ALPHA AND OMEGA

Today we think in terms of Alpha and Omega; First and Last! This is fitting, being the FIRST prompt of the new association with CREATIVE BLOOMINGS. We certainly don't plan on it being the LAST by any stretch of the imagination!

Make a list of five "firsts" in your life. Your first car. Your first child. Your first day at school...

Then make a list of five "lasts" in your life. The last time you saw..., Down to your last dime. Your last day at work...

Now choose one of these that stands out most, and write a piece of flash fiction placing your character in that situation and how they would deal with it. And you can veer from the "script" at any time! Let your imagination soar.

For a bit of a challenge combine one of your "firsts" with one of your "lasts" and write that! I bought my first car with my last dime. The first day at school was the last time I saw..., The last day at work before my first child was born. It changes the dynamic a bit.

Give it your best shot and post your story below. We all have a way of spinning a tale! Add a link to your blog. We'd like to read whatever else you've been writing! 

And remember, on FLASHY FICTION FRIDAY, everyone has a "little" story to tell!

ANNOUNCING NEWS!

What do the names RJ Clarken, Walt Wojtanik, Hannah Gosselin, Laurie Kolp, De Jackson, Rob Halpin, Aimee Halpin and the late Dyson McIllwain have in common?

They all probably first crossed paths at Poetic Asides with Robert Lee Brewer. They have been fervent contributors here at POETIC BLOOMINGS. But, what many may not know, they have all served as administrators and prompters at the flash fiction site, FLASHY FICTION.

You may notice the look here is changing and than means different routines and habits. We're willing to put up with it as long as it is positive. Rob and Aimee and I believe they are nothing but. 

Well, in keeping with this air of change,  I would like to announce that FLASHY FICTION will be joining up under our a banner to be a part of FLASHY FICTION FRIDAY over at CREATIVE BLOOMINGS. Rob Halpin and his wife Aimee, along with myself have been keeping the site (which RJ Clarken and her cohorts started back in the early days of Rock… well, not really that long ago!) on life support and I felt this would be a perfect fit for the flash fiction aficionados there at our new and improved site. Flash fiction may not be everyone’s bag of beans, but for those who do flash, it will be a haven which will be more accessible.

The three of us will alternate with a new prompt each Friday, with the last Friday being devoted to an instruction, a discussion or an exercise. You may post your efforts in the comment section and/or provide a link to your story on your blog so we can visit your other fine works.

Also in this forum we will help develop characters, backgrounds and other aspects of storytelling for those who venture into the NANOWRIMO every November. It may be a helpful tool in this regard.

I thank Rob Halpin for his outstanding work, developing the new look at FLASHY FICTION and for getting the “Newer” design of the CREATIVE BLOOMINGS’ FLASHY FICTION FRIDAY up and running so quickly. Those who regularly visit the site will have already seen a “preview” .

At FLASHY FICTION FRIDAY we have a tagline: “Everyone has a little story to tell…” Join us on Fridays and try your hand at telling yours.

Gateway to the Soul

It's been said that the eyes are the gateway to the soul.  What do you see when you look into this eye?  If you looked closely into your own eye in a mirror, what would you see?  What about your lover's?  Your child's?  Write a little Flashy Fiction about gazing into someone's eyes and finding something there.  Is it what you expected?

RESOLUTION #9

It's down on your list, but the most attainable. You've made your resolutions for the new year. Long after working out more, and losing weight, and smoking cessation, this is the one resolution at which you will succeed. In a bit of FLASHY FICTION, tell us about your plans.

Illusions

No, this amusement park isn't burning down.  The sun is simply setting in dramatic fashion, splashing the nearby clouds with it's red light.  A quick glance conveys a different story, though:  an illusion of fire.  Write a little Flashy Fiction in which something seen at a glance turns out to be something else.  Does it cause angst, panic, misplaced trust? 

ONO, WHERE'S THE AIR

Last Thursday, Yoko Ono posted this as her Facebook status:

"This is a room suffocating with no empty space. Sit in it."

Sounds like an episode of the Twilight Zone! So in keeping with the annual Twilight Zone marathon on Syfy, write this scene/fiction. Gasp for air and pen your piece.

STEPPING INTO THE UNKNOWN

The new year begins; a threshold to our hopes and dreams. Who knows what 2014 will hold.

Write you flashy fiction to explore a goal or wish you may have. Write of a disappointment you expect. Look into the immediate future and let your imagination step into the unknown. Whether you want to make it happen or hope it will, put it out there and see who's listening!

Waking Up Warm

image courtesy of Digital Blasphemy

It's been a cold and snowy time for a lot of people this late fall/early winter.  Many are without power and are expected to continue to be without it for a while longer.  I'm sure lots of them would go to great lengths to wake up to the view above.  Write a little Flashy Fiction what your protagonist went through to escape the cold and wake up warm.

THE MORNING AFTER

It's the morning after Christmas (and I don't let Christmas go that easily). It's called Boxing Day. So in the clean up and discarding of torn wrapping and cardboard boxes, you find one gift that had gone unopened. There's a note:

"Sorry this one got lost in the numbers. In my haste, it had inadvertently gone undelivered. You became the last stop for the year. If this caused you any embarrassment or inconvenience, I'll make up for it next year. Merry Christmas!

Mr. C"

What was the gift? Was it expected? Or was it a total surprise? There is Christmas magic that lasts the whole year. This is a bit of it. Your Flash Fiction concerns this last gift of Christmas!

Your Christmas Wish

What would you wish for if you could sit on Santa's knee and whisper your one big dream to him?  What was it you asked for as a child? Did you get it? How did you feel when you did or did not?

THE BELL RINGER

"Santa" stands in front of the shopping plaza ringing his bell. People pass by without even a cursory glance.
The Santa sees all kinds of things in his observations.
There's a surprised look on his face.

Write a piece that reflects this look. What does he see?
Is it good or bad? Give it a twist and you be the Santa. What strikes you? Write your thoughts into your Flashy Fiction.

Everyone had a little story to tell. Tell yours.

A Wintery Stroll

image courtesy of Digital Blasphemy

Returning to an apparently abandoned path from earlier this summer, you find the path lit with Christmas lights.  Do you simply bask in the glow as you stroll down the now-lit walkway?  Maybe you're more guarded now, knowing that the location isn't as disused as you thought?  Where are you headed on this wintery night?

LET THE CAROLS RING

The Christmas rush is upon us and here in Buffalo, New York, the signs came early. Christmas music began playing 24/7 at 11:59 PM on October 31st. So by now, I've heard all of the songs at least once. I'm sure by now, most of you have too!

But in keeping with the season, here is your prompt for today. Turn your radio to the local station that is providing your Christmas spirit via song. The song that is currently playing (No scrolling for a good one) is the title of your piece of flash fiction. Write a story behind that song or use that song as inspiration for a totally different piece although retaining the title and the essence of the song.

God, Rest Ye Merry... and write your Flashy Fiction!

A Cozy Igloo

image courtesy of Digital Blasphemy

This pic shows a cozy looking igloo in a pristine field of snow, the glow of light and warmth emanating from the tiny dwelling.  Write a little Flashy Fiction about this igloo.  Is it a planned dwelling?  An escape from the hustle and bustle of city living?  Maybe it was an emergency shelter to survive a storm.  Maybe, it wasn't even built by the protagonist.  Maybe it is where he finds himself after being rescued by the igloo's owner.

Head of the Table?

  Bad dog or head of the table?  Are they "man's best friend" or are they secretly our masters?  They aren't the ones picking up our poop, right?  Write a little Flashy Fiction with a dog at the "head of the table."  Maybe you could write it from the dog's perspective.