So I'm guessing this circle isn't nearly as active as its furious equivalent?

Oh, God! I am such dead-weight!

Curse me for being part of the problem and not the solution. I shall go into my chamber and sulk, now.

No, really! I feel a special kind of crap because I was part of that mudslide of lethargy trying to bring FFF down.

Do it matter if it is lethargy or malice? No! Curse me!

Really! Curse me with whatever you've got. I deserve it.

Do it now.

Running Sammy

I will try to do better, MUCH.

RS

Laurie, Ben, sorry for the extended absence! Let me know how I can make it up, okay? Now let me go and make up something interesting for Friday. God! RS

 I'm  so sorry I've not been able to post/critique anything lately. Life caught up really fast. Once things settle down a bit, I'll try to get back in the swing of things! I've got plenty of new (and better, IMHO) stories and poems.

hey, all--

happy wednesday.

first, a quick but heartfelt apology for not being as present in the circle as i'd like the past couple of weeks--i've been distracted by a fancy new writing program at home, and my novel's been singing that siren song...i have high hopes i'll be able to better organize my time, though, and look forward to catching up on the critiques i owe several of you. thank you for your patience.

i have a request  regarding weekly circle member (heh, i said 'member' interviews. 

all of you not yet featured, please raise your hands. mmhmm. mmhmm. *counting* . . . so, we've got  nine folks left by my figuring. my usual strategic timeline with these things is to contact the current week's writer on tue/wed of the week for a saturday 'unveiling'.

i've been noticing more people spending time less often onsite, and with this tight a turnaround chasing the less-present folks down adds to my wrinkles and unsightly bikini line.

and nobody wants that.

so, my request is this: if you're hip, with the program, down with your bad self, and want to participate in the ultra-fabulous brief moment of fame/notoriety the interview affords you (as well as letting us get to know you a bit better, and indulging our nosier instincts ;D), please send me a message (scratchpad, email, whatevah) to let me know. i'll send out everyone's interviews and keep them in my secret drawer, whipping them out without prior notification--nobody will know who's week it is until i reveal the name!!! mwuahuahuahuaaaa!!!!

ahem.

if you have general (or specific) comments about how you feel the interviews are going, please feel welcome to let me (or ben!) know! i'd love to hear back from you guys. (i know i hear back from myself more than enough. )

i'm also positive ben would love to hear from all of you about how the circle's going--what's working, what's motivating you, what changes you'd like to see. please feel comfortable sending him a note.

so, to recap:

*if you haven't yet been interviewed for the group and would like to be, please let me know asap! if i don't hear from you, i'll assume you're happy writing and posting, no interview desired. just drop me a note so i know where we stand.

as for this week's featured writer, i'm hoping y'all won't be too disappointed to know i'm taking a wee (heh, i said 'wee' break--pending your responses, we'll resume next week!

i hope everyone's having a productive, writing-packed week, and i'll be seeing you all on friday.

 

 

Happy Saturday, everyone! This week’s fabulous featured writer is Char. I admire her talent and confident voice in her writing, and hope you’ll find her as insightful and entertaining as I do. Big thanks to Char for allowing us to know her a bit better!

 

Please spend a little time reading her work and send her your feedback!

 

 

1. You’re assertive, cheeky. I might even say sassy, if I was full of tequila. This, combined with the Lois Lane feel I get from you, makes me think you’re a journalist. Am I right?
If you were full of tequila, I might take advantage. Just a warning.

I did come through the school of journalism and most of the print work I've done has been in that field. Well-spotted! But I'm not really a journalist by trade. I'm in advertising on the client side now, but I did a lot of time in agencies. It's an interesting and stressful world. Someday I'm planning on writing a story about it, but no plots have really spoken to me yet.

2. How long have you been writing creative fiction, and what got you started?
I guess I've been officially writing creative fiction since 2003. I was freelancing and writing gave me something to do while I was waiting for clients to get back to me. I really started writing in earnest the next year after my father died. I just really wanted to live in another world for a while. Then my best friend got cancer and died a few months later. I just plunged headlong into dealing with things through writing. I think that's why the style I developed is so visceral. It comes from somewhere needy and desperate to get things out.

3. If you had to choose between spending an evening of dinner theater with either Chuck Palahniuk or the Marquis De Sade, on whose lap would you set your napkin?
I always imagine that the Marquis and I would fight a lot over who was the most debauched or sadistic. I really think we'd become the dinner theater, and that no one would make it out alive. So I'm going to go with Chuck, who is known for giving fans funky gifts. I like gifts.

4. You’ve posted eight chapters of Time to Pretend so far, which impresses the hell out of me. What methods do you use to find inspiration and stay motivated to write, and write well so consistently?
The story is actually finished. It's 14 chapters by the end of it. I've been taking the comments into consideration and redrafting parts of the chapters that I have up. One thing that's interesting about it is the comments about third person limited. I guess a lot of people prefer to read that, and it's not as if I'm a stranger to it. Most of my other writing is third person limited. This time, since it was a whodunnit, I wanted to have personal insights into each of the characters as individuals, trying to give a 360 view of them. What they think of themselves, others, how they react to things. I'm not sure how successful I was with it, but to me, always doing the same thing over and over again isn't going to help you grow. I like to take risks, to gamble, to test limits.

The process itself inspires me. I have stories and characters that just sort of eat away at me until I start committing them to paper. I'm really just plain compelled to write.

It's my alcoholism.

5. What percentage would you say you’re an instinctual writer, and a writer who researches subjects down to the nubbin for realistic effect? Any advice for those of us working on developing more relatable characters?
Oh I'm so crap at math, although I do like giving percentages. I'm just not sure how to apply it to this question, because it completely depends on the subject matter. I suppose at the start of writing, my journalistic instincts drove me, so I was much more likely to research subjects down to the nubbin. Nubbin is a good word. It sounds so dirty.

Anyway, I guess there's a lot of both going on. I talk to a lot of people, I get them to tell me their dirty little secrets. I watch A&E's Intervention almost obsessively. I read a lot of true crime and watch a lot of CNN. I watch people a lot. That's a lot of my research. I live in Texas. It's full of characters.

I suppose that making characters relatable (to me, anyway) is to recognize their flaws and their limitations. Let them be damaged and imperfect. People always are. That's what makes them interesting.

6. What are your goals for your writing? Fame? Fortune? Hotties? Where do the booze, whores and devil ducks fit in?
I already have the devil ducks, now I just need the booze and whores!

I'm not sure what my goals are, really. I love the process of writing. I love being intimately involved in a story. I love entertaining other people and seeing their reactions to what I've written. I love the escape. I love meeting new people and I love reading. I love poking around other people's writing and seeing how their minds work. It's like rifling through their underwear drawer, going through their medicine cabinets. You see their hopes, their dreams, their dreads, what interests them. It's a strange, passive intimacy. There's really nothing like it.

Anyway, if I had any wish for my writing it would be that it entertained someone for at least a while. Perhaps they might take away something from it, something they recognize in themselves.

7. Tell us one thing about yourself which may surprise us:
Just one? Now i have to pick one. Oh, let's go with one that will probably surprise you, but will also perhaps give insight into my interests. I was kidnapped as a child. Twice. Once a regular kidnapping as a baby, and the second as part of a hostage situation in the conclusion of a bank robbery.

I'm very interested in the criminal mind, what makes it tick. What makes a shark a shark and the guppy the guppy. I know I'd never be able to kill someone, or rob a bank, even. I try to imagine what adds up to making someone able to do that. I like to write, to an extent, about how to go on after a shark attack. Obviously, I have a lot of things to work through, so I'm pretty sure I won't stop writing any time soon!

 

heh. sorry about the weird formatting text, there. sheesh.  

 

Hi, all—

It’s Saturday! This week, I’m happy to feature Runningsammy. He’s a special person, and a fluid, creative writer—I’ve learned from him in this interview, and I hope you all enjoy reading it. Yay, inspiring sammy!

 

Please take a moment to read his story this week and give him some feedback.

 

 

<ol style="margin-top: 0in" type="1"> <li style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">How long have you been writing, and what got you started?</li> </ol>

I have been writing for as long as I can remember. Early on in school, I got the bug to always have a pencil in my hand, especially when attempting to think, it has stuck as a habit. And now I write everything down. But I am sure you meant more structured writing. That answer is tougher. I struggle a lot with finishing anything and putting it out for public view. So my history is very erratic. I wrote prolificly in junior high school for the school newspaper. Long break for debauchery. Wrote and published a local rag called DAMM ("Drunks Against Mad Mothers" . Long break for 12 step process. Failed to finish English 101 four times during my return to school. The fifth time I was rewarded with a very strong teacher who pushed us very hard and accepted no whiny bullshit. She demanded that the men write as women and vice versa. It was maddening, but it broke my glacial ice and I have been scribbling ever since.

 

<ol style="margin-top: 0in" type="1" start="2"> <li style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">You write in such a stream-of-consciousness flow, with strong images and wild characters. How do you reconcile your career as a math instructor with your obvious passion for intuitive writing?</li> </ol>

I'm glad you asked about the math thing. One of my seminal reasons for becoming a teacher of math is to break some stereotypes and change a few student minds about what math IS. For me, math is a wild, beautiful landscape full of surprises with unchartable vastness. I like to teach my classes in an untraditional way, NOT going chapter by chapter, chalk and talk, quiz and test. So, I guess I write like I teach. Hope to, anyway. It's not easy for me, or the students. But math isn't supposed to be easy. It is supposed to be a language of magic and power.

 

<ol style="margin-top: 0in" type="1" start="3"> <li style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">What do you enjoy reading, generally? What are you reading now?</li> </ol>

Lately, I am TRYING to read a lot of Military History right now, but mostly I browse, accumulate, pile, re-arrange, and recommend books, and actually read magazines, and newspapers, both hardcopy and online. Oh, and I love political television, too.

 

<ol style="margin-top: 0in" type="1" start="4"> <li style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">You’ve run fifteen marathons! Impart to us a few of your secrets for developing mental discipline, please.</li> </ol>

Start small, and find a group. But this is not everybody's thing, or even always mine. My running history started with courting my wife, who was just another accounting student then. We joined a workout group at school that ran a little. That got me in the shoes. GET HELP WITH YOUR SHOES (find an expert to help you fit your shoes to your stride-it can literally mean the difference between life and a slow painful death). She challenged me to a 5k, then a 10k and before I knew it I had begun training for the next marathon. Fear helped then. I was scared to embarrass myself or, you know, die. So I trained. I ran miles in deep sand every day. After a while I sort of liked it. THAT was weird, 'cause I was never the gym-rat, running guy at all. But in running I found a totally unexpected peace and serenity. SOMETIMES. It is a little like writing. I can prepare myself to write and get all my materials together, good jumping off point, everything...and get nothing. Well rested, well stocked, and blank screen inside and out. Running is the same. The times I have run needing that peace, looking for the serenity, the "glow”, it's nowhere. It sneaks up on you like a winning vegas slot quarter.

Now I am trying to heal up a knee that has kept me from running much for about a year now. I am hoping to come back and do L.A. next march and the Rosarito 20 mile bike ride next April. Did I answer the question? Okay. Here's one way that works for me. Fuck the Bozos. One foot in front of the other.

Fuck the bozos means disregard, put off, ignore, and do not invest your time energy or attention to thoughts that distract you from your goal.

Your goal right now is to put one foot in front of the other. You may find -- as did I -- that quietly amazing things happen after this. Distractions fall away. Clarity returns. The best part is the epiphany, like "Holy Shit! I just ran three miles and I don't want to stop!"

Also be prepared for your friends to be totally bored with your metamorphosis. It happens. Again, FTB.

<ol style="margin-top: 0in" type="1" start="5"> <li style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">What are your goals for your writing?</li> </ol>

I have two goals for writing, One, that I call Stewie's: Unchallenged King of the World. Once there, I will make necessary changes. Starting with the DMV. Two, something approaching a responsible participant in this wonderful forum. Now stop bothering me, I have to write!

 

<ol style="margin-top: 0in" type="1" start="6"> <li style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">Tell us one thing about yourself which may surprise us:</li> </ol>

My name is not Sammy.

 

 

Namaste, mystery dude. Namaste.

hi, all--

my entry this week is a little different. several of us are taking torquil mann's june challenge of writing 30 one-page stories during the month of june, published on-site in batches of 3-4.

it's pretty crazy, but i'm loving it so far! this week, i haven't written a separate story for our fff circle, but posted the first batch of the challenge stories.

hope you all are having a great week, and i'm eager to read your work friday!

Happy Saturday, everyone!

 

I’m excited to see so many new stories posted this week.  Woohoo!!

 

Following is our intrepid leader’s informative interview—please take a few minutes to give Ben a shoutout and read his latest story. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind getting some feedback, as well.

 

1. How long have you been writing, and what got you started?
Well, I have the world's worst memory (no really, it's documented), so this is a difficult question to answer. The blessing of living in a literate society is that I have been writing since I was very young. I can't say I took any special pleasure in it then. I was not writing up novels at twelve. Truth is it was just another pleasurable pastime. I only rededicated myself to writing lately because I have discovered that I love ideas. I love creating them, re-imagining, manipulating them and relating them to an audience. However, when you love something so ephemeral it's hard to find an outlet. Living in my own head all day is not impressive to anyone. While I love my shiny ideas floating in my head they become much more truthful when I chain them to my paper. So, my ideas are the souls of my stories, and if it weren't for them I wouldn't be writing at all. Is that an answer? No? Then 25 years and Kindergarten. Better?

 

2. You are danged clever, playing with anagrams, inventing words in your science fiction--a cerebral approach to writing. What kind of stories get under all of that, for you? What stories creep into your squishy innards, and open you up?
My favorite kinds of stories are ones that distract my intellect and then hit me with a gut punch. This is the very reason I try to write that way. Although admittedly I get so wrapped up in the cleverness sometimes I forget the impact. I would say a prime example of the kind of story that gets into my innards is The Magus by John Fowles. It strings along your intellect while constantly surprising you with emotion. Other examples would be early Orson Scott Card, most Vonnegut and even the Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy, if you read it right.

 

3. I notice you include “The Shawshank Redemption”, “Seven Samurai” and “V For Vendetta” among your favorite films—all strong morality tales. In your writing, do you find yourself returning to any particular themes or symbolism?
Well, I tend to start with an idea and then I look for the themes that would work best with that idea. Having said that though, looking back at my recent writing (which are all FFF pieces) I see a strong recurring theme of failure, which is something of a preoccupation of mine. The Beautiful is about a supernatural creature that fails her appointed task. To a Mouse concerns man's inability to adapt to a changing world and also man's failure to use his life fully. Poddle Stumper is about the universe's worst invasion fleet. Eternal Sunset is about a vampire who can't die, no matter how much he wants to. Finally, Untitled is a rumination on the very nature of failure. I myself have a big fear of failure that sometimes paralyzes me, so I guess I'm trying to work some of that out in my writing.

 

4. What significance do you think creativity has in Man’s developing consciousness? If the cave paintings of Lasceaux (dating back 32,000 years) were a result of direct communication with God, would you say all storytelling—past, present and future—is born of divine inspiration?
Wow, that is a giant question for such a short interview. I take it this is because of the Jaynes book in my profile. Instead of babbling on here about it, I would just recommend that all writers pick up The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind. Despite the title it is actually a pretty easy read and has some wonderful things to say about the power of language and metaphor. Plus if you read it in public you look like a genius.

 

5. What methods do you use to find inspiration and stay motivated to write? And how do you find ideas for a new flash story each week? Any tips?
Honestly, I need two things in order to write: an audience and an expectation. That is why I started FFF. To create those things for myself and others. So far it has worked great. I've written more in the last month and a half than I have in a long time previously. I hope that everyone else is getting as much out of it. I would really like to see the circle be a place where we can call each other out when we miss a week and where everyone participates regularly. We're not there yet, but I hope that's where were headed.

As for ideas, basically I daydream all the time. I don't let an idea float through my head with out stopping it and interrogating it to see if it might be a story. Sometimes it is; sometimes it isn't. Sometimes I write about it anyway. Failing that I go to wikipedia and hit the random page button and see if it gives me anything storyworthy.

 

6. Describe your perfect setting for getting some serious writing done:
I don't think I've found it yet. I guess it would be a solid white hallway with only a computer terminal (no internet) and enough room to pace. It would be like something out of the end of 2001. I'm way too easily distracted when I'm writing, but I'm getting better.

 

7. What are your goals for your writing? Fame? Fortune? Hotties?
How about we dial those all down a notch. An audience, a living wage, and colleagues who like talking about the same stuff I like talking about. Those are my ultimate goals. My immediate goals: a publication, a courtesy copy, and having my name read by a stranger.

 

8. Tell us one thing about yourself which may surprise us:
Well, anyone whose critiqued my grammar would probably be surprised to find out that I am, in fact, an English Teacher. I keep this close to my vest because I don't want anyone taking their teacher revenge fantasies out on me. Trust me when I say that my students love me (and I them) and while I help them through their writing issues it is always while honoring their strengths. Also, I fully admit (even to my students) that I still struggle with comma placement and some other basic grammatical issues. And remember everyone makes mistakes, it's the fixing it that is important. So there it is. The truth is out. I hope you won't be any harder on me as a result.

 

Thanks, Ben, for taking the time to answer these questions, and for starting the Flash Fiction Fridays circle! You’ve helped many of us find inspiration and develop a regular writing habit -- I know I look forward to writing and reading every week.

 

Hello all,

I'm back to remind you that it's Friday.  I know, I know.  I've been worse than any of you, but I'm back just in time to be featured.  Thanks again to Laurie for keeping that tradition and idea alive.

Anyway,  I hope to read a whole load of new stories from you all this week.  Remember the guidelines post 1, read 2 or if you prefer post 0, read 3.  I know this is an ambitious goal, but I would really like to see this circle become even more active.

Feel free to write on the message board.  Talk up your story this week or ask someone a question about their interview.  Come on people.  Laurie's not going to let you lose touch, so jump on in and be involved.  We'll love you for it and you just might love yourself more, too.

Have a good weekend,

-Ben

hallo, fellow flash fiction fridays circlers.

this week we feature our beloved leader, ben. he's written several impressive stories, and leads the circle with gentle nudges and plenty of encouragement. let's hear it for jefe ben!!

we'll be reading his interview saturday--in the meantime, please make an effort to post your own flash fiction this week, and take a few minutes to give your circlemates some feedback on their efforts.

thanks for your continued enthusiasm, everyone! i'm excited to see what you come up with this week.

 

 

Happy Saturday, all--

This week we highlight one Miss Kay Moore--throw her some big ups, yo. Thanks for being a member of the circle, Kay!

 

 

Kay’s Interview:

 

1. How long have you been writing, and what got you started?

I started writing in about the second grade. My gifted teacher had this story writing program on her computers and that's what really got me started. I didn't really starte loving to write until junior high. That's when I knew I wanted to do something with my writing.

2. What do you find satisfying about writing poetry versus prose? (Or vice versa?)

I think that in both poetry and prose you can get out all kinds of emotions. Wheather they are pent up feelings, or ones that you just have to share. Or they could be just completely out there and fun.

3. You have some exotic interests (martial arts, forensic science) and a spirited, relaxed style of writing. Have you considered incorporating your rather disciplined interests into your stories? (I think that would be a fun idea. )

I have a wide range of interests. Sometimes I think of trying to include them into my stories. I haven't written one good enough in my opinion though. I was wanting to write a short story about forensic science, but I'd definitely have to do more research about it. Martial arts wouldn't be that difficult for me, I've been in it for nearly four years. In writing this answer though, a few ideas have popped into my head

4. What methods do you use to find inspiration and stay motivated to write?

I find inspiration in everything around me. The scenery, my friends, my day, my dreams. It all just depends. My 'method' in writing is just write. I'll write what comes to my mind, how it comes to my mind. Sometimes it seems well thought out, choreographed beautifully...othertimes it's just a jumbled mess.

5. Describe your perfect setting for getting some serious writing done:

Somewhere quiet, where I can get my thoughts in order. I like to write in my room a lot. Sometimes I'll have music playing. On really nice days I'll go out to this abandoned, one-roomed school house back behind my place to write.

6. What are your goals for your writing? Fame? Fortune? The great American novel?
I would LOVE to be published. Not really for the fame and fortune, just to get my ideas out there, you know? It would be great to write a story that would be a classic!

7. What’s your beef with the Chamber of Secrets?

The "Chamber of Secrets" just wasn't as great as I thought it could have been. The book lacked the "sparkle" that the first story had. As for the movie, it was (in my opinion) boring up until the Chamber scene.

8. Tell us one thing about yourself which may surprise us:

Um, I'm an avid Harry/Hermione shipper even if it means I am "delusional". I think there is more of a solid relationship there than and argumentive one between Ron and Hermione. As for Harry and Ginny, I think she worships him too much as an idol for it to be true love. I also don't think it's great that he's with Ginny just because she resembles Lily.

I used to be a cutter. I try to talk openly about it now. I had a very hard time quitting. I had actually been a cutter in junior high, quit, and then began again in my junior year of high school. It got really serious, but at the time it didn't seem to be. I didn't realize how bad it got, or how much it scared my friends until one day. My best friend saw my arm and how bad it had gotten. The look on his face is the reason that I wanted to quit cutting. It is the reason I quit. He's the reason that I thre my old razor blades away. He's the reason I don't even think about cutting myself anymore.

Okay, here's some "fun facts":
I had a 12th grade reading level in the fourth grade.
I've been in the "Gifted" program since the second grade.
My best friends mean everything to me.
My ex boyfriend cheated on me with someone who was like my sister.
Senior Prom was the first and only prom I've been to with a date.
My boyfriend is the best friend that made me want to stop cutting.
I own all the HP movies and books.
I've read all the Twilight books out and am anxiously awaiting the fourth one and the movie.
I completely support David Cook (I used to live in Kansas City), and am THRILLED that he won American Idol!
I get frustrated kind of easily.
I own more than one notebook filled with unfinished stories.
I have two journals filled with poetry.
One journal that I am trying to write lyrics in.
I was in the top 5 (being number 5) in my senior class.
I was the 3rd highest scholarship winner in my class.
I am getting ready to test for my brown belt in martial arts this saturday.

And, I think I'm out of facts!!

Caio! Kara

 

Thanks so much, Kay!

 

Have a great weekend, everyone—write lots of stories, read and critique lots of flash fiction Fridays circle members!!

 

(And if you’re in the US, please take a moment on Monday to honor those serving in the military, and those who’ve given everything for their country.  Happy Memorial Day. *salutes*)

hi, all--

i'm hoping ben's back soon! come back, ben!!

in the meantime, let me announce this week's fabulous featured flash fiction fridays <span onmouseover="sh(this)">farceuse</span> (i tried for that alliteration, ben ) is....

kay moore!!!

please give her a nod and a peck on the cheek. she's fairly new to the site, but has already posted a few different works--please give them a looksee & comment, won't you? i'll be posting her charming interview saturday! thanks, kay, for being a member of the circle.

see everyone friday! who's posting stories this week? show of hands?? there may be cake involved...

Happy Saturday, everybody! As promised, here is Ryan’s interview. He’s got talent and drive, and I bet we’ll be buying his books off the shelf someday.

 

Thanks for letting us into your head, Ryan, for the great advice and for being a member of the Flash Fiction Fridays circle!

 

1. How long have you been writing, and what got you started? Do you remember your first story?
I’m not sure when exactly I began writing. I remember making up stories to tell myself as far back as preschool, but I was a slow-starter when it came to reading. My mom tells this story of how I should have flunked first grade, except I scored well on the Iowa tests and so they let me move up to second-grade remedial reading. I had great teachers, though – they kept us writing every day, both in-class and for homework, even then. I remember assignments to write a poem and a children’s book in fourth grade. I remember the “hundred-word” mornings in sixth and seventh grade, when Mrs. Rodabaugh had us write a hundred words in ten minutes before class every time we didn’t behave…which was pretty much every morning.

I date my real start in writing to seventh grade, when we had to keep journals for an off-campus class. That was the first time I began writing stories simply for fun. I still have most of them gathering mold in a box, these wonderfully naïve tales of half-hobbit Arthurian knights with +3 broadswords going out to save the world from evil. I “knew” that I would become the next T.H. White or J.R.R. Tolkien, even though I had no real idea of who these guys were aside from their books. Somewhere in there I edged into science fiction and a bizarre fascination with war. For years, every story I wrote was a war story - most of the way through college, even. Aside from G.I. Joe and WWII, I’m not sure from where the fascination came. I always liked thinking of myself as the kind of person who would have been braver and somehow more noble in a war than I was in real life, and that got me writing stories to make that idea as “real” as possible. I must have been a strange child, but that strangeness kept me writing when I could have been doing other things instead.

2. I love your Dagny & Jill series. How did you come up with the premise? Which character is your favorite? (Is it a secret? It’s okay, you can tell me.)
I’m really glad you enjoy the series, and I’m also glad that it’s becoming known as “Dagny & Jill” and not just “Dagny.” The idea came as a bit of a joke with myself. I have a very serious, very “realistic” science fiction series that I’ve been working on since my freshmen year of high school (13 years ago). Dagny started off as a simple character in the series – she was supposed to be the young time traveler, the “newbie” on the team. But then she started yakking on about the other characters – the older, “serious” characters who were so overdeveloped and so serious that they were paper-cliché. Dagny didn’t like her teammates. She didn’t really see any point in working with them because no matter what happened, the ending was always sad and tragic. During a freewriting workshop, Dagny really took off on her own. She started in on everything – really, she hates being written about. She hates being cast in these two-dimensional boxes that I’ve been inflicting on my fictional characters since forever. She is her own person, for what it’s worth – any time I try to plan her stories, the magic’s gone. It’s no longer Dagny on the page. She’s an extremely fun character to write – I can always count on her being disagreeable and outrageous and devious. But she has a softer side, too, and when it does appear it feels more natural than with other characters. I don’t know exactly how or why it works – for the most part I just go with it and hope the magic doesn’t stop.

Jill, on the other hand, is much harder to write. She started out as the older time traveler – I’ve been writing about her since early on, making her the “war veteran” and “heroine.” But it’s been hard to break her out of her shell. Unlike Dagny, Jill’s a “normal” person – she doesn’t like to disagree, she pays her bills on time, she’d rather go to bed than party all night. I’m not sure exactly why I pitted her against Dagny. I think it was a bit like the impulse small children have to put two spiders in the same jar and see which one limps out – there was a bit of morbid curiosity to see if she could hold her own against Dagny. So far she hasn’t done so well, but I’ve started rooting for her. I don’t know why, but I want her to win one of these stories. If I can convey that same sentiment to readers, then maybe that means she has.

As for which one's my favorite...they're kinda like children. How do you pick one to be your favorite? I think Dagny's a blast, but I really want Jill to beat her, even just once. I think it would be fun to see Dagny get what's coming to her. (says Dagny: "Dream on, bug-face."

3. You have a special talent with incorporating technical/scientific aspects into your writing and keeping it accessible for the layreader--not to mention action. You’re great at writing intense action. How much does your paratrooping and/or bartending experience play into the Dagny series?
Both experiences contribute a great deal to the Dagny series. In the Army, we were taught how to inflict violence on “the enemy,” but we each learned how to inflict social hierarchy on each other. There’s yelling, there’s an ungodly number of pushups, there are the orders and the expectations – and after enough time passes, you find yourself as the one yelling and forcing pushups and expecting others to do the job. As a bartender, I see much of the same going on every day, only it’s more subtle. I used to hold this idealistic belief that every problem in life can be discussed and worked out logically, but in the Army I found that many people will never agree because they do not accept even the terms of discussion. One man’s sinful sloth is another man’s taking it easy. And this definitely plays out well with Dagny. To her, the logic of setting and plot is irrelevant. She’s a personality – she wants to be seen, she wants to be heard, and she doesn’t want to think that someone else controls every waking moment of her life. Most everyone I’ve ever met is like that, but it wasn’t until I joined the Army that I began to notice.

The raw action itself comes from training - the army teaches the vocabulary of how to fight. A big part though also comes from when I majored in engineering. The action scenes I write depend on details, and sometimes the right detail is simply a matter of saying why something is dangerous. For example, saying a plasma torch hits 5000 degrees Kelvin does nothing. So it's hot - whatever. Telling someone that Dagny's holding up a plasma torch and getting ready to boil the skin from Jill's skull - that provides those queasy details that make a reader cringe and hopefully keep reading.

4. What are you reading now? (You must tell the truth, even if it’s not supercool or literary.)
Honestly, this is the most supercool and literary period of my life to date. I rarely made it through assigned reading in college, and I’m only now beginning to appreciate good stories. Right now I’m working through “The Godfather,” and then I have “Charming Billy” by Alice McDermott (a fascinating book – her characters actually have families, and the families really do matter. I don’t read stories like that often enough). I picked up “Another Day in the Frontal Lobe” and it’s great – a neurosurgeon describing her work and the mindset that led her to follow that career. I’m rereading Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried.” It holds a lot more meaning for me now that I’ve spent some time in the military. And I read Newsweek pretty much every day. I want to keep up with the world without getting bogged down in CNN.

5. What methods do you use to find inspiration and stay motivated to write?

It's hard for me finding motivation to write. When I was in Afghanistan, I wrote for hours every day because there was nothing better to do. But here the real world, as a civilian, there is always something demanding my attention – paperwork with the VA, moving to a new apartment, my girlfriend, phone calls from mom. Many writers say that consistency is the best way to write, but I’m not sure. I’ve found that many of my best stories come after a few weeks of not writing, when the urge and the need to get something down on paper is so great that I’m about ready to explode. (When my girlfriend complains that I seem angry at everyone, that normally means it’s well past time to write a short story).

Honestly, the biggest thing I’ve done to keep my writing spirit alive was to break free of prescription pain killers. And I’m not talking about addiction – I’m talking about taking one-a-day-to-sleep painkillers, the kinds the doctors said would help my neck “feel better” after the injury that just won’t go away. It takes discipline to exercise enough that I can manage my own pain and get through the day, but I’ve found that taking control of just that one small piece of life is essential. I used to think that writing was the be-all and end-all of my life, the ultimate goal. But it isn’t and shouldn’t be. Putting that kind of pressure on my own stories flattened them. I was trying to write perfect stories when I should have been trying to write life. And I’ve found that I’m only ever able to write life when I have one.

6. Describe your perfect setting for getting some serious writing done:
The library or the coffee shop. A warm paper cup of sugar-saturated caffeine works best, but I try to save that for special occasions.

7. You mention working as a creative writer. What are your goals with writing? Fame? Fortune? Do you have advice for the aspiring writer?
My goal is to sell more books than J.K. Rowling. I’ll never be more popular than the Bible, but I’ll settle for a distant second. Grisham, Clancy, and Tolkien? Oh, yeah, I want to join that group. Ego's definitely a factor. I could have toughed it out in engineering and earned myself a respectable job by now – instead I comfort myself with the thought that I could become famous. I like to think I’ll prove everyone wrong and actually succeed at this. And at the rate I’m going, I’ll be lucky if I sell a book in the next five years. And if I ever make enough money to “break even” – as in the royalties pay for the workshops, laser printer, and envelopes I’ve gone through making this dream real – then I’ll be a very happy man.

I have two pieces of advice for beginning writers. The first is to learn to write. Take workshops and learn to read critically. Study a foreign language and discover how words fit together. Travel to them places where us folks talk funny. As you discover how words create the components of great storytelling, writing becomes much more fun. It’s hard work, certainly, but it opens so many new worlds.

The second bit of advice I have is to figure out why you write. The dream of fame’s great, but that interest fades fast when the first story fizzles. To sustain yourself for the long haul, you need to have a desire to write which is greater than the promise of money. The fact is that every famous author started somewhere, and somewhere almost always involved many years of toiling away at the keyboard without royalties enough to put food on the table.

8. Tell us one thing about yourself which may surprise us:
I obey rules exceptionally well. I always pay my taxes. I’d rather sleep early than party late. The first time I jumped from an airplane in Airborne School, I was so scared that I can’t remember going through the door. The guy behind me says the jumpmaster had to kick me out of the aircraft with his boot, but I have no recollection. Really, does this surprise you? Why would a courageous, well-adjusted young adult need to write a creature like Dagny to feel better about himself?

 

hey, torq--

welcome back! congrats on finishing the magazine.  

hey, group--

i'm working on my weekly story, but i may not post until tomorrow. sorry for my lack of time management skills.  

 

 I am back!

The school year ending hit me hard. I had to head up the layout for my schools litterary magazine. Hey its a publication credit though!

I am currently on a critiquing frenzy to make up for all the fridays I have missed!

 

Look out world!

hey, everybody--

how ya doin'? having a good week? words just squeezing out of you like good sausage? (that's a picture.)  ehhhxcellent.

this week, i'm especially proud to highlight one of my favorite scribophilians (scribophiliacs?). he's prolific, he's cheeky, he knows really cool stuff....he's ryan edel!!!

i'll be posting his interview saturday, like usual--please smack him on the fanny and call him 'alice'. (no, maybe don't. dagny scares me.)

i'm looking forward to reading everyone's stories tomorrow--see you guys then!

I really like what you guys are doing - this is a great way to build community.  Sorry I'm a bit behind myself - I'll do my best to catch up.  --Ryan 

good morning, everyone--

hi, ben! i'm glad you're back!

here's brittany's interview--chock full of interesting tidbits about her and her writing. please, everyone, give her a big sloppy kiss for being this week's featured circle member! 

 

1. How long have you been writing and what got you started?
Hmm. While this may be a sort of shortcut answer, I just recently went home and was sorting through the boxes of old drawings, stories, etc. that my mother had kept for years.
Guess who wrote the best global warming book at the age of 4? Yep, yours truly. It was called, "No No No!" I drew pictures of red and blue trees, green suns, etc. And the constant phrase was, "No No No! The (object) isn't supposed to be (color). Turns out it was a dream, and the little girl main character decided she had better take care of the earth so that it would never be mixed up like in her dream. I was pretty impressed.
So apparently I have been telling stories since I could form sentences. I definitely remember writing a lot while in grade school and onward.
If I would have to venture an answer on what got me started, I would say that it was my upbringing. My mother, and aunts, worked in a storytelling and clowning company while I was growing up. It introduced me to a lot of creative outlets. I loved hearing stories, it was only natural I'd want to create them myself.

2. What’s your favorite of the cute phrases you’ve invented, and where’d it come from?
Hmm, I don't really keep a record of them, but I skimmed through a few of my random writings and found this gem: ear massages. That is, really good music that relaxes you. Usually phrases spring from wanting a more direct expression than just normal, boring, everyday words.

3. You mention in your profile your goals of working in publishing, and doing a lot of traveling after school. Any chance you’ll find yourself working abroad, living the life of the international jetsetter?
I lived in Germany for a year, and that experience, if anything, caused me to realize that I loved people, and I loved diversity, differences in ideas, culture, pretty much the whole human race. That's my main drive for why I would love to travel. People are fun. I would never want to be a "international jetsetter" for practical, boring reasons. I want to have a stable life so I can have a family, all that jazz.

In which countries would you consider living?
I've always had this obsession with the Serengeti National Park. I'd totally live out there in a tent and stare at lions all day. Otherwise, I would consider living pretty much anywhere, for a time, but only for awhile. Once you've lived somewhere too long the magic goes out of it.

4. What methods do you use to find inspiration and stay motivated to write?
Nonsense writing is my method to stay motivated in writing. Many times I've been stuck sitting in front of my computer screen, trying to write a thesis for an essay, and instead I write "nonsense fiction." My favorite piece that came out of this was my epic battle with an essay, I'll post it to Scribo because it's awesome.
As far as when I actually want to write something creative, and the creativity isn't flowing, I write in 5, 10 minute spurts. Then I whine to my boyfriend. Then I smoke a cigarette. (Nasty, bad, bad, habit) and drink some coffee/tea/broth, anything to relax me. Then I start writing nonsense, and hope at some point I can get back into the groove of things. I tend to write a lot of smart Alec remarks to myself in my writing, and edit it out later. Just to let loose some of the stress. 5, 10 minutes later, it starts again.
Writing is definitely a struggle. You have to want to do it, but you also have to have the discipline to finish it when the fun has gone out of it.

5. Describe your perfect setting for getting some serious writing done:
I just recently got myself a laptop. Amazing. I can write anywhere! Oddly, I do my best writing when I am with other people. They tend to distract, yes, but just enough to keep me focused on writing. That being said, coffee houses are overrated. Generally I just write at home, either in the dining room or curled up in my bed.

6. You also posted in your profile that you plan to write a kick-ass novel in about ten years. What if you develop the perfect, most irresistible idea next week? Will you go for it?
Oh, I have irresistible ideas. But I have always agreed with the "write what you know" line of thinking. Ernist Hemingway could write so fantastically about hunting, adventure, etc. because he immersed himself in it, for instance. I think if I put my mind to it, I could write a novel, but it wouldn't be the kick-ass novel. That will only come once I learn some answers to the questions I am still pursuing in my own life. That's partly why I plan on traveling,too.

7. What piece of writing are you most proud of?
I'm not sure if there is a piece I am most proud of above others. I have gotten some pretty amazing responses to my work, which I would have never expected in a lifetime. For instance, in 8th grade I wrote a poem that touched the heart of a holocaust victim and amazing man so much, he published it, including my name and everything, in a book full of children's responses to his ordeal. My parents drove 8 hours in one day to bring me to his art exhibit opening so that I could meet him. It was definitely a memorable experience.

8. Tell us one thing about yourself which may surprise us:
I'm actually deaf in my right ear. I've had it since birth. It made me a really quiet child. People always think I'm more shy than I am, because I speak softer than normal. That little quirk made it easy to turn introverted, and become a voracious reader. I learned so many words through reading, without any reference hearing wise, that I still have trouble pronouncing them right even today.

 

Hello all,

I'm back.  I'm sorry that right as Laurie has been bringing us these great changes I've been forced away from contributing.  I hope that everyone is enjoying the profiles and looking forward to their own turn.  Let's all remember to pay it forward and give the featured writer lots of great critiques.  If you're following the "rules" that means that one of your critiques this week should go to Brittany.  Also make sure that if you miss a week (as I just did) you go back and give a critique to the featured author (in my case, Taylor).

I hope you'll all forgive the 60 extra words in my entry this week.  I don't have the time to edit it down and still get it in on time.  Although it certainly needs an edit.  I'm looking forward to a great week of critiques.

-Ben

P.S.  Sorry to do this to everyone, but I may miss next week as well.  After that though, I'm on track for the summer.

hi, all--

hope you all had a superb week! i'm still waiting to hear from ben, so we're kinda flying by the seat of our pants, here. feel that breeze? yep.

we've already had a few new stories posted this week, so please give em some nub! big thanks to ariadne and brittany for their timely additions to the circle! i look forward to reading your work.

our supra-fabulous featured flash fiction writer this week is....*drum roll*....brittany!!! please take a few extra minutes to read her work (and send her a plump critique or two) if you haven't already. she's a talented writer and a charming interview (which you'll discover tomorrow). yay, brittany! and thanks for being a member of the circle.

let's all send ben thoughts of longing and abandonment, so he'll come back from whatever exotic locale he's been hiking/skiing/hunting bear in.....really, i have no idea where he is. so, wish with all your heart , click your heels together, and repeat three times: "there's no circle king like jefe ben". i'm sure he'll pop up in a jiffy!

okay....clearly, i'm rambling now. i hope to get some much-needed sleep and write my story for the circle tomorrow. have a great evening, y'all!

Hey! I have posted up a romantic story "One Romeo, Two Juliets". I hope that you all enjoy it when you all get the chance to review it!  

Dear FFF,

Due to low ratings on my horror/romance story, I have just gone with "Heart Break" so everyone can enjoy it! 

Hey, you all! I have just done And So The Lion Fell In Love With The Lamb. I hope that you all will see it and read it!  

Hey, Laurie! What's up? I will see you on Friday as well! I have a question: When is Ben coming back from his vacation? Either way, I do have a surprise for you on Friday! See you later! I also look forward to take a gander at your work! Take care  

hi, everyone--

it's a new week! spring has sprung, rabbits everywhere are twitterpated, and here we are--writing!! woohoo!! (no, i'm not being ironic. )

this week's fantabulous featured flash fiction fridays writer is brittany!! everyone please give her a hearty clap on the shoulder!

we'll be reading her interview this weekend, but in the meantime, please take a gander at the many stories posted in our circle. if you've already commented and/or critiqued on this week's stories (BIG thanks to phedre for her new story, "the choker"!), check back for a story you haven't yet experienced.

thanks for your continued involvement and enthusiasm--i'll see everyone on friday!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

hi, everyone! it's saturday, the birds are chirping, and life is good.

 

a BIG thank you to taylor smith for her charming responses to this week's interview questions.

 

please enjoy, and know taylor a little bit better:

 

 

1. How long have you been writing, and what got you started?

I have been writing since the fourth grade when I won the Young Author's competition. I've only been writing seriously for the past year or so, though.

2. I read in your profile that Broadway and stagecraft hold a special place in your heart. Have you already or do you see yourself writing a play or musical?

No, I don't see myself writing a show any time soon. I have no talent for composing, and I don't think I could do a straight play anyway. I'd be too particular about how it was staged, having seen it in my mind so often while writing.

3. What are you reading right now? Listening to?

I just finished reading the Great Gatsby which was absolutely amazing! F. Scott Fitzgerald is a beautiful prose stylist, and he was such a crazy guy. I think that next I'm going to tackle East of Eden by Steinbeck, although I really should finish 1984... Right now at this exact moment I'm listening to Regina Spektor, whom I love. I really love listening to Sondheim shows as well, cos he's a crazy crazy man.

4. What methods do you use to find inspiration and stay motivated to write?

I like to find inspiration in the things that I'm doing in my daily life, but I love to be prompted and made to think something up. It's a nice feeling to be smacked on the head with an idea, but it's an even better one to arrive there by your own means, I think.

5. Describe your perfect setting for getting some serious writing done:

I would have to be somewhere there could be music, but I can only ever have music playing when I'm on a roll, or else it's too distracting. Preferably, I would like to go write in the woods behind my house, but anywhere I have my composition notebooks is fine for me. Most of my writing happens during econ class.

6. What themes do you return to in your writing, if any?

My writing tends to be darker than my life or personality actually is. I have a fascination with writers like Poe and Hawthorn. On that note, there's a short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman called the Yellow Wallpaper that I highly recommend to all who have not yet read it.

7. Tell us one thing about yourself which may surprise us:

Something that may surprise you... hmm... This is tricky. Would my being gay surprise you? Probably not... How about that I never wear matching socks? Maybe that is surprising.

 

 

good morning, y'all!

yep, friday's come around again. i'm excited to see what everyone's cooked up for this week.

ben will be away this weekend (probably lolling about on a tropical beach somewhere...), but he promised me he's coming back. i made him pinky swear on it. he's hoping to come back to a veritable truckload of stories to read! 

every time i read your work, i'm inspired--i think to myself, 'geez, that was a smart turn of phrase', or 'man, this guy/girl's on fire! they had to be in the zone when they wrote this.' you guys and your work get me going, and i'd like to thank you for that--i've been more active with my writing than i've ever been because of this circle.

i'd  like to encourage everyone to contribute to the circle--stories and critiques for sure (i mean, that's why we're here, right?), but also your ideas about the circle. suggestions, feedback, prompts for writing exercises--really, anything writing.circle-related! please send them to ben, as he's our proud papa. he'd love to hear from all of you.

phedre's already posted her story this week...get on the stick, everybody! boy, that sounds uncomfortable...

have a great friday, y'all!! and write on!

(taylor's fabulous and insightful interview will be posted tomorrow. woohoo! )

I came up with something silly.  Let me know how y'all liked The Choker.  

dangit, i can't get my timing right. 

due to serial sleep deprivation, i'm faced with the option of either posting new gibberish this week, or posting old work (which also may be judged to be gibberish.) *sigh*

guess which one i chose?

i'm looking forward to reading everyone's stories this week--have a great friday! 

hi, all--

ben's been generous enough to allow me to instigate weekly 'interviews' with our featured members!

really, these will be short questionnaires geared toward illuminating a little something about you and your writing. i'll be selecting everyone in random order, so you'll all be featured at some point. 

assuming everything goes to plan, i'll be contacting folks near the beginning of the week and posting featured member's responses on saturdays--please feel free to comment and discuss with our featured writers! 

this week -- if i can get in touch with her, the scamp -- our very first featured circle member is: Taylor Smith!!

please do your best to critique/comment on her work this coming friday--if she hasn't yet posted for the week, i know she's developing quite a profile. give her a friendly visit, won't you?

(as always, suggestions and comments on this new feature are welcome--my scratchpad  is always open, as is ben's. )

thanks much, everyone.

 

 

 

 Hey gang,

  Sorry I have been AWOL.  It was a strange week.  I'm going to have another busy weekend ahead, so I'm going ahead with my post early this week.

  Thanks Laurie and Ben for keeping this a vibrant corner of the web.  I'm excited to be  a part, and I definitely owe everyone in this circle a comment or two.

 

ub

 Oh, thanks Ben! Finally at least I get to critique other people's works besides posting a work every Satruday! Phew! My mind can't take trying to write all those flash fictions all the time : (

Thanks for the message!

 

sounds good i have been gone working on some art and some music for customers but i intend to be more active during the following weeks if my days off permit. good plan ben and laurie

Good idea! I know I tend to be a lurker.  Even worse, my mind's on vacation, and it's hard to kick-start it to make it work again!   So critiquing seems like a lot of mental work to me right now (even though I know it isn't) *grin*

Okay everyone, here we go!

In order to keep the FFF from dying, Laurie and I have come up with some new concepts.  Here they are:

1. Every week one entry will be randomly chosen for the spotlight.

2.  Every one who critiques must critique the spotlight piece that week and one other piece.

3.  If you don't post one week, you still must critique.  In fact you must critique 3 pieces from the circle (but choosing from the archives is alright).

4.  If you want to be part of the circle you must agree to participate (in some form) every week.

5.  Each week we will profile one member here on the board with a short interview.

Here are the benefits of this method:

! Higher participation from members and more critiques per story.

! Each week one person will get a critique from each member. Awesome!

! The circle will get closer as we all learn about each other and therefore critiques can get more in depth.

If you are not interested in participating anymore, and believe me we understand if you have other commitments, feel free to leave the circle, no hard feelings.

If you don't leave the circle but you don't participate...absolutely nothing will happen.  We are not out to punish anyone.  We are just trying to create a close critiquing community to work on our writing.

So, if all the above sounds good to you then dive into the New Flash Fiction Fridays.  If not we'll see you around the board.

Thank you all,

Ben Jacobson

 Hey everyone. And sorry Ben and Laurie if I do not get a story published to this circle this Friday. For example,

I am a talented writer, but sometimes my ideas run dry

I have 7 works posted to scribophile already and I don't have a pro account

I do have a flash fiction piece called "One Romeo, Two Juliets"

Ok, Ben and Laurie, I do have that story, but I do have for you both a story to read called "Passions of a Tempted Kind of Angel:Sinclair's Story:/ In fact, it is for everyone on this circle to read. I will put it in a contest and I hope that you guys enjoy it! Take care, :0

 

hi, everyone--

i'd really like for this group to be active and involved, for us to develop into a regular support for each other and our work. i think we've got a lot of talented writers in our circle, and just as many different genres and styles--we can help each other become even better writers.

let's have fun writing and critiquing and cheering each other on, ok?

ben's right about upcoming exciting developments for the circle, and i'd like to thank him for starting this group and keeping it going--i love coming here.

thanks to you guys, too, for showing up each week, allowing everyone to read your work and offering your feedback to your group buddies. {squishy heart icon}

Hey everyone,

Just got my story in again (yes, I did miss last week).  Looks like we're having a little downturn in participation .

Not to worry!  Laurie and I are cooking up some great ideas to get this circle rocking again.  Tune in tomorrow for more details.

-Ben

Hello, Laurie. I too, look forward to critiquing your stories this weekend. And man, I have a story for you and everyone else on this circle! It is called "My Boyfriend's A Vampire" a romance/horror/humor story. Read that some time and tell me what you think of it! 

hi, everyone--

story's posted! i totally pulled this out of my....well, i just hope it's not too squishy.

i look forward to reading your stories this week.

Hey y'all! I just thought that I would drop in and give you a brief message:

It just thought up of a great story called "Moonlight Kisses". It will not exactly be Flash Fiction, but it will be a novel/novella about a woman named Isabel loves a man named Edvard Wolfingston, who is actually a werewolf among werewolves that are to be hunted down by Isabel's father and a group of werewolf hunters (Werewolves had been hunting humans down in their village.). Yet Edvard, cannot sometimes restrain himself from attacking her, because it is his instinct as a werewolf. Is this true love or will Edvard severely damage her without even meaning to? Tell me what you think! I will give you all an excerpt when I have time, but here is part of it:

"At first, I was very positive on four things about Wolfingston. One, in truth, he was actually a werewolf. Two, there was an instinct inside of him ----- the instinct to attack me.Three, he and I had fallen into the deepest pits of romance, ever. Four, my father and a group of werewolf hunters were after him. Was this a true love, like some kind of Beauty and The Beast story? I was only human and he was a werewolf. Father did not want me to coexist with creatures who have drawn bloodshed among their human counterparts.

"The best kind of werewolf is a dead one." I once remember him saying, nearly growling a giving me an ice-cold glare which unnerved me a bit.

Ok, this may be a preface. I am not sure, but this will be a part of the story.

I just got my story in, but I don't think it's Flash. I wrote this awhile ago, revised it a little, and as a result, added more words.  Sorry.  The original was 686 words.  Didn't know I'd add that many.  

Cathy 

Hello, Laurie! I am not going into the Scribophile april flash fiction contest, but I have another contest outside of this site that I want to enter, with the work, Passions of a Formerly Lovestruck Black Winged But Tempted Kind of Angel: Sinclair's Story. So if you please, I want for you to comment on it! 

hi, everyone--

i hope you had a good week. i've been entertaining family from out of town, and haven't had much chance to write. thppt. i've posted another older story that could use some help--it's a bit different from my darker stuff.  

torquill--i'd be happy to read your story, send some comments your way. way to go, entering the contest! *thumbs up*

is anyone else submitting for this month's site competition?? i always say competition is a great way to hone skills.

Hello, Torquil! I will get to your april contest entry when I have enough time! Why don't you read the works of mine that are posted on this circle! I hope that you like them!

 

I published my FF for this week a little early. This time though its under 1000 words. I’m considering it an entry for the April Contest, so please, be brutal in the critique.

Hello, Cathy! Sorry if I have not commented on any of your works recently but I do have a story for you called Heart of Ice. Though it is 6 pages long (On Microsoft Word Processor, it had 13 pages with the font called Garamond.) I hope that you read its interesting concept of angelic romance.

Ben, I have wanted for you as the Flash Fiction Fridays Circle Leader to maybe critque that word after adding it to your reading list. Also, I have commented on Joey D. T's work a couple of days ago.

Katica, Bear with me here. I know that you do not have the time to read my story, but you can read it just as soon as you have enough time!

Brittany, If you can I would like for you to comment on my work, fluff is accepted. And I would like that from all of you too.

Richard, Hey. I will get to commenting on your work as soon as I get done with Heart of Ice Part 5. The epilogue may come later, but I will get you the fifth part of the story that you have been waiting for.

And for everyone, I wish for you to give me a great critique, constructive or fluff before I get it published. And for another word out me, I hope that you all enjoy it and I appreciate you commenting on it!

 

Thanks, Ben

    That's what I meant.  I like to crit short stories, the shorter the better, so I intended to do most of my critting here on your circle.  See ya next friday

Cathy 

hi. me, again.

the flash fiction i posted tonight is an older story. the original idea i had is gonna be way too involved for 1000 words--that's a good thing, right?

i just want to thank y'all for making this circle fun and stimulating--i've written more new stories in the past few weeks than i have in months! i appreciate the level of participation here, and find you all inspiring.

(and no, i stopped taking the cold medicine two days ago...)

One word and one hour under the limits.  Woo hoo!

Alright, everyone who posted, remember to critique two of this weeks entries by next week.  Please start with any entries with zero reviews, if possible.

Also, my entry bumped Joey D.T.'s story off of the front page of the Circle.  Please don't forget to give it a look as well.

Brittany - Don't sweat it.  Although I'm sure everyone here would appreciate your cogent insight into their work.  I know I do.

Cathy - We'll miss you, but hey if you're looking for some quick reviews you can't go wrong with Flash Fiction.  I'm just saying.

New People - Welcome to the FFF!  I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have.

-Ben

 Hey Flash Fiction Fridays! You know that Edgar and The Harbinger story that I was talking about? Well, I was going to do it this evening, but instead I had switched to going back to Heart of Ice, so hopefully I shall do it soon! The word count of it still remains at 4,100 words and I hope that you all read it sometime --- I mean, It was posted for weeks, lol!

hey, all--

i'm excited to see so many stories posted this week!

i'm optimistic i'll be posting one too, but it'll likely be late tonight or tomorrow...yep, i'm having calendar issues, again.

i'm also having word count issues, but that's another story...a long one. looking forward to reading everyone's work!  

I won't be able to post anything this week.  I've been in and out all week and just didn't have the time.  I also need to do more crits.  I noticed they're getting kind of low.  I want to be sure and have enough points to post.  I hope to do a lot of crits this week, though. Sorry.

Cathy

 

 I barely made it, but I published in time, woo! I probably should critique 4 of these works, as last week I didn't have time. :/