The Golden Toad - AQR Story of the Month!

* Quick Read! - Flash Fiction *

The Golden Toad has been selected as AQuickRead's story of the month for February! It was originally published in 2010 on everydayfiction.com, and is now getting a second airing.

What AQuickRead had to say about the story :
"An intriguing title that sounds like a children's story, but it isn't. The first line gets straight to the point - 'It started with the toad.'What started? What toad? I wanted to read on. The easy to follow narrative and realistic dialogue made this story sparkle. Endearing, entertaining and I loved the ending."

Read the full story at aquickread.net, scroll down to The Golden Toad.

Or get the AQuickRead app.

The Date - Read Online

* Quick Read! - Flash Fiction *

"You'll never guess what-Corinne was out last night. On a date."

Oh, she wasn't talking to me. I'm not cool enough for the likes of Becca. But I was sat behind her in class, and with a voice that loud... well, I can't close my ears, can I? ...
Read more...

There's more to life than being in the in-crowd. Who is Corinne's mystery date?

Read the full story at aquickread.net.

The lovely people at aquickread.net have also reprinted The Doll - find it here.

The Doll - Read Online

* Quick Read! - Flash Fiction *

The baby doll and the teddy bear had been placed side by side on the unmade bed. The doll was wearing a tattered dress, once pink, but with grass and mud stains which Ruth’s washing had failed to remove. She had bright red cheeks and oversized red lips coloured in with felt tip pen, and a green squiggle on her forehead. One arm hung loose, half torn from her body. Her hair was an uneven short frizz with blackened ends, as if burnt. One eye was jammed shut...
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The Doll started from an exercise to explore a character through their possessions. This is Courtney's doll, and her scorched hair and felt tip pen lips give us some insight into Courtney's life so far - a life which is about to change.

Read the full story at EveryDayFiction.com.

Saturday Morning - Read Online

The teapot was overfull, and tea slopped out onto the red and white check plastic tablecloth as the serving girl set it down.

“Sorry,” she muttered, embarrassed, “I’ll get a cloth.”

I didn’t say anything. Now I feel annoyed with myself, I should have said it was ok, smiled at her. Actually I was just shocked by her apology. How could she say “sorry” to me? I was the one who should apologize.
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Every week she sits at the same cafe table with a crossword she never completes - what draws her back, week after week?

Read the full story at NFTU.

Coming Soon - Saturday Morning

Rachel J Bailey's Saturday Morning is due to be published on NFTU in January 2013.

Every Saturday she sits at the same café table, alone, a crossword laid out over the red and white check plastic tablecloth. What draws her back week after week?

Find out in the new year.

Red Sand - Read Online

"The creature writhed, emitting a squeal. Its wings opened, flickering red and gold in the light of the lantern, the pattern of bones visible through the scaly skin. Flapping frantically it rose, desperate to escape the red hot lance pointing towards it, already tipped with blood"
Read more...

Timfana's father feels she's destined to train as a dragon flier - but does Timfana have other ideas?

See full story on Mirror Dance