Content: short story mezzo

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An interesting afternoon with an ex-wife, a strawberry garden and a snake.

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A philandering Cavalier meets with adventure as he journeys through an enchanted land.

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Ally's biggest problem wasn't that she couldn't get to the altar for her wedding--It was working her way through the land of M before anyone notices she's gone.

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Coming of age story--young girl finds the courage to disclose a horrible secret.

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A young adventurous brother and sister like to take big chances hiking in the mountains of North Carolina. This time it might cost them their lives.

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This short story is based on an event that happened on my family's ranch in Eastern Oregon about a century ago, in which 30 horses were killed in a barn fire. I've taken the liberty to imagine the event, weaving around the few details of which I have knowledge. J.W. was my grandfather. I write non-fiction, primarily personal essays and memoir. This is my first and possibly last work of fiction, and my first introduction to 'The Next Big Writer'. If you have the patience to read to the end, thank you. (Be kind.)

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Dedicated to all, young and old, who like to live out of the box from time to time. Sometimes it is through the eyes of a child, we can truly see ourselves and freely dream.

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This is my first fiction short story I wrote in English about a girl who doesn't know what she is doing, stealing her friend's stuff without any purposes. The title I give in this story is as the conclusion of the end of the story. True or not, let the readers give their judgements. (Any feedback, including grammars and tenses will be accpeted. Thank you and enjoy my story!)

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A writer visits Key West and meets up with an icon in the literary world. Their drunken conversation twists and turns but the writer gets some good advice. Feedback is very much appreciated.

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Unfortunately for me, nothing new, but rather an entry in the contest.

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A homeless wino is challenged by a fellow street person to perform a simple task: to use his wit and the resources of the street to prepare a meal of rice. Salty fails at the task but still finds a glimmer of hope that he may rebuild his life. This posting is a contest entry, but if anyone cares to give any sort of feedback, it would be welcome.

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Welcome to my functioning family asylum. (Revised 7/2/09)

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Story about childhood memories and lost opportunity. All feedback welcome

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Sam's mother and father never seem to stop fighting. He can't get away from it. He see's a man on a hill, in the path of a storm. Sam is curious, and anything is better than the storm that rages in his home.

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Gooch spent his life fighting drugs now he is using drugs to fight his life. I am looking any kind of feed back.

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Any advice relished. Trying out for the Mezzo so appreciate advice on whether I've met the brief... but most of all, did I entertain you? I have a feeling this is incomplete but I sometimes get too close to my story to tell. 1368 words.

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The specter of divorce looms over the leader of a group of neighborhood kids. I had changed the title to "Wish Rock" and then changed it back again--I'd like feedback on which title works better for the story. As far as the story itself, any and all feedback welcome, and feel free to be tough!

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Luck has kicked Harvey around. In an attempt to change his life he moved to Vegas to play in the World Series of Poker. Little did he know that fate had bigger plans for him. During the tournament he is introduced to Fortuna, the goddess of Luck, Fortune and Judgment. He calls upon her to help him win the money and changes his life in the process but not the way he had wanted. After making a deal to be the Judge of fate in exchange for the money, he attempts to out smart the Goddess. His decision would only change the life one man he met by chance, or was it?

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One story in the Pirate's Bedtime Collection.--nothing technical, just a fun exercise I'm doing as I read through the Pirate Primer.

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Eccentricity and isolation shows in the lives of two people who are strangers to one another, until a fateful meeting at The Cave changes everything.

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Teen changes mind after some reflection

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An interesting day in the curio shop.

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Let's just say about 80 percent of it is based on a true story and leave the rest to your imagination. LOL -- Feedback: Not looking for anything really technical. Just a fling of a story for the contest.

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I'm considering this as a third prologue for the novel, Good at Dying, I've posted 20 chapters for on TNBW. Among other things, I'd love to know if this at the beginning of a novel set in 1982 would be an aggravation or a help for you. Paticularly, I'd love to hear from those who've read several early chapters of the novel.

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A tale of a tree....

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I am looking for all feedback in fact, would love to hear your stories.

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Vashara tells the story of an alvaren hero. Its a short story within my series of Novels called Destiny. Curious to see what everyone thinks :).

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This story explores the inner conflicts of two young mothers. Much like motherhood, much of it is humorous but includes a tender moment in which the main characters discover a universal truth: we all wear a bikini that we don't like how it fits.

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This is a story of a teenage girl in the 1950's, living near a large airport. The story is fiction, based on fact. All comments are welcome. Let we know if I created the moment with the plane crash.

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Have you ever wondered what would happen if your horoscope did come true?

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This is a true story. (edited/revised) Thanks to all of you who helped me cut/edit the words so that I am now under 3500. I'm open to all comments and suggestions for the story. Thanks for your help and support.

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This is a short essay I wrote a (long) time ago about the first day of my first job.

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Reworked with an additonal 600+ words for Mezzo contest.

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Domestic violence scars not only the body, but the heart, mind and spirit of the victim. Escape is never easy; courage is hard to find.

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A night at karaoke has a twist. Any comments would be helpful. Thanks. Vern PS: This has been revised and expanded. The alternative ending is now the only one included. A possible Mezzo contest entry.

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This is a short story written a while ago for a creative writing class. Any feedback is appreciated.

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Recently revised. Open to all feedback. Thank you!

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A blind woman's relationship with her daughter-in-law moves from cautious to loving. Subtle change....do you see it?

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Post-apocalyptical story where humanity has died out and the only remaining species are vampires and the creatures that hunt them.

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This story takes place in Seattle of the twenty second century. Christine's uncertainty of her interacial engagement is overshadowed by the abduction of her fiance's daughter.

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This is a mix between historical fiction and memoir. The memoir side comes into play because this is a true story my grandpa told me about his life. As he says, he is history. The fiction side comes in because I've had to provide a few small details of my own due to the fact that my grandpa is 88 years old, and while he has an amazing memory, he can't be expected to remember every detail. So like I said, this is the story my grandpa Ivan Shrum told me about a day we are all familiar with. It is a factual account (scouts honor!) told in third person prose. Also, is it okay to use the word for word account of what was said on the radio that day? I'm not sure. Thanks. The formatting and nits should be fixed now!

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All comments welcome, especially your emotional response to the story, and what I can do to make it better. Tweaked for the contest.

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This is the first version of Horns, the 'talking' version. A mother protects her son from the ever present threat of hunters. I've had this version likened to a children's story, though some felt the morals were coming off as a bit preachy. A second version, one without any animal dialogue, and an added scene, can be found here: http://www.thenextbigwriter.com/library/index.html/read/32283

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This is a different style for me. My first attempt at complete dialogue AND fictional writing that's longer than a flash. Honest feedback is appreciated. Is the dialogue believable and did it make you laugh? Does the dialogue express enough to impart the scene without direct narrative description?

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Follow Beth Paddock as she "applies" for a new position, one that she has no choice but to qualify for once she walks through the door.

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This is the second version of Horns. The only dialogue is spoken by the human characters, and the dove scene was replaced by two new ones. A mother protects her son from the ever present threat of hunters. The original version can be found here: http://www.thenextbigwriter.com/library/index.html/read/32364

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Celtic lore states that the ancients believed the swan a symbol of death and the peacock a symbol of immortality. A peek at what might have occured between the two....

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This is a story of a man who would do anything to become mortal again...

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A story of a married woman through several stages of her life and the dementia she ultimately suffers, as told through the eyes of her daughter.

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Margaret Jones finds a book at a garage sale that brings back memories - some good, some bad.

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A Viet Cong soldier tells his horrific story.

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This is a ch in TOUCH--- edited to stand on it's own as a SHORT----- I just weeded through nine reviews and took 100% of the nit advice. Is it better? (Ann-- dialogue punc.?) Thanks for the help!

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Henny and Dad go to the Cancun bullfights

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A woman sees a stranger every day on her way to work and fantasizes about a friendship with her.

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A woman daydreams about browsing craigslist, and the dream becomes all too vivid.

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This is the story of a wolf pack in Alaska

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This is the story about an overly fussy woman who eventually gets what she deserves. I would like to know if it makes an enjoyable read and whether there is anything preventing it from flowing as well as it could. I'm from the UK so please forgive the different spelling. Cheers!

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A tropical vacation is suppose to be warm. Sometimes it can also be hot.

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This is a short and disturbing story of a young man's slide into insanity.

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Many years ago, Gabe Durrell's son died a tragic death. The story revolves around what happened to the family and how they coped with Jamie's accident.

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The story of how Blue Ruby, Virginia, got it's name.

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A self explanatory tale of people we can all say 'I know someone like that'.

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A story can take you anywhere.

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Two police officers are dispatched to a call of shots fired. It's 1974. They're working during the tail end of the wild and wolly days authors like Joseph Wambaugh wrote about. I've tried to give this an almost hard-boiled ( is that soft-boiled ?) sound to dipict the area and the times. All comments appreciated.

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Better title? Grateful for all suggestions.

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How I started writing. I have hard skin. Give me all you've got.

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A snapshot "home front" story of Vietnam and a farmer's personal tragedy, both anonymously told.

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My father taught me, now he's teaching my nephews and grandnephews. Time I gave him back proof I learned.

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A story of a visit to an adult care center for dementia patients. I'm particularly interested if you are put off by the framing of the work, and the artifice of using both first and second person narrative. Also, is it clear?

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I am new to the short story form and appreciate all feedback. Don't be shy with any critiques, I can take them and want to improve! This story is designed to be entertaining and humorous, but it actually examines some serious societal problems. Examples: 1. The law favoring form over the substance and merits of a case. 2. Government programs that are designed to help people, but whose requirements are so complex that people cannot figure them out without help. Did these points come out clearly enough in the story? Legalese to English: -Plaintiff: person bringing the claim -Defendant: person defending the claim -Statu[t]e of limitations: A legal rule that extinguishes the right to a claim if the person waits more than a set amount of time to bring it. -Lexis: A legal publishing company that provides research tools for lawyers -affidavit: A formal written statement of facts by a person signed under oath. -Habeas Corpus: A legal action to seek relief from unlawful detention.

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A tale about Bartholomew Higginbottom, world reknowned explorer, who heads off on a new investigation to a just dicovered unknown vast space hidden beneath the ice. No one has been there but its existence is known and Bartholomew intends to be the first. Should I be footnoting the quotes I used from Hillary and Scott? I think not, but open to opinion Last edit done - 6/19/09

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She finds herself responding to the feeling of being observed by something in gold lame. Just what it is, well that's up to the reader. I'm looking for laughs and a little tingle. I recently moved this from Erotic to Adult subject, commercial fiction on suggestion of several readers. So if you already read it in Erotica, this is the same story. Desole.

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A nine-year-old boy befriends his ailing great-aunt and fears losing her. Many thanks to all who have given valuable feedback so far; much appreciated!

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Ever wonder what would happen if an alien and a guardian angel crossed paths, say in a sick woman's room one night? This odd scenario sparked an idea in my warped brain for the following short story. I love feedback that tells me what you think of the story, any mistakes you find, and ideas for making it better. (Revised and re-published March 30, 2009)

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This story is true, a few names have been changed to avoid total neighborhood warfare, although "Herman" has left town already. I guess what I was trying to convey was how surprised I was when this took place. I guess I want to know if anyone finds this humorous and what I could do to improve the story. I would like know what positive things you bring out of it and the negative as well.

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I posted this story with an original title of "Phinnie Kilgore's Triumph". This revision is under the slightly different title of "The Phinnie Kilgore Triumph". I've revised the story to try to make it more of a standalone story, although I originally wrote it with the idea it would be the last story in a collection of 10-12 stories with Lucky Owens pretty much at the center. I hope the story now makes enough sense to be understandable without the other stories before it.

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Norman loves his dog... but not in a 'good' way.

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jpy to the world

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The gift of love

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Peace on earth and goodwill toward men.

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A feast on Christmas eve.

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Home is where the heart is, especially on Christmas eve.

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No one should be alone on Christmas eve.

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Never kiss a fool until you've washed your hands.

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Rupert and the ladies of the night tango till dawn!

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Rupert sets sail on the S.S. Queen for a day.

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