Winners of #WEP October Challenge

"What a phenomenal group of writers WEP has." 

Nick Wilford, WEP judge.

Hello everyone! Jemi here! We would like to thank those of you who took part in the October Challenge THE SCREAM. This is a spooky time of year and our writers certainly delivered! 

Welcome to newbies, Shilpa Gupte  and Neel Anil Panicker. We hope to see you again soon! And welcome back after a long absence, Debbie Doglady. 

Thank you all for writing blurbs/taglines for the stories. Don't worry, if you forgot, we've always got your back.

We'll keep asking for taglines in the next challenges - they're great for practicing pitches for our stories. We thank our co-host, Jemi Fraser, for collating them.

BLURBS:

Denise Covey The Child - Trust is not a given. Sometimes you reach for an apple and are handed a grenade

Yolanda Renée Lucky 13 - 13 can be a very lucky number!

Jemi Fraser The Predator - When there’s nowhere to run

Nilanjana Bose Tangerine - Not all pipers lead evils away. Some lead it into the very heart of cities, and of men..

Olga Godim Scream - Swindlers are eternal. They even travel by spaceships. On the spaceship Mariposa, the Fleet cadet Neville needs to outwit a swindler.

Debbie D Scream! A Nightmarish Tale - Have you ever woken up screaming in the middle of the night?

NR Williams Mud Spiders - While mourning the loss of her beautiful neighborhood, Becca discovers something terrifying. 

J Lenni Dorner Savage Findings - A fictional 15th-century anthropologist delivers his findings, then screams when ignorant royalty destroys his work

Jemima Pett The Scream - A haunted house mystery with added cheese on toast

Jamie The Regret Scream - The Regret Scream is a dystopian flash fiction where Covid is also spread by burning infected bodies, and an antimasker commits manslaughter

Pat Garcia Stop Signs Ignored - Ignoring stop signs can be deadly.

Susan Rouchard Crossing the Bridge - A long road of sufferings, peppered with hope.

Hilary The Scream - When the white man pumps it to work, it screams

Carole Stolz The Scream - The terror of hearing blood curdling screaming in the night... with a twist.

Steph Wolmarans The Scream is Silent - Autism Acceptance because Awareness is not enough

Damyanti Biswas A Smothered Scream On occasion, a scream lasts long, and makes no sound

Carrie Ann Golden The Scream -  Some dares make you scream

Elephant’s Child Un… Sometimes no-one else will hear your screams.

Rebecca M. Douglass The Scream - What terrors lurk in the root cellar?

L.G. Keltner Cries in the Night - Two girls, alone in the woods, face the choice to help or hide when an unexpected danger approaches

Dixie Jarchow The Scream - Forever is fluorescent orange. A true story. 

Lenny Lee Eyes - The Legend of Cornelia Thornheart 

Kalpana Through Rhea’s Eyes - Amara is preparing for Diwali, but her daughter has other questions

Shilpa Gupte The Scream - The cost of freedom

Michael Di Gesu Mommy Kay - fifteen-year-old Kimmie tells the story...she didn't want any part of this trip, but Mommy ALWAYS got her way.

Roland Clarke Crime Never Sleeps - A detective confronts a deadly foe in the mist to save her wife from Death.

Neel Anil Panicker In Search Of An Oasis - A battered and brutalised orphan child discovers sliver of humanity

SHORTLIST

Our wonderful judge Nick Wilford has been a real trooper over the years. We've sent him some long short lists in the past because we had so much trouble narrowing down our choices. And who can blame us? We see so many stellar entries that choosing winners can be a difficult task. Still, this month we did our best to make things easier on Nick by sending him a short list of five. This is not a reflection on the quality of the entries this challenge. There were passionate email exchanges involved as we whittled things down. There were pieces we all loved that did not make the list, so do not despair if you don't see your entry listed here.

COMMENTING

Thank you once again to all of you who continue to comment! Commenting is a major part of WEP's success. The feedback you give your fellow writers helps them improve their craft, and the words of encouragement help to motivate and inspire.

CRITIQUE PRIZE

The winner of each challenge gets the opportunity to receive a critique prize if they have a piece of writing ready, whether it be a full manuscript, a short story or an article. They also get the opportunity to write a guest post for WEP on a topic of their own choice. If a winner has no work for critique, please let us know so we can pass the opportunity on to the next on the list. We need you to contact the editor right away, then send your work in under three months at the most. Editors are busy people who need to plan, so please respect their time.

Our sidebar proudly displays everyone who is offering critique prizes for 2021. You are welcome to contact any of the editors with a request for work. 

This month's critique prize is brought to us by our own Yolanda Renée. She is offering a beta read/critique or a plot critique.  Thank you, Renée!

NOW LET'S CONGRATULATE OUR WINNERS!

THE WINNER OF OCTOBER 2021'S CHALLENGE

THE SCREAM IS:

Congratulations, Elephant's Child, for your entry, Un....

Nick wrote: "The rhythm really hammers home the oppressive feel and air of inevitability, but fortunately, this is leavened by having a hopeful ending. Very thought-provoking".

Sue, please post your badge on your blog and link the badge to your winning entry. Enjoy the critique prize or pass it on if you have no body of work ready. We eagerly await your Guest Post on a topic of your choice!

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THE RUNNER-UP OF OCTOBER 2021'S CHALLENGE

THE SCREAM IS:

Congratulations, Damyanti, for your entry, A Smothered Scream.

Nick wrote: "Just devastating. Highlights how we should never be blase about atrocities happening far away (or close to home) and gloss over them as just statistics."

Damyanti, please link the badge to your entry and post it on your blog. Congratulations!

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THE ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD WINNER FOR OCTOBER 2021'S CHALLENGE

THE SCREAM IS:

Congratulations, Jamie, for your stunning entry, The Regret Scream.

Nick wrote: "It is interesting that we have something topical here. A very sobering look at how things could have been even worse than they already have been."

Jamie, please link the badge to your entry and post it on your blog.

~*~

Nick also commented: "Wow. This is so hard to pick. All five pieces hit hard and are devastating in different ways...phenomenal..."

We agree - so many amazing stories and writers!

Stay safe and keep writing, everyone! If you're entering NaNoWriMo, good luck! We endorse it as it's great for getting that first draft done. Let us know how you go or if you need a writing buddy!

Please join us for the DECEMBER challenge, which is just around the corner. That challenge brings us...NARCISSUS. Hope to see you there! PLEASE NOTE: Entries are accepted from December 1, so get busy! Baffled about what to write? Check the CHALLENGES 2021 page.

This prompt has rich possibilities. 

Please note the dates of the challenge. December is a busy month for many people across the globe. We're spreading out the posting times to help out those of you (and us!) with busy schedules.  

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

Read amazing entries from our WEP OCTOBER 2021 THE SCREAM winners @DeniseCCovey @yolandarenee @LGKeltner @OlgaGodim @jemifraser #amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2021/11/winners-of-wep-october-challenge.html

#WEPFF THE SCREAM winners announced @DeniseCCovey @yolandarenee @LGKeltner @OlgaGodim @jemifraser https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2021/11/winners-of-wep-october-challenge.html #amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners

Come congratulate our OCTOBER winners!. #WEPFF THE SCREAM Challenge @DeniseCCovey @yolandarenee @OlgaGodim @LGKeltner @jemifraser #amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2021/11/winners-of-wep-october-challenge.html

The #WEPFF writers had some fantastic entries for THE SCREAM! WEP winners announced! @DeniseCCovey @yolandarenee @OlgaGodim @LGKeltner @jemifraser #amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2021/11/winners-of-wep-october-challenge.html

Thank you for the writing excellence, WEP Winners THE SCREAM! @LGKeltner @DeniseCCovey @yolandarenee @OlgaGodim @jemifraser #amwriting #flashfiction #wepwinners https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2021/11/winners-of-wep-october-challenge.html

#WEP 2021 Continues the Artistic Inspiration for October - THE SCREAM! Sign up here. Write your own #tagline!

 Welcome to the October Challenge!

*** ***

The link above opens for submissions on October 20 @ Midnight!

Please Note:

CRITIQUES

This is a most vital part of participation, but it has also proven to be why folks walk away from participation.

Please be courteous with your words!

For the WEP, a critique is:

Constructive feedback or positive reinforcement of the writer while helping reign in problems or giving helpful suggestions.

The point is to be helpful, not hurtful.

The WEP is a place where writers can confidently share their work without fear of harsh words or biting feedback. No matter what the choice is by the author of the type of critique.

Check the Menu Items Under The Critique for more information!

***

BLURBS ARE BACK, BUT WITH A DIFFERENCE!

We need your help. Give us your own tagline for the piece you've submitted. All writers know it's an essential part of the writing process when giving your pitch or submitting to agents and editors. 

So here's your opportunity to practice.

An example of a #tagline from Denise's Paris Dreams novel:

"Sometimes, a new life comes at a cost."

Here's an example from my first novel: Murder, Madness & Love:

"After a gritty detective becomes involved with a beautiful widow, rumor and obsession obstruct his quest for justice."

Short and sweet. A tagline doesn't have to tell the story. It captures the theme. Go on, give it a try!!!!

Jemi Fraser will collect/collate your taglines during the reading process. They will then be posted in the October winners post. 

October's Prize:

The October Prize is a Beta Read and critique or a content edit of a short story or novel by Yolanda Renée.

Author of a suspenseful romance series, she's all about keeping the reader guessing and the intensity high.

Her latest novel, A Passion for Murder, was called "A Captivating Thriller" by reviewer Mason Canyon.

Amazon     Blog     Facebook     Twitter

You've got to be in it to win it!

THE DECEMBER CHALLENGE

Note the Posting Dates!!!!!!

From our CHALLENGES 2021 PAGE

This one depicts a classic subject by an Italian Master and needs no introduction. Narcissus is a well-known character from Greek mythology – his story has been repurposed and retold all through the ages. Caravaggio was one of the prime movers of the Italian art scene of the 16^th/17^th century, and a good few of his artworks are based on the classics. He was a controversial figure in his lifetime but has come to be recognized as an artist with far-reaching influence on modern painting. He was a master of chiaroscuro and developed the use of shadows in art.

This particular painting can be interpreted in many ways – will you update Narcissus' story to fit a modern timeline?

Or retell it from a different angle/POV,  perhaps a Narcissa instead?

Explore the mental disorder that is known after Narcissus and its impact on caregivers/physicians/family?

Or perhaps go in a different direction entirely - make Narcissus quite incidental to the story – maybe the painting is only a prop in the setting?

Remember, there is no right or wrong interpretation. You can make the prompt front and center of your entry. Or not. Totally your call. Think out of the box, or rather, frame – and delight us with yours.

Happy writing!

We'd love if you'd Tweet Tweet Tweet

some / all of these:

WEP writing prompt The Scream @DeniseCCovey @YolandaRenee @LGKeltner https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2021/10/wep-2021-continues-artistic-inspiration.html Sign up October 20-22! #amwriting #flashfiction #WEPFF #poetry #nonfiction #amwriting #flashfiction #WEPFF #poetry 

Get-your-thinking-caps on for The Scream @DeniseCCovey @YolandaRenee @LGKeltner https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2021/10/wep-2021-continues-artistic-inspiration.html Sign up October 20-22! #WEPFF #amwriting #flashfiction #poetry #nonfiction

Join WEP @DeniseCCovey @YolandaRenee @LGKeltner, for the next Challenge of 2021, October's The Scream. Sign up and Post October 20-22! https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2021/10/wep-2021-continues-artistic-inspiration.html #WEPFF #amwriting #flashfiction #poetry #nonfiction

Write with @DeniseCCovey @YolandaRenee, @LGKeltner, for the October challenge The Scream! Sign up and post on October 20-22! https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2021/10/wep-2021-continues-artistic-inspiration.html 

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We are looking forward to seeing where this month's prompt takes you! 

#WEP #WINNER's #GUESTPOST - Kalpana Misra's Alphabet Circles

Hello everyone! Laura here!

As you all know, the winner of the WEP challenge gets the opportunity to write a guest post. Kalpana Misra's piece Landai moved readers with its portrayal of women in Afghanistan and the power of their poetry. Our judge Nick Wilford said, "This really brought home the terrible reality of what is happening in Afghanistan and how women's voices, which are already clandestine, might be snuffed out completely once again. This shows poetry as a mighty act of resistance."

Today Kalpana talks a bit about a Kashmiri poet named Zareefa. Take it away, Kalpana!

Alphabet Circles

The JCB Prize longlist came out last week. It brought with it feelings of despair. It’s a prize awarded to an Indian author writing in English as well as translations from Indian languages to English. You can read some extracts here. My daughter’s astonishingly good first novel, The Heart Asks Pleasure First couldn’t be considered because she doesn’t have an Indian passport although she lives in India. I don’t know if books should be judged on your nationality.  I know there are excellent reasons for these rules but it is disappointing. Being published as an Indian writer in English isn’t that simple.

So it was all doom and gloom for me in the past week and I didn’t want to read any of the JCB books apart from the translations from Malayalam.

I thought about the Landai the Afghan women write and recite in the face of so much opposition and danger, and my spirits lifted slightly. Here were women who believed in literature enough to defy the patriarchy that blanketed their country. Patriarchy that isn’t only in our part of the world. I went back to Tara Westover and Educated and thought about what it must have taken out of her to write that memoir that made her family cut her off even more effectively than before. Into this frame of mind,  came an article about a 63-year-old Kashmiri woman poet, Zareefa,   who never learnt to write. Her only language is Kashmiri, that’s all she speaks and the government, trying to make that language obsolete, as well as the men who kept her home from school because she was a girl combined their forces to ensure she never learnt to read and write. She didn’t need to. Poems and ghazals just came to her.  But she kept forgetting her poems and wasn’t happy with her children’s methods of recording them - either writing them down for her or making audio recordings. So she invented her own alphabet of circles, which only she can interpret, and through this sign language she reads out her poems.

I was so moved by this story and Zareefa’s tremendous love for her writing that my bad mood and petulance were completely washed away like a cool mountain breeze washing away the city’s pollution.

It is, of course, nice to be recognised, to win prizes, to have people talk about your books and buy them in huge numbers and I’m not ashamed of saying I want that for my daughter. And for me, when I do get published.  But it is easier to make oneself happy thinking of women like Zareefa.

Kalpana is a poet, writer and journalist who got waylaid by teaching. She has recently broken out of this hostage situation and begun to write seriously again. She is half German, half Indian and lives in New Delhi India with her three indoor cats. She is co-owned by four other feral cats. Her three children are far away now but used to be her entire life. She’s still getting used to cooking for one person. Kalpana is nibbling away at her novel, which is always ‘almost ready’. She might be a perfectionist.

She has been widely published in Indian magazines and newspapers.

Blog: https://www.kalpanawrites.com

Some of her work is visible on https://kalpanamisra.contently.com/

Newsletter: https://kalpanamisra.substack.com/

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Thank you for your guest post, Kalpana. Isn't the power of Zareefa's love for her craft inspiring?

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

@Kalpanapster #WEPFREEDOMOFSPEECH #WEPwinner #guestpost Alphabet Circles https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2021/09/wep-winners-guestpost-kalpana-misras.html @DeniseCCovey, @YolandaRenee, @LGKeltner, @OlgaGodim #amwriting #writingchallenge

@Kalpanapster #WEPFREEDOMOFSPEECH #WEPwinner Landai #guestpost Alphabet Circles https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2021/09/wep-winners-guestpost-kalpana-misras.html @DeniseCCovey, @YolandaRenee, @LGKeltner, @OlgaGodim #amwriting #writingchallenge

Learn about an inspiring poet with @Kalpanapster #WEPFREEDOMOFSPEECH #WEPwinner #guestpost Alphabet Circles https://writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com/2021/09/wep-winners-guestpost-kalpana-misras.html @DeniseCCovey, @YolandaRenee, @LGKeltner, @OlgaGodim #amwriting #writingchallenge

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Our next challenge is just around the corner! We hope you will all consider joining us for our October challenge, The Scream! We'll post about it on October 1st!

See you all there!