Writing Prompts – Hugh's Views & News

Flash Fiction Friday – Buttercup

Published on May 20, 2022May 20, 2022 by Hugh W. RobertsLeave a comment

May 16, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about when a newly released prisoner meets the disabled veteran who adopted the puppy the prisoner trained behind bars. The prompt is based on the short story I wrote for Marsha Ingrao’s Story Chat. Yes, rewrite my story in your words, 99, no more, no less. Go where the prompt leads! Click here for details.

Buttercup – by Hugh W. Roberts

“Good to see you back, James.”

“Have I missed much?”

“Nothing, apart from the 100-year war. We’d have lost if it were not for the secret weapon you trained while away.”

“I thought I recognised her.”

“Why did you name it Buttercup?”

“The prisoner I shared a cell with had a pet by the same name. I thought it suited her.”

“As you can see, I lost an arm and leg, but not in the war. I volunteered to be Buttercup’s victim. Now, tell us the secrets you learned of the human race while in one of their prisons.

***

Image of a dog in a wheat field — Image Credit: Charli Mills

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

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Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘More Glimpses.’

***

32 short stories and flash fiction pieces take the reader to the edge of their imagination.

More Glimpses

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.

Flash Fiction Friday – A Matter Of Life

Published on May 13, 2022May 13, 2022 by Hugh W. Roberts30 Comments

May 9, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a mom selfie — a story that creates an image of a mom. No one mom looks alike or fits a maternal mould. Who is she? Go where the prompt leads! Click here for details.

A Matter Of Life – by Hugh W. Roberts

It was a matter of life or death. But if only she had known that she wasn’t the only one racing toward her child as he sunk toward the bottom of the ocean floor.

***

As the creature snatched at the sinking, lifeless object, it used its other tentacle to grab the prey that pursued it and squeezed the life out of it. Now it could feed the offspring it had given birth to, which would otherwise have died on this strange, watery planet.

A mother had to do everything in her power to ensure the survival of her children.

***

Image of a woman holding a camera — Image Credit: Charli Mills

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

***

Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘More Glimpses.’

***

32 short stories and flash fiction pieces take the reader to the edge of their imagination.

More Glimpses

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.

Flash Fiction Friday – Evicted

Published on May 6, 2022May 6, 2022 by Hugh W. Roberts30 Comments

May 2, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about extraction. What is being extracted, and from where? Is it an idea? How does genre change the perspective (sci-fi versus romance)? Go where the prompt leads! Click here for details.

Evicted – by Hugh W. Roberts

They’d never wanted to move home. But the time had come.

If the landlord had only looked after the maintenance a little more, they wouldn’t have found themselves homeless.

On the day they were evicted, they’d all clung on for dear life. They hadn’t expected the maintenance to be so bad. Luckily some friends close by took them in.

“It won’t take long, Mrs Knowls. You’re doing very well,” said a rather plump lady dressed in a white coat. “That tooth is severely infected with bacteria who’ve made it their home. I’m about to extract them and their residence.”

***

Image of a quarry with a dumper truck — Image credit: Charli Mills

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

***

Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘More Glimpses.’

***

32 short stories and flash fiction pieces take the reader to the edge of their imagination.

More Glimpses

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.

Flash Fiction Friday – The Prison Cell

Published on April 29, 2022April 29, 2022 by Hugh W. Roberts16 Comments

April 25, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story using the phrase “up and away.” You can imagine a story from the photo of hot air balloons, a flying superhero, a natural wonder, or any other direction your inspiration goes. Go where the prompt leads! Click here for details.

The Prison Cell – by Hugh W. Roberts

Karl compared his life to a prison cell.

He’d done nothing wrong but fall in love, yet he couldn’t escape. Some people believed he belonged in hell. He was a threat to society and should never be allowed freedom.

“What’s the matter?” asked the uniformed prison guard.

“I need help escaping from this prison cell,” replied Karl.

“Come with me,” demanded the guard.

After a short walk to a large, stuffy sitting room, Karl got introduced.

“Mum, Dad. This is Karl, my boyfriend.”

Instantly, Karl’s life was up and away. He’d escaped the prison cell lodged in his head.

***

Image of a young girl looking up at hot-air ballons in the sky — Image credit: Charli Mills

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

***

Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘More Glimpses.’

***

32 short stories and flash fiction pieces take the reader to the edge of their imagination.

More Glimpses

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.

Flash Fiction Friday – The Death And Life Of Bill

Published on April 22, 2022April 22, 2022 by Hugh W. Roberts28 Comments

April 18, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about never ending. You can hyphenate never-ending or write an example of a story that never ends. What is endless, and why? Go where the prompt leads! Click here for details.

The Death And Life Of Bill – by Hugh W. Roberts

“Will your book ever get published?” Peggy asked her husband.

“When it’s ready,” replied Bill.

“How long have you been writing it?

“Since I was seven.”

“Seven? What’s it about?”

“Death and life.”

“What? Does it have a title?”

“Never-ending.”

“Never-ending what?”

“Never-ending. That’s it.”

“Bit of a dumb title,” laughed Peggy.

7-years later, after Bill’s death, Peggy finally began reading her husband’s unpublished book online and soon realised it was his life story, but with a twist. He’d predicted his own death.

But the biggest shock to Peggy was that Bill’s never-ending story continued from beyond his grave.

***

Image of a downward spiral — Image Credit: Charli Mills

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

***

Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘More Glimpses.’

***

32 short stories and pieces of flash fiction that take the reader to the edge of their imagination.

More Glimpses

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.

Flash Fiction Friday – Eyes Of The Waterfall

Published on April 15, 2022April 15, 2022 by Hugh W. Roberts22 Comments

April 11, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story using the phrase, water falls. Where is the water coming from? How does it shape a story? Who does it involve? Go where the prompt leads! Click here for details.

Eyes Of The Waterfall – by Hugh W. Roberts

Water flowed from the bottom to the top, yet everybody else told Miranda it flowed from top to bottom.

“Not true,” Miranda shouted as she snatched her hand away from her mother’s grip and strode across the shallow pool through the crystal-clear waterfall.

“Miranda! “Come back now!” screamed her mother while watching her daughter get soaked.

Looking through the waterfall at her mother, Miranda noticed it flowed from top to bottom, but the strange, terrifying creatures looking back at her from the other side of the waterfall petrified her more.

Only when the waterfall stopped did Miranda’s nightmares begin.

***

Image of water falling into a pond. — Image Credit: Charli Mills

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

***

Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love Glimpses

Glimpses

28 short stories and pieces of flash fiction take the reader on a rollercoaster of twists and turns.

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

***

Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.

Flash Fiction Friday – The Last Of Adam

Published on April 1, 2022April 1, 2022 by Hugh W. Roberts42 Comments

March 28, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about disappearance. It can be an event, act, or subtle theme. Who or what disappears? Does it fade or explode? Can it be explained or experienced? Go where the prompt leads! Click here for more details.

The Last Of Adam – by Hugh W. Roberts

Adam watched time disappear, but he also witnessed his life slowly disappearing.

“Where am I? Why can’t I see?” he bearly whispered.

The final thing Adam remembered was being a passenger in his girlfriend’s new car. She’d just passed her driving test. Had the truck been on the wrong side of the road?

The faint sound of sobbing and two familiar voices began to disappear gradually.

“Are you sure he’s dead, mother?”

“No, but it won’t take long. Adam will never escape from the coffin we’ve buried him in,” she said, looking down at the grave. “You’re safe again.”

***

Image of a clock face with time disappearing from it — Image Credit: Charli Mills

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

***

Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love Glimpses

Glimpses

28 short stories and pieces of flash fiction take the reader on a rollercoaster of twists and turns.

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

***

Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.

Flash Fiction Friday – The Other Side Of Change

Published on March 25, 2022April 1, 2022 by Hugh W. Roberts35 Comments

March 21, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story to reflect the theme, “ready for a change.” Who is ready and why? How does the change unfold? What happened to initiate the change? Go where the prompt leads! Click here for more details.

The Other Side Of Change – by Hugh W. Roberts

Having looked after her sick mother for the last fifty years, Shanaya looked forward to the change in life she’d often craved.

Caring for her mother had taken its toll on her. She’d missed out on making friends, having somebody she could call her lover, but most of all, having the company of different people.

Standing up, Shanaya looked change directly in the eyes and waited for it to reveal itself.

“You have been charged with the first-degree murder of Evonne Simmons, your mother. I sentence you to life imprisonment, Ms Simmons. Take the prisoner down,” declared the judge.

***

Image of the bottom of a pair of legs wearing trainers and white socks — Image credit: Charli Mills

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

***

Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love Glimpses

Glimpses

28 short stories and pieces of flash fiction take the reader on a rollercoaster of twists and turns.

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

***

Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.

Flash Fiction Friday – How To Farm A Blog

Published on March 4, 2022March 4, 2022 by Hugh W. Roberts29 Comments

February 28, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write about the farm life. Where is the farm and who are the farmers? What are they farming and why? How is the farm life? Go where the prompt leads! Click here for details.

How To Farm Your Blog – by Hugh W. Roberts

“Have you tried farming out your blog posts instead of cluster-publishing them?” asked the blogging genie.

“Farming them out?”

“Yes, another word for scheduling. Instead of publishing too many blog posts and overwhelming your readers, farm them out by scheduling them over a more extended period. Your readers won’t feel swamped.”

“I like that idea.”

“And don’t forget to farm out the posts you want to reblog. Instead of reblogging them the same day the original post is published, allow them to grow and farm them out a week later. After all, farming and blogging are all about growth.”

***

Image of a farmer showing a small boy how to plant plants. — Image Credit: Charli Mills

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

***

Notes

The definition of a cluster-blogger is somebody who publishes many blog posts within a short timeframe and then does not publish the next batch of blog posts for many days/weeks or months. It can result in making readers feel overwhelmed.

Scheduling blog posts in advance and leaving at least six hours between the publication of blog posts decreases the sense of overwhelmingness, resulting in a more manageable and enjoyable reading experience.

Click here for information on how to schedule blog posts.

Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love Glimpses

Glimpses

28 short stories and pieces of flash fiction take the reader on a rollercoaster of twists and turns.

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

***

Diversity with a Twist Banner showing some coloured straight lines and pens on a white background

Click the ‘Diversity with a Twist’ image to check out my latest post on my column at the Carrot Ranch.

Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.

Flash Fiction Friday – Have We Been Here Before?

Published on February 25, 2022February 26, 2022 by Hugh W. Roberts27 Comments

February 21, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story using the phrase, “I’d rather be…” You fill in what comes next. What would a character(s) rather be doing and why? How can you use the phrase as a literary device? Go where the prompt leads! Click here for full details.

Have We Been Here Before? – by Hugh W. Roberts

Five friends declared what they wanted from their lives while sitting around a table.

“I’d rather be sleeping with Angela’s husband than my husband,” declared Hilary.

“I’d rather be a loving housewife and mother than a successful sales executive who dies from stress,” stated Rose.

“I’d rather not be a murderer,” said Angela.

“I’d rather be anybody than Rose’s boss,” stated Claire.

“I’d rather be honest with you all,” announced Wendy, pulling out a gun. “I hate you all.”

“What’s the afterlife like?” asked a familiar voice from an unknown source. “I have five friends here asking the question.”

***

Image of a young woman fishing from a riverbank — Image Credit – Charli Mills

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

***

Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love Glimpses

Glimpses

28 short stories and pieces of flash fiction take the reader on a rollercoaster of twists and turns.

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

***

Click the ‘Diversity with a Twist’ image to check out my latest post on my column at the Carrot Ranch.

Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.

Flash Fiction Friday – Don’t Do This With New Clothes

Published on February 18, 2022March 1, 2022 by Hugh W. Roberts53 Comments

February 14, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about zippers. What are the zippers for? What challenges do they present to the story? Go where the prompt leads! Click here for full details.

Don’t Do This With New Clothes – by Hugh W. Roberts

She’d been lucky. Nobody had noticed the price tag still attached to the dress she wore at the Christmas party.

While packing up the dress into the returns envelope to get a full refund, she noticed a zip just above the hem inside the dress.

‘That wasn’t there before,’ she announced.

Unzipping the mysterious zip, she placed her hand inside the hole. A hand grabbed her and pulled her inside the dress, but nobody heard her scream.

Although her husband filed a missing person report, she was never found and lived in darkness for the rest of her years.

***

Image of a zip — Image Credit: Charli Mills

Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.

***

Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love Glimpses

Glimpses

28 short stories and pieces of flash fiction take the reader on a rollercoaster of twists and turns.

Available on Amazon

Paperback – £4.99

Kindle – £0.99

***

Click the ‘Diversity with a Twist’ image to check out my latest post on my column at the Carrot Ranch.

Follow Hugh on his social media platforms by clicking the buttons below.

Flash Fiction Friday – First Night Nerves

Published on February 11, 2022February 17, 2022 by Hugh W. Roberts51 Comments

February 7, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that includes anxiety. Who has anxiety or what is the source? Is there conflict? How can you use anxiety to further a story? Go where the prompt leads!

First Night Nerves – by Hugh W. Roberts

The thought of the upcoming honeymoon caused Arnold nothing but anxiety.

What if he couldn’t perform? What if Enid, his soon-to-be new wife, demanded more? Not even the thought of Enid’s lovely, long legs helped with his anxiety.

But Arnold needn’t have ever been anxious. On the night of their wedding, Enid made him feel relaxed and comfortable. By the time the performance was over, Arnold’s anxiety had disappeared. But three minutes later, Arnold was dead.

As Enid cocooned Arnold’s hairy body, she thought about her next husband. How lucky she was to be a female, black widow spider.

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