#WEPFF #WINNERS' POST - LONG SHADOW

Hello everyone! This month saw a lot of great entries! We also noticed many of you were inspired to write poetry this time around, and it was all so good! Thank you to everyone who gave it their all and joined in with us for this challenge.

Since we're still keeping things lite, there will be no blurbs again this month.

SHORTLIST

It's never easy to decide on a short list, and this challenge was no exception. After some debate, here is the final short list we sent off to our judge, Nick Wilford. We've added a link for you to check them out if you didn't get to read them.

C. Lee McKenzie- The Lynching

Dixie Jarchow- Choices

Toi Thomas- A Growing Flame

Bernadette Braganza- The Deserted Railway Station

Elephant's Child- Me and My Shadow

Susan Rouchard- The Banker

DM Hanton- Long Shadow

Sonia Dogra- Long Shadow

~*~

COMMENTING

We would like to thank all of you who have made the effort to comment on all/most of the entries. That is such a crucial part of making WEP work. Though we didn't count them this time around, we still notice and appreciate your thoughtful responses to each entry.

CRITIQUE PRIZE

As you all know, the winner of each challenge receives a critique prize. This month, Juneta Key is offering a fabulous prize: 

-feedback and an edit on a short story, flash fiction, or the first twenty pages of a manuscript

-an Author Spotlight on Writer's Gambit & Stormdance Publications

-questions/setup with website or technical help

-questions/setup with Facebook or Twitter

Juneta writes speculative fiction involving Grumpy Old Gods, Space Opera, Paranormal & Sci-Fi Fantasy.  She is co-owner/editor and website manager of Stormdance Publications.  She is the fiction columnist and editor of The Ninja Writers Pub, and manager of the accountability program, teaches short story and host fiction co-working calls, write-ins for Ninja Writers. She offers coaching in story development/world building, short story, Scrivener, Scapple, Canva help. Her contact. 

Website | Amazon Author Page | Medium Profile | Facebook | Twitter

OUR WINNERS

THE WINNER OF AUGUST 2020'S CHALLENGE

LONG SHADOW IS:

Congratulations, Toi!

Nick wrote: "Haunting and poignant. Only needs a few words to create a powerful impact."

You always amaze us with your ability to move and inspire us in so few words, Toi. Please link the badge to your poem, A Growing Flame, and post it on your blog. You've also won this month's fabulous critique prize!

Congratulations again on your evocative entry!

~*~

THE RUNNER-UP OF AUGUST 2020'S CHALLENGE

LONG SHADOW IS:

Congratulations, Dixie!

Nick wrote: "I liked the mixture of a mystical fantasy atmosphere with the timely issue of gender. Great take."

Dixie, please link the badge to your story, Choices, and post it on your blog.

~*~

THE ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD WINNER FOR AUGUST 2020'S CHALLENGE

LONG SHADOW IS:

Congratulations, Sonia!

Nick wrote: "Beautiful and exotic, I really like the introduction of the myth and accompanying intrigue."

Sonia, please link the badge to your story, Long Shadow, and post it on your blog.

~*~

We also have a special award this month. This is an award the WEP team hands out when we feel the need to acknowledge a WEP participant for their dedication, regardless of whether they make the shortlist.

This month we would like to acknowledge Roland Clarke. He posted this month despite personal struggles that made it extremely difficult, and his ability to serialize always impresses us. 

Roland, please link this badge to your story, Chapter Four: Umbrage, and post it on your blog.

Here's our prompt for OCTOBER. Let's get those thinking caps on. The thinking-caps post will go up on October 1st. The sign-up post will then go live on October 21st. October is our BIG month where we delve deep into dark tales. If darkness isn't your forte (you may well think there's enough darkness in the world without adding to it!) respond in whatever way you wish. 

This is a wonderful badge from our creator, Olga Godim. Its atmospherics conjure up all sorts of Edgar Allen Poe imagery. OOOOH. Let's get creative!

FROM THE CHALLENGES 2020 PAGE: 

Traditionally October is the month when we like to bring out and parade the skeletons...in the cupboards and on our brains. 

Stay safe and well everyone, and here's to a super creative October!

We'd love for you to tweet this post or share it to Facebook or your favorite social media site.

Read excellent entries from our WEP August winners @DeniseCCovey @yolandarenee @LGKeltner @OlgaGodim https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2020/08/wepff-winners-post-long-shadow.html #amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners

#WEPFF LONG SHADOW winners announced @DeniseCCovey @yolandarenee @LGKeltner @OlgaGodim https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2020/08/wepff-winners-post-long-shadow.html #amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners 

Come congratulate our August winners. #WEPFF LONG SHADOW Challenge @DeniseCCovey @yolandarenee @OlgaGodim @LGKeltner #amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2020/08/wepff-winners-post-long-shadow.html

The #WEPFF writers had some fantastic entries! WEP winners announced! @DeniseCCovey @yolandarenee @OlgaGodim @LGKeltner #amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2020/08/wepff-winners-post-long-shadow.html

#WEPFF LONG SHADOW @DeniseCCovey @yolndarenee @OlgaGodim @LGKeltner #amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2020/08/wepff-winners-post-long-shadow.html

Thank you for the writing excellence, WEP Winners! @LGKeltner @DeniseCCovey @yolandarenee @OlgaGodim #amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2020/08/wepff-winners-post-long-shadow.html

#wepFF #WINNERS' POST - URBAN NIGHTMARE

Hi all, the team here. Everyone helped collate this post:

JUNE 2020 saw WEP move to WEP-Lite to stay afloat during trying times. Many of the team were struck with various storms of life and need some time to recover. We're glad we went ahead with the challenge as many found it cathartic to write about various horrors. Even though fictional, there was a large dose of truth intermingled. Some of us have been personally touched by the virus and death. So, writing is a great exercise to take us away from the horror for a while. The JUNE entries were excellent and reflect that need.

Thank you, everyone, for your amazing tales, they were filled with hope, humor, love, life lessons, but especially the creativity that continues to amaze and inspire us.

It's always a delight to welcome new writers to WEP. New writers add an excitement as we eagerly anticipate a new writing style and approach to the prompt. This month we welcomed Helen Mathey-Horn  . Thank you all for making Helen welcome!

CRITIQUING

And we'd like to add in a friendly reminder about the different levels of critique while we're here. Each of you should choose a level of critique you feel comfortable with. Here's a quick reminder of what the various critique levels are:

The explanations are fairly straight forward. If you choose Full Critique Acceptable (FCA), that means people may offer a thorough critique. While we would never condone a critique that is outright cruel, such a critique may involve pointing out a lot of issues with your writing you may not have seen before. For some this may be uncomfortable. Only choose FCA if you think you can handle it and wish to use such commentary to strengthen your work in the future. Otherwise feel free to select any of the other levels you feel are right for you at this time. Alternatively you could ask for a full critique to be emailed to you.

We're sorry that we lack blurbs this month. But all entries are perpetually available to read by accessing the sign-up post.

SHORTLIST

As usual, we had a difficult time deciding our shortlists, but it quickly became apparent that everyone had a favorite: We sent this list to Nick:

Susan - Urban Nightmare
Sally - Blame
Shannon Lawrence - The Widow
Dixie Jarchow - Urban Horror
Carole Stolz - Her Urban Nightmare
Toi Thomas - Driving Home

~*~

COMMENTING

Thank you, everyone for commenting so generously without the motivation of the Best Commenter award!  And please know that the team reads your comments, taking them into consideration when forming the shortlist. They are more important than you may think. Besides informing our decisions, it feeds the writer. Feedback is not a simple thing. It means the world to the writer.

Quite a few readers left comments on the WEP blog as they couldn't access your comments. Please turn off comment moderation for the week. There's always glitches beyond our control, but please try to make sure your blog accepts comments. It takes a patient person to comment multiple times then have to come to the WEP blog in the end. Thanks everyone!

OUR WINNERS:

Nick commented: "All entries were excellent ... Tough choice!"

But we had to choose ... so ...

THE WINNER OF JUNE'S 2020 CHALLENGE 

URBAN NIGHTMARE is:

Congratulations, Toi!

Nick wrote,  "Timely and devastating in just a few lines. This one gave me pause."

Congratulations Toi! We were all moved so much by your few words. Please link the badge to your story, Driving Home, and post it on your blog.

In addition, you've won a 5,000 word critique plus synopsis from Rohini Sundaram, and a guest post here at WEP.

Details will be emailed to you shortly.

Congratulations, on such an evocative entry!

 ~*~

THE RUNNER-UP OF JUNE'S 2020 CHALLENGE URBAN NIGHTMARE is:

Congratulations, Carole!

Nick wrote, "Really packs a punch. I hope the narrator can escape this nightmare."


Carole, please link the badge to your story, Her Urban Nightmare, and post it on your blog.

 ~*~

THE ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD FOR JUNE’S

URBAN NIGHTMARE is:

Congratulations, Sally!

Nick wrote, "A really different take on the prompt as well as the current times. Interesting to see the rat's POV and then to find out they're just the scapegoat."


Sally, please link the badge to your story, Blame,
and post it on your blog.

Here's our prompt for AUGUST. So get those thinking caps on. The announcement will be posted on AUGUST 1st in the thinking-caps post.

And the Sign-up Link Post goes live on AUGUST 19th.

Until then, say safe and stay well!

And Sue!

Thank you, Sue, for stepping in and helping to monitor the posts and report problems, and helping us choose the winners. You made a difficult job run much more smoothly!

We'd love for you to Tweet this post or share it to Facebook 

or your favorite social media site.

#WEPFF URBAN NIGHTMARE winners announced @DeniseCCovey @yolandarenee @LGKeltner @OlgaGodim  https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2020/07/wepff-winners-post-urban-nightmare.html #amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners 

More writing excellence from our WEP June winners @DeniseCCovey @yolandarenee @LGKeltner @OlgaGodim https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2020/07/wepff-winners-post-urban-nightmare.html #amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners

Come congratulate our June winners. #WEPFF URBAN NIGHTMARE Challenge @DeniseCCovey @yolandarenee @OlgaGodim @LGKeltner #amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2020/07/wepff-winners-post-urban-nightmare.html

The #WEPFF writers had some fantastic entries! WEP winners announced! @DeniseCCovey @yolandarenee @OlgaGodim @LGKeltner #amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2020/07/wepff-winners-post-urban-nightmare.html

#WEPFF URBAN NIGHTMARE winners all @DeniseCCovey @yolndarenee @OlgaGodim @LGKeltner #amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2020/07/wepff-winners-post-urban-nightmare.html

Thank you for the writing excellence, WEP Winners! @LGKeltner @DeniseCCovey @yolandarenee @OlgaGodim #amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2020/07/wepff-winners-post-urban-nightmare.html