Flash in the Pan

Writers have a lot in common with the prospectors who swarmed California in the 19 th century-gold seekers set alight by visions of undiscovered riches. We literary treasure hunters work harder than any sane person should, chipping away at solid, unyielding rock or washing the gravel of parsimonious streambeds. It's a solitary, demanding life, and most of the time, all we end up with are a few pinches of bright dust that threaten to slip through our fingers. But gold is gold, no matter its size. These small strikes keep us fed and our dreams of the mother lode alive.

Tiny Lights Publications honors the flash in the pan, those shining flecks of pure gold that often appear when we least expect them, when our hunger for bigger prizes is temporarily sated, when we relax and take the time to look at what's really in our hands.

We are seeking pieces of writing that may have first appeared on a napkin, in a journal, or as a dream. 500 words or less, they are impossible to explain or categorize, and equally impossible to forget. These small gems will be posted quarterly on the Tiny Lights website. See guidelines below.

Eleventh Flash

Tenth Flash

Ninth Flash

Eighth Flash

Seventh Flash

Sixth Flash

Fifth Flash

Fourth Flash

Third Flash

Second Flash

First Flash

Twelfth Flash

Flash in the Pan Guidelines

1. These prose pieces must be no more than 500 words and written from the first-person point of view ("I" narrator).
2. Author must hold rights, which will revert to author after publication.
3. Submit via email to editor@tiny-lights.com.
4. Write "Flash in the Pan" in the subject box of the email to facilitate placement.
5. Please give us a bio! Include your name, city and state, and any pertinent information about you or your piece in a statement of no more than 50 words. Links encouraged.
6. Work deemed offensive by the editor will not be posted.
7. New material will be posted approximately four times a year: January, April, July and October. Because of such long posting cycles, we encourage simultaneous submissions. Please inform us if your work becomes unavailable.