Sharry Miller

Flash Fiction

One of the most satisfying things about writing fiction is that you get the chance to put yourself into a situation you might not normally ever encounter. You might be a superhero or an alien android or a psychotic serial killer. You might be in New York City or on a space station or in a rabbit warren. The possibilities are endless, and you are in complete creative control. Sort of. I find when I... Read more →

Festina Lente

I love the random synchronicities that sometime occur in life. I just finished reading Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan (I highly recommend it), in which the main character finds out about a secret society which has been trying to decode Aldus Manutius' codex vitae (book of life) for over 500 years. The society's members believe that the book will give them the secret to eternal life. The society has a income-earning arm called... Read more →

Five Sentence Fiction - Flowers

A little magick for this Friday the thirteenth, and for Lillie McFerrin's Five Sentence Fiction challenge this week. Visit her site, and you'll be able to find more stories prompted by "flowers." Love Potion Sunshine and flowers, lightness and joy: love potions should contain all of wonders of life, Estrella thought, but maybe not just the wonderful. Perhaps a little reality should be included to help ensure that the relationship which arose from the potion’s... Read more →

Visual Dare - Implore

Oh, it's been a long time since I indulged myself in writing a bit of flash fiction for one of Angela's Visual Dare prompts. I've missed it. I look forward to checking out the links to others' stories, too, and I hope you'll join me in doing so. Choices She stood balanced on a pedestal in the center of the room. Her rent depended on this gig, on not moving a muscle, but doing so... Read more →

Summer Reading

Over at Goodreads this year, I set myself a goal of reading 60 books during 2013. So far, I've read 54, and am ahead of schedule for meeting my goal. No great surprise there. If you have a Goodreads account, too, "friend" me - I'd love to see what you're reading. My to-read list gets longer every day. Andi Cumbo (internet friend, writer, editor, and writing teacher) hosted a Super Summer Reading Program this year.... Read more →

Five Sentence Fiction - Locked

Busy life has intervened over the last several weeks, and as a result, I haven't written a bit of flash fiction for Five Sentence Fiction or Visual Dare in over a month. I've looked at the last few prompts, including this week's FSF, locked, but haven't been inspired. This morning, however, as I looked at the great photo Lillie McFerrin used to accompany "locked," I realized that inspiration was not going to happen on its... Read more →

Visual Dare - Opulence

Brothers The Wilmington School for Boys had been run by the eldest son of each generation for two hundred years. Robert Wilmington could feel the presence of those headmasters looming over him as plainly as he could see their cast bronze busts perched high over the worn opulence of the dining hall. “Robert, what are you doing here?” Robert heard his older brother’s harsh voice boom through the hall. “Aren’t you supposed to be teaching... Read more →

Five Sentence Fiction - Charmed

He bowed low in front of her, and asked, “May I have this dance?” She gazed up at him, confusion clouding her eyes as she looked at this handsome stranger whose white curls contrasted with his navy blue suit and whose bright turquoise tie perfectly complemented his brilliant smile. After a moment, the lines in her face smoothed, her eyes snapped with humor, and she said, “I’d be delighted.” He stepped behind her and wheeled... Read more →

Visual Dare - Diverge

Losing Battle Amish dead had been buried in the cemetery for 150 years, intending to spend eternity on a sun-dappled hillside. Their descendants kept the small mounds immaculate, adorned by man with simple wooden markers and by God with spring violets and vibrant autumnal maple leaves. Tears dampened the beards of Mr. Yoder and Mr. Stoltzfus as they dug, their backs bent double with stiffness from long hours of digging and lifting. They still couldn’t... Read more →

Five Sentence Fiction - Accident

I couldn't resist continuing Sylvia's story from last week. It was just inevitable that an accident would occur during her journey. “Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!” Sylvia screamed through gritted teeth and pulled off her helmet, unwilling to even look at her snowmobile where it sat smashed up against the trunk of a big spruce tree with a crumpled cowling, skis jutting apart at odd angles, and a shattered windshield. Scrubbing her hands through her... Read more →