Rebecca M. Douglass, Author

For this month, while I'm very busy trying to juggle a NaNo project and the release of The Problem With Peggy (Book 3 of the Ninja Librarian series), my Friday posts may be either short, photographic, or re-runs. Just a warning :) Today, however, I got inspired and we have a full length (990 words) flash--another voyage with Xavier Xanthum, Space Explorer. Xavier Xanthum and the Alien “Comet, we need some excitement.” Xavier Xanthum addressed the comment to the large black-and-white cat that lay, weightless, on his lap. “I do not think it is wise to wish for excitement.” The answer didn’t come from the cat; to the best of Xavier’s knowledge, the animal couldn’t speak. The only other voice in his one-man spacecraft was that of Larry, the AI. Xavier looked around for the floating eyeballs that Larry liked to use as his physical manifestation. “Why not? We’ve been in transit for a month, and I’m bored out of my mind. We need to do something to break up the trip!” He and Larry had bee...

Chuck Wendig spent all last week collecting first lines from his readers. This week he gave us ten to choose from to write 1000-2000 words. For me the choice was clear. “Of all the things I expected to find in my tomato soup, this wasn’t one of them.” (Stella Wood) I think I ran a few words over my personal word count target of 1000 words. Nonetheless, I give you.... In the Soup Of all the things I expected to find in my tomato soup, this wasn't one of them. I opened the can and mixed it myself, and only turned me back for a minute. Next think I knew I was looking at a little green man doing the breast stroke. My first thought was that I was glad I hadn't heated the soup too hot. My second thought was that I was nuts. I was seeing naked green men in my soup. I had to be crazy. It got worse. I closed my eyes to shut out the hallucination and raised a spoonful of soup to my mouth. "Hey, watch it there, greedy-gullet! Whattaya think yer doing?" Even if I believed there ...