I'm ready, I hope.   It'll be nice to be able to write and finish something in a couple days again.

damn, that was an exciting november!! where's ben??? we ready to get back to kicking some short story ass?? who's with me?  

I did something similar to what Ashley has done in the past, post one of my assignments, but I've tweaked it a little.  I doubt I'll have much else to contribute for the month, however, as my projects are nearing due dates. 

 *tapping foot* I'm STILL waiting for the one you promised for last week!

Okay, even though we're on a break, I've posted a story (somewhat) keeping with Oct 31st.  It's not a horror story *glares at Phedre* but it does have a lot of Hell in it  

That's because having work, grad school, AND writing 50k in one month is a bit much for me  

Microfiction?  Wow!

Here's a micropoem my Dad taught me...

Fleas

Adam had 'em

and  I think Geek boy is the ONLY one in this circle who won't be in nano this year... 

Oh, and:  HARDCOOOOOOOORE

I'll definitely go through the rest of October.  November?  We'll see.  I'm sure I can spit out a 500 word story a week on top of the insanity that is ostensibly NaNoWriMo. 

Or maybe I'll try UEBERFLASHFICTION!  Less than 50 words!  I think that's called "micro-fiction", though.  I remember reading some in a class once.

As perhaps one of the ONLY people who is NOT participating in NaNoWriMo (because I value my sanity) I will still be here, posting and critiquing   So, if any of you want to post something, you can be sure I'll critique it.  Viva la Geek! 

Great minds break alike.

I was just coming on to excuse myself from the group for awhile and make the radical suggestion of a hiatus and here everyone's kind of jumped that gun.

I would like to put the group on unofficial hiatus for  the last two weeks in October.  Anyone who wants can still post and critique, but no one should feel obligated to do so.  In November the group will go on official hiatus.  No one should post or critique.  I know most of you are participating in Nanowrimo and I don't want anything to distract you (or me).  I would love to see us all come back winners (although I have an abysmal track record).  In December we will relaunch and have another membership drive.  I hope that's good with everyone.  And please do critique the posts of Stewart and the Geek.  They deserve major props for being hard-core week in and week out.

Good writing everyone.

-Ben

Mine's up.  Sorry for the lateness!

I'm thinking this circle is going to be pretty dead throughout November, what with NaNoWriMo and all.  Alas, etc.!

Oh shit, it's saturday.  Uh, I'll post it later today.  Sorry guys, this totally slipped my mind!

I will be taking time off from the group as well, other than periodic critiques throughout November.  

PROMPT:

Take your favorite joke and make a serious story out of it. 

hi, all--

my apologies for the short notice, but i'm going to need a leave of absence from the group for a little while--through november, anyway. 

things keep piling up, and i have to get them done before nov 1st!!  argh!

i will be back, and i'm sure i won't resist checking in . . .

have a great six weeks!!

I deleted my FFFF for this week, it was just barebones and I wanted more time to do it justice.  SO... *critiquing everyone's stuff* 

Okay, I'm back and alive, sorry for the lack of being so last week.  This week's FFFF is slightly longer (to make up for last week's) and it's a rewrite of an old piece of mine (2004).

Done with critiques for the week, and posted Seriously Bad Day... it's the one I was hinting at earlier this week.  Everything in it?  Totally happened to my classmate.  :-X 

We had an interesting assignment in creative writing class today.  We were split into groups of four, and given random prompts that had to include these four items in the story.  The teacher's requirements were it had to be "magical" in some way, there must be dialogue, and a couple other things I can't remember.  We had to turn our papers in, but when we get it back I will post my group's story.  Our four items that we had to include was:  insomniac; piece of red ribbon; pair of silk gloves; and cabin in the mountains.

I am wearing a Halloween Horror Nights (from Universal Studios) and unfortunately, it put my group in a rather Halloween-y frame of mind...

Will post it as a FFFF after cleaning it up some next week.  

And our story was the BEST of them all.  I swear, one was so way out there it was nonsensical, and the other two were trying too hard to be funny.  XD

Oh yeah - and K, trust me - this day was way beyond "bad"...no one could make this up, and if she ever read it she would recognize it!   :-X   I get the feeling she won't mind too much, though.

Greek, Latin, and Gertrude Stein.  Ouch!

K, she's not a writer and has no idea Scribophile exists!  So I'm good there!

Hmm.... get a fake Rx for valium?  

Also, Phedre, if you make it up and get caught, you could say you confused it with an exercise for your fiction class! ^_^ B/c that's what writers do--we make things up.

AAH! I have missed so much. Prompts are exciting--I find they usually make me write something I would never in a million years have written otherwise. ^_^

Also, I like the prompt idea b/c all that's been running around in my head lately are things that will lead to full length stories. >.< Possibly very long ones (such as the one I posted this past week, for which I apologize--passing off the beginning of what will probably end up a novella as flash fiction is unforgivable).

Also, I'm late on my critiques, but I promise they will happen. Before Friday (so probably Thursday night, since i have a Greek test Thursday, have to edit a full length story for Thursday and compose way too many sentences in Latin also for Thursday, and have to translate fifty lines of Horace and read a bunch of Gertrude Stein for tomorrow (If anyone would like to injure me semi-severely to give me an excuse not to do these things, I'd be much beholden to ya).

 The ethical side of me is having conniptions over that idea! XD

I'll just do what I can (I have to include activity files, done as lesson plans, blah blah blah...)

AND I found out one of my classmates had a hell of a day today.  I'm posting her day as my FFFF, with liberties.

The obvious solution: Make it up!

I am feeling frustrated over one of my classes.  We have to do a case study on a young student (my student's a 4th grader) in assessing any reading problems.  Fine.  What I wish would happen is, the blasted teacher to give us all the assessments we have to give already! I got NaNo! XD  I've completed all of my hours required for this practicum, and yet I must go back 2 or 3 more times (one a week) to finish giving the assessments that's being doled out to us.  I wouldn't mind it quite so much if the school wasn't a half hour drive away!  And NaNo.  *bangs head on desk* 

*dies*

Looks like we have our prompts.   Good luck everyone!

-Ben 

I think I'm going to go with the "giving birth on the 'net" one.  That sounds fun.

A prompt: A man is thrown from a large height while in an IKEA bookshelf.  Why, where, what, etc?

 Done with Stewbot's, K's, and Laurie's!  I'll do one for Ben soon.

Prompts:

The main character wakes up dead.  Literally.  What happens next?

A certain pair of sunglasses has a rather dangerous side effect when the wearer puts them on.  What is it?

A woman chooses to give birth live on the 'net.  It's not a human baby - what is it and how did THAT happen?

hi, y'all--

critiques done:

'changeling' by k and 'the assignment' by ashley!! 

i'd like to do more since i finished early (for me), but i'm all crazy with obligations for my other site and that friggin' nano prep i haven't started yet.

looking forward to seeing the prompts you guys post! 

Okay,

I've totally been slacking off.  I'm posting two days late with a story that I finish two weeks ago.  Sorry about that.

Also, my calcuations say that I'm up next for spotlight (and if I'm wrong on this someone please correct me; I'm starting to get lost).  However, since I am two days late and my story is half again as long as it is supposed to be I hearby give-up my spotlight.  Just critique any two (or three) you want this week.

As for prompts:  LET'S DO IT!  I'm pushing my brain hard for ideas that are flash-worthy every week and I'm starting to strain for concepts (see this week's flash for evidence).  How about this:  If anyone comes up with a cool prompt today, post it.  Everyone who is interested writes a flash to that prompt (and no one has to do the prompt, if they aren't interested).  If no one posts a prompt by the end of today then I will come up with something and post it before I go to bed.  As for the format of the prompt, it's wide open.   I would suggest something broad yet maddeningly specific.

-Ben

My story ended up being shamefully long this week.  It's almost 2000 words!  Eesh.  The damn thing just would not end!  I will critique 3 stories in pennance.  Alas!

sounds fun--i'm up for a prompts week! 

We could create a prompts thread!  

So, how many of you guys would be up for writing FFFF using a prompt of some sort to see how that goes?  I think it could be interesting to see all the different approaches to a similar idea or something.  Would anybody be willing to try it out for a week or so?

The only thing I'm not sure on is how we'd get the prompts.  But I'm sure there's a website or something.

Mine will be up some time tomorrow, as I get enjoyment out of making everybody wait an extra day.  FFFS!  It will, as promised, involve frogs.  Or at least one frog-like being.  I still can't decide to make it serious or humorous.  We shall see!

Mine this week will be late, I have a whole lot of school work and personal stuff going on this weekend.  I'll try my best to get everything done by Sunday (US Eastern time) evening. 

okily dokily, y'all. story is posted!  

OK, done with crits/comments for last week and this week.  Now I"m just critiquing new FFFF as they come in!

*crouches ready to catch any new FFFF that comes in with a special FFFF Net* 

Hey, mine for this week is up! I'm not totally pleased with it, but so it goes. If I'm not careful, this posting on time thing will become a habit.

Critiques forthcoming. I'll work...backwards?

i use the 'ffff' word a lot on thursdays, too, stewart. mine has a different ending, but i think the drift's the same...

Gadzooks!  'tis almost Friday.  't will be time eftsoon to FFFF again.

Yes, because FFFF is a verb now.  Pronounced "Fffffff"

 Posted The Assignment.

I'll crit as much as I can for this week & last week (hides in shame)...  but I have the fudge to bolster my critiquing strength!

Assignment - yes I know the ending's a little weak, just can't think of a way to strengthen it.  It will be an ongoing story, but not right now.

Damn those plans, aft ganging agley like that.

My mandatory critiques are finished for the week, but I may post a few more before it's done.

The best laid plans of mice and men are often screwed over by faulty internets. In other words, I failed to do what I intended b/c the internet has been down at my school all weekend. Yeah.

Time to play catch up!

Also, yay spotlight! Thanks, folks. ^_^

 Well, I didn't quite make it with my story and I'm late with the spotlight.  Not my week I guess.  This week's spotlight is Darlings by K. McCrae.  See if you can guess the constraint before reading the critiques.  I didn't but Laurie did.

-Ben

You know what they say:  If the shoe fits, look it in the mouth.

ben! you should critique like a mofo and get that story posted--it's not too late!

stewbot! i like your idea about writing stories using your nano character to get warmed up--i kinda stumbled in the back way, deciding to use one of my story characters as the basis for my nano.  

Mine's up, and only a mere day late!  Wheee.

I'm working on beating this week's story out of my head.  It's already changed about 2000% from what I had originally had in mind, and it will be closer to 1000 words instead of the short-shorts I've been posting.  (If I'm lucky it won't go over). 

It probably won't be very good, either   I blame this on the warm-up for NaNoWriMo, which has been sucking all my creative juices dry.

 almost done! i'm gonna post this week if it makes me loopy. by gumb.

Argh!  I wrote a story only to realize that I've squandered away my karma and don't have enough to post.  I guess it will be three for me this week.  Maybe then I will get some karma back.  Good luck everyone.

-Ben 

omgz (that is, o my goodness zombies)! I have already posted! Am I turning over a new leaf?

Mayhap...mayhap.

Like I said, critiques for last week are forthcoming.

Okies, mine for this week is up.  I've taken a departure from my normal writing style, this is completely new, so please let me know what you think.

I'll be doing my critiques sometime this weekend, including last week's.  Grad work is killing my soul!  

*rears ugly head from the swamp of work and illness and making up for work that was neglected during illness that has consumed her*

Sorry for my neglect this week. I will catch up and--hopefully--post a story for next week (in reverse order) by the end of this weekend, if all goes well and no more catastrophies occur.

I have been completely dead for the last two weeks! I'm sorry to say, this is a status that will continue through October and November; I'm spending all of my free time getting things together for NaNoWriMo and finishing the first half of another novel that I'm working on, so I'll have it out of the way. Also, school. So the second that I get a minute, I will critique, critique, critique, but that minute may not come before December 1st. Which is sad, because I really love critiquing these stories. I'm sorry!

My critiquing will most likely not be until Friday, heavy class and group work load this week.  I'll still have a FFFF this Friday, though, so don't worry  

One tries one's best.

hi, y'all--

i've posted critiques for phedre's bengay story and stewart's sociopath story. (you two are freaks.  

 Can't wait to read it, Laurie!

Juzza note - y'all are gonna have to forgive my absence the next few weeks.  I have GOT to finish Immortal Child/Immortality Bites AND Que Sera Sera by Oct. 24th.  And I'm not even DONE with the outlining for IC/IB YET!

I promise, the weekend that I am done, I will post several FFFF to make up for it.  *runs to get crackin'*

hee! @ phedre. 

okay, i am seriously, seriously late posting this week--apologies. also, thanks to phedre for the inspiration for this week's story.

it's all her fault.  

I'M BAACCKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!   *wipes blood off hands on a towel*

How are y'all! 

I'll post something I wasn't planning on posting since I seem to be unable to write something I'd like to post.  Don't say I didn't warn you guys

It looks a  little light this week.  C'mon group, we can do it.

By the rules, BenGay Takes It Away by Phedre is this week's spotlight.  Everyone give it and one other story a read.

As usual, I'm one behind, but hope to catch up this week (yeah right).

-Ben

Ashley asked me to relay that her net is still down and she's planning a vicious and maniacal revenge against Comcast, so don't expect her cheery self until at least tomorrow.

I'm afraid I might be critiquing 3 this week.  I am a bit drained and having trouble completing things (back to that old excuse).

Mine for this week is up, Beautiful Vista  

I think I'm done with my two critiques for the week already.  I'm busy at the moment so there probably won't be more for this week.

'Net is still down *kicks 'net at home*  but I posted mine for the week.  It's actually a class assignment, so I'm posting more for fun, but something tells me this would work great as a short story as well.

We (the class) did this assignment last week, and today we had to get up to read our stories out loud.  My little story had the class roaring with laughter all the way through it - and it was the only one that got that reaction.  *tries not to preen*

But, I did have fun!   

I only have one more critique to do.

My internet at home SUCKS.  I really think there is a router problem.  I will have to contact Comcast today from school... my videophone can only work WITH a working internet.... *SIGH*   It decided to conk yesterday.  So we've been seriously internet-deprived! 

Hopefully it gets fixed soon... 

woohoo! i look forward to hearing what you guys think--good and bad, both.

i know i'm still behind one critique from this last week's stories, and will try my best to get that done this week. zee life, she eez crazee.  

Sorry it's late (again). I fell asleep before I had a chance to post last night. Turns out college is pretty tiring!

Look at me, posting early.

Okay, according to the rules and the stories that are posted, Laurie is up for the next spotlight with Christmas at the Hanson's.  Everybody give her and one other story a critique.

I'm still one behind from last week, but I'll catch up!

-Ben

Well, Dad gave me an idea for next week's FFFF.  I'll post it, should be interesting to do...

*eats chocolate chip cookie dough* 

heh. since i'm in the halloween mood most of the year, i decided to try for a different feel this time. as always, i've dribbled over with the word count. apologies to those who have to slog through.  

i think i have one more critique due, and will jump right on that (right after 'hardball'.

Okay, mine's up, Disabled, I surely hope you like it, I know at least Phedre will  

I put in my 2 critiques for last week and will be posting this week's story shortly, after a little bit of final revision.

It's a sequel to "Transaction", since most people seemed to enjoy that.

Heh, I do the same thing!  I print out stories, red-pen mechanics and points that I think need work, and then type it up.  Well, at least I know I'm not entirely nuts  

Okay, so. I have printed out three stories: this week's spotlight, last week's spotlight, and one that I just thought was excellent. I will red-pen and write critiques for them while on the bus to and from various errands (many of the NaNoWriMo related). I will get them done! I'm sorry that I totally suck at time managment lately!

Done critiquing/commenting for the stories for this week as well. 

Sorry for the lateness of the spotlight. It's Converstation with God by Stewart.

Also, sorry for not being around much this week and thanks to everyone for the congratulations on my contest win and the various critiques you've given me.  I'm not sure if I can respond on an individual basis, so this may be all you get for now.  Until I catch up with my work and crits.

-Ben

OK, caught up on my critiques!  Two from last week and three for this week.  Well, I did 6 (so far) but I think I have two comments instead of critiques.

I'll keep critiquing just for the heck of it.   There's 5 or 6 more I want to do.

I'll be critiquing more than writing flash fictions for a while, mostly because I'll be focusing on turning The Choker into a short story for my creativte writing class as well as working on the outlines for my novels.

Great writin' everyone!

GOOD moral, K.  No living on barrier islands for me either.  Mainland's way better for me.

Other than "money", WHY doesn't Texas just call Glaveston uninhabitable by reason of safety in a hurricane...

People just don't make sense sometimes!

How's your sister? She okay? 

Location, indeed. Galveston is a barrier island that wouldn't even exist if the state of Texas didn't cart in sand to maintain its beaches (yup. True story: they import sand). Yes, it has a seawall, but it's not there so that the island will be perfectly safe at all times: it's more to buy the people who live there time to get out. The storm surges for Ike were well up over the seawall before the thing even hit land, and a lot of buildings took several feet of water (my sister goes to UTMB, so I've been keeping an obsessive-compulsive eye on it); after all, Galveston is a barrier island (and, in my opinion, it was sorta stupid to populate it so thoroughly in the first place. but what do i know?). So yeah. The moral of the story: Don't live on a barrier island.

Ah, but Geek,  as the relators say - location, location, location!    I live in the perfect location that rarely ever gets a direct hit from a hurricane or tropical storm.  Last time that happened was in the 60's, and the time before that, somewhere in the 18th century.    So, no worries - and Glaveston should have had a seawall barrier up already considering they were pretty much pummeled in the 1910's.   Off to critique while hubby and godson play.

Certainly true, Laurie, and Ash lives in the state that practically begs tropical storms to come visit  

none of that head hanging, k.   

hurricanes can be very distracting, even the ones rolling past at a distance--they're mother nature telling us she can kick our everlovin' patooties anytime she wants.

aw, geek--i've tried that. ben don't play that game. but i'm running off to read his story right now because of your endorsement.

I semi-randomly recommend Ben's story for this week's spotlight  

I think we're back to "semi-random" for spotlights.

I recommend that Ben have his story in the spotlight this week.  I think it's a great story. 

Sorry about my lateness. I had a crazy busy evening yesterday, and internet is weird all over campus because I think the adminstration fears that the hurricane (although it is hundreds of miles away) will end the world, or permanently kill the internets or something.

But it's up! although I'm dissatisfied with it, and, like Circus, I fear it's less a story than a...brief depictive sketch? Er. Sorry.

2/3 of my critiques last week are actually comments, b/c you guys are great, and usually someone says everything thoroughly before I get a chance to. So I apologize for that as well.

In the future, I will do better. *hangs head*

Ohh man, my week has been BUSY.  Nowhere near as disastrous as poor Stewart's, but busy nonetheless.  Monday I stayed at school literally 10 hours in a row, so I could get stuff done and save on gas...and ended the day with a general club meeting talking about tryouts for a group who performs by signing songs.  The song? Ocean Avenue by Yellowcard.  The problem?  Without my hearing aids, I'm almost completely deaf.  This was gonna get INTERESTING.  So, I've spent almost every waking moment of free time practicing that song (which was done in ASL - which, btw, I have major problems with because it doesn't "match" the song right)....and then I had the tryouts.  We were all split up in groups & had practiced together all week... & I made it. Whoohoo.  *dies*

I was planning to critique stuff yesterday evening while my godson watched TV, but he had other ideas.  Usually he's very independent, rarely comes over to ask for something.  Last night?  I swear, every five seconds he wanted my attention for something.  So I had to give up on the critiquing idea.  *SIGH*  Just to show y'all how unusual his behavior was, when I told his mom about it last night, she was floored.   This is the same boy, who on the first day of "school" (day care) a few weeks ago, told his mother to "go away" so he could go and just have fun.

Today, I'm going back to school for the Book Festival, where they're holding some free classes on writing, so I'll be there all day.  Then I get my godson again until 9 tonight.

I *WILL* get 'em done!  No stories to post, but I will get the critiques done tomorrow.

I do apologize.... XD 

okay, this week's story posted! as usual, i've run over the limit a wee smidge. but then, are any of us surprised? no, i didn't think so.  

I'm sorry I haven't done all of my critiques for this week! I actually do not remember if I have done any. I should probably keep track of that kind of thing.

Anyway, I'm sort of sorry about this week's entry. It's just what I felt like writing at the time. Not really a story at all, more description that anything else.

Mine is up at just under 500 words.  I was intending to write another piece instead of using this one, but my wrists, hands and arms are really hurting recently.  Too much computing.   I'll take a day or two off from my computer and hopefully they'll recover.

Okay, mine for the new week (tomorrow) is up.  It's a little over the limit, though, so don't kill me  

I critiqued Suicide is Painless and The Maze, but forgot to mention it here.  I'm going to start writing shorter FF pieces from now on, since I've seen that most publishers of FF consider it to be 500 words or less.  And I certainly wouldn't complain if I can polish a piece enough for publication (alliteration!)

hi, all--

okay, critiques done! i reviewed ben, circus, and da geek. great stories, you guys! 

now, i'm off to panic over this week's story. tah! 

Was it, Ben?  Totally missed it!      Goes to show how good my attentiveness is these days!  

Hey Phedre,

Your spotlight was "How to Destroy a Microwave" chosen on August 17th your first week here.

-Ben

Not to be picky but I haven't had a spotlight yet...     

hey, ben--

i think the semi-random system has worked pretty well so far, with each selected member chosen and then ineligible until everyone's had a go. that seems fair. but then, i'm not much of a gambler...

all right, geek. i'm acomin' fer ya!!  

The selected piece this week is The Maze by the Geek.

Everyone welcome aboard K. McCrae whose ready to take up the challenge.

A Question:  Since everyone has had the spotlight once (except K. of course) should I just go to totally random picks?  That way anyone who posts might be the winner.  The downside is you could get the same winner week after week.  Also, if I randomly came up each week I would feel really guilty, since I'm the picker.  What do you all think?  Let me know.

-Ben

P.S.  Just so you know, what I have done up to now is check off each member as they're chosen and then disqualifying them until there are no unchosen people in that week's group.

Okay, my uh... "story"--for lack of a better word--is up.  It's a bit weird this time around, but I was going through some blockage and had a busy week at work.  I think it turned out okay, anyway.

I'll get my last critique in for last week sometime later tonight or tomorrow morning.  Sorry!

wow. funky, how we all gravitated toward the dark side this week....(i'm guessing from the titles, of course).

okay, story is up! *whew*

Mine sort of sucks this week. Sorry guys.

I'm still one crit behind.  I'll try to catch up this weekend. 

I try not to make excuses for my writing, so I'll refrain now.  'nuff said.

-Ben

Okies, mine is up, and I believe I've critiqued everyone's works   Ben, I'll try and critique your 3k work sometime soon, but school comes first, so I'll be pretty quiet this weekend, laters. 

Well, godson's back with his mom.  I got him full of Micky D.   

My brain is still fried I am incapable of giving critiques.  So I will be late. In the morning I will finish the remaining 2, and do the next critiques for the new stories.

I just saw this on Cops...

Drunk driver: "I got a glass eye."

Cop, checking with flashlight: "Which one's your glass eye?"

Drunk: "Both of them." 

I wish I were making this up.

I'm also babysitting my rambunctious 3 year old godson.  I've got ONE critique finished.  Two to go!

There may be a trip to McDonald's that will sidetrack my critiquing... *sneaks off to micky d's* 

I know the feeling, phedre!

I'm still trying to fool myself into believing that I'll get a story done, though.  I'll do my second critique (from last week still) today as well.

Work caught up with me for once.

ack! ack! still at work, but will be posting a story tonight!  

I have not done a SINGLE thing this week! :-X   I'll do the 3 critiques, I'll get 'em done before midnight my time.

brain is permanently fried... 

I'm working on my story now, I'll post sometime tonight (before midnight US Eastern). 

Since I didn't join 'til yesterday, I'll not be posting a story this week. I'll do three critiques though (that's how that works, right?).