A Deadly Substitution

 

“Your Majesty, I beseech you…”

“It is not your place,” the king continued rewrapping tampered-with food parcels. “I’m surprised it’s you who objects.”

“I live for the court,” the jester looked at his pointy shoes mumbling, “and this may bring the end of it.”

“What was that?”

Taking a deep breath, the jester lifted his head, bells on his hat jingling. “The commoners…they will revolt.”

“Nonsense!” The king’s face reddened, softened, and then he laughed. “Ah, another of your jokes.”

The jester cringed. “No joke, Your Majesty. Substituting carob for chocolate… It may be the end of the kingdom.”

 

 

The weekly 99-word Flash Fiction Challenge over at Carrot Ranch  

February 4, prompt: Substitution – In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story that features a substitution. *Bonus points for fairy tale elements.

#BlogBattle is a monthly writing prompt for flash fiction/short stories hosted by Rachael Ritchey.

February Prompt: Revolution 

 

Hidden Obstacle #WritePhoto

 

 

There was something behind the rock.

She hitched her bag back over her shoulder and stepped off the path. Hidden in the ferns, she had time to think. Was there another way to get to the hill? Could she wait it out? Should she confront it?

A million more questions plagued her, comforted her, kept her still in body, if not mind.

She was stuck in the safety of not moving on.

The rock was fairly small for a boulder in these parts, wasn’t it? Or was it large? She didn’t dare peek, relying on the accuracy of memory.

Fear danced with reality and the rock became a boulder, then three, then a wall. Late morning shadows stretched before her, creating shapes of all that the obstacle could be.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, another, another… On opening them, she saw the dark shape of the ferns. Felt the fear of the woman waiting in them. She stepped out from behind the stone, reached out her hand, and walked with her to the hill.

 

 

Here is my attempt at #writephoto, a weekly writing prompt for poetry/flash/short stories hosted by Sue Vincent. (So pleased Sue was feeling able to bring #writephoto back. Please do visit and write a little something.) 

 

Light at the End of the Tunnel

 

There would be no escape.

That was it then. She’d gotten turned around somehow. Night clawed at her bare legs, ripped through her thin, cotton gown.

She’d never been afraid of the dark but, tonight, it had teeth. It chewed her psyche, swallowed her hope of leaving this place.

A spot of light caught her eye. The beam from a flashlight bobbed just beyond the gate. A hand stuck through the bars, dangling keys from its fingertips.

She ran to the light, laughing.

They’d catch her and she’d be back here but no matter. First, she’d have her revenge.

 

The weekly 99-word Flash Fiction Challenge over at Carrot Ranch

 

January 21, prompt: Clichés – In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story that rephrases: “light at the end of the tunnel”.

 

Freedom of Flight

 

She always knew she’d be the one to die.

Ever since she was a child, butterflies landed on the chains that bound her feet as she worked.

She stood with the others before the sacrificial stone. Stained with blood and carved with butterflies, it spoke to the village of fear. Freedom caught mid-flight.

Each girl’s hand held a slip of paper.

One after another, they faced the crowd, lifted their arms. One after another they displayed their papers. Blue ovals.

She unfolded her sheet. Blank.

Today, she would be the reminder. Although they had wings, they would never fly.

 

 

The weekly 99-word Flash Fiction Challenge over at Carrot Ranch  

January 7, prompt: Butterflies & Stones – In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about the contrasting prompts butterfly and stones. 🦋 

#BlogBattle is a monthly writing prompt for flash fiction/short stories hosted by Rachael Ritchey.

January Prompt: Blank 

 

Lemon Queens

 

It’s because of my sister.

She got a Disney princess dress for Halloween two years ago. Now she wears that stupid costume, and crown, every day.

We’re the Lemond twins but, in our neighborhood, we’re known as the Lemon Queens. And it’s because of my sister. She turned a serious business into a joke. And I hate her.

After the cards, cakes, and casseroles stopped, I opened a lemonade stand. I made the drinks myself. People said it was tasty. It wasn’t. I smiled. They knew we needed money and I knew to be nice, so we both pretended.

 

Flash Fiction Challenge over at Carrot Ranch 

August 27, prompt: Lemon Queen – In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story that features Lemon Queens. 🌻

 

 

When She Was in Danger

 

I wanted to be brave.

Not like heroes in fairy tales.

Not like that.

Just an ordinary courage that snuck in the drafty front window in our kitchen and found me in the midst of calamity.

But I froze. Mind blank.

For all the bravery I thought I possessed, that I claimed I would have, should the moment arise, I failed.

Whether it dissipated when need barked at it or I never had it to begin with, I was frozen in a time when she couldn’t respond and I wear that coldness like a lead vest. My badge of dishonor.

 

Flash Fiction Challenge over at Carrot Ranch 

May 14, prompt: Danger – In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story that answers the question, “What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you are in absolute danger?”

 

 

Nourishment

 

She felt magnolia petals falling on her grave.

Freshly dug, soil still loose, the mound surrounded by mourners, she heard crying. Noisy sniffles, gentle sobs, painful wails.

She shifted focus from those above her, fixing her mind on the tree. Its branches reached for her. This time of year, it offered pale pink flowers.

This time of year, it needed her most.

And every spring these coming years. Her body would nourish the magnolia roots and, in return, her grave would be speckled with velvet petals. Nourishment for her soul.

When the grieving left, she would dance in nature’s bouquet.

 

Flash Fiction Challenge over at Carrot Ranch 

May 7, prompt: Nourish – In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about something that nourishes/is being nourished.

 

 

Featured On the Reef ~ Super-Sized Stay at Home Sale! #StayAtHome #BookSale #AmReading

On the Reef is a series featuring fabulous indie authors from around the blogosphere and beyond. Titles, covers, and blurbs that catch my eye, new releases, great reads… Basically, authors I’d like to highlight and works I’d like to share with my fellow book-loving word nerds. Happy Reading!

As I posted, both my books are on sale as “lockdown literature” right now. 

I’ve seen other authors who’ve done this so thought I’d compile a list. I got as many as I could but I’m only human. (Honestly, was hoping to have a bit more time to pull this together but some of these sales are time-sensitive so please know I did the best I could.) 🙂📚❤️

There are some AMAZING books and talented authors here. Please do check them out.

Stay Healthy!

Featured Lockdown Literature (On Sale for You)

_________________________________

BOOKS ON SALE:

 

On the Edge of a Raindrop by Sarah Brentyn: Flash Fiction DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY HERE 📚❤️ FREE! UNIVERSAL LINK

Hinting at Shadows by Sarah Brentyn: Flash Fiction DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY HERE 📚❤️ UNIVERSAL LINK

Fairies, Myths, & Magic by Colleen Chesebro: Poetry  DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY HERE 📚❤️ UNIVERSAL LINK

Heartstone Chronicles by Colleen Chesebro: MG / YA DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY HERE 📚❤️ UNIVERSAL LINK

Parallel Lies by Georgia Rose: Romance / Suspense DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY HERE 📚❤️ UNIVERSAL LINK

The Joker by Georgia Rose: Romance / Short Story DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY HERE 📚❤️ UNIVERSAL LINK

ALL books from Marcia Meara: Paranormal / Fantasy DOWNLOAD YOUR COPIES HERE 📚❤️ UK | US

ALL books from J.D. Estrada: Poetry / Non-Fiction / Fantasy DOWNLOAD YOUR COPIES HERE 📚❤️ UK | US

ALL books by Geoff Le Pard: Literary Fiction / Short Stories / Memoir DOWNLOAD YOUR COPIES HERE 📚❤️ UK | US

Eyre Hall Trilogy by Luccia Gray: Historical Romance DOWNLOAD YOUR COPIES HERE 📚❤️ UK | US

Dragons & Ravens by E.E. Rawls: MG / Vampires DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY HERE 📚❤️ UK | US

Strayborn by E.E. Rawls: MG / Vampires DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY HERE 📚❤️ UK | US

Fallout by Harmony Kent: SciFi / Post-Apocalyptic: DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY HERE 📚❤️ UNIVERSAL LINK

Broken Heart Attack by James J. Cudney: Cozy Mystery DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY HERE 📚❤️ UK | US 

 

Sublime Shadows of Life by Balroop Singh: Poetry DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY HERE 📚❤️ UNIVERSAL LINK

Timeless Echoes by Balroop Singh: Poetry DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY HERE 📚❤️ UNIVERSAL LINK

 

Somebody’s Daughter by Anne Goodwin: Short Stories DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY HERE 📚❤️ UK |US 

On the Reef: The Shark’s Coronavirus Quarantine Feature

Featured On the Reef ~ Stay at Home Sale! #StayAtHome #BookSale #Free

 

 

On the Reef is a series featuring fabulous indie authors from around the blogosphere and beyond. Titles, covers, and blurbs that catch my eye, new releases, great reads… Basically, authors I’d like to highlight and works I’d like to share with my fellow book-loving word nerds. Happy Reading!

Both my books are on sale as “lockdown literature” right now so grab yourself a copy (or two)! 

 

On the Edge of a Raindrop

WHEN YOU’RE ON THE EDGE, IT’S EASY TO FALL

These are stories of lives on the edge.

A girl tortured by the world within her. A boy powerless to escape his home. A mother doomed to live with her greatest mistake. A man lost in a maze of grief.

 

Each raindrop provides a microscopic mirror of ourselves and those around us. But we can’t always trust what we see. The distorted images disorient the mind, altering our view of reality.

This second collection of flash and micro fiction explores the depths of the human condition and the fragile surface of our perceptions.

Dive into these tales of darkness and discover what life is like On the Edge of a Raindrop

 

You can get your copy here: Universal Link

🙂📚❤️ It’s FREE for 5 days! (April 24-28)

Hinting at Shadows

NO ONE ESCAPES LIFE UNSCATHED
Delve into the deeper reaches of the human condition and the darkness that lives there.

A girl haunted by her sister’s drowning. A boy desperate for his father’s affection. A woman forced to make a devastating decision. A man trapped by his obsessions.

Experience tales of love, loss, murder, and madness through this collection of flash and micro fiction.

Take a peek behind the smile of a stranger. Get a glimpse inside the heart of a friend. Scratch the surface and discover what is hidden beneath.

These stories will open your mind, tug at your thoughts, and allow you to explore the possibility that, even in the brightest moments, something is Hinting at Shadows.

 

You can get your copy here: Universal Link

🙂📚❤️ It’s on sale for 99c/99p right now!

 

About er…me:

Sarah Brentyn is an introvert who believes anything can be made better with soy sauce and wasabi.

She loves words and has been writing stories since she was nine years old. She talks to trees and apologizes to inanimate objects when she bumps into them.

When she’s not writing, you can find her strolling through cemeteries or searching for fairies.

She hopes to build a vacation home in Narnia someday. In the meantime, she lives with her family and a rainbow-colored, wooden cat who is secretly a Guardian.

Website / Blog
Amazon Author Page

Be well, gentle readers.

 

On the Reef: The Shark’s Coronavirus Quarantine Feature

Screens

 

The door was wide open.

She never had that screen installed and cursed herself for it now. Nothing stood between them. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

She shifted, torn, wondering if she should relent or fight. Quickly dismissing her chances winning, she thought of running. How far could she get? Her eyes darted to the back slider, the yard beyond stretching into dense woods.

“It’s cold out here. You going to make me push my way past you?”

“What? Oh, sweetie, you caught me off guard,” she smiled, shield up. “Come in, please. What a pleasant surprise.”

 

Flash Fiction Challenge over at Carrot Ranch 

April 10, prompt: Face Shield – In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story that declares, shield your face.