This month, twenty-four writers submitted to our Summer Solstice writing contest. We only gave you a week to craft a story, and you responded beautifully. Thank you for trusting us with your stories, and thank you for writing, for adding meaning to our lives and the lives of others. We hope you had fun doing it.
Photo by AndronicusMax
The Judges
This month's judging team was magnificent. I was joined by Patricia Hunter, Lisa Burgess, Nancy Vandre, Dominic Laing, Deb Atwood, and Danielle Duvick, most of whom were winners of our previous contests. You probably already have, but if you haven't read their winning stories, they're excellent.
Now, to the winner.
Honorable Mentions
The first honorable mention goes to Beck Gambill's bitter-sweet story Midsummer Remembered about a woman at the end of her long, summer filled life. The easy way Beck switches from memory to the present was fascinating.
The second honorable mention goes to JB Lacaden's Yellow Sundress. This story's eerie twist drew me deep into the story, and JB a hardworking writer on the rise.
Summer Heat, Lynna's story about how a family facing money problems stay close, took the third honorable mention. What a well written glimpse into the lives of a beautiful, American family.
The final runner up goes to Melissa's The Kiss That Changed Her. While this story was a bit too girly for me, I couldn't help be drawn to Melissa's poised, beautiful narration. You're a good writer, Melissa. Keep it up.
Runner Up
The runner up is Robert's The Bircher Street Boys, about a group of boys who take a delicious romp through summer and run into the neighborhood witch in the process. Take one part The Sandlot and one part The Goonies and you've got Robert's fun filled story. Well done, Robert.
The Winner of Summer Solstice Writing Competition
The winner of the summer solstice writing competition is The Ride by Kristi Boyce. Kristi's story takes us through one of the last days with the narrator's grandfather, who is a cowboy, a World War II and Korean War veteran, an atomic scientist, and of course, her hero. It's a beautiful story, beautifully written. Congratulations, Kristi.
Thank you to all of you who entered this contest. I hope your stories inspired you. They always inspire me.
Congratulations, Kristi!
Katie
Congratulations, Kristi! Lovely story, beautifully written.
I’m glad you won Kristi. That was beautiful. It reminded me of my own father, and questions both answered and unanswered.
Congrats Kristi, beautiful work.
Congratulations to Kristi!! It was a very emotion-filled story. Great writing. 🙂
Congrats Kristi … I felt the emotion, beautifully written!
I suppose it’s quite symbolic that I was sitting on the
crapper in the middle of Hawaii when I read the results of the Writing Contest.
Lost again. Not even an honorable mention. My writing is not fit to be written
on this toilet paper. This is humiliating to admit, but I am in the middle of
tropical paradise with my entire family, and I’m quietly grieving the loss of a
silly internet writing contest.
Usually, in the wake of loss and disappointment, I am able
to find within myself the resources to self-sooth, but not this time. I am
currently residing in Paradise-lost.
I had somehow convinced myself that I was going to be the
next Susan Boyle of the literary world. I knew I was middle-aged and rough
around the edges, but all I needed was a couple of singing lessons and a few
eyebrows plucked and publishers would be fighting over my prose. But instead,
I’ve realized that, in reality, I am William Hung covering Ricky Martin’s “She
Bangs.”
There have been some kind people who have taken the time to comment
on my writing over the past few months, and for that, I am grateful. But I have
been so desperate for attention and direction in my life that I have taken
those small tokens of kindness and convinced myself that I was a gifted writer
just waiting to be discovered.
But I am slowly coming to terms with the reality that while
I may have a way with the written word that gets my mom singing my praises, I
don’t necessarily have what it takes to be a serious writer. I don’t have “it.”
And that’s okay. That doesn’t mean I can’t still keep writing. It will never be
read by the masses, but that’s not the reason I need to write. I need to write
so I can become a better person. I need to write to myself as a way to grieve
and process loss. I need to write to become more emotionally healthy. I need to
realize that writing to Dear Diary is not just something beneficial for middle
school girls who get dumped. Journaling helps me differentiate my feelings from
my thinking, my assumptions from my reality.
So, I want to take this opportunity to apologize to all the
serious writers out there who have spent their entire lives studying great
literature and writing every day to improve their craft. I was naïve and
arrogant to think that I could bypass all the hard work and just sit down one
day and write the great American novel.
Congratulations to those of you who won the Writing Contest.
You have the gifts to use your writing to impact others. You have “it.” Keep
writing and inspiring. I’m learning a lot from each of you.
Tom
Hey stop feeling sorry for yourself.
I need to write so I can become a better person – what is that about?
How can you become a better person? by doing anything?
To fit in with the overall feel of this year’s comp – i.e. that will be published – your story must fit.
Now I may be the world’s worst critic and fellow “loser” but – Your story resonated with me. I know (you will have to check when I read it) there was a mom at home busy, a girl supposedly minding her brother and a dad on the phone – arguing if I remember about a car break down and no holiday. Whilst this conversation goes on the boy goes missing (I am thinking Jamie Bolger but hoping not) Lots of people looking for him. Eventually found and what is done to him isn’t described – but my imagination is already there (urghhh I hate children and what they do to each other)
Now ask me if I can remember the tale I wove for the comp? There wouldn’t be anything like the detail, her name and the fact she could project onto the ceiling while asleep and she found a mom substitute.
So Tom Wideman, your story didn’t fit. But it was brilliant, so get over ypuself, you prideful person !!!!! Humility!!!!!
All said with tongue in cheek – – – – -but keep writing. I and one who you follow have confidence in your writing ability.
Suzie,
You sure got my number. haha. I have a way of turning narcissistic self-pity into an art form. i appreciate your cheeky comments. They were great. It was the middle of the night here in Honolulu and I couldn’t sleep, partly because of jet lag and partly because of my self-loathing, so I thought I’d sit out on the balcony and type out my feelings. In my most vulnerable and sleepless state, it made perfect sense to click send. So, anyway, I’m okay. I didn’t jump off the balcony. I will keep writing, but I just won’t plan on quitting my day job anytime soon.
As for your questions regarding my statement, “I need to write to be a better person.” What I was trying to say is that writing helps me sort out my crap and helps me to release some of my emotional reactivity, therefore, I am more emotionally healthy when I write. My personal journaling is where this happens most effectively. Even if I never write another word for public exposure, I still need to write in my journal as a way to better myself.
Thanks for your words of encouragement!
What I love about this comment is that it’s so vulnerable. We all have reasons to grieve our writing. Today, I’ve been doing a review of the last year of writing projects. I’ve had some amazing success, but for every success I’ve had 3 or more projects that were DOA. It’s depressing.
Life is hard, and sometimes the best response is grief. None of us are victims. We all have power and we all can do great, amazing, beautiful things, but sometimes we don’t. Sometimes to do those great things, we have to go through a lot of pain, suffering, rejection. Every writer faces this. Every single one. Stephen King. Tom W. Suzie G. Joe B. I love this comment because I think you dive deep into that grief, which is a healthy response. You can’t stay there, but I honor you for being vulnerable while you’re there.
This comment moved me to look at my own life for what I need to grieve, and for places I’ve allowed myself to grow stagnant because I’ve been afraid of the grief. Thanks Tom. You’re a gift.
Thanks, Joe. I feel pretty silly laying it all out there for everyone to read, but as I told Suzie, it was the middle of the night and I had nothing better to do than to share my pity-party with other writers who might be able to relate a little. Thanks for your encouragement. You’re the best!
Tom, for what it is worth, your story was the most compelling for me. I don’t mean that to detract from the victors at all. I appreciated all of their efforts. It must be a terrible thing to try to choose! The way I see it, everyone’s tastes are different, plain and simple. But there is usually one story in each lot that defines the contest for me, and yours was it this month. I have actually thought about your characters afterwards, wondered who they were, thought of people like them I know, wondered how often I have not bothered to look or think deeper about the situations others live with before judging them. So you have inspired that in one stranger very far from Hawaii – consider yourself a success!
I always lose, too 🙂 . But I learn something each time, try new things, enjoy other stories, and challenge myself along the way. That’s what its all about! Chin up — keep at it.
Thanks, Steph. You are very kind and encouraging! I struggle with a fear of rejection fused with feelings of inadequacy which leads me to post some pretty crazy things in the middle of the night. LOL. Anyway, I’m enjoying my time in Hawaii and hoping to do a little writing, but my family has other ideas, so we’re off the Luau. Aloha!
Tom I feel the same way when I lose contests and I think probably a lot of people do. I really enjoy your writing and missed you when you weren’t here for a while. I think the entries in the contest this time were really good for the most part and probably it just depends on the what, when, and who of the reader as to who wins. I hated it when we were supposed to vote for our favorite because I always liked more than one of the stories.
Well done to all contestants regardless of winning or not. It takes a lot to put yourself out there to receive critique/acclaim.
Well done to the winner, Kristi and all the runners-up and highly commended, you all did a great job
Congratulations Kristi! I learned a lot about what to say and what not to say through your story. It was elegant and emotional.