#55WordChallenge Frozen Week One 2018

#55WordChallenge is back!

Woo hoo!

Only we aren't doing it as a weekly contest this time. Instead, I will post the pictures sometime on Sundays and leave them there all week.  You just pick the picture or pictures you like and write your story. Just remember, only 55 words. Please post your story in the comments, along with a link to your blog so that people can find you and read more stuff. If you want, you can post the story on your blog and link back here so your readers can find us. If you do that, please at least post a teaser of your story here, along with the link to the rest of the story, or you can post both here and there.  The writing week will end when I post new pictures the following Sunday.


Now for the rules. There are none. Write whatever genre you wish, just have fun.  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. 

So to recap, not a contest. There will be no prizes, no badges, no judging. Just lots and lots of fun and inspiration. Feel free to encourage each other and if you post a story, stop by and read those posted by others.

Now here are the pictures. Since it is so cold out, I decided to go with a theme.

FROZEN

Pictures come fro Publicdomainpictures.net, courtesy of Alex Borland, David Wagner, and Ken Kistler.

#55WordChallenge 11/17/2015

The consensus from my question last week seems to be that a little more time would be appreciated, so the new timeframe is listed below. Thank you everyone that sent me an answer.

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, past contests can be found here. The challenge begins at noon Eastern time every Wednesday, (unless like today, I am late, sorry) and ends at noon Friday.  I will try to have winners posted sometime on Sunday, but if I need to take some extra time, like if there are a lot of stories and they are all as excellent as they were this past week, I will post as soon after as possible-.  The story is based on one of three photo prompts. 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. 

Entries are to be posted in the comment section. I used to allow to post in your own blog, but that made it difficult for me, having to jump from blog to blog. You can post here, and also on your blog. Please provide a link on your blog, if you do, so people can find the other stories. Let's help give our fellow writers, exposure. Or you can link your blog in the comment section, along with your story, so someone can follow back. 

There are 3, a Winners badge, an Honorable Mention and an Overachiever badge. To be eligible for the Overachiever Badge, you need to use all 3 prompts. 


 And here we go... All photos come from publicdomainpictures.net, courtesy of Linnaea Mallette, Circe Denyer, and Alex Borland.

#55Challenge Winners from 11/10/2015

Winner and Overachiever:



@AdamIckes

I loved this! So much in a small package, and you worked in all the prompts so well. I don't normally give both the winner and overachiever to the same person, but this time I don't feel I could have done it any other way,



It Never Shuts Up

She placed the infant in the broken box and closed the top. Even through the lid she heard it wailing. Why did the bloody thing have to cry so damn much? She had to escape the crying. She needed silence. She locked the box and pushed it off the dock—watched it until it sank.

55 words




Honorable Mention:

 @Emyrldlady

Water Dreams Very  vivid.


As the sun sets, in the quiet time before the fishermen return with their boats, I listen to the lapping of the waves along the old wooden dock as the water speaks to me of far off places. And I sigh and turn from my dreams as the squawk of birds announce my captors return.



Honorable Mention

@tilley_girl

I liked this, though I think I would have liked a little bit more. I'm not sure if she was going for a swim, or if she was at peace for a different reason.


Peace

The water was calm, serene, dappled with late evening light. A small smile curved her lips. The lake matched her inner being. The decision made, she slipped into the cool depths, her long tresses fanning out around her head a moment, catching the last glint of the sun, before trailing her down below the surface.

Congratulations everyone!

#55WordChallenge 11/10/2015

Before we begin, I have a question: I didn't close the contest out and announced the winners late, because I was busy from Friday on, with family things. Is it easier if I do keep it open longer, and announce the winners. Tuesday morning? Let me know what you think.

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, past contests can be found here. The challenge begins at noon Eastern time every Wednesday and ends at noon Thursday. (Yes, I have shortened it, but I think this takes it back to the original time frame, when #55WordChallenge first began.) Winners will be posted Friday.  The story is based on one of three photo prompts. 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. 

Entries are to be posted in the comment section. I used to allow to post in your own blog, but that made it difficult for me, having to jump from blog to blog. You can post here, and also on your blog. Please provide a link on your blog, if you do, so people can find the other stories. Let's help give our fellow writers, exposure. Or you can link your blog in the comment section, along with your story, so someone can follow back. 

There are 3, a Winners badge, an Honorable Mention and an Overachiever badge. To be eligible for the Overachiever Badge, you need to use all 3 prompts. 


 And here we go... All photos come from publicdomainpictures.net
and were contributed by Vera Kratochvil and Anna Langova.

Winners 10/06/2015

Ok, I am late, but in all fairness these were some good stories and not to be decided on quickly. So without any further ado ...


Winner:

Martha BechtelNovember 4, 2015 at 6:32 PM 

I loved the theme. Beautifully written.

He’d joked, as they looked up at the stars and pledged their undying love, that if there was life after death he’d find a way to show her. Sentimental foolishness, she’d thought— until she’d laid him beside the others, beneath the evergreens that feasted on her harvest of lost souls.

Now the handprints were everywhere.

55 words
@MarthaBechtel


Overachiever:

M.T. DeckerNovember 5, 2015 at 8:13 AM

 

Ghosts Great writing that incorporates all 3 prompts. I want him to turn around and find out what might be back there.

Always one step behind, I see hints of her passing. The pad of bare feet behind me tells me she is there, and I see her hand print in my life’s work I can’t look back.
If I were to turn around I’m afraid of what I might see, or worse, what I would not.

@mishmhem
55 words
#Flashdogs


Honorable Mention:
Maureen/EmyrldladyNovember 5, 2015 at 12:12 PM

How we love our rituals. Great use of the prompts!

 

It's a ritual, a superstition. Athletes always believe in that sort of thing.

He zigzagged bare footed along the path leading to the stadium, his hands touching the walls leaving prints in the cool dampness.

"Victory, triumph, win, power, strength." He murmured, a mantra repeating with as much faith and a nun with a rosary.

@emyrldlady
#55 word challenge

#55WordChallenge 11/04/15

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, past contests can be found here. The challenge begins at noon Eastern time every Wednesday and ends at noon Thursday. (Yes, I have shortened it, but I think this takes it back to the original time frame, when #55WordChallenge first began.) Winners will be posted Friday.  The story is based on one of three photo prompts. 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. 

Entries are to be posted in the comment section. I used to allow to post in your own blog, but that made it difficult for me, having to jump from blog to blog. You can post here, and also on your blog. Please provide a link on your blog, if you do, so people can find the other stories. Let's help give our fellow writers, exposure. Or you can link your blog in the comment section, along with your story, so someone can follow back. 
There are 3, a Winners badge, an Honorable Mention and an Overachiever badge. To be eligible for the Overachiever Badge, you need to use all 3 prompts. I realized last week that the badges all had 2014 on them, so I've taken them down to update. And here we go...

 

#55WordChallenge Winners 10/21

Only 3 entries, so everyone wins a badge ... speaking of which, I know I said I was going to have new badges, well, I asked my daughter to make me some. She didn't. Jeff says he likes the badges as is and I am uncreative in the artistic department, so we are sticking with the old badges. So here we go ...

 

 

Winner: @PurpleQueenNL Perfect descriptions. Puts me in mind of the times I've been home alone and heard something that sounded like someone in the house

 

She turned over the card, shivering in the candle light as Death stared up at her. But whether it portended an actual Death or a transformation depended on the next card. She flipped it over with trembling hand to reveal the Falling Tower. Her stomach sank as the back door rattled and candle blew out.

55 Words
@PurpleQueenNL

 

 

Honorable Mention: @KJCollard Gave me a chuckle. I was a witch every year when I was a kid.

 

*riiiing*

"Hello?"

"Hi Death."

"Oh. Hey Nana."

"I need to know how you're dressing for Trick or Treating this year."

"Oh. Probably just a skeleton."

"But Death, you've already done that four years in a row. I need a new picture for the hallway."

"Ugh. Fine Nana. A witch, then."

"Splendid!"

"Bye Nana."

*click*


54 words
All three prompts used

 

 

OVERACHIEVER: Voinks  I guess they should have just left him alone. I know I wouldn't want to be knocking at Death's door.

 

‘Trick or Treat?’

Every year the kids get more annoying.
Even the genuine dangling skeletons hadn’t frightened them off.

‘LEAVE ME IN PEACE.’

‘Aw, come on Mr D’eath. It’s Halloween, only a bit of fun.’

‘Go away, you’re too young.’

They wouldn’t listen. I had to invite them in.

49 words. All three prompts used.
www.Voinks.wordpress.com

 

Grab your badges in the sidebar. You earned them.  :) See you all next week.