#WEPFF WINNERS' POST for 28 DAYS, the February Challenge.

Hello all!

Welcome to the report of the February 2019 WEP/IWSG combined challenge.

How were your holidays? Settled into 2019? I hope so. Let's plan for a super productive year of writing.

28 Days, the February prompt, dreamed up by competition winner, Toinette Thomas, kicked off the WEP writing calendar. It was a tricky one for some, but it led to some fresh writing. We're thrilled to announce the winners for the WEP/IWSG collaboration for the 28 DAYS Challenge. Thank you for brushing away the cobwebs and posting to the prompt.

As always, there's been a lot of discussion regarding our picks for the shortlist here at WEP but finally, we came to agree on a list for our judge, Nick Wilford. Nick's been very busy himself conducting a blog tour to promote his new novel, which Nick said in an interview with the Cynical Sailor:  "it was inspired by a desire to deal with injustice and prejudice through the medium of a fictional world." My kind of premise...so I'm happy to give Nick a shout out. Anyone else launching a book? Tell us in the comments.

The outright winner of the February WEP will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card from the IWSG, while another three will have a lovely badge created by Olga Godim to show off on their blog. 

Okay, let's move onto the crux of the post - the winners!

28 DAYS was somewhat difficult according to some, meaning we had to wait a little longer for inspiration. But most of you came through with your own unique take.

Thanks to our team member, Nilanjana Bose, here is a quick blurb for each entry.

Toi Thomas – The blossoming of a friendship ends with the likelihood of loss.

D.G. Hudson -  An earthling faces a terrible loss and takes a trip into space to heal. Clever and creative use of differences in time on and off Earth.

Roland Clarke -  Gave us another episode of his detective story with the feisty Sparkle Anwyl and her lover Kama from Tamil Nadu.

Roland Yeomans – An angsty teenager gets her own back on high school bullies with her…shall we say unusual foresight?

Christopher Scott – An epic battle between the ice queen Beria and flame shaper Cinead, a mythological flavoured prose poetry piece based on current climate issues.

Debbie D – crafted a cool poem highlighting domestic violence. 

Pat Garcia – A soon to be sixty year old kicks off the celebrations of her birth month with a visit to a shop and ends up  getting more than she had thought to buy.  A charming romantic flash.

Bernadette Braganza – Got all of us chuckling with her metaflash on writing deadlines. 

Tyrean Martinson – A cool flash on a reluctant hero’s journal entries, tackling the horrors of trafficking and revisionism with subtlety and humour. 

Carrie Ann Golden – A powerful, thought provoking flash where medical science combines with untrammelled greed to play God.

Dixie Jo Jarchow – Animals are dying by mass suicide and humans are gorging on the 28^th day of the Purge. Something ominous is cooking…you’ll never feel the same about kale chips again.

J.M. Weiner – A courageous, autobiographical flash on infertility and its impact on a couple. 

Rebecca M Douglass – Love on a deadline with an alcoholic Fairy Godmother. 

Jemima Pett – An epistolary flash - a trip to Iceland goes horribly wrong. 

Team Netherworld – A beloved, dead queen laid to rest in an enchanted garden and 28 days to heal and grow a magic tree. 

Hilary Melton Butcher – Made us all smile with what she did and didn’t do for this prompt. Not for nothing is her blog called Positive Letters…Inspirational Stories…

Kalpana – A creative and refreshing take on the relevance of numbers versus words. 

Michelle Wallace – A woman with baby blue eyes at the centre of a web involving three men and a bet. 

Susan Rouchard -  A grandchild tries to bring about a rapprochement between her mother and grandfather before death ends the possibility.

Damyanti -  An ominous countdown to the end of the MC’s world. 

Anstice Brown – A powerful flash on child bereavement, addiction and recovery. 

N.R. Williams -  Penned a heart warming flash about a fallible mc trying to overcome her flaws.

Dolorah – A fascinating story of blood sacrifice and a Mayan deity.

Sally -  Gave us a double treat with a poem and a flash on the challenges of growing old as well as its rewards.

Michael Di Gesu – A powerful and passionate plea for a more equal, more just, more green world.  

Jemi Fraser - An artist starts off putting together a portfolio and ends up with darker results than expected. 

Denise Covey - A harrowing journey over 28  days summing up all the terror of a refugee on the run. 

L. G. Keltner -  A poignant flash about young love that unravels into betrayal.

Olga Godim -  entertained us with a delightful sci-fi flash about a pet care shop in the Rendezvous Space Station. 

Nilanjana Bose - an attempt at a photo essay on a trip made in summer 2018.

Without further ado, here is our shortlist which we sent to Nick:

Debbie D Doglady

Tyrean Martinson

Dolorah

Dixie  J Jarchow

Carrie Ann Golden

JM Weiner

If you didn't make our shortlist, it doesn't mean your entry went unnoticed. Every entry is given consideration, but in the end, there are entries that make the cut.

So (((drum roll)))

THE WINNER OF THE

2019 WEP FEBRUARY CHALLENGE 28 DAYS

is

Congratulations Dixie!

Nick said: 

"A chilling glimpse at a future world where things have taken a very sinister turn. The author drops breadcrumbs to be picked up, and I'd like to sample the full meal. An idea worthy of exploration in much more depth."

Please link the badge to your story and post it on your blog!

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

****************

THE RUNNER UP OF THE

2019 WEP FEBRUARY CHALLENGE 28 DAYS

is

Congratulations Tyrean!

Please link the badge to your story and post it on your blog!

****************

THE ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD FOR THE

2019 WEP FEBRUARY 28 DAYS CHALLENGE

goes to 

Congratulations Donna/Dolorah!

Please link the badge to your story and post it on your blog!

***

Hi! L.G. here!

Once again we will also be thanking one of you who took the time to read through all of the wonderful entries and to comment. This is vital to the success of the WEP community. It's our chance to offer support and, when desired, critique that can help us all grow as writers.

At last count, around February 24, these were the wonderful ones who qualified for this award as they swiftly read every post. Some have indicated on FB or in comments that they were still reading, so we thank you for your dedicated efforts. It means the world to us to see you supporting your fellow writers!

Toi Thomas

Christopher Scott

Debbie D Doglady

Dolorah

but alas, we can only give it to one deserving individual. 

The random pick winner from those who commented most is Christopher Scott! Christopher, please accept the badge on behalf of all the great commenters and display it on your blog!

****************

We post during the A - Z Challenge month, April. We combine the day's A - Z post letter with your WEP post. 

Not everyone participates in the A - Z, but I know some of you absolutely live for it! Start planning your combined post now! 

Checking the calendar, the 17th April is "Q" which I think would be tricky for Jewel Box. You could post before the 17th with "O", "P" or after with "R", "S". Spurious links welcome!!

Check out ideas from the WEP 2019 Challenges Page for Jewel Box in our menu.

Thank you all!

We'd love if you'd Tweet this post or share to Facebook or your favorite social media site.

#WEPFF 28 Days winners announced. @DeniseCCovey @theIWSG
https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2019/03/wepff-winners-post-for-28-days-february.html #amwriting #flashfiction

Come congratulate our first place winner. #WEPFF 28 Days Challenge @DeniseCCovey @theIWSG
https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2019/03/wepff-winners-post-for-28-days-february.html #amwriting #flashfiction

The #WEPFF writers are all winners! @DeniseCCovey @theIWSG
https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2019/03/wepff-winners-post-for-28-days-february.html #amwriting #flashfiction

When you give the #WEPFF challenge a go a win could show! @DeniseCCovey @theIWSG https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2019/03/wepff-winners-post-for-28-days-february.html #amwriting #flashfiction

#WEP/IWSG #FIRST CHALLENGE OF 2019. SIGN UP HERE FOR 28 DAYS.

Hello all and welcome to WEP 2019! Here are the full list of challenges for the year~

Our February challenge is the result of an IWSG competition - won by Toinette Thomas. 28 Days was the winner. Let's hope you come up with a unique spin on this prompt.

The final challenge of the year was a result of a friendly competition between our partners, the IWSG admin. The winner chosen by the WEP team was Footprints, the brainchild of Tyrean Martinson.

So, let's get this WEP year underway with 28 Days~ 

If you'd like to share the script on your blog, here is the HTML: 

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Please share the challenge on social media!

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

The WEP 2019 February Challenge 28 Days - @TheIWSG @DeniseCCovey https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2019/01/wepiwsg-first-challenge-of-2019-sign-up.html #amwriting #flashfiction #WEPFF 

What to do with 28 Days? February's Challenge @TheIWSG @DeniseCCovey https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2019/01/wepiwsg-first-challenge-of-2019-sign-up.html #WEPFF #amwriting #flashfiction

Join @TheIWSG @DeniseCCovey for the Latest FF Challenge 28 Days https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2019/01/wepiwsg-first-challenge-of-2019-sign-up.html #WEPFF #amwriting #flashfiction


What does 28 Days bring to mind? Join @TheIWSG @DeniseCCovey for 2019's first challenge https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2019/01/wepiwsg-first-challenge-of-2019-sign-up.html #WEPFF #amwriting #flashfiction

WEP Guest Post, by L G Keltner, Winner of the February Challenge - In Too Deep: The Sting of Cupid’s Arrow .

Welcome to a WEP tradition - the winner's guest post.

L. G. Keltner won the February Challenge -

In Too Deep, with her flash, Contemptible Cupid.

Today she's here to discuss ‘love’ and its influence on plot.

  

In Too Deep: The Sting of Cupid’s Arrow

When I sat down to write my WEP piece, I knew I wanted to focus on love.  After all, it was February.  Valentine’s Day brings with it romance, flowers, and chocolates for a number of lucky people.  For others, it brings a reminder of loneliness or lost loves.  Either way, the presence or absence of love causes lots of feelings. 

Love is a popular subject to write about, whether as the primary plot or a subplot, and it’s not surprising.  As children, we’re born into families, and in ideal circumstances, those families love and nurture us.  As we grow, we make friends we come to love like family, and when we’re old enough, we may choose to begin our difficult and awkward search for a romantic partner.

Part of the desire to write about love stems from wanting to understand it.  What is love anyway?  What should we want from a relationship?  What should we expect?  Why does it happen, and why does it fall apart?  These are tricky questions to answer.

Love is difficult to define, but descriptors for it abound.  Love is patient.  Love will guide and support you through the tough times.  Love is enduring.  It’ll catch you when you fall.  These are lofty promises, but they can be met when we’re surrounded by caring people.  And if a person finds themselves alone in times of trouble, someone with a loving heart may see that pain in their fellow man and lend a helping hand.  This is love at its best.  This is how beautiful love can be.  It can enrich our lives and imbue our daily routines with a sense of meaning and purpose.

Love also has a dark side. 

Like Cupid’s famous arrow, love strikes us without warning, and it’s not within our ability to control.  We may decide whether to start a relationship with someone, but that decision exists apart from the feeling we have.   

Cupid’s arrow doesn’t care whether it’s welcome or not.  The uncontrollable nature of love can be a bloody nuisance, or worse, utterly devastating.  “All’s fair in love and war,” an oft quoted proverb proclaims.  “Love is a battlefield,” says Pat Benatar.  These nuggets of pop wisdom touch on that darkness.  Love can be inconvenient.  It can even be dangerous to fall in love if society deems it to be wrong.  At certain places and times (even today), it’s been frowned upon or outright illegal to be with someone of a different race, a different religion, or the same sex.  The consequences for embracing that love can be devastating.  Nevertheless, people have gone through all kinds of personal hardships and taken grave risks to be with the one they love.

Love can also turn to contempt and bitterness.  The transition from love to hate is treacherous and hard to understand.  Maybe that’s why writers like to poke and prod at that transition so often in their stories.  It’s baffling that such a drastic change in feeling is possible.  This is where my story planted roots and grew. 

Cupid is love’s delivery boy.  He is our attempt to comprehend the incomprehensible.  We give him credit for the happy process of initially falling in love, but I wanted to find a way to blame him for when it falls apart.  Why?  It sounded like fun.  Why should he get credit for all the good and none of the bad?  That hardly seems fair.  

My version of Cupid is not to be trifled with or trusted.  He’s dangerous because love can be dangerous.  When we embrace love, we risk a broken heart.  Is loving someone worth that risk?  We may all come to our own conclusions on that one.  Personally, I say yes, it is worth it.  Just don’t irritate Cupid.  He could use some anger management classes.

Writers everywhere incorporate love into their tales, and that’s wonderful.  We get to find inspiration, joy, and sadness in reading about all the ways love can either triumph or go awry.  We get to explore all the possibilities together.  Do you like to examine the nature of love in the stories you write?  Do you prefer stories where love remains happy, or do you prefer when it takes a dark turn?

L. G. Keltner spends most of her time trying to write while also cleaning up after her crazy but wonderful kids and hanging out with her husband. Her favorite genre of all time is science fiction, and she’s been trying to write novels since the age of six. Needless to say, those earliest attempts weren’t all that good but now she’s the author of Author of A Silent Soliloquy ~ Cosmic Seasoning ~ Self-Help 101 or: How I Learned to Take Over the World Through Tolerating My Family ~ Self-Help 101 or: How To Survive a Bombardment With Minimal Injury ~ Self-Help 101 or: How to Select a Costume to Help You Deal With People ~ "Felix Was Here" from Parallels: Felix Was Here ~ "Treating the Beast" from Circuits & Slippers ~ "Nocturnal Noise" from 2018 Young Explorer's Adventure Guide

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The #WEPFF In Too Deep Challenge Winner Guest Post with L. G. Keltner! @DeniseCCovey & @YolandaRenee https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2018/03/wep-guest-post-by-l-g-keltner-winner-of.html

Celebrate with L. G. our 1st place winner #WEPFF In Too Deep challenge #amwriting https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2018/03/wep-guest-post-by-l-g-keltner-winner-of.html

#WEPFF February Challenge winner discusses love and plot @DeniseCCovey & @YolandaRenee https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2018/03/wep-guest-post-by-l-g-keltner-winner-of.html  #amwriting #flashfiction

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Brought to you by the WEP team:

Denise, Nila, Olga & Renée