Hi everyone, Denise and Renee here again!
MARY AALGAARD won the October THRILLER challenge with her very short #flashfiction, Murder Moon.
Our judge Nick Wilford said, "This was very enticing in creating an intriguing setup in very few words and leaving the reader wanting more. Really skillfully done."
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
Quote of the Day: The best time for
planning a book is while you’re doing the dishes. Agatha
Christie
Since I began blogging in 2008, I’ve included a Quote
of the Day and a Journaling Prompt in almost every post, even the ones that are
theater reviews. I thought I’d use the blog as an extension on teaching
journaling, or inspiring it, and as a motivation to keep writing and honing my
craft. It’s been a great way to connect with other authors and readers. And,
it’s given me the opportunity to become a theater reviewer.
The writing journey is like any other that you’re on
in life. Some things you plan, but sometimes it takes you places you never
expected. I’ve always loved the theater, attending and participating. I was in
plays in high school and a few community theater productions, and I’m a piano
player and teacher. So, when I saw that the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, MN
was looking for theater blog reviewers, I signed up. I live outside of the city
limits, so I wasn’t sure if they’d pick me, but they did. I figured out how to
drive in the cities, and with the help of GPS, found my way to various theaters.
Now, I’m offered tickets for reviews for everything from a local production of Brighton
Beach Memoirs to the touring show of the hit musical Six. Both of
which I reviewed in the past week on my website Play off the Page.
I’m a fan of mysteries and suspense stories. I read
Nancy Drew Mysteries when I was young. A mystery with horses involved would
have been the best! I’ve read or watched numerous Agatha Christie murder
mysteries. My favorite author is Sue Grafton (RIP) and her alphabet mysteries
with the skilled female detective Kinsey Millhone. I never thought I could
write a mystery or suspense story until I answered the challenge for the IWSG
Anthology. My story One More Minute is in the Tick Tock: A Stitch in
Crime anthology.
During the lockdown of the pandemic, I signed up for a
zoom writing class with Candace Simar. It was one of the things that got me
through the isolation, and I looked forward to our weekly meetings. One day,
she asked us to write a description of setting and mood, but to leave out any
mention of characters. I wrote my paragraph for Murder Moon that day,
which won the October Thriller Challenge here at WEP, and it inspired me
to write a story from that opening scene.
I’m currently writing a stage adaptation of a cozy murder
mystery by a MN author. My love of theater and all the hours I’ve spent
studying the artform as a reviewer are coming together with my love of
mysteries in this exciting project.
Mary Higgins Clark talks to the aspiring author in her
memoir, Kitchen Privileges, “When writers ask me what they should write,
I tell them to look at their bookshelves and write something that they like to
read.”
I didn’t know I had it in me to go to the dark side
and create the kind of atmospheric book that keeps me turning pages and staying
up past my bedtime. I also never expected to be a theater reviewer, quoted by
theaters for promotions, and having this wealth of opportunity. You never know
what you can do until you try!
Thank you for choosing Murder Moon as the winner
for the Thriller Challenge!
Go. Create. Inspire!
Journaling Prompt: What opportunities
have crossed your path that you never expected?
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Thank you, Mary
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Thank you so much Mary for your heartfelt post, and congratulations once again for your winning flash!
Please tweet this post or share it to Facebook or your favorite social media site.
#WEPWINNER #Thriller #guestpost by Mary Aalgaard https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2022/11/wepwinner-mary-aalgaard-guest-post.html @DeniseCCovey, @YolandaRenee, @LGKeltner, @OlgaGodim @jemifraser #amwriting #writingchallenge
#WEP Thriller #WEPwinner #guestpost https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2022/11/wepwinner-mary-aalgaard-guest-post.html @DeniseCCovey, @YolandaRenee, @LGKeltner, @OlgaGodim @jemifraser #amwriting #writingchallenge #MaryAalgaard
Our next challenge will be here before we know it!
We hope many of you will consider joining us for our DECEMBER Challenge:
"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face."
Roberta herself said about the song - I think it's the kind of song that has two unique & distinct qualities: it tells a story, and it has lyrics that mean something....Because of [its meaningful lyrics] the [song] can be interpreted by a lot of people in a lot of different ways: the love of a mother for a child, for example, or [that of] two lovers.
Yup, she nailed it - it is meaningful, and it can be many things to many people. What's going to be your take? How are you going to interpret this title? What will happen the first time your MC sees the face?
Will it be a romantic love like Ewan wrote for Peggy?...Or will your MC recoil in fear, anger or unease? ...Will some light-hearted mischief be hatched leading to a lifelong friendship?... Maybe it will be a job interview and the employer will know that the face will bring nothing but trouble?...Or might a stressed, lonely soul find his Man Friday?
The possibilities are only bounded by your imagination - the sky's the limit...show us the heights you want to reach, we're standing by to take off with you.
~v~v~v~v~v~
Write...Edit...Publish -- Online Writing Community: #WEP #December2022
#flashfiction
challenge based on #song
below. December 1 thru the 15th #1,000words or less! #nonfiction
#poetry #poetrycommunity
Get #feedback
from professionals and peers. #romance?
See you in December!
Denise and Renee for the team...
