Month: October 2013

Writing Recipe #2

Guest post
by Ellen Plotkin Mulholland

I have two problems that make it difficult keeping up with this world.

First: I don’t have a lot of time. Wait; let me place that in context. Life is busy, and I don’t have the hours I once had to sit lazily on the porch and read the Sunday paper all afternoon.

Second: My attention span is not what it used to be. Blame it on our over-indulged world of fast food, 140-character summative quips, or the impatient and impulsive adolescent wiring that just won’t go away.

As a consumer and reader, I can deal with it. I read the headlines, listen to TV news summaries while I cook dinner, fold laundry, check my email and answer my daughter’s homework questions. I somehow manage to keep up with the world outside my home while navigating the numerous details inside.

As a writer, I daily and desperately seek to find balance in my world. Time to live. Time to write. There must be some middle ground, an oasis nearby in this desert of over-scheduled lives. Continue reading “Writing Recipe #2”

Book Brief: Fat Bodyguards

Fat Bodyguards
by Marita Fowler
Genre: Humor
Word Count: 75,000

Saucy calzones Shasta and Ulyssa have earned an honorary spot in the mafia with their wetwork, but the girls are ready to leave the crazy mob life behind and return to Nitro. They’ve got one foot out the door when a desperate Nicolo makes them an offer they can’t refuse.

A fat paycheck to take his daughter on a vacation far, far away from New Jersey.

Still skittish from their last job, the girls are reluctant to sign on until he promises – no killing required. They quickly learn that being assassins was a helluva lot easier than protecting the mobster’s spoiled teenage daughter, Princess.

Paranoia fueled situations keep the girls on their toes, but they’re caught flatfooted when attackers kidnap Princess and disappear without a trace.

The only thing worse than guarding Nicolo’s daughter…is losing her.

Not thrilled with the prospect of new designer concrete footwear, the girls scramble to find Princess and bring her home before anyone discovers she’s missing. Armed with plastic guns and southern charm, they set out on the most perilous adventure of their lives.

They may be the worst bodyguards in the world, but they’re planning the rescue mission of a lifetime.

This book is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iTunes. Continue reading “Book Brief: Fat Bodyguards”

Flash Fiction Challenge: The Bridge

Photo by K.S. Brooks

This is the Stone Creek Bridge on Jackrabbit Road. It’s a little-traveled back route that used to be used by moonshiners during the depression.

Back in October of 1931, a fellow named Jack Keeley was driving a truckload of shine out to Springfield.

He never delivered that shipment. They found his truck the next day, stalled out in the middle of that old wooden bridge. Jack was there too – most of him, anyway. It caused quite a stir at the time, but over the years, I guess people forgot about it, or wrote it off to local legend. The problem is, it wasn’t just a legend. Now it’s happening again…

In 250 words or less, tell us a story incorporating the elements in the picture. The 250 word limit will be strictly enforced.

Please keep language and subject matter to a PG-13 level.

Use the comment section below to submit your entry. Entries will be accepted until Tuesday at 5:00 PM Pacific Time. Continue reading “Flash Fiction Challenge: The Bridge”

Congrats to A.C. Flory

This week’s flash fiction challenge came down to the wire. A.C. Flory and JD Mader received the same number of votes, resulting in a tie.

The 2013 rules provide that in the event of a tie in the voting, the entry which posted earliest will be chosen as the winner. Ms. Flory’s entry was posted on October 5, 2013 @ 4:35 PM. Mr. Mader’s entry was posted October 8 @ 2:45 PM.

We congratulate everyone on excellent entries, but the decision goes to Ms. Flory. As always, the winning entry is recognized with a special feature here today and a place in our collection of winners which will be published as an e-book at year end.

Without further ado, here’s the winning story:

Continue reading “Congrats to A.C. Flory”