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Author: Ingrid Jendrzejewski

Published on Leave a comment on Introducing the new NFFD Artist in Residence

We're delighted and excited to welcome Jeanette Sheppard to the team as National Flash Fiction Day's official Artist in Residence.

Not only did Jeanette provide some images for one of last month's Flash Flood Advent Calendar writing prompts, but she has also produced the stunning skyline that now graces our website.

Where is this city and what is its flashy significance? More about this image will be revealed in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, here's a little more about the artist....

Jeanette SheppardJeanette Sheppard is a short fiction writer and sketch artist.

Her most recent flash fictions can be seen in The Nottingham Review, Ellipsis Zine and Flash Fiction Festival Anthology: Two. Other stories have been published in a number of literary magazines, including Bare Fiction, Litro and The Lonely Crowd. One of her stories flies through the air courtesy of a vending machine at Edmonton Airport in Canada. She has been published in two National Flash Fiction Day anthologies and shortlisted in TSS Publishing’s Flash400 competition. She has also been a winner of the Mslexia Flashcard.

Jeanette’s art revolves around sketching on streets, in buildings, cafes, fields, train stations, anywhere that she happens to be, in ink and watercolour. Every month she runs Sketch Coventry, a self-led open meet up. Recently, she has provided the artwork for Diane Simmons’s collection of flash fiction about grief, Finding A Way, due to be launched in February 2019.

You can enjoy more of Jeanette's artwork and writing by visiting her website at jeanettesheppard.com or following her on Twitter at @InkLinked (writing) and @JinnySketches (art).

Published on Leave a comment on 2018 Flash Flood Advent Calendar

Christmas Fireworks

What better way to end the year than with some flash fiction fun?

Come and join us at Flash Flood for an Advent Calendar full of free writing prompts designed to give you a great head start when submissions open in 2019 for the National Flash Fiction Day Anthology and Microfiction Content , not to mention Flash Flood itself.

The first prompt has been posted here.

If you'd like to share your work or just have a chat about writing, feel free to join our private Facebook group.

Happy Writing!

 

Published on Leave a comment on The Future of National Flash Fiction Day

On Saturday 16th June this year, National Flash Fiction Day celebrated its seventh year!

NFFD was founded in 2012 by Calum Kerr, and since then we have published hundreds of flash fictions by hundreds of different authors across anthologies, FlashFlood, and other flashy projects. We’ve had numerous readings, launches, workshops, and other events around the country to celebrate flash fiction. This was all thanks to Calum, who decided that this year would be his last NFFD.

When Calum stepped down, the future of NFFD was uncertain, but we believe that the best way to say thank you was to keep NFFD going.  As of June 2018, National Flash Fiction Day will be run by three co-directors, Santino Prinzi, Ingrid Jendrzejewski and Diane Simmons, who will strive to keep the momentum going and build on what Calum has started.

To everyone who has been involved with National Flash Fiction Day in the past, thank you for all your work and passion, and we hope you join us for this next chapter in National Flash Fiction Day's story!

Published on Leave a comment on Introducing our New Volunteer Social Media Co-ordinator

We'd like to welcome to the National Flash Fiction Day team our newest member, Claire Thomson, who will be our Volunteer Social Media Co-ordinator!

Claire is currently an Editorial Assistant at Vintage Books. Before this, she worked in a press office and for a feminist literary magazine. From Scotland, she studied English Literature at the University of Glasgow and now lives in North London.

Published on Leave a comment on Happy National Flash-Fiction Day 2018
Yes, it's here again. And this is a short bulletin just to bring you up to date on all that is happening today.

We have, of course, the FlashFlood which starts at midnight and runs all the way through the day. A story will be published every 10 minutes on the blog, with a few extras across the middle of the day, bringing you a total of 148 wonderful, new flashes for you to enjoy.

Over the 7 years of NFFD this journal has had nearly 420,000 views, and we would love to be able to get even closer to the magical half million mark, so please do share the stories across your media and bring the joy to the world.
 
We also have a number of events going on around the country, including the launch of the novella-in-flash Three Sisters of Stone by Stephanie Hutton in Hanley, Stoke. This is preceded by a workshop and more information is here. 

There will also be a workshop and reading in Gloucester,

Our friends over at TSS Publishing (theshortstory.co.uk) are today launching a project to catalogue and celebrate the best in British and Irish Flash-Fiction over the next year. More information about this is on their Facebook Page.

And if you are in the Bristol area, there is so much to enjoy: a Flash-walk, two workshops, a panel on competitions,and the launch of the new anthology. All the details for that are on the Bristol Flash Facebook page. 

Speaking of the anthology, Ripening, it is now available to buy in both paper and Kindle formats. And although we're biased, we really think you need a copy or two in your life. 
And, as ever, there will be people publishing flashes, sharing their work, and generally enjoying the day all around the country and across the internet. One of them could be you, so why not celebrate the day by joining in by writing, sharing, or reading. 
National Flash-Fiction Day has become a staple in the calendar and the wonderful things that happen on the day are a testament to the enthusiasm of all the great writers and readers who make up the community. We're grateful for you all.

Enjoy the day, and keep flashing!

Calum Kerr
Co-Director
National Flash-Fiction Day
[Oh, and one last thing. This year we have had to start using a new service to feed the FlashFlood to our Facebook and Twitter pages. It's untested and we have no idea if it will work. So, if it should fail, please do visit https://flashfloodjournal.blogspot.com/ - every 10 minutes if you're particularly dedicated - and share the links to the stories on your social media so we can ensure everyone gets their work seen by the world. Thank you! ]
Copyright © 2018 National Flash-Fiction Day, All rights reserved. 

Published on Leave a comment on National Flash-Fiction Day 2018 is nearly here.
In case you don't know, this year National Flash-Fiction Day will be on 16th June. And, as ever, we have a range of things going on. 
The main launch for the day will once again be in Bristol, where there will be a Flash Walk, two workshops (one by Alison Powell and one by me, Calum Kerr) as well as the traditional reading event in the evening - to launch the new anthology Ripenings (right - available soon) -  and the even more traditional visit to the pub afterwards. And there will also be a very interesting panel discussion on what competition judges are looking out for. So that's one not to miss. More details of all these are on the website.

 
Other events include a Flash-Fiction Workshop and Reading in Gloucester, a panel on entering writing competitions and submitting to lit magazines.in Stoke, and the launch of Stephanie Hutton's first novella-in-flash Three Sisters of Stone.

Details are also on the website.

And, as ever. If you have an event we haven't listed, do let us know at nationalflashfictionday@gmail.com.
As usual for NFFD, our journal FlashFlood will be opening it's gates for submissions. The blog journal provides a deluge of flash for the Day, and has now received over 409,000 views.

Submissions open at midnight tonight, and then stay open for just 7 days. All the stories will appear on the 16th, available via the blog, or our Facebook and Twitter feeds.

Stay tuned to http://flashfloodjournal.blogspot.com/ to find out more.
And finally, on a more personal note, I have to announce that this will be my last National Flash-Fiction Day.

I originally set the day up way back in 2012 and could never have imagined how it - and flash-fiction in the UK - would have blossomed. There are now many amazing flash things happening and I am so proud of the part that NFFD has played in it all.

I have been helped across the years by many, many wonderful people - Tim Stevenson, Amy Mackelden, Kevlin Henney, the editors of FlashFlood, and too many others to mention. In the last few years, particularly, Santino Prinzi, has taken over much of the heavy lifting associated with NFFD and deserves all the medals.

For me, though, it's time for me to move on and see what's next. The future of NFFD is currently undecided but we'll let you know as soon as we know what it is. 
So, that's it for now. Be sure to check out the website, the blogs, the social media, and have a great day on the 16th.

Here's to another wonderful National Flash-Fiction Day.

Yours
Calum Kerr
Co-Director of National Flash-Fiction Day
 

Published on Leave a comment on Happy National Flash-Fiction Day 2017!

Hello everyone,

Yes, it's here again. This is the sixth National Flash-Fiction Day (and they said it wouldn't last). 
As ever, there are a number of events happening all over the UK and beyond, details of which you can read on our website at http://host2021.temp.domains/~nationo0/events.html
Earlier in the year, we ran our micro-fiction competition, and you can read the winning stories at http://host2021.temp.domains/~nationo0/results.html
We also took submissions for our anthology, Sleep is a Beautiful Colour, which you can now buy online at Amazon in both paperback and kindle versions. The book also includes all the competition winners, as well as wonderful stories from some of the best flash-fictioneers in the world. 
The anthology will also be on sale at the launch, this evening, as part of the UK's first ever Flash-Fiction Literary Festival, in Bath. Details about that are online at https://bathflashfictionaward.com/2017/03/flash-fiction-festival-sat-24th-sun-25th-june-2017/
And, last but not even a little bit least, we are once again flooding the internet with flash-fiction with our FlashFlood. You can read the stories as they appear on our blog (http://flashfloodjournal.blogspot.co.uk) but also through our Facebook and Twitter feeds. And, don't worry, the stories will remain on the blog after tomorrow, along with over 1000 stories from previous issues.
Once again, it will be a massive day to celebrate the smallest prose fictions, and thanks must go to all who help organise the day, and all of you for your support in writing and reading and taking part in the day.
Special thanks to my co-Director Tino Prinzi, without whom the day wouldn't have happened. 
And that's enough of me. The Flood is now flooding, the day is unfolding before you. So go forth and Flash!

Calum Kerr
co-Director 

Published on Leave a comment on Happy National Flash-Fiction Day
Yes, it's finally here, after all that waiting, the 5th (can you believe it?) annual celebration of the small story-form we all know and love.

Now, I know that you, like me, might be a little worse for wear after the last couple of days, and 2016 has taken a toll on us all, but today is not a time to worry about that. It's a time for Flashing!

Things kicked off earlier in the week, with a workshop in Winchester, and today we have events running all over the UK.

  • In Oxford, Virginia Moffatt will be flash-writer in residence all day at the Albion Beatnik Bookstore.
  • In Manchester there is a workshop being hosted by Verbose in Fallowfield. 
  • In Cardiff there will be an Art and story event at the Chapter Arts Centre.
  • In Southampton there will be a flash workshop at the Art House.
  • And in Bristol there will be a workshop, a walk, and an evening of readings and the launch of our anthology.


Details of all these can be found at http://host2021.temp.domains/~nationo0/events.html

And that's not all, as that webpage will tell you, on Sunday, in Dublin, you can join in Big Smoke's Flash Dash, on Monday we have an evening of readings in Manchester, again hosted by Verbose, and on Tuesday, in Belfast, you can learn to write flash with Paul McVeigh!

As mentioned above, at the Bristol event we are also launching this year's anthology, A Box of Stars Beneath the Bed. But if you can't make it to Bristol, the book is available on Amazon in:
Paperback - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Box-Stars-Beneath-Bed-Flash-Fiction/dp/1534712682
and, Kindle - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Box-Stars-Beneath-Bed-Flash-Fiction-ebook/dp/B01H7QRZ2K
(change the .co.uk to your local ending for your country's version of the store).

And, if that wasn't enough, the Flash is currently Flooding from our online journal, and through our Facebook and Twitter feeds - a story every 10 minutes for the whole 24 hours.

But wherever you are, and whatever you're doing, a big thank you from me and the team for all your support for NFFD. We never expected to be here for our 5th, and it's all thanks to you.

So, Happy Day and Happy Flashing!

Calum Kerr
Director
National Flash-Fiction Day

Published on Leave a comment on The Box of Stars Beneath the Bed – Cover Reveal

Well, I've spent all day with my crayons. I've done my best to stay inside the lines (I had my tongue peeking out of the corner of my mouth, and everything) and now have a finished cover for your viewing delectation.

So, here it is, hope you like it. On sale for National Flash-Fiction Day on 25th June 2016.

More information about all events at http://host2021.temp.domains/~nationo0/.

2

Published on 2 Comments on Anthology Title and Full Track Listing

Well, the anthology is now fully assembled, and we hope it will be available for sale online before the day. We can now reveal that the title will be A Box of Stars Beneath the Bed, taken from Jon Stubbington's story.

We've also managed to include a series of commissioned stories from a range of wonderful writers - some familiar names, and some up-and-coming writers. The full 'track-listing' is below, with all the wonderful stories you'll be able to read.

As well as online, we'll have copies of the book at the launch event in Bristol on NFFD itself. More information about that, all the other events, can be found on the website at http://host2021.temp.domains/~nationo0/events.html.

A Box of Stars Beneath the Bed

Before the Sun Comes Up                                Tim Stevenson
Miss Scarlet in the Shed                                    Tracy Fells           
Cold Hands                                                       Rhoda Greaves
Ambush                                                             Richard Holt       
Outsider                                                             Laura Huntley     
Theseus in Belleville                                         Anne Elizabeth Weisgerber
Bocca Baciata                                                    Ruth McKee        
Health and Pleasure, Glorious Sea!                  Sharon Telfer      
Gingerbread                                                      Virginia Moffat
A Marionettist’s Musings While on a Park Bench         Charley Karchin
Bubblegum Barbie                                            Emily Devane      
Lifer                                                                   Adam Trodd       
Shirts – A Fable                                                R J Dent
Sam, 29                                                              Martha Gleeson
Three Kids, Two Balloons                                KM Elkes            
Who? What?                                                     Ashley Chantler
Pub Quiz                                                           Alison Wassell
Sushi and Kitty Cats                                         Kaitlyn Johnson
Desert Blossom                                                 Annie Mitchell
Premiums                                                          Ian Shine             
Misunderstanding                                             Vivien Jones        
Wakes Week                                                      David Hartley      
Burning Faith                                                    Frankie McMillan
Pigeon English                                                  David Cook         
Kittiwakes                                                          Catherine Edmunds
The Door Closes                                               Kevlin Henney
Clippers                                                             Debbi Voisey      
I Go on the Morrow to Murder the King         Joy Myserscough
Special Delivery                                               Calum Kerr         
Grains                                                                Joanna Campbell
Panda                                                                 Fat Roland          
Fish Supper                                                       Laura Tickle         
The Vineyard                                                    Catherine McNamara
What We Threw Into The Lake                       Rowan Hisayo Buchanan
The Pleasure Principle                                      Rob Walton         
Onion                                                                Damhnait Monaghan
My Aunt Aggie                                                  Paul McVeigh      
A Box of Stars Beneath the Bed                      Jon Stubbington
A Collection                                                      Diane Simmons
Kelly Loves Traffic Light Jelly                         Jeanette Sheppard
Yellow                                                                Nuala Ní Chonchúir
424 Likes                                                           Jennifer Harvey
Manspreading                                                   Marie Gethins     
Wake Up                                                            Oli Morriss          
When Dreams are Large and Tusked                Ingrid Jendrzejewski
Ten Things that Happened After My Funeral   Santino Prinzi     
What the Therapist Said                                   Jude Higgins        
Gregor Samsa Quits the Track Team                Beverly C. Lucey
Honesty’s Not the Best Policy                         Brendan Way       
Orphans                                                            Chris Stanley       
And the Red Flower                                         Nina Lindmark Lie
One Last Pickup                                               Sarah Hilary         
Sunday Morning                                               John Holland      
About Unemployment and Rats                      Bernard O’Rourke
Captain Strix                                                    Zoe Gilbert         
Latchkey                                                           Fiona J. Mackintosh
Lips                                                                   Nik Perring         
Map Reading                                                    Jane Roberts        
How to Make Lolo                                           Michelle Elvy       
Family Values                                                 Jonathan Pinnock
Blackbird Singing in the Dead of Night          Claire Fuller         
Hornet’s Nest                                                    Sally Burnette      
The Taste of Sock and Rubber                        Cathy Bryant       
In the Café                                                        Sherri Turner       
On the Invisibility of the Deaf                         Debbie Young
Flying Ant Day                                                 Judy Darley          
Marzipan Bride and Groom                             Sal Page
I Believe in You                                                 Meg Pokrass        
When She Was Good                                       Safia Moore         
Injuries in Dust                                                 Poppy O’Neill     
We Can Be Asteroids                                        FJ Morris             
Purple with a Purpose                                      Amanda Saint      
Little Ghosts                                                     Jan Carson           
The Night Life of Wives                                  Angela Readman
National Flash-Fiction Day 2016
Micro-Fiction Competition Winners
The Jumper                                                                      Anne Patterson
A One-Word Yet...                                                          Ingrid Jendrzejewski
Storm                                                                                Gemma Govier
Jessie Learns How to Keep A Secret                               Alison Wassell
Illumination                                                                      Judi Walsh           
When Words Aren’t Enough                                          Lucy Welch          
Christmas                                                                         James Watkins
Always One                                                                      Tracy Fells           
Notes                                                                                Elaine Marie McKay
Energy Efficient, Extremely Slim, Easy to Install          Ed Broom