55 Word Challenge
Week Twenty
Welcome back to the #55WordChallenge. I've got some exciting news for you. Things are changing this week and I think for the better. I am going to start featuring artists and helping to promote their work with this contest. So first up is Elaine Hillson, @tolykit, who has been a participant and winner in past challengers. Elaine has offered up three of her photos and will be acting as judge.
For those that are uninitiated, the 55 Word Challenge is a contest to write a story in 55 words or less. Not an easy task, but fun and I have been blown away by some of the entries. See for yourself, all the past contests can be found here.
The challenge begins at noon Eastern time every Wednesday and ends at noon Thursday. The story is based on one of three photo prompts and can be written in any genre you choose. My only request is no porn. I don't want to hear graphic details. If it is erotic, make it titillating, not obscene. I know that can be done and done well.
The story is to be posted in the comment section below, along with your twitter handle or email address, so I can contact you if you are the winner. If you don't want to list your email address, send it to me at jezri@writing .com. I promise I won't distribute it, but if you are the winner I need a way to notify you and to send you your prize.
And what does the winner get? This purty badge for one. For two, a gift card for $5.00 from Amazon or from Barnes & Noble. (The prize will be rewarded within a week and sent to your email.) Also new, I will be offering a monthly prize to the story I liked the best between the winners. That will be announced at the end of the month who gets this.
If you are an artist that would like to have your work featured, let me know!
Photo Prompt:
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| Ice1 |
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| Forgotten |
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| Time Elaine Hillson is a UK photographer and writer; with haiku published in Blithe Spirit. She trains llamas in her spare time. These photos were used with her permission. Elaine retains the exclusive copyright on her photos. |
Wishes
ReplyDeleteBy Wakefield Mahon
“The yard is full of them, how will you know which one, Sally?”
“I’ll know.”
Timmy shrugged. At the wise old age of eight, his sister knew far more than he. “What do we do?”
“We blow off the seeds and wish really hard.”
“And then daddy will come home?”
“If we do it right.”
55 words
@WakefieldMahon
Wow.
DeleteFaery Tale
ReplyDelete“The faeries came last night. I can tell; the dandelions in the Faery Ring are half blown away.” She puts her wrinkled hand over her mouth and giggles like a child. “They ride the seeds like ponies wherever the wind takes them.”
“Rest now.”
Morning finds her gone; only a seed is left behind.
55 words
@Angelique_Rider
That is, 55 words without title.
DeleteMy Entry isn't eligible, but I wanted to join the fun.
ReplyDeleteThe Ice Queen
“The Ice Queen was here?”
I looked around. A summer breeze swept across a dandelion, sending the seeds soaring, while on the porch the rocker moved gently, the bouquet of flowers forgotten in his worry?
“How can you tell?” I asked.
Tom nodded towards the yard and a sheet of ice. I froze. “Where’s Annie?”
55 words
@jezri1
Title: Growth
ReplyDeleteThe wind was gentle but persistent. Ever so slowly, it worked each of the seeds from the dandelion and carried them away.
Each seed was potential, taken to far places to grow and spread, to live and thrive.
Each seed was like a child grown to adulthood, to blossom as an individual, planted in dreams.
@MLammella
55 Words
Wow - only a genius spells her own name wrong. Oye.
Delete@MLGammella
I did that before. My last name. I'm sure Jeff was impressed.
DeleteHey, I think we've all done it before. At least, that's what I choose to believe...:D
DeleteThe wind picked up, sending a few dandelion seeds across the road and into his mouth. He spit them out, disgusted. As if this couldn’t get any worse?
ReplyDeleteThe people stared from their cars, amused or impatient.
He was a cop. Not a farmer!
“Move, goats!” he yelled, but they just neighed back in protest.
55 words
@rastrohman
It was pointless to bring the flowers. She wasn’t coming. Their rendezvous was supposed to be hours ago.
ReplyDeleteBryant left the orchids on the bench, starved of water, wilting, like his heart.
They were the only thing letting Rachel know he’d been there at all when she got to their spot, twenty minutes too late.
55words
@RGraceAllen
A wish, she thought. Just what I need.
ReplyDeleteSeeing the plump fuzz on top of the lone dandelion in her yard, she plucked it from the ground.
Closing her eyes like she did when she was young, she asked for help. Before all the seeds could fly away, he yanked her back towards the house.
55 words
@michelawalters
Thaddeus Camille Greene, self identified male, had dedicated his life to the sciences. No aspect of the world in action however minute escaped his discerning gaze, save one.
ReplyDeleteHis outward gaze blurred and the realization of age latched into his soul. For the world to lose such genius was unacceptable. One obvious solution presented.
Cloning.
55 words
@DavidALudwig
Oops, and the title is "Time"
DeleteThe fairy Sunshine watched in horror as the humans shot her sister Fauna from the sky, blood hanging in the air, marking where she’d fallen. Icy fury erupted in Sunshine’s heart. The wild magic responded. The temperature plunged. In seconds, a glacier formed, encasing the humans that murdered Fauna. Not one human survived.
ReplyDelete55 words.
@LurchMunster
Undesired Mystery
ReplyDelete“I told you I wasn’t making it up. Now, what do you have to say?”
Bran examined the thick block of ice warily. There was, indeed, a man encased within.
“I’ll tell you the same as before, little brother. If the Council put him there they had good cause for it. Now let’s get home.”
55 words @klingorengi
“For something that can look so pretty, it’s hard to believe it’s a weed.” Rowan turned the dandelion around in her fingers, little white seeds half gone from a strand gust of wind.
ReplyDelete“What?”
She sighed, giving a hard puff of air and watching the remaining ones scatter. “Nothing, Julian. I said nothing at all.”
55 words
@solimond
“Mom, why are you picking those?”
ReplyDeleteMeghan stared at her daughter blankly. “What?”
“People already sent us tons of REAL flowers.”
But Meghan merely clutched the ragged bunch tighter, crushing it against the darkness, against the emptiness, until her naked fingers paled with the effort.
Wrenching thorned wildflowers from the earth hurt less than remembering.
55 words
@postupak
#55WordChallenge is now closed. Thank you everyone for entering.
ReplyDelete