Super Snap

Last weeks submissions were awesome, and we even had a few new friends drop by!

In case you missed them, here are the stories again.

“It Floated By” written by Trevor of “Trev’s Telautograph”

“The Gift” written by Billie Jo of “Out of the Woods”

“My Safe Haven” written by Yikici of “Yikici”

“Agastya” written by K2S of “A Space to be Me”

“The Day Of Judgement”  written by Mike if “Short Stories”

As you have probably guessed, something is different (besides it being Friday and not actually Sunday) with “Sunday Snap’ this week. Being that I’m really struggling with time demands right now, I’ve created Super Snap. This is a one of a kind mega photo prompt event here at the Campfire.

The rules are as follows.

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. How about 500 words instead? Each Sunday I will find a photo to post. Your job (should you dare) is to write a story of no more than 500 words in any genre that might be inspired by that picture. Make sure that when you post it to your blog, you add a link back to this post. The following Sunday I’ll list all the stories submitted for the previous week’s challenge and add a new photo to inspire you. So have fun and good writing!

But wait! What’s that you say? Sometimes the story just can’t tell itself in just 500 words! Very true. So how about this, if the story needs more words, so be it. This is about having fun writing, reading other authors’ stories, and finding inspiration. Every once and a while we all need to colour outside the lines. Perhaps I need to amend the rules a bit!

1. Have Fun
2. Each Sunday I will find a photo to post. Your job (should you dare) to write a story of no more than 500 words in any genre that might be inspired by that picture.
3. If rule 2 isn’t working for you, please refer to rule 1

Remember to link back to this post, and add the link to your story in the comments area here.

And how about some inspirational photo’s? Have a look at these! Yes, you are not seeing things. There are 3 pictures to choose from. I’ve tried to find something to inspire you in each of them.

"The Bubble Magician" by Taro Taylor (Flickr)

"Hamilton Lightening Storm" by Jason C (Flickr)

"Dragon and moon" by Luis Alejandro Bernal Romero (Flickr)

What happens next is up to you. Write a story about one of them or all of them, you can decide! On June 19th I’ll post the results of this challenge!

Have fun, don’t stress, and good writing!

The Universe and Beyond!

This week Billie Jo Woods challenged us to write a flash fiction piece of up to 1000 words with a Spacey theme. I can definitely be spacey! And I only needed 500 words to do it too! Billie, thanks for such a great challenge this week!

The Universe and Beyond!

Ladies and gentlemen welcome aboard White Star Line’s spacecraft TransFarer. We hope that you will enjoy your stay here with us as we explore the universe…and beyond! Thanks to the wonder of trans light thrust we are now able to travel at speeds far faster than what was previously attainable.

This will be the maiden voyage for the TransFarer, and we are certain that we shall be able to break out the universe to see what actually lies beyond! As a side note, White Star is pleased to report that TransFarer’s sister liner the GonaWayFarer has finally reappeared near the Betelgeuse system. Investigators are confident they will be able find the missing crew and passengers soon.

The captain is signalling that we are now ready to get underway. Please engage your holosuites. The slight disorientation is quite normal. The holosuite is another White Star first. Thanks to millions of cameras on the ships hull we are able to reproduce the feeling that you are actually swimming across the universe.

…..

As we begin our acceleration, I would like to point out Mars, which is now passing just to the left. The red planet which was home to the founders of the ancient Egyptian and Mayan races has recently been ordered to stop creating the image of Elvis Presley on its surface do to copyright infringements.

I will note also was we exit the solar system that we will be passing quite close to Pluto. Demoted from planet statis in the late 20th century, it has never recovered from the economic repercussions of that decision. Donation boxes are located throughout the ship to help its inhabitants. Please be generous.

…..

Ladies and gentlemen we have obtained maximum speed, and are now leaving the Orion–Cygnus Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy. Please enjoy the view while we start the in flight meal service. Our selections today include both fish and chicken. Just may make your choice by using the key pad in front of you and shortly afterwards the meal capsule should arrive. Bon appetite!

…..

I ask that all passengers please now return their trays to the upright positions as we are fast approaching the edge of the universe. You will note the bright white light ahead which marks are destination. There have been reports of enormous shadowy figures being visible as well and we are speculating that these may actually be the creators. Please brace for our attempt to breach the edge of the universe.

It would seem that the first attempt failed so the captain will be going around to try it again. Please rest assured that we shall continue to try to break through. All day if need be! In the mean time might I suggest a beverage?

THUNK, THUNK, THUNK, THUNK, THUNK, THUNK, THUNK, THUNK!

“Daddy, daddy look! That one is running into the side of the aquarium over and over again. Why would it do that daddy?”

“Well Billie, those creatures aren’t very smart. They keep trying to escape from the tank. Looks like that one might actually keep it up all day.”

“‘That’s funny daddy!”

“Yes it is Billie, yes it is”

Paddle

I’m tired and a bit grumpy today. When I sat down at the computer I had no plans to write, I just wanted to check the Campfire to make sure all was well. That was when I remembered this story. I wrote it way back in January for my other blog. It was one of my very first attempts to be creative.

The story is based on a canoe trip I took last summer, and it was just the thing I needed to brighten up a bit. So I copied it over and edited it (a lot!) to fix the little mistakes that I found. For a few brief moments of time I was back on that lake…

Paddle

The mist hides the world from view. While the sun has been up for a few hours now, the fog still stubbornly clings to the water. A darkened shape looms up from the distance. Appearing at first as a light grey tone, it ever so slowly darkens with each paddle stroke. Soon a small island slides by off to left.

Hidden in the gloom there is a distant call from a loon. Is it just a blind as me right now I wonder? Has it lost its way and become separated from its mate? It calls out again, the haunting sound all the more chilling this morning. Finally from further away another loon answers. What was lost, is now found.

There has been no talking in the boats this morning. Just the sound of paddles slipping in and out of the water and the breathing of my companions as they work. A lean forward and a paddle dips in the water, followed by a quiet grunt as it’s pulled back along side the canoe. Rushing water breaks across the bow as the boat moves steadily forward. We are three shadowy shapes drifting in and out of sight as we work our way across the lake. The water is as smooth as a mirror, only being disturbed by the wakes of the canoes or from a random fish breaking the surface to feed. It is like we are the last six people left in the world.

The sun has climbed higher in the sky now, and I now can start to make it out through the mist. A bright spot climbing higher into the sky, that with each passing minute becomes stronger as it burns off the mist. The lake is taking on a different look. Much like the curtains at a show, the veil of mist parts to show the distant shore.

I look back from where we have come from. Last nights campsite is gone, lost from view behind several other islands. But the smell of smoke from the campfire still is fresh in my mind. Pausing, I remember the laughter and stories shared at it last night. Good times! But for now those memories must wait, because there is work still to be done. Turning back, I see my partner looking off into distance too. What does he remember? Then with a splash the moment is lost and we fall back into paddling.

Even now there still is very little talking from my comrades. It seems that we are lost in thought today which is fine with me. I revel in the silence, the utter lack of the sounds of humanity. Yesterday the modern world reminded us it was still there when a jetliner rumbled far overhead. A small distant reminder of the place we are now returning to. With each stroke, we are closer to home. 

Looking ahead I can now make out the yellow sign marking the portage point. The other two boats have also noticed it and they sprint forward with a burst of paddling, each trying to reach the shore first. Very soon the boasting starts as one finally out paces the other and reaches land. Once again our boat arrives to shore last, but I don’t mind the teasing, and cat calls. For me those extra few minutes on the lake is reward enough. Soon sand rubs against the canoe bottom and there is a splash as my partner jumps out to pull us ashore. We have finished the first paddle of the day.

Sunday Snap

There was another great set of stories for last weeks Sunday Snap. While the names of the 3 stories may be the same, the stories were not. I really enjoyed reading them. If you haven’t had a chance, check them out below!

“Catch the Moon”  written by Billie Jo of “Out of the Woods”

“Catch the Moon” written by Selena of “Selena Wolff’s Solitary Words”

“Catch the Moon” written by Mike of “Short Stories”

Guys, thanks for sharing!

Now on to this week’s Sunday Snap. The rules are as follows.

There is a saying that a picture is worth a 1000 words. How about 500 words instead? Each Sunday I will find a photo to post. Your job (should you dare) to write a story of no more than 500 words in any genre that might be inspired by that picture. Make sure that you when you post it to your blog, you add a link back to this post. The following Sunday I’ll list all the stories submitted for the previous weeks challenge and add a new photo to inspire you. So have fun and good writing!

Sunday Snap for May 15th, 2011

"York Minster in the Fog" by Karli Watson (Flickr)