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Published on Leave a comment on NFFD 2017 Micro Competition Longlist!
Hello Flash Writers!
Thank you all for your patience. Our annual competition attracts hundreds of entries from across the globe. This year we received nearly 600 entriesto our Micro-Fiction competition, which is mindboggling! We’d like to thank you all for entering and sending us such marvellous, tiny tales!
Ourspecial thanks go to our incredible judges: Anne Patterson, Kevlin Henney, Rob Walton, Angela Readman, Tim Stevenson, and Ingrid Jendrzejewski. They’ve done a terrific job reading through all of the competition entries. Compiling a longlist, and then selecting winners, was no easy task.
These are the stories which were voted most highly by a consensus of the judges, making them the best stories out of the entries we received. Congratulations to those listed below, and to those who didn't make it: thank you for taking part and supporting National Flash-Fiction Day. Competition was fierce and we hope you will try again, and possibly take part in the other NFFD activities.
And so, with no further ado, in alphabetical order by title, here are the 27 stories that made the longlist:
‘1961, a snapshot’ by Kelly Davis
‘A Dying Fire’ by Chris Milam
‘alphaomegalullabylament’ by Tony Curtis
‘As Liquid is Poured’ by Sherry Morris
‘Brave’ by Catherine Edmunds
‘Confession’ by Alison Wassell
‘Fawn’ by Sacha Waldron
‘Fifth Grade’ by Brianna Snow
‘Fireflies in the Backyard’ by Kayla Pongrac
‘Geology of a Girl’ by Stephanie Hutton
‘Grown-Up’ by Alex Recce Abbott
‘How to Play Piano’ by Sherri Turner
‘Keepsake’ by David Mohan
‘Mango’ by Jennifer Harvey
‘Mass Migration’ by Mark Budman
‘Mermaids’ by Sally Syson
‘Ministry of Quiet Enjoyment’ by Colin Watts
‘Peacocking’ by Mike Scott Thomson
‘Prince of Sidewalks’ by Chris Milam
‘Sisters’ by Debra Fertig
‘Still Counting’ by Sarah-Clare Conlon
‘The Barley and the Eggs’ by Simon Sylvester
‘The Bridge’ by Joanna Michalak
‘The In-Between Hour’ by Christina Taylor
‘The Smoking Circle’ by Alison Wassell
‘Tinderfood’ by Vince Love
‘When Two Grandfathers Meet’ by David Mohan

Congratulations again to all who made the longlist. We’re not going to make you wait long to find out who the winners are… Results will be published here tomorrow afternoon!

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 Flash Walk – Bristol: LINE UP!

Interested in our Flash Walk in Bristol this Saturday? Want to know the line-up of stories? Sure you do!

·   The Harbour Festival by AA Abbott

·    Harbouring Friendship by Diane Tatlock

·    Johnny Pencloud by Juliet Hagan

·    Altitude by Judy Darley

·    On Pero’s Bridge by Holly Atkinson 

·    Your Name is Pero Jones by Ingrid Jendrzejewski 

·    Dolphins by Lucho Payne 

·   A Thousand Words by Gemma Govier

·    Will There Be Pirates? by Lynn Love 

·   Singing Out Loud by Mark Rutterford 


It's set to be a great event! For more information, follow this link here to the Facebook Event Page: Flash Walk.

Published on Leave a comment on Anthology Kindle Edition, Events, and More!

Kindle Edition

A Box of Stars Beneath the Bed: National Flash-Fiction Day 2016 Anthology is now available to purchase on Kindle!

For more information, and to purchase the Kindle edition, check out this link here: Kindle Edition.

Events

We have a huge range of events happening for National Flash Fiction Day this year, including workshops, flash walks, and readings.

For a full list of events to get involved with, check out the Events page on our main website by following this link here: National Flash Fiction Day events.

Running an event not listed here? Drop us a line and let us know and we'll share it with the world!

and More!

FlashFlood, our online journal which publishes a flash fiction every ten minutes or so throughout National Flash Fiction Day itself, is still open for submissions! We're looking for flash fiction of 500 words or fewer. For more information, checkout FlashFlood submission guidelines.

Published on Leave a comment on OUT NOW! A Box of Stars Beneath the Bed: National Flash Fiction Day 2016 Anthology.

A Box of Stars Beneath the Bed: National Flash Fiction Day 2016 Anthology is out now! 

To purchase the paperback edition of the anthology, please follow this link here: A Box of Stars Beneath the Bed. The Kindle version of the anthology will be available soon.

We hope you enjoy reading the anthology. It really is mighty...a book full of star quality flashes!

'An anthology of flash-fictions to celebrate National Flash-Fiction Day (UK), showcasing the very best on offer in this small literary form. The tales cross genres from horror to romance, from fantasy to dark reality, but each one will cause a new star to shine in your imagination. Authors include: Sarah Hilary, Angela Readman, Claire Fuller, Paul McVeigh, Santino Prinzi, Nik Perring, Meg Pokrass, Michelle Elvy, Tim Stevenson, Debbie Young, Kevlin Henney, Nuala Ní Chonchúir and NFFD Director, Calum Kerr.'

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/.

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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           

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Published on 1 Comment on Anthology 2016

Well, we've finally made it through to the other side, and now we are able to announce the stories which have made it into this year's National Flash-Fiction Day anthology.

We received nearly 500 stories (168,000 words, or thereabouts) and these are the 50 which made it in. So, if you were unsuccessful, please take comfort that it was a difficult decision from a large field of excellent work. The ones that we picked are the stories we felt would make the most compelling compendium, and a great snapshot of current flash-fiction.

To those of you who made it in: Congratulations!

As well as the stories listed below, the anthology will include the 10 micro-fiction competition winners, plus a range of commissioned stories from some truly exceptional writers.

The anthology doesn't have a name yet, but we hope to announce it very soon, and it will be on sale on National Flash-Fiction Day at the event in Bristol (and possibly elsewhere) as well as online in paper and e-book formats.

Anyway, with no further waffle, here are the stories which will soon be printed up and bound for your edification.

Adam Trodd     -     Lifer
Alison Wassell     -     Pub Quiz
Amanda Saint     -     Purple with a Purpose
Anne Elizabeth Weisgerber     -     Theseus in Belleville
Bernard O'Rourke     -     About Unemployment and Rats
Catherine Edmunds     -     Kittiwakes
Catherine McNamara     -     The Vineyard
Charley Karchin     -     A Marionettist’s Musings While on a Park Bench
Chris Stanley     -     Orphans
David Cook     -     Pigeon English
Debbi Voisey     -     Clippers
Diane Simmons     -     A Collection
Downith Monaghan     -     Onion
Emily Devane     -     Bubblegum Barbie
Fiona J. Mackintosh     -     Latchkey
Frankie McMillan     -     Burning Faith
Ian Shine     -     Premiums
Ingrid Jendrzejewski     -     When Dreams are Large and Tusked
Jan Carson     -     Little Ghosts
Jane Roberts     -     Map Reading
Jeanette Sheppard     -     Kelly Loves Traffic Light Jelly
Jennifer Harvey     -     424 Likes
Joanna Campbell     -     Grains
John Holland     -     Sunday Morning
Jon Stubbington     -     A Box of Stars Beneath the Bed
Jonathan Pinnock     -     Family Values
Joy Myserscough     -     I Go on the Morrow to Murder the King
Jude Higgins     -     What the therapist said
Judy Darley     -     Flying Ant Day
K M Elkes     -     Three Kids, Two Balloons
Kaitlyn Johnson     -     Sushi and Kitty Cats
Laura Tickle     -     Fish Supper
Marie Gethins     -     Manspreading
Martha Gleeson     -     Sam, 29
Michelle Elvy     -     How To Make Lolo
Beverly C. Lucey     -     Gregor Samsa Quits the Track Team
Nik Perring     -     Lips
Nina Lindmark Lie     -     And the Red Flower
Poppy O’Neill     -     Injuries in Dust
Rhoda Greaves     -     Cold Hands
Richard Holt     -     Ambush
Rowan Hisayo Buchanan     -     What We Threw Into the Lake
Ruth McKee     -     Bocca Baciata
Safia Moore     -     When She Was Good
Sal Page     -     Marzipan Bride and Groom
Sally Burnette     -     Hornet’s Nest
Sharon Telfer     -     Health and Pleasure, Glorious Sea!
Sherri Turner     -     In the Café
Tracy Fells     -     Miss Scarlet in the Shed

Vivien Jones     -     Misunderstanding

Published on Leave a comment on In Dublin on Sunday 26th June 2016? Come to FlashDash!

As a part of this year's National Flash-Fiction Day celebrations, Big Smoke Writing Factory are presenting FLASHDASH on Sunday 26th June 2016!

You can get involved by reading your stories at this event, enter their 105-word competition, or just come along and enjoy listening to some brilliant flash!

For more details about the event, how to submit writing for the competition, and if you'd like to be considered to read at the event, please check out the Facebook event page here.

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Published on 1 Comment on Come to Bristol for National Flash Fiction Day 2016!
Only three weeks to go until it's National Flash Fiction Day! On Saturday 25th June 2016 we have lots of events going on in Bristol to celebrate! Oh, and they're all FREE! 
In the morning (10:30–12:00) we have a Flash Walk around Bristol city centre and harbourside, with site-specific flashes being read by trained actors along the route. We're also looking for submissions, so do send your flash fiction to us for our Flash Walk! You can find out more details about the event and submissions by checking out our Facebook event page here. 
In the afternoon (13:30–16:30) we have a workshop at Bristol Central Library led by award-winning writers Alison Powell and Ken Elkes. You can find details here about the workshop. 
And in the evening (19:00–22:00) at At the Well on Cheltenham Road, Bristol, we’ll have flash readings from local and not-so-local writers: Alison Powell, Calum Kerr, Diane Simmons, Freya Morris, Jude Higgins, Judy Darley, Ken Elkes, Kevlin Henney, Pete Sutton, Tim Stevenson, Tino Prinzi and Tom Parker. You can find more details here about the evening event. 
It's set to be a great day to celebrate flash fiction in Bristol this year, so do come along for the ride!