Flash Fiction Challenge: Happy Birthday?

pink roses Flash Fiction writing prompt copyright KS Brooks
Photo copyright K. S. Brooks. Do not use without attribution.

It had taken four years, but last night Vanessa finally told Phillip why she hated her birthday so much. Now he understood that it wasn’t just her attempt at getting attention.

Poor thing, he thought, while standing in the florist’s shop. He’d ordered the roses a week ago.

Now, the question was: what to do? Should he try to break the cycle of sorrow at her birthdays, or should he respect her wishes and let another one go quietly by? Everyone deserves to have a nice birthday, don’t they?

Welcome to the Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge. In 250 words or less, write a story incorporating the elements in the picture and the written prompt above. Do not include the prompt in your entry. The 250 word limit will be strictly enforced.

Please keep language and subject matter to a PG-13 level.

Use the comment section below to submit your entry. Entries will be accepted until Tuesday at 5:00 PM Pacific Time. No political or religious entries, please. Need help getting started? Read this article on how to write flash fiction.

On Tuesday night, judges will select the strongest entries, and on Wednesday afternoon, we will open voting to the public with an online poll so they may choose the winner. Voting will be open until 5:00 PM Thursday.

On Saturday morning, the winner will be recognized as we post the winning entry along with the picture as a feature. Then, at year end, the winners will be featured in an anthology like this one. Best of luck to you all in your writing!

Entries only in the comment section. Other comments will be deleted. See HERE for additional information and terms. Please note the rule changes for 2015.

John D. Ottini Wins Flash Fiction Challenge

John D. Ottini is the winner in this week’s Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge. Please note, this week we had a tie, and the IU rules state: In the event of a tie in the voting, the entry which posted earliest will be chosen as the winner. You can read all the rules here.

The winning entry is rewarded with a special feature here today and a place in our collection of winners which will be published as an e-book at year end.

Without further ado, here’s the winning entry:

Continue reading “John D. Ottini Wins Flash Fiction Challenge”