Mid-Week Blues-Buster Week 06

Shalom, everyone…

Welcome to the Mid-Week Blues-Buster Flash Fiction Challenge, Week 06.

This is a flash fiction challenge.  The prompt is a song.  You are not required to write about or even mention the song.  It’s there only to get the ideas moving around in your brain pan.  If you want to write about the song (or the video- it’s all good here) go for it but don’t feel like you have to.

The rules;

500 words, but it’s a slushy 500, meaning you can go up to 700 or as low as 300.

Post your entry right in the comments section of this post.

MAKE SURE TO PUT YOUR TWITTER HANDLE NEXT TO YOUR WORD COUNT AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR POST

The challenge starts whenever I post this on Tuesday and ends at 11:59PM Pacific Time on Thursday.  You read that right.  Pacific Time.

This week’s prompt comes to us courtesy of The Pogues

This week’s judge is none other than… my adorable wife!  Ilene Tsuruoka.

Now off with you!  Write!  The Challenge ends on Thursday March 28 at 11:59 PM PACIFIC TIME!

 

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Mid-Week Blues-Buster Week 05 Winners

The Fairyqueen has spoken!

Week 05 of the Mid-Week Blues-Buster is in the books.  Thanks to all who came out to write to Johnny Cash…

Take it away, Anna…

Okay dokay

3rd place: Everlasting Jack by JennM (Brewed Bohemian)

Spooky twist on a story we thought we knew. Vivid prose, balanced on a knife’s edge

2nd place: The Cockerel by K (ScrivK)

Disturbing and yet darkly charming anthropomorphic tale with a squeaker of an ending.

1st place: Untitled by Daniel Swensen

Thematically, Daniel’s story captured the “Sam Hall” malevolence, while maintaining its dark streak of humor. The ending made me squeal – gory and exceptional.

 

Thanks to Anna Meade for judging the challenge & congratulations to the winners…. and to everyone who wrote or read this week.

Daniel – here’s the winner’s badge

See you all on Tuesday…

Mid-Week Blues-Buster Week 05

Shalom, everyone…

Welcome to the Mid-Week Blues-Buster Flash Fiction Challenge, Week 04.

This is a flash fiction challenge.  The prompt is a song.  You are not required to write about or even mention the song.  It’s there only to get the ideas moving around in your brain pan.  If you want to write about the song (or the video- it’s all good here) go for it but don’t feel like you have to.

The rules;

500 words, but it’s a slushy 500, meaning you can go up to 700 or as low as 300.

Post your entry right in the comments section of this post.

MAKE SURE TO PUT YOUR TWITTER HANDLE NEXT TO YOUR WORD COUNT AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR POST

The challenge starts whenever I post this on Tuesday and ends at 11:59PM Pacific Time on Thursday.  You read that right.  Pacific Time.

This week’s prompt comes to us courtesy of the legendary Man in Black… Johnny Cash

The tune is called, “Sam Hall”.  Here’s the link; http://youtu.be/C9p9FmKdMIQ

This week’s judge is none other than the fabulous, #ruannasplatting, wombat-cannon wielding, Hapless Bride… Anna Meade!

Now, off with you!  Write!  Write!  Write!  Challenge ends on March 21 at 11:59PM PACIFIC time…

Mid-Week Blues-Buster Week 04 Winners

Week 04 of the Mid-Week Blues-Buster is in the books…

Big thanks to guest judge Daniel Swensen for a job well done.  In the immortal words of Judge Swensen…

Though I enjoyed reading all the entries this week, I have to give first place to Ruth Long for the classic “deal with the devil” tale. I have a real weakness for it, and the tale crackled with some tasty description. 

 

Second place for Steven Paul Watson, third for Miss Bliss, and fourth for Lisa Shambrook. I loved reading everyone’s entries. Thanks for the opportunity to judge!

 

So there we have it!

Congratulations to all the winners and to everyone who came out to play this week.

My friend The Fiction Vixen (Rosalind Smith-Nazilli) created this nifty badge for us. 

 

Ruth- you’re the first to claim it!

 

See you all on Tuesday…

Mid-Week Blues-Buster Week 04

Shalom, everyone…

Welcome to the Mid-Week Blues-Buster Flash Fiction Challenge, Week 04.

This is a flash fiction challenge.  The prompt is a song.  You are not required to write about or even mention the song.  It’s there only to get the ideas moving around in your brain pan.  If you want to write about the song (or the video- it’s all good here) go for it but don’t feel like you have to.

The rules;

500 words, but it’s a slushy 500, meaning you can go up to 700 or as low as 300.

Post your entry right in the comments section of this post.

MAKE SURE TO PUT YOUR TWITTER HANDLE NEXT TO YOUR WORD COUNT AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR POST

The challenge starts whenever I post this and ends at 11:59PM Pacific Time.  You read that right.  Pacific Time.

This week’s song prompt comes courtesy of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds…

The tune is… “Red Right Hand”.  Here’s the link; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxkUK3SQlWI (Sorry about the ad at the beginning of the video)

This week’s Judge is none other than… The Master of Disaster, The Sultan of Sarcasm, The Surliest of Muses… Daniel Swensen!

Now, off with you!  Write!  Write!  Write!  Challenge ends on March 14 at 11:59PM PACIFIC time…

Mid-Week Blues-Buster Week 03 WINNERS

Week 03 was a huge one for us here at the Blues-Buster.  Thanks to everyone who wrote, read, judged, & promoted… We’re off to a great start.

Now, on to the Week 03 Winners.

Take it away, judge Mona Bliss…

I had never heard this cover before and it sort of blew my mind.  Thanks to everyone who made the effort to put some words together and take us on a music inspired quick flash fiction journey.  I also want to lodge a complaint because choosing was not so easy folks…but the job is pick three so I did…but I really loved all the entries!  Thanks to Jeff for asking me to judge and I look forward to joining in the fun in the coming weeks.

 

1st – Training Day by JennM.  I am a SciFi reader from way back and this is a sparkling little jewel that I hope is either part of something larger or the beginning of something larger!  Love the West Texas reference and I have to say I actually yelled at the computer when she stuck her hand towards that dang little winged creature because they ALWAYS bite.  Little monsters.  Loved it!

 

2nd – Untitled by LisaShambrook – The sensory experience of this story was so powerful for me along with the emotional content.  The old woman absolutely WILLING that child to show up was so visceral and I was going to be heartbroken if he didn’t make it.  Very nicely done.

 

3rd – Compton California Dreamin’ by Jeffrey Hollar.  Great description packed into a very tight story that had an ever increasing level of tension.  I was actually afraid that the diner was getting robbed when the main character first walked in because the whole situation was already building tension. I’m happy it was the tension of choices to be made rather than lives to be lost.  

 

Congrats to the winners and big thanks to all who submitted a story.  These were wonderful.

 

MB

 

Mazel tov to all of the winners and to everyone who submitted a story this week.  See you on Tuesday for another edition of the Mid-Week Blues-Buster!

Mid-Week Blues-Buster Week 03

Shalom, everyone…

Welcome to the Mid-Week Blues-Buster Flash Fiction Challenge, Week 03.

This is a flash fiction challenge.  The prompt is a song.  You are not required to write about or even mention the song.  It’s there only to get the ideas moving around in your brainpan.  If you want to write directly about the song (or the video- it’s all good here) go for it but you don’t have to.

The rules;

500 words, but it’s a slushy 500, meaning you can go up to 700 or as low as 300.

Post your entry right in the comments section of this post.

MAKE SURE TO PUT YOUR TWITTER HANDLE NEXT TO YOUR WORD COUNT AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR POST

The challenge starts whenever I post this and ends at 11:59PM Pacific Time.  You read that right.  Pacific Time.

This week’s song is a great cover of my favorite Bob Marley tune…. Este Amor (Is This Love) by Gerardo Ortiz.

Here’s the link… http://youtu.be/R4CA5IwYcno

This week’s judge is my pal Mona Bliss.

Have at it!  Challenge ends on Thursday March 7 at 11:59PM Pacific Time.

JT

Mid-Week Blues-Buster Week Two Winners

Week Two of the Mid-Week Blues-Buster is now in the books!

No one wants to hear from me when there are winners to be announced so I’ll turn things over to judge Ruth Long….

Says Judge Ruth;

I always look forward to judging with a mix of anticipation and dread. Anticipation to see what’s been written and the dread of having to choose which is the pick of the litter. This week’s song is highly evocative and every entry captured that. Thank you to everyone who entered!
1st – Delilah Day for Love, Honor and Obey
Lovely and heartrending. This is a poignant narrative that cuts close the bone, and yet lets us into the character’s head and heart to see the struggle – what is fair to each of them, what, if anything, can be redeemed? Sometimes the answer can’t be reasoned out with a partner, but only within our own hearts.
2nd – Jeffrey Hollar for “An Independent Woman”
There is such a terrific battle of wills going here that I kept rereading it, wondering where one or the other could give, just a bit, just enough to make it work, but I could find no quarter where they could be reconciled, and this fits the refrain of this week’s prompt so very well.
3rd – Steven Paul Watson for One Look
This story was wonderfully emotive and so well captured the aching refrain of this week’s prompt. Such a strong sense of setting gave this piece a flavor all its own.
3rd – Vixen Fiction for A Letter To My Children
The presentation of this story, in letter form, is surprising and gripping all at once. Fantastic characterization and powerful storytelling!

Thanks to everyone who wrote, who thought about writing, and who took the time to come over to the blog and give us a look….

See you on Tuesday for another exciting episode of… The Mid-Week Blues-Buster…