the speakeasy at yeah write #87 is open
Welcome to the speakeasy at yeah write #87! If you’re new to our grid, here’s the scoop: this is the fiction and poetry portion of the yeah write franchise. Participants write 1000 word stories based on a photo prompt. The photo for #87 looks like this:
- click to embiggen
We’ve already got your first sentence ready for you, too. Begin your story or poem with this line:
I took a deep breath and turned the key.
Your submission can be about anything you like, so long as it makes some reference to the photo prompt and opens with this first line we’ve provided Submissions should be dated no earlier than the Sunday before the grid opens. In this case, posts will be dated December 9, 2012, or later. Our grid is open to entries until 11:59 EST, Wednesday. On Thursday, we vote for a crowd favourite. The winner gets a fancy button of triumph for their post and accolades from fellow submitters. As winner, you’ll also provide the first sentence everyone will use next week.
If you follow the instructions below and run into trouble, feel free to email me with questions, at Flood@yeahwrite.me, or leave a comment below. Can’t wait to see what you do with the prompts!
Erica ~ I am not sufficiently cyber-literate to understand the instructions about pasting code into the HTML view. I could probly figure it out, but rather than risk screwing something up I’ll simply paste my brief submission into this window and hope for the best! Thanks for this fascinating opportunity.
I took a deep breath and turned the key. I pushed the door open just far enough to see. I backed out, closed the door and turned the key again. I walked to my car, knelt down and placed in front of the right front tire the little box with the holes in it that held the parakeet I had brought to her as an anniversary gift. I got into the car, slammed the door, started the engine, drove over the little box with the holes in it, looked in the mirror to make sure the little box was squashed flat, and headed downtown to find a divorce lawyer.
Hi Mathew, welcome to the speakeasy!
I’ve listed the steps to add your post to the grid in my comment below, but Erica will write you soon to help you set up. On Thursday, there will be little stars beneath each submission on the grid, and people will click the stars for the posts they enjoyed most. You don’t wanna miss that, right?
Good luck!
I am having problems with commenting on your blog, so I’m leaving a comment here. I understand – when reading through the comments – that you were reluctant to drive over that bird, but did it for the sake of fiction
I actually thought that this use of “dead bird” was one of the most creative one out of all the stories.
Thanks, Kerstin. I routinely rescue young birds from our cats and hide them in the woods. I had to call on my dark alter ego to do this piece.
testing. not sure if my previous comment, responding to Kerstin, got thru…
SATURDAY
SATURDAY
I took a deep breath and turned the key. The chastity belt stuck a little and Bertha cackled as I struggled with it. I looked up but a cloud of stale smoke and a night of tequila shooters made it difficult to see.
“Youse got to work to earn my reward, sugar.” Part of me, the part we all ignore, was begging me to leave. But the important part of me was saying ‘Put some muscle into it!” I turned the key and pulled with all my beer muscles. The doorway to heaven popped open and I rocked back on my knees. A scream caught in my throat. I expected to see a pussy, but instead a bird fell out. There was more cackling and other noises.
I wish I could tell you that I left right then. I really do.
Splinker, I noticed earlier that you had the blog post for your story linked to the grid. Would you do that again, please?
Step 1: copy the code beneath the top badge in the sidebar on this page.
Step 2: paste the code into the HTML view of your post that contains the story you wish to share with us.
Step 3: come back to this page and click “Add your link,” found beneath the grid up there, where others have linked up.
Step 4: follow the instructions inlinkz walks you through to add the post to the grid
Thanks!
Yeah. I took it down, figuring I’d post it when the voting starts. But then I changed my mind and republished it.
Then I went out for coffee.
The grid will be closed to submissions, once voting starts.
Not that I have any plans to take over the Internet, but are we allowed to post more than one story?
One per person, but you can always switch out this one for something else, if you like.
Thanks. I didn’t see a button to delete posts though.
BTW, which do you find more difficult? Solving complex algebra equations or explaining simple tasks to authors?
I barely know my ass from a hat, so don’t worry. If you do wanna switch something out, remove the badge from the current post, add it to the new post, then let me know and I will take it from there. I’m away from the internet for the better part of today, so I may be delayed in responding. (flood@yeahwrite.me)
I think I finally made it into the grid, but received no notice of success. Nor did I receive any notice of failure, so I’ll assume the positive.
Hi Mathew,
Your post requires a log in and password for the general public to see it. Is your post set to private viewing?
Yes, it is. I’m not inclined to give out login and password info to anyone. This seems a very odd setup.
Mathew, I think maybe your story isn’t published on f’naut? I don’t see it even when I’m logged in.
It’s published in the “private” category. I’ll move it a private group and see if that works.
That’s not going to work for this challenge I don’t think. It needs to be publicly viewable by non-fictionaut members.
Try it now. I’ve moved into a public group. Same URL.
Mathew, there’s another problem: Looks like Fictionaut strips out the HTML code associated with the image you posted on the story. I don’t think that stories posted to f’naut are going to be able to be voted on for this competition. Posted, yeah, but votes won’t go through.
OK, I’ll post it in Our Salon. That has an HTML capability. I’ll re-submit.
I just resubmitted using this URL: http://oursalon.ning.com/profiles/blogs/gasp-and-dash