Flowers Over My Old Clothes: A Micro Fiction Story

Flowers Over My Old Clothes: A Micro Fiction Story

I’d like to thank Y. Y. Browne of the United Kingdom for her Micro Fiction story ‘Flowers Over My Old Clothes’. A sassy tale of retribution and second chances.

Y. Y. Browne lives in England with her family of two children, one husband, three dogs, and two corn snakes. Her poetry and stories have appeared in Obsessed With PipeworkFRiGGPoetry MonthlyWeyfarersBlastAutumn SkyPeeking Cat Literary, and Everyday Fiction.

You can follow Y. Y. Browne on Facebook and Twitter



Photo by Olia Gozha on Unsplash

Flowers Over My Old Clothes

In Latin, Erica means heather, especially winter heather.

Now, just because it was my name doesn’t mean I like the flowers. Couldn’t care less, if I’m honest with you, love. But you Connie, my dear sweet girl, you’ve been relentless these past fifteen years, tending my grave. (I clearly asked to be cremated, but never you mind, we’ll just leave that there). But, oh dear, isn’t this plot chock-a-block with heather? Planted over my old clothes.

‘Old clothes’ – now, that’s what your Nabil calls it. These bodies we leave behind. He got it from that Persian poetess he tried to get me to like (I forget her name). Wrote about there being no death. Just life after life, one set of clothes off, another on, until your soul gets weary, you stop trying on new things, and you rest. I’d like that now. I’m content with my lot of old wardrobes. Now, I’m done. Done with red frocks for dancing with soldier boys, tennis whites, denims for the rebel rides, aviator leathers and slaughterman’s boots, oh, and that tiny toga that exposed my pert, left diddy (which, to be frank, was any legate’s fig for the tasting, when I was a slave).

But ‘hey ho, there you go’, as your father would say. It’s time to bring it all an end, if it’s all the same to you. You’re all that binds me now, my girl. Well, your grief. No, sod it, not grief, guilt. There it is, Connie, I said it – you’re guilty. Just in part, mind. But it’s what the judge said. You are responsible for the accident that took my life. You decided to smoke that marijuana cigarette with that Jade whatever-her-name-was before your driving lesson. You were seventeen. It was my fault. I’d given you too much credit for being the smart one (your brother Edward, he’s the one everyone said would be the death of me, but there you are).

Is that Nabil? He’s with you today, sweet man. And don’t you both look tanned. Holiday? No, not with that nasty virus knocking about, everyone and their mother stuck indoors (what a word, though eh–pandemic? — your father would say it was Latin for ‘everyone’s demons’, ha-ha). But don’t you look fat, Conn. Mind you, I heard you all packed on a stone each during the lockdown, ‘little piggies eating pies’, as your father wou– Oh! Oh my! Constance Mary Padget-Majidi, are you pregnant? 

Bless me, but that’s wonderful, love!

Have you and Nabil found somewhere else to live? Don’t tell me you’re staying in the old house? You always were one to hang on (not Edward, off like a whippet first chance). Not my Connie. Constance-steady-as-rocks, your dad called you. 

Now, so much to do. So many plans. You’re going to need me around after all, my sweet girl. (You ‘took me out’, as your father would say, it’s only right you bring me back in). Settled! One more set of clothes, then.

Been to the ‘Mothercare’ out at the new-build mall, Conn?  Loads of smashing, little outfits for me there, I’m sure…



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Thanks

Thank you for reading this blog. If you would like to submit your own story for consideration of publication, please visit our submissions page, or try your luck in one of our micro-fiction competitions. Just visit the competitions page for more information.

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Riding with the Wind

Riding With The Wind: A Reflective Essay

I’d like to thank MD Maurice from Mystic, Connecticut, for her very relatable, reflective essay submission ‘Riding with the Wind’, which looks at the frustrating phenomenon of expectation versus reality. The sentiments were reminiscent of my own experiences, and the lessons I’ve learned about parenting little humans.

MD Maurice has been writing and publishing mainstream fiction and erotica since early 2001. She has been previously published in several anthologies, Leucrotia Press’s Abaculus III, Rainstorm Press’s Nailed and most recently in the horror anthology, Once Upon a Scream by Horroraddicts.net.  She has also had her work featured in the River Poet’s Journal, Scary Mommy.com and Dark Gothic Resurrected Magazine. MD is an active blogger, full time working Mom and a modern day Alice in Wonderland. She can be found at www.mdmaurice.com, on twitter at www.twitter.com/MDmaurice2015 and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MDMaurice.

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100 Flash Fiction Stories: An Interview With Laura Besley

100 Flash Fiction Stories: An Interview With Laura Besley

Laura Besley is one of the talented writers whose stories (4 of them to be exact) appear in our very first microfiction anthology Mum Life Stories: Micro-Fiction, Volume One. She has recently been listed by TSS Publishing as one of the top 50 British and Irish Flash Fiction writers with her story ‘On Repeat’ (Reflex Fiction) and her talent with the 21st-century pen has been noted in many online publications, including Fictive Dream, Spelk and EllipsisZine, as well as in print (Flash: The International Short Story Magazine), and in various anthologies like Adverbially Challenged, Another Hong Kong, and Story Cities. Her debut flash fiction collection, The Almost Mothers, was published in March 2020.

When Laura’s new book 100neHundred was released in May (2021) I decided it was time to find out the secrets behind her success and what inspired her. I asked her a few questions about her new book and the journey she took to get to the point of publication, and it surprised me that this book was actually several years in the making.

A bit of back story: Laura is a full-time mum to two young boys and squeezes her writing time into the bookends of her day. Having lived in Holland, Germany, and Hong Kong, she now lives in landlocked central England and misses the sea. Laura writes short (and very short) fiction in the precious moments that her children are asleep.

You can follow Laura on:

Twitter: @laurabesley
Instagram: @besley_laura

Photo by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash

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100ndHundred

100neHundred is a collection of 100 flash fiction stories, which are each exactly 100 words long. Equally divided into four seasons, the stories cover a number of themes such as poverty, loss, grief, parenting, and historical fiction, and are written in various different styles.

100 Flash Fiction Stories


What inspired you to write a collection of flash fiction?

“I’ve been writing flash fiction for about 10 years and I absolutely love it. I love the challenge of being able to tell a complete story in as few words as possible.”

How long did it take?

“Years. I’m not joking. I started writing 100-word stories several years ago to enter into an online competition run by Morgen Bailey. Each month is themed and you can enter up to three for free, so each month for years, I wrote and entered three. Over time I amassed quite a few and the idea started forming about putting one hundred of them together in one book.”

Were there any obstacles in getting the book out?

“Lockdown was a major obstacle. My manuscript was accepted in March 2020 just as everything in the UK closed and of course, small retailers, including independent booksellers, were hit hard. Luckily Arachne Press was awarded an Arts Council grant which meant that the publication of my book 100neHundred, was able to go forward as well as several others.”

Can you share anything about the submission process and how you got the book published?

“I was extremely lucky because Cherry at Arachne Press contacted me, as well as several other authors she’d already published in various anthologies, to ask if we had manuscripts of either short fiction or poetry to submit. I had all these 100-word stories, some of which had been previously published, but most hadn’t and I spent a couple of weeks editing and ordering them and then sent them off.”


How did it feel when you found out it would be published?

“Absolutely amazing! I can’t imagine that the euphoria of getting a publishing deal ever wears off. “

Any words of advice to anyone who is thinking about publishing a book?

“My advice about writing is always read a lot and write a lot, but more recently I’ve learned that you also need to find “your people” and by that I mean the people who believe in you, really truly believe in you, as a person and a writer; people who will be in your corner no matter what. There are going to be fantastic moments and you want people to celebrate with you, but it’s not all going to be plain sailing. There are going to be disappointments and times you want to give up. In those moments you need people to listen to you, help you, pick you up and tell you it’s going to be ok.”

Laura’s new book 100neHundred is available on Amazon in the UK, USA and, AUSTRALIA. You can purchase Laura’s new book plus her previous publication by following the links in our book shop.


MLS Floral Butterfly Throw Pillow

Thanks

Thank you for reading this blog. If you’d like to list your book with us, check out our listing page.

If you’d like to submit a story for consideration to publish, please visit our submissions page.

Sign up HERE, or fill in the form below to be added to our email list and you will receive all the latest news, stories, and promos (including giveaways and competitions) as well as a FREE Ebook exclusive to our email subscribers.


Creative Easter Activities For Kids

Creative Easter Activities For Kids

Easter is one of those holidays where one’s creativity has a chance to really shine. Along with Christmas, it’s a holiday time that provides a great opportunity for kids to really stretch the boundaries of their imaginations and strengthen their creative skills.

But as busy parents we don’t always have the time to sit down and brainstorm new and exciting ideas to keep our little one’s on a constant journey of new experiences. So I’ve saved you a little bit of time and done the research for you. I came up with a few creative ideas, and found some great posts from some awesome bloggers who have written about all kinds of creative easter activities for kids.


Creative Easter Activities For Kids

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Bookshop

Discover The New MLS Bookshop

The Mum Life Stories Bookshop is an exciting new addition to Mum Life Stories.

Where can you find all of the Mum Life Stories publications?

Where can you find all of the Mum Life Stories merchandise?

Where can you find publications by members of our Mum Life Stories community?

You guessed it, you can find all those things are more in the MLS Bookshop!

I won’t drag on and on about how great the MLS Bookshop is, as it’s still under development, but you can take a look for yourself!


Do you have a book to sell?

To fill the bookshop I need help from the Mum Life Stories community, that means you!

If you’ve published a book that is for sale and you’d love to get more exposure, why not list it in our bookshop?


Thanks

Thank you for reading this blog. If you’d like to submit a story for consideration to publish, please visit our submissions page. 

Sign up HERE, or fill in the form below to be added to our email list and you will receive all the latest news, stories and promos (including giveaways and competitions) as well as a FREE Ebook exclusive to our email subscribers.


Get your FREE eBook

The pace and intensity of our lives, both at work and at home, leave many of us feeling like a person riding a frantically galloping horse. Our day-to-day incessant busyness — too much to do and not enough time.

With this ebook you will learn to approach your days in another way, reducing stress and getting results through prioritizing, leveraging and focus!


Anthology

Anthology Release Date

I’m very excited to announce that after weeks and weeks of editing, formatting and creating, the very first Mum Life Stories Anthology is done and ready to be released. My fingers are still tingling from a copious amount of typing and I am feeling that adrenalin rush that comes from accomplishing an end goal, mixed with a little anxiety at all the thoughts rushing through my brain. Did I do it right? I hope I didn’t miss anything. Will people like it? What if no one does? Will people buy it? Will anyone do a bad review? Is the release date too soon? Do I know enough about marketing to get eyes on it? etc etc. Not sure if any of you know this (or if it isn’t half obvious), but this is the very first book I have published and I am more than a little nervous about it.

Please note, the featured image is just a mock-up, the anthology will be a paperback, not a hardcover. It looks pretty good as a hardcover though, I must say!

MLS Anthology
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