C. Lee McKenzie

Young Adult and Middle Grade Author

Thanks SA Larsen & Why Flash Fiction?

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Sequel to Alligators Overhead





I’m a GUEST along with Pete and Weasel from The Great Timelock Disaster! Yes, I’ve successfully cloned myself, and I’m here and HERE today. Thanks, SA Larsen for letting me invade your super site.




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And now. . . Why Flash Fiction?

It’s short. That’s one reason. 
After writing a novel, it’s a great way to get a piece of writing done in jiffy. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can afford to be sloppy. In fact, the shorter the fiction, the more attention to detail it takes. Each word, the sounds that repeat, those that add to the tone and the meaning of the piece need to be carefully chosen. 
wolfofgowstreet.com
So the second answer to my question, “Why Flash Fiction?” is because it makes you focus and be very selective about what you put down on the page. When you only have a couple hundred words to tell a story, it makes you think differently about your writing, and, for me, that’s a great brain exercise. And it seems to freshen the way I think about my craft.
Photo Credit
A while ago, the Flash Fiction Forum at Works Gallery in San José, CA asked me to sub something. I did, and they invited me read my piece for their audience. I did that Oct. 14 and had a great time. Here’s some of what happened.
The Authors Who Read their Stuff

Me being Italian
Tania Martin (seated right) and Lita Kurth (standing) , Flash Fiction Founders

Ruth Littmann-Ashkenazi, reading “Session 3”
Me Laughing at Myself

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Quote of the Week: “People who love reading are often called bookworms-but that’s the wrong way around. It’s not you that worms into a book; it’s books that worm into you.” Amanda Craig, Novelist

Spooktoberfest Flash Fiction & Celebrating Small Things

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COVERGIRLS

The Rules: 

  • no more than 300 words
  • use commotion, chill, curse, cocoon, and virus
  • post between Oct. 24 and Oct. 28
  • follow the COVERGIRLS
In the legend, a curse befell a large, blue diamond, eventually called the Hope Diamond,  when someone lifted it from an idol in India. From then on anyone who touched that jewel had horrible luck or a horrible death. The stories are interesting, but most likely the Hope Diamond had nothing to do with those tragedies. However, this myth had everything I needed to jump start my Flash Fiction. I’m titling it. . . 

THE NEWBIE

 “It has been over three hundred years,” Sita shouted. The commotion in the chamber ceased, and her followers humbled themselves before her. “My patience is ended. One week, then I take charge.” 
     A deathly chill fell over the assembly. They cringed under her glare and didn’t move. Not one person doubted Sita’s power. She conjured curses that reached around the world—a virus in India, a plague in England, a revolution in France—all bringing lives to a sudden and horrible end. 
     Everyone knew she would wipe them out just as quickly, just as horribly if they didn’t finally restore her jewel.
     She stepped down from the dais and the congregation parted. They gave her a wide path and dared not raise their eyes. 
     The chamber echoed with the heavy thud of the doors closing behind their goddess.
     The eldest minister, looking pale, called his Jewel Recovery Committee to him. “My office. Now.”
     They huddled over the conference table, hatched schemes, then discarded them.
     “Been done.”
     “Ineffective.”
     “Too dangerous.”
     Then a new minister, Shanti, one steeped in magic and benevolence, raised his hand. “I think we should ask them to give it back.”
     “Ask?” The ministers inhaled as one.
     “Have you tried that?” Shanti asked.
     “Never.” They said.
     “Then how about, I give it a shot?”
     Nobody objected, but a lot of eye-rolling went on.
     The young minister caught the next plane to the U.S. When he arrived, he went straight to the Palace of Archives. There he asked for Sita’s jewel. The man in charge said no. 
     Shanti smiled and held out a tiny, glittery cocoon on his palm. “Give me the jewel, and I will give you something much more valuable.”
     The man inspected the object. “What is it?”
     “World peace.”
     Sita got her jewel back.

Visit some others and have some fun. Happy Halloween. 

VIKLIT

Celebrating Small Things

  • I’m almost ready for my trip to Myanmar (I prefer Burma and so does the U.S. government so it seems.)
  • My typhoid shot was painless with no side effects
  • I haven’t had a computer glitch in three days.