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S.A. McNaughton

@writermcnaughton.bsky.social

430 followers 370 following 190 posts

Short fiction writer, mom, and lover of words from Ypsilanti, MI. http://writermcnaughton.wordpress.com You can find this contest goblin on 11:59, Writing Battle, NYC Midnight, Not Quite Write, Globe Soup, and more... https://linktr.ee/writermcnaughton

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S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · Dec 19

Download now for free! Quantum Shorts Vol. 2 ebook is now available, featuring "Santa Claus and the Quantum Librarian"

Quantum Shorts ebook available now!

In March I announced that my story "Santa Claus and the Quantum Librarian" had been shortlisted for the Quantum Shorts flash fiction competition, and would therefore be included in their second anthology. I'm happy to announce that the anthology has now been released as an ebook! You can download it for free via Google Books and a few other sites…

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S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · 18h

When I titled this story, it didn’t occur to me how funny it would be to see person after person post “Have You Looked In the Couch?”

Ypsilanti District Library @ypsilibrary.org · 19h

Our judges have picked three semi-finalists for the HAUNTINGS category of the YDL Short Horror Story Competition. The rest is up to you. Comment with the title of your favorite. The author with the most votes will move on to the Finalist round. Submissions are open for the BODY HORROR category!

Vintage computer monitor displaying text on a peach-colored screen with dark green background and floating particles. Title reads 'Mirror Echo' by 'Ember Henderson @vapid.liminal'. The text on screen reads: 'My reflection lingers a half second too long after I look away. She's learning how to move without me.' A beige computer keyboard is visible at the bottom of the frame

Vintage computer monitor with black starry background displaying text in a yellow-bordered text box. Title reads 'Have You Looked In The Couch?' by 'S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton'. The text describes a horror story about a parent using a ouija board that reveals a mirrored message from their deceased thirteen-year-old son Marcus, spelling out 'M-O-M-H-A-V-E-Y-O-U', 'S-E-E-N-M-Y', and 'R-E-T-A-I-N-E-R'.

Vintage computer monitor with dark burgundy/purple background and floating particles, displaying text in a cream-colored box with gold border. Title reads 'Porcelain' by 'Amel Mahmoud @a.h.hudson'. The text describes a horror scene about hearing a voicemail of endless screams and finding a blood-smeared porcelain doll that dialed 9-1-1. A beige computer keyboard is visible at the bottom

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S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · 19h

YDL Short Horror Story Competition: Week 1

Voting is now open for the first week of the Ypsilanti District Library's Short Horror Story Competition. The theme of week 1 was "Hauntings." My story, "Have You Looked in the Couch?" is a finalist. You can read it (and vote for it) on any or all of the…

YDL Short Horror Story Competition: Week 1

Voting is now open for the first week of the Ypsilanti District Library's Short Horror Story Competition. The theme of week 1 was "Hauntings." My story, "Have You Looked in the Couch?" is a finalist. You can read it (and vote for it) on any or all of the following social media sites! Facebook Instagram Bluesky Week 2's theme will be "Body Horror."

writermcnaughton.wordpress.com

S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · 19h

Please vote for my story!

Ypsilanti District Library @ypsilibrary.org · 19h

S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · 5d

www.writingbattle.com/join-battle I joined the upcoming Fear Flash Fiction Battle with writers from around the world. Get Ready to Battle on Oct 5, 2025! @writingbattle.bsky.social
#flashfiction #writingprompts #writerslife #WritingCommunity #writersofbluesky

Join the Battle and Learn More

Writing Battle — Write. Read. Win.

Write. Read. Win. A competitive writing platform for storytellers around the world. Receive oodles of feedback. Join the most supportive writing community on the web. You up for the chal...

www.writingbattle.com

S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · 7d

September 2025 Updates

Contests Entered Results Submissions Plans and Goals for Next Month Contests entered NYC Midnight Rhyming Story, round 1 Results The Dread Tootling Jen deals with the chaos of a snowed-in vacation with her in-laws Holding the Bag A bank robber finds himself without a getaway…

September 2025 Updates

Contests Entered Results Submissions Plans and Goals for Next Month Contests entered NYC Midnight Rhyming Story, round 1 Results The Dread Tootling Jen deals with the chaos of a snowed-in vacation with her in-laws Holding the Bag A bank robber finds himself without a getaway vehicle and makes do Falling in Glove A stream-of-consciousness reflection on the daughter of the house's missing glove…

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Reposted by S.A. McNaughton

Ypsilanti District Library @ypsilibrary.org · 10d

The theme for the first week of the 2025 Short Horror Story Contest is... HAUNTINGS. Houses, hospitals, toys, lockets. If you can name it, you can haunt it. 👻

A static-filled, distorted view of what appears to be a doorway or entrance with glass panels. The image has significant digital corruption and scan line effects. Text overlay reads 'HORROR STORY SHORTS IN' with a large red number '3' (with a small drip effect) and 'DAYS' in glitchy white typography.

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S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · 8d

A TALE OF MILK AND EGGS (999 words)
An academic on her way to a conference struggles with leaving her newborn behind, and makes an unexpected connection with a dragon on the airport runway
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Written for the NYC Midnight #flashfictionchallenge round 2

A Tale of Milk and Eggs

An academic on her way to a conference struggles with leaving her newborn behind, and makes an unexpected connection with a dragon on the airport runway

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S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · 25d

#RhymingStoryChallenge: A week
To write six hundred words
I waited til I had six hours
To write the last two-thirds.

I could have used a bit more time
But I'd have frittered it away
At last my story's at an end
As so, too, is the day.

A screenshot from the NYC Midnight website says:

Upload Success!
Congratulations, you have successfully uploaded your story for the Rhyming Story Challenge 2025!

S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · 27d

"Yearning" was a fun prompt for round 3 of #TwistedTournament. I wrote FALLING IN GLOVE (100 words).

Falling in Glove

A stream-of-consciousness reflection on the daughter of the house's missing glove

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S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · 28d

Holding the Bag

A bank robber finds himself without a getaway vehicle and makes do

Holding the Bag

A bank robber finds himself without a getaway vehicle and makes do

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S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · Sep 9

“Uh-oh, did Bitsy make a wee-wee?”

That is the least of Jen's problems in THE DREAD TOOTLING (499 words), written for round 1 of #TwistedTournament

(Bitsy did, in fact, make a wee-wee.)

The Dread Tootling

Jen deals with the chaos of a snowed-in vacation with her in-laws

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S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · Sep 9

13th! My best finish yet in @twistinthetale.bsky.social #TwistedTournament!
Plus:
1x Best Last Line 🎭
1x Most Heartfelt 💔
4x Funniest 😂
1x Best Title 📖

(I shared anonymously and don't seem to be able to change that setting - it's called The Dread Tootling.)

Display of some of the top scores in the Twisted Tournament competition. S.A. McNaughton is in 13th place with 9.14 points.

S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · Sep 6

Looking forward to the @nycmidnight.bsky.social #RhymingStoryChallenge starting tonight. I had so much fun writing my rhyming stories last year!

S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · Sep 2

Summer 2025 writing progress and plans for September

Summer 2025 Updates

Contests Entered Results Submissions Plans and Goals for Next Month Contests Entered in June, July and August NYC Midnight Flash Fiction, round 1 Not Quite Write NYC Midnight Flash Fiction, round 2 NYC Midnight 500, round 1 Twisted Tournament, round 1 Twisted Tournament, round 2 Twisted Tournament, round 3 Results Victoria and the Mess Perfectionist baking show contestant Victoria learns to embrace mess and go with the flow…

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S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · Aug 27

Not Quite Write-Up: an introduction to the #NotQuiteWritePrize for anyone considering taking part in a future competition

Not Quite Write-Up

Last year I included the Not Quite Write Prize in my holiday post about writing contest entries you can give as gifts, despite having never actually taken part myself. It has a great reputation, and it always looked like a lot of fun. I’ve now participated in three Not Quite Write challenges, so I can confirm from experience that it’s a great time.

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S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · Aug 27

THE MOTHMAN WHO LOVED ME - written for #NotQuiteWritePrize

The Mothman Who Loved Me

Sitting around the backyard bonfire, Lucille meets someone new, who helps her see things in a new light

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S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · Aug 27

This was mine!

quitewriteed.bsky.social @quitewriteed.bsky.social · Jul 31

Entry 3144 - Only three stories in and already found a creative interpretation of 'passive voice' that never even occurred to me! @NotQuiteWritePrize

S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · Aug 15

@nycmidnight.bsky.social Do you have dates for the 2026 screenwriting challenge yet? I want to finally do it next year, so I want to make sure I block the time off and don’t make any other plans.

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S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · Aug 11

IN UNIFORM (999 words): Archer, a historical reenactor on Michigan’s Mackinac Island, is drawn into a chase on foot and ferry boat after a bomb explodes at the governor’s summer residence (1st place, NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Challenge 2025, round 1)

In Uniform

Archer, a historical reenactor on Michigan’s Mackinac Island, is drawn into a chase on foot and ferry boat after a bomb explodes at the governor’s summer residence

writermcnaughton.wordpress.com

S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · Aug 1

Will we know our story’s number after they’re judged or is it for your own reference so you can tell the podcast audience which stories you mentioned?

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S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · Jul 31

I’m really excited to have made it to the next round in the #FlashFictionChallenge2025, much less gotten my first @nycmidnight.bsky.social 1st place finish!!!!!!

Screenshot from the results page of the NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Challenge, round 1 says:

Group 85 - Prompts: Action/Adventure / A ferryboat / A tourniquet

1st Place

"In Uniform" by S.A. McNaughton SYNOPSIS - Archer, a historical reenactor on Michigan's Mackinac Island, is drawn into a chase on foot and ferry boat after a bomb explodes at the governor's summer residence

S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · Jul 27

I haven't finished anything in nearly two months, so it's a relief to have written this.

500 words is not a lot! I started out with an idea that was too big for the word count and had to simplify a lot. I wasn't shooting for GOOD, but I'm really glad to have it DONE.

Not Quite Write Prize for Flash Fiction: Submitted. In the image behind the text, streamers fly out of a gold cup.

S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · Jul 22

Join me in the @nycmidnight.bsky.social Rhyming Story Challenge on September 5th! Learn more at nycmidnight.com/rhyme

The Rhyming Story Challenge — nycmidnight

The Rhyming Story Challenge is a creative writing competition that challenges writers worldwide to create rhyming stories based on three assigned prompts in as little as 48 hours.

nycmidnight.com

S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · Jul 21

SHEEP OF FOOLS, a microfiction dark comedy written for Twisted Tournament

Sheep of Fools

Inspired by a story from Greece, a bunch of gassy Britons pile into a wooden sheep

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S.A. McNaughton @writermcnaughton.bsky.social · Jun 26

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

In the future, the world has become a violent hellscape, but a long-standing trivia game show has survived

- Written for Writing Battle Spring Microfiction

The Show Must Go On

In the future, the world has become a violent hellscape, but a long-standing trivia game show has survived

writermcnaughton.wordpress.com