A single shot rang out, renting the sleepy atmosphere of the town, galvanising the people into action. Nothing exciting ever happened here.
Acrid smell of gunfire filled the air as people’s feet pounded the ground in frenzied motion to reach the site of unrest. In the middle of the town square stood Anne, face to face with her tormentor. Her shaking hands clutched the gun, still smoking from the discharge.
Citizens exchanged looks of concern and after a while, Anne’s brother, Ned, moved through the crowd to gently remove the offending weapon. Anne turned, buried her face in his chest and exclaimed,’He had it coming. Didn’t he? He couldn’t resist mocking me, day in day out, hour in hour out.’
Soothing her, Ned said, ‘There, there. Yes, he deserved it. Now let’s go home.’
Wending their way through the crowd, the siblings left behind the gaping onlookers, the smoking gun and the clock in the town square with its face shot off by Anne.
~~~
It’s time for the Grand Theme Reveal for the A to Z, 2015 and I welcome you all to my blog, The Moving Quill.
This year, my theme for the A-Z Challenge is, as evidenced by the story above, going to be about looking at things from a different perspective. Every story has layers and varying points of view. Much like light entering a prism, the stories bend in one way or another depending on the direction the writer chooses to nudge them.
All through April, I will be attempting to present a short story, under 300 words. Each story will begin in an apparently obvious setting but end with a point of view that is sometimes humorous, maybe poignant, perhaps horrifying or just sombre.
Will you sail with me as I navigate the sea of human emotions and present to you these faces to read? I would love it if you do!
Presenting my Theme for A-Z Challenge 2015 today:
Alternate Angles
Now that you’ve read my theme and loved it (!) ;), head on over here to the linky and check out more themes by other bloggers.
The Moving Quill is #99 on that list.
A-Z Theme Reveal Blog Fest 2015
To stay updated on my A-Z posts and to continue following The Moving Quill, you can track me here using
the WordPress Reader, my Facebook Page,
my Twitter page or subscribe by email (Link in sidebar)
Hi Shailaja,
Thank you so much for following my blog. I just woke up and saw the notification. I am very impressed by what an engaged community you have here. Congratulations. You must be proud. Thank you again for following my blog.
Janice
Thank you s much, Janice. I came to your blog via #ArchiveDay and I am thrilled to have found you. This blog is a little under a year old, but I have been blogging on parenting for almost 8 years now. I run a blogging community called Blog-A-Rhythm where we connect with other bloggers and learn/grow together. Always keen to connect with more people who think along the same lines 🙂
Blog-a-rhythm is here: https://blogarhythmblog.wordpress.com/
I love love love this theme for the A to Z challenge! I’m bookmarking the page so I can check out your posts every day! Keep them coming!!
Also, I nominated you for the Liebster Award. You can check it out here: https://millennialcreativity.wordpress.com/2015/04/03/liebster-award/ Keep being an awesome blogger!
Thank you so much! I am truly touched by this gesture <3 I will check it out and accept it on the blog in a post, very soon <3
This is such a great theme!! Looking at things from different perspectives is something we can all, as writers, strive to do more often. I’m loving your writing so far and look forward to reading more! 🙂
So sorry I missed replying to this! Thank you so much for your kind words. I do hope I have managed to keep you hooked all this month 🙂
The first para made me think of a wild western! Writing a new story every day – wow! 🙂 Rock it!
I am contemplating short posts for April too! Happy A-to-Z-ing!
Waiting to read yours, Vidya 🙂
That’s a smoking hot story and a smoking hot theme Shailaja! I enjoy and love reading stories with twists and for sure, you had me fooled and I know I wasn’t the only one! 😉 <3
Glad to hear it Elly 🙂
Sounds like a great theme! All the best. Look forward to reading some of the stories.
Thanks Beloo 🙂
All the best for A- Z challenge. Shailaja . I know you have choose a beautiful and pleasant theme.? impatiently Waiting to your stories
Thank you Niharika 🙂
I liked what you shared here with the story with Anne. Sounds like a very interesting theme; good luck with it!
betty
Thanks a ton, Betty !
Sounds pretty fabulous 🙂 I am curious how you will be rolling with it. Waiting for the posts 🙂
Yes. So excited 😀
Wow, what an interesting theme1! Waiting anxiously to read it..
Thank you Usha ji 🙂
I love your theme! This is a clever way to do short stories. Good luck!
-Chrys Fey
Tremps Troops – A to Z Co-co-host
Thank you Chrys. Welcome to the blog 🙂
What a fabulous, creative theme! Yes, I truly do love it and am looking forward to your posts. Have fun! 🙂
Thanks a ton, Debbie!
You’ve set a high bar for your A to Z challenge! It’ll be a good April.
Certainly hope it will be, Shonna! Thank you 🙂
Great theme! I’m in awe of people who can do flash fiction. That’s so incredibly challenging! I can’t wait to read your stories.
Michele at Angels Bark
The first one goes live in ten minutes 🙂 So I hope you will enjoy them all 🙂 Thanks!
Love it!
Such a creative idea for a theme 🙂
Thank you so much 🙂
Looking forward to many wonderful posts here Shailaja 🙂 All the best!
Thank you Shashank!
Nice snipped 🙂 I like the Alternate Angles theme! This will be fun.
@TarkabarkaHolgy from
Multicolored Diary – Epics from A to Z
MopDog – The crazy thing about Hungarians…
Thank you very much! Good luck to you too 🙂
Looking forward to your posts. This is my first time to enter the challenge. I’m starting to get excited about it! I’m #115 🙂 and there are close to 1000! Plenty of new blogs (for me anyway) to check out!
Good luck Shawn. The A-Z energy is incredible and you will be sucked right in to it. Lovely to have you on board!
thanks!
I was wondering how the story is tied to the A to Z and I look forward to lots on new endings! All the best.
Glad it reeled you in, Inderpreet. Good luck for April 🙂
I like the idea and excited to read your stories 🙂
Rose @ BohemianNERD
Thank you Rose! How sweet of you to say so. I shall be checking your blog soon.
i love your theme and look forward to your stories! Good luck with the challenge 🙂
Very kind of you to say so. Welcome to my blog, Marie.
What did I think? I think it’s lovely! Good luck with 300 words, that’s one real challenge!
Some days it may be even under 100 words 😉 Thank you so much for the vote of confidence! Welcome to the blog and I hope you stay all through and beyond April <3 Susan.
Sounds like a great theme – I look forward to seeing you stories. Twists are always interesting :). Good luck during April.
Tasha
Tasha’s Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)
Welcome to my blog, Tasha! I agree, twists make stories more fun. Always 🙂 I will be checking out your theme soon. Thanks for stopping by.
Sounds wonderful, Shailaja. I will be visiting here more in the coming month. All the best. Have fun. 🙂
Thank you so much, Vinitha 😀
I am already hooked Shailaja … that story is class apart!!! the narration and description is so thrilling!! I can’t wait to read more 😀
Very glad you thought so, Rajlakshmi! Thank you!
Interesting..
Thank you 🙂
Interesting Shailaja…Everyone seems to have put in a lot of effort in thinking and selecting the theme! Oops only I chose it in 5 minutes 😀
And WHAT a theme in just 5 minutes. Hats off, woman!
I’m definitely going to dangle here 😀 with all the angles 😀
LOL, Sreeja 😉
I am very much eager to sail with you Shailaja 🙂 Wish you good luck, I am sure I will enjoy whatever you offer!
How lovely to hear that, Vidya! Touched by your confidence in me 🙂
You are the master story teller Shailaja. Looking forward to reading your stories.
Very kind of you to say so, Suzy! Thank you so much.
Wow! 26 days of wonderful reading! Looking forward to your posts.
Thanks Archana! Are you writing too?
Of course, I will sail along with you on your journey through the challenge, Shailaja! And, I know for sure, that I will thoroughly enjoy every moment of it, as I will have you for company! 🙂 All the very best, my dear!
My dearest S, thank you for always being here<3
The short story at the beginning was amazing, Shailaja. And loved the unique take on the theme. Looking forward to your stories and wishing you all the best for the challenge. 🙂
Thank you so much, EM. I wondered for a while before deciding on this theme and I am glad it has appealed to so many people 🙂
Awesome theme, I am tempted to participate in this challenge too. Fingers crossed 🙂
I really think you should, Sulekha 🙂 Please jump in!
If this trailer is anything to go by, I know I will love the movie! Looking forward to reading your stories & their alternate angles 🙂
-Shantala
You really are a fan, aren’t you? 😉 So glad you are around this year 😀
An interesting theme Shailaja! Looking forward to read these stories as you post 🙂
All the best!
Thank you so much, Parul! Lovely to have you on board this year <3
Interesting and challenging theme, Shailaja! Looking forward to read various alternate angles in your stories, this April.Cheers!
Challenging is right. I hope I can do justice to the stories, Shilpa 🙂 thank you!
What an exciting theme! Totally you..I have no doubts that you’ll be rocking it. Best wishes 🙂
Aww, you are too sweet 🙂 Thanks Uma!
Ah, Alternate Angles from the one who is very good at giving twists to the stories at the end. This one is going to be so much exciting. All the best Shailaja 🙂
Thank you so much,dear Swathi 🙂
I love it! Both the short story and the theme! I definitely look forward to seeing what you do with this!
Why thank you kindly! I appreciate your comment and look forward to reading you as well 🙂
Ah, you apparently chose what you’re best at! But I do look forward to discovering the many layers in those stories. All the best Shailaja!
Flattered that you would think so, Vinu! Thank you!
That should be an interesting ride Shailaja…looking forward to your stories! 🙂
Thank you Sanch <3
I love your stories so will be coming back for sure! And alternate angles will only add spice to those stories! Good Luck! 😀 🙂
Such a sweet thing to say! Thank you so much, Nibha!
🙂
Waiting to read some amazing 26 stories 🙂
Thank you Sheethal. Hope I can keep you hooked 🙂
I think my favorite posts for the challenge are the flash fiction stories. =)
That’s lovely to hear <3
I’m definitely looking forward to your short and crisp posts! It’s a delight to read them! Hope you have absolute fun! 🙂
I intend to have lots of fun 🙂 Thank you, Shalini!