Challenge will open Monday November 17 and run through until Saturday January 10 midnight your time.
‘Tis the season for giving and receiving and here’s the perfect place to start. Writers can give of their talent and readers can give of their praise and both will receive a literary feast for whatever holiday you are celebrating.
Writers: Pick one of our story snippets from the samples below and make sure to read all the rules carefully before starting to write.
Readers: Make sure to store up on hot chocolate and ginger snaps (or whatever your holiday snack might consist of) and be prepared to be swept away in this season of reading!
Title, quote and snippet come as a package. To begin, pick the package that sparks your creative flame. You must keep the title of the package you have chosen. The quote must be entered at the top of your first post. It can serve as a general source of inspiration for the entire story. The snippet may appear anywhere in your story EXCEPT AT THE BEGINNING. This is not a story starter. Please choose a green font for the snippet when it does appear in your story. (Please note: If you choose to write a missing scene from Silent Night you do not need to select a package.)
Remember Love
One of the special joys of December is telling others we care and remember love.
She didn't want to remember love -- not that one anyway because if she did the hurt would start all over again and she just couldn't bear that. It had taken her years to heal, her heart crusted over with scars that threatened to burst into fresh wounds every day. No. Best not go there. Not today. Not any day. With a decisive nod of her head, she carefully placed the lid back on the box and moved towards the stairs, back to the attic, under the eaves. Let it be immersed in dust and cobwebs again. Let it be forgotten -- just like he had forgotten her heart.
Winter Bites
Winter either bites with its teeth or lashes with its tail. (Proverb)
Sharp pinpricks of ice bit into his face and coated his eyelashes until he could barely see. Risking a quick swipe across his eyes, he cursed when the snowmobile swerved on the ice encrusted snow. Blinking furiously to try to clear his sight, the struggle to regain his control over the vehicle was met with mechanical resistance. His attempt to correct turned into a fishtail and in seconds he was spinning out of control. Metal ground against wood and he felt the impact reverberating through every nerve in his body with a sickening finality.
One Kind Word
One kind word can warm three winter months. (Japanese Proverb)
No matter what contortion she struck, she simply couldn’t get a glimpse of her watch. Packages and parcels, grocery bags and the little box of divine fudge she just hadn’t been able to resist and had already consumed half of got in her way, obscuring her vision and wearing her down. Patience had been lost an hour ago, her joy of all things seasonal long before that and if she heard one more jingling bell she’d…
“Steady there. Looks like you could use some help.”
The voice was male, the kind tone her undoing. She dropped everything and promptly burst into tears.
Warm memories
Winter must be cold with no warm memories (An Affair to Remember)
He hated the darkness of winter. Hated getting up in the dark and coming home in the dark and dealing with all that is dark in the hours in between. The season hadn’t even begun but he was growing more and more morose as each day passed.
Laughter
Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face. (Victor Hugo)
“It is not!”
“Is too.”
“Not.”
“Look, I’m not going to argue with you – you’re all of five, right?”
Golden curls bounced as she nodded her affirmation while counting on her stubby fingers. “Five!”
“Yeah, well I’m ten,” her brother drew himself up to his full height, bouncing on the balls of his feet to make it seem that he was even taller. “That’s twice as old as you are and I’m telling you that this…” he dangled up the bag of miniature marshmallows, “…is snowman poop.” He paused for effect, long enough for the cherubically bowed mouth to start trembling. If he had his calculations right – and he usually did – he had all of about a minute to drive his message home. “I’m your big brother…I wouldn’t lie to you, would I?”
She frowned doubtfully, her eyes swimming in a pool of tears and for a split second he felt a pang of guilt. Luckily it vanished as quickly as it had come. “You want proof? Okay – how about this? Ever see Mom and Dad put these things in their hot chocolate?”
She shook her head vehemently as her thumb popped into her mouth.
“That’s because they know better than to ingest snowman poop.”
“They thaid it was too thweet…like me,” she whispered around her thumb and then started sucking vigorously, eyes wide.
“Yeah, well…” he smirked with the air of the know-it-all he liked to think he was. “We ever have them in the house in the summer?” He didn’t wait for her reply. “Nope. Not in the spring and not in the fall either. We get real marshmallows then. That’s because there aren’t any snowmen around so…” he opened the bag and shook a generous portion into her hot chocolate, “…the only time you can get snowman poop is in the winter. Enjoy!” He tossed the bag on the kitchen table and sauntered away whistling, plugging his ears as he headed down the hall.
“Mooommmmmeeeee!”
THE RULES
*You may enter this Challenge multiple times, though, as always, we are striving for quality not quantity. You must use a different package for each entry and you must finish one story before starting another. Also stand-alones only please -- no sequels.
*All stories must include at least one character from either Sue Thomas F.B. Eye or Murdoch Mysteries.
*Please do not post your story elsewhere until the challenge has been completed and the winners announced.
* Please enter your word count at the end of your story. You do not have to count the quote or snippet provided in your final word count.
As usual we ask that you begin your story by:
Select New Topic
In the title area please include the title of the package you have chosen and your name :
Remember Love – kav
In the description area please include your rating:
PG17
VOTING CATEGORIES:
NEWBest First Person Point of View (chosen snippet may be adjusted to first person for this category)
Best Short Short (1000 words or less)
Best Short Story (under 7000 words)
Best Full-Length Story (7000+ words)
NEW Best Missing Scene (from the Silent Night episode only) Please title your Missing Scene "Silent Night".
Best Drama
Best Comedy
Best Romance (J/S and other...categories added as needed)
Best Original Character
Best Novice Writer (has not entered a challenge more than once before)
NEWBest Use of a Seasonal Theme
Exemplary Body of Work (authors who have entered more than one story)
Highlighted scenes:
NEWBest First Kiss
Most Romantic scene
NEWMost Suspenseful scene
NEWMost Inspirational scene