"…his stories are always sharp and compact and interesting." ——Angel Martinez "(One of) the hottest authors in the independent horror scene…" —-Hellbound Books
First, here’s the prompts for the September 2023 Flash Fiction Draw Challenge. Then my usual long-winded explanation:
A Comedy
Involving an Empty Box
Set at a swim Meet.
Now, on to the details.
Hi! I’m Mike Mayak, I also write as Jeff Baker and I’m the current moderator for the monthly Flash Fiction Draw Challenge, which was started by ‘Nathan Burgoine a few years ago and carried on by Cait Gordon and Jeffrey Ricker. It’s a monthly writing challenge mainly for stress-free fun that anyone can play.
Here’s how it works: the first Monday of every month I draw three cards; a heart, a diamond and a club. These correspond to a list naming a genre, a setting and an object that must appear in the story. Participants write up a flash fiction story, 1,000 words or less, post it to their website and link it here in the comments. I’ll post the results (and hopefully have one of my own written!) the week of September 11th, 2023.
As I’m no good making videos I did the drawing offstage and the results were the Six of Clubs (an empty box) the Ten of Hearts (a comedy) and the Nine of Diamonds (a swim meet.) So we will write a comedy, set at a swim meet involving an empty box!
So, get to writing and I’ll post the results next week!
Every week we post six lines of a story of ours, a work-in-progress or from someone else’s work we recommend that has LGBT characters on Rainbow Snippets here https://www.facebook.com/groups/963484217054974
This is from another of my stories posted on the RoMMantic Reads e-zine. https://rommanticreads.wordpress.com/2023/08/18/summer-flash-challenge-2-jeff-baker/ The idea here was to select a couple of pictures and have the regular writers do a summer story. I used both pictures, one of a sand sculpture of an alligator and the other of a spiral staircase with Christmas lights. So I had a little fun with Christmas in August!
“Well, we got the pictures for the museum Christmas card taken,” Luke said. “Glad they shut the place down for the night so we could do this.”
“Glad they left the air conditioning on,” Wally said.
“The digital pics will be easy to send but y’know, sometimes I miss the old way. Darkrooms, the feel you were doing it yourself.”
Wally trotted down the stairs and walked up to his boyfriend, moving the camera hanging down on his chest to the side so they could embrace.
“I remember doing a few things in a darkroom.” Wally said.
The two men kissed for a minute.
Just a little longer than six lines but I couldn’t resist! Especially when the lines about it being more fun the old way were actually said to me by a photographer! —–jeff
‘Nathan Burgoine’s YA novel “Stuck With You” is the latest Hi/Lo from Lorimer Books’ “Real Love” imprint.
A Hi/Lo being a “high interest, low reading complexity book” meant for young readers who do not have a high reading level for one reason or another.
“Stuck With You” is told from the vantage point of Ben Ross. About to turn eighteen and on the train from his yearly visit to his Father in Toronto going home to his Mom and Stepdad in Ottawa. He’s Gay, out and without his cellphone as Caleb Khoury had accidentally broken it with a basketball back at school. Ben, therefore has been without contact to his support system of friends and the school’s Rainbow Club during his stay with his Father with whom he has nothing in common.
The last person Ben wants to see is Caleb Khoury.
Guess who sits down in the seat next to him?
The last thing Ben wants is a four-hour train ride with Caleb.
So it stretches to over five hours thanks to a rainstorm.
This gives the two teens a chance to talk, reluctantly and with a lot of tension at first as they begin to open up because they have nothing else to do. And here is where I, as a reader, worried because this was a “frenemies to boyfriends” story, so I wondered if the inevitable changes in their relationship would seem contrived or forced or fake. None of that happened. It seemed natural and very genuine, including Caleb’s revelation that he is bisexual.
It says a lot about Burgoine’s skill as a writer that he humanizes these two characters who could have been wooden cliches in lesser hands.
The train ride (on the “Via Train”) is evoked perfectly. Readers who have ridden that route have praised the descriptions, and I must give a nod to Burgoine’s fun chapter titles, all of which reference Caleb. (“Caleb Khoury Never Shuts Up,” Caleb Khoury Flexes a Lot,” “Caleb Khoury Is Into Guys.”)
Aimed at a YA audience, “Stuck With You” is a fun, breezy read. A train ride into the world of young love, and is highly recommended.
—end—
NOTE: This review was also posted on Goodreads. —–jeff
The two boys were born a day apart and had celebrated their birthdays together since they could remember. It helped that they grew up next door to each other.
“Look down there,” Kelvin said, pointing down the alley.
Dirt and gravel road, lined with trees and phone poles stretching into the distance and seemingly framing a far off grain elevator.
“Yeah,” Les said.
“Someday I’m gonna go down that alley and walk right out of this town for good.” Kelvin said.
“And I’ll be right behind you,” Les said.
“Hey! I’ll race ya! C’mon!” Kelvin said, pulling his bike out from the tree.
“All right!” Les said jumping on his bike and peeling out from under the tree. They were not too old or mature to race down a dirt alleyway in the middle of a small-town summer.
In later years, the summers of their youth would blur in memory. Kelvin would fall head-over-heels with a local girl and wind up working for her father in town.
Les, after many misadventures would wind up working in Sacramento.
The hot California summers would sometimes make him think of that brightly-lit summer alleyway when they were both fourteen years old.
Photo: A guy who isn’t ‘Nathan Burgoine with ‘Nathan’s book.
Every week we post six lines from a work of ours, a work-in-progress or published or a recommendation of someone else’s work with at least one LGBT character. Posted at Rainbow Snippets here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/963484217054974
My snippet is taken from the opening. Readers can take it from there!
My best friend, Raj, says my comfort zones are all about not having to worry about surprises. I don’t think they mean it as an insult, and I don’t take it as one. It’s true. I like knowing what’s going to happen. I read spoilers before I watch movies. Once I find something I like at a restaurant, I order it every time.
Whet your appetite for our teen-age protagonist and what he’s in store for? Good!
No spoilers here, but I love chapter titles and this book has some fun ones!
That’s all for this week’s late entry. Next week, a story of mine that is written in the sands!
“Hey, look!” Luke said pointing up past the awning there at the gas station. “A rainbow.”
“Yeah!” Jackson said. “But it’s still raining.”
“Big tough biker guys not afraid of a little rain are we?” Luke said with a grin, brushing water off his leather jacket.
“No,” Jackson said. “Just of getting drenched.”
“Hey, we need the rain!” Luke said. “Farmers do, anyway.”
“Yeah, but let’s wait ‘till it lets up.” Jackson said.
“Yeah,” Luke said. “I don’t blame you. We don’t have to be across town right away.”
“Anyway, you seen how people drive their cars even when the roads aren’t slick, right?” Jackson said.
“Oh, yeah.” Luke said. “Like a Demolition Derby.”
The two of them stood there, Luke idly fiddling with the receipt for the gas they’d just bought.
“You know,” Jackson said. “This could be a metaphor for life. The rain, a safe awning, the rainbow overhead and crazy people on the slick roads!”
“Yeah,” Luke laughed. “And you gotta pay for your gas.”
“I heard that right!” Jackson said.
“Yeah, you know…hey look!” Luke said.
“What?” Jackson asked, looking over where Luke was pointing.
“Another rainbow.”
“Yeah,” Jackson breathed.
The two men stood there for a few minutes just watching.
“I didn’t realize we were over this far,” Luke said. “My Grandparents used to take me into a used book store in that old building right down there. It’s where I got my comic books.”
“Stocking up on Ghost Rider, I’ll bet,” Jackson said.
“Naaaah! Scrooge McDuck.” Luke said grinning. “All his adventures all around the world. Maybe that’s why I wanted to travel. Why I wound up roaming around on a bike.”
“And wound up working in the old hometown!” Jackson said.
“Yeah! You never know what’s gonna happen!” Luke said.
Here’s the latest Progress Report on the writing since the last one of these I did in early July.
I wrote a couple of Queer Sci-Fi columns, including one for next month.
Wrote up a bunch of flash fictions, including the weekly ones.
I finished working on two full-length stories aimed at anthologies. Finished writing one, finished editing one down when the market changed publishers and wordcounts.
Plotted out a few full-length stories and started writing at least two of them.
I almost hate to say it, but I’m relieved to be out from under the two deadlines for the end of July and the end of August. For the rest of the year I’m going to avoid other people’s deadlines for longer fiction. (Not that it wasn’t exhilarating and a helluva lot of fun!)
Started plotting and revising something longer that started as a story fragment I wrote about fifteen years ago. (More on that much, much later!)
Worked on stories aimed at RoMMantic Reads and had two stories published there. (Thanks Fiona!)
Found out that one of my flash stories will be in “Rise,” the new Queer Sci-Fi anthology.
Wrote notes for a bunch of other stuff including a poem.
I’m writing pretty regularly and I seem to have acquired some much-needed discipline over the years. Even so, I seem to have discarded or loosened my ironclad rule (which helped a lot!) against starting a new story until I finish the one I’m working on. A decade or two ago I would have had a notebook or Word Processor full of good starts to unfinished stories. Lately that doesn’t seem to be my problem.
This discipline would have come in handy about thirty years ago when I started trying to write!
Every week we post six lines of a work of ours, published or in progress or a work of someone else’s we’d like to recommend with LGBT characters on Rainbow Snippets here https://www.facebook.com/groups/963484217054974
All Hank had wanted was to show his new human husband Kenny where he’d grown up. Osmos City (“just to this side of reality down from the convenience store…”) was where they held the semi-annual Festival of Magic, so the two of them decided to take in the show (and avoid the boring workshops and panels.) They’d been seated in the stands, enjoying green popcorn when Hank’s old friend Xidgious had come up to him and practically begged Hank to fill in for the Master Mage from Zenith Valley who was stuck in Zenith Valley until the planets shifted later in the day. They’d had to re-arrange the schedule for the performers that morning and the Mage of Zenith Valley wasn’t supposed to be there for another hour at least, according to the original schedule. So now they had about ten minutes to fill and Xidgious was as panicky as anyone in charge would be.
“Have you ever seen a crowd of rowdy mages, sorcerers and acolytes become bored and impatient?” Xidgious asked, a note of panic in his voices.
Hank was going to mention he’d tried doing comedy at a country-western bar in Kingman, Kansas, but by this time Xidgious was starting to beg, so Hank waved a hand (non-magically) and said the magic words “Okay, I’ll do it.”
Okay, just a little longer but I couldn’t resist! There’s a link to more of Hank and Kenny’s adventures in the original story from Friday Flash Fics and my blog.
See you next week! ‘Till then, don’t take any wooden nickels!—-jeff
Hank Jones felt ridiculous. The robe was too long and the dark green just wasn’t him. Besides, he’d been a real wizard for over 400 years and he’d never needed to wear a robe with fakey looking stars and moons on it. He sighed and looked out the entrance to the stadium. Nice sized crowd. How had he gotten roped into this?
“Because you’re a nice guy, dammit!” Hank grumbled to himself. And he could blame Xidgious.
All Hank had wanted was to show his new human husband Kenny where he’d grown up. Osmos City (“just to this side of reality down from the convenience store…”) was where they held the semi-annual Festival of Magic, so the two of them decided to take in the show (and avoid the boring workshops and panels.) They’d been seated in the stands, enjoying green popcorn when Hank’s old friend Xidgious had come up to him and practically begged Hank to fill in for the Master Mage from Zenith Valley who was stuck in Zenith Valley until the planets shifted later in the day. They’d had to re-arrange the schedule for the performers that morning and the Mage of Zenith Valley wasn’t supposed to be there for another hour at least, according to the original schedule. So now they had about ten minutes to fill and Xidgious was as panicky as anyone in charge would be.
“Have you ever seen a crowd of rowdy mages, sorcerers and acolytes become bored and impatient?” Xidgious asked, a note of panic in his voices.
Hank was going to mention he’d tried doing comedy at a country-western bar in Kingman, Kansas, but by this time Xidgious was starting to beg, so Hank waved a hand (non-magically) and said the magic words “Okay, I’ll do it.”
Kenny patted him on the back and kissed him for luck and then Xidgious mentioned the “traditional costume.”
And that was how he wound up standing on a sawdust open-air stadium floor dressed for a kid’s movie with hundreds of pairs (and other groupings) of eyes fixed on him.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Hank said. “You have been cheated out of seeing one of the most wondrous, powerful and dangerous bits of magic available; that of transformation of pure, base elements. A feat which I can not only perform but add to it something more rare and even more dangerous…necromancy!”
There was a gasp from some of the crowd, applause from some of the others. Hank had no idea what the Master Mage of Zenith was planning to do but this got their attention.
“The transformation of base metals into Gold is a powerful art which runs the risk of shaking the laws of physics in the scientific world and the magical world. Do it too much and you run the risk of damaging the Great Balance.” Hank paused. “That’s why most professional Sorcerers accept credit cards.”
Laughter from the audience. Hank could see Kenny laughing and giving him a thumbs-up. If only the crowd at the bar had been so appreciative.
“However, in small portions, it can be done. And I am about to do it for your amazement. In as safe a way as I can.” He scanned the audience with his eyes. “Is there anyone who has a Gold coin I may borrow? If not, I will have to tap dance for you. Yes, I’m here to kill time!”
There was more laughter from the crowd in the stadium.
After a moment, a greenish young man in the front row waved his hand and called out “I do!”
“Young man, will you please hop over the railing and join me here?”
The teenager did so and there was applause, probably from his school friends.
“Okay,” Hank said. “Your name is?”
“Troponius,” the young man said.
“And are you studying sorcery?” Hank asked.
“Yeah. Iatromancy,” Troponius said, his face blushing a deeper green.
“All right,” Hank said, “now show me the Gold coin but do not hand it to me. I’m glad you are wearing short sleeves.”
Troponius dug into his pouch and pulled out a Golden coin, about the size of a Silver Dollar, Hank thought. Most of the people in the stands had no idea what a Silver Dollar was.
“Show the coin to someone in the audience,” Hank said. Troponius walked over to the railing and held up the coin to the front row.
“Now,” Hank said, “come back here and do me a big favor. Sort of gauge the weight of the coin in your hand.”
The puzzled young man did so.
“Hold your hand out, yes like that, and give me a moment.”
Hank turned to the audience.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I promised you not only transmutation but Necromancy. Ancient and powerful magic invoking the Realm of the Dead. I am empowered to do this, because I am an Underlord of the Lahadnedjj. That last word meaning, of course, Lord of Death.”
There were a few more gasps from the crowd.
Hank smiled to himself. All it meant was he had a sorcerous Engineering Degree. But he could pull off a little Necromatic magic.
“Thus, I have powers which I must use regularly, not just the Necromantic ones.” Hank said. “Or they start working on their own. You’ve seen ‘Bewitched,’ right? When magic goes haywire?”
Laughter from the crowd.
“So, here go some wonders,” Hank said. He pointed at the Gold coin in the shaking teenager’s hand and spoke.
“I do call through all the Dead
Transform this Golden coin to Lead!”
There was a silvery flash in Troponius’ hand. Hank stepped closer and examined the coin.
“Troponius, would you show this coin to the audience?” Hank said in a loud voice.
The young man did, holding the grey disc up and then showing it close-up to the front row of the stadium.
“And I ask you, young student of sorcery, to weigh the lead coin in your hand and tell us if it feels lighter or heavier?” Hank said.
Troponius stared for an instant, unsure that anyone was talking to him. Then he blinked a couple of times and nodded. He held the coin in his palm, raised it up and down and grinned.
“Lighter!”
Hank smiled. There was a smattering of applause from the stadium crowd.
Hank gestured at the young man to hold the lead coin in his outstretched palm.
“And now,” Hank said, “I restore the balance, through my Necromantic Art, by doing the feat many sorcerers attempted to find for years.” Hank got theatrical, raised his hands and made sure he spoke in a voice with an echo:
“Through the name of Death so bold
Transmute this Leaden coin to Gold!”
Everyone in the stadium sat breathless for a moment.
Then there was a clap of thunder in the cloudless sky. There was a bright, golden flash in Troponius’ hand and a brief puff of smoke from his palm that was shaped like a skull.
Hank bit his tongue. He hadn’t expected that.
“So, Treph…uh, young man, will you show the coin to the audience?” Hank said. Troponius was less surprised than he was. He held up the coin which was glistening Gold.
Applause again.
Hank grabbed the young man’s hand and they bowed to the stadium crowd.
Hank made his way back to sit with his husband Kenny as the Wizard of Water took the stage and conjured up a controlled monsoon.
Hank and Kenny kissed as the spray of water covered them.
“I swear, next time Xidgious asks me to cover for an act that didn’t show, I’m gonna tap dance!” Hank said, conjuring up an umbrella.
—end—
AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is a sort of sequel to the 1973 TV cartoon “Mission; Magic!” episode “Modran.” I wondered what happened at the competition after the cheating wizard Modran had been disqualified. Having done shows (not magic!) where we had to replace somebody on the schedule quick, I thought of this. It got a little long but was fun to do! ——jeff
authorjeffbaker 