Three-Minute Fiction http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105660765&ft=1&f=105660765 How long does it take to tell a good story? We're betting you can do it in just a few minutes — three, to be exact. For our contest, we want to hear your original short stories that can be read in three minutes or less. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Sun, 19 May 2013 06:42:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Three-Minute Fiction http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105660765&ft=1&f=105660765 Ten Ring Fingers She found the first ring on a night that smelled of body odor and beer. The bar's last customers had finally given up hope of taking her to bed and staggered away, leaving her to clean the stains of their desperation. Sun, 19 May 2013 06:42:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/19/184272963/ten-ring-fingers?ft=1&f=105660765 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/19/184272963/ten-ring-fingers?ft=1&f=105660765 She found the first ring on a night that smelled of body odor and beer. The bar's last customers had finally given up hope of taking her to bed and staggered away, leaving her to clean the stains of their desperation.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Ghost Words The letter smelled of lavender and vanilla, like she couldn't decide which perfume to use so she used both. Her hand-writing had been drawn with the careful precision only seventh-grade girls in love have patience for. Sun, 19 May 2013 06:41:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/15/184275112/ghost-words?ft=1&f=105660765 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/15/184275112/ghost-words?ft=1&f=105660765 The letter smelled of lavender and vanilla, like she couldn't decide which perfume to use so she used both. Her hand-writing had been drawn with the careful precision only seventh-grade girls in love have patience for.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Plum Baby There isn't enough time in this world to grow your own tree. That tree is a plum baby still, never mind it's tall as the house those men are taking from us. It grew up with me. Sat, 18 May 2013 06:19:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/18/184263382/plum-baby?ft=1&f=105660765 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/18/184263382/plum-baby?ft=1&f=105660765 There isn't enough time in this world to grow your own tree. That tree is a plum baby still, never mind it's tall as the house those men are taking from us. It grew up with me.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Three-Minute Fiction Round 11: Finders Keepers For this round of our short story contest, write a piece of original fiction in which a character finds something he or she has no intention of returning. Sat, 04 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/04/180596004/three-minute-fiction-round-11-finders-keepers?ft=1&f=105660765 http://www.npr.org/2013/05/04/180596004/three-minute-fiction-round-11-finders-keepers?ft=1&f=105660765 For this round of our short story contest, write a piece of original fiction in which a character finds something he or she has no intention of returning.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Sorry For Your Loss Hi, it's me — Christine. I can't believe you still have this number. That I still remember it. But there's your voice on the machine ... like no time has passed. I'm so sorry for your loss, Nick, for your mom. <em>Can anyone else hear this?</em> [PRESS # TO ERASE AND RERECORD YOUR MESSAGE] Sat, 09 Mar 2013 17:59:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/09/173722517/sorry-for-your-loss?ft=1&f=105660765 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/09/173722517/sorry-for-your-loss?ft=1&f=105660765 Hi, it's me — Christine. I can't believe you still have this number. That I still remember it. But there's your voice on the machine ... like no time has passed. I'm so sorry for your loss, Nick, for your mom. Can anyone else hear this? [PRESS # TO ERASE AND RERECORD YOUR MESSAGE]

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Three-Minute Fiction: The Round 10 Winner Is ... Did you leave a message after our prompt? For Round 10 of Three-Minute Fiction, we asked you to submit a short story in the form of a voice mail message. Sat, 09 Mar 2013 15:29:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/09/173873714/three-minute-fiction-the-round-10-winner-is?ft=1&f=105660765 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/09/173873714/three-minute-fiction-the-round-10-winner-is?ft=1&f=105660765 Did you leave a message after our prompt? For Round 10 of Three-Minute Fiction, we asked you to submit a short story in the form of a voice mail message.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Everything's Under Control YOU HAVE ... TWO ... NEW MESSAGES. Pickup sis. It's me ... Listen, I'm in jail — but I'm not asking for bail this time. I just need you to make some phone calls since I only get the one. First, call the administrative offices at the zoo, tell them the baby elephant is not missing. Thu, 07 Mar 2013 20:20:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/07/173727548/everythings-under-control?ft=1&f=105660765 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/07/173727548/everythings-under-control?ft=1&f=105660765 YOU HAVE ... TWO ... NEW MESSAGES. Pickup sis. It's me ... Listen, I'm in jail — but I'm not asking for bail this time. I just need you to make some phone calls since I only get the one. First, call the administrative offices at the zoo, tell them the baby elephant is not missing.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> The Escape Hey, Julia ......... it's me ....... Kind of glad you're not picking up — this'll be easier. Maybe. So. Here goes. I'm going to ask you to do something for me. It's not an ordinary best friend kind of favor — God, I wish it was. I wish I just needed you to pick up my dry cleaning or something ... Sun, 03 Mar 2013 06:26:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/03/173279534/the-escape?ft=1&f=105660765 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/03/173279534/the-escape?ft=1&f=105660765 Hey, Julia ......... it's me ....... Kind of glad you're not picking up — this'll be easier. Maybe. So. Here goes. I'm going to ask you to do something for me. It's not an ordinary best friend kind of favor — God, I wish it was. I wish I just needed you to pick up my dry cleaning or something ...

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Three Little Words Hi, sweetie. I don't really want to say this on a message, but I just can't wait any longer. You know how we were snuggled up under the blanket in the park last week? Yeah, that was nice. Our six-month anniversary. Sun, 03 Mar 2013 06:26:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/03/173278266/three-little-words?ft=1&f=105660765 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/03/173278266/three-little-words?ft=1&f=105660765 Hi, sweetie. I don't really want to say this on a message, but I just can't wait any longer. You know how we were snuggled up under the blanket in the park last week? Yeah, that was nice. Our six-month anniversary.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Leave Me In London You're sleeping, I know. That's why I'm calling. I'm staring at the old Spitalfields church and someone is playing a bagpipe on a roof across the street. I never even wanted to enter a church before we came here. Now I'm crying in every cathedral. It's London, this city. Sat, 02 Mar 2013 07:12:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/02/173276090/leave-me-in-london?ft=1&f=105660765 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/02/173276090/leave-me-in-london?ft=1&f=105660765 You're sleeping, I know. That's why I'm calling. I'm staring at the old Spitalfields church and someone is playing a bagpipe on a roof across the street. I never even wanted to enter a church before we came here. Now I'm crying in every cathedral. It's London, this city.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Call Me? The llama was not my fault. Don't hang up! You probably hung up. How long is a voice mail message? Three minutes? Look, you're going to have to call me back. There is no way I'm gonna be able to explain everything in three minutes. You're not gonna call me back. Sat, 02 Mar 2013 07:12:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/02/173277016/call-me?ft=1&f=105660765 http://www.npr.org/2013/03/02/173277016/call-me?ft=1&f=105660765 The llama was not my fault. Don't hang up! You probably hung up. How long is a voice mail message? Three minutes? Look, you're going to have to call me back. There is no way I'm gonna be able to explain everything in three minutes. You're not gonna call me back.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Space-Time Capsule Hey, sweets. It's me. Found your note in the crisper. So sneaky! Glad to know you'll miss me more than fresh produce even when you're facing a year's worth of dehydrated broccoli and beefish bits. Spam! Made me smile. And sad. Did you hide more? Sun, 24 Feb 2013 17:42:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/24/172710378/space-time-capsule?ft=1&f=105660765 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/24/172710378/space-time-capsule?ft=1&f=105660765 Hey, sweets. It's me. Found your note in the crisper. So sneaky! Glad to know you'll miss me more than fresh produce even when you're facing a year's worth of dehydrated broccoli and beefish bits. Spam! Made me smile. And sad. Did you hide more?

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> After The Tone First of all, I'm not sure you know this, but there's no need for you to say, "Leave a message after the tone," because the automated woman says that immediately after you. It's redundant. I thought you should know. Sun, 24 Feb 2013 17:42:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/24/172644831/after-the-tone?ft=1&f=105660765 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/24/172644831/after-the-tone?ft=1&f=105660765 First of all, I'm not sure you know this, but there's no need for you to say, "Leave a message after the tone," because the automated woman says that immediately after you. It's redundant. I thought you should know.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Chubby Bunny Hey mom, it's Kelsey, sorry for calling so late. I'm kinda glad you didn't answer though, this is will be easier if I can just let my words dribble out without any interruption. Sat, 23 Feb 2013 17:09:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/23/172641736/chubby-bunny?ft=1&f=105660765 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/23/172641736/chubby-bunny?ft=1&f=105660765 Hey mom, it's Kelsey, sorry for calling so late. I'm kinda glad you didn't answer though, this is will be easier if I can just let my words dribble out without any interruption.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]> Voice Mail Is For Suckers Dude, yeah. It's me. Look, what is the deal? Where are you? You haven't responded to a single email. Everyone is worried, man. We checked your Facebook and you haven't updated your status in a week. A freaking week. You haven't even liked anything. And you like everything. Like. Like. Like. Sat, 23 Feb 2013 17:08:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/23/172638331/voice-mail-is-for-suckers?ft=1&f=105660765 http://www.npr.org/2013/02/23/172638331/voice-mail-is-for-suckers?ft=1&f=105660765 Dude, yeah. It's me. Look, what is the deal? Where are you? You haven't responded to a single email. Everyone is worried, man. We checked your Facebook and you haven't updated your status in a week. A freaking week. You haven't even liked anything. And you like everything. Like. Like. Like.

» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

]]>