We have a love/hate relationship with blackberries in the Pacific Northwest. The thorny vines grow wherever they wish and it’s nearly impossible to rid your yard of them once they’ve decided to move in. They are also delicious. August is when we go out with our bowls and collect the juicy berries growing nearly everywhere you look. We have a love/hate relationship with crows, too. Some people shoot at them and hate their neighbors who feed them peanuts. Others leave bowls of water out for them all summer and enjoy watching them drink, dunk bread, and bathe. This month we’re looking for flash fiction that includes blackberries and a crow, extra points if the story tackles love/hate relationships.

At the end of every month we will choose one winning story. The winning story will be published on our website in our flash fiction section and the writer will receive a free physical copy of Gothic Fiction Reader Journal & Workbook.

Send your story as a Word doc or PDF to info@pnwgothic.com with “August Flash Fiction Entry” as the subject line.

Guidelines:

• Must include both elements in the prompt in a meaningful way
• Must fit within the gothic genre
• Must be over 100 words and under 500 words
• Anyone can submit, regardless of location
• Submit your story by August 28th to be considered
• No AI generated content

Check out previous months’ winners here.