Month: September 2014

Names in Books – How Much Do They Matter?

“That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." That is a classic of course from the Bard, but how true is it?
“That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” That is a classic of course from the Bard, but how true is it?

From the name of your protagonist, your evil antagonist, your main and subsidiary characters and minions, your chapter titles (if you use them), right through to the title of your masterpiece – do the actual names matter? They obviously matter to the creator – the author – but do they really matter to the reader, to the general public? In my humble opinion: You bet your life they do!

Names have a certain ring to them, and unless you’re writing something that is deliberately farcical, or really tongue in cheek, like the old James bond movies, with Plenty O’Toole or Pussy Galore, you should use names that don’t immediately snap the reader out of their state of suspended disbelief. Continue reading “Names in Books – How Much Do They Matter?”

Saturday Book Showcase: Bone Girl

Bone GirlBone Girl
by Annette Drake
5.0 average rating from 6 reviews
Word count: 42,000

A lonely girl learns to play a discarded trombone. An abused stallion learns to trust. Together, they save their world.

Eleven-year-old Josey Miller knows two things: it’s her fault Mama left, and she will do anything to coax her back.

Mrs. Casey, the new music teacher, starts a band at Bennett Springs Middle School, and Josey sees it as her chance to finally belong to something and convince Mama to visit for her concerts. The only problem: there’s no money for a clarinet, what with Dad laid off and fighting to keep their farm.

Things start looking up when Grandpa Joe gives Josey an old trombone to play, and Mr. McInerny starts boarding his high-dollar Arabian stallion with Dad. Nobody can train horses like Josey’s father. And that’s good because Chief is dangerous.

But when her father and the stallion go missing during a 50-mile endurance ride in the Ozark Mountains, can Josey bring them safely home?

This book is available from Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes & Noble. Continue reading “Saturday Book Showcase: Bone Girl”

Flash Fiction Challenge: Flowers for Her

safflower field 081013
safflower field
Photo by K.S. Brooks

She was always amazed by the beauty of nature. Thousands of people would probably have driven by the massive field of flowers and paid it very little mind. She needed more than that.

This is the picture she took after she stopped the car. They found her body near the middle of the field…

In 250 words or less, write a story incorporating the elements in the picture and/or the written prompt above. Do not include the prompt in your entry. 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.

On Wednesday afternoon, we will open voting to the public with an online poll for the best writing entry accompanying the photo. Voting will be open until 5:00 PM Thursday.

On Friday afternoon, the winner will be recognized as we post the winning entry along with the picture as a feature. Then, at year end, the winners will be featured in an anthology like this one. Best of luck to you all in your writing!

Entries only in the comment section. Other comments will be deleted. See HERE for additional information and terms.

The Fiction Desk Open Submissions

The Fiction Desk is always looking for new short stories about people and places, rather than about writing itself, for the Fiction Desk anthologies.

Prizes: £15 per thousand words for stories they publish.

Entry fee: £2 – for expedited reading.

Deadline: None. For more information, please visit their website.

Indies Unlimited is pleased to provide this contest information for the convenience of our readers. We do not, however, endorse this or any contest/competition. Entrants should always research a competition prior to entering.