This sounds cool, I love flea markets. Great idea for making the commenters select the winners too.

Just a couple additional thoughts regarding what you said about non-story factors that may come into play.
a.) More people are likely to read, and consequently vote for, stories close to the top of the thread so sooner could be better (which sucks for me because I’m forever slinging my entry up on Thursday afternoon)
b.) A snappy title never hurt anybody.

I hope my chances aren’t hurt by the fact I didn’t write about the devil…lol
And looks like I’m first submission too…oh my.
http://thedungeoncrawl.blogspot.com/2011/07/flea-market-flash-fiction.html

[...] http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2011/07/29/flash-fiction-challenge-the-flea-market/ This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. ← The Black Sheep Unicorn [...]

Here’s my offering. I tried my hand at horror. This really wakes me up on a Friday morning (smile).

http://darlene.underdahl.net/?p=78

I have no stories about flea markets, but thanks for the blog formatting tips.

My Submission:

Here Lies

http://lindsaymawson.blogspot.com/2011/07/flash-fiction-challenge-19-flea-market.html

Um… it cut me off. Link is above,

Here Lies a Scorching Soul

thanks for another mindbending challenge. sorry, i can’t do horror…even tho flea markets are scary. here you go!

http://taratylertalks.blogspot.com/2011/07/jack-saves-day.html

Dear all

This is my entry for this week. Entitled “Circuit Breaker”. Thank you all for your very encouraging comments in my last few entries. I hope you enjoy this one as much!

Michael

http://www.michaelstuarttrimmer.co.uk/circut_breaker.html

[...] a little more grounded now. To see more and to check out the other entries, go shopping here: Chuck Wendig’s Flash Fiction Challenge: The Flea Market Way out on the edge of the metropolitan area there was a closed up car dealership. In the summer, [...]

I’m sorry I let *everyone* down by skipping last week’s challenge. The truth is, I had an idea but couldn’t complete the task. Iambic pentameter is not for the meek.
There is something terribly, horribly wrong with this story as well. At the end of the story, I’ll tell you what the flaw is.
Bargain Bin

I started the Unicorn one last week, but the wheels fell off due time escaping. However, it was salvageable due to this week’s topic. Here is the Bazaar of Bokhara http://snellopy.blogspot.com/2011/07/bazaar-of-bokhara.html

Here’s my story… The Necklace. I felt like pontificating today, but decided to put it into a story instead. Haven’t allowed it to sit and edit as long as I usually do.

http://wp.me/p1BAlV-U

Here’s mine!
http://samanthajmathis.tumblr.com/post/8333456392/internal-monologue

Breaking my Flash Fiction cherry:

http://wp.me/p1alyl-J

A Real American Hero.

[...] This was written for another flash fiction challenge over at Terribleminds. [...]

Here is my story:

http://samuraidork.wordpress.com/2011/08/01/the-flea-market/

[...] week’s challenge is about Flea Markets.  It’s right at 1,000 [...]

It occurred to me that the crazy stuff that one can find at flea markets has to come from /somewhere/. And then, a little while later, I had a sequel to last challenge’s story.

http://shainorton.com/2011/08/01/flash-fiction-monday-night/

I love flea markets.
I love flash fiction.
Here’s my fusion of those loves:

http://kattomic-energy.blogspot.com/2011/08/monday-flash-fiction.html

Here’s my story for this week:

Wish You Were Here

[...] This is my entry to the Terribleminds.com Flash Fiction Challenge: The Flea Market. [...]

Here’s my entry, hope you like it…

http://cheddarnightmares.wordpress.com/2011/08/03/the-cockneys-story/

[...] am doing the Flash Fiction Challenge at Terrible Minds.  Chuck Wendig, who writes and runs the site, is a self-described freelance [...]

Here’s my story:

http://unemployedauthor.wordpress.com/2011/08/03/the-pot-leaf-lighter-flash-fiction/

I’ve read all the stories above this post; was not able to comment at some> mostly “blogger ” site wouldn’t let me.
I am struck by the high quality of stories. Well written and entertaining.
I’m not reading any books ATM; even the popular writers seem formulaic and boring to me. Plus w. detective stories, someone always has to die.
It makes me long for the days of short stories. All with the same theme, but with a different author. if you didn’t like one, you knew there was always another one coming.
How about it Chuck> talk to your agent about a book of short stories? Might make a pile of money! Chuck Wendig’s FlashFiction Shorts : )

Here’s my story – http://zilazam.blogspot.com/2011/08/liquidity.html

Ok, here’s mine
http://www.shiny.org.uk/?p=42

Here is mine! http://www.caridubiel.com/?p=207

My offering: http://lesannberry.blogspot.com/2011/08/seeking-perfection.html

“Bald Pregnant Women With Bras and Unstoppable Telepathy”

http://briandbuckley.com/2011/08/04/flash-fiction-bald-pregnant-women-with-bras-and-unstoppable-telepathy/

A Deathbed Photograph
http://amytupper.net/2011/08/04/a-deathbed-photograph/

Okay, here goes! http://eileen-alphabet.livejournal.com/17921.html

[...] This week’s challenge was to write about something you might find at a flea market. I’ve been a little lazy and missed the last couple challenges, but for some reason this one struck a chord and kicked the muse into high gear. Hope you enjoy! [...]

“A Fair Price”
http://rogerkilbourne.wordpress.com/2011/08/04/teribbleminds-flash-fiction-challenge-%E2%80%9Cthe-flea-market%E2%80%9D/

http://innocentsaccidentshints.blogspot.com/2011/08/terrible-minds-challenge-ebay-from-hell.html

Here’s my attempt:

http://chriswhitewrites.wordpress.com

Only found out about this last night, but I think its alright. Comments appriciated, of course.

Pandora’s Box meets old Florida:

http://warnerkirby.blogs.com/clintonaut/2011/08/the-unopened-box.html

Enjoy. And thanks for the opportunity, Chuck.

My story. The Jar.

http://adiaryofawriter.blogspot.com/2011/08/jar.html

[...] last week’s challenge — “The Flea Market” — requires you crazy kids to get over there and vote for your favorite starting today, [...]

A partly true story.

http://robynettely.blogspot.com/2011/08/flash-fiction-challenge-flea-market.html

Doors
http://absynthe-and-arsenic.blogspot.com/2011/08/flash-fiction-challenge-flea-market.html

Enjoy! ^-^

I tried to tell a story from the vendor’s perspective and it got a little away from me. For good or bad, here’s the result.

http://8thage.blogspot.com/2011/08/market-price.html

Please to enjoy.

Here we go…
“Markets of the Mind”
http://noobsayswow.blogspot.com/2011/08/more-flashy-more-fictional.html

OK, I think I’m doing this right. I vote for OLDESTGENXER who wrote BARGAIN BIN.

Um, IMO it has to be wish you were here (http://thehappylogophile.wordpress.com/2011/08/02/wish-you-were-here). Fan-fucking-tastic!

My vote goes to Roger Kilbourne and ‘A Fair Price’…

Ta

My vote goes to Samantha Mathis, Internal Monologue

this was tough, there were so many good ones!
i vote for Roger Kilbourne, “a fair price”

And Chia slides in under the wire:

http://www.artoftheodd.com/outside-the-box/1054

Actually, to be clear, stories can still roll in for the next two hours — so, best not to necessarily vote until then.

– c.

Here is mine – HOLDEN:

http://shawnstufflebeam.wordpress.com/

Thanks.

Pulling it close this week.

Here is my entry with 18 mins to spare

“Coward in Blue”

http://defconwhiskey.wordpress.com/2011/08/05/a-coward-in-blue/

Due to timezones, I have to vote now (I wish I had time to read all of them, but I’ll come back to the last few and scatter some comments too).

My vote is for Jo Eberhardt’s Wish you were here.

Tough call, there were six that really struck me…but in the end I have to go with “Holden” by Shawn Stufflebeam.

Tough choice. My pick is “A Fair Price.”

My vote is for Jo Eberhardt’s Wish You Were Here.

Wow, the voting part of this was Not Easy. After much debate, I narrowed it down to seven:

Holden
Internal Monologue
Seeking Perfection
eBay from Hell
The Jar
Bald Women with Bras and Unstoppable Telepathy

And with much anguish and rereading and vote-switching, I’ve finally settled on Internal Monologue… Shit. No. Seeking Perfection. Damn. Um…

Fine. Internal Monologue.

I never want to do that again.

Nice job, everyone.

I vote for Samantha J. Mathis, Internal Monologue

My vote’s for Mr. Buckley’s “Bald Pregnant Women With Bras and Unstoppable Telepathy”.

Good job everyone! There were 5 stories that I really liked, but, forced to choose, I was really engrossed by Internal Monologue. Nice job Samantha! (I couldn’t leave a comment on your blog for some reason…)

I had a top six

The Day of the Jovian Flea
The Cockney’s story
Holden
A Coward in Blue
The Last Stall on the Left
Seeking Perfection

But I’m going to have to go with…

The Last Stall on the Left By Melissa Pascarelli

But there are so many good ones out there…

My vote goes to:
Louise Sorensen – The Necklace

Others I liked:
Lesann Berry – Seeking Perfection
MomentEye – Markets of the Mind
Shai Norton – Monday Night
Shawn Stufflebeam – Holden
Michael – eBay From Hell
…and many more. So hard to choose!

So many great stories, and so hard to choose. Every time I thought I’d narrowed it down to a couple of choices, I’d read another story and the choice would get even harder. In the end, though, I have to vote for the story that had me feeling like a kid at a campfire, eagerly anticipating the the end of the ghost story, and then sucker-punched me with a laugh-out-loud line at the end.

I’m voting for ‘The Cockney’s Story’ by Jim Franklin.

I have a few favorites. This is the first time I actually did read all the stories–quite a feat for a narcissist such as I. Among them are:

Tara Tyler-jack saves the day
melissa pascarelli-last stall on the left
jim franklin-the cockney’s story
brian d buckley-bald pregnant women w/ bras and unstoppable telepathy
ba boucher-coward in blue
josh-A Real American Hero
And then my top favorites–these, to me, epitomize what we expect to find at a flea market. Reality is incredibly disappointing.
Shai Norton-modus dementi
Darlene Underdahl-The Glass Dagger
samantha mathis–internal monologue
I think Jo Eberhardt’s story is the kind of story we think of when we imagine a flash fiction challenge like this. It’s perfect.
Jo Eberhardt-wish you were here
And that is why I have to go with:

Sean Samonas-Hermes

Here is the understanding of the magic that is the essence of the all the other stories. I can imagine all the other happenings–all the other stories–taking place in the blink of Hermes’ eye. Sort of the “Illustrated Man” of the Flea Market.

I have read most of these, I will probably finish reading them before the cut off but at the moment, my clear favourite is Jo Eberhardt’s Wish you were here.
It’s so well structured and definitely needs to be read twice. Perfect flash fiction.

I vote for Shawn Stufflebeam’s “Holden.”

It was a really tough decision because of all the great stories! I don’t want to give a list of my top 10 or anything like that because I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.

All of you rock!

I vote for Bald Pregnant Women With Bras and Unstoppable Telepathy.

This was really difficult with so many excellent submissions. I finally had it narrowed down to three and waffled back and forth, but in the end, the one which stays with me the most is: Jo Eberhart – Wish You Were Here.

Yo ho ho, kids.

It is noon.

And so it is time to tally.

Correct my math if it’s wrong — I’m counting with a baby gurgling in my arms — but it looks to be a tie between Samantha Mathis and Jo Eberhardt?

I’m going to toss my vote in there not only as a tiebreaker, but because while I found a great many stories to love here, there was something poignent, poetic and elegant about Jo Eberhardt’s “Wish You Were Here.”

So, that’s my vote, and so blows the wind in her direction.

Jo — bounce me a msg at chuckwendig [at] terribleminds [dot] com and we’ll get you sorted out.

– c.

(I will offer a tiny note of disappointment that a lot of participants did not then come back and vote.)

I was here late last night, and I see that mine never posted. I’m so sorry! My vote was for Seeking Perfection. I blame my laptop. It was bein lg ridiculous last night. Again, sorry.

Congrats Jo, well done Madame.

I’d like to thank the Academy… Okay, not really. But thanks to everyone who read my story, commented on it, and/or voted for it. I had a blast reading all of yours.

Now I’m off to start torturing my protagonist…

AHEM, Jo has wisely noted that the TOP FIVE picks get an e-book.

So, uhh, oops.

I blame my child, the Sleep Vampire.

By my count, the top five:

Jo Eberhardt
Roger Kilbourne
Samantha Mathis
Sean Stufflebeam

and

Brian Buckley.

Do I have that right?

All of you: CONTACT MOI.

– c.

I’m sorry I didn’t vote… been away. I’m going to go read the late entries I missed, and then reread Jo Eberhardt’s story. It would have been a tough choice.
Congrats Jo!

Oops. I too forgot it was for the top five – so sorry for not voting on the others. That’s what I get for not reading the directions. Damn.

Didn’t get my vote in so it doesn’t matter but I want to echo that there were a bunch of great pieces but Jo Eberhardt rocked it out.

Great job

I didn’t have a chance to come vote either, but congrats to the winners! Looking forward to reading everyone’s pieces.

[...] a copy of this book. It’s full of epic win. Oh, and drop by and read the other stories from this competition. It’s well worth [...]

[...] happy to announce that my ~750-word flash piece “A Fair Price” (originally written for this Friday Flash Fiction challenge from Chuck Wendig) has been accepted for publication in Static Movement’s upcoming Monster Gallery anthology, [...]

[...] This is my entry to the Terribleminds.com Flash Fiction Challenge: The Flea Market. [...]