A FORK IN THE ROAD by Lesley Bungay

She followed each sign as told, her life a map of paths well-trodden by her ancestors. When she reached a fork, she paused. The right road bore familiar footprints, the left – unused. She hesitated, removed scuffed shoes, and stepped barefoot into the unknown.The paths ran parallel for a time, but foliage frustrated her progress. … Continue reading A FORK IN THE ROAD by Lesley Bungay

HEADS OR TAILS by Tim Kirton

She’d never been what you’d call unwavering in her decision-making. Indecision, she’d convinced herself, was the last emotion before genius kicked in. Proper research and an ordered approach to the bigger choices in life were necessary; a prerequisite to a successful outcome. She looked again at her comprehensive list of pros and cons. They equated … Continue reading HEADS OR TAILS by Tim Kirton

Anything can inspire a piece of flash fiction!

It's General Election Day here in the UK. Meanwhile in the US there's all sorts of political shenanigans going on! (Don't worry, this isn't going to be a political post!) But it puts us in mind of a fantastic piece of flash fiction we received, back in November 2020 when we opened our first ever … Continue reading Anything can inspire a piece of flash fiction!

LETTING GO by Jackie Meekums-Hales

Butterflies land their luring cobalt blue on wavering stems, bowing them beneath the shimmering sun. They flutter, hover, lift again as straightening blooms release them to the air. Like them, she vows to let temptation go, unbending to the broken promises and lies. She’ll set him free and cherish what she has, resist delusions of … Continue reading LETTING GO by Jackie Meekums-Hales

WHO NEEDS PRINCES ANYWAY? by Sarah Barnett

Rapunzel was 12 when her hair fell out — about the same time the witch locked her in the tower. Soon, her hands began to warp into fearsome talons, and her tongue stretched till it could dart chameleon-like from her window, to catch the food her captor left far below. However, with her mouth reshaped, … Continue reading WHO NEEDS PRINCES ANYWAY? by Sarah Barnett

What’s happening at Cranked Anvil HQ? …our latest news

Hello writers/readers/subscribers! We've been a bit quiet of late - but we've been beavering away in the background, setting up all the writerly stuff we're planning here at Cranked Anvil for the future. The first thing to say is, we've already had a whole load of great micro submissions for our Fiction123, and we're delighted … Continue reading What’s happening at Cranked Anvil HQ? …our latest news