Do you like to write stories? Win a cash prize in the flash fiction contest I've put together!

Enter MysteryAuthors.com's "Dead Giveaway" Flash Fiction Writing Contest!

MysteryAuthors.com is pleased to announce its second annual short-short fiction competition--with a twist! Write your best mystery tale in 1,000 words or less--using one of the following lines as your first sentence. Each of these are first lines taken from published mysteries written by our judges!

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Well it happened to me yet again yesterday--I watched an unthinking consumer "poke the pit bull."

This pit bull is particularly dangerous in that it can jump out at you in otherwise safe havens--the fast food joint, the post office, or in my case yesterday, the bus. The pit bulls I'm referring to here are overstressed, underpaid service people.

Now, I'm CERTAINLY not trying to say that service people are dangerous animals--far from it. However, I think we consumers should be mindful of just how hellish our lives can be if these kind folk suddenly decide to turn on us.

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Do you believe in the supernatural? Things that bump in the night, ghosts, spirits, whatever you want to call them--I believe. Too many weird things happen when you work in a hospital--especially on the night shift--to think otherwise.

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The Dumbest Idea of the Week Award Goes to...

An unnamed woman in my own little town in the Inland Empire of Southern California. Local news reported that this brilliant piece of genetics was walking near an embankment along the Zanje creek wash (quite near my house) when she came across a pipe bomb (you know, all the creeks have ‘em nowadays). Concerned, she did what any normal citizen would do...

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With the advent of the Internet and DSL, and all the high speed, realtime, streaming media entertainments it has to offer, I never dreamt I'd get hooked on a simple pencil-in number puzzle. Then I happened across a photocopy of a blank Sudoku puzzle a coworker left by my desk.

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Do you live paycheck to paycheck, or otherwise find that daily obligations get in the way of that vacation you dream of taking every summer (spring, fall, etc)? I came up with the following method for setting up a vacation budget years ago as a remedy for my travel-less, hand-to-mouth existence.

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Over the years I've spent as a writer I've tried to find creative ways around my entire lack of spare time. As a working mom with the usual need to run errands and such, I spend a lot of time in my car. As I drive, I inevitably find inspiration for writing--the way the light hits a particular tree in the afternoon, an interesting character walking down the street, etc. Trying to jot down notes while gripping the wheel is rather unsafe, however, and pulling over every time my imagination activates is highly impractical. Still, waiting until I arrive at my destination to record these thoughts is an almost surefire guarantee that they'll be lost forever.

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Early in my writing career I faced the unenviable task that all writers must tackle at one time or another: setting up an effective workspace. Though destined for naught but a small corner of my apartment bedroom, I knew my work environment could significantly influence productivity. An inviting and organized sanctum would provide a better medium for creative juices than the distracting, clutter-filled hodgepodge I operated in. Staring at my overloaded desk and piles of paper, I felt daunted. What elements would make my writing area "inviting?" How did one go about setting up the ideal work environment? Where should I begin?

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Are you getting married, and have a group of Internet friends? Do you have guests or attendants who live too far away to show up for your pre-wedding parties? Throw a virtual bash!

A wedding newsletter can keep your attendants up to date with your plans, but if you need a brainstorming session or simply want something a bit more interactive than a letter, an online wedding chat is the answer. Use your favorite chat center, TalkCity or Yahoo are a couple of examples. Some offer video chat, which is nice for those with webcam capability. Call or Email the attendants with the time and place (don't forget the name of the chat room).

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In my ongoing search for paid writer markets I came across an interesting online service that will post your articles–even reprints–and offer them for sale. The service is called Constant Content, and it is unique in that it allows contributors to set their own licensing terms and price for use of their articles. You don’t have to charge money for your articles if you don’t wish, but many do. Licensing options range from temporary use to exclusive; obviously you would most likely charge more for an exclusive license than for a one time use.

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I've been blogging here for close to two weeks, and was blogging over on WritingUp for a week or so before that. Note the past tense on the latter--more on that in a minute. I've discovered a problem/glitch with support on the two sites.

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Many of us who are invested in keeping our blogs in fighting trim have heard the adage that we should ideally write posts every day to keep our content updated (and our audience riveted). But with jobs, kids, spouses, Email, discussion groups, errands, and just plain LIFE on the dance card, where do we find time to pencil in blogging?

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When I first joined someone posted a blog entry about the talent found among some of the bloggers here. That got me to thinking about the blogging phenomenon and how amateur and pro writers alike are typing up a storm every day to bring a wide variety of content, from the fascinating to the unbelievable.

Blog readership has become all the rage among the cool Internet kids–taking Short Attention Span Theater-like glimpses into another’s psyche has garnered all the fascination of one driving by a bevvy of beautiful naked women (or, in the case of some blogs, a train wreck, which seems to be no less difficult to turn away from for most). So why not capitalize on the readership potential and take blogs 3-D?

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Valentine's Day is a fun way to boost the post-holiday blahs and provides a special opportunity
to let your child(ren) know how special they are!

Here are some ideas for making a fun-filled day:

1. Start off with a surprise! Tie red and white balloons to your child's bed or desk chair while
they sleep, so it's the first thing they notice upon waking.

2. Valentine's Breakfast: Make sweetheart pancakes. Mix batter as usual and grease your
skillet or griddle. Dip a chopstick or the end of a wooden spoon handle into the batter, then
"draw" a heart shape onto the grill. Wait about 30 seconds, then carefully spoon batter over the

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(HUMOR)

For those of us who are trying to make their way in the publishing industry, at one time or another we are faced with the task of sending a potential editor, publisher, agent, freelance company, or employer a cover letter or "query," as it's called in writer's jargon. Writing an effective query is a touchy art--entire books have been written on the subject. Rather than touching on the DO's of query writing, I thought I'd demonstrate the DONT's by writing the World's Worst Ever Cover Letter. I submit for your (total lack of) approval:

To Y-Me Publishing
200 Bad Writers Way
New York, NY 00001

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