FINISH THAT THOUGHT #30 - RESULTS!

WooHoo! You guys stepped up to the challenge and then some! I had so much fun reading them! Congratulations to everyone! If you missed reading the entries, check them out here. Otherwise, let's see what the judge has to say:

Caitlin (Written Between Covers): I really enjoyed the relationship between the siblings here, there are nice hints of their dynamic throughout this piece that I am sure many of us could relate to. Trevor was a fun main character, being both curious and mischievous. I also loved the ending, with the dog giving him a helping hand to hide the evidence. I hope little Trevor learned his lesson!

 

Rebekah Postupak: I love that Rebekah took a traditional prompt and found a fantasy spin for it. There's a nice sense of back story, with the fairies motivation and subsequent frustrations revealed at a steady pace. I particularly enjoyed some of the imagery, for example "a small mountain of moaning squirrels lay at her feet". The tone was fun throughout. The ending was also pitch perfect, I was glad to see Marina get her comeuppance.

 

Stella: I had to read this one a couple of times to wrap my head around it. I enjoyed the voice of the narrator, there was a great sense of character and some nice flourishes (Are my knickers showing?) A lot of time was spent on incidental details, some of those words could have been focused on background as to why the sky fell, which would have provided a bit more context. I was left feeling like there was more to the story.

 

Christy: The concept for this story was fantastic, with a shadowy organization ensuring everyone's karmic ledger remains balanced. I enjoyed both the examples used to establish the mechanics, they were fun and efficient while giving a great sense of 'a day in the life' of Mariann. There's an awful lot crammed into these 497 words, I could absolutely see this one being expanded into a short story.

 

Karl A Russell: Nice work with the gritty noir tone, I particularly liked the main character and his no nonsense approach to police work. The toy squirrel was well incorporated into the story, unwittingly concealing the central plot device. This one had some interesting twists and kept me guessing, just when I thought things couldn't get worse they did, right up until the dramatic conclusion. I loved the last line too.

Charles W Short (storeroomoftheheart): This was a fun change of perspective, being told from the point of view of an obsessive squirrel. The scene was well established, I could almost hear the Mission Impossible theme tune as the squirrel darted around the church. The ending was also a nice switch up.

 

Shadows of the Divine: I struggled with the opening line, it needed punctuation to better express what the author was getting at. The whole piece was a little jumbled, I felt like there was a lot going on but the main narrator was never established and I wasn't clear on what exactly was happening. There's certainly hints of an interesting story here, but it needed a touch more explanation.

Special Challenge Runner Up: Karl A Russell


Special Challenge Champion: Christy


Runner-Up: Charles W Short


Grand Champion: Rebekah Postupak




These guys certainly made my job difficult this week!

FINISH THAT THOUGHT #30

Welcome back! I've been in a crazy-editing zone recently, so I haven't been posting much else on here. I'm hopeful that by the time this goes live I will have finished my first edit pass of the novel!!! I already know it needs another full edit before I pass it along to my first beta readers, but I'm excited about where it's going and how it's getting better. :) Just a quick update before you all wow me with your stories this week. So get to it!



If you need to read the full version of the rules, go here. Otherwise, here's the short version:

Rules:
1. Up to 500 words
2. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)
3. Start with the given first sentence.
4. Optional Special Challenge
5. Include Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted
6. The challenge is open for 24 hours on Tuesday EST



Oh, and feel free to change pronouns, punctuation, tense, and anything in brackets to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...

Our Judge today is Craig Anderson also known as @TodaysChapter. Check out his blog here. Read his winning tale from last week here!



 Your first sentence for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #30 is:


The squirrel landed with a thud.



 Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE from the judge is:


Incorporate karma in the story.


 AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!

FINISH THAT THOUGHT #29 - RESULTS!

WooHoo! I have the winners! You all made it tough for Eric! If you didn't get a chance to check them all out, go read them here. Otherwise, read on to see what the judge had to say.

Rebekah Postupak: I loved the slow reveal of Sibille’s ghostlike status, and you expressed your indignance at not being able to use dialogue in a creative way that helped drive the character development.

mysoulstears: The dialogue from the gate was great – exactly the kind of babble that someone on the edge would hear from an inanimate object somehow out to destroy his life.

Jackie Castle: Nice twist – it was a well-written horror story that gave me an unexpected ending. It was also a nice idea to have the squeaking gate be a positive instead of a negative.

Jeremy Milburn: I liked the atmosphere of this story a lot, but there were a couple of places that lost me a bit. Near the beginning, I wasn’t sure who Tara and Barb were, and it took me a while to figure out who was the narrator in the story. Also, the transition at the end was a little too sudden for me – maybe a result of the cap on the length of the story. If you had a little more room, this one would have benefited.

Ben Miller: Great job with imagery and telling the story of the caretaker who’d been working a difficult job that still drove him to do well for a very long time. The mystery of who the matriarch was and what they were protecting against left me wanting more.

Michael Simko: A lot of nice images and dark ideas here, but it felt a little cramped and rushed. It wasn’t clear where “here” was or what the everything that happened was. I think that would have given more weight to the images you created.

todayschapter: What a beautiful story of loss and grief. Filled with great details of a life only someone inside the experience would understand.

Special Challenge runner-up: Jackie Castle

 

Special Challenge Champion: Rebekah Postupak

 

Runner-up: Rebekah Postupak

 

 

Grand Champion: todayschapter

 

Thanks, everyone, for writing such enjoyable stories! I look forward to reading more next week.

 

 

 

 

FINISH THAT THOUGHT #29

WooHoo! Another week, another prompt, another opportunity for you to show us what you've got! As always: have fun, good luck, and challenge yourself. Have at you! :)



If you need to read the full version of the rules, go here. Otherwise, here's the short version:

Rules:
1. Up to 500 words
2. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)
3. Start with the given first sentence.
4. Optional Special Challenge
5. Include Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted
6. The challenge is open for 24 hours on Tuesday EST



Oh, and feel free to change pronouns, punctuation, tense, and anything in brackets to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...

Our Judge today is Eric Martell also known as @drmagoo. Check out his blog here. Read his winning tale from last week here!



 Your first sentence for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #29 is:


The gate still squeaked.



 Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE from the judge is:


Tell your story without using dialog.


 AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!

FINISH THAT THOUGHT #28 - RESULTS!

Great job everyone! I truly enjoyed reading your stories this week and was a tad bit surprised (pleasantly) that you took her up on the special challenge of NOT killing all the little furry animals. :) I know that was difficult for so many of you! ;) If you missed any of the stories, go check them out here. Otherwise, let's hear what the judge had to say:

@drmagoo:

You got off to a good start with introducing a rabbit, the fastest way to my heart. I loved that you took the special challenge and made them characters. They had great personalities and were developed well for the small amount of space you had. It was humorous, the dialogue was spot-on, and I enjoyed the surprising ending.

Miranda Gammella:

I love a good time travel story, so I appreciated that aspect of your story. It's the kinda of thing that you think could happen after midnight. And I almost died when I came to the tribbles, well done! However, I would've liked to hear more about the places that your character traveled to or where the sphere came from (maybe making room with less descriptions of the sphere and how the traveling felt), because the story felt almost unfinished without them. 

Jeffrey Hollar:

I started laughing right at the name of the Rodent Confederation (so it was a great start) and I thought the names of your characters were fabulous. I enjoyed reading your story and the idea behind it, but I got a bit lost towards the end when the scouts are running back then the timing suddenly jumped three days ahead. I would've liked to hear what happened in real time, instead of a flashback.

Beth Avery:

I loved your use of the small creatures, and that they didn't die despite the neighbors best advice! I definitely relate to your MC because I would be terrified if I heard something scratching at my window too. And the idea of a raccoon playing with chimes is truly adorable. 

Jeremy Milburn:

I enjoyed the suspense of your story and the surprise ending! Here I was, reading it, expecting the worst (not that being a werewolf is the best outcome), and BAM. I think you did a great job painting a picture in the few words you had to work with, and I liked the casual way you added in the Special Challenge. 

Anonymous, aka, Samantha:

I enjoyed the voice of your MC and how the story was told in pieces of flashbacks. (Minus 5 house points for the Slytherin reference). There were a few odd grammatical problems and tense changes, but I loved the idea of killer fuzzballs in a zoo!

Anonymous, aka, Micheal:

Uhh.... I'm not even sure what to say about this story except I knew immediately that you wrote it! It was all over the place and I was left with many questions, but there is one pure gem hidden in there: "Led by the crazy cat lady and the native healer, society solved their midnight issue by eliminating it." One of the best sentences I have read in a long time. And, obviously, kittens solve everything! But, seriously Tomato Master, some editing could've helped make it readable.

JM MacF:

I loved the fairy tale references and how they related to the prompt. I hadn't even thought of Cinderella when I choose it! But I was sad you only used 381 words when you have 500 to work with, I would've liked to hear more about what happened and how the teacher responded because the ending seemed unfinished. 

Special Challenge Runner-Up:: Jeffrey Hollar:

 

 

Special Challenge Champion:: Samantha

 

Loving the carnivorous fuzzballs and the setting of an intergalactic zoo!

 

 

Runner-up:: Jeremy Milburn

 

 

Grand Champion:: drmagoo

 

It was a very difficult choice, but won based on the strength of the characters individual personalities and amusing dialogue.

FINISH THAT THOUGHT #28

Welcome back! We've got a fun prompt for you today and I'm looking forward to seeing what you all come up with! Dream big and happy writing! :)



If you need to read the full version of the rules, go here. Otherwise, here's the short version:

Rules:
1. Up to 500 words
2. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)
3. Start with the given first sentence.
4. Optional Special Challenge
5. Include Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted
6. The challenge is open for 24 hours on Tuesday EST



Oh, and feel free to change pronouns, punctuation, tense, and anything in brackets to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...

Our Judge today is Rachelle Wood. Read her winning tale from last week here!



 Your first sentence for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #28 is:


Nothing good ever happens after midnight.



 Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE from the judge is:


Incorporate at least three small, furry animals (Please don't kill them)


 AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!

Cold Comes

I actually wrote a flash fiction piece today! It's been too long! The 55 Word Challenge is back from its winter break, so I decided to take a stab at it. FIFTY FIVE?!?!?!? Only 55 words is SO HARD! Let me know what you think! :) Here is the prompt picture I chose:









Cold Comes

I woke with a start. I sniffed. My heart pounded. I threw off the sheet and winced as my feet hit the floorboards.

I dashed to the back door and danced. I watched as ice crystalized the berries growing by the door – releasing their healing properties.

It was time to begin preparations. But first: slippers.

FINISH THAT THOUGHT #27 - RESULTS!

Another week completed! Congratulations everyone! I'm sorry I didn't get this posted yesterday (totally my fault, I didn't get back on the computer in the evening - the judges comments were in my inbox), but I hope the wait is worth it. If you missed the fun, go check out the entries here. Let's see what Jeremy has to say:

These were all great entries! They were entertaining and fun to read. It made the task of choosing between them an unenviable one. First, a few comments before I reveal the winners. 

Erin McCabe: Killer description of the environment in the first paragraph. I liked the characterization of Cain. I could feel his weariness at being in Hell. The idea that he "celebrated" his brother's birthday by punishing himself with misery over his actions is a solid one, and keeping within the character you set for him. Special Challenge: While you made the Hell setting come alive, the mention of Aphrodite didn't really fit for me. It felt like any name could of been placed there with same outcome.

drmagoo: Like where you took the sentence prompt; a literal dial on the back of an android wife that she could adjust. The setup before Roht came home built up the tension as to what might happen, and I chuckled when she realized he had a bad day, and again when she realized he had done something stupid. Great last line. Special Challenge: I see what you did there, but for the life of me couldn't connect the second part of the challenge (mythological realm).

Rachelle Wood: The way you presented Cupid made me picture as an old-time private eye (or other descriptor as this case seems to warrant). The contrast between the god and setting is inspired. His world-weary reaction to the angry almost bride really brought his character to the fore. Her revenge and his reaction fit both characters you presented so well. Special Challenge: First part was easy, but the second part I couldn't find. 

Michelle: This one had me chuckling, from the idea of a Hindu Goddess in a Mormon church to the sister too big to curl in fetal position while hiding. That she referenced Peter Pan to save them from the wrath was both brilliant and hilarious. I don't think I'd mention the episode to anyone either. Special Challenge: Both requirements came through clearly and served as integral parts of the story.

Special Challenge Runner-Up: Erin McCabe

This story fulfilled both requirements, but the use of the deity from a different mythology wasn't as integral to the story as the winner.

Special Challenge Champion: Michelle

She weaved the challenge requirements into her story in such a way that they were integral parts of the storyline. Plus, bonus for referencing Neverland!

Runner-up: Erin McCabe

I love the characterization of Cain in Hell. The choice between the top two came down to small errors that pulled me out of reading, and this one had more of those.

Grand Champion: Rachelle Wood

Both characters were developed well within the limits of the word count. The contrast between the mythology and the setting worked to the story's advantage, and I'm left wondering exactly what that wrath will look like.

Congratulations to the winners! Thank you all for taking part.

FINISH THAT THOUGHT #27

Happy New Year! I hope January has gone well so far for you! I've been editing my novel at a CRAZY pace, so that's good. Hopefully you've set some goals for the year and things are going well. I have to get back to editing (this novel will be ready to submit, hopefully, by summer - if not sooner), so go check out the prompt and write me a story! (or, well, write Jeremy a story...)



If you need to read the full version of the rules, go here. Otherwise, here's the short version:

Rules:
1. Up to 500 words
2. Keep it clean (nothing rated R or above)
3. Start with the given first sentence.
4. Optional Special Challenge
5. Include Twitter/email, word count, Special Challenge accepted
6. The challenge is open for 24 hours on Tuesday EST



Oh, and feel free to change pronouns, punctuation, tense, and anything in brackets to fit the story/pov/tone. I'm not going to be TOO picky... Our judge however...

Our Judge today is Jeremy Milburn. Check out his blog here. Read his winning tale from last week here!

 Your first sentence for FINISH THAT THOUGHT #27 is:


Hatred burned inside her with the fiery passion of a thousand suns.



 Your SPECIAL CHALLENGE from the judge is:


Incorporate a mythological deity (any culture) and a mythological realm (different culture than the deity)


 AAAAAAAND WE'RE OFF!!!

FINISH THAT THOUGHT #26 - RESULTS!

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



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

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

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

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

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

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


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



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


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



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



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


Festive Challenge Champion: Erin McCabe