Tags
Blog Tips, Blog Traffic, Fiction, Flash Fiction Gallery, Flash-Fiction, Friends, Micro Fiction, Poems, Poetry, Stories, Vampire, Word Count 33
Thank you all for contributing to make this Flash Fiction Gallery a monumental success. I received no less than 25 – yes, 25 different takes on the prompt word VAMPIRE. All came in at exactly 33 words.
Amazing, the number of talented and generous people out there 🙂
Andre and I shall wait here while you take the tour with your Host.
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Ladies and gentlemen. I am your Host.
Welcome to my humble abode, one that has been with the family for many hundreds of years; seen many joys; experienced much pain; sorrow and —– terror.
We experienced a dreadful thunderstorm that knocked out the power. But the torches will do just as well – I promise.
Follow me please, and watch your steps. Watch every step.
It is an old mansion with many memories, some desperately trying to reach out – to touch, to embrace, to grab. Fear not. For, I am here. Yes, I am here.
Please, I beg you not to touch or pick up any trinkets. For one does not know, what scents one leaves behind, what portals one nudges open, and what hunger lurks in the very air – or what follows you home.
Stay close, do not wander away into unlit corridors. Remain within the Gallery. Remain within the shadows of my torch and you shall be quite safe. I promise.
Step in freely, freely of your will.
This way — Please.
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First off to get the ball rolling is Bill blogging as bwthoughts
Second contribution from Bumba blogging as Every Day Another Story
Third contribution to the gallery is from Susan blogging as A Woman’s View of Hunting with Men
Please welcome the contribution from regular contributor Padmini blogging as call2read
Most of you know that Padmini was my Blog Pick for March 2013. I enjoy her posts and welcome you to visit her blog.
Welcome newcomer misskzebra blogging as To Be A Magician
With great pleasure we welcome Cynthia Jobin blogging as littleoldladywho with her contribution titled >
TRUE SUCCOR
Please welcome another first time contributor, Nicole blogging as Bipolar Christianity
Welcome back Troy blogging as Troysherdahl. His contribution gave me a chuckle 🙂
Next, we have an erotica from an acrostic vampie. Please welcome the contribution from Willow blogging as willowdot21
I especially enjoyed this one from first time participant in our Gallery, welcome Rob Akers blogging as robakers
My great pleasure to receive and display the piece from Jane Stansfeld blogging as jstansfeld
For newcomers, Jane was my Blog Pick for April 2013. If you are into flash fictions and poetry, pay Jane a visit and I guarantee, you’ll not regret it.
Welcome my dear friend and regular contributor to our Gallery, Jasey Chua (she does not have a blog – yet 🙂 )
Some of you might have seen the next blogger around these parts. Please welcome
Auntyamo blogging as Just another Christian woman talking through her hat
My great pleasure to welcome back a dear friend who had been away for quite some time. Friends, I give you
Paul Grignon blogging as Grignon Gallery – Fine Artist/Writer/Model/Mentor
Another long time friend whom I missed and an expert in writing erotica (I mean this as a serious compliment – check out her blog Lucid Velvet Musings), please welcome Eva blogging as gabrielsfury
Please welcome first time contributor, Indira blogging as “Poems, Haiku, Quotes, Paintings, and Photographs” > actually her blog name is in Hindi characters and I resorted to English. Indira, as some of you might know, is Soma blogging as SOMKRITYA’s mother. Please enjoy:
Please welcome back regular participant Dom DiFrancesco blogging as Black And Write
My pleasure to present a good friend from Blogsville, Val Logar blogging as QBG Tilted Tiara
Please welcome this generous soul who re-blogged my prompt post – Nourishment. I give you Jane Dougherty blogging as Jane Dougherty Writes
Next, my pleasure to welcome back regular supporter/contributor, Peg Richards blogging as Listening For Joy with her contribution titled: Nourishment
Please welcome back a person who delves in the dark side > Blackrose blogging as BLACKROSE
Please welcome with flourish, newcomer to these parts – and with not one but three (!) works – Wow!
Philip Brent Harris blogging as The Pen’s Might
The first titled: Vamp Ire (like that twist 🙂 )
The second comes in as; Budding Concern
And Phil wraps up his trilogy with a provocative question in Hunger:
Please welcome back Alia blogging as 13th Paradigm with her contribution “Darkly Held Dreams”
_______________________________________________________________
We are done, Ladies and Dead. I appreciate that your numbers might have reduced considerably. But not one is lost or wasted.
Of this, you can rest – yes, rest assured. I promise.
Good bye!
(FLAP — FLAP — Flap —– flap ——– flap)
_______________________________________________________________
“Lights!”
“Andre! I said, LIGHTS!”
“Sorry, Boss but the lighting man is gone.”
“What do you mean, Gone!”
“You know, he is (Gulp!) like gone!”
“Oh, never mind. Open the darn doors. Its a full moon, we’ll be alright.”
“Eh! Well, Boss, the doorman is also gone.”
“Great! Don’t tell me the phone lines are not working.”
“Well, eh, yes Boss, the phone lines are dead!”
“What do we do with all these people in the Gallery, Andre?”
_
_
_
“ANDRE!”
_
_
“Andre?”
–
“An -”
__________________________________
No one will be lost. I promise.
Your host,
Ð
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Previous 33 word Flash Fiction Galleries
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looks like you have a legion of blood-curdling followers!
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Legion is the word, Bill – and guess who heads this list 🙂
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A big round of applause to all who sent in their entries. They are all talented folks and I admired their various concepts. Eric, do keep this up. You give us a platform to be so interactive at once 🙂
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Thank you for congratulating all the participants, Uzo. This is much appreciated by all, I’m sure.
As you can well imagine, putting together a Gallery such as this is time-consuming but I enjoy it and shall post another prompt in due course.
All good wishes my friend,
Eric
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I didn’t applaud your selection of Vampires as a topic but you are now vindicated as this topic opened the stops and enabled some astonishing creativity. So I congratulate you again. They are all good and your concluding dialogue with Andre is expertly spooky.
You are an absolute professional! Like!
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Dear Jane,
Thank you for joining the Gallery and for your words of encouragement to all the participants.
“Astonishing” is the word, as some of the contributions are completely and delightfully out-of-the-box.
And, you humble me with your compliments.
Luv and hugz,
Eric
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Brilliant responses !!
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Thank you, Willow dear – bet your contribution made old Vampie miss a heart beat or two 🙂
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I suspect it may have done so, had the old Vampire a heart that beats at all! After all they are undead!! 🙂 xx
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Really enjoyed the round-up. Well done on your flash fiction, everyone!
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Thank you for the encouragement, Rachael – hope you can join us next time 🙂
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I would LOVE to! Sad I missed this one, but I’ll write something for you next time, Eric! 😀
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Outstanding lead-up and wrap. I was thoroughly entertained!
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Hello dear, and thank you so very much.
I was trying out a new intro to the Gallery – and hopefully, it was not too distractive or long winded.
All good wishes, Vera
Eric 🙂
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Not at all. Loved it.
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Awesome contributions! Vampires are very vogue, don’t you know?
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Yes, Susan – I’ve gathered that. They are all over – on magazine covers, bill boards 🙂
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I take it you’re not a vampire/werewolf fan.
The fun part about it, is you can pretty much write it how you want and it’s not wrong. A little bit of escapism.
Have a great weekend and stay away from fangs. 🙂
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Oh, don’t get me wrong, Susan
On the contrary, I’m a great fan of vampire/werewolf lore but an adherent of the traditional stories with all their truths/fallacies, myths and restrictions. Perhaps because I know these genre in quite some detail, I tend to scoff at the current crop of teenage vampire/werewolf stories. I can do without these poor wannabes.
Yes, I’ll stay away from their plastic fangs.
Boo!
Have a great weekend too 🙂
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This topic seems to inspire so many people. Wonderful contributions from everybody
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There is something about the dark and dangerous – that draws and sucks (pun intended 🙂 )
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As a newcomer I must say I am very impressed by your generosity of spirit as well as the high spirits you engender! By the way, you must add the word “who” to the name of my blog: littleoldladywho …otherwise it doesn’t’t properly yodel…blessings, Cynthia
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Thank you for your gracious comment, Cynthia – and thank you also for enriching the Gallery. I’m sure all the visitors had spirited encounters, as they contemplated the contributions.
Peace and luv, my dear,
Eric
P/s Trust you are happy that I’ve since tweaked the yodel 🙂
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Eric!
What a talented following you have. I am honored to be mentioned near all of them.
I can’t describe how flattered I am that you missed me during my days of heartbreak, but yours was the very first blog I visited upon my return because I missed the energy your creativity elicited from me, willing me to try…to write. I truly love what reading your blog does to me. Your gifts are that you inspire the will to create, and you create works that show yours is a talent quite remarkable.
You are a good friend and I’m sending hugs your way xo
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Eva dearest,
We are blessed to have so many talented and generous contributors here – it is more a reflection on all of them and you included.
Yes, there was a time when you dropped off the radar. I did miss your presence in Blogsville and even left a comment in your blog, if you recall.
Strange but also wonderful that we connect with people and grow close. There are a couple of other blogging friends who’ve stopped blogging – but they left messages behind, so we know all is fine. But you simply dropped off. That was somewhat worrisome but am very glad when you ‘reappeared’.
There is another good blogging friend, a gentleman, who writes lovely poetry. He has dropped off and I’ve been unable to contact him since. What worries me is, I know he lived alone – in a Home, but very much alone – and was quite ill. I was one of a small handful of followers. I can only pray and hope for the best.
You spew wonderful words of praise – akin to a gushing dam pouring life-giving water onto desert sands, Eva dear. Such nourishment helps creativity.
Many of your recent poems are simply superb! Much talent there, I see 🙂 Don’t ever underestimate yourself – that would be to deny God’s Gifts.
Peace and all blessings to a friend,
Eric 🙂
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I was beyond distraught over my husband’s actions and near suicide. My only hope was my children. I was not going to let them be raised by some concubine of my husband.
Oh, I hope your friend is alright. I hope he resurfaces. I don’t like loneliness in life and wish he found some companionship.
Thank you for complimenting my efforts. It means a lot because you are a wonderful writer and friend.
I followed the blogs of the other writers in Vampyre. More inspiration and awe!
xo
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Great responses here Eric! Vampires seem to be very popular…I loved Willows’ Acrostic, well laid out there. A big hurrah for everyone though, glad this wasn’t a contest, I wouldn’t have been able to choose the best.
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Yes, Georgia,
Stories from the dark side always hold people in some fatalistic awe. We received many great contributions and I’m glad you found one particularly to your liking.
No contest – I wouldn’t be able to choose either.
Cheers,
Eric
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Wise choice! I’m not particulary fond of contests…I think people have such different degrees of taste, and then, even in this 33 word Gallery…you go from poetry to prose! Nope…no contests please! Great posts thanks again and peace to you, Georgia.
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Thank you Eric for putting up my post. Wow, these are fantastic and exciting contributions. You have drawn out our “dark” side indeed. Love your intro and round up – spooky but comical too. If today is Friday 13th, these will bring out the dark angels…ha..ha..
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Hello Jasey,
Glad you liked the intro and round-up. Yes a dash of spookiness and comic there.
Friday the 13th – oh, please leave the poor Nights Templars be 🙂
Peace, hugz and luv,
Eric
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Very gross, Eric 😦
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Very gross? Which one, Yoshiko – all of them?
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All of them
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Hmmm, okay.
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Really makes my hair and fur stand
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Fur?
Now, you got me worried.
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Ha Ha. Sorry for the wrong phrasing. The short hair on my hands. Sorry for the misunderstanding
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So much of an appeal.
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Thank you, Neelkanth – good to have you return.
Peace,
Eric
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There are some gems among this selection, Eric. Thanks so much for all your time and effort getting this gallery together for our entertainment.
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Yes, there are, Jane – though I appreciate that not all the contributions are everyone’s cup of tea. As in every Gallery, we have our favourites.
It was my pleasure to put it together and thank you for your contribution.
Look out for the next prompt and hopefully, you can join in.
Peace,
Eric
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lovely entries Eric, and oh I know where Andre and rest of the crew has gone
oh I love vampire stories, oh I would give anything to meet a vampire. ok not anything but I do want to meet one , so if any one knows one please help me
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You know where Andre and the rest of the crew went? Well, perhaps you can share with us your conclusions – in your usual delightfully whacky style and I’ll surely pop over to visit 🙂
Calling all blogging friends – please send over your best vampire to Soma. Poor vampire 🙂
😆 😆 😆
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Loving the creativity! I How interesting that some of the works are complete dialogue while others are like poetry, and yet more of them are descriptions from a third-party perspective. I hope the vampires don’t give me nightmares later hehe
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That’s right, ChristyB – dialogue, prose and verse.
I sometimes wonder whether we write about how vampires behave or, vampires behave according to the way we write about them 🙂
Wishing you nightmare free nights,
Eric
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I found your comment about my latest review in the spam folder. I unspammed it and it promptly disappeared. But I did see it, and just wanted to thank you for the kind thought.
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Well, Jane
Considering that I’d commented on your blog before – it is surprising that my comment ended up in your spam folder. Then, it disappeared when you unspammed it. Something is not right with WP.
Glad that you managed to read my comment and you’re very welcomed,
Eric
P/s I’ll comment again and let’s see what happens
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Eric,I had to stop reading after the 5th or so. I have delicate taste, please 🙂 Laughing hard at my own words. Too bloody for my taste is what I mean 🙂
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No worries, Celestine dear
This Gallery is not everyone’s cup of —– blood 🙂
Cheers,
Eric
P/s That was a toast 🙂
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Dear Eric,
Clever ending to your gallery repartee. It shows the care and effort you put into all your posts, and the kindness to all commenters, as well as the presenters in this gallery. Some superb writing here, and it’s all spurred on by your enticing and visual prompts.
Thank you for having me aboard, and we all certainly look forward with anticipation for the next round.
Did…did you ever find Andre? (Most likely you found him in the afterlife, after Ol’ Vampie got his fangs into you) 🙂 Yow!
Take care,
Paul
PS You weren’t kidding ’bout Lucid Velvet Musings. Potent stuff! Off for a cold shower….and some JD. 🙂 🙂
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Dear Paul,
Thank you for your presence and, ever kind and encouraging comments.
I try to give of my best in all I do and blogging is no different. People set aside time to visit, read and comment on my blog – the least I can do is to invest time and effort to post something worth their while.
Andre and company? I think our mutual friend, Soma, knows where they are – see her comment 🙂
Yes, Eva’s second blog – Lucid Velvet Moments – is a sizzler 🙂
All good wishes my friend,
Eric
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A wonderful, talented group, Eric, and I know you don’t like this, but tough (hehe) as I have to agree with Christy…there are many different written forms, which makes them even more entertaining to read! Happy dreams, my friend! 🙂
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Thank you, Lauren
And why wouldn’t I like what you say, as they’re your thoughts/words 🙂
Happy to have entertained – this encourages me as I’m sure it encourages the contributors.
Hopefully, you find something you like enough to check out their blogs, if you’ve not already.
Have a lovely weekend ahead,
Eric
P/s Sweet uneventful dreams
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Well, what I meant was the idea of “copying” what someone else had already said. But, sometimes when I arrive later, I do see comments that I could duplicate, but try not to. Anyhoo! 🙂 Sweet dreams!
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See what happens when a naughty daughter and a naughtier friend influences a peace loving calm mom. She not only enjoys all the vampire posts but participates also. Me and my alter ego.
Its an honor to see my name here .
Thanks.
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I assure you Indira dear,
I was a straight and serious person (see my old posts) until I started reading Soma’s blog 🙂 I have also witnessed some of the delightful irreverance in your posts and know where she is getting hers from 🙂
Peace loving calm mom? Okay 🙂
Thank you for your contribution and it is a great pleasure to have you here.
Peace,
Eric
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Thank you Rachael,
For mentioning the Vampire Gallery here. Yes, we did receive an exceptional number of quality contributions in prose and verse.
All good wishes,
Eric
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These are great and what a wonderful array of talent. Bless you for hosting dear Eric, my lovely buddy, so we can all share. 🙂 xx
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Hello Jane buddy,
Would you believe it – your comment ended up in my WP spam! Many of my recent comments are ending up in the spam folders of blogs I’ve been following for years. I gather this problem affects many others too. I tell you, sometimes WP can really test one’s generosity.
Did I just rant? Hmmmm – not good 🙂
Happy to have you here, my dear buddy. I could not have put up this gallery without the unstinting support and help from all the contributors and commenters.
Luv and hugz,
Eric
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Enjoying the Flash Fiction… hoping to be able to participate soon. 😀
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Hiya, Steve – glad that you enjoyed this.
Yes, hope to receive your contribution for the next call 🙂
All good wishes,
Eric
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Clever. Nicely done everyone.
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Thank you for the line – and all good wishes, Eric 🙂
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Fulfilling the dream of populating Drakul, you’ve spiked bloodLust. ❤
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LOL. Yes, matters of the dark seem to attract many as moths to flame. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all the contributions.
All good wishes, Carlton.
🙂 Eric 🙂
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