Flash Fiction – Hidden Assets

I wrote the this piece of flash fiction for WAG#19 (the Writing Adventure Group). The challenge was to pick someone out of a crowd and describe what (you imagine) is in their pockets (Unless you want to be brave and ask them!) Give us both meaning and physical details, and don’t forget to let yourself be surprised.

Hidden Assets

Sharon slowly ran her hands down her thighs to smooth the tight dress and automatically wiggled her body in response. She took a step back and checked herself in the mirror, she smiled when she saw how the silk clung to her hips and over the cheeks of her bottom. Perfect. Everyone would see that she wore nothing underneath. The DI had been right, they wouldn't bother to frisk her looking like this.

She'd got up late this morning as it was going to be a long night. She'd hardly eaten and had spent most of the time psyching herself up for the assignment. She glanced at the diamante watch on her right wrist and took a slow deep breath to calm herself. It was only ten minutes before the car arrived so she went to the bathroom for the final time.

Harry watched her through the half-opened door as she reached down the top of her dress with her left hand. He saw the look of relief on her face when she found it was still perched safely beneath her right breast. She pulled at the single shoulder strap and checked the mirror again before she said, “Hope this is working guys. You getting me okay?”

Flash Fiction for #WAG18 - A Familiar Friend

I've restarted with The Writers' Adventure Group after a long break. This week's challenge is... Look around your workspace, favourite chair, back yard, etc, and notice the objects around you. Choose one that is so familiar that you no longer notice it, even though it’s right next to you. Describe it as though you’re seeing it for the first time and particularly any feelings you have about it, past or present. Would you miss it if it was gone? No rules! Just write!

I never did believe in sticking exactly to rules so this is my entry.

A Familiar Friend

Jamie stared at the bottle with sad eyes. It was almost empty and sat on their dining table in front of him. Although it was burgundy-shaped the contents had travelled much further. The orange label had one or two dribbles of red wine where he'd been careless with the drips. One of them had lengthened the 'L' in Malbec and dissected the label in half. It was organically-grown Fairtrade from the Co-op round the corner.

Slowly he reached out and picked it up. Tilting his head he squinted at the small print at the foot of the label. Produced in Argentina, bottled in Manchester. Thirteen and a half percent NBV from the cellars of La Riojana. He poured the last few drops into his empty glass and plucked her picture from the table. As he held it up his eyes drooped, his face dropped and he sat for a few seconds far away in his thoughts. He let the photo slide though his fingers and reached for his glass. He sank the last few dregs before he slumped forward onto the table in tears.

Another Book Commission

Two weeks ago I got a commission to write another book and contribute three chapters to yet another. Both will be published in August 2010 for the BBC.

So I have 32,000 words to finish by 12 April. Phew. But I delivered the first three chapters yesteday and hope to send the next three early next week. In the swing of it now. Managing to write for a three hours every morning, about 2,000 words. Then researching and editing in the afternoon.

Watch this space!

Story Starters or 20-word Openers

I recently discovered a chat room on Twitter where people suggest the opening 20-odd words for a story - story starters. So now I often try and do some as a warm-up before I write my 250 words each day. Here are a few of them.

• They sat down together. Brian wiped his palms on his grubby jeans and looked up. "Catherine," he said without any emotion. #storystarters
  
  
• The tight dress showed all her bulges - you could't call them curves. She stifled a yawn and scanned the coffee shop as he... #storystarters
  
  
• Henry was reaching down for another CD so he didnt see the traffic stopped ahead. But he did look up in time to scream. #storystarters
  
  
• Louise mouthed the headline with a terrified expression. "Sadistic rapist freed after mistrial." #storystarters
  
  
• His arm was down her back, his hand on her slim waist. She sat contented. They were both in their 70s and still in love. #storystarters
  
  
• He nodded and his eyes had that bleary look. Soon his chin fell onto his tie and the light glistened off his shiny head. #storystarters

My 250 Words a Day Challenge

I've had a bad bout of writer's block over the last couple of months, but it's now starting to clear.

So I've set myself a challenge - to write over 250 words a day for six days every week. And when I've achieved that I'll go for 500 a day.

A good start today as I've done over 350!

Finished my Collection of Short Stories

Sent my collection of fast fiction to my editor on Friday. Twenty four stories with each on a different theme from Worcester Writers' Circle - 25,000 words in all. I should have it back by the end of this week so I can get it printed before Christmas and put it on Amazon in the New Year.

Had lots of fun writing them and I think the result was worth all the effort.

An exercise from a workshop on Writing Effective Dialogue

I attended a workshop on Writing Effective Dialogue at the Birmingham Book Festival last weekend. For the the first exercise the tutor played a recording of a normal conversation and asked us to write our own interpretation. This is what I wrote.

--o0o--

Sarah pushed open the heavy door, reached in and pulled at the light cord. The room gradually filled with a dull glow.

“It's big,” said Stephen. “Am I the only one using it?”

“Yes, it's all yours.”

“Fantastic.”

“It used to be the morgue.”

“Ah, that would explain the strange smell.”

Sarah walked almost 30 feet to the end of the room and pressed a couple of buttons on the control panel that was fixed on the wall. Stephen heard the slow hum of the air conditioning as it started up.

“That should clear it in a few minutes,” Sarah said when she got back.

“Thanks.”

“You can rearrange the tables any way you like.”

“Great.”

“When you've finished just make sure you get them to complete those forms,” she said pointing to a pile of papers by the water dispenser in the corner.

“OK.”

“We've put your stuff is in that cabinet and I'll bring your people up in half an hour or so. Would you like a cup of tea?”

“Yes please, milk no sugar.”

“OK, I'll leave you to it and get one send down.”

“Great,” said Stephen as he walked to the cabinet in the corner and struggled to remove a large black leather bag.