A Newsletter from Flint & Steel

Sparks №40: What Are Your Favorite Summer Reads?

A roundup of Flint & Steel articles and August writing prompts across Medium-land

“August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time.” ― Sylvia Plath

I have always found the month of August to be that in-between month, which of course, it is. Bringing us out of summer (in the northern hemisphere) to the season of autumn. The month, for us in Minnesota, to wave adieu to the steamy months of summer to get those kids back to school and back to a routine (yes, says this mother of two teenage boys).

Autumn is my favorite time of the year, but I’m hesitant to rush August. The feeling of holding on with the understanding that another season ending is upon us. I want to stay present and soak up the summer memories with my family before we return to the rush of routine.

How do you feel about this time of the year? Are you ready to push one season out of the way for the bliss of another? Or are you holding onto these days for dear life?

Back in June, I asked you about your summer focus. How has your summer focus played out for you so far? Are you setting new goals? Feel free to answer these questions in a post and submit to F&S.

Summer reading

When I think of summer, I think of reading. As an introvert, I spent my teenage years, lost in books. That’s when I discovered my love of mysteries, horror, and suspense, getting lost in Dean Koontz, VC Andrews, and Stephen King.

To this day, I enjoy ending a busy day, out on the deck under an umbrella with a glass of wine and a good book (minus any bugs!).

Barack Obama recently shared his reading list which leads me to my question for you…I would love to know what your reading list is for this summer. Share the books you’ve read (or listened to), or the Medium articles that inspired you over the last few months. I will be sharing my summer list in a separate article. As always, feel free to submit to F&S.

Highlights from the Editor

Thank you to Courtney Capone for her excellent article in response to the fear prompt in the last newsletter. It’s not easy for writers to share their inner struggles and I think that is why Medium draws so many readers and writers; it feels safe here. Until it doesn’t. Thank you for sharing your experience with us all!

Courtney wrote,

“I use this platform for catharsis and sometimes I write about things I probably shouldn’t. When I was getting ready to go back to work after being out for months from an injury, no part of me wanted to go back. I wrote about it.”

So happy to see Lisa M. Gott make her Medium return and thank you Lisa for sharing your captivating short story.

Lisa M. Gott wrote,

“Standing still, Hugo stood in a trance before the cabin. Transfixed by the smoky dancers with their long wispy fingers seemingly reaching out to him. He stood. Breathless.”

10-Word Story Challenge

Recently, I was tagged by Amanda Laughtland on the 10-word story challenge so, of course, I had to play. I welcome you to share your 10-word story with us at Flint & Steel.

Kaori Mitsui wrote,

“It was slightly pink, then turned into a reddish-orange color.”

Rosy Gee wrote,

“For sale: wedding dress, size twenty two. Never been worn.”

Rosy’s answer to the 10-word story challenge could be a prompt for a fiction story. Thank you Rosy for rising to the 10-word story challenge!

Susan Alison wrote,

“Do you mind? I’m trying to get a little peace.”

Sam Finlayson wrote,

“She laughed, dancing in the rain because she finally could.”

L Burton wrote,

“Nature reminds me to get my ducks in a row.”

Kaori Mitsui wrote,

“These are textures of a wall, door, jacket, and pants.”

I hope everyone has an inspiring week and weekend ahead!

✨ Ellie, editor Flint & Steel

🎉 Featured Writer Alert🎉

Meet Charlie Cole!

“I long and dream of my very own, special writing corner. I’d love to have that one day, but right now I’m sort of all over the place. A well-worn couch, comfy slippers, and a portable desk are usually constants, other than that it’s me scrambling to figure out what place and position feel best.

I love to be by a window so I can watch the rain fall or feel the warmth of the sun come streaming in. Sometimes the distraction of Mother Nature is better than turning on the tv.”

Read more about Charlie to find out what must be stocked in her kitchen and where she wants to travel (which sounds fabulous to me!).

Will you be the next featured writer?

Read over the guidelines to find out more about being featured.

Another interview opportunity!

E. Katherine Kottaras is looking to interview creatives!

“With that, I am launching a series called The Creative Contemplative, and I would love to interview you!

I want to learn more about your life as both a creative and as a contemplative.”

E. Katherine Kottaras wrote,

“we are allowed to feel compassion for the galaxies of moments that exist within our own ancient and growing souls. we are allowed to care for our selves, to have faith in our selves, to be gentle with our selves.”

✨Your Articles ✨

As always, take time to support your F & S writers!

Stop by their articles and share your thoughts, claps and highlights.

Your Fiction

Sam Finlayson wrote,

“No one knows she’s there, watching, hoping for someone to see her frightened eyes. Her arms reach for the outside to catch a foot or trouser leg. She hears a rattling of the door, multiple locks being opened.”

Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她) wrote,

“some people / some days I: write to connect, seeking, almost begging at times, to know that we are not alone in this, or firmly placing a stake down, regardless of whether anyone else cares, telling the world, this is how we are, it’s time for you to recognize and love that.”

All About the Books

Penny Grubb has done a marvelous job of sharing the books from the upcoming M.A.B.L.E event.

The Collection of Flint & Steel Articles

✨ Welcome To Our Newest Writers ✨

Rosy Gee, Lisa M. Gott, Jillian Amatt — Artistic Voyages, Mridul Vijay

Calls for Submission

I welcome writers to share their own freewriting exercises, writing prompts, and writing contest alerts here at Flint and Steel. You can write short-form or long-form posts.

You can find submission guidelines on our Be a Writer page.

✍ Freewriting Friday

In the latest Freewriting Friday post, the focus is independence.

📣 Around Medium: Calls for Submissions, Writing Prompts, and Challenges 📣

Check out the previous newsletter for more writing prompts and challenges.

And all our newsletters for even more writing inspiration

Tips

As always, review each publication’s guidelines for their prompts. Many prompts do not have a set deadline.

Make sure when you are responding to a prompt, you credit where your inspiration came from, like a link to the prompt article.

Many of these prompts could fall under nonfiction, poetry, and fiction so don’t limit yourself. There is no right or wrong. Use these prompts as a springboard to your writing.

⌚ = time-sensitive writing prompt!

Samantha Lazar, with Sky Collection, posted a new quote prompt around the theme of nostalgia in any genre.

Jason Edmunds, with A Taste of Life, posted their August theme of “nature.”

Jennifer Burke Grehan posted a month full of writing prompts for the month of August.

NEW PUB ALERT! JoAnn Ryan started a new pub, In Living Color: Telling stories through photos and words. Love it!

Amanda Laughtland is challenging us to write a single sentence poem or short prose. I love a good challenge like this!

Ellie Jacobson wants to see your book shelfie over at Six Word Photo Story (no deadline!)

⌚ Gerald Sturgill posted the August monthly challenge at Globetrotters. Road Trips! Post your submissions by August 30, 2022.

Marilyn Flower, with Middle-Pause, posted their latest prompt: “What have you learned from mistakes and failures, Including break-ups?”

Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她), with The Brain is a Noodle, shared their latest #WritingPrompt: finite number of days (or other quantities of time)

ADEOLA SHEEHY-ADEKALE, with The Honest Perspective, posted their latest writing prompt of “Dealbreaker.”

Subscribe to the Sparks Newsletter

If you would like to subscribe to the Sparks newsletter, visit the newsletter page. You can also find past newsletters for more writing inspiration.

— Ellie Jacobson, editor

📣 Attention Medium publication editors 📣

Have a writing prompt, challenge, or a call for submission you want included in an upcoming Sparks Newsletter? Feel free to leave a comment in the latest newsletter, email me at [email protected], or tag me in your prompt article and I’ll include the info in the next newsletter. Newsletters go out weekly on Monday.

Please include a link to the article that summarizes the prompt/challenge/call for submission and if there is a deadline. I will link to the article and to your publication in the newsletter. I also tweet the newsletter throughout the week for added exposure.

💖 Thank you to all the Flint & Steel writers 💖

Sahil Patel, Shirley Jones Luke, Samantha Jensen, MA, MAEd, Trista Signe Ainsworth, MIGHTY MISCELLANY, L Burton, Heathere CW, Kaori Mitsui, Penelope Mayfield, Pierce McIntyre, Pene Hodge, Yean Foong (M.Ed.), Elin Melaas, Sarah Minnis, Mindy Morgan Avitia, JM Heatherly, Nikki, Andria Kennedy, pockett dessert, Dennett, Diana Lotti, Ronald C. Flores-Gunkle, Mulan, Amanda Laughtland, Vidya Sury, Collecting Smiles, Penny Grubb, Sorina Raluca Babau, Prashansa Chandekar, Will Hull, Ravyne Hawke, Jane Grows Garden Rooms (Jane Frost), Mimi Bordeaux, Adrienne Beaumont, Karen Schwartz, Divina Grey, Sangeetha Shankar, Ellen Andaya, Barb Dalton, Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她), Beverly Annette Little, Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她), Beverly Annette Little, Aabye-Gayle F., AliciaMarie Belchak | Master Life, Build Dreams, Danielle Hestand, Rick Allen, Jennifer Pierce, Tamil, Amy Rosie, Jennifer McDougall, Susan Poole, Adrienne Parkhurst, Chelsea Marie — Charlie Cole — Katie Michaelson — Sandra B — Buse ermen — E. Katherine Kottaras — Bingz Huang — Winston — Stephanie Stephenson — Marilyn Flower — Kris Bedenian — Kathy K — Nick Stockton — VerityAlways — Makena Darya — Umme Salma — Călina Mureșan — Anne Bonfert — Jennifer Dunne, K-kun Writes!, M Cher, CARMEN F MICSA, Annette Liron, Sam Finlayson, Ian Hanson, LM, Elizabeth Kasujja, Sandi Parsons, Veronica Haunani Fitzhugh, BichoDoMato, Jules Starley, Jordan Richardson, Angie Mangino, Obinna Uruakpa, Shanice Lawton, Barbara Radisavljevic, Gaurav Jain, Terry Barr, Christine Graves, Randy Runtsch, Susan Alison, Indra Raj Pathak, Ash Moonlight, Jesse M Hawthorne, Denise Darby, Laura Jevtich, Eira Braun-Labossiere 🌻, Donna J. Allen, Sarah-Jane W., Ginger Bangs, Rebecca Frailich, James Jordan, David L. Davis, Nicholas Tarleton, Courtney Capone, Agnes, Kunal Mehra, Gauri Sirur, Nancy Blackman, Dr. Preeti Singh

. . . and our 226 followers! 💖

About the Writer

Ellie is a freelance writer and editor from Minnesota. She is writing her first novel, a psychological suspense novel, while finishing her MFA at SNHU.

Need writing inspiration? Check out Sparks, Ellie’s newsletter filled with Medium writing prompts to spark your creativity.

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✍ Written by Ellie Jacobson, @2022 all rights reserved.