Photo by Daniel Mirlea on Unsplash “Remember the night out on the lawn, knee deep in snow, chins pointed at the sky as the wind whirled down all that whiteness? It seemed that the world had been turned upside down, and we were looking into an enormous field of Queen Anne's lace. Later, headlights off, our car was the first to ride through the newly fallen snow.”
“When you want to make the reader feel pity, try to be somewhat colder—that seems to give a kind of background to another’s grief, against which it stands out more clearly.” Oh I love this advice! YES, Thank you for these newsletters! I really appreciate them and look forward to them!
Look. It’s a full moon, the snow has stopped, and the temperatures in the forties,
Are you planning to try out for the new weathergirl position?
Do you know what I’d like to do?
I have a bad hunch. Don’t be such a killjoy.
Let’s go out in the back yard and make snow angels.
I’ve never made one.
Well, what better time than now.
How do you make a snow angel?
It’s easy and fun. We go out to the back yard, lie on our backs and move both of our legs and arms until we decide we’re tired then we get up and vote on the best one/Why are you taking off your coat. You can’t go out in shirtsleeves. I’m not going.
Why?
You know I hate the snow?
Well, if you tell me you hate the snow I’d say let’s stay in and play monopoly or gin.
I’ll do that next time, but I’m not going out to lie in the snow.
You never want to do anything.
I’m allergic.
To what. Snow and ice and cold. Don’t forget we only had 2 blankets for the four of us.
But that’s been almost twenty years.
It’s not something you get over so quickly.
Stay here then. I’m going to make snow angels.
How many?
Until I need your help climbing up on the deck
How about a snowball fight?
How about we stand behind this line I’m making?
And. Wait.
Then on the count of three we pick our nose and so who can flick their bogger the furtherest wins.
You’re such a pig.
Okay, let’s go out on the deck and soak in the hot tub.
That sounds okay.
No clothes.
Why does everything have to be a pig contest with you?
You liked it before we got married.
Another mistake.
Okay, I’ve got a great idea.
Oy!
Let’s call your parents and tell them our choices and let them pick and whatever they pick we’ll do. Deal?
Hi Dad, Hi Mom, how are you guys doing?
Good and you?
Well, we’re okay but we have agreed to a choice for tonight and we both agreed to go along with it.
This sounds like a no win.
Okay, honey, you spread out the choices for your folks.
Why me and not you.
Because I don’t want you to say it’s how I asked the question or some such thing.
What would another some such thing be.?
Consider that ignored. So Mom and Dad here are our choices; 1.we go out in the backyard and make snow angels and then vote on who made the best, but don’t take into consideration that my worldly husband has never made one before, 2. Crank up the heat, turn the lights down low and play gin or monopoly 3/ go out on the deck in our altogether in the hot tub. So what do you think?
You forgot to tell them about the flick the booger contest.
G’night kids. Talk to you when the Cherry Herring wears off.
Look. It’s a full moon, the snow has stopped, and the temperatures in the forties,
Are you planning to try out for the new weathergirl position?
Do you know what I’d like to do?
I have a bad hunch.
Don’t be such a killjoy.
Let’s go out in the back yard and make snow angels.
I’ve never made one.
Well, what better time than now.
How do you make a snow angel?
It’s easy and fun. We go out to the back yard, lie on our backs and move both of our legs and arms until we decide we’re tired then we get up and vote on the best one/Why are you taking off your coat. You can’t go out in shirtsleeves.
I’m not going.
Why?
You know I hate the snow?
Well, if you tell me you hate the snow I’d say let’s stay in and play monopoly or gin.
I’ll do that next time, but I’m not going out to lie in the snow.
You never want to do anything.
I’m allergic.
To what. Snow and ice and cold. Don’t forget we only had 2 blankets for the four of us.
But that’s been almost twenty years.
It’s not something you get over so quickly.
Stay here then. I’m going to make snow angels.
How many?
Until I need your help climbing up on the deck
How about a snowball fight?
How about we stand behind this line I’m making?
And. Wait.
Then on the count of three we pick our nose and see who can flick their bogger the furtherest wins.
You’re such a pig.
Okay, let’s go out on the deck and soak in the hot tub.
That sounds okay.
No clothes.
Why does everything have to be a pig contest with you?
You liked it before we got married.
Another mistake.
Okay, I’ve got a great idea.
Oy!
Let’s call your parents and tell them our choices and let them pick and whatever they pick we’ll do. Deal?
Hi Dad, Hi Mom, how are you guys doing?
Good and you?
Well, we’re okay but we have agreed to a choice for tonight and we both agreed to go along with it.
This sounds like a no win.
Okay, honey, you spread out the choices for your folks.
Why me and not you.
Because I don’t want you to say it’s how I asked the question or some such thing.
What would another some such thing be.?
Consider that ignored. So Mom and Dad here are our choices; 1.we go out in the backyard and make snow angels and then vote on who made the best, but don’t take into consideration that my worldly husband has never made one before, 2. Crank up the heat, turn the lights down low and play gin or monopoly 3/ go out on the deck in our altogether in the hot tub. So what do you think?
4.You forgot to tell them about the flick the booger contest.
G’night kids. Talk to you when the Cherry Herring wears off.
Chilly Scenes of Flash Fiction: Rendering Quiet Power
Really helpful! I'm going to try the prompt this evening
Thanks for this advice and these wonderful examples!
“When you want to make the reader feel pity, try to be somewhat colder—that seems to give a kind of background to another’s grief, against which it stands out more clearly.” Oh I love this advice! YES, Thank you for these newsletters! I really appreciate them and look forward to them!
I made extra by mistake and don't know how to get rid of the extra,
Writing for a friend,
#25 Snow-Angels Paul Beckman 508 words
Look. It’s a full moon, the snow has stopped, and the temperatures in the forties,
Are you planning to try out for the new weathergirl position?
Do you know what I’d like to do?
I have a bad hunch. Don’t be such a killjoy.
Let’s go out in the back yard and make snow angels.
I’ve never made one.
Well, what better time than now.
How do you make a snow angel?
It’s easy and fun. We go out to the back yard, lie on our backs and move both of our legs and arms until we decide we’re tired then we get up and vote on the best one/Why are you taking off your coat. You can’t go out in shirtsleeves. I’m not going.
Why?
You know I hate the snow?
Well, if you tell me you hate the snow I’d say let’s stay in and play monopoly or gin.
I’ll do that next time, but I’m not going out to lie in the snow.
You never want to do anything.
I’m allergic.
To what. Snow and ice and cold. Don’t forget we only had 2 blankets for the four of us.
But that’s been almost twenty years.
It’s not something you get over so quickly.
Stay here then. I’m going to make snow angels.
How many?
Until I need your help climbing up on the deck
How about a snowball fight?
How about we stand behind this line I’m making?
And. Wait.
Then on the count of three we pick our nose and so who can flick their bogger the furtherest wins.
You’re such a pig.
Okay, let’s go out on the deck and soak in the hot tub.
That sounds okay.
No clothes.
Why does everything have to be a pig contest with you?
You liked it before we got married.
Another mistake.
Okay, I’ve got a great idea.
Oy!
Let’s call your parents and tell them our choices and let them pick and whatever they pick we’ll do. Deal?
Hi Dad, Hi Mom, how are you guys doing?
Good and you?
Well, we’re okay but we have agreed to a choice for tonight and we both agreed to go along with it.
This sounds like a no win.
Okay, honey, you spread out the choices for your folks.
Why me and not you.
Because I don’t want you to say it’s how I asked the question or some such thing.
What would another some such thing be.?
Consider that ignored. So Mom and Dad here are our choices; 1.we go out in the backyard and make snow angels and then vote on who made the best, but don’t take into consideration that my worldly husband has never made one before, 2. Crank up the heat, turn the lights down low and play gin or monopoly 3/ go out on the deck in our altogether in the hot tub. So what do you think?
You forgot to tell them about the flick the booger contest.
G’night kids. Talk to you when the Cherry Herring wears off.
#25 Snow-Angels Paul Beckman 508 words
Look. It’s a full moon, the snow has stopped, and the temperatures in the forties,
Are you planning to try out for the new weathergirl position?
Do you know what I’d like to do?
I have a bad hunch.
Don’t be such a killjoy.
Let’s go out in the back yard and make snow angels.
I’ve never made one.
Well, what better time than now.
How do you make a snow angel?
It’s easy and fun. We go out to the back yard, lie on our backs and move both of our legs and arms until we decide we’re tired then we get up and vote on the best one/Why are you taking off your coat. You can’t go out in shirtsleeves.
I’m not going.
Why?
You know I hate the snow?
Well, if you tell me you hate the snow I’d say let’s stay in and play monopoly or gin.
I’ll do that next time, but I’m not going out to lie in the snow.
You never want to do anything.
I’m allergic.
To what. Snow and ice and cold. Don’t forget we only had 2 blankets for the four of us.
But that’s been almost twenty years.
It’s not something you get over so quickly.
Stay here then. I’m going to make snow angels.
How many?
Until I need your help climbing up on the deck
How about a snowball fight?
How about we stand behind this line I’m making?
And. Wait.
Then on the count of three we pick our nose and see who can flick their bogger the furtherest wins.
You’re such a pig.
Okay, let’s go out on the deck and soak in the hot tub.
That sounds okay.
No clothes.
Why does everything have to be a pig contest with you?
You liked it before we got married.
Another mistake.
Okay, I’ve got a great idea.
Oy!
Let’s call your parents and tell them our choices and let them pick and whatever they pick we’ll do. Deal?
Hi Dad, Hi Mom, how are you guys doing?
Good and you?
Well, we’re okay but we have agreed to a choice for tonight and we both agreed to go along with it.
This sounds like a no win.
Okay, honey, you spread out the choices for your folks.
Why me and not you.
Because I don’t want you to say it’s how I asked the question or some such thing.
What would another some such thing be.?
Consider that ignored. So Mom and Dad here are our choices; 1.we go out in the backyard and make snow angels and then vote on who made the best, but don’t take into consideration that my worldly husband has never made one before, 2. Crank up the heat, turn the lights down low and play gin or monopoly 3/ go out on the deck in our altogether in the hot tub. So what do you think?
4.You forgot to tell them about the flick the booger contest.
G’night kids. Talk to you when the Cherry Herring wears off.