WEP…Write…Edit…Publish – REUNIONS - WINNERS for August 2017

Hello folks!

What a wonderfully extending challenge. The entries were outstanding as always and quite varied because REUNIONS can be approached many ways.  However, there's been some discussion that this challenge raised the bar. I loved that there was some poetry, but as always, the flash fiction dominated. I've read through the entries three times, but it didn't make it any easier to achieve consensus. Finally, Yolanda and I came up with our top three! 

Kudos to Olga Godim, our badge designer, and Nilanjana Bose, our prompt guru!  REUNIONS was one of our most inspiring challenges so far.

I'm about to announce the winners, but I must say, there were more contenders this time than at any other time. In the end, it comes down to who strikes the loudest chord with us as readers -- choosing is so subjective! As always, we take into account the collegiality of the participants. Reading and commenting on each other's posts is crucial to the success of WEP and we're delighted that many of you took the time to do just that. 

In our discussions, Julie Flanders's, The Last Reunion made the short list, as did Pat Garcia's poignant poem, Are You Still a Dreamer? J Lenni Dorner's flash on the miserable life of an outsider, Stew, came under close scrutiny.

But there was so much more -- Donna B McNichol, a first timer at WEP, summed up the decades and her personal growth in her class reunion recount. Lisa Wilton charmed us when she pulled a rabbit out of a hat, and Laura broke outside the box and tried poetry for the first time in many years...then there was Roland's and D.G. Hudson's, Deborah Drucker's, L.G. Keltner's list, Pat Hatt's inclusion of his second WEP entry on Rhyme Time, Christopher Scott, Nancy and Donna's last minute entries. Phew! So  many good reads. 

We love that Pat Hatt gave WEP a heads up for inspiring his latest book, based on a WEP entry. This happens more than you may think. Sometimes a commenter gives us an idea...and away we go...

To quote Pat:  I may as well boast. Thanks to WEP back in April giving me the idea and a few egging me on, I have finished another novel [to add to his 100+) at my sea. Delivered all sprang from the WEP. Goes to show what can happen from 1000 words or less.

Let's not forget our wonderful team members -- Olga and Nila, with their excellent entries, but our policy at WEP is that none of the team are in the running for a prize, sadly at times.

So, without further procrastination, I announce...

THE WINNER OF THE

2017 WEP AUGUST CHALLENGE

REUNIONS

is

SCREAM! GURGLE! RUN!

PAT HATT

PASSIONATE NIGHTS – This flash grabbed us by the throat and didn't let go. A completely scary, deep, dark flash where horror came out to play. Certainly a REUNION with a difference. Well done, Pat, in exploring new depths. Now I tremble to see what you come up with for Halloween!

Congratulations Pat!

Please, accept the winner’s badge and display on your blog with a link to your story.

An Amazon Gift Card of $10 will be winging your way shortly.

THE RUNNER UP OF THE

2017 WEP APRIL REUNIONS CHALLENGE

IS

C. LEE MCKENZIE

LISA'S QUILT - a beautifully resonant tale, replete with wonderful imagery, of  a special quilt, magick between sisters, wonderfully united, then...bam! A cliffhanger! Another book C. Lee?

Congratulations C. Lee!

Please accept the Runner Up Badge

And display on your blog with a link to
Lisa's Quilt.

THE ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD FOR THE

2017 WEP AUGUST REUNIONS CHALLENGE GOES TO

HILARY MELTON-BUTCHER

Historian Hilary delighted us with a very special REUNION inspired by "The Reunion" sculpture...who can forget the poignant "kneel on...kneel on..."

Congratulations, Hilary. Please accept the badge and display it on your blog with a link to
REUNIONS

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WINNERS

Thanks, everyone, for joining us in AUGUST. We love each and every one of you. Can't wait for the next challenge in OCTOBER, DARK PLACES...ooooooo!

It’s Halloween. Physical or psychological or just plain dark. This prompt has any number of possibilities! Let your imagination run riot! Scare us! Ghosts? Vampires? Creatures of the night? Innocents in peril? Make us beg for more. We look forward to this challenge every year.  If you're posting to another Halloween challenge, please include WEP to your entry, let your amazing words do double or triple service.

Go to our Challenges Page above to read more on this prompt and the final prompt for the year.

Be sure to return for the winner’s guest post!
 Coming soon. I for one want to know where Pat Hatt got his inspiration! 

We'd love if you'd Tweet one of these:

The #WEPFF REUNIONS Challenge Winners announced! @DeniseCCovey & @YolandaRenee #amwriting #flashfiction https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/wepwriteeditpublish-reunions-winners.html

Celebrate with Pat Hatt 1st place winner #WEPFF REUNIONS August Flash Fiction challenge #amwriting https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/wepwriteeditpublish-reunions-winners.html

#WEPFF August Reunions Challenge winners-amazing writers! @DeniseCCovey & @YolandaRenee https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/wepwriteeditpublish-reunions-winners.html #amwriting #flashfiction

***
YOUR WEP TEAM!
Denise, Yolanda, Olga, Nilanjana

August #Write...Edit...Publish challenge -- REUNIONS

Welcome to the Write…Edit…Publish August 2017 Challenge 

REUNIONS

Families separated by a multitude of reasons-- ill feelings, separation at birth, kidnapping -- many reasons for such, or a holiday reunion lends itself to a fantasy reunion that can be heartbreaking for its reality. A class reunion can be terrifying for anyone! Whoa, so many possibilities here!

This is a prompt where we expect to have our heartstrings tugged in some way. So many possibilities as suggested above. I'm sure you can come up with many more.

What will you share for REUNIONS? 

We can't wait to start reading!

Early posts appreciated. Denise is off on another overseas jaunt early September so it'd be great to be able to do some reading/judging/awarding before she goes!!!

We'd love if you'd Tweet one/all of these:

A #WEPFF REUNIONS Challenge, how will this prompt inspire your muse?  @YolandaRenee @DeniseCCovey https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/august-writeeditpublish-challenge.html

Join us for a new #WEPFF August Flash Fiction challenge - REUNIONS - Did you attend your class reunion? #amwriting https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/august-writeeditpublish-challenge.html

#WEPFF June Challenge REUNIONS a poem, FF, a photograph OR? @DeniseCCovey @YolandaRenee #amwriting #flashfiction https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2017/08/august-writeeditpublish-challenge.html  

And please share the link on your blog:

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Brought to you by the team:

Denise – Renée – Nilanjana – Olga

#WEPFF WRITE…EDIT…PUBLISH… BRIDGES WINNER DEBORAH DRUCKER ON BECOMING A WRITER

We are thrilled to have Deborah Drucker, the winner of the WEP June Challenge - BRIDGES - 

here to discuss her writing journey. Her winning piece is titled

THE FINAL TRANSITION.

Congratulations, Deborah!

Have I become a writer?

I definitely did not always aspire to be or think of myself as a writer. I have spent most of my life being other things.

Going through a recent life transition, I started to read what others were writing about. I felt like I was crossing over into unknown territory and needed some guides. One of the websites I found was open to submissions to post on their site. I submitted a post and was published. Another well known writer accepted a guest post from me.

Jeune femme lisant dans un jardin by Henri Lebasque via Wikimedia

This was very exciting.

Would this be the new direction?

I started my own blog. Visions of being an overnight success swirled through my head. You would think it would be nothing but up from then on. It has taken longer than I expected. I do have a following but haven't gone viral yet. :D  I decided to blog about what interests me and feel strongly about.  Gathering a blog following is very time consuming and takes away from other interests. I need a lot of open space to reflect and down time to write.

I discovered I could write Flash Fiction and was encouraged when some of the pieces were well received by other writers. It was a challenge to write a story in 100 words or so. I learned that it is possible and it has shown me how you can trim your writing down to the bone. Some of my stories are completely imaginary while others have some basis in issues I care about.

I went through several of my flash fiction stories with a 100-word limit and picked this one which is kind of fun. I wrote this for the Friday Fictioneers hosted by Rachel Wisoff-Fields.

This image provided by Connie Gayer was the prompt. My story was inspired by a piece in the LA Times about the mudslides after the rain:

Copyright Connie Gayer

Disturb At Your Own Risk

The wild fires had prepared the site, El Nino rains brought the mudslides, and the hillsides gave up some of their secrets. Two skulls and a femur were found by some mountain hikers. The police said they would open their missing persons' files.

The call came in to the Sheriff’s Station on a quiet Sunday morning.

Another hiker had spotted something. The deputy dispatched to the scene called it in, I think this is a job for Animal Control. Yeah, it looks like a tentacle. Wait a minute, it’s moving!  The dispatcher heard a muffled scream and then nothing.

***

 I feel that now I am moving into another phase of my development as a writer and wanting to progress into longer pieces. I need more of a challenge than writing short Flash Fiction and blogging. Who knows if this will lead to anything, but I would like to find out.

I want to be brave, and I want to enjoy writing. I have come to realize that you can write about anything, even small everyday things. The secret for me is that the topic has to inspire me.

***

Thank you, Deborah, loved the post.

What about you, readers and writers, 

does the topic have to inspire you?

***

We'd love if you'd Tweet one/all of these:

The #WEPFF BRIDGES Challenge Winner Guest Post with Deborah Drucker! @DeniseCCovey & @YolandaRenee https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2017/07/wepff-writeeditpublish-bridges-winner.html

Celebrate with Deborah 1st place winner #WEPFF BRIDGES June Flash Fiction challenge #amwriting https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2017/07/wepff-writeeditpublish-bridges-winner.html

#WEPFF June Challenge winner discusses her writing journey @DeniseCCovey & @YolandaRenee https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2017/07/wepff-writeeditpublish-bridges-winner.html  #amwriting #flashfiction

Please click the social media buttons to share this post!

And don't forget AUGUST is the
REUNIONS CHALLENGE

To help you with some ideas:

Families separated by a multitude of reasons-- ill feelings, separation at birth, kidnapping -- many reasons for such, or a holiday reunion lends itself to a fantasy reunion that can be heartbreaking for its reality.

Happy Writing!

YOUR WEP TEAM!

#WEPFF Write…Edit…Publish – BRIDGES Winners for June 2017

            This prompt brought a varied selection of entries but each one was a pleasant surprise and a joy to read. Thank you to all the participants for tackling the challenge and making it one of the most inspiring for the year. I know, we say that after every challenge, but it’s the truth, each challenge brings a new inspiration, a new discovery, and sometimes a whole new direction to my own writing. I hope you achieve the same dynamic with your writing.

THE WINNER

WEP BRIDGES 2017 CHALLENGE

IS

DEBORAH DRUCKER

FOR

THE FINAL TRANSITION

Congratulations Deborah

In The Final Transition, Sarah discovers that a bridge could be a gateway to a new existence.

Deborah, please, accept the winner’s badge and display on your blog with a link to

The Final Transition!

An Amazon Gift Card of $10 will be winging your way shortly.

THE RUNNER UP

WEP BRIDGES 2017 CHALLENGE

IS

PAT GARCIA

FOR

THE BRIDGE OF HOPE

Congratulations Pat!

In The Bridge of Hope, a woman chooses not to cross a bridge of callousness instead she reclaims her soul.

Pat, please accept the Runner Up Badge

And display on your blog with a link to
The Bridge of Hope!

THE ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD

WEP BRIDGES 2017 CHALLENGE

GOES TO

MICHAEL DI GESU

FOR

INVISIBLE BRIDGES

Congratulations, Michael.

Invisible Bridges reminds us all that the journey is ever changing and faith is a huge factor.

Michael, please accept the badge and display it on your blog with a link to
Invisible Bridges.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL WINNERS!

Picking only three is near impossible when so many of the entries were magnificent left us with a list of honorable mentions!

Delorah’s - Aaron

LG Keltner’s – The Bridge to Home

J Lenni Dorner’s – Double Poem

Olga Godim’s – Golden Fish

and on and on!

Thank you, everyone, for an amazing challenge!

And thanks again to Nilanjana for the excellent prompt and Olga Godim for the prompt badge and the winners' badges. 

Now let's start that muse working on the

August Challenge!

REUNIONS

Families separated by a multitude of reasons-- ill feelings, separation at birth, kidnapping -- many reasons for such, or a holiday reunion lends itself to a fantasy reunion that can be heartbreaking for its reality.

Happy Writing!

We'd love if you'd Tweet one of these:

The #WEPFF BRIDGES Challenge Winners announced. @DeniseCCovey & @YolandaRenee http://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2017/06/wepff-writeeditpublish-bridges-winners.html

Celebrate with Deborah Drucker first place winner #WEPFF BRIDGES June Challenge @DeniseCCovey & @YolandaRenee http://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2017/06/wepff-writeeditpublish-bridges-winners.html

These #WEPFF entries are a magnificent collection of inspiration! @DeniseCCovey & @YolandaRenee http://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2017/06/wepff-writeeditpublish-bridges-winners.html

Please click the social media buttons to share this post!

From Denise, Yolanda, Olga and Nilanjana!

See you again soon!!

Write...Edit...Publish - June Challenge - BRIDGES

Welcome to the Write…Edit…Publish June 2017 Challenge

BRIDGES

This is one prompt that can take you anywhere – just follow your imagination – maybe you’ll even come to a very unique bridge during your journey. Is it guarded by trolls, or tolls? Does it provide a journey to another dimension or complete understanding / truth!

Water under the bridge? Or maybe a setting, or an overture after a breach, or just the word inserted somewhere into your writing/images.

Thoughts: 

Literally--

Prisoners of war building a bridge, thinking of loved ones, inspiration to survive...movies: Bridge over the River Kwai, The Railwayman. Novels: The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan, the Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller...

Explorers building a bridge to an unexplored site…

Engineers building a bridge that collapses...

Metaphorically--

Building bridges after a feud

Water under the bridge--let bygones be bygones

If you’re still looking for inspiration read our last winners' guest post. Dolorah on Bridges

_____ _____

Use this link to post the Linky list on your blog!

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We'd love if you'd Tweet one/all of these:

A #WEPFF BRIDGES Challenge, Where will this prompt take you?  @YolandaRenee @DeniseCCovey http://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2017/03/wep-april-challenge-peace-and-love-to.html

Celebrate with Dolorah 1st place winner #WEPFF PEACE AND LOVE April Flash Fiction challenge #amwriting http://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2017/06/writeeditpublish-june-challenge-bridges.html   

#WEPFF April Challenge winner, Dolorah writes about BRIDGES @DeniseCCovey & @YolandaRenee  http://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2017/06/writeeditpublish-june-challenge-bridges.html #amwriting #flashfiction

Brought to you by the team:

Denise – Renee – Nilanjana – Olga

WEP PEACE AND LOVE WINNER DOLORAH shares a guest post on BRIDGES.

Thanks for coming by!

Today, our winner for the WEP Peace and Love challenge, Dolorah, is using her guest post to educate us some more on 'bridges.' It is an entertaining post, so I hope you enjoy it and that is sparks something for the June BRIDGES challenge.

source

When I think of bridges, I almost always think of literary bridges. Probably because I'm a bit intimidated by physical bridges. I love them of course, in pictures and paintings. Or staring at them across a river bank They are majestic, a feat of engineering beauty. I love looking at art with bridges and tunnels; I like jig saw puzzles and bridges are my favorites to assemble, and I'm even hoping to erect a foot-bridge in my yard across a drainage ditch. But I have to admit that many times in my adult life, especially at night, I've traveled as much as five minutes out of my way to avoid a bridge or tunnel.

I know this is an irrational fear. I am not afraid of trolls collecting their fees (I'm actually comforted by the toll booths erected at mid point); I am not swayed by billy goats offering fatter byways for passage; and I'm not worried that the physical structures are fragile and doomed to fall into the depths of non-existence.

Perhaps my irrational fear of bridges has more to do with my dislike of tight places, and height. Bridges are high above empty spaces, and are closely confined. No matter how long or wide or tall, there is no flexibility of movement. Once you enter the confines, there is no turning back, or veering off to the side for a quick exit. Perhaps this is why bridges collect spirits or ghosts; the victims felt confined in life, and thus are unable to move on after death.

In the literary or metaphorical sense, a bridge can be described as a crossing, a connection, a transition, or a passage spanning two concepts. In terms of crafting a plot, it could be the transition between the crux (the culmination of all the disjointed threads) and the end. That point where the tension is so intense the reader has to read on to see if their conclusions are accurate, despite kids needing to be picked up from school, the husband demanding dinner, the need to pee, or the boss calling to see why you're late for work.

By design, bridges are a mid-point, a transition; but do not always have to be "the middle" in writing. For instance, a literary bridge for a character could be an "aha" moment in the first few scenes where they recognize who/what they are isn't working in their life, and a change must be made. A catalyst (monumental event) could also be a bridge: say a friend asks for advice and the woman realizes the advice she gives could also apply to her own life, so she takes her own advice and makes a life changing decision. The story itself is that life transition, but the bridge is the moment of recognition.

Or a middle aged man dreams of a tryst with a younger woman, yet when faced with the opportunity he envisions his daughter’s face and this revelation reconnects him to his wife through a series of romantic gestures. The story is how he recaptures his waning relationship; the bridge is the moment he realizes he needs to change. Regardless of the genre, each scene is a bridge to the next scene, all connected to the chapter plot, and each chapter is another connection to the overall story plot.

Academics, finances, relationships, children, career opportunities; all can be bridges or passages into new experiences, or just to cement an ambiguous decision. In writing, the transitions and passages are as limitless as the author's imagination.

My own "bridge" into the writing world came at a very low point in my life. I had lost a job, was in dire straits, and began to write a story just to fill my time. It eased my stress. I enjoyed writing so much that I continued even after I obtained employment.The blogging/writing community has been a bridge of sorts to me; it allows me to meet other authors, I've gained resources and education, learned techniques from a variety of writing teachers and peers, and honed my craft enough to become published in several anthologies. And, to win the coveted prize in WEP.

Regardless of how you view a BRIDGE - as a physical edifice spanning the distance over a chasm, or as a metaphorical transition between two emotional states - there is no denying that writing that story will bridge the distance between Author and Reader.

Thank you Denise and Yolanda for allowing me to take over the blog today.

And here is a promo for our BRIDGES challenge taken from the UP-COMING CHALLENGES FOR 2017 PAGE ABOVE.

June:   Bridges

Water under the bridge? Or interpret this prompt as a setting, or as an overture after a breach, or just the word inserted somewhere into your writing/images.

Thoughts: 

Literally--

Prisoners of war building a bridge, thinking of loved ones, inspiration to survive...Bridge over the River Kwai, The Narrow Road to the Deep North, the Bridges of Madison County...

Explorers building a bridge to an unexplored site…

Engineers building a bridge that collapses...

Metaphorically--

Building bridges after a feud

Water under the bridge--let bygones be bygones

We'd love if you'd Tweet one/all of these:

The #WEPFF PEACE AND LOVE Challenge Winner Guest Post with Dolorah / Donna Hole! @DeniseCCovey & @YolandaRenee http://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2017/05/wep-peace-and-love-winner-dolorah.html

Celebrate with Dolorah 1st place winner #WEPFF PEACE AND LOVE April Flash Fiction challenge #amwriting http://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2017/05/wep-peace-and-love-winner-dolorah.html  

#WEPFF April Challenge winner, Dolorah writes about BRIDGES @DeniseCCovey & @YolandaRenee http://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2017/05/wep-peace-and-love-winner-dolorah.html #amwriting #flashfiction

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