Like sleigh bells in the distance on Christmas Eve, something special is approaching...
News
Presenting… Landmarks.
Our 2015 anthology now has a name and a face.
It is called Landmarks,and we owe our thanks to Ian Shine for letting us borrow the name.
National Flash-Fiction Day Anthology 2015
Well, it's been a tortuous job to winnow the 200+ submission down to our selection, but Angi Holden and myself have finally managed it. And so we are pleased to announce that the stories in this years anthology will be as follows:
A Curious State of Affairs by Ingrid Jendrzejewski
A Secret Weight by KM Elkes
Bad Geography by James Coates
Colouring In by Shirley Golden
Coming Back to Primorsk by Anna Nazarova-Evans
Countdown by Susan Howe
Devil's Mountain by Joanna Campbell
Dinner and Geography by Keith Gillison
Disputed Zone by Barbara Leahy
Double Geography by Jane Cooper
Forty Seconds by Katie Stevens
How The Earth Began by Jenny Woodhouse
Her geography by Rob Walton
Holiday Photograph by Else Fitzgerald
I Am Maps* by H Anthony Hildebrand
Keeping in touch by Amanda Quinn
Landmarks by Ian Shine
London by Tracey Upchurch
Love by Nik Perring
North by Michelle Elvy
On Location by Jon Volkmer
On the Beach by Kate Mahony
Pen Y Fan by Susan Carey (Angela Williams)
Petty Larceny at the Grocery by Beverly C. Lucey
Postcards by Mike Scott Thomson
Re:Help by Sandra Kohls
Saharan Shades by Santino Prinzi
Spinning the Bottle by Timothy Mark Roberts
Sweet Gestures by Chris Stanley
The Beautiful Game by Sonya Oldwin
The Blue House by Cath Barton
The Gambler by Richard Holt
The Next Island by Jamie Hubner
The Owner by Bart Van Goethem
The Psychiatrist's Shoe by Nod Ghosh
Toy Soldier by Pauline Masurel
Tunnels by Marie Gethins
Tunnels by Isobel Victoria Newham (Vicky)
Useless Without The Other Half by Vanessa Savage
Wall Map by Emeline Morin
Welcome to All Souls’ Park by Gemma Govier
Who Can Hear The Screaming by Kirsten Anne McKenzie
Would It Kill You to Smile, Blanca Gomez? by Nuala Ní Chonchúir
You Promised by Cath Bore
Love in Different Time Zones by Jane Roberts
A Place in Time by Ruth Doris
Five Travellers in a Small Ford by James Norcliffe
Scattered (After Mike Blow's Aeolus) by Emily Koch
The Somewhere Road by Alex Reece Abbott
Third Shadow by Tim Stevenson
Hilary Is the Winters of Keith's Discontent by Kevlin
We Endure by Cathy Lennon
How Can I Get You to Dance? by Angela Readman
Ultima Thule by Jonathan Pinnock
Travels in Ink by Angi Holden
Your Body Is Terrain They Can Map Now (Not That That Helps You, Much) by Amy Mackelden
A Face in the Crowd by Calum Kerr
Saddle Stitch by Michelle Keefe
I am East by Sarah Hilary
Fingers Crossed by SJI Holliday
Fable by Oli Morris
With the winning and commended titles from the Micro-Fiction Competition:
Fly by Rob Walton
i want someone who loves me so much they don't care about grammar by Laura Tansley
A Weekend Away by Diane Simmons
The Pacifist by Nick Triplow
Marks and Sparks by Ian Shine
Spreading The Chaos by Mark Newman
A History Of Ants In The Sugar Bowl by Julie Sawyer
Maturity by Jude Higgins
Stiff by Joanna Campbell
And A Bottle Of Rum by Garreth Wilcock
Congratulations to all who made it in. Commiserations to those who were unsuccessful.
We are currently working on the title and the cover, and those will be announced as soon as can be!
Thanks to all who took part, to Angi for helping to select the stories, and to Amy and Tino for their amazing work.
More soon...
Calum Kerr
Director of NFFD
NFFD Micro-Fiction Competition Winners!
Well, the judges have sweated and grumbled, but in the end we managed to get them to make a decision, and we're pleased to announce the winning 10 stories from this year's over-300 entries to the Micro-Fiction competition.
The only stipulation was that the story should be 100 words or fewer and I think you'll be amazed at what they achieved.
The top three will win packages of books and cash, and all ten will appear in this year's anthology, which will be available for National Flash-Fiction Day on 27th June.
Congratulations and thanks to all who entered for making the judges' jobs so hard, and extra congratulations to our winners!
FIRST PRIZE
Fly
by Rob Walton
I’m rushing to push my lunch box in to my bag when I see these two who must be flying a kite on the green triangle outside the school because she’s holding a length of string, showing him how to thread it through his fingers, but then I realise she’s teaching fly fishing with no river for miles and the nearest polluted anyway and I look again, and she’s reading him Ted Hughes and he’s hanging on every word as he casts better than anyone I’ve ever seen, and we all realise that rivers are just a bonus extra.
SECOND PRIZE
I want someone who wants me so much they don’t care about grammar
by Laura Tansley
On a canker of a concrete wall in a ground-up grey car park the colour of chewed gum a lover paints in lower case ‘your nicer than my wife’ above the butt bumper of a blue Fiesta. Each morning it waggles its way out of the space like a preening duck presenting. And when the bay is empty I lie on the earth to feel the heat of tires, the smoked breath of exhaust fumes and high-humidity whispers.
THIRD PRIZE
A Weekend Away
by Diane Simmons
When I struggled off the train, you laughed, ‘You’ve brought rather a lot.’
In formal hall, I copied how others ate, tried not to grimace at the musty wine. At the theatre, you laughed when an actor spat into the audience. I tried to look like I thought it funny.
I tried to enjoy the beer you bought me in Trinity College bar, tried to like your boisterous friends, was pleased when one asked, ‘What are you reading?’
I didn’t understand why everyone laughed when I replied, ‘The new Ian Rankin.’
But when you laughed, I understood you.
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Marks and Sparks
by Ian Shine
Her online dating profile said she was into M&S, so I proposed we meet up at our local shopping centre. I've been helping her with her dyslexia for a few months now, and she's been giving me the time of my life.
The Pacifist
by Nick Triplow
Old man Wilson, he calls himself a pacifist. Exchanges opinions and anecdotes for drinks at the Danny’s Bar: a cut price raconteur preaching non-violence. Last night I discovered he carried a loaded .38 in the pocket of his reefer. I said, ‘How d’you square it, this turn the other cheek shit, with the thirty-eight?’
He boot-heeled his cigarette, gave a smile that showed gaps where teeth used to be. ‘Wouldn’t feel right bein’ a pacifist without it.’
"But— "
He pulled it, cocked it and rested the business end against my forehead. ‘See son, how peaceful that makes you feel?’
A History of Ants in the Sugar Bowl
by Julie Sawyer
“Little blighters are back again” Stan said. “Look” he added, finger stabbing the sugar bowl. Margo looked. “This‘ll teach ‘em” Stan muttered, pouring boiling water from the kettle into the frosted glass, grunting with satisfaction as a dozen or so agonised black forms caught mid-syrup. Margo imagined she could hear their tiny screams. “You’ll have to ant powder the place again” she said. Stan glared at the offending bowl and harrumphed, before stomping out to the shed. Touching the recently emptied matchbox in her pocket, Margo watched him go; knowing that she now had a whole afternoon to herself.
And A Bottle of Rum
by Garreth Wilcock
"Then the Pirate Queen sliced my ribs with her cutlass and I fell to the deck as she left."
He lifted his gown to show the gruesome scar to his niece.
"So how did you get off your ship and into Papworth Hospital?"
"Glad you asked. Mermaids towed my ship to shore, and my parrot stole a mobile and called 999."
"Daddy says you had a double lung transplant, and you might be confused. Because of morphine."
Morphine, yes, but not confused. Just not ready to tell a child that he was breathing with treasure from a dead man's chest.
Spreading the Chaos
by Mark Newman
He is taking groceries into the house, an obedient little puppy; his wife directing him as if this is something that needs supervision.
Out the window she yells 'oi, shit brains. I've had the abortion, so screw you, have it all your way'.
He looks on with a bemused expression, a lost little boy, unsure which way to turn. His wife punches him on the shoulder; still he holds her gaze.
She winds the window up; gives a mock salute and drives away.
She has never seen this man before. This is just something she does; spreading the chaos.
Maturity
by Jude Higgins
I'll avoid sitting on cold flag stones, swimming on a full stomach, going out with wet hair, bringing lilacs into the house or trusting men whose eyebrows meet in the middle.
I'll wear a dress – sometimes heels, attend my degree ceremonies, get a proper job, stay married, have babies, cook roast dinners, celebrate Christmas, visit relatives, hold family gatherings, stop causing arguments. Be kind.
I'll do what I want, even if my mother wants it too.
Even if it makes me happy.
Stiff
by Joanna Campbell
When our Rose wouldn't put her arms in the sleeves of her best frock, Mam wept. Not just because of wanting Rose beautiful, but on account of the photographer charging by the minute.
“We’re up to a week’s housekeeping already,” Mam hissed, pinching Rose’s cheeks to raise a bloom.
I imagined four loaves, three quarts of milk and a string of prime sausage floating out the window.
Rose were right starchy-stiff. I couldn't twist her arm.
So I crouched behind and pushed my arms through her sleeves, lacing my fingers, just how our Mam wanted the corpse to look.
Micro-Fiction Competition 2015 – Longlist
Hello everyone,
Well, the judges have been doing their thing, and we are close to being able to announce our top 10 and our winner!
But just to get you in the mood, here is our longlist of 25. I will only post the titles at the moment, but you'll know who you are.
Final announcement of the top ten will be out soon.
Well done to everyone who entered. A hard job for the judges as ever.
Longlist:
A Giant Emerges
A History Of Ants In The Sugar Bowl
A Weekend Away
And A Bottle Of Rum
Another's
At the Seams
Cosmic Latte
Fly
Home Maintenance
I want someone who wants me so much they don’t care about grammar
Instructions for Dreaming of the Dead
Justified Violence
Letters
Marks and Sparks
Maturity
Night Watch
Ramon The Killer
Sisters
Spreading the Chaos
Staying At Grandma’s
Stiff
The City in Winter
The Mark of the Finger
The Pacifist
Tinted
Bulletin 07/05/15
Hello everyone,
Well, here in the UK it is Election Day. I'm just about to head out to vote and I urge you to do the same. (If I said I don't care who you vote for, I'd be lying - of course I care - but whoever it is, I just think you should vote.)
Once you've written your X in the box, maybe it's time to sit down and use even more letters to create something almost as wonderful as a functioning democracy. I'm talking, of course, about flash-fictions!
Our Anthology is still open for submissions. This year's theme is 'geography' which covers everything from technical terms about erosion or land-masses to stories rooted firmly in place (galaxy, planet, country, city, village, house, lounge, this chair... the choice is yours.) The closing date is 15th May so you still have time to enter. Details at: http://
And, we are also running our Micro-Fiction competition looking for stories of 100 words or fewer. This one has prizes including books (some listed on the site, more to be added) and cash! Also, the top ten will be featured in this year's anthology. So, it's definitely worth a go. Full details at http://
If you could post, tweet, blog and otherwise share the news of those two opportunities (repeatedly) then we would, as ever, be utterly grateful.
Other things are on the horizon, with Bristol announcing their Flash-Fiction Day activities, including this year's reading being hosted by Foyles!
Big Smoke in Dublin are also gearing up, as are a number of others. We're adding events to the website at http://
Coming up sooner, for those in and around Manchester, you can see the wondrous David Gaffney, Sarah-Clare Conlon, Nicholas Royle, Kate Feld, Claire Dean, Sarah Butler and more at 'Re/Place – Stories that are right up your street'. It takes place on 20th May and is free. Doors are open at 7.30pm. 30 Manchester Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, M21 9PH. See replacemcr.wordpress.com
Anyway, that's it for now. Share our news, go out and vote, then come back and get writing.
Happy Flashing!
Calum.
--
Calum Kerr
Director, National Flash-Fiction Day
(This bulletin was originally sent as an email to our mailing list. If you would like to be added, please email us at nationalflashfictionday@gmail.com and we'll put you on the list for future mailings.)
Bulletin 09/04/15
Hello everyone,
Well, it's taken a little longer than usual to get up and running this year (thanks to that thing called 'Life') but here we are, and we're starting to look forward to this year's National Flash-Fiction Day.
It will be held on Saturday 27th June 2015, some events are already in the pipeline, but now is the time for you to start thinking about what you'd like to do in your area to celebrate Flash-Fiction and short, short stories of all kinds.
In previous years, people have held readings, workshops, and slams, run competitions, compiled anthologies, staged Flash flash-mobs and more. What are you going to do? Let us know and we'll help promote your event.
To get things going we're now accepting submissions for a new issue of our pop-up journal, Flash-Flood. Submissions are open until midnight on Wednesday 15th April, and the journal will appear online all day on Friday 17th April. More information and submission guidelines can be found at http://flashfloodjournal.blogspot.co.uk/ and http://flashfloodjournal.blogspot.co.uk/p/submission-guidelines.html. Please spread the word and, of course, send us your stories.
We will also soon be launching both our Micro-Fiction competition and our Anthology, so stay turned for more information on those.
This is the fourth year of National Flash-Fiction Day and we hope you're as excited as we are. We'll be doing lots of things here, but with your help we can make it the best one yet.
More soon,
Calum Kerr
Director, National Flash-Fiction Day
Happy National Flash-Fiction Day 2014!
Hooray!
It seems to have been on its way for a long time, but the day is finally here.
So Happy National Flash-Fiction Day everyone!
I shan't keep you for long, but just to round up all the things you need to be aware of.
First, we have the events which are running today. Details of those are on the website and on the blog. I shall be in Bristol doing the FREE workshop and the FREE reading, along with loads of other talented writers, so do come along and say 'hi!'. Or, if it's too far away, consider one of the other events.
And if they are all too far, but you want to get involved, then we have launched a Write-In which will be taking place all day. A team of editors are standing by, and a selection of prompts are there to get you started. All that is over at https://thewrite-in.blogspot.com/ so why not pop over and write a quick one!
We are also promoting a range of eBooks, some free, some ridiculously cheap, including both the previous NFFD anthologies and the new one. All the details of that are also on the blog.
Paper copies of the new anthology will be on sale at the Bristol events, or you can order one now from Amazon. It is, as ever, a fantastic read.
And we are, of course, streaming stories out into the world all day, with FlashFlood. So do pop over, read some, and leave the writers some nice comments.
And, at this point, before I sign off, I need to say a few words of thanks:
First, and most importantly, thanks to my wife, Kath. She had put up with me working long days on NFFD, and being either spaced out or grumpy. And she stepped in as a FlashFlood editor too. So, thanks, love!
Thanks to the judges of our Micro-Fiction competition - Cathy Bryant, Jon Pinnock, Carys Bray, Angela Readman, Kevlin Henney and Tim Stevenson.
Extra thanks to Tim for rebuilding our website and putting up with me being stroppy, and to Angela for helping to edit the anthology and pull together another amazing selection of stories. And thanks also to Amy Mackelden for sterling work marshaling the stories, preparing manuscripts, keeping track of everything, and even co-editing the anthology. Every despot needs an Amy.
And finally, thanks to all of you. Without the readers and the writers, National Flash-Fiction Day would just be me, in a room, typing to myself. So, I thank you, and my sanity thanks you.
Now, that's all. Get on with you, you crazy kids, haven;t you got stories to write, or read, or share?
Have a great day.
Calum
Calum Kerr
Director, National Flash-Fiction Day
Special Offer eBooks for National Flash-Fiction Day 21st June 2014
Yes, you read that correctly. Not only are we bringing you a host of lovely words and events, but we're bringing you genuine Special Offers!
So, below, please find a list of ebooks, mostly on Kindle, but some not, which will be FREE, DISCOUNTED, or just generally LOW PRICED, all day on 21st June 2014, available all around the world!
Just one thing. The writers of all of these books would appreciate it if, after you read (and hopefully enjoy) their books, you could write them a review either on Amazon or on your own blog. That way other people can enjoy their stories too. Thank you!
(Please note - timings for Kindle promotions are based on the time in San Francisco, or LA, or one of those West Coast places. So they don't tend to start until about 8am in the UK (and often start late, too!) So check that the price is what you expect before you click the 'Buy' button. Also, this post is coming out early - this is books which will be on offer tomorrow UK time.
Also, please note that all links are to the UK Amazon. If you are elsewhere, simply change the .co.uk in the link to .com, or whatever, and it will take you straight to the right page.)
FREE BOOKS:
Jawbreakers - the 2012 NFFD Anthology
Scraps - the 2013 NFFD Anthology
The Funerals at Christmas by Dixon Barker
Thresholds by David Hartley
75x75 = Flash Fraction by Helena Mallett
Enough by Valerie O'Riordan
31 by Calum Kerr
Apocalypse by Calum Kerr
The Audacious Adventuress by Calum Kerr
The Grandmaster by Calum Kerr
Lunch Hour by Calum Kerr
Mr & Mrs Flash by Kath Kerr and Calum Kerr
Also:
"Long Stories Short" by Marc Nash (Kindle only)
Marc Nash's third collection of flash fiction (stories of 1000 words or less) sees the master craftsman wrangle language like no other and make daring leaps of narrative style in this 32 story collection. Themes include Royal Wedding street parties, neon cowboys, dating apps, Hollywood directors, angels, assassins, glass eyes, arthritic stand up comedians, Geishas, Warrior-Poets, marionettes, Crime Scene Reconstruction actors, paintballing and waking up; images and metaphors for our modern age. The whole gamut of human emotions, relationships and idiosyncrasies is on show in this collection and all genres are playfully subverted.
e-mail sewell.d@googlemail.com for a Mobi kindle compatible version to be emailed back to you.
Offer closes June 22nd 23.00pm BST
DISCOUNTED & LOW PRICE BOOKS:
Eating My Words - the 2014 NFFD Anthology (New release) 98p
Time by Calum Kerr (New release) 98p
Rapture and what comes after by Virginia Moffatt (New release) 98p
28 Far Cries by Marc Nash (New release) 98p
The Book of Small Changes by Tim Stevenson 98p
The World in a Flash by Calum Kerr (Non-Fiction) 98p
This post is a work in progress. So if you book is going to be free or under £1 tomorrow, send the link to nationalflashfictionday@gmail.com.
Saturday is the Day!
Dear all,
Just a quick catch up, while there are a few spare minutes here at NFFD Towers, to bring you up to date.
First, it's National Flash-Fiction Day on Saturday (in case you had forgotten). Various events are taking place, and details of them can be found at http://
On the day, we are encouraging people at the events to tweet about them, using the hashtag #nffdlive. I know Bristol and Oxford are already taking part, but if you are at any event for the day, please feel free to use it.
In addition, we will be streaming a veritable flood of flashes through our online journal at http://flashfloodjournal.
We are also planning a worldwide writing event for the day, so stay tuned for more on that.
Our anthology, Eating My Words, is now available in Kindle and paperback formats should you want to treat yourself, and it would be really good if you could spread the word about those too.
Other books, including our previous two anthologies, will be available for FREE download on the Day, and an email will come out about that with links to all the various books. If you have a flash-fiction collection on Kindle, and would like to promote it for free on the Day, let us know the link and we'll add you to the list.
Anything else you want to tell us, you know where we are.
I'll be in touch again, on the day (if not before) but if I don't see you, have a wonderful Flash-Fiction Day!
All best
Calum
--
Calum Kerr
Director, National Flash-Fiction Day
(You bulletin was originally sent as an email to our mailing list. If you would like to be added, please email us at nationalflashfictionday@gmail.com and we'll put you on the list for future mailings.)