Flash Fiction Chronicles

String-of-10 FOUR Flash Fiction Contest

sponsored by Flash Fiction Chronicles.

It begins now, February 12 at 12:01 PST

For the week of February 12 through February 18, Flash Fiction Chronicles is  having its fourth String-of-10 Contest—String-of-10 FOUR—for the best 250-word story written from a randomly selected string of ten words.

The rules of this year’s contest are listed after the prompt.   The contest is open for one week.  All entries must be submitted through our Submission Manager.  There will be no other prompt words for this week while the contest is running.  Regular daily prompts will begin again next Sunday.

STRING-OF-10 FOUR PROMPT:

JAR-MOSS-GRAVITY-EDGE-CAST-STAND-ORGAN-TIRE-BITTER-WAGE

Freedom is a possession of inestimable value.  –Marcus Tullius Cicero*

And here’s the rest of the information you will need:

GUIDELINES

1. The prompt for String-of-10 Four will be available at 12:01 on Sunday, February 12, 2012 here at FFC.
2. There is no entry fee.
3. Submit stories up to 250 words. Title is not counted int the 25o words.
4. Enter up to two stories per author.
5. All stories must contain at least four words from the String-of-10.
6. You can use any tense of the words and any recognizable form. “Jargon” would not qualify while “jar-like” chin would.
7. You can use a prompt word in the title.
8. Seamless integration of any four of the prompt words is the goal.
9. The aphorism is given for thematic inspiration.  Using the theme of “freedom” is not necessary to win.  However, this year we will give out *a special prize for the story that best  incorporates the theme. The Patricia McFarland Memorial prize. First, second, and third place winners are eligible to also win this prize, but any story that is submitted that best uses this theme may win.
10. Entries must be received by 11:59 PDT Saturday, February 18.
11. Winners will be notified sometime in March 2012.  Publications will follow in April.
12. All decisions made by the FFC staff and our guest judge are final.
13. Submit all entries here: SUBMIT TO STRING-OF-10 FOUR

PRIZES STRING-OF-TEN FOUR FLASH FICTION CONTEST

1st Place: Winner will have his or her story published at Every Day Fiction in April, 2012 and be paid the standard payment of $3.00 per story.   But this year we are upping the ante, a $50  Cash Prize from Flash Fiction Chronicles will go to the first place winner. A copy of The Best of Every Day Fiction Four along with a copy of Pomegranate Stories by Gay Degani, editor of Flash Fiction Chronicles, will also be awarded as well as an “I Write Every Day” t-shirt. As a special bonus this year, Robert Swartwood, our guest judge, has decided to throw in a copy of his own collection of  (very) short fiction, Phantom Energy!

2nd and 3rd Place: Winners will have their stories published at Flash Fiction Chronicles in April. (There is no payment for publication at Flash Fiction Chronicles). A copy of The Best of Every Day Fiction Four along with a copy of Pomegranate Stories by Gay Degani, the editor of Flash Fiction Chronicles will be awarded to 2nd and 3rd place winners.

The Patricia McFarland Memorial Prize: Winner will have his or her story published at Flash Fiction Chronicles in April.  (There is no payment for publication at Flash Fiction Chronicles) and a cash prize of $20.00.

GUEST JUDGE: ROBERT SWARTWOOD

Robert Swartwood was born in 1981. His work has appeared in such venues as The Los Angeles Review, The Daily, Beast,  Postscripts,  ChiZine, Space and Time,Wigleaf, and PANK. He is the editor of Hint Fiction: An Anthology of Stories in 25 Words or Fewer, which was chosen by The Nervous Breakdown as one of their favorite books of 2010, and was featured on NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday with Scott Simon. For a more in-depth and up-close view of what Robert does, check out his website, Occasional News, Insights, Rants, and Other Miscellaneous Stuff.

Stories from the third String-of-10 Contest

1^st Place—Pretending by A. S. Andrews

2^nd Place—Today She Will Write Cool Things by Romit Berger

3^rd Place—Wingless by Karolyn Reddy

 Stories from the second String-of-10 Contest

1^st Place—Salvation by Ann Pino

2^nd Place—Gypsy Flour by John Towler

3^rd Place—Good Morning Susan by Brittany Soder

 Stories from the first String-of-10 Contest

1^st Place—The Haircut by Sharon E. Trotter

2^nd Place—The Forever Summer by Mary J. Daley

3^rd Place—Choices Made by Jim O’Loughlin

 

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NOTE: Jim Harrington’s Market updates which usually appear on Sunday will be published tomorrow.