Pop over to Julia’s if you would like to try the weekly 100 word challenge http://jfb57.wordpress.com/2012/05/21/100-word-challenge-for-grown-ups-week43/
The prompt this week is ‘The flame flickered before . . .’ and here are my 100 words,
A Cautionary Tale
‘The Flame Flickered Before Her Eyes and Other Stories’ by Randy Walton, ‘What? That’s weird Sal, look. I’m going in.’
‘It’s just a coincidence honey.’
‘But it looks like my photo as well.’
The bell above the door made the shopkeeper briefly raise his head from his own reading, then he tutted when Margi stood over him.
‘This book, it’s self published right?’
‘Yeah and it’s very successful, been at the top of the short fiction charts for weeks. Everyone’s reading short stuff these days.’
Margi turned to the contents page. Twelve short stories. Her short stories, all of them.
Lucid Gypsy 
Inspiring as always. It’s amazing what 100 words can do. How it can motivate someone through the right choice of words. Thank you.
Why not have a go at it?
I smell plagiarism, but not in your writing. That sounds very original to me.
Thanks Miriam!
Hi,
A great short story, I could easily picture this girl being astonished at seeing her work and her picture on that book. Well done. 😀
If I’ve created an image I’m happy, thanks Mags.
Cautionery right up my spine. The tingles were REAL. WONDERFUL story.
Spine tingles – great thanks so much!
Looks like Margie needs a good lawyer so that she can nail Randy to the wall for copyright infringement. Very good, Gilly … you always manage to get your point across in such a short, sweet, and interesting manner. 😉
Bless you 🙂
This is every writiers nightmare. Very well written, Gilly.
It went write to the point. A well executed point so in few words.
Loved it ….
Hugs,
Izzy
Thanks dear Izzy 🙂
spine tingling, you paint such a brilliant picture with your words gilly!
Ah you’re so sweet thanks 🙂
Gilly, I think that’s the most original story from this prompt I’ve read yet!
And a great cautionary tale, too. Love the way the situation builds and builds.
Thanks Sharon you’re a dear!
Congratulations on A Cautionary Tale. One hundred words very well spent:)
Thanks! its quite a fun challenge!
I can see that. Look forward to seeing what you do this week:)
Margi must know this person well for them to have had access to so many of her stories. Definitely time to sue. I’m wondering what the shopkeeper’s tutting was about.
Do you think so? I thought maybe she had published them on a blog!
Excellent work. Very interesting. x
Thanks very much Susan 🙂
Really great take on the prompt. Someone has been stealing stories. A horrid thing to happen to any writer!
It would be just hideous – but quite easy to do as well !
Seems to me like Sal has something to do with it 🙂 You are truly gifted Gilly!
and you are truly an angel Madhu 🙂
Hopefully not based on your own experience?
Haha no, I doubt anyone would pinch my stuff!
Ooh, yes – a cautionary tale indeed, Gilly – well done
Thanks Bluebee!
Oooooh! It reminds me of Roald Dahl’s ‘Tales of the Unexpected’. How clever you are to come up with a response to this prompt that is ‘outside the box’ – and in so few words, too. I love it that the ending is a mystery – well done, Gilly, you had me hooked! 🙂
Thanks honey!
Really liked this one; although not the type of thing that you would ever want to happen…
Very well written 🙂
Thanks Anna I appreciate your visit 🙂
Nice use of the phrase in a title! Ah, plagiarism. Probably the only way some of us will ever get published. 🙂
Thanks for visiting Anne!