so. There you go again with…

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Fourth Fiction – First Impressions (Part 3)

 At midnight tonight voting will close on the first round of Fourth Fiction, the first blog based literary reality show. All twelve contestants have posted their response to the Round One challenge: Write the first sentence to your novella, and only Igor, as the winner of the pre-competition popularity vote, is safe from this round of voting. For the last few days, I have turned my attention to each contestant’s opening, dealing with the sentences in the order they were posted on the Fourth Fiction website. This third post deals with the first sentences of Tuck, Isis, Omar and Nora. Tuck was easily the most controversial contestant of the pre-competition…

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Fourth Fiction – First Impressions (Part 2)

 Voting has opened on the first round of Fourth Fiction, the first blog based literary reality show. All twelve contestants have posted their response to the Round One challenge: ‘Write the first sentence to your novella,’ and only Igor, as the winner of the pre-competition popularity vote, is safe from this round of voting. The very different styles and subject matter of the sentences reflect the very different anonymous contestants drafting them. In the build up to the poll closing, I am turning my attention to the contestant’s opening sentences. Dealing with the sentences in the order they were posted on the Fourth Fiction website, I am posting each day…

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Fourth Fiction – First Impressions (Part 1)

 Voting has opened on the first round of Fourth Fiction, the first blog based literary reality show. All twelve contestants have posted their response to the Round One challenge: Write the first sentence to your novella, and only Igor, as the winner of the pre-competition popularity vote, is safe from this round of voting. The very different styles and subject matter of the sentences reflect the very different anonymous contestants drafting them. Some have opted for direct and simple sentences to introduce their story, others have ramped up the action to get things moving, one or two seem to have taken the route of bombarding the reader with esoteric description…

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#fridayflash report

 Another bumper #fridayflash package with fourteen more slivers of flash fiction. Follow the links below to read the stories or to follow those taking part on twitter. Best Friend, by Alison – @unlikelyedenBreaking Day, by Kevin J. Mackey – @kevinjmackeyGuilt , by Dan Powell – @danpowfictionGrandfather Tale: The Owl Tree, by Jeff Posey – @AnasaziStoriesGrandma, by Laura Eno – @lauraenoHome Security, by J. M. Strother – @jmstroIt was a dark and stormy night, by Ryan Harron – @rharronLast Aria, by Chris Chartrand – @ChrisChartrandSurface Tension, by Jen Tropy – @jentropyThe Bartender and the Babe, by Kate Sherrod – @KateSherrodThe Bed Overhead, by anniegirl1138 – anniegirl1138The Vampire Sheep, by Pippa Hennessy…

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Good stuff.

 Just got back from a week’s holiday in the Harz mountains of Germany to find that microhorror.com accepted and published my flash fiction ‘Love is…’ The site is well worth checking out if you like flash fiction and horror stories. Big thanks to Laura Eno for making me aware of the site.  This acceptance comes hot on the heels of my winning 2nd prize in the Winchester Writers Conference Short Story Competition. The list of winners can be seen here, though the page erroneously lists my story as written by David Powell. Thankfully the limited edition pottery trophy I received last week has the correct name upon it. Here’s hoping…

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Guilt

 I remember being seven, living in the council house on Walker Road. The wall around the front garden like miniature battlements, along which my sister would walk holding tight to my dad’s hand. The park across the road with the big slide and the roundabout, both covered in graffiti I didn’t understand. My brother’s go-kart, a sprawling hulk of crossbars, chunky wheels and deep bucket seat, parked on the paving slab drive. I remember primary school. The brass bell that would call us in from the playground, each peal ringing out over shrieking playtime voices. I remember reading early, completing the course books and being allowed to borrow Treasure Island…

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#fridayflash report

 This week’s #fridayflash roundup. Below are the links to participants flash fiction and their Twitter profiles. Get clicking and enjoy some free flash fiction. Bert Gombrick, by anniegirl1138 @anniegirl1138.Christmas Boon, by E. D. Johnson @edgedyrksecGo Fish by Violet Hilton @violethiltonHidden Lake by Jentropy @jentropyHopscotch by J. M. Strother @jmstroHunter by Laura Eno @lauraenoIn Flames by Ryan Harron @theorangemonkeyIt’s Okay To Drink Wine ‘Cause It Don’t Have Any Feelings by Dan Powell @danpowfictionRaana Blows Their Cover by Jeff Posey @AnasaziStoriesSpirit of the Season by Chris Chartrand @ChrisChartrandStand Clear of the Doors by Kevin J. Mackey @kevinjmackeyTill Death Do Us Part by Stephen Book @StephenBookTo The Lake by Greta Igl. Greta is…

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Fourth Fiction Vote.

 Don’t miss your chance to vote for you favourite contestant in the pre-competition twitterings of the blog based reality show, Fourth Fiction. Visit the poll page to vote. The page also has links to all the pre-competition shenanigans. Roll on the 4th August when the competition proper gets underway.

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It’s Okay To Drink Wine ‘Cause It Don’t Have Any Feelings

 The wine sat untouched, wondering why nobody was drinking her yet. It’s true she was in an old glass, 18th Century or so judging by the air-twist drawn in her stem, but that should have only added to her allure. Her vintage had a proven track record of holding well over time, she had been subject to rigorous production methods at every stage from grape selection to barrel-aging, and expert consensus as to her quality was really without compare. She scanned the conversations smattering the air around her for some clue as to why she would be left here unconsumed. ‘Cost fifteen hundred dollars and won’t even mature until at…

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