tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29966794763688356562024-03-14T14:49:25.783-04:00Musings of Alissa LeonardA writing blog for focused, serious--SQUIRREL!lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.comBlogger388125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-90182917005427356822021-05-30T21:52:00.004-04:002021-05-30T21:52:59.093-04:00Editing Takes F O R E V E R<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IQlBAXpmcYg/YLQ_4UMkoRI/AAAAAAAAAos/Ad5SR1QJhyUD0XBrw6ymsrnp5nptBL1BQCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="116" data-original-width="200" height="186" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IQlBAXpmcYg/YLQ_4UMkoRI/AAAAAAAAAos/Ad5SR1QJhyUD0XBrw6ymsrnp5nptBL1BQCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p>Seriously. I've been working on the new edit for this book I'm on for so long. I keep thinking it's going to get easier, but it never does. I make goals that I feel are generous, but don't actually finish by then because I've discovered a previously unknown huge issue that needs a complete rewrite. It might just be this story though because I don't think I had this issue on this scale with my previous book. </p><p>The one I'm working on, Shadow Warrior, is the first book I wrote. I think that necessitates a lot more editing since I was learning all the things when I was first writing it, and have since learned so many more things. And you can tell. Will this story ever be finished? Sometimes I wonder. This is the fourth major edit of this book, and I thought for sure that this edit pass would be the last major revision of this piece and it would be finished by the end of April. I'm probably not going to make the end of May (unless tomorrow is extraordinarily productive), but I'm so very close now. I should have this pass done and ready for beta readers in the next couple of weeks. However, I'm not optimistic that this is the last major pass anymore. I think there's going to be one more big one before I get down to line level stuff. </p><p>We'll see. Maybe my beta readers will tell me I'm crazy and too hard on myself--which is definitely a thing. My ultimate goal for this story is to be ready to submit to agents by the end of the year, so that still seems possible. Hopefully.</p><p>Once that one is out with readers, I'm going to do one last editing pass to Child of Blessing and send it back out as well. The beginning wasn't doing what it needed to do, and a couple other scenes were problematic for another reason, so I'm going to fix those too. Anyway, that seems totally doable, and I'm looking forward to finally being finished with that one again.</p><p>After that (or somewhere concurrently in there), I'm going to finish the first draft of my latest story. I'm having a lot of fun writing it, and it feels so much more solid right out of my brain than the others. I can't wait to get feedback on this one from my beta readers this year!</p><p>If I get all that finished, I plan to make some decisions for Cruising the Cosmos, my middle grade series, and get the first book edited. Then brainstorm several of the next book ideas and perhaps draft one of those. Or perhaps I'll draft my YA alien one. Those are my top contenders at the moment, but I have a lot to finish before I'm allowed to start on those.</p><p>Anyway, wish me luck. Hopefully you'll get to read one or all of these someday. They certainly keep me busy!</p>lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-17377245898128287072021-04-14T09:00:00.000-04:002021-04-14T09:00:59.225-04:00Murderbot is my favorite!<p>Seriously, if you haven't read the Murderbot series by Martha Wells, you're missing out. The first novella is called All Systems Red, and it's a gem. There are four novellas and a novel out that are all excellent, and she has another novella coming out at the end of the month! Yay! (I pre-ordered mine in October) I may have read this entire series at least six times in the last year...</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CAKPiKykdmM/YHbkTPFhWvI/AAAAAAAAAns/JpuHJGQwnBwp4D85K0wAUelqOcd1_zkxQCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="989" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CAKPiKykdmM/YHbkTPFhWvI/AAAAAAAAAns/JpuHJGQwnBwp4D85K0wAUelqOcd1_zkxQCLcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="241" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><p></p><p>Murderbot is a Security Unit (SecUnit) for a company that leases it as cargo/supply to endeavors that might need security, like mining operations or exploration. It is made of both robotic parts and cloned human tissue. The story begins on a survey mission on an uninhabited world. Murderbot is the sole SecUnit for a team of scientists from an unaffiliated world (meaning non-corporation owned) called Preservation Alliance. </p><p>But Murderbot is no longer SecUnit standard--it has hacked its governor module. Meaning, that there is very little actual control anyone has over it because the governor module can no longer inflict pain or death if it disobeys. That said, all Murderbot wants to do is watch its shows, so it continues to fake being controlled so that it can download and watch media all day long.</p><p>Also, Murderbot doesn't really like interacting with humans and doesn't at all understand its own emotions--especially the ones that mean it might actually <i>like</i> the humans it's working with almost as much as the characters on <i>The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon</i>. So when things start conspiring to harm its clients, Murderbot needs to do something about it.</p><p>Okay, that's as non-spoilery as I can get. Especially since all I want to do is gush about how much I love all the things about it. Of course all I want to do is give Murderbot a hug, but it would absolutely hate that... I have friends like that. If you do go read it, I think Ratthi is my favorite human in the series, but ART is my favorite person...well, other than Murderbot.</p><p>Anyway, the stories are amazing, and you should read them. Enjoy!</p>lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-55822074320863105822021-04-02T13:14:00.001-04:002021-04-14T09:05:06.218-04:00I'm back!<p>Well, I obviously disappeared into the void somehow. Sorry. Without Finish That Thought to keep me engaged here, I guess I've found it difficult to remember to post. I've never been much of a diary keeper, and blogging feels similar.</p><p>However, I'm going to try again.</p><p><br /></p><p>First, an update on how things have been going: </p><p>I finished that MG story, and researched agents and whatnot, then sent it out into the void. And didn't get a nibble (Well, I got one request for a full, but that's it--still all rejections.). That story is currently waiting for another rewrite, but I think this time I may know how to fix it (Thanks, Cedan!). </p><p>I am currently deep into another large edit of my YA fantasy novel, and I think it's getting close, so that's super exciting. </p><p>I still haven't edited the MG Spaceship book, but I've brainstormed it, and I think I have a clear plan ahead for that one also.</p><p>In the meantime, I've started and almost finished a new YA fantasy romance. I'm probably about 80% through the first draft, and it's going well. I haven't made much progress on any of the other stories.</p><p><br /></p><p>Second, a look ahead:</p><p>I think I can finish the edit of the YA fantasy novel by summertime. I'm hoping it's before then, but time is moving too quickly. Once that edit is finished, I'm going to send it out for another round of beta readers, then do the agent thing once I've made any tweaks needed.</p><p>I also expect to finish the first draft of the YA fantasy romance by the end of the summer. It'll go through my alpha readers and beta readers by the end of the year. I'm not anticipating this one will need the extensive edits that the other one needed. *crosses fingers*</p><p>In the fall, I hope to edit the MG Spaceship book finally. I'm excited to get this one out into the world, and I'm appalled that it's taken me so long to make decisions about it.</p><p><br /></p><p>Finally, I'm going to attempt to tie writing a blog post to a weekly activity so that maybe I can be better about posting. Hopefully that works better than the last few times I've tried to jump back in here. :) If you have any great resources for writing prompts, post them in the comments for me. They're always fun to play with.</p>lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-42550565368455095172019-02-01T13:37:00.001-05:002021-04-01T11:55:58.788-04:00PoemI've been taking a Children's Literature class, and as an assignment I wrote this poem about the importance of sharing books and reading. Enjoy!<div>
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<u><span style="font-size: large;">Me to You</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have some books for you to see,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">chosen very carefully.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Pick your favorite, pick a few.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Read them all, not one or two.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sad or hopeful, filled with glee,</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">or hurting, struggling desperately.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Every time there's something new;</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Let me share my love with you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Step into a story; Be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Experience infinity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-32510226987990802162018-03-01T07:29:00.002-05:002018-03-01T07:31:13.457-05:00Continuing to Hope<span style="font-size: large;">I'm obviously not that great at remembering to post anything, but I have great news! I spoke with a dear friend who took that accountability thing to a new level. She is AMAZING! I started getting up with her (though she lives very far from me) at 5:30 in the morning. We spend time reading the Bible and working on writing stuff. I was convinced it would be a terrible idea. I've never worked well in the morning, but I've gotten a ton of editing done so far! When I posted at the new year, I was probably a third of the way through the edits and stuck. I am now just several chapters away from having this edit finished!!!! (I'm stuck a bit again, but I feel confident now rather than defeated.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm hoping that I will have this book out to Beta Readers sometime this month! Which means I need to start the daunting task of looking for Agents to submit it to. I have a few ideas, but I have to do research or something. It's a bit daunting.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Once I have this book to Beta Readers, I'm going to start the first edit of the scifi chapter book and get that ready for my Crit Group. I'm still planning to work on the edits to my YA novel after that, but I might take a break from editing for a little while first. I've started writing the YA scifi, but haven't made a ton of progress (about a chapter). I'm still feeling around for her voice, I think.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, overall a pretty good two months since last time. I'm excited about being able to post that I've finally finished (for the fourth time) this MG story! Until next time, Alissa :)</span>lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-7646420903754335682018-01-07T23:49:00.000-05:002018-01-07T23:49:58.364-05:00New Year, New...SomethingIt's honestly been so long since I've posted here that I almost don't remember how. I last posted a little over a year ago, but in reality it's been almost two whole years since I've posted regularly. I have an innate desire to apologize, but I'm not sorry. Taking that time off was important. Unfortunately, my time off didn't give me an over-abundance of time to work on my writing. Or, more accurately, I didn't use my time off as well as I'd hoped in that area.<br />
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That's not entirely accurate. I'm being too hard on myself. I don't remember where I was when I signed off, but I have finished my upper Middle Grade novel and I'm on my third edit of it. (Edits are HARD!) Once I'm finished with this edit, I'll send it to a plethora of beta readers then research agents! So, yay! That's a thing I've done.<br />
<br />
I've also written the first draft of a younger Middle Grade novel--more chapter book size--and have plans to edit that as soon as the other one is finished. That will go through a first round of my critique group, and we'll see what it needs from there. So, yay! I did that too!<br />
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I have started three other novels, all Young Adult, and have them in various stages of partial first draft. Very partial. One is a SciFi, one a Fantasy, and one...something else (fiction? contemporary? It defies classification--which is not good for marketing...). I have written on each of the projects since I last posted, so yay! Another thing I've done!<br />
<br />
So, here's the thing. I'm not a planner. At all. Goals kind of stress me out. But, I need some accountability. So I'm going to state the things I'd like to get done, and post updates here about what I accomplish. That's kind of a boring blog, so I won't go spreading it around anywhere, but just writing here will hopefully give me the accountability I need.<br />
<br />
I want to finish the edits to three of my novels this year--the three that are complete.<br />
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I want to finish writing the first draft to three novels this year--the previously mentioned partials.<br />
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I want to find an agent. (I acknowledge that this step is not entirely in my control, but I will pursue this course steadfastly once I have a novel ready.)<br />
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I want to read a bunch of books off of my TBR list. My <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/challenges/7501-2018-reading-challenge" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> goal is 52 books, but my actual goal is to clear at least the top shelf of my TBR bookshelf. I'll always pick up the exciting new book and I'll always read the well loved old books again, but I need to make progress on these books that have been sitting here for way too long. They include writing advice books, non-fiction books, inspirational books, and fiction books for all ages. I want to read a variety.<br />
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I think that's it. Well, I want to clean off my desk. That should be a thing that happens. Really, there are a whole ton of things I want to do that are non-writing-related like exercise more and clean/organize the house and such. I'll leave those goals for now, but they might show up on here with me chatting about them--amorphous as they are.<br />
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That's enough for now. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for keeping me accountable to working toward these things. :)lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-65455893047448798942016-12-01T21:31:00.000-05:002016-12-01T21:31:30.089-05:00Reflections: NaNoWriMo 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3iRDSsm6am8/WEDcjtYFlqI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/QEczWwWgWKc4QZSe0LA2XlIclLyIkXQwgCLcB/s1600/NaNo2016Crest.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3iRDSsm6am8/WEDcjtYFlqI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/QEczWwWgWKc4QZSe0LA2XlIclLyIkXQwgCLcB/s1600/NaNo2016Crest.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As I reflect on another NaNo gone by, it’s hard to reconcile
my joy of writing over twenty-two thousand words, and my regret at losing yet
another NaNo—six now. I’ve lost six NaNos. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I’ve never even come close. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Most of the time, I don’t mind. I know I’m not a fast
writer. I know that I’m more of a tortoise than a hare. I know that my careful
attention to word choice and phrasing make for an easier time during the
editing process. I know that I’ve completed two novels of way more than fifty
thousand words (and one of those is almost finished being edited!), and that my
writing life is more than November. But I feel like a loser tonight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I don’t know why this year is different. I’ve always been
super excited at whatever word count I could manage each of the five previous
attempts. My first NaNo, I reached eighteen or nineteen thousand words and I
felt like a whole new world had been opened to me. Each year I’ve managed to
write a little more than the last. Except this one. I beat my average, but only
just. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps this is the first year I actually thought that maybe
I could do it, maybe I could actually write that fifty thousand. I’ve never believed
that before. And I was on-pace (over-pace) that first week. It was an amazing
feeling! Then the election happened, and I had difficulty summoning any extra
energy to write. My creative brain was exhausted and listless. I wrote a few
thousand words over the next week or two. Then when I finally felt a little
better, we had company come in for Thanksgiving (wonderful people who I don’t
see nearly enough!) and life was focused elsewhere. By the time they left, I
had two days to make up the thirty two thousand word deficit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Not happening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I know there are people who can write that in a couple days;
I am not one of them. I sat down and cried at what could have been. Then I went
to a write-in and pounded out a couple thousand words. The next day I managed a
couple thousand more. The end. NaNo is over. I want so badly to post that
stupid winners badge. I want so badly to cheer, but all I can think is, “I
should’ve done better. I could’ve done better.” But I couldn’t’ve. I did the
best I could.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And that is good enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I’m super proud of the scenes I wrote and really excited
about the stories and where they’re going. (I was a rebel this year and wrote
scenes in three different stories this year…well, four, but I don’t know where
that one came from—well, I guess I do, but I don’t know if it’s going to go
anywhere.) Today I came home from work, took care of the kids, made dinner,
then got out my ipad and wrote more words. It’s not November anymore, but the
writing doesn’t stop. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The stories don’t stop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At some point my feeling will catch up to my knowing. Until
then, I’ll keep writing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And afterward also.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">(And I’m sure I’ll sign up for NaNo again next
year…)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-44361516980355101702016-02-08T20:11:00.000-05:002016-02-08T20:11:24.732-05:00FINISH THAT THOUGHT<img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G4M4pp0c5-I/UdtJ0xlMlPI/AAAAAAAAAFo/XGkDaSdJpc4/s320/FTTLogo4.png" /><br />
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>I regret to inform you that Finish That Thought will be on hiatus. I haven't decided if it will be permanent or not, but there just hasn't been enough participation to make it worthwhile. I know many of you come to check the page and the prompt, but we haven't had an entry in a couple weeks and it's been slim for several months before that. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>I started this contest to encourage writers and provide a place to hone skills and challenge each other. It seems as though the time of FTT has passed. It may be a difficult day of the week for some. It may be a hard couple of months for others. Whatever the reason I have missed you all, but I know we each have our families and responsibilities. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>Know that you have enriched my life. Thanks for sharing your stories for the last few years. </i></span><i style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: x-large;">Now run with wild abandon toward the next great thing. I wish you all the best, Alissa :)</i><br />
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>Welcome back! It's been a tough month here. Perhaps February will be better. Thanks for joining us this week! I hope you're inspired by the prompt and write something amazing. Have at it.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you haven't read the full version of the rules, go </span><a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2013/07/finish-that-thought-rules.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #c63d96; font-size: large;">here</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">. Otherwise, here's the short version:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">Rules:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Start with the given first sentence. (Allowable alterations listed below)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2. Up to 500 words (exclusive of title)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">4. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Optional Special Challenge</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">5. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Stories submitted must be your own work, using characters and worlds that you have created. Sorry, no fanfiction.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">6. Include: Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">7. The challenge is open for 24 hours on Tuesday EST</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">8. Only one entry judged per round. If you write/post more than one story, you need to indicate which you would like judged. If you fail to indicate, it will be the first one posted.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">9. Winner judges next round.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Oh, and feel free to <span style="color: magenta;">change</span> <span style="color: yellow;">pronouns</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">punctuation</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">tense</span>, and <span style="color: yellow;">anything in brackets</span> to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Our Judge today is<span style="color: lime;"> Patrick Stahl</span>. Read his winning tale from last week </span><a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2016/01/finish-that-thought-3-28.html?showComment=1452659857113#c8455912470798639915" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-size: large;">! </span><span style="font-size: large;">Patrick Stahl is a freshman Creative Writing major (French minor) at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. He dabbles in speculative fiction and Protestant ministry. Patrick aspires to become an editor or publisher of SF/F/H. He spends his free time playing the mandolin, reading, writing, and watching television (to bolster his writing skills, of course). His blog can be found at <a href="http://intotheravenousmaw.blogspot.com/">intotheravenousmaw.blogspot.com</a>, and his Twitter handle is <a href="http://twitter.com/@patrickjstahl" target="_blank">@patrickjstahl</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Your first sentence for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-30 is:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">There were only three rules in the camp, and I broke all three in one night.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE from the judge is:</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Make clear what the rules were without actually stating them in the story (then write what they were after the story).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><span style="font-size: large;">AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!</span><br />
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-G4M4pp0c5-I%2FUdtJ0xlMlPI%2FAAAAAAAAAFo%2FXGkDaSdJpc4%2Fs320%2FFTTLogo4.png&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G4M4pp0c5-I/UdtJ0xlMlPI/AAAAAAAAAFo/XGkDaSdJpc4/s320/FTTLogo4.png" -->lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-68313578042259856112016-01-25T22:00:00.000-05:002016-01-25T22:00:34.845-05:00FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-29<img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G4M4pp0c5-I/UdtJ0xlMlPI/AAAAAAAAAFo/XGkDaSdJpc4/s320/FTTLogo4.png" /><br />
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>Welcome back! So sorry again about last week, but we're here this week and raring to go! We hope you are too! Go read the prompt and write something amazing! :)</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you haven't read the full version of the rules, go </span><a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2013/07/finish-that-thought-rules.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #c63d96; font-size: large;">here</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">. Otherwise, here's the short version:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">Rules:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Start with the given first sentence. (Allowable alterations listed below)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2. Up to 500 words (exclusive of title)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">4. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Optional Special Challenge</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">5. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Stories submitted must be your own work, using characters and worlds that you have created. Sorry, no fanfiction.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">6. Include: Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">7. The challenge is open for 24 hours on Tuesday EST</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">8. Only one entry judged per round. If you write/post more than one story, you need to indicate which you would like judged. If you fail to indicate, it will be the first one posted.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">9. Winner judges next round.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Oh, and feel free to <span style="color: magenta;">change</span> <span style="color: yellow;">pronouns</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">punctuation</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">tense</span>, and <span style="color: yellow;">anything in brackets</span> to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Our Judge today is<span style="color: lime;"> Patrick Stahl</span>. Read his winning tale from last week </span><a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2016/01/finish-that-thought-3-28.html?showComment=1452659857113#c8455912470798639915" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-size: large;">! </span><span style="font-size: large;">Patrick Stahl is a freshman Creative Writing major (French
minor) at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. He dabbles in speculative fiction and
Protestant ministry. Patrick aspires to
become an editor or publisher of SF/F/H.
He spends his free time playing the mandolin, reading, writing, and
watching television (to bolster his writing skills, of course). His blog can be found at
<a href="http://intotheravenousmaw.blogspot.com/">intotheravenousmaw.blogspot.com</a>, and his Twitter handle is <a href="http://twitter.com/@patrickjstahl" target="_blank">@patrickjstahl</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Your first sentence for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-29 is:</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">If [he] knew how much [he] meant to [me], [he] would probably think [I] was really weird.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE from the judge is:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Show both points of view, either by making the story consist of multiple scenes or by hopping heads in-scene.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><span style="font-size: large;">AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!</span><br />
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-G4M4pp0c5-I%2FUdtJ0xlMlPI%2FAAAAAAAAAFo%2FXGkDaSdJpc4%2Fs320%2FFTTLogo4.png&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G4M4pp0c5-I/UdtJ0xlMlPI/AAAAAAAAAFo/XGkDaSdJpc4/s320/FTTLogo4.png" -->lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-83371617315238507842016-01-19T22:30:00.000-05:002016-01-19T22:30:04.658-05:00Apologies...I'm so sorry I didn't get Finish That Thought posted this week. I've been so busy I only just realized it now. I've messaged the judge and I decided to postpone to next week. I considered just posting it tonight and having it run through tomorrow, but that would probably be confusing. Again, I apologize. We will be back next week.lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-81774633427326436442016-01-14T17:08:00.000-05:002016-01-14T17:08:39.621-05:00FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-28 - RESULTS!<img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1RI3IACqvUs/Uecxbb_tH9I/AAAAAAAAAGo/rllFLK2651A/s320/FTTWinnerLogo.png" /><br />
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>Thanks for joining the fun this week! If you missed any of the amazing stories, go read them <a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2016/01/finish-that-thought-3-28.html?showComment=1452808514134#c5918833098531481730" target="_blank">here</a>. Finished? Great! Here's what the judge had to say:</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">These stories were great! The rotten watermelon smell really
stayed with me, as did the annoyed ghost materializing from the writer's
computer. I also loved the concept of the piano with a mystery ghost sold at
auction and the mood set in the story with the rose quartz girl. Be careful
with spelling errors, as they can be very distracting to the reader.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;">LETTER TO AMELIE</span> by <span style="color: lime;">Mordea</span> - The author creates a clear mood
in this story; however, the plot is not totally clear. Is Amelie an actual
ghost, or does the author just think of her whenever she sees the piano? Who is
playing the piano? The first sentence is not as well integrated into the first
paragraph as it could be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;">STORY TIME</span> by <span style="color: lime;">Audrey Gran Weinberg</span> - Fabulous use of the
story prompt. Enjoyed the bit about her naming her characters after her
parents. Rachel's jump to the worry that she might be insane with the ghost's
comment was a bit quick for me, especially after the nonchalant way she reacts
to the chicken soup smell. This story is very clever, but would benefit with a
bit more consistency. Maybe a hint to the reader that the chicken soup might be
supernatural?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;">THE PIANO OWNER</span> by <span style="color: lime;">Nada Adel</span> - Loved the concept, although I
would have like more detail about witches in your world. The story would also
work without your writing that the house belonged to a witch. There is one
moment where the story seems to go from third person limited to third person
omniscient, when you write about the way that the others at the auction feel.
Sheila and the ghost are both very well-realized and interesting characters,
but I would have liked a bit more majesty in the last line, as
"tunes" seems out of character for the Count, as well as for the
music of Beethoven.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;">UNTITLED</span> by <span style="color: lime;">Riham Adly</span> - This story lacks a title. It
sustains its melancholy mood very well, but has several spelling errors. I
found the description of the piano keys as "checkered" to be a bit
jarring, and I was confused by the rotating of the rose quartz pendulum,
thinking "pendulums swing back and forth; they don't rotate." The use
of quartz jewelry for communicating with spirits needs to be shown. I enjoyed
the use of first person for the ghost. I could see this being lengthened into a
short story for young adults.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Special Challenge Champion </span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow; font-size: large;">HOW TECHNOLOGY AND DO-IT-YOURSELF FISH TANKS CURSED THE
GHOST OF THE PIANO</span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">by </span><span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">Holly Geely</span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This story made me laugh out loud! I loved the mix of ghost
story tropes (i.e. temperature dropping several degrees) and contemporary
irreverence. I would have picked a title that left a little more of the concept
to the imagination, as the ending to this story is quite delicious. Loved the
rotten watermelon smell and Janet's voice. There were a couple of grammatical
and spelling errors that were distracting for me. The last sentence was
excellent. The way she described the ghost with all five senses sticks with the
reader: the rotten watermelon, the draping pose on top of the piano, and the
howls at her attitude. Great work!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Grand Champion</span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-large;">AS DISTINCT AS MULBERRIES</span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">by </span><span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">Patrick Stahl</span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This story is very well conceived and executed. The dialogue
is clever and we get a feel for both the narrator and the ghost. The sensory
detail fits seamlessly into the narrative, especially the smell of mulberries.
I also loved the narrator's smelling the wet paint at the beginning of the
story. The spooky but unexpected ending featuring the ghost's father and a
mulberry worked perfectly. Congratulations!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-32007484570296223262016-01-11T22:00:00.000-05:002016-01-11T22:00:00.136-05:00FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-28<img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G4M4pp0c5-I/UdtJ0xlMlPI/AAAAAAAAAFo/XGkDaSdJpc4/s320/FTTLogo4.png" /><br />
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>Welcome! We're glad to have you here today! Hopefully your year has started off on a positive note and you're getting into the swing of 2016. I look forward to reading your stories this week. Go read the prompt and write something great!</i></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">If you haven't read the full version of the rules, go </span><a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2013/07/finish-that-thought-rules.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #c63d96; font-size: large;">here</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">. Otherwise, here's the short version:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">Rules:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Start with the given first sentence. (Allowable alterations listed below)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2. Up to 500 words (exclusive of title)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">4. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Optional Special Challenge</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">5. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Stories submitted must be your own work, using characters and worlds that you have created. Sorry, no fanfiction.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">6. Include: Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">7. The challenge is open for 24 hours on Tuesday EST</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">8. Only one entry judged per round. If you write/post more than one story, you need to indicate which you would like judged. If you fail to indicate, it will be the first one posted.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">9. Winner judges next round.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Oh, and feel free to <span style="color: magenta;">change</span> <span style="color: yellow;">pronouns</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">punctuation</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">tense</span>, and <span style="color: yellow;">anything in brackets</span> to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Our Judge today is<span style="color: lime;"> Tara O'Dowd</span>. Read her winning tale from last week </span><a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2016/01/finish-that-thought-3-27.html?showComment=1451991724145#c6469477863667366887" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-size: large;">! Find her on twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/@TaraODowd1" target="_blank">@TaraODowd1</a>. Tara worked for ten years as a union organizer in the United States. She now lives in Amsterdam where she is writing picture books and her first novel and goggling at bicycles. Unfortunately, she can't quite seem to get rid of her subversive tendencies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Your first sentence for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-28 is:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">It was an inviting piano, but it came with a ghost.</span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 14px;">
<u></u></div>
<div style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 14px;">
<u></u> </div>
</div>
<br />
<span style="color: lime;"></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE from the judge is:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Use all five senses to describe the ghost.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><span style="font-size: large;">AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>I had so much fun reading the stories from the five intrepid authors who braved the winter craziness and brought us a story. I hope you all have had a chance to read their offerings, but if you happened to miss any of them, they can be found <a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2015/12/finish-that-thought-3-25-26.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>I'm sure you all know how very exhausting a vacation can be, so I won't bore you with any rambling explanations of my excuses for not having this written up and posted earlier. Thank you for your understanding and patience. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>So without further ado...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;">Eggnog</span> by <span style="color: lime;">Richard Edenfield</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">You embraced my special challenges with verve and dynamism (two words I'm not sure I've ever written before...). There were some absolutely beautiful descriptions that I wanted to wallow in, but there were also some that drove me mad with confusion (especially the eyeballs splattering - I can't get that image out of my head!). I love hopeful endings, so when they both laughed at the antics of Eggnog, I smiled too. :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;">Generous to a Fault</span> by <span style="color: lime;">Charles W Short</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">HAHAHAHA! This was so funny. Seriously, the wife discussing the cost of hiring a hit-man for her husband with her husband is priceless. You played it so well. Such potential! ;) I loved it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;">Brotherly Love</span> by <span style="color: lime;">Steph Ellis</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Yikes, that is one dysfunctional family! It is certainly disturbing, but at times confusing. I had a hard time holding witch brother was witch, and as you gave me nothing redeemable to attach myself to, I had a hard time rooting for any of them. I almost wished he'd heard a gunshot at the end. But that was just the type of family you chose to write about.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;">Yellow Is An Attitude</span> by <span style="color: lime;">Dave Park</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So if Purple tastes like cheese, Green tastes like...? I love the whimsy of this piece. But I can't decide whether to be taken in with her joyful excess of eating all the colors, or saddened by the life of gray she lives in continually. What is the music that calls her? Is it the artist? The room? The 'midnight clear' painting? I hope the artist can come to some kind of understanding with her, so he can actually get some work done... Very enjoyable, even if it left me with way more questions than answers.</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Grand Champion</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: yellow;">Happy New Year</span> by <span style="color: lime;">CR Smith</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Wow! This was so beautiful. It's amazing how quickly one goes from needing a pen to contemplating suicide. But it's not as jarring as I would've expected. The progression is seamless and appropriate to his mood at the time. The 'irony' line was perfection. Then, of course, the hopefulness of the ending that tied back to the beginning line... I loved this story.</span><br />
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<br />lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-45338332612865634402016-01-07T20:58:00.001-05:002016-01-07T20:58:34.312-05:00FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-27 - RESULTS!<img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1RI3IACqvUs/Uecxbb_tH9I/AAAAAAAAAGo/rllFLK2651A/s320/FTTWinnerLogo.png" /><br />
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>Woohoo!!! Congratulations to our winner! Thanks for coming out and taking our challenge. If you missed reading her story, go check it out <a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2016/01/finish-that-thought-3-27.html?showComment=1451991724145#c6469477863667366887" target="_blank">here</a>. This is what the judge had to say:</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: magenta;">Grand Champion</span> – <span style="color: yellow;">Nadja</span> – by <span style="color: lime;">Tara
O’Dowd</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Well done for rising to the
occasion and daring to write a story about the Middle East conflict, a very
tricky subject indeed!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This story – a great beginning
for a thriller – is packed with details so realistic that I was convinced that
the author must be personally involved in this Middle East conflict herself!
Well done for weaving such a story!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Tara, either you’ve done a lot of
research, you work in the field or else you’re a double spy – oh wait – option
number four is that you have a great imagination and have come up with a
plausible story!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am left wondering what Nadja’s
exact story was – what were her romantic ideas about Russia? I thought she’d
been anti-Putin, but then – romantic seems so positive?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What was also interesting for me
was the dilemma regarding how objective the help organization workers actually
are, and how difficult it is if some people have multiple jobs – for example,
both journalist and aid worker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Part fiction, part creative
non-fiction, this story gives me pause for thought. Would love to hear what
happens next!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-16255908313198522652016-01-04T22:00:00.000-05:002016-01-04T22:00:03.319-05:00FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-27<img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G4M4pp0c5-I/UdtJ0xlMlPI/AAAAAAAAAFo/XGkDaSdJpc4/s320/FTTLogo4.png" /><br />
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<i><span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;">Welcome back and Happy New Year!!! I hope you've taken the time to evaluate where you've been and where you want to go. New Years resolutions don't have to be here today and given up by February; they can be goals you're reaching for continually. Perhaps one of those goals is to write more. Then join us. Go check out the prompt and write something great!</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you haven't read the full version of the rules, go </span><a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2013/07/finish-that-thought-rules.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #c63d96; font-size: large;">here</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">. Otherwise, here's the short version:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">Rules:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Start with the given first sentence. (Allowable alterations listed below)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2. Up to 500 words (exclusive of title)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">4. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Optional Special Challenge</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">5. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Stories submitted must be your own work, using characters and worlds that you have created. Sorry, no fanfiction.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">6. Include: Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">7. The challenge is open for 24 hours on Tuesday EST</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">8. Only one entry judged per round. If you write/post more than one story, you need to indicate which you would like judged. If you fail to indicate, it will be the first one posted.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">9. Winner judges next round.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Oh, and feel free to <span style="color: magenta;">change</span> <span style="color: yellow;">pronouns</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">punctuation</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">tense</span>, and <span style="color: yellow;">anything in brackets</span> to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Our Judge today is<span style="color: lime;"> Audrey Weinberg</span>. Read her winning tale from last week </span><a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2015/12/finish-that-thought-3-24.html?showComment=1450212043754#c925520550655888907" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-size: large;">! Find her on twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/@studyleaks" target="_blank">here</a>. Audrey (Gran) Weinberg was born in Los Angeles just a few months before JFK was shot, but she swears she didn't do it. After years of living in different countries, and having experienced both much love and great loss, Audrey is now gratefully leading a "pretty mundane existence" with her sweet husband and 2 pretty amazing teenage children just outside of Amsterdam. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Audrey has published 2 short stories and is currently figuring out how to edit her first novel. She co-authors the Studyleaks blog (<a href="http://studyleaks.blogspot.nl/"><span class="Hyperlink0">studyleaks.blogspot.nl</span></a>) together with a group of her students under the pen name 'Study Leaks Amsterdam.'</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Your first sentence for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-27 is:</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">The minute the [peace] talks began, [she] knew [she] should have told them [her] secret.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE from the judge is:</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">I dare you to come up with a successful story for the Middle East! Which means: </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">a. Dare to dream up a positive solution to these talks. </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">AND/OR </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">b. Set them in the Middle East.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><span style="font-size: large;">AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>WELCOME! Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Happy New Year! We're going to do things differently this week. With the holiday season being a bit crazy and our time being not entirely our own, I've decided to keep this installment of FTT open for the duration of the holiday season. So, we will be live until after the new year! I hope that you will find time to fit in a story around the myriad of obligations during the next couple of weeks. You can even fit in two. We will go back to the normal schedule in January.</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>I have TWO first sentence prompts for you to choose from (or you can do a story for each). I also have FOUR different special challenges you can fit into one or both of your stories. You may choose to do only one of them or all four, whatever (or none, as is always an option).</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>I will be judging this round, BUT the winner will not be asked to judge the next round (though I reserve the right to ask for another day down the road depending on the popularity of keeping the contest open for a week). The winners of our Holiday Bash will be announced as soon as possible in January, depending on the number of entries.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you haven't read the full version of the rules, go </span><a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2013/07/finish-that-thought-rules.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #c63d96; font-size: large;">here</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">. Otherwise, here's the short version:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">Rules:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Start with the given first sentence. (Allowable alterations listed below)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2. Up to 500 words (exclusive of title)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">4. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Optional Special Challenge</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">5. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Stories submitted must be your own work, using characters and worlds that you have created. Sorry, no fanfiction.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">6. Include: Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">7. The challenge is open for <strike>24 hours on Tuesday EST</strike> <i><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">(Dec 21 - Jan 2)</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">8. Only <strike>one</strike> <i><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">(two)</span></i> entr<strike>y</strike><i><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">(ies)</span></i> judged per round. If you write/post more than one story, you need to indicate which you would like judged. If you fail to indicate, it will be the first one posted.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">9. <strike>Winner judges next round.</strike></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Oh, and feel free to <span style="color: magenta;">change</span> <span style="color: yellow;">pronouns</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">punctuation</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">tense</span>, and <span style="color: yellow;">anything in brackets</span> to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Our Judge today is<span style="color: lime;"> Alissa Leonard</span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 25.68px;">. (<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><i>That's ME!</i></span>) Alissa is a mom of three elementary aged children. She is also a substitute teacher. In her spare time (<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><i>Wait! I have spare time???</i></span>) she writes. She is working on her third edit of a YA fantasy novel, and is just about finished with a first draft of a MG fantasy novel. The number of really-cool-books-she-would-like-to-write-but-hasn't-yet is painfully long, but she is determined to WRITE ALL THE WORDS!!! She reads mostly fantasy and science fiction, but enjoys books from across the spectrum of literature. She loves TONS of geeky things, but Doctor Who is her favorite, followed closely by superheroes, Star Wars, and Star Trek. She's also a huge board game fan. You are already on her blog ( <span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><i>;)</i></span> ) and you can follow her on twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/@lissajean7" target="_blank">@lissajean7</a>.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Your first sentence<i><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">(s)</span></i> for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-25 <strike>is</strike> <i><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">(are) (Pick one)</span></i>:</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">It came upon a midnight clear.</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">"It'll be different this [year]."</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE<span style="color: #9fc5e8;">(S)</span> from the judge <strike>is</strike> <span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><i>(are)</i></span>:</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Include onomatopoeia.</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Include a kiss.</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Include any of the following objects: star, bib, glue, thumbprint, journal, staple, platter, egg nog</span><br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Include any of the following verbs: thrust, gargle, shimmy, hurl, tiptoe, bellow, warble, lament, flounce, wallow, snicker</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><span style="font-size: large;">AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>Thanks for coming out and sharing your stories with us. If you missed either entry, go read it <a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2015/12/finish-that-thought-3-24.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Finished? Great! Here's what the judge had to say:</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: magenta;">Special Challenge Champion:</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: yellow;">Festive Spirit</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">by <span style="color: lime;">Geoff Holme</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A very bad pun to end with, but I will allow ‘Walking in the
Ayr’. I think this story should also get
a special award for introducing our friends across the pond to Leyton
Orient. As a child of the Midlands
originally, even mentioning this name takes me back to Saturday afternoons when
the Football Results were read out. This
writer really took the special challenge seriously and cleverly paved the way
for incorporating them by using coincidences to generate “And to top it all, We
Three Kings Of Orient Are all Driving Home For Christmas!” There were a few other spooky coincidences
for me – my Dad’s name is Alan, and his parents lived in Coventry for many,
many years so again I took a slight nostalgia hit. All I needed was for the story to be written
in Black Country dialect! (Yes, I know Coventry is down a bit from Birmingham
but it’s all pretty much a variation on the accent, I lived on the edge of the
West Midlands in Shropshire and that could be just as bad!).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So for bad jokes – “You looked out and the pavement was
covered in Black Forest gateaux and the road in sherry trifle… The street was
desserted!”, corny lines incorporating Christmas songs, nostalgia and for
seriously getting into the Festive Spirit, this story truly deserves the
Special Challenge award.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: magenta;">Grand Champion:</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: yellow;">Hearing Things</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">by <span style="color: lime;">Audrey Weinberg</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A story of two halves.
Starting off with a woman, apparently being ignored by her partner and
thinking she is hearing things but needs to find out if she is crazy or
not. Taking the advice of neurologist
Oliver Sacks she goes for a run, testing her voice, testing her hearing. All is normal. Until she gets home and then we realise, as
she enters the cold, dark and empty house that the Joe she mentioned at the
start of the story does not exist, is not there. But is she mad? Pulling out a missed envelope
she reads the lines that tell us why her house is in its mournful state, why
Joe isn’t there - a ‘tragedy’ befell her on Christmas Day; it goes some way to
explaining her mental state. Using the
sound of breaking glass to symbolise her shattered life was a nice touch and
the beautiful finishing lines effectively underlined the tragedy she had
experienced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-46445693808053195242015-12-14T22:00:00.000-05:002015-12-14T22:00:00.419-05:00FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-24<img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G4M4pp0c5-I/UdtJ0xlMlPI/AAAAAAAAAFo/XGkDaSdJpc4/s320/FTTLogo4.png" /><br />
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>Welcome back! I hope you're feeling festive this week as we're getting into the Christmas spirit early (or late, depending who you ask). For those not in a festive mood (Not to worry, I've jingle bells and candy canes to spare!), she left tons of wiggle room for you to make of it what you will. So have at it, friends! I'm excited to see the stories your mind dreams up!</i></span><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">If you haven't read the full version of the rules, go </span><a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2013/07/finish-that-thought-rules.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #c63d96; font-size: large;">here</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">. Otherwise, here's the short version:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">Rules:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Start with the given first sentence. (Allowable alterations listed below)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2. Up to 500 words (exclusive of title)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">4. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Optional Special Challenge</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">5. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Stories submitted must be your own work, using characters and worlds that you have created. Sorry, no fanfiction.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">6. Include: Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">7. The challenge is open for 24 hours on Tuesday EST</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">8. Only one entry judged per round. If you write/post more than one story, you need to indicate which you would like judged. If you fail to indicate, it will be the first one posted.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">9. Winner judges next round.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Oh, and feel free to <span style="color: magenta;">change</span> <span style="color: yellow;">pronouns</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">punctuation</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">tense</span>, and <span style="color: yellow;">anything in brackets</span> to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Our Judge today is<span style="color: lime;"> Steph Ellis</span></span><span style="font-size: large;">. Read her winning tale from last week <a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2015/05/finish-that-thought-2-47.html?showComment=1432674858279#c1101264484632554184" target="_blank">here</a>! </span><span style="font-size: large; line-height: 27.6000003814697px;"></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">Steph writes flash, short stories (usually horror), poetry and has a novel lurking in the background.</span><span style="line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 107%;">She has had some stories published in various anthologies and magazines and a few more a scheduled for release this year.</span><span style="line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 107%;">She loves being part of the flash community and is proud to have been included in the upcoming Flash Dogs charity anthology, due out in the summer.</span><span style="line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 107%;">She can be found at her website <a href="http://stephellis.weebly.com/" target="_blank">My Playground</a> and on twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/@el_stevie" target="_blank">@el_Stevie</a>.</span><span style="line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 107%;">The Flash Dogs can be found at <a href="http://theflashdogs.com/">http://theflashdogs.com/</a>.</span><span style="line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 107%;">Check them out.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Your first sentence for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-24 is:</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">There was a clatter of [hooves] on the roof and a loud [Ho, Ho, Ho].</span></div>
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<span style="color: lime;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE from the judge is:</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Include the TITLES of at least THREE well-known Christmas carols or songs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><span style="font-size: large;">AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!</span><br />
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-G4M4pp0c5-I%2FUdtJ0xlMlPI%2FAAAAAAAAAFo%2FXGkDaSdJpc4%2Fs320%2FFTTLogo4.png&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G4M4pp0c5-I/UdtJ0xlMlPI/AAAAAAAAAFo/XGkDaSdJpc4/s320/FTTLogo4.png" -->lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-51233342630373904592015-12-10T21:11:00.000-05:002015-12-10T21:11:54.757-05:00FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-23 - RESULTS!<img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1RI3IACqvUs/Uecxbb_tH9I/AAAAAAAAAGo/rllFLK2651A/s320/FTTWinnerLogo.png" /><br />
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<br />
<i><span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;">Thanks to both competitors for joining us this week and disrupting our sleep. If you missed either of the stories, go read them <a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2015/12/finish-that-thought-3-23.html" target="_blank">here</a>. They are both excellent - and disturbing. Here's what the judge had to say:</span></i><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Special Challenge Champion</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: lime;">Bill @bsbowens</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">“Tabbi's First”</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is such a sad, horrific little tale, with a whole lot
of unanswered questions. It’s the best kind of horror tale, when the reader’s
imagination works overtime to create and test a backstory. Tabbi’s going to
need therapy for a long, long time, I suspect. Thank you for adopting the
challenge, not one particularly well suited to horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Grand Champion</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: lime;">Steph Ellis @el_Stevie</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">“A World Away”</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Steph was wise (I think) to pass on that challenge; adopting
it would have probably hurt this story. Lillian got the therapy, but it didn’t
“take,” on the face of things. What follows is a wild blend of Goldilocks (“and
this one is just right!”) and Jame Gumb’s Woman Suit (“She stood in front of
the bathroom mirror, slipping the scalped tresses over the bareness of her own
skull.”) Creepy and disturbing, Steph, bravo—now please take her away to a
nice, comfortably padded room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I loved both tales, actually. (In my humble) both were
excellent examples of horror.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-20955406033135339772015-12-07T22:00:00.000-05:002015-12-07T22:00:03.827-05:00FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-23<img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G4M4pp0c5-I/UdtJ0xlMlPI/AAAAAAAAAFo/XGkDaSdJpc4/s320/FTTLogo4.png" /><br />
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>Welcome! Welcome! We're so glad you've joined us today for the fun. I'm getting this posted late and I have a sick kiddo, so this will be even more brief than usual. Go ahead and read the prompt and write something amazing!</i></span><br />
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<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">If you haven't read the full version of the rules, go </span><a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2013/07/finish-that-thought-rules.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #c63d96; font-size: large;">here</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">. Otherwise, here's the short version:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">Rules:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Start with the given first sentence. (Allowable alterations listed below)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2. Up to 500 words (exclusive of title)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">4. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Optional Special Challenge</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">5. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Stories submitted must be your own work, using characters and worlds that you have created. Sorry, no fanfiction.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">6. Include: Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">7. The challenge is open for 24 hours on Tuesday EST</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">8. Only one entry judged per round. If you write/post more than one story, you need to indicate which you would like judged. If you fail to indicate, it will be the first one posted.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">9. Winner judges next round.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Oh, and feel free to <span style="color: magenta;">change</span> <span style="color: yellow;">pronouns</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">punctuation</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">tense</span>, and <span style="color: yellow;">anything in brackets</span> to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Our Judge today is<span style="color: lime;"> D.E. Park</span>. Read his winning tale from last time </span><a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2015/11/finish-that-thought-3-22.html?showComment=1448991500689#c8283299120572326007" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-size: large;">! Dave (D. E. Park) spends his spare time writing flash and micro fiction, and just attempting to get enough sleep. He’s a first-generation computer nerd (older than the internet), a lifetime devourer of SF&F (loser geek), even a comic book fan (three strikes!). He actually hasn’t been actively writing for very long (you can't tell?) He lives in Chicagoland with his wife Annie. Follow him <a href="http://twitter.com/@parkinkspot" target="_blank">@parkinkspot</a> and check out his writing blog at <a href="http://parkinkspot.wordpress.com/">parkinkspot.wordpress.com</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Your first sentence for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-23 is:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
<span style="color: yellow;">credit: Gregory Carrico</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">[Tabbi] had never touched anything as [soft] as the [rabbit] she held in her lap.</span></div>
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<span style="color: lime;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE from the judge is:</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Include at least two embarrassing anecdotes related by your character(s).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><span style="font-size: large;">AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!</span><br />
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-G4M4pp0c5-I%2FUdtJ0xlMlPI%2FAAAAAAAAAFo%2FXGkDaSdJpc4%2Fs320%2FFTTLogo4.png&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G4M4pp0c5-I/UdtJ0xlMlPI/AAAAAAAAAFo/XGkDaSdJpc4/s320/FTTLogo4.png" -->lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-16324097786927314182015-12-03T18:01:00.000-05:002015-12-03T18:01:20.948-05:00FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-22 - RESULTS!<img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1RI3IACqvUs/Uecxbb_tH9I/AAAAAAAAAGo/rllFLK2651A/s320/FTTWinnerLogo.png" /><br />
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>Congrats to all! Thanks for sharing your stories with us. If you missed any, go read them <a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2015/11/finish-that-thought-3-22.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Otherwise, here's what the judge had to say:</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;">‘Police Procedural’</span> by <span style="color: lime;">Geoff Holme</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A wildly entertaining narrative in which a detective,
through the use of nonsensical jargon, tries to communicate information gleaned
from an informant. You made quick work of the special challenge with all the
words and ten body parts cleverly interjected. My favorite: ‘DS Chapman sucked
his teeth. “Any idea what those things’ll do to you? I’ve seen a forty a day
blokes lungs in a forensic bowl once…black and putrid. Made me quit straight
away.”’ I love it! Thanks for submitting your story! I didn’t include it
because it was late; since I’m a newbie, I figured I better keep things
procedural. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Special Challenge Champion:</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: yellow;">‘Revenge’</span> by <span style="color: lime;">Steph Ellis</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The hilarious aftermath of a foiled plot of revenge on a cheating
husband. The story was active and descriptive; the “copper” smashing poor
Tinker after his fall down the winding staircase was great fun for the reader—
not so much for the cat! And Liz— what a character! She reminds me of my aunt—
so dramatic! Great job!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You included six references to body parts and all ten of
those crazy words while still managing to create a fantastic, funny story. What
can I say, Steph; you are truly a master of the special challenge!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: magenta;">Grand Champion:</span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: yellow;">‘Trapped’</span> by <span style="color: lime;">Dave@ParkInkSpot</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A well written story about a big brother driving his
“gifted” little sister through a small town to rescue a litter of orphaned
kittens she’d dreamt about that morning. Dave, being from a small southern town
myself, I can say your story is spot on— the speed trap where Sam escapes with
a warning because his mother was the cop’s sixth grade teacher, nice! I loved
that you were subtle about Emily’s physic abilities, allowing the reader to
learn about her gift as the story unfolds.
At the risk of sounding like a stalker, I have to admit the story
intrigued me enough to snoop out your website; I found another snippet about
Sam and Emily — the spirits in the jars…FANTASTIC!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As for the special challenge; a trifecta of body parts in
one sentence! ‘She squinted, crossed her eyes, and stuck out her tongue when
the beam lit her tangled hair.’ In addition, I counted three special challenge
words, hair, cat, and blue smoke, all masterfully incorporated— especially blue
smoke! Well done!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-66755671017848520172015-11-30T22:00:00.000-05:002015-11-30T22:00:00.713-05:00FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-22<img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G4M4pp0c5-I/UdtJ0xlMlPI/AAAAAAAAAFo/XGkDaSdJpc4/s320/FTTLogo4.png" /><br />
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>Welcome back as we jump into December with both feet! If you've just completed NaNo: CONGRATULATIONS!!!! YOU ARE FINISHED!!! Whether you're a 'WINNER' or you just wrote a few words: I'm proud of you! Words toward a goal are to be celebrated. My personal goal for the month was somewhere around 30K or when I've finished the novel. Right now I'm just under 25K for the month with a day to go and a scene and a half to write (I think...). (I've passed 50K for the novel.) So my goal is certainly within the realm of possibility. Anyway, let's keep the good writing vibes going through the month of December! Go check out today's prompt and write something amazing!</i></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">If you haven't read the full version of the rules, go </span><a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2013/07/finish-that-thought-rules.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #c63d96; font-size: large;">here</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">. Otherwise, here's the short version:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">Rules:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Start with the given first sentence. (Allowable alterations listed below)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2. Up to 500 words (exclusive of title)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">4. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Optional Special Challenge</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">5. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Stories submitted must be your own work, using characters and worlds that you have created. Sorry, no fanfiction.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">6. Include: Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">7. The challenge is open for 24 hours on Tuesday EST</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">8. Only one entry judged per round. If you write/post more than one story, you need to indicate which you would like judged. If you fail to indicate, it will be the first one posted.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">9. Winner judges next round.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Oh, and feel free to <span style="color: magenta;">change</span> <span style="color: yellow;">pronouns</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">punctuation</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">tense</span>, and <span style="color: yellow;">anything in brackets</span> to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Our Judge today is<span style="color: lime;"> Catherine Custard</span>. Read her winning tale from last week </span><a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2015/11/finish-that-thought-3-21.html?showComment=1448411247637#c3760564406312483447" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-size: large;">! Find her on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/@cat_custard" target="_blank">@cat_custard</a>. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Catherine is a mother of three teenagers who teaches
English riding lessons and leads fourth graders on Civil War/Civil Rights tours
in downtown Montgomery, Alabama. She’s just discovered flash fiction which is a
welcome distraction from the mystery novel she’s dangerously close to
finishing!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Your first sentence for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-22 is:</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Officer [desperate plea], I can explain!</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;">Desperate plea is optional; you may fill the bracket or leave it out as you see fit.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE from the judge is:</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Reference 3
human body parts AND i</span><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">nclude </span><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">at least</span><span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"> 3 of the following words:</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">cat<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">blue smoke<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">hair <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">winding staircase<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">putrid<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">snout<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">hose<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">fog horn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">hot chocolate<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">trifecta</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><span style="font-size: large;">AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>Sorry this post took a little while. I hope you all had a spectacular few days, and didn't fret over the lateness of the post. If you missed any of our entries this week, go read them <a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2015/11/finish-that-thought-3-21.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Otherwise, here's what the judge had to say:</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A heart-felt thank you to everyone who responded to the plea
for entries this week. They were all interesting and varied responses to the
prompts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;">‘Not Ordinary People’</span> by <span style="color: lime;">Sal Page</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Due to your advancing years, Sal, I overlooked the missing
words in the opening sentence prompt. ;-)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I liked the use of ‘It happened one night’; it seems very
natural after the opening sentence. (Perhaps adding ‘... in the heat of the
night’ would have been a step too far, although the story is set in a summer
holiday resort.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was beginning to be irritated by the repetition of ‘she
said’, ‘I said’ until I twigged that this was to emphasise that they were BOTH
compulsive liars. (Six months to live but planning to go to university? does
not compute!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It’s a very intense piece, nicely broken up by the
explanation of the MC’s pathological fibbing. It took a few readings to
appreciate everything that was going on, but in the end, I really liked it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">@<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The film titles were incorporated in a natural manner. But I
counted EIGHT Oscar winning films. Unless I missed one, I assume you’re
counting ‘Ordinary People’ in the title. Alissa’s full rules says the Special
Challenge is a prompt to be included ‘in your story’. I take this to exclude
the title, since word count does so. <b>[Alissa, can you clarify this point in the full rules, please?] </b><i><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Yes, and done. Special Challenges are the
sole discretion of the judge. That said, this particular issue has never come
up before, and while the title is very much a part of your story, it isn’t
included in your word count and so not eligible for Special Challenge
inclusion.</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Even if the title is allowed, you mention ‘Ordinary People’
in the story; mentioning the same film title more than once definitely doesn’t
count - Steph includes ‘Marty’ NINE times!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hang on… Looking back, I see that you say “One is two words
split.” If you mean ‘Annie’ (second para)… ‘hall’ (end of fourth para), that’s
a little <i>too</i> creative - even for me!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">(It’s a good thing that @FlashDogs volunteered me to ignore
typos, otherwise I might have been compelled to point out that it should be
‘redcoat’ and ‘Brasenose’...)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;">‘Special Delivery’</span> by <span style="color: lime;">Stella</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A potential punch-up and shotgun wedding, turns out to be a
marriage made in heaven. ‘Good ale wasted was not on our to do list’ tells us a
lot in a few short words about the characters involved and their environment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">[ Sorry, Stella, but I couldn’t let ‘anymore’ slip by: it’s
an adverb, meaning ‘any longer’. What you needed was ‘any more’. Oh, and
‘Marilyn MONROE’... ]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">@<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Special Challenge was films that won Best Movie Oscar,
not nominees. I assume that ‘Black Swan’, ‘Star Wars’ and ‘The Colo(u)r Purple’
are included as movie titles - they were all nominated, but did not win. I
counted seven correct references - a goodly number.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: yellow;">‘Just Friends’</span> by <span style="color: lime;">Lauren Greene</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A gentle tale of watching one film (The Graduate), while its
plot explores the premise of another (When Harry Met Sally). The MC’s misuse of
‘December-February relationship’ and her failure to pick up the implication of
the expensive cologne indicate that she’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I like the phrase ‘not the kind you wear when you’re
schlepping on your friend’s couch watching an old movie’ and the description of
the ‘classic movie move’. I haven’t seen ‘The Graduate’ for years, but the
bewildered question “Is he in a swimming pool?” brought the opening scene
flooding (no pun intended) back to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">@<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You didn’t say that you accepted the Special Challenge,
Laura, but I found five film titles scattered throughout the story. If you did
accept the challenge, I have to point out that none of them are Oscar winners
for Best Film, not even ‘The Graduate’ which you say <i>did</i>! Perhaps you mistook the challenge to include all films <i>nominated</i> for best movie, but two of
them don’t fall even into that category!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">(Also, the idea was to use the movie titles in a creative
way - not simply to refer to the movies themselves. Perhaps that was my fault
for not stating it explicitly.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">SPECIAL CHALLENGE CHAMPION:</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-large;">‘Elixir of Youth’</span><span style="font-size: large;"> by </span><span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">Steph Ellis</span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A light-hearted but darkly humorous take on the prompt.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I liked the use of ‘No Country For Old Men’ as a contrast to
the ‘cult of youth’, and ‘We can make a killing’ is a chilling omen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">‘...led her across the carpet in a bizarre tango’ sounds
like a judge’s comment on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’! Not quite top of the
leaderboard, Steph, but close.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">@<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I counted ten Oscar-winning films incorporated into the
story, some with great dexterity, making this the Special Challenge Champion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">GRAND CHAMPION:</span> </div>
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<span style="color: yellow; font-size: x-large;">‘Social Media’</span><span style="font-size: large;"> by </span><span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">Catherine Custard</span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I loved this story! It reads like a family breakfast
scenario that could very easily happen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Giving one child’s phone to the other, to make up for losing
her rag and smashing the first phone, is a classic gambit by a parent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The staccato, telegraphese of the one-sided telephone
conversation is deftly written, allowing the single word film title
‘UNFORGIVEN’ to be incorporated seamlessly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are a lot of references to contemporary culture that
are alien to this old codger, but ‘busting your geriatric moves’ was a LOL
moment for me; it was great that you resolved the tension by ending the story
with another one for Kat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Great stuff, Catherine!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I counted 4.5 Oscar winning films... People familiar with my
posts to flash fiction contests will know that I am a stickler for exactitude:
The 1968 winner is entitled ‘Oliver!’; Lionel Bart was infamous for his
musicals with an exclamation mark in the title. ‘Oliver!’ would have fitted
quite naturally into the story at that point, but, as I said, that’s just me
being a little bit picky. :-)</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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lissajeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530061516614280887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2996679476368835656.post-72616111956362369182015-11-23T22:00:00.000-05:002015-11-23T22:00:02.233-05:00FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-21<img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-G4M4pp0c5-I/UdtJ0xlMlPI/AAAAAAAAAFo/XGkDaSdJpc4/s320/FTTLogo4.png" /><br />
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;"><i>Welcome! Thanks for joining us! I'm attempting to finish the first draft of the novel I'm working on for NaNo and I may be able to do it. I won't hit 50K, but I love how NaNo pushes me and the community encourages me. I may never "win" NaNo, but I'm a winner - every year. Plus, I still have a week. Go check out the prompt, and keep writing!</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you haven't read the full version of the rules, go </span><a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2013/07/finish-that-thought-rules.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #c63d96; font-size: large;">here</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">. Otherwise, here's the short version:</span><br />
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<span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">Rules:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Start with the given first sentence. (Allowable alterations listed below)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2. Up to 500 words (exclusive of title)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">3. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">4. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Optional Special Challenge</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">5. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Stories submitted must be your own work, using characters and worlds that you have created. Sorry, no fanfiction.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">6. Include: Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">7. The challenge is open for 24 hours on Tuesday EST</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">8. Only one entry judged per round. If you write/post more than one story, you need to indicate which you would like judged. If you fail to indicate, it will be the first one posted.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">9. Winner judges next round.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Oh, and feel free to <span style="color: magenta;">change</span> <span style="color: yellow;">pronouns</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">punctuation</span>, <span style="color: yellow;">tense</span>, and <span style="color: yellow;">anything in brackets</span> to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">Our Judge today is<span style="color: lime;"> Geoff Holme</span>. Read his tale from last week </span><a href="http://alissaleonard.blogspot.com/2015/07/finish-that-thought-3-1.html?showComment=1436322246741#c7828999149744518799" style="font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-size: large;">! Geoff is semi-retired, insofar as he does not have any paid employment. So he spends far too much time writing flash fiction which he discovered in September 2014. He lives in West Sussex, UK and is reachable on Twitter (<a href="http://twitter.com/@geoffholme" target="_blank">@GeoffHolme</a>)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Your first sentence for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #3-21 is:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"></span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">It was all in [the timing]; something like this was bound to [come out] sooner or later.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: lime;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE from the judge is:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-size: x-large;">Include the names of two or more winners of Academy Award for Best Picture. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /> </span><span style="font-size: large;">AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!</span><br />
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