Last week’s challenge: “Behold Your Theme.”
Here, then, are three random sentences:
“The borderlands expire thanks to the hundred violins.”
“A poetic pattern retains inertia.”
“The criminal disappears after the inventor.”
That’s it.
I generated them randomly, online.
You will choose one of these three sentences and include it in a piece of flash fiction, maximum of 1000 words. (For bonus kudos, use all three sentences in one story. Ooooh.)
Due by this Friday, the 16th, noon EST.
Post at your blog.
Drop a link to it here so we can all see it.
Go forth and write!
thesexiestwriter says:
seems pretty doable, hope to get a quickie story out today. BTW where do you go to generate these random flash thingies?
May 12, 2014 — 1:55 PM
fadedglories says:
Can’t do this one. I’m actually socially over-loaded this week.
You ?
Yeah me ,really!
May 12, 2014 — 2:02 PM
Pavowski says:
Was looking for this over the weekend! Gah. I think I can make it happen.
May 12, 2014 — 3:55 PM
Matthew X. Gomez says:
http://mxgomez.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/a-call-of-vengeance/ I went with the second line.
May 12, 2014 — 4:04 PM
Mark Baron says:
Nice use of the challenge! I really liked your grasp of this genre. The story was fun and thrilling to read. Well done!
May 13, 2014 — 3:59 PM
melorajohnson says:
Nicely worked, very enjoyable.
May 16, 2014 — 10:20 AM
Matthew X. Gomez says:
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!
May 16, 2014 — 10:24 AM
E. P. Beaumont says:
Properly dark, with a nice trajectory back to the beginning.
May 19, 2014 — 2:19 AM
Matthew X. Gomez says:
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
May 19, 2014 — 6:15 AM
Kristine McKinley says:
I was an over achiever and went with all three. http://blog.kmckinley.net/2014/05/12/flash-fiction/
May 12, 2014 — 6:17 PM
E. P. Beaumont says:
The really cool thing about this super-short form is that there’s no time to explain backstories; you just take them for granted and roll with it, and this is what makes this piece work.
May 19, 2014 — 2:29 AM
Kristine McKinley says:
Thanks! I’d never written any flash fiction so I found it fun to write a scene in the middle of a story
May 19, 2014 — 12:42 PM
JP Juniper says:
Wow. This was hard. I managed to work in 2 of the 3 lines, but I’m not sure what I worked them into is actually a story. It might just be a 700-word infodump. It also contains spoilers for a book I haven’t written yet, so… there’s that. I am preambling too much. Here it is: http://jpjuniper.com/from-the-journals-of-dr-douard-bliveau-aug-2nd-1915
May 12, 2014 — 6:32 PM
Mark Baron says:
This line: “History crawls across the dead cities of Mars, darkens their tunnels, rides their manufactured winds like a dandelion seed.” This is perfect. I loved your whole story, marveled at it, but that line gives me chills. Awesomeness! I am struggling with this challenge, and now, I feel ridiculously inept to follow this.
May 13, 2014 — 1:09 PM
JP Juniper says:
Thank you! I really, really, really (xN) struggled with this one too. I didn’t finish it so much as give up on my ability to make it make any more sense. Then this morning I realized that the last line should be “Where is her Vesuvius?” instead and I was … well, I ate an entire piece of cake with my tea, that’s what I was. A giant piece of cake eater. And I’m still kind of mad I couldn’t get that third sentence in.
May 13, 2014 — 2:17 PM
Sara Crow says:
Of the three, the only one I couldn’t manage to squeeze in was the violin line. It seems to me like it SHOULD fit the proem-thing I made, but I just couldn’t get the rhythm right, even with some tweaks. I might find that lightning will strike later and cause it to behave for me.
May 13, 2014 — 2:22 PM
Rebecca Douglass says:
Very cool piece!
May 16, 2014 — 11:02 PM
E. P. Beaumont says:
Pitch perfect, period-correct, and culturally specific, all of which is pulled off with the special effect of language. I want a whole collection of pieces like this. (And I want to eat all the cake, too.)
May 19, 2014 — 2:21 AM
Donna HSB says:
Got all three in! Wooooo! Load Balancing –
May 12, 2014 — 7:00 PM
E. P. Beaumont says:
OK, upfront I must confess this one hits all my kinks: clever hackery, management that underestimates the intelligence and ill-will of its underlings, revolutionary endgame … oh yes, and just plain weirdness. Great job with the alternating viewpoint, with complete confidence that we’d follow — because I did.
May 19, 2014 — 2:24 AM
Donna E. HSB (@konanut) says:
I am so glad you said *something* – thank you for the wonderful praise. Can live on it for weeks. *spikes ball*
May 28, 2014 — 11:47 PM
Jon Stoffel says:
I’m a bit dumb, so I included all three! At ~950 words, I present:
Songs of Dust
http://www.jdstoffel.com/2014/05/songs-of-dust/
May 12, 2014 — 10:06 PM
E. P. Beaumont says:
Nightmarish, constantly shifting landscape — that’s the aftertaste here, and of course the eerie music of the violins.
May 19, 2014 — 2:27 AM
Mozette says:
Woot! I managed all three! 😀
http://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/political-caresses.html
May 12, 2014 — 10:18 PM
Rebecca Douglass says:
That’s terrifying!
May 16, 2014 — 11:05 PM
epbeaumont says:
That one’s a trip to one of the nastier suburbs of dystopia.
May 20, 2014 — 12:34 PM
underastarlitsky says:
Here’s mine:http://underastarlitsky.wordpress.com/ I titled it the same as my blog…it seemed appropriate. I just used one sentence (the 3rd). comments welcome/ appreciated!
May 12, 2014 — 10:23 PM
epbeaumont says:
Steampunk surrealism, or surrealist steampunk … anyway, some kind of genre-rendezvous is going on here. Very entertaining.
May 20, 2014 — 12:38 PM
Caitlin says:
Why thank you! Steampunk surrealism (or surrealist Steampunk) – I like that description! And might just use it to describe my other steampunk stuff!
May 20, 2014 — 12:45 PM
Mark Gardner says:
I continued a project Rob Sadler and I are working on from the Cooperative cliffhanger challenge from about seven months ago. I used the second line.
http://article94.wordpress.com/2014/05/11/my-son-part-4/
May 12, 2014 — 11:08 PM
Doug Daniel says:
Failure–
http://douglasdanieldotcom.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/flash-fiction-challenge-the-poetic-and-the-pragmatic/
May 13, 2014 — 12:09 AM
epbeaumont says:
I like the calm, ceremonial dialogue — with the sense of really dark things moving under the surface — and the radical twist at the end.
May 20, 2014 — 12:52 PM
Sara Crow says:
Inspired by TWO sentences from the challenge. Oh yeah, I’m all about overachieving, baby. Sat down at the typewriter and (literally) banged this sucker out almost immediately after reading the e-mail.
http://writingcyborg.blogspot.com/2014/05/untitled.html
This one is fiction in the way that some of the postmodernists are fiction. More of a…rumination? No…characters, per se. Maybe one. But hell, isn’t Chuck all about breaking those rule-things? Hopefully it works. This is a first draft, so I’m sure I’ll tweak the crap out of it.
May 13, 2014 — 1:05 AM
Alex says:
I enjoyed that, very thought-provoking!
May 13, 2014 — 12:01 PM
Sara Crow says:
Thanks, Alex! I think it’s a “proem.” I’m calling it a “proem” now. That’s a thing, right?
May 13, 2014 — 2:23 PM
epbeaumont says:
I like going on Trips — why else read, or write? and not enough fiction is written about the ultimate Trip that is reading.
May 20, 2014 — 12:54 PM
Alex says:
I chose the first one:
Overture/Finale (With Cannons)
http://justafeverdream.wordpress.com/2014/05/13/overturefinale-with-cannons/
May 13, 2014 — 11:55 AM
epbeaumont says:
REally twisty self-justifying narrator (I think this one takes a few steps beyond “unreliable”) and I have really serious questions about the motives of the human star-warrior, which all adds up to a really strong aftertaste.
May 20, 2014 — 12:56 PM
Alex says:
It’s good that it made an impression!
May 21, 2014 — 8:52 AM
Mark Baron says:
Alright, here’s my go at it…all three sentences used. http://wp.me/p4AFse-39
May 13, 2014 — 2:01 PM
epbeaumont says:
An entire epic-picaresque novel packed into a thousand words. At the usual exchange rate of 1K words = 1 picture, you’ve painted quite a canvas, with the most exciting bits implied just beyond the frame.
May 20, 2014 — 1:01 PM
Mark Baron says:
I am beyond flattered by your praise! Thank you so much for your compliments – I can’t tell you how encouraging they are from a writer of such excellent caliber!
May 20, 2014 — 1:10 PM
aryquin says:
Went with all four for a short short piece found on my ancient dA account, because why not?
Mechanical Spirit: http://tinyurl.com/nj9aomn
May 13, 2014 — 9:04 PM
epbeaumont says:
the opening pulled me in with its intense absorption in details of the craft – and then events took off wildly from there. I am still wondering what the heck happened, but in a really good way, as in “must reread this.”
May 20, 2014 — 1:12 PM
Fran Smith says:
Couldn’t resist! http://wp.me/p43Qpz-O
Love your work.
May 14, 2014 — 5:38 AM
epbeaumont says:
“Gorgon-glaring teenagers” wins my part of the internets, and the story just gets better from here. Yours is the first entry that takes the prompts as hilarious (and occasionally disturbing) translation errors. Whether you’re writing from first-hand experience or well-researched intuition, you’ve nailed the dynamic here.
May 20, 2014 — 1:21 PM
mshatch says:
For some reason that first sentence gave me something to run with:http://mainewords.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-borderlands-expire-thanks-to.html
May 14, 2014 — 10:00 AM
epbeaumont says:
An exquisitely hideous little study in compartmentalization, where all the worst things are implied via flashes of detail.
May 20, 2014 — 1:28 PM
orderneedschaos says:
So I tried to get all three…but alas the creator and inventor didn’t really fit what flowed out of my head….here you go.
http://orderneedschaos.wordpress.com/2014/05/14/flash-fiction-challenge-must-contain-this-sentence/
May 14, 2014 — 11:49 AM
mirrorknobdream says:
http://mirrorknobdream.wordpress.com/2014/05/14/poetikinesis/
May 14, 2014 — 7:18 PM
chriswhitewrites says:
Managed to get a story written this week – it’s very short, I used the sentence “The criminal disappears after the inventor.” and was inspired by the one hundred violins, too.
Nasty, Brutish and Short
http://chriswhitewrites.com/2014/05/15/nasty_brutish_short/
Let me know what you think!
May 14, 2014 — 8:31 PM
melorajohnson says:
Interesting blend of prose and poetic elements.
May 16, 2014 — 12:28 PM
Cody Rock says:
Here’s mine. http://contradictionparadox.blogspot.com/
May 15, 2014 — 8:20 AM
Laura Libricz says:
Ok, I cheated and grabbed a random trope too.
http://lauralibricz.blogspot.de/2014/05/friday-flash_15.html
May 15, 2014 — 11:59 AM
Mark Baron says:
Very enjoyable, and great how much POV can affect the reality of a story. 🙂
May 15, 2014 — 3:06 PM
Laura Libricz says:
Especially if he’s a writer 🙂 Thanks for reading Mark
May 16, 2014 — 4:05 AM
Jemima Pett says:
Took the opportunity to provide some more of Pete and the Swede’s story – my Orichalcum Miners…
It’ll be online in about 40 mins… I’m off to bed now 😉
http://jemimapett.com/blog/2014/05/16/friday-flash-fiction-the-gallery/
May 15, 2014 — 6:32 PM
Rebecca Douglass says:
Jemima is evil 😀
May 16, 2014 — 5:57 PM
epbeaumont says:
Same universe as last week’s story, but a completely different set of characters.
http://epbeaumont.com/2014/05/15/flash-fiction-poetics/
May 15, 2014 — 11:59 PM
Rebecca Douglass says:
Whoa. Being late seems to have cost Chuck a lot of story-posters! Here’s mine. . . I’ll try to get back to read others. . .migraine tonight and this is about all I can look at the computer.
http://www.ninjalibrarian.com/2014/05/flash-fiction-friday-power-of-poetry.html
May 16, 2014 — 12:03 AM
melorajohnson says:
Really enjoyed your story! Love the first contact idea.
May 16, 2014 — 12:29 PM
Rebecca Douglass says:
Thanks!
May 16, 2014 — 5:58 PM
Free Jack Klugman says:
Mine turned out slightly Victorian. You can find it here: http://freejackklugman.com/shorts/victorian/
And for any Ripper fanatics out there, you’ll have to forgive me for exercising a little artistic license with the geography of Whitechapel.
Enjoy!
May 16, 2014 — 1:10 AM
melorajohnson says:
Well written.
May 16, 2014 — 11:45 AM
momdude says:
Damn, it’s late. Damn, I’m tired. The idea came quickly, the execution more slowly, with multiple drafts before it hung together a bit better and fit under the 1,000 word target. Enjoy!
http://pauljwillett.com/2014/05/16/flash-fiction-nuntius/
May 16, 2014 — 3:29 AM
melorajohnson says:
Very nice twist! The first paragraph had me thinking that the main character might actually be a dog, lol. I was picturing a golden retriever for some reason. Did you ever consider that?
May 16, 2014 — 11:10 AM
momdude says:
Didn’t see the golden retriever scenario, but now that you mention it, it does fit the first paragraph, gave me a good laugh! I’ll keep the “canine POV” idea in mind for one of these weeks.
May 16, 2014 — 4:05 PM
physicsjenn says:
I didn’t think I was going to write anything, but then… this happened. I’m not even sure what it is. It’s 350 words, and mildly surreal: http://jennwritesstories.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/terribleminds-flash-fic-challence-fire/
May 16, 2014 — 10:01 AM
melorajohnson says:
Very nice! I’ve written some more abstract stories before and enjoyed them. This one was funny too and I liked where it went with the fusing of electronics and man. A modern Dr. Frankenstein.
May 16, 2014 — 10:44 AM
physicsjenn says:
Yeah, I didn’t even realize how Frankenstein-y my main character was until I was almost done. Thanks!
May 16, 2014 — 10:53 AM
Andrea Blythe says:
Great job. I like the slightly surreal, which the prompt this week kind of lends itself to.
May 16, 2014 — 11:45 AM
melorajohnson says:
Here’s my entry – Senselessness in Suburbia. My first thought when I read the challenge was an alien whose translator was malfunctioning but then my brain said aphasia. http://melorajohnson.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/senselessness-in-suburbia-a-flash-fiction/
May 16, 2014 — 10:15 AM
Andrea Blythe says:
Finally finished my entry – Beyond Borderlands – which has all three phrases: http://www.andreablythe.com/2014/05/friday-flash-beyond-borderlands/
May 16, 2014 — 11:41 AM
Dana Alyce-Schwarz says:
Kept it short this week. But I’m enjoying playing with these two characters.
http://contrastsolution.blogspot.com/2014/05/friday-flash-fiction-don-johnagain.html
May 16, 2014 — 11:51 AM
inkoherent says:
Here’s my effort – “The second that time forgot”. I used all three sentences, but I did go slightly over the word limit… Glad to see lots of people went for all three sentences 🙂
http://inkoherent.wordpress.com/2014/05/16/the-second-that-time-forgot/
May 16, 2014 — 5:43 PM
epbeaumont says:
Read it and it works well as a stand-alone – the kind of passage that will get you to read the novel.
May 20, 2014 — 12:49 PM
epbeaumont says:
aaargh.. hit the wrong button or something. this reply belongs with Doug Daniel’s entry.
May 20, 2014 — 1:23 PM
Andre Gonzalez says:
I am late at below atrocious-with-the-devils-fecal-swiping’s levels on this challenge. Life has a way of plucking you out of the writers stream of time and you have to be courageous enough to dive back in (excuse?). I wrote this story for this particular challenge and wasn’t able to get back to actually posting it on my blog (absent of life, lol) or linking it back here, lol. I’m hoping to be a bit more punctual in the near future!
http://storiesarewords.wordpress.com/2014/07/03/the-hundred-violins-flash-fiction-story/
July 3, 2014 — 9:34 PM