Flash Fiction for Janet Reid

Hey all! Um, yeah. I just realized it's been a reaaaaally long time since I've posted here, and that I just generally suck.  Sorry.  I promise to be better about it in the future.  The good news is that I've been writing, and I hope you have, too.

So here's an update.  I'm still writing my novel, and working on a couple of other ones as well.  I've never been good at narrowing down my interests.  I also keep things fresh creatively by jumping on any writing challenges or contests that crop up.

 One of my favorite websites for all things writerly is a blog run by Janet Reid, who is literary agent with Fine Print Literary in NYC.  She is also known as the Query Shark and Queen Of The Known Universe, wearing all hats equally well.  If you're a writer, please read through her archives before sending out your query letters.  Her advice is worth its weight in gold.  I wish she repped YA, but I'll definitely send her my mainstream novel when it's finished. Anyway, she holds quite a few flash fiction contests where she gives a few key words and you are asked to write a 100-word (or less) piece containing those words.  I've entered 3 times, and I've enjoyed the challenge of coming up with something on the spot.  The first one I entered, I didn't place, and that's okay.  I loved reading the other entries, there were some that blew my mind! Some people are so talented.  I'm determined to keep entering each time she holds a contest, until I win. The second time I entered, I was a semi-finalist! Woot! Here's the entry, in case you're interested.  The key words were ice, shower, oil, boom and mother.

Alice’s breath puffed out in visible plumes as she carried her mother’s belongings across the ice-encrusted driveway.  She dropped the box on the passenger seat and put a hand to her lower back, wincing.  Nothing a hot shower couldn’t fix.

In the distance, the oil derricks stretched up from the snow, motionless.   Ashland’s economic boom had ended long ago, and she wondered why her mother had stayed.  It was a ghost town.  

Alice turned and looked at the house, the reflection on the windows concealing whatever ghosts wandered there.  Finally of the living, she would not cross that threshold again.

My most recent entry just went in this morning, so I'll post here later and let you know how it went.  By the way, anyone doing NaNoWriMo this year? I am.  Maybe it'll keep me motivated.  Do my blog posts count? :)