Woohoo!!! We made it! If you missed any of the spectacular entries, you can catch up on them here. Otherwise, let's read what the judge had to say about them:
This was such a fun and wildly creative batch of stories! A
huge range of ideas. Every story was so unique. Thank you! You should all be
quite pleased with yourselves.
Josh Bertetta: I loved this: "bearers of the roots that
bridged their souls." This story covers such a wide expanse of time in a
short length. And the language and description flow really well from one
sentence to the next.
Emily Karn: My favorite here: "This planet is such a
mud ball." Again, a world created in a small amount of space. I enjoyed
the contrast between the politician's voice and the annoyed alien so much.
Tamara Shoemaker: This story works on multiple levels - as a
parable or a fable, but also as an interior monologue. And the structure brings
the reader along so smoothly. I love: "I will remain constant for
eternity."
@hollygeely: What a great take on the prompt! Sometimes
stories with a big reveal at the end kind of come screeching to their
conclusion, but this one is paced just right. You really sense the relationship
and the manipulation going on. And that last line is just terrific.
@rtayaket: Really nice buildup, and the details convey the
sense of anticipation and foreboding that only a phone call from a doctor can
create.
@rowdy_phantom: Another that covers so much ground, a
complete circle of a relationship all in this short length. The beads provide
the symbolic underpinning as well as the reason for falling apart.
Michael Seese: This one made me smile so much, especially
the turns of phrase like "a single shot through the heart left the young
starlet scarlet" and "holey ghost." What fun, just like a game.
Geoff Le Pard: This story makes great use of little details
to convey a larger picture. The intermixing of the clothing and the food, and
what they mean, and how this was all leading to a revelation.
@lurchmunster: Like a mystery this one pulled me along and I
wanted to know what the next step was. But now I am dying to know - who is at
the other end of the phone??
Michael Simko: I love this phrase: "where the Ambassador
will lie to the people of the Earth." So matter-of-fact, and it says a lot
about political announcements in general. Very creative too, even a universal
language.
@fetterslopez: I love the detail of smoothing the paper as a
bookend for this story. I also liked the contrast amongst the characters, which
you got across in few words.
Rebekah Postupak: I know I know, this one was after the
deadline, but I want to mention it anyway. Such a great story that pulls you
along on a quest. And, a terrific twist!
Special Challenge Champion: Tamara Shoemaker, "Three
Suitors." This story brought the challenges all the way into the fabric of
the words in a really intriguing way. It was really thoughtful and served the
story, which works on multiple levels. Really nice.
Grand Champion: @rowdy_phantom, "Third Time." The
structure of this story conveys regret in a devastating way. We all wonder
about choices we've made, turns we've taken, and this story uses the beads on
the necklace to express both the idea of these decisions being strung together,
and of lives and relationships falling apart.
Wow, I'm so honored! Thanks, Betsy Streeter! Congrats to all my fellow writers as well for the excellent stories, and to Grand Champ Rowdy Phantom. Stellar stories!
ReplyDeleteCongrats to you both :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome stories! congratulations!
ReplyDeleteGreat range of stories; well done all
ReplyDelete