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a message from Courttia...
Yes that’s right, we’re looking for your short shorts! Just for your writing pleasure, Tell Tales Micro Fiction is the place we have created especially for you to send us work between 200-300 words – or Micro Fiction. For those of you unfamiliar with this style of writing, we have set some examples below, and please don’t be put off by the length – or lack of it! The most important thing to remember is that, although most stories have a beginning, middle and end, Micro Fiction usually concentrates on the middle – in other words, it’s one scene from the story and not the whole. So, send us your work following the format laid out below and the best of the bunch will receive permanent airing on this site!
>>micro example 1:

The Bus

by Courttia Newland

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With a roar of engines, a whoosh and clank of gears, the bus passed the black woman by. It was cold out, the wind howling like a wraith around his ears, making Jason disappointed at the bus driver's actions - though not surprised. For a moment her arm remained raised like some intricately carved statue placed at the bus stop in homage to black pride, the strength of black women. Then slowly, steadily, as the meaning behind the action began to sink in, she started to falter. Her arm fell limply to her side as if broken. She remembered where she was, turning to the bus shelter where Jason was stood, staring at the Countdown that proclaimed the next was approximately thirteen minutes away. Her eyes were wide in disbelief. Her outrage creased her face. No one else witnessed what had occurred.

"Did you see that? Did you see that?" she almost squealed, her emotions high.

"Yeah, I saw. Don't worry I saw," he replied.

She opened her mouth to say more, then she thought about that. For the black man, it was something like watching a cloud pass in front of the sun. For a moment, the atmosphere was dark, cold as the windy day. Then she smiled and the sun was out again.

"Oh," she said in reply. "That's all right then."

He took her hand and she let him. They stood that way until the next bus arrived.


Courttia Newland - 241 words, London

>>micro example 2:

Lashin' Techs

by Courttia Newland

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It was all so smooth. Travis and Mikey spotted the handbag dangling from the women's shoulder like a pendant - loose, unheeded, yet valued. Mikey pointed this out to Stern, who confirmed she was the one. They followed her up Kensington High street in a tight v formation, rubbing their hands together; this would be easy. From behind, they could see the woman was white, and quite old, though not too old. None of them wanted a heart attack victim on their hands. Travis always wondered if Stern, being mixed-race, felt a way that all their victims were white, but he'd never had the balls to ask outright. Judging by his friend's actions, he didn't give a toss, and neither did they.

No more time for idle thoughts. They nodded at each other. Stern made the move, quick as a greyhound. One quick tug and she was on the floor. Another and the strap broke with a thin crack. They ran as fast as they could, until her voice penetrated Stern's ears. It stopped him as surely as a brick wall, while the others fled.

"Nicholas? Nicholas that can't be you, can it?" she cried from the floor.

Stern turned around to face her and dropped the bag. Ice cold fear dissolved in his belly. He managed to utter one word before some hero rushed him.

"Gran?"


Courttia Newland – 271 words, London

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