A Home for Short Stories...

We were talking about markets this evening during the manuscript meeting at the writers club, and I mentioned the new short story download site Alfie Dog.

It officially launched today, and among the writers who have stories on there are Linda Lewis and blogger Patsy Collins, who have both had lots of stories published in Women's magazines.

You'll find a wide variety of reading from general fiction to humour and many mainstream genres. There are children's stories and teen/young adult fiction too.

There's even a Story of the Week.

If you're a writer with stories looking for a home, even previously published ones, then have a look at the submissions details here.

The site is the brainchild of writer Rosemary Kind, who describes the site as carrying  "a fantastic group of talented writers writing in a wide range of genres. 69 authors, over 170 stories to begin with and more being added every week (we will be over 200 by the end of the month. Available in pdf, epub and mobi formats. Stories to make you laugh, make you cry, make you think. Bedtime stories to read to the kids. It's the place to be for stories."

I'll certainly be sending a story in for consideration, in a few months...

Wednesday (16th May) Is National Flash Fiction Day...

Wednesday's post is a day early so you will be able to take part in events to celebrate the 1st National Flash Fiction Day.

The National Flash Fiction Day blog has a roundup of events taking place starting early on Wednesday morning. You can find the details here.

There's still time to enter the Flash Flood which will be posting 500 word flash stories from midnight on the 15th/16th May. You'll find the details on the Flash Flood link and you still have all of Tuesday to submit a story.

Meanwhile here's an opportunity in The Guardian online- and David Gaffney explaining the basics of flash fiction- if you're unsure of how to write such a short piece.

If you tweet, you can follow them @nationalflashfd and on Facebook facebook.com/nationalflashfictionday

And here's a piece of mine that I posted some time ago, it won the Nottingham Writers' Club Manuscript of the Year competition in 2007, and appeared in the club magazine 'Scribe' (and preserved for posterity, or as long as the Central Library in Nottingham keeps them- they have copies going back to the early 1930's).

Positive Exposure

                                                                  (by Lola de Cortez)
When the work dried up I knew I had to do something. Who would know it was me doing the voice-over for Squeaky Clean washing-up liquid?
     I made changes, finding a nice cosmetic surgeon in Harley Street; who reminded me of my third husband. I had a face lift; botox and breast enlargement, and it certainly got me noticed.
     I was booked for Parkinson, and then invited to present a BAFTA for the best Make-Up and Hair in a movie. I'd have liked something a bit more prominent, but there's always the Oscars.
     I looked amazing on the night, three inch heels, diamonds at my wrist and ears, complimenting those sweet little gems in my beehive. And the dress...a perfect grey strapless floor length silk. It was such a shame I had to tape myself into it.
     It wasn't that it didn't fit,well it was a teeny bit loose about the chest, but I couldn't let the opportunity go- it was reduced in the sales.
     Double-sided tape was all I needed, strategically placed; I even bronzed my shoulders and cleavage to give me a glow.
     If only that silly young man doing all the talking hadn't stepped on my hem. My dress parted company with my chest, and I was bared to the world.
     The next day the tabloids were covered with my moment of exposure, and I must say I looked good for 62.
     The headline blazed '60's Siren Coming Unstuck', and I've been working every day since.

© Carol Bevitt 2007