FINISH THAT THOUGHT #26 - RESULTS!

Congratulations, everyone! Thanks for finishing up the year with a bang! I had fun reading all the twists you threw at us this week. If you missed any of them, check them out here. Otherwise, let's hear what the judge has to say.



Congrats on having written, everyone. Not only did you accomplish something and get some good practice, you also thoroughly entertained me. Great job. Happy New Year.

DoctorMikeReddy
This story had its ups and downs. The wording and voice could have been smoother and the story would have benefited from a little more focus, but with a little more editing those problems would melt away. The ending could have been less abrupt. I liked the character development, protagonist, world-building, and humor, especially the snailish lieutenant.

Erin McCabe
The opening paragraph was solid. I also felt you excelled with your protagonist, voice, plot arc, and atmosphere. The conflict and setting were just above average. My only quaff was with the misuse and abuse of semi-colons.

Jeremy Milburn
The first paragraph was a lot to swallow, but it had sufficient "cool." The setting was great. The characters were done brilliantly. I loved the character and narrative voice. I felt the title could have been better and the plot progressed a bit disjointedly, but overall bravo.

Rebekah Postupak
The genre choice interested me. Would you call it magic realism? Anyway, I thought the grandfather was well-developed, although the children, while incorporated well, were a tad flat. The setting was basic, but appropriate. Use of a flashback plot made the story feel distant, yet the execution saved it.

JM MacF
Turning the first sentence into a coded message disappointed me a little, but it was very creative. Personifying the sky was cool. I thought the protagonist and narrative voice were well-written. The plot was low on depth, but the conflict was great. The specific date at the beginning wasn't necessary, as the setting was solid without it.


Special Challenge Runner-Up---Erin McCabe
I liked the vampiric characters. Batlike, I took it?



Special Challenge Champion---JM MacF
Dark fantasy done very well and masterful non-human protagonist


Runner-Up---Rebekah Postupak
Good in every category: setting, character, plot, and style.



Grand Champion---Jeremy Milburn
The voice won me over. It could have went sour very easily if you hadn't written with such expertise.



Erin McCabe, Jeremy Milburn, and JM MacF all qualified for the festive award. It was a difficult choice for me. In the end, it came down to a 'festive' interpretation. The winner used the word from the perspective of the main character showing growth in changing behavior(s) that weren't beneficial.


Festive Challenge Champion: Erin McCabe