Flash 11/2009, #1: Leslie A. Dow

My Superpower

I can pretty much find anything. It’s my superpower. It was always below the surface, in the backwaters of my brain, just waiting. I’m dead certain it was my kids and husband that finally forced it into the open.

“Hon, have you seen my garpledeybip?” Like I knew what that was.

“How should I know? I don’t even know what color it is.” Read more: HTML

In This Issue

We had some fun this month, lightening the mood from our October issue. We hope you like our stories of a mom’s superpower, a homeless man’s bravery, and... well... cold fusion. Sort of.

Our Classic Flash is an ancient retort; laughter has always been the best defense.

Bruce Holland Rogers is back this issue, too, talking about writing with characters your audience already knows. His example story is about George and Baseball. But not that George.

Our next issue goes live on December 1. Meanwhile, please subscribe if you haven’t already, comment on stories, and tip your favorite authors. Thanks! Read more

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Flash 11/2009, #2: Alan Grayce

A Delivery of Cheesesteaks

His own saliva wakes him up.

The icy patch on his face tips him out of the warmth he mustered from the newspapers pitched against the restaurant grate in the alleyway. Gabe checks the clockstrip he filched from a street vendor. 1/10/2015... 7:22 a.m... 18 degrees F...

A shelter tonight. He hates being locked in, but it beats frostbite. More from the strip: Read more: HTML

Flash 11/2009, #3: Janene Murphy

Irma Splinkbottom’s Recipe For Cold Fusion

Irma Splinkbottom loosened the back string of her apron as she shuffled over to the sliding glass door in her kitchen. The temperature on the gauge outside made her hesitate. She knew Fall brought cooler temperatures to the small town of Sapulpa, Oklahoma, but 68 degrees at 2:13 PM.... Read more: HTML

Flash 11/2009, #4: Bruce Holland Rogers

President of Baseball Operations

An exemplar for Short-short Sighted #16, listed below.

The secretary never had a chance to say, “Do you have an appointment?” Washington was already past her and opening the CEO’s door. Read more: HTML

Short-Short Sighted #16

Bruce Holland Rogers discusses the use of characters your audience already knows. Read more

Classic Flash #24: Sung Yü

Master Teng-t’u

One day when the chamberlain, Master Teng-t’u, was in attendance at the palace he warned the king against Sung Yü, saying: “Yü is a man of handsome features and calm bearing and his tongue is prompt with subtle sentences. Moreover, his character is licentious. I would submit that your Majesty is ill-advised in allowing him to follow you into the Queen’s apartments.” Read more: HTML