It’s time for the Write, Edit, Publish June challenge. I must thank Denise Covey for starting this bloghop, and to all the ladies shown below. It’s a great way to exercise your creative skills. For those who don’t know, flash fiction is 1,000 words or less. This month’s challenge is based on the song, “Please, Read the Letter. Below is a link to the song on YouTube.com
Tag line: Creating A Better Life.
Please Read the Letter
My phone started to play the Darth Vader tune. I’d assigned that ringtone to only one person. Frank. He must have found my letter. I left it on his pillow.
As I descended the hills the sun was low in the smog-filled California sky. It figured. Late as it was, Frank spent a couple hours with his drinking buddies after work. Darth Vader started announcing himself again and was interrupted by the voice of GPS telling me my turn was coming up. I was glad. I’d been driving for the last five hours, frequently stopping because I had to pee, a lot, as a seven-month-long pregnant woman.
My job had let me go. Figures. Frank didn’t pay the electric bill. Figures. Who would hire a pregnant woman? No one. Figures. My walls came crashing down. Clearly, there was nothing left for me with Frank.
My friend Heidi had offered to take me in, and I jumped at the chance. A new life in sunny California, smog and all. Arizona was in the rear view mirror along with Frank and our shared memories.
Darth Vader was calling again. I could almost hear Frank say, “Baby, baby, please pick up.” But, nope! This baby would never pick up for you again. My parrot, Jolly, agreed when he said, “Stop calling!”
First on the to-do list tomorrow. Get a new phone number. Then I’ll call mom and let her know. She lives in Minnesota and won’t approve of me leaving Frank, so I won’t tell her immediately. She never wrote down his number, thank God.
Heidi and I went way back to High School. We roomed together at University. She finished. I married Frank. God, I was stupid. But we talked, and I had a plan. I was going to finish and get my degree. She was going to help me. There was no better friend than Heidi. I loved her. She never played the ‘I told you so’ card.
GPS let me know I’d be there soon. Heidi lived in the hills above Los Angeles. She’d inherited the house after her parents died from COVID early on. I’d spent many long nights on the phone with her while she cried. Nothing like a pandemic to make it impossible to really be there for those you love. But now, it was over, and I’d see a lot of Heidi.
I turned into her driveway, stopped the car, and stretched. Darth Vader was irritating me to no end, so I turned off my phone and got out of the vehicle. And there was Heidi, her short-cropped curls bouncing as she ran to me. We hugged and laughed, and she rubbed my belly. Then she took my two suitcases, and I grabbed Jolly’s cage.
Can I just say, I’m gonna love my new life!
Word count: 473
I’ve noticed that my stories have gotten shorter. This is either due to the fact that I’m a better writer, or that I’ve gotten lazy. Let know what you think. Nancy
Are you writing to Kindle Vella? I am, here’s my link to Nilmalith’s Journey. The first three episodes are free and at an end is a thumbs up symbol. Help me get higher on the scale so more readers can find me, by reading and hitting the thumbs up. If you can write a review, that helps too. Also, if you enjoy my story and head over every week, Amazon gives you the option to have a 'fave.' When enough people choose my story as a 'fave,' I earn a crown and my story becomes a featured story so more readers find it. I really appreciate your help. Thanks. Nancy
I know Kindle Vella is currently only offered in America. It's a success, so let Amazon know you want to write to it too.
To read go to: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B0B2QBYRYN
Kindle Vella is a success. If you don’t have it yet, let Amazon know you want it.
Any critique is fine.
To read what others have written for this month’s challenge, go here.
23 comments:
I hope she gets that better life she's hoping for!
Hi Nancy - it sounds like she deserves a better future ... while Heidi sounds a gem of a friend ... well done - cheers Hilary
Hooray for fresh starts. And dear friends.
I'm glad for your heroine. Her new life is going to be much better.
Hope she gets the life she's expecting. Enjoyed this take on the prompt.
I'm not sure length/WC has anything to do with the completeness of a story - or its enjoyment, both reading and writing.
Thanks for being here at WEP.
Thank you, Jemi, Hilary, Elephant's Child, Olga, and Nila. Glad you stopped by.
Nancy
Hi Miss Nancy,
I’m happy your main character was able to leave an unhappy past behind. What better way to avoid more conflict than by leaving a letter? She’s lucky to have a trusted friend to take her and her parrot in. Hope she doesn’t put Darth Vader on her new phone. Maybe Jolly could make a new ring tone. Ha ha. Your MC is well on her way to a bright future. Thanks for a good read.
Hi Nancy! I love this hopeful little story. Just right for the prompt. Just hope she doesn't turn back. Her new life offers her a lot more than she ever had with Frank. Figures!
Yes, I read your first three episodes on Kindle Vella. Every time I tried to do something, I was told Vella was only for Americans. I did manage to give the thumbs up on the second and third episodes. I hate how Amazon invents a new platform then cuts out the rest of the world.
Hi. I enjoyed the ride with your heroine and her story. Clever of you to have spun a complete tale in just a short journey. I'd love to know how she fared later.
-Sonia
I felt so bad for her at the beginning, but her friend Heidi offered hope for a better life. This is such an uplifting story!
A wonderful story! :)
You told so much in so few words! No need to fret about it being short, because I thought it was wonderful. I hope she does indeed make the best of this fresh start she so clearly needs.
Hi Lenny Lee, Denise, Haunted, Debbie, Damyanti, and L.G.
Thank you all for reading. And, ugh on Amazon Denise, thanks for trying.
Nancy
Hi Nancy!
There was so much in those 473 words. It was the perfect length. It didn't feel short.
I really enjoyed your tale!
Thanks Michelle.
Nancy
Everyone should be lucky enough to have a friend like Holly. I think the narrator's life will be much better without Frank.
Second try for a comment.
You're a great writer! Saying so much in so few words are a testament to that.
Well done!
Thank you, Owl.
And, your making me blush, Renee.
Nancy
Such a hopeful read. Loved the 'looking-forward-to-the-future' vibe of this piece. Exciting and empowering.
Thanks Arti.
Nancy
Good story. I wonder what all the reasons were for leaving. And when Covid might be over. Last I heard, the US was over more than half infected right now. It'll be a lovely future when that's over.
(https://www.facebook.com/cdc/posts/pfbid0Fp8B1P3KUypwmsWtjbS4QwwKngCpZSYuSJr3vi6sJvNRCVEQcGCyZzY3JTMQhKsLl)
I've heard of Vella, but don't know much about it yet. Something about getting one chapter at a time, but other chapters only come if enough readers like it? There hasn't been much information.
I wrote a humorous piece for the June WEP prompt (it isn't adult, though some may mistake it as such at first, depending on your hobbies).
And I'm contemplating my favorite book worlds for the IWSG July prompt (I'm co-hosting). Any thoughts?
Over at Operation Awesome, we're gearing up for our Pass or Pages query contest with July's family saga genre. Know any writers who might want to enter?
Getting out to protect the little one perhaps? Good for the main character! Will there be a redemption arc for that "Darth Vader" at the end? Donate an organ or something right before death? Guess we might never know.
Thank you, Jamie and J. Lenni for coming by.
Vella is an episode at a time, much like the difference between TV and a movie. It's up to the author how long the complete work is. Vella stories can be turned into a book and republished as such. You just have to pull all of it and wait a month. At the moment, Vella is a USA Amazon project only, I'd contact Amazon for your area and let them know you want to submit. My book sales aren't great, but I'm doing well on Vella.
COVID restrictions have been lifted in the USA.
Nancy
Post a Comment