Vivien Leanne Saunders

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Nov, 2019

Stories (7)

7 Stories

314 karma pts

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“Holding On” by Vivien Leanne Saunders

Submitted to Contest #62

Dolus watched Aridnae climb the stairs of her father’s palace. Fury and adoration twisted his stomach into knots. She did not gloat over her victory, and in a way Dolus hated her for it. If she had gloried over her battle, then of course she would have deserved some revenge. If she had made some scornful remark over how easy it had been to banish her foe then he could have despised her. Her hair was like honey, and her skin was like silk. The god imagined silkworms spitting her out into an infant’s cradle. He coaxed himself into believ...

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“Fridge Logic” by Vivien Leanne Saunders

Submitted to Contest #24

Goodwin couldn’t quite shake off the feeling that he was missing something. He closed his eyes. The house was quiet. Too quiet, he thought wryly, and winced at the cliche. Where were the gossiping neighbours, the reporters’ phones buzzing and chirping like insects? He had clicked off his radio so he could bloody well string two words together, but he couldn’t even hear the busybodies stomping through the daisies.He stuck his fingers in his ears and swallowed hard. Sound rattled back with a pressurised pop. Pressurised? His stomach lurch...

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“Kit Gets Peckish (Children's Story)” by Vivien Leanne Saunders

Once upon a time there was a bearded dragon called Kit. He lived in a big, cosy house with a huge garden and a human who loved him very much.Kit was not a clever lizard, but he was very curious.One summer day he wriggled out of an unlocked window and ran into the garden. It was full of delicious salad, beautiful flowers and brightly coloured mushrooms.Kit thought, “This garden is a magical place!” Suddenly, Kit heard a high-pitched shriek. He looked up and saw a huge owl flying in the sky.Birds eat bearded dragons!Kit had been so ...

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“Duck” by Vivien Leanne Saunders

Submitted to Contest #20

Someone decided to replace the klaxon with music.I wish I could meet that asshole and shake him by the throat. I used to love music, but now it makes my skin crawl. The sound of blaring horns and ringing bells should warn us, not the sweet harmony of a string quartet. But that’s just how it is these days. You wake up, the neighbours are scattered in bloody pieces over your nicely mown lawn, and some ratbag is playing Mozart on the radio.It must have been eight generations back when the sirens were loud. Back then, the sound was telling you t...

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“Nannerl and the Wolf” by Vivien Leanne Saunders

Submitted to Contest #20

What big ears Wolfie has. It is not a compliment, merely a fact that follows him like perfume. He flatters himself with it. He is not special. How could he have a bad ear with a family like ours?Yes, I include myself. I have the right. It was I, after all, who watched him chew on quills and smash his fists into my violin. My father wanted no part in it. It was I who showed Wolfie which end of the flute to blow into, and where to place his fingers. I was so assured of my skills that I became as arrogant as a preening tomcat. My ignorance...

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“The Sackcloth Liar” by Vivien Leanne Saunders

🏆 Winner of Contest #16

There was once a woman who loved to tell stories. She had six children, and every night she would tell each one a different tale. When they were young the stories were short and simple, but as the children grew they became jealous of one another. They pleaded for more details, and demanded that their story should be the most exciting, longest story of all. The woman began speaking every night at sunset, and stopped when the sun rose. Her voice grew so weak, and her walk so weary, that all of her neighbors noticed. They decided that she was g...

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“Kubanda Umlilo” by Vivien Leanne Saunders

Submitted to Contest #16

By the sun who warms us and the river that sweetens the land, raise your hands and we shall name the faces of the stars –Silalela Sifunda Ukithi SiphilaWe listen We learn ...

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Author bio

www.vivienleanneauthor.co.uk Vivien is an author from Suffolk, UK. Her first novel, 'Hunting', was released in 2018 for young adult fantasy fans. 'RATS' hit the shelf in 2019 for fans of post-apocalytic dystopia. She is currently working on her fourth novel, 'Flesh and Blood': a historical fiction exploring warring religions in the last years of the Aztec empire. When she's not writing doorstops Vivien scribbles short stories. She released her compilation 'Let the Which Out' in 2019. Vivien is the editor of the poetry collection 'Watching the World Pass By' by Suffolk poet David Hancock. When she isn't writing, Vivien teaches the piano and makes futile attempts to leash-train her bearded dragon, Kit.

Winning 1 story 🏆

Contest #16

The Sackcloth Liar – read story