Category: IU Flash Fiction Challenge

Which “Mind Games” Flash Fiction Story Gets Your Vote?

Vote5It’s that time again…time to choose your favorite flash fiction story of the week! The judges have made their choices – their picks for the top entries are included below. Confused? Check out our rule change for 2015. The judges have whittled down the entries to a select few, and now it’s your turn: time for the public to have the final say. It’s super easy – we’ve even labeled the finalists to make them easier to spot. Now you just have to choose your favorite and cast your vote below for this week’s Flash Fiction champion.

Remember, the winning entries will all be included in the next edition of the IU Flash Fiction Anthology.

Check out this week’s entries here. Make your decision, then use those share buttons at the bottom of the post to spread the word.

Voting polls close Thursday at 5 PM Pacific time.

Which "Mind Games" story is your favorite?

  • James Tate (52%, 14 Votes)
  • A. L. Kaplan (33%, 9 Votes)
  • Steven M. Stucko (15%, 4 Votes)

Total Voters: 27

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NOTE: Entrants whose submissions are not relevant to the prompts and/or exceed the 250 word limit are eliminated from the poll. ONE VOTE PER PERSON, please. Duplicate votes will be deleted. The results displayed above are unofficial until verified by administration.

Flash Fiction Challenge: Mind Games

aricebo 1999 flash fiction prompt
Aricebo photograph copyright K. S. Brooks. Do not use without attribution.

Kyra rolled her eyes. “Okay, that is a radio telescope, and a very old one. Do you know how crazy you sound?”

Hawk continued looking through the binoculars. “That is what they want you to think it is. Are you familiar with the theory of alpha wave manipulation?”

Kyra sighed in exasperation. “Yes, it’s a long-discredited theory of mind control using microwave transmission.”

“It was discredited by the people who wanted to build it. Look through these.” He handed the binoculars to Kyra.

She gasped as she saw a spectrum of colorful waveforms emanating from what she’d thought was a defunct radio telescope. “Oh my lord! But who? Why?”

He took the binoculars back and said, “That’s what we’re going to find out.”

Welcome to the Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge. In 250 words or less, write a story incorporating the elements in the picture and 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. No political or religious entries, please.

On Tuesday night, judges will select the strongest entries, and on Wednesday afternoon, we will open voting to the public with an online poll so they may choose the winner. 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. Please note the rule changes for 2015.

Steven M. Stucko Wins Flash Fiction Challenge

Congratulations to Steven M. Stucko whose entry won this week’s Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge.

The voter-selected story is recognized with a special feature here today and wins a place in our 2015 Flash Fiction Anthology, which will be published as an eBook when this year’s challenges are completed.

Without further ado, here’s the winning story:

Continue reading “Steven M. Stucko Wins Flash Fiction Challenge”

Which “Just Desserts” Flash Fiction Story Gets Your Vote?

Vote5It’s that time again…time to choose your favorite flash fiction story of the week! The judges have made their choices – their picks for the top entries are included below. Confused? Check out our rule change for 2015. The judges have whittled down the entries to a select few, and now it’s your turn: time for the public to have the final say. It’s super easy – we’ve even labeled the finalists to make them easier to spot. Now you just have to choose your favorite and cast your vote below for this week’s Flash Fiction champion.

Remember, the winning entries will all be included in the next edition of the IU Flash Fiction Anthology.

Check out this week’s entries here. Make your decision, then use those share buttons at the bottom of the post to spread the word.

Voting polls close Thursday at 5 PM Pacific time.

Which "Just Desserts" story should win this week?

  • Steven M. Stucko (37%, 11 Votes)
  • L. A. Williams (30%, 9 Votes)
  • Mark Chapman (17%, 5 Votes)
  • A. L. Kaplan (17%, 5 Votes)
  • D L Brown (0%, 0 Votes)

Total Voters: 30

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NOTE: Entrants whose submissions are not relevant to the prompts and/or exceed the 250 word limit are eliminated from the poll. ONE VOTE PER PERSON, please. Duplicate votes will be deleted. The results displayed above are unofficial until verified by administration.