Contest News

Pets. They’re big, small, cute, cuddly, funny, daring, shy. They get into closets and drawers, help clean up, bring home (sometimes still alive) winged or furry presents, hide socks, chew on furniture, could very well replace your paper shredder, give it their best to turn your house into a pond one puddle at a time, leave paw print patterns in freshly poured cement (like my kitties decided to)… Ah, the stories we could tell about our furry babies.

So… why not tell those stories? If you enter by August 31st, you even have the chance to win fabulous prizes. First, second, and third places will receive Amazon gift certificates (or equivalent): $15 for first place, $10 for second, and $5 for third. The three winners will also be showcased right here on FFDO after the contest is completed.

Here’s how to enter:

  1. Upload a photo of your pet somewhere we can see. The new Writer’s Pets Facebook album would be good, or if you are not on Facebook, you can upload them to Bebo’s group (the animal lover’s group here at FFDO).
  2. Write one 250 words (max.) flash inspired by that photo or simply about said pet/pets
  3. Join the Writer’s Pets – Contest Group here at FFDO (you must be a registered member on FFDO to be able to join any group)
  4. Leave your flash as a new forum topic in the contest group: in the “Title” write the flash title and your name separated with “-by…”.   Into “Content” add your flash and don’t forget to add the link of your photo to the end of the flash. You can leave “Tags” empty.
  5. After posting, “view” it and copy+paste the link over to the description of your photo on Facebook if you are using it, so people will find your entry easier

There will be an entry by me in the group and a photo in the Facebook album, so you can check that to see the above steps implemented.

If you don’t personally own a pet, but would like to participate, see if a photo of your friend’s, parent’s, children’s pets prompt a flash. The important thing is to know the pet, as opposed to simple animal photo prompts.

You can post more than one photo, but link to just one for your one and only story. Or you can also leave off adding more photos for now – as the album will remain open even after the contest ends.

While we don’t mind you posting your entry on your own blogs as well, remember: You have to post it to the Writer’s Pets Contest Group to win, place or show since the whole point is to get folks used to using Groups here.

Break a leg everyone!

~~~

Community News

Susan Helene Gottfried has a story that was originally meant to be a #fridayflash published in the Bestseller Bound anthology – Volume 2. Susan’s story is entitled “Make a Wish” and it features ShapeShifter frontman, Mitchell Voss.  You can download the anthology from Smashwords for no other cost then a few clicks of the mouse. Congrats!

Michael J. Solender’s piece, “The Dare”, has been published in the new issue of Blue Print Review in slow release this month. Congratulations, Michael!

Founded by Johanna Harness, the #amwriting community turned two years old on August 3rd. Visit the anniversary post on Amwriting.org to check out the blog party. Happy birthday #amwriting!

Rebecca Emin has been asked to be a part of BBC Radio Oxford’s Book Club feature on 17th August at approximately 1.30pm. So tune in if you can, she’d love to know what you think after the event! Rebecca has also placed her book  in various Oxfordshire bookshops, running out of copies. Congrats on both accounts!

India Drummond’s book, “Blood Faerie: Caledonia Fae”, aside from the e-version, is now also available in paperback on Amazon. Congratulations, India!

~ Estrella Azul

Keep the good news coming! You can send in your news items concerning the Friday Flash community to Estrella at estrella.azul@fridayflash.org or by contacting her on Facebook or Twitter.

Wow, has it been two full years already? This week marks the end of year two. Next week we start it all over again with The Friday Flash Report — Vol 3, and you know where that will likely lead. We closed out the year in fine form with 66 stories and 5 debuts this week. Our debut participants are Dominic Perry, Stacey Larner, Matthew S Williams, Timothy Collard, and Syd Gill. Please give them a warm welcome to the Friday Flash community.

This is the last week you can enter a story for consideration in the Best of Friday Flash – Volume Two. Any story presented as a Friday Flash from the beginning up to and including the ones in this report are eligible for consideration (except if they were in BOFF 1, of course). So if you have not done so already visit the submission guidelines and get that story in before midnight tomorrow night! (Yes, I still need to submit my own – I put the “pro” in procrastination).

As usual, if your story is not in the week’s listing it will be included next week if you visit the Collector and add the details. Speaking of the Collector, you may want to check out my previous post, Heads Up. Someone is obviously using zombie computers to spam the Collector and you may want to see if your computer matches one of the profiles. If so, please take corrective action. I’d hate to have to ban anyone.

I heard from several sources last week that we made the London Evening Standard. Be sure to check out Twitter Inspires Flash of Genius by my new most  favorite journalist in the world, Jasmine Gardner. Yes, if you couldn’t tell, I am a little pleased. Be sure to check out the community news below the listings for more news. If one of the entries looks vaugely familiar, we’ll…

Thanks again to everyone who helps make Friday Flash a weekly success.
~jon Continue reading »

 UPDATE: Gallery Open, But Not As A Contest

We’re writers. We’re nosy. I mean snoopy. Okay, naturally curious.

Want to see each other’s personal writing space – with the added bonus of not having your camera confiscated when security finds you in your fellow writer’s Azalea bush under their window?

Well now you can share the site of your inspiration on the new “My Personal Writing Space” Gallery on Facebook. All you have to do, is upload a photo to the “My Personal Writing Space” album on the #fridayflash Group Page.

We’re looking for photos of where you do your thinking, writing, outlining, research, thumping of head against the desk (either yours or of those who dare disturb the writing process – just make sure to wipe off any blood stains) ;-)

The gallery is open to all, both readers and writers of #FridayFlash. We’ve had to yank the contest, since it apparently violates the Facebook terms of service. It was simply intended to generate interest and interaction on the Facebook Group Page. An open gallery will probably serve the same purpose. To make amends we will send a coupon code for the ebook of the Best of Friday Flash – Volume One to everyone who posted in good faith.

We’d still love to see your photos. Now… what are you waiting for? Get uploading!

 

~ Estrella Azul, Jon Strother

© Photo courtesy of xlibber

We had 54 stories this week with one debut. Please welcome Billie Jo Woods to the ranks of Friday Flash. If your story is not in the list don’t despair, simply add it to the Collector and it will show up in next week’s list.

Time is ticking by, and the deadline for submitting to the Best of Friday Flash – Volume Two is fast approaching. So get thou to the submissions guidelines and enter your best Friday Flash of all time for consideration. You have until COB (that’s one of those silly government acronyms I’m prone to using (Close of Business) on June 2 to get it in.

And watch this space for an exciting contest organized by none other than our own Estrella Azul. Thanks again to everyone who helps make Friday Flash a success each and every week. You are all terrific. ~jon Continue reading »

We had 52 stories this week with one debut. Please welcome Wiley Davis to the Friday Flash Experience. Drop by and say hey to him.

We have five weeks left for people to submit to the Best of Friday Flash – Volume 2. Be sure to check out the submission guidelines, then pick your very best to send in. Remember, no names on the stories. The deadline is June 2nd, 2011.

If your story did not make it into this week’s listing don’t despair, simply add it to the Collector and it will get listed in next week’s report. I know this report came out a bit late (kind of hard to conceal that fact). Sorry about that. No good excuse – just let time slip away from me. Be sure the check out the news collected by our esteemed Estrella Azul, as there is a time sensitive contest in there. I assure you her wish for your happy Easter is only late because of me.
~jon Continue reading »

Best of Friday Flash Wordle BannerWe are now accepting submissions for the Best of Friday Flash — Volume Two. If you are interested in submitting a story please read the general guidelines below, and then tool on over to our handy online submission form. Please note, in the interest of fair judging no names can be attached to the uploaded stories. If your name is on your story it will be eliminated from consideration. You will be allowed to submit another story, but it may no longer be your best. Please do not include your name on the actual story. Continue reading »