Flash Fiction Tuesday: Ship of Dreams


HM-SHIP-OF-DREAMS (cover)

Check out the sneak peek at Ship of Dreams…coming October 14th, 2019. Want to know more?

 

Chapter One

The Journal

 

 

Wednesday, March 20th, 1912

Dear Journal,

This is my first time writing in you. I got you for my birthday today from Aunt Alberta. Momma says every young lady should keep a journal of her most private thoughts. I asked her what kind of thoughts a ten-year-old girl would have that was important enough to write down. Momma told me not to be so saucy. There’s just no talking to Momma when she scrunches up her eyebrows and her smile turns upside down, so here I am, scribbling on this blank page just to be able to tell her I wrote my thoughts today.

Well, there is one thing I can tell you DIDN’T happen today, Journal, and that’s the maiden voyage of the White Star Line’s newest ship. They call the ship Titanic and I hear it’s the biggest one ever built! Momma and I were supposed to meet Papa down at the docks to say goodbye to all those folks traveling to faraway places like America. It was going to be kind of special, it being my birthday and all. I must remember to ask Papa at dinner tonight what happened. Papa sure is lucky to be one of White Star Line’s tally men. He might oversee loading things onto the ships, but he hears all the latest gossip down on the docks as well. That means Momma and I do too…

 

**************
Amelia Earmouse

 

Amelia Earmouse travels back through time to uncover little known secrets. You may THINK you know your history, but wait until you see what Amelia uncovers in this volume of HISTORY’S MYSTERIES!

In Book One, Ship of Dreams, ten-year-old Margaret can hardly wait to see the largest ship ever built visit Southampton! Life is already hard for her family in the spring of 1912, but the coal workers’ strike could turn a bad situation into a deadly one. Margaret hopes to see the great Titanic leave on its maiden voyage, but will the strike prevent it from happening?

 

Tell your friends to mark their calendar!!

 

************

 

donna - Copy

 

Best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, HISTORY’S MYSTERIES: Ship of Dreams, will be available in eBook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers on October 1th, 2019.

FLASH FICTION TUESDAY: Flipper Sunday

 

dolphins

 

Ariel liked the feel of the sun heated sand between her toes. It was almost a ritual by now…waking up every Sunday and making the 30 minute trip here. It used to be their favorite hideaway. That is until a rainy night and a slick turn of the highway took him from her. It was six months since Ariel buried Brandon. Six months to wonder if the pod was still nearby but no energy to make the trip.

That is, until last night when she could hear them in a dream calling to her. Wondering why she no longer visited them. Nudging the little ones to the surface , hoping to share the wonder of them with her.

Maybe it was better this way. Maybe she’d find Brandon waiting for her just beyond the horizon. Maybe the pod could take her there.

Sugary sand became darker, more dense and cooler to the touch as Ariel got closer to the water’s edge. She never thought about it before, but her parents named her well. Nothing to tether her to this world, Ariel was better off returning to her past.

Removing her windbreaker, she folded it carefully and lay it on some nearby rocks. Methodically, Ariel removed the rest of her clothes, as if saying goodbye to everything reminding her of her old life, before calmly striding into the surf.

It wasn’t long before she could hear them. Low at first, their song broke through the waves and she saw the leaders diving through the surf as they raced towards her. Now Ariel knew for sure Brandon was waiting for her. Why else would he have sent the dolphins for her?

Now it’s your turn! Add to my story or start one of your own in the comments below…

 

*********

 

[wpvideo Zvs6WtXV]

 

*************

 

donna - Copy

 

Best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), is now available in eBook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers.

FLASH FICTION TUESDAY: Don’t Rock The Boat

 

boat.jpg

 

Kelly regained consciousness as a wave of pain shot through his skull. The lump on the back of his head the size of a goose egg gave him a real good indication why he had a splitting headache. Gingerly feeling all over the rest of his body, Kelly felt grateful that was the only injury he had. For a moment, he kept his eyes closed to the bright light he felt coming from overhead and just lay on the rocky ground digging into his back.

The last thing he could remember was coming across a couple of local thugs outside a cafe not far from the hostel where he was staying. So much for traveling half way around the world to help some starving third world village have a better life. Second week into a two month missions trip already cursed with terrible living conditions, questionable food, and now this!

Realizing for the first time the surface he was laying on wasn’t the ground at all but something gently rolling him back and forth, Kelly slowly opened his eyes to find himself huddled in the bottom of an old boat. Surprise made him jerk upright…a decision he instantly regretted when the boat immediately started to toss him around. The swift motion brought another wave of pain shooting through his head and disturbed alligators lying motionless on the bank of the river just a few feet from his boat. Motionless that is, until they caught the boat’s movement and began silently slipping one by one into the murky water to head in his direction.

A cold sweat broke out all over his body as Kelly frantically looked around and realized there was nothing in the boat he could use to defend himself. His buddies warned him all the time his mouth was going to get him into trouble one day. Kelly looked at the rippling waters heading in his direction and realized in terror that TROUBLE was about to come calling!

Now it’s your turn. How does this story end? Does Kelly become alligator bait? Add to my story or start a new one in the comments below…

 

*********

 

 

[wpvideo Zvs6WtXV]

 

**********

 

donna

 

Best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), is now available in eBook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers.

FLASH FICTION TUESDAY: Penny’s Plight

 

fence.jpg

 

“Shhh,” Penny whispered to herself. “You don’t want to wake up the gatekeeper.”

Dropping into a crouch, Penny pressed her back against the wooden fence in an attempt to make herself as small as possible. She didn’t know exactly what time it was, but if she had to guess, it was close to midnight.

Moving as quickly as she could, Penny didn’t stop until she cleared the courtyard, stopping only long enough to gulp down some of the Mountain Dew she nabbed from the nurse’s desk earlier that evening. She could feel her heart threatening to jump out of her chest and more than once she looked over her shoulder, nervously expecting the gatekeeper to let lose the hounds.

Penny could just make out the corner tower a few feet ahead of her. There was a spot in the fence line just big enough for her to squeeze her body through. If she were caught trying to escape, Penny knew she would be better off dead than what the gatekeeper would have waiting for her. But after what she saw this afternoon, death would be better than remaining here…

 

********

 

 

[wpvideo Zvs6WtXV]

 

*************

 

donna

International best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), is now available in eBook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers.

FLASH FICTION TUESDAY:

 

white.png

 

Shalla eased her foot off the gas and watched the speedometer slowly drop below the speed limit sign she saw flash by in her rear view mirror. She knew what her mother would have said.

“Slow down Shalla! The devil’s no chasing you, gurl!”

The moonlight on the curves ahead reminded Shalla she was almost to the spot she dreaded every time she drove home at night. It had been five years since the accident. And four years since her mother started visiting Shalla in her dreams.

At times she thought she was losing her mind. But then there were times, like tonight, that Shalla wondered if her mother wasn’t trying to warn her about something. She was deep in thought and almost forgot about the curves coming up when she looked up to see a strange light by the road leading to the next bend. Again her mother’s voice whispered through her mind.

“Shalla, stop now, gurl!”

Not giving herself time to question it, Shalla braked and pulled onto the shoulder…just in time to see a pair of headlights careening out of control from around the bend and heading toward the spot in the road she had just been before the driver got the vehicle back under control, speeding off into the darkness behind her.

Wrapping her shaking arms around her suddenly cold body, Shalla realized how close she’d come to repeating that same horrible accident of five years ago. 

But the thing that was freaking her out the most?

That strange light she’d seen earlier was now gone, but funny how it looked like her mother had been standing inside the light just before Shalla hear her voice…

Now it’s your turn! Did Shalla’s mother really save her that night? Or was it just all a strange bit of luck? Add to my story or create a new one all of your own in the comments below…

 

********

 

 

[simple-payment id=”804″]

 

*********

 

donna

 

International best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), is now available in eBook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers.

FLASH FICTION TUESDAY : A Paint By Number Life…

 

paint.jpg

 

Libby moved her easel closer to the window, but she still couldn’t settle into the moment. Frustrated, she put her paintbrush down and stepped to the window overlooking the cul-de-sac. Cookie cutter yards surrounding cookie cutter houses. Libby could almost imagine the cookie cutter lives of the people hiding behind those cookie cutter walls.

There used to be a time when she danced along the edges of life. Star gazing and dream catching used to be her anthem. Scaling new mountains became her swan song and she didn’t even realize it before it was too late.

Because of Brad.

He tore through her life like a tornado and she was swept up on a tide of emotion. Before she knew it, Libby was walking down the aisle and now her paint by number life was draining the life right out of her.

How can she manage to sell so many beautiful paintings when all the color was being sucked out of her own world?

Libby took one more look at those cookie cutter houses before picking up her paintbrush and diping the tip into a deep cerulean blue. Using broad strokes, the canvas came alive with color as different hues splashed on the canvas. Even a paint by number life should have some meaning. Now if only she could figure out what that meaning was…

 

*************

 

[wpvideo Zvs6WtXV]

 

************

 

donna

 

International best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), is now available in eBook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers.

FLASH FICTION TUESDAY: One By One

brick.jpg

 

Sarah pushed sweaty strands of hair out of her face as she gathered up another scoop of wet cement. This was turning out to be much harder than she expected .  Sarah picked up the lantern and moved to a new spot. As she worked, her mind drifted back to earlier that evening.

Marcus came in from the fields earlier than usual. Supper wasn’t on the table which set him off. First was the rolling eyes when she set the beans and cornbread in front of him.

“Beans again?” Marcus stated the obvious, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“I’m sorry,” Sarah whispered.

Next came the harsh words.

“You’re always sorry. Don’t you realize I work hard every day for the food you put on my table? I think I deserve better than beans every night!” 

Sarah had heard it all before. But how was she supposed to provide better when all he gave her was a few coins each week from the money pouch tucked under his night shirt? The more he grumbled about those beans, the stronger her anger grew until it burned white hot.

She didn’t remember reaching for the cast iron skillet until she opened her eyes and saw it in her trembling hands. But Sara knew she’d never forget the look of surprise on his face just before Marcus slid to the floor. Years of hard work gave her the strength to drag his lifeless body down to the basement. There she slowly mixed the cement and one by one, stacked layers of brick to hide what she had done.

Maybe she could just say he’d finally left her. Neighbors had seen the occasional bruise makeup couldn’t completely hide, so they might believe her. All she had to do was finish the new wall…brick by brick…one by one…

Now it’s your turn! Will Sarah be able to finish building her wall down in the basement? Will she manage to get away with murder? Add to the story or start one of your own on the comments below…

 

************

 

 

[wpvideo Zvs6WtXV]

 

**********
donna

International best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), is now available in eBook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers.

 

FLASH FICTION TUESDAY: I Need Help!

 

lifebuoy

 

For anyone who stops by my blog to enjoy my FLASH FICTION TUESDAY short stories, I need your help!

Send me your amazing photo prompts for a flash fiction story. Send me a story idea or an interesting character to write about. It’s been a long, busy, rough week and my poor mush brain can’t create a story this week I feel is worthy of your efforts to stop by and read it…lol…

Can you give me a helping hand? What would you like to see here next week?

Just leave your ideas of what you would like me to write about below…

Thanks.

 

************

 

[wpvideo Zvs6WtXV]

 

************

donna

 

International best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), is now available in eBook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers.

FLASH FICTION TUESDAY: Trapped

 

jail.jpg

 

Sarah wasn’t sure when she first heard the light, scraping sound coming from inside the fireplace. Her husband had left for work, but Sarah could still feel her stomach tied up in knots from their breakfast conversation.

“Are you really so stupid you can’t tell the difference between a 3 minute egg or a 4 minute one?” Michael’s sarcasm hung in the air as Sarah simply stood by the stove, eyes downcast and praying it was only words he swung at her today.

The sound coming from the fireplace continued to float into the living room as Sarah absently cleaned photographs hanging above the mantel. Vacant smiles hiding the truth of how she really felt about this life Michael had carved out for her.

Trapped.

Sarah paused long enough to really listen to whatever was trapped behind the fireplace panel. Was it a butterfly? Maybe a bird? She could just make out the violent fluttering of wings as the creature beat against the walls holding it prisoner.

Sarah could have told it to stop wasting its energy. She’d found out the hard way that once trapped, all you could hope for is a day without bruises or a night without nightmares.

Lost in her musings, Sarah didn’t notice at first the deafening silence filling the room. Finally realizing her little visitor was quiet, she leaned in closer in search of some sign of life just as the front door slammed open. Michael was back and the last thing Sarah remembered thinking before the world went black was how happy she was her little friend was no longer trapped…

Now it’s your turn! Did the creature trapped in the fireplace break free? Did Sarah finally find her freedom as well? Add to the story or start one of your own on the comments below…

 

************

 

 

[wpvideo Zvs6WtXV]

 

 

************

donna

 

International best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), is now available in eBook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers.

 

FLASH FICTION TUESDAY: Who’s Your Daddy?

 

daddy.jpg

 

Jasmine felt her lungs expand as she took what felt like the first full breath she’d taken since walking into the strange room. Taking a moment to make a sweeping glance around the room once again, Jasmine’s eyes stopped on the large stuffed head hanging over the fireplace dominating one end of the cavernous room. Large tusks curved over the wild boar’s snout and almost reached the beady eyes staring back at her. A small clearing of the throat from the man sitting across the desk from her brought her attention back to the green eyes filled with concern staring back at her.

His deep voice held a slight southern accent as his words attempted to penetrate the fog clogging her brain and stilling her tongue.

“Miss Arnet, are you okay? Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea? A glass of water, perhaps?”

Jasmine slowly shook her head, trying to clear the fog before attempting to speak.

“Could you repeat what you just said?” She was a bit surprised her voice still worked, seeing how every other part of her seemed to still be frozen in shock.

Mr. Green Eyes seemed to relax his guard a little bit, now that he’d captured her attention once more. “I said, would you like coffee, tea, or maybe a glass of water?”

Jasmine suddenly sat ram rod straight in the overstuffed chair which seemed slightly out of place with the rest of the furniture and said with a slight panic in her voice,

“No! I mean the part when you said my father might not be my real dad…”

 

Now it’s your turn! Who’s Mr. Green Eyes and why does he think Jasmine’s dad might not be her biological parent? Add to the story or start one of your own on the comments below…

 

********

 

 

[wpvideo Zvs6WtXV]

 

***************

 

donna

 

International best selling, award-winning author, Donna L Martin, has been writing since she was eight years old. She is a 4th Degree Black Belt in TaeKwonDo by day and a ‘ninja’ writer of children’s picture books, chapter books, young adult novels and inspirational essays by night. Donna is a BOOK NOOK REVIEWS host providing the latest book reviews on all genres of children’s books, and the host of WRITERLY WISDOM, a resource series for writers. Donna is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators and Children’s Book Insider. She is a lover of dark chocolate, going to the beach and adding to her growing book collection. Donna’s latest book, LUNADAR: Homeward Bound (a YA fantasy), is now available in eBook and print form from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and other online retailers.