Never Give Up! Never Surrender!

by Michael Seese

A while back, I wrote a story called "Watching" for MASH stories. MASH stories, if you'll recall, gives writers three keywords to incorporate in a at-most 500 word story.

Last July, the three keywords were "jealousy," "congress," and "art." You have to use the words EXACTLY as shown. Unfortunately, I looked up the keywords on my cell phone, and the "y" was cut off from "jealousy." So they rejected it. Rules are rules.

(As an aside, I REALLY quickly wrote another story, submitted it, and it garnered many favorable comments.)

Flash forward to mid-February. I read on Cathy's Comps & Calls about The Little Acorns and their flash fiction contest. I tweaked "Watching" (because for them it had to be exactly 500 words), and submitted it.

I have to say, I never grow weary of seeing the words, "And the winner is..." followed by my name.