"Well, this is goodbye."
Wait, that doesn't sound like a starter sentence, it sounds like a finishing one.
This is the end of this blog as we know it, and while I don't necessarily feel fine, I do feel that a great burden has been lifted off of my shoulders. I hope that you have found your inner Bukowski, your hidden Joyce Carol Oates, and the Hammett that was lurking inside of you. I also hope that you made yourself proud, or at least had a great time doing it. If that sounds familiar, that's because most of those words came from the original post.
I'm sorry that the shuttering of this blog will hurt or offend some of you. Yet, you will find another writing venue sooner than you think. I can only hope that if someone else takes up the mantle, that they will do it exactly as JJ did it. I also wish that if someone wants to carry on the F-F-F tradition, that they are not raising children or that their children are fully grown. A major part of me turning off the lights on this thing is because my wife and son are tired of seeing the back of my head as I sit in front of the computer screen. Your family deserves your love and attention, first and foremost.
Let me mention that I have a full-time job and that I work the graveyard shift. My second job is being a full-time parent and being there for my son when my wife cannot be there for him. My third job is writing and that has suffered to a degree because of this blog. That's fine, I knew full well about that going into this venture.
Unfortunately, Friday Flash Fiction has become the fourth job that overwhelms everything else. Now, I did get to read some outstanding writing for free, and I met some wonderful people. I also grew as a writer because I gained new insights into the craft. Everyone can stand to learn something and you have, "straight up schooled me," in the 90's vernacular.
I hate to mention that a couple of people have disappointed me as well. With Friday Flash Fiction, I was working with you and not for you. By a couple of people, I don't mean Mike, David, Doc, Flannery, Nicole, etc. I'm not going to call out the specific people by name. They were completely unaware before, and I don't see why that would be different now. Needless to say, please treat your next moderator or source for flash fiction with some kindness.
Now Coraline J. Thompson has been nice enough to respond to my request and she will be our final author, with "One In The Same." Thank you everybody who participated, supported or just stopped by to see this blog.
Now, goodnight, good luck, and damn, we sure plucked those chickens good, didn't we?
