Contests Week: Monday Results

[Nick]

As promised, this week we will be revealing the results of last week's Contests Week challenges.

Monday's challenge was to write a story in exactly 100 words including three essential words (envelope, jocular, precursor).

We received over 50 entries to this contest, and the overall standard was amazingly high (so much so that the judging took a lot longer than anticipated). There can only be one winner, however, so I am delighted to reveal that this was Grognoth, with the following entry:

The Fear of All Mothers Whose Sons Went to War by Grognoth

The news was bad; the fleet had come under attack at night. Philip’s ship had been torpedoed. Few men survived, many were unaccounted for.

Having read the naval letter, Sally believed it was a precursor for worse to come. “Missing in action; presumed dead.” No words of comfort, just the official cold line.

Sally waited before nervously picking up the beige envelope. An hour and three cups of tea later, she opened it.

“Dear Mum, in hospital and in jocular mood, though don’t know why; so many friends gone. Love you.”

Sally returned the paper to the envelope and cried.

I will be in touch with Grognoth to arrange delivery of his prize, a copy of WCCL's Novel in a Month.

There were two runners-up in this contest, both of whom came within a single vote of the winner. Both Annvh and kk should consider themselves Highly Commended, therefore. I'm sorry there was only one prize in this contest! Here are their entries:

Never Again by Annvh

Jenny's eyelids remained defiantly shut, ignoring the insistent beep of her alarm clock. As she eased one arm from beneath her duvet to tap the snooze button, her hand brushed against a package lying on the pillow next to her. Consciousness surfaced with jagged shafts of light flickering at the edge of her vision; the precursor of a blinding migraine; and images of last night's excesses forced her eyes wide open.

"Well, open the envelope," a teasing, jocular voice called from the doorway. "It'll help you remember."

Photos, of bits she didn't know she had.

"Call it a hangover cure."

Kids Rule! by kk

We met at Fenway Park, huge fans of the Red Sox, never missing a game; a precursor to falling in love. We married; had babies. Life together was perfect; agreeing on everything - where we lived; children; life was good.

Finding that envelope with the photo of him and Marybeth – together – like that – it nearly killed me. Nothing could have prepared me. Devastated, I confronted him one fateful day.

“What’s this?” I demanded, presenting the photo of little Marybeth; Yankees cap ruining her toddler’s jocular innocence.

"Well," he replied, "I couldn’t resist"; “As she says, 'Yankees rule, Red Sox drool.'"

Congratulations again to our winner and runners-up, and thank you to everyone else who entered. For those who are interested, I have attached a separate Word file including all the entries. The entries are listed anonymously, but feel free to identify yourself if you wish!

The results of Tuesday's challenge will be published here tomorrow.

Nick 

[ma100]

Congratulations Grognorth and everybody else that entered. Well done.
Ma

[winniethepooh4102]

Thank you very much for not posting the names of the authors,
because my story was real, only the text was not on the envelope,
but on the postcard itself.
Congratulations for the winners.

[fire-fly]

Congratulations Grognorth, that story was a corker. 

All the stories were amazing guys, you should all be very proud of your efforts and thanks so much for supporting the contests, they have been fun. 

[nswperson]

Congratulations Grognorth.

I enjoyed your story.

[midnight candle]

i didn't enter but well done to all who did. you're all winners to me

[iCeFaiRy]

Congratulations to Grognorth! Also to Annvh and kk... Nice stories, enjoyable to read. You all deserve to win   Well done!

(The contest was really fun!)

G  

[thatollie]

Congrats Grognoth, and good try to all the others.

[Xerika]

Congratulations, Grognoth. I look forward to reading your new novel exactly one month from today. 

[vulcan]

Congrats to all winners. Indeed the standard of short writing entries are high.

[Country4Gal]

Well done Grognoth, you put a lot of emotion and story into very few words.

The same can be said for all the rest of you that entered. You made the voting difficult; read and reread trying to pick the the best of so many.
 

[DGSquared]

Fifty entries! That is awesome.  Funny how many come out to play when there are tangible gifts to win.

Well done Grognoth! How crafty of you to reach beyond the story in so few words and manage to touch such a wide range of our emotions. Many of us have been there and for some the letter was much different. I was relieved to see a happy ending this time. Hooked, crooked, and shook in 150-words or less.

Congratulations on your upcoming book release!  If you will share the details, I am interested.

Kudos to Annvh and kk as well.
 
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I quite enjoyed this contest, Nick. Thank you. Thanks to all of our talented and good humored volunteers, the Moderators, for your hard work and efforts.    I am not kissing up here.  I really mean it.   Running a forum with so many varied, artistic personalities, egos, and the occasional troll takes considerable tact and patience. To judge all of the submissions on top of that shows dedication (or insanity ), for MWC and everyone here.

I imagine it was quite difficult to be a judge in these contests. It would have been for me. I am curious.  How many total voters in all and how many votes allotted to each for this competition?

[Country4Gal]

I am curious.  How many total voters in all and how many votes allotted to each for this competition?

We have eight Mods., plus Nick and Karl. 

The votes alloted for each competition varied, partly depending on the number of submissions. But over the weeks time, we had from two to five votes per Mod.  The one time we had five votes each was for the Haiku - just wait until you see that one. 

[Spell Chick]

Congratulations. There were so many great entries.

Patti

[Mark.]

Well done Grognorth.

Mark