Friday Fictioneers

Each Friday, author Madison Woods provides a photo prompt encouraging writers to submit a 100-word flash fiction piece. Add the photo to your own blog and try it. Please comment on my story below first, though! Then, add your own link to Madison's blog (and mine) so we can all enjoy it. http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/flash-fiction/lorelei-100-words-audio/

TOMMY’S FATHER
By Beth Carter

Twigs snapped beneath Mia’s feet. Every weekend she and Tommy hiked in the woods. Suddenly, Mia’s young son stopped and pointed.

“Look, Mommy. There's Fred Flintstone's couch!”

Mia followed Tommy’s gaze and her eyes filled with tears. She had avoided this area for five years and had mistakenly taken the all-too-familiar path.

“Yes, honey. That does look like Fred Flintstone’s couch.”

Cold air combined with heavy memories caused Mia’s nose to run. She sniffled and rubbed Tommy’s head. He had never known his father; he had never known the man who had proposed to Mia on that very slab.

A day before their wedding, then-pregnant Mia had discovered a cryptic note from John: I’m sorry.

And The Winner Is...

Thanks to everyone who participated in my Valentine's Day six-word memoir contest. Fantastic job, everyone. There were 14 participants who submitted 53 entries. Let me tell you this was a difficult decision, so I've chosen three winners as follows:

First place: "Opening my heart opened my life" by Karen McConnaughey

Second place (tie): "I said no to your ring" by Quill Shiv
"It's been a century since you" by Caroline Gerardo

They're all very different, yet powerful and poignant. And don't you want to know the backstory for each one? I do!

I was only going to choose one winner but that was impossible. As promised, Karen will receive a copy of IT ALL CHANGED IN AN INSTANT, More Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure.

Quill Shiv and Caroline will each receive an IT ALL CHANGED IN AN INSTANT magnetic bookmark and my new picture book bookmark. Please send your address to me at bethcarter@hughes.net or message me on Facebook.

Congrats to everyone! Well done. I'll have another contest in a month or so. Thanks for participating.

Love Is In The Air

In honor of Valentine's Day, let's combine romance with my other favorite thing--writing. And how about throwing in a contest, too!

You know my passion for six-word memoirs. Here are six six-word memoirs I wrote for Valentine's Day:

Chocolates. Roses. Champagne. Hugs still best.
What I love about you? Everything.
Mature love's better than puppy love.
Loves me, loves me not. Does!
Etched our initials on the mountaintop.
He thinks I'm the one. Ditto.

There. See, it's not hard. Please enter your own six-word memoir about Valentine's Day in the comment section, and you'll be eligible to win IT ALL CHANGED IN AN INSTANT a collection of 1,000 six-word memoirs by famous writers, celebrities and not-so-famous authors like me!

Deadline to enter: February 14 at midnight. (You may enter up to six six-word memoirs.) Drawing will be held February 15. Good luck.

Friday Fictioneers

It's Friday Fictioneer time. Every Friday Madison Woods at www.madisonwoods.wordpress.com provides a photo prompt. Writers are encouraged to write a very short story (100 words). Here's mine. Give it a try. It's fun.

MEMORIES
By Beth Carter

Brad stared horrified at their home ablaze. Meanwhile, Erica honked the horn.

“Come on. Hurry!”

Brad noticed Erica’s set jaw and steely eyes. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” Erica soon passed every car on the only clear road out of the inferno.

When she reached the canyon, Erica popped the trunk, pulling out hiking boots and an ax.

“What the hell are you going to do with that?”

Erika positioned a bandana over her mouth and motioned for Brad to follow her.
“We’re going to cut that tree down. When we started dating, you etched our initials in it, remember? That fire isn’t going to get everything.”