March 18: Flash Fiction Challenge

Today, I arrived at the supermarket at 9am forgetting that it doesn’t open until 10am on a Sunday. I decided to go for a walk in our local country park. After a short walk, I sat down and started writing down the idea for this flash fiction piece. Whilst there, I was intrigued to see two old gents chatting in the park bench just a short distance away from me. I couldn’t resist doing a bit of writer eavesdropping. They were so lovely – one was my dad’s age – and he mentioned it’s his birthday next Saturday! They were talking about the passing of time, their youth, and the like. I enjoyed their company so much, lol, Little did they know!!! I hope I see them again! Anyway, I digress. Perhaps, they will feature in a future flash fiction piece that I will write.

For now, this is the flash I came up with:

March 18, 2021, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that takes place a year later. It can be any year. Explore the past year or another significant passing of time to a character. Go where the prompt leads!

The sun shone, bathing my face with a pink glow as I sat in the garden of our new villa.

Portugal. I’ve always loved this beautiful country. Now we’re here for keeps.

My husband played a cheery tune on his guitar. The stress of COVID diminished with each strum and every note. Tears streamed from his eyes. Tears streamed from my eyes. I reached out and touched his hand. No one else could make this happen. No one would brave enough to take such a chance during a pandemic. Only him.

We didn’t speak, our tears told the story.

Here’s the link to Charli’s post: https://carrotranch.com/2021/03/19/march-18-flash-fiction-challenge-2/

Hope you enjoyed the flash. I still hope to live in Portugal one day… let’s see whether it happens! If anyone can make it happen my hubby can! Lol.

Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Authors Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/M-J-Mallon/e/B074CGNK4L
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon

#ABRSC – Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1829166787333493/
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March 21, 2021 10

Flash Fiction Challenge: Carrot Ranch Literary Community #flash #fiction #challenge

I’ve always enjoyed Westerns!! The prompt this week is to write a story about what happens on the dusty trail and Respond by October 6, 2020.

Excitement is building at Carrot Ranch for TUFF – TUFF stands for The Ultimate Flash Fiction which is every Monday — October 5, 12, 19, and 26.

So here is my Oct 1st Flash Fiction take about how love must have been short and sweet in times of life and death.

The Darnedest Cowboy

The darnedest cowboy walked towards me. His cowboy boots churned up the dusty road. My heartbeat so loudly I swore it was going to giddy up, catch a ride on a wild horse and land on his Western shirt. His eyes twinkled as he dawdled a few feet away. He kicked a stone, spat some cheeky grits into the ground and walked right past, lassoing my heart with his.

I stayed still until I heard the deafening gunshot. Damn. Wild West gals sure don’t remember no dead cowboy long.

Love ain’t for dead buckaroos!

October 1: Flash Fiction Challenge

Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Authors Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/M-J-Mallon/e/B074CGNK4L
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/
#ABRSC: Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/m-j-mallon Collaborative Group: https://www.facebook.com/pg/5SpiritualSisters/

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October 4, 2020 15

February 6: Flash Fiction Challenge Carrot Ranch

In response to Charli Mill’s challenge this is my entry.

I’m so sorry to hear about the loss of Charli’s dear dog Bobo, pets are family and to lose a dear family member is so hard.

My piece of dog flash, dedicated to Bobo.

‘What’s the point of these daisies?’ Bandit asked.
‘I’ve no idea, you can’t eat them, their flowers smell’s rank, but our human pets like them,’ replied Duchess.
Bandit poked his nose towards human pet Annie, who was sitting on the grass making a daisy chain.
‘Stop nosing about Bandit! Hey, girl.’ Annie stroked Bandit’s imaginary friend’s coat and popped a daisy chain over her head.
Bandit barked.
‘Okay Bandit, I have one for you too. Look how it contrasts with your black coat, boy.’

‘Woof!’

The two Labradors ran away, one black, another camouflaged by the field of daisies.

February 6: Flash Fiction Challenge

My YA fantasy:

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

My poetry, prose and photography collection releases on February 17th.
Amazon UK Kindle Pre-order links:

Amazon USA kindle pre-order link:

https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Sagittarius-Poetry-Prose-Mallon-ebook/dp/B084DQV3HW/

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February 7, 2020 15

Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction

It’s raining again and I think of you. The park bench with your name rests, waiting for another raindrop to thirst quench my sorrow.

By 11.30am it’s raining hard. I capture a single drop of heaven’s rain on my tongue. I taste it. It’s lonely, like this new day without you.

You loved the rain;your days were full of joy. I have an umbrella in my bag but no need for it. And neither do you.

It’s tranquil today,

November Rain, June Sunshine,

Seasons talk of Love,

Strolling side by side – Mists, gusts,

Welly boots squelching the earth.

***

The second half of this flash was a poem I wrote for Colleen’s Poetry Challenge.

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January 28, 2020 14

Flash Fiction: Carrot Ranch – Protest

Confusion’s Blunt Knife

‘I didn’t do it,’ he howled.

‘Stop your protesting, we saw you!’

‘It wasn’t me, it was them.’

‘Excuses, excuses. Them don’t do that, only this does.’

Confusion handed the boy the knife. It was blunt.

‘Why you always blunt?’ he asked.

‘To see if you will sharpen your mind, you idiot!’

The boy looked lost. He pulled his jacket tight around him searching for the right words.

‘My mind is tired, too wired to remember this: who, did what to whom.’

‘Who, or what are you, boy?’

‘I’m tight wound like this jacket.’

‘Strait, that’s what you are.’

January 16: Flash Fiction Challenge

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Unique Selling Point: Unique, Imaginative, ‘Charming, enchanting and richly layered this is purely delightful.’

“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro (Editor)

Social Media Links

Authors Website: https://mjmallon.com
Collaborative Blog: https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com
Twitter: @Marjorie_Mallon and @curseof_time
#ABRSC: Authors Bloggers Rainbow Support Club on Facebook
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17064826.M_J_Mallon

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/

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January 19, 2020 13

Carrot Ranch Flash Fiction Challenge: January 9th #flashfiction

Here’s my piece of flash in response to Charli Mill’s flash fiction challenge:

A Carried Jezebel

Annie glanced at her scrawny husband. A glance was all it took. He couldn’t lift her, no carried wife could she ever be. No threshold over which she could be taken. Adam was different. His different scared her. She couldn’t help but imagine Adam lifting her onto his shoulders and running to the ocean, his bare skin wet with the salty water, his hard, taut muscles flexing. What would happen thereafter? Would he leave her to the fishes, or scoop her up with dreamy kisses? She knew what she would become: a carried Jezebel; perhaps she’d like that more.

Charli Mills Carrot Ranch:

January 9: Flash Fiction Challenge

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Unique Selling Point: Unique, Imaginative, ‘Charming, enchanting and richly layered this is purely delightful.’

“This delightful book will appeal to teens and young adults who love stories filled with magical crystals, dark family curses, and mysteries waiting to be solved around every corner. Each chapter leads you on a journey of discovery where Amelina earns the right to use three wizard stones to reset the balance of time and finally break the curse that holds her family hostage. A captivating tale!” – Colleen M. Chesebro (Editor)

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January 12, 2020 15

Carrot Flash Flash Fiction Challenge

Here’s my piece of flash:

Imaginary Characters

Brick fitted in the space well. It was narrow, like a cupboard to slot in, a place to be noticed. Brooke Trout sauntered past him. When she saw Brick her eyes opened wide. He smirked at her bemused expression. She didn’t notice but he followed her up the escalator. When she exited out of the toilet he was there angling for her.

‘Beggars can’t be choosers,’ she wasn’t much of a catch but she had a sense of humour. He valued that.

Brick smiled, ‘Babe join me? We can disappear together…

This flash is based on a true life experience. I was walking to work yesterday morning thinking about creating more diverse characters in my books and I spotted this intriguing young man of colour to my left standing rigid in a narrow gap in the wall of the shopping centre (see that gap, its tiny!) His eyes twinkled with mirth at my wide-eyed reaction.. I went up to the toilet and when I came out he was seated as if waiting for me. He grinned. It was a bit startling! It was like seeing a character I’d been thinking about come to life! I walked out of the shopping centre and turned round. But he was nowhere to be seen. Brick had disappeared!

And yes there is a male name Brick!

I’m not sure what I will do with Brick but it has made me think more about creating #diversecharacters which can only be a good thing. One of my characters in my WIP – the second book in my YA Fantasy series The Curse of Time Book 2 Golden Healer is a Rastafarian. I shall be doing some research…

To join in with Charli Mill’s flash fiction challenge follow the link:

https://carrotranch.com/2019/04/11/april-11-flash-fiction-challenge/

Isn’t that the most uncanny thing? Maybe I have magic powers to conjure up characters…

Bye for now,

Buy Book: myBook.to/TheCurseofTime

Unique Selling Point: Unique, Imaginative, ‘Charming, enchanting and richly layered this is purely delightful.’

Social Media Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mjmallonauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mjmallonauthor/

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April 13, 2019 15