submitting a short, short story

[BanzaiBonnie]

Does anyone know where a good place, that might be interested in short fiction? Like this?

Just Plain Elaine



Elaine is such a plain name. Plain and boring. If they only knew...

“Elaine! Elaine Annabelle May Redman!”

I looked up and as my eyes slid into focus I saw that teacher’s face was a bright Cherry Red color. Then it was Pistachio Green, just before it turned a beautiful Cerulean blue.

The color wasn’t the only thing changing. Her head was swelling. The louder her voice got, the bigger her head grew. I thought she was gonna pop like a balloon.

“Elaine May Redman! Have you been with us at all this period?” Her voice was reaching the level of a jet taking off. “Do you know ALL the names of the explorers of Florida in the 16th century?"

I took a pin out of the sleeve of my shirt and gave her head a quick poke. Words flew everywhere. Whooshing and whirling around my head til I was dizzy from the sight. Most went whizzing past me and then... words were everywhere. The word ‘expend’ hit Jimmy Reed square on the chin. ‘Keg’ landed with a solid smack on Alison Tyler’s forehead. The word ‘pedestal’ tangled itself in the flag. A whole family of words hit the blackboard with sharp snapping sounds. Words were landing splat, all over the classroom and my classmates.

The sight of my teacher’s shrinking head finally brought me back to normal classroom setting. I mentally dialed my way back to normal reality.

“Elaine? Are you all right? You look very pale young lady.” My teachers voice was softer now, and she sounded worried. Her warnings of being sent to the principal changed to wonderings of whether she should send me to the school nurse.

I looked down at my hands. They looked fine. I held them up to show teacher. “I’m fine, no blood, and I’m breathing too.”

Her eyes narrowed until they folded into her face. With whatever sensing devices she had left, she drilled deep into my eyes like she was trying to figure where I had been. Then she gave up and asked,“Why can’t you stay with the rest of the class? I should send you to the principal, but after last week’s events I don’t want to have to bring your poor mother in again. I do however want to speak to you after class Miss Redman.”

Teacher resumed the class with, “Now on page 86...”


It was Friday and when the last bell of the day rang everyone headed out the door of the school. Everyone except me. I sat waiting...

I noticed a spider in the corner above teacher’s desk. It was just beginning the first rounds of a new web. I started doodling in my notebook. My notebook is my very best friend. I draw what I see and write what I observe.

Words are my friends. I count on them to be what they say they are. At home on my computer I ran spell check on an essay for my English class. It wanted to change Elaine to Alien. That sounds right to me.

[SheilaT]

1. I have no idea what,

if any markets exist for short-short stories, outside of science fiction.

But I must say that this reads like an excellent beginning to something longer, possibly even a novel, rather than a completed, stand-alone story.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. There's a periodical out of Seattle that you may know.

It's called The Bellowing Ark. They are online at bellowingark.com. They publish short stories, poems, serial novels and the like.

I'd check them out if I were you.

[jotsy]

3. It is called nanofiction! A term of learned thanx to you.

I know Google is not a verb, but it's all I did and this was near top of first page. Check the local possibilities through bookstores and maybe the library, or even consider initiating a teller's tale hall here.

<http://www.wunderland.com/WTS/Andy/Nanofiction.html>

Interesting mesh of cute and youthful with a more seasoned cynicism, making the dark humor a bit dishier. I liked it. Great depth of character for a short passage and the transitions between dialog and narration nearly seamless. My compliments.

[BanzaiBonnie]

4. Geeesh... thank you all

I did find that years ago when I wrote this I did a back story on her. Just came across it recently.

I was trying to figure out at the time if perhaps I could do some sort of fantasy adventure series for young readers. Something that adults might enjoy too.

If your consensus is that there might be something there, I'll revisit that idea.

And I'll check out the leads given.