Tag: writing challenge

TLT: Ten Years

25/04/2020

It had been ten years.

Every day she’d visited the mooring where he’d … More TLT: Ten Years

Nomad

12/04/2020

She could remember it so clearly: long days spent on the road, sitting in the passenger seat with her mother behind the wheel of their rusting orange car. They’d sung along to pop songs playing on loop. … More Nomad

Winter’s Child

20/05/2017

Winter’s Child He had to wait for winter to arrive. Or so they told him. The summer, they said, belonged to others. He had to wait for the air to turn chilly and the wind biting; for the frost to form on the trees. Only then would it be his time. But the summer seemed … More Winter’s Child

The Flying Banana

24/09/2016

Each weekend they’d piled into the backseat, little ones on older siblings laps, ready for an adventure. It had been part of their family: the Flying Banana, the greatest car in the world. Which was why, despite being told it was only good for the scrapheap, the rusting wreck continued to sit in their garage – some day the banana would … More The Flying Banana

Susceptible

22/09/2016

Susceptible Willow spotted the pair long before they reached her. The man was perfect, open minded and curious. The woman was more… problematic. She exuded confidence, carrying a fixed world-view that prevented any tampering to her thoughts. But the man was too good to ignore. “Come,” she whispered into his mind. “This way.” He stopped, his vacant gaze turning towards the doorway where Willow … More Susceptible

Captivated

15/09/2016

Captivated Raedan’s hands clenched around the gift box as he listened to the announcement. Lady Seleste had chosen her suitor. And it wasn’t him. Everyone else faded into insignificance as she glided across the hall. With each tilt of her head, each flash of a smile, she set his senses reeling. She’d captivated him from the first. Now he had one … More Captivated

Boxed

09/09/2016

She’d always said that she wouldn’t be put in a box and forced into conformity, that she wouldn’t follow their indifferent society’s path, only to be left feeling stifled and unfulfilled. So how had she come to this? She turned away from the window, from the view of coffin like apartments, and began to pack her bags – it … More Boxed

Ancient Paths

08/09/2016

Meandering path, following a well trodden route. To whose doorway do you lead? This post is for Cee’s Which Way Challenge. This week’s pictures were taken at the Chysauster Ancient Village in Cornwall (England), the remains of an Iron Age settlement thought to have first been occupied nearly 2,000 years ago, during the Roman occupation … More Ancient Paths

Wisps of Gold

07/09/2016

Wisps of Gold Emily stood beside the piled leaves, peering around the garden for any that might have escaped her notice. It had taken far longer than she’d expected to scrape the mound together, each breeze threatening to undo her work, but she’d been determined to gather every golden scrap she could find. “Well?” she called. “How’s … More Wisps of Gold

Seven PM

25/08/2016

Seven PM Edmund stood on the shoreline. Waiting. It was something he was good at. As a child he’d waited for his father, watching the ticking clock. At seven pm, daily, the man would hear the governess’ report, granting him a fragment of his time: a smile, a question, a word of praise… if the report was fair. On days when … More Seven PM

FFfAW: Sidelines

11/08/2016

Sidelines Jenny hurried past the sports field with her head down, eyes fixed on the path before her. The hubbub of the players stirred memories she’d rather ignore. Plus, he was there. She could hear his voice, bellowing orders over the field. She could feel the weight of his knowing gaze. She’d spent so many hours standing on the sidelines, cheering … More FFfAW: Sidelines

FFfAW: The Children

08/08/2016

The Children “For your disregard of our laws-” “Father, please,” Lia said, tears flowing. But no trace of her doting parent was visible. It was the High Councillor who faced her: stern and forbidding as he passed sentence. “-you are hereby banished.” Her hand tightened on the pony’s reins, and she avoided looking at the children on the … More FFfAW: The Children

TLT: Fruitful

04/08/2016

She’d always dreamed of a fertile union. In her youth she’d painted her lips cherry-red, desperate to attract a partner to fulfill her desires, only to be left with a sour taste as their rot spread through her life. Now her season was waning – maybe it was time to reach for the promised fruit alone. This post is for Sonya’s … More TLT: Fruitful

TLT: Waiting

03/07/2016

Waiting “Why are you here?” he asked, even though he knew the answer. “I’m waiting for you.” Her heels clunked against the cabinet in a familiar rhythm. “I’ll wait forever if I have to.” “I won’t be long now.” Ephemeral fingers traced his aged cheek before she faded from view. This post is for Sonya’s Three Line … More TLT: Waiting

FFfAW: Imaginary Friends

28/06/2016

This post is for Priceless Joy’s Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers. This week’s prompt was provided by me. Imaginary Friends “It’s just your eyes playing tricks on you,” everyone always told her. “None of it’s real.” Even her grandmother – who told the most wonderful stories – had always waved a dismissive hand and said, “Your imagination is running away … More FFfAW: Imaginary Friends

Six Word Story: Tease

18/06/2016

This post is for the Sometimes Stellar Storyteller’s Six Word Story challenge. This week’s prompt is tease. “Mum! Charlie keeps on poking me!” As soon as I saw this week’s prompt I knew I had to write a six word story about siblings teasing each other! Working with kids I tend to see a lot of that. 🙂 I chose … More Six Word Story: Tease

FFfAW: The Window

16/06/2016

His post is for Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers, a flash fiction challenge run by Priceless Joy, that asks you to write a story of 100-175 words based on the photo prompt below. This week’s prompt was provided by Nonnaci. Thank you Nonnaci. The Window Raen stood in the doorway and considered the benefit of retreat. … More FFfAW: The Window

Six Word Story: Insult

13/06/2016

This post is for the Sometimes Stellar Storyteller’s Six Word Story Challenge. This week’s theme is insult. Thick skinned? He’d had to be. I didn’t really know what picture I was going to use to illustrate this six word story until I went hunting around on Pixabay. Then I entered the search term ‘thick skinned’ and elephant pictures appeared. Perfect! One of … More Six Word Story: Insult

TLT: Tug-of-War

29/05/2016

This post is for Sonya’s Three Line Tales, a challenge that asks you to write three lines based on the photo prompt below. Tug-of-War With feet apart, teeth bared and fists clenched, they battled yet again for supremacy. Chloe turned away, dialling a familiar number on her phone. She refused to be the prize in … More TLT: Tug-of-War

TLT: The Sands of Time

10/05/2016

This post is for Sonya’s Three Line Tales challenge. The Sands of Time The sand flows steadily on: seconds, minutes, hours… building into days, weeks, years… Memories of childhood joy lies smothered beneath arid desert. Still, enough time remains to build sandcastles before the glass turns once more.

FFfAW: Creations Studio

24/03/2016

This post is for the Flash Fiction for Aspiring Writers (FFfAW) Challenge, run by Priceless Joy.  The FFfAW challenge is that you write a story of 75-175 words inspired by the photo prompt below. This week’s prompt was provided by Uday . Thank you Uday! Creations Studio The moment Tessa saw the strange doorway her world shifted out of … More FFfAW: Creations Studio

SPF: Memento

22/03/2016

This story is in response to the Sunday Photo Fiction challenge, hosted by Alistair Forbes, that asks that you write a story / poem of around 200 words using the photo as a guide. Memento She’d always wondered what was kept in the garage. Frances clutched the key to her chest, curiosity battling with trepidation as she stood before the … More SPF: Memento

TLT: The Game

13/03/2016

The Game They laugh as they play their game, ruthless ambition hidden behind genial smiles as they move counters with calculated precision. Bank balances keep score: vast accumulated wealth the desired pinnacle. On the city streets below the people scurry through their daily lives, unwitting pieces in a cutthroat contest. This post is for Sonya’s Three Line Tales challenge.

TLT: The Eternal Library

06/03/2016

This post is for Sonya’s Three Line Tale Challenge, that asks us to write three lines in response to the photo prompt. She wandered in a dream-like haze, unaware of time’s passage. The sights and scents of paper and ink filled her senses. Occasionally a text would beckon and she’d digest every word before moving on. If this was eternity, she was … More TLT: The Eternal Library

FFftPP: Faded Calligraphy

25/02/2016

This post is for Roger Shipp’s Flash Fiction for the Purposeful Practitioner challenge. For this challenge we are given a photo prompt and an optional opening line / prompt sentence. This week’s prompt line is “There it was. You could see the corner of the folded yellowed parchment sticking out of the torn lining of the battered book.” I’ve not used the … More FFftPP: Faded Calligraphy

Self Doubt

16/02/2016

This post is for Baheya’s Miniature Writing Challenge. This week’s prompt is Freedom. For this challenge you are asked to write either an ultra short story (50-150 words), a haiku or a little poem. This week I decided to share a poem. Self-Doubt Ensnared in a churning morass of fear, insecurity, spiralling ever deeper. Not as good; … More Self Doubt