As some of you might have already known, @tcstu‘s competition has come to a close after whole 47 months of running! And what a load of fun it’s been while it was active <3
Gotta admit to something here - ever since I’ve started joining this contest back in January 2019, I’ve kept track of all my entries. And if you know me, you would guess that quickly escalated to keeping track of every morsel of publicly-available data regarding this contest So, when I heard the competition was going to end, i thought to myself: would I really let all that data I’ve kept go to waste? The answer was no.
After a number of conversations with TCSTU and other artists and writers who have participated in this event over the years, I have created the infographic you can see above. Let me assure you, it is much prettier than the spreadsheet with raw data xD
As some of you might have already known, @tcstu‘s competition has come to a close after whole 47 months of running! And what a load of fun it’s been while it was active <3
Gotta admit to something here - ever since I’ve started joining this contest back in January 2019, I’ve kept track of all my entries. And if you know me, you would guess that quickly escalated to keeping track of every morsel of publicly-available data regarding this contest So, when I heard the competition was going to end, i thought to myself: would I really let all that data I’ve kept go to waste? The answer was no.
After a number of conversations with TCSTU and other artists and writers who have participated in this event over the years, I have created the infographic you can see above. Let me assure you, it is much prettier than the spreadsheet with raw data xD
As some of you might have already known, @tcstu‘s competition has come to a close after whole 47 months of running! And what a load of fun it’s been while it was active <3
Gotta admit to something here - ever since I’ve started joining this contest back in January 2019, I’ve kept track of all my entries. And if you know me, you would guess that quickly escalated to keeping track of every morsel of publicly-available data regarding this contest So, when I heard the competition was going to end, i thought to myself: would I really let all that data I’ve kept go to waste? The answer was no.
After a number of conversations with TCSTU and other artists and writers who have participated in this event over the years, I have created the infographic you can see above. Let me assure you, it is much prettier than the spreadsheet with raw data xD
If you saw my previous post, you know that this will be the last contest for the time being. If you missed that announcement, you can read it here. I thought it was only appropriate for me to bring things to a close by featuring my favorite and most featured artist. Virginie Juteau @hydraart is not only an incredibly gifted creator of monsters, but has also been continually supportive of this contest over the years. I couldn’t resist featuring one more of this artist’s incredible creations.
The final piece for the contest is titled, “Scientia,” and it’s an example of yet another mythical being that was generated from the mind of @hydraart. If you’re into fantasy/horror art and you’re not familiar with this artist’s work, you can click here to see a vast collection of original work.
If you saw my previous post, you know that this will be the last contest for the time being. If you missed that announcement, you can read it here. I thought it was only appropriate for me to bring things to a close by featuring my favorite and most featured artist. Virginie Juteau @hydraart is not only an incredibly gifted creator of monsters, but has also been continually supportive of this contest over the years. I couldn’t resist featuring one more of this artist’s incredible creations.
The final piece for the contest is titled, “Scientia,” and it’s an example of yet another mythical being that was generated from the mind of @hydraart. If you’re into fantasy/horror art and you’re not familiar with this artist’s work, you can click here to see a vast collection of original work.
Last night the 2nd Round of Qualifiers was posted… And Alexis of Troy made it through to the last round!! I am so proud of this random story that I literally came up with in a couple of hours. The contest isn’t over yet but the fact that I got this far is so amazing ❤️
I have decided to participate in Wattpad’s Open Novella Contest!! The goal is to write 20,000 words in 13 weeks, using a prompt given from the ONC crew. I am thrilled to introduce the novella I will be working on for this contest: Alexis of Troy! This is a comedic story of a girl thrown into the legend of Troy. Aided by a frustrated goddess, Alexis must find a way back to her world without messing with the timeline. The only problem, she’s caught the attention of one Paris, Prince of Troy!
Hi everybody! In honor of… well, there isn’t really a specific reason to why I’m hosting a contest now, but I just feel like doing one! So, here’s the prompt, and then I’ll tell you more of the rules/guidelines for the contest!
Prompt:
Write a flash fiction or poem based on a song! The piece can include actual lyrics from the song, but it isn’t necessary. The top entries will receive prizes!
Rules:
The song can be any song—it can be explicit or clean, it can be in any language, genre, tone, etc. You will not be judged solely off the song you picked (i.e. this is not a competition of who has the best music taste)
Each writer can submit up to one flash fiction and up to one poem. You are eligible for both prizes if you win in both categories, but you can only submit one piece in each.
The word count limit for both the poem and the fiction is 400 words max. There may be a little leeway within 15-20 words above, but please no more than that. There is no minimum, and writers will not be judged off the length of their work.
Guidelines:
Both the fiction and poetry will be judged on these criteria:
The quality of writing, including description, narrative, tone, and theme
The matching of the writing to the song: do they fit each other tonally, narratively, thematically?
Points will be taken off for:
Poor grammar/spelling/syntax
No title or a bland title
Song and writing do not match each other
Going excessively over the word count
Of course, there will be no racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, ableism, etc. permitted. You can write aboutthese things, but your writing cannotsupport/affirm these things.
How to Submit
The due date for all pieces is Sunday, November 14th at 11:59 p.m. EST. There will be no exceptions made for late submissions, and they will automatically be disqualified. You can submit your piece as early as you like before that deadline.
Please submit it to me in an Instagram DM (@sweet_writng), in a file attached to some sort of caption letting me know that this is a submission for the contest. Saying “Contest Submission” is fine. Please do not send me a bunch of photos/screenshots of your writing in a DM. The file can be in doc, docx, or pdf format.
I am not sure how long it will take to read through and judge all the entries, and it entirely depends on the volume of entries received. I will try to do it within the week after 11/14, though.
Prizes
Okay, finally, the fun part! Here are the prizes that will be awarded for each category (there will be the same prizes for both).
1st Place: A $25 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble (your choice), a shoutout and permanent post of your writing.
2nd Place: A shoutout and permanent post of your writing.
3rd Place: A shoutout and permanent post of your writing.
If you get first place, you’ll probably need to give me some sort of contact information so I can send the prize. If you don’t feel comfortable doing that, you can still enter the competition but I will just give the gift card prize to second place.
There may be honorable mentions, I’m not sure yet.
Anything Else
I’m sure I forgot to answer some question. So, please leave any questions about the contest in the comments. And yes, I did do a contest like this one way back when (so if you remember that, shoutout to you because you’re a real one). It turned out very well and so I’m excited to see how this one goes!
June is coming near, the 2nd anniversary of FateTale (June 26), Why Not? (June 27), Birth of HoTale, and me (29th), are already weeks, a month away from our sights! And once again, since it’s my spotlight month, I’m bringing back the Art Raffle and (new!) Writing for Why Not? and an Art Contest for FateTale!
Why Not? Anniversary Art Raffle 2021
Rules:
Must be a follower. (New followers are welcomed)
Mustlikeandreblog this post! (Your reblog must have the #TPC Why Not? Tag, as well as don’t forget to say, “Why not?”!)
Along with “Why not?”, say the name of your favorite Why Not? oneshot. So the format of your reblog must be something like:
Why not? | Rose of the Walls
Then tell me what scene you want me to portray in my DMs. There are only 1-3 winners for this raffle.
Prize?
I will draw whatever scene you will be telling me in my DMs, mentioned above. Fully rendered. Remember, it has to be from the Why Not? oneshot book itself. This year, I’m dedicating the art raffle solely to Frans, sorry.
What I Will Not Draw:
NSFW
Gore
Fontcest
Any graphical depictions of discrimination, racism, sexism, etc.
Deadline: May 22-June 16, 2022
FateTale Trilogy Anniversary Art Contest 2022
Requirements:
Must be a follower.
Mustlike this post (You don’t have to reblog this)!
Must know what FateTaleis.
What must you draw?
Pick from the two; A dark monster/spirit OC (in the theme of shadows,dark elemental,spiritual, an embodiment of people’s inner dark side), or a light spirit nymph OC (in the theme of greenish gold,lightelemental,spiritual, an embodiment of hope and goodness).
⚠️ Disclaimer: Strictly no NSFW,racism,sexism,abuse,discrimination,etc. content in your artwork, please!
Rules of Submission:
Must add the tag: “#TPC FateTale Art Contest 2022” on your submission post. (If you’re in Tumblr/IG/Twitter)
You are required to give a description about your character art (name, gender, species, backstory, abilities, weakness, etc.)
Each contestant are allowed to have up to 4 submissions only.
Prize?
1st Place - The dark OC will be featured as the Darkness, and the light one will be Fate’s form in FateTale Trilogy. Also, you’ll get a head shot of your submitted OC. Fully rendered.
2nd Place - A head shot of your submitted OC. Half-rendered.
Deadline: May 23-June 23, 2022
Why Not? Anniversary Writing Contest 2022
Requirements:
Must be a follower.
Mustlike this post (You don’t have to reblog this)!
Must know what Why Not?is.
What must you write?
Pick your favorite or any of the oneshots of Why Not? Portray them in your own writing and version, but remember, it should be related to the onehot. The word length should be 700-4k words.
⚠️Disclaimer: No NSFW. Gore, violence, and other stuff is allowed.
Rules of Submission:
Must add the tag: “#TPC Why Not?” on your submission post. If you are in AO3, Wattpad, Fanfic.net, or any other platform, contact me send a link by referring to my carrd.
You are required to write at least a 100 word essay on why you picked this oneshot as your reference.
Prize?
There is only one winner for this contest. The prize will be a feature/highlight comic of any Undertale/AU scene of your choice.
Deadline: May 22-June 24, 2022
For more inquiry, you can ask me anytime! Also, for more info about the contests, and to know about the voting and judging system, join the FateTale discord server. Also, to those who don’t know Why Not? check it out in Wattpad!
June is coming near, the 2nd anniversary of FateTale (June 26), Why Not? (June 27), Birth of HoTale, and me (29th), are already weeks, a month away from our sights! And once again, since it’s my spotlight month, I’m bringing back the Art Raffle and (new!) Writing for Why Not? and an Art Contest for FateTale!
Why Not? Anniversary Art Raffle 2021
Rules:
Must be a follower. (New followers are welcomed)
Mustlikeandreblog this post! (Your reblog must have the #TPC Why Not? Tag, as well as don’t forget to say, “Why not?”!)
Along with “Why not?”, say the name of your favorite Why Not? oneshot. So the format of your reblog must be something like:
Why not? | Rose of the Walls
Then tell me what scene you want me to portray in my DMs. There are only 1-3 winners for this raffle.
Prize?
I will draw whatever scene you will be telling me in my DMs, mentioned above. Fully rendered. Remember, it has to be from the Why Not? oneshot book itself. This year, I’m dedicating the art raffle solely to Frans, sorry.
What I Will Not Draw:
NSFW
Gore
Fontcest
Any graphical depictions of discrimination, racism, sexism, etc.
Deadline: May 22-June 16, 2022
FateTale Trilogy Anniversary Art Contest 2022
Requirements:
Must be a follower.
Mustlike this post (You don’t have to reblog this)!
Must know what FateTaleis.
What must you draw?
Pick from the two; A dark monster/spirit OC (in the theme of shadows,dark elemental,spiritual, an embodiment of people’s inner dark side), or a light spirit nymph OC (in the theme of greenish gold,lightelemental,spiritual, an embodiment of hope and goodness).
⚠️ Disclaimer: Strictly no NSFW,racism,sexism,abuse,discrimination,etc. content in your artwork, please!
Rules of Submission:
Must add the tag: “#TPC FateTale Art Contest 2022” on your submission post. (If you’re in Tumblr/IG/Twitter)
You are required to give a description about your character art (name, gender, species, backstory, abilities, weakness, etc.)
Each contestant are allowed to have up to 4 submissions only.
Prize?
1st Place - The dark OC will be featured as the Darkness, and the light one will be Fate’s form in FateTale Trilogy. Also, you’ll get a head shot of your submitted OC. Fully rendered.
2nd Place - A head shot of your submitted OC. Half-rendered.
Deadline: May 23-June 23, 2022
Why Not? Anniversary Writing Contest 2022
Requirements:
Must be a follower.
Mustlike this post (You don’t have to reblog this)!
Must know what Why Not?is.
What must you write?
Pick your favorite or any of the oneshots of Why Not? Portray them in your own writing and version, but remember, it should be related to the onehot. The word length should be 700-4k words.
⚠️Disclaimer: No NSFW. Gore, violence, and other stuff is allowed.
Rules of Submission:
Must add the tag: “#TPC Why Not?” on your submission post. If you are in AO3, Wattpad, Fanfic.net, or any other platform, contact me send a link by referring to my carrd.
You are required to write at least a 100 word essay on why you picked this oneshot as your reference.
Prize?
There is only one winner for this contest. The prize will be a feature/highlight comic of any Undertale/AU scene of your choice.
Deadline: May 22-June 24, 2022
For more inquiry, you can ask me anytime! Also, for more info about the contests, and to know about the voting and judging system, join the FateTale discord server. Also, to those who don’t know Why Not? check it out in Wattpad!
In February, we challenged you to submit a 400-word excerpt from your NaNoWriMo novels. From over 650 fantastic entries, we chose two Grand Prize Winnersandfour Runners-Up. We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we did! (For more excerpts, check out this forum thread.)
“The Beasts of Beck Street” by Izzi H.
The headlights of a lone car flashed through the trees. Morgan drummed her fingers on the steering wheel and accelerated up the incline smoothly. A full-bellied moon dripped pale white light across the forest, but it would still be too dark out under the trees for human eyes. Not that it would matter, she had brought a flashlight this time. The truck leveled out on the desolate road and Morgan checked the rearview mirror compulsively. There was no way he was still following her…Read The Rest!
“The Dragon’s Jewel” by Julia
“I got ‘er,” he shouted over the bustling crown. “I got the thief!” To Bianca’s horror, the man raised a slip of parchment in his other hand. On it was a sketch of her face - braided black hair, freckles and all - as well as the words, WANTED ALIVE. For Crimes Against the Village and the Patrol; for Trespassing and Destruction of Property; Thievery; and Evading Capture. A man in a chain-mail shirt, plumed helmet, and black drawstring pants with a red stripe walked over. A legeon had arrived. He read out the poster to her…Read The Rest!
“Home Sweet Home” by Shiloh D.
Jax was locked in combat. Sweat dripped down his forehead. His heart hammered so fast, he felt it in his collarbone, choking him.
His eyes zipped around the room, searching, when—
Bzzt. Crackle, snap.
The lights began flickering wildly. A hot and metallic smell tainted the air. He heard several circuits short out behind the wall. He bolted into the kitchen, something he should’ve done before…Read The Rest!
“Wendy’s Macbeth” by Evelyn
“Why didn’t you tell us about the ghost?”
Wendy shuffled around a bit on the ground of the school’s costume closet. She knew she’d have to come clean to her make-shift Family eventually, but having three pairs of eyes on her didn’t make this any easier.
"I… thought it would be best to wait until Mars was here,” Wendy decided. It was a half-truth, wasn’t it? The other half, was, well… she didn’t trust them…Read The Rest!
In February, we challenged you to submit a 400-word excerpt from your NaNoWriMo novels. From over 650 fantastic entries, we chose two Grand Prize Winnersandfour Runners-Up. We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we did! (For more excerpts, check out this forum thread.)
“The City’s Pawns” by Abigail C. — Grand Prize Winner (13 and under age group)
Edith popped a lollipop in her mouth and hopped down from the wall. The morning had been successful. No different than most pre-Games mornings, but it was always fun to slip past the wealthy.
Back in the slums, she wiped the kind smile from her face and walked back to the Garage. Even though Edith technically didn’t work for anyone, it was easier if people thought she did. Solos rarely worked out in The City and the last thing she wanted was attention.
Edith climbed in through the second-story window in the back and took out her notebook to jot down what she’d found. She would burn the page after committing it to memory, a necessary precaution since the information she stole could topple family lines. Even on Games week she made sure to leave no trace of what she knew.
Footsteps echoed in the stairwell. Edith stared at the page a moment longer then ripped it out and stuck it in the furnace vent. She climbed down from the window and stalked out into the alley. Anyone who saw her would think she had given whatever she – supposedly – stole to Madame Friedswell, and thieves would believe she didn’t have any valuables on her. She’d learned that trick from a master.
Edith kept the same pace until she reached the slums bordering the Trading Quarter. Most of the time there were stands selling completely useless items to the gullible immigrants, who aspired to be merchants but didn’t realize you had to be rich to live in the Quarter. But it was almost Games week. The sellers were out working their side jobs as criminals.
“Hey, miss! You shouldn’t wear those rings around here. Someone could steal them right off your fingers!” Edith glanced up at the speaker, a filthy old man sporting missing teeth and an acrid odour. The crook made to prove his point but she grabbed his hand and bent his fingers back as far as they would go without breaking. He grunted and tried to pull his hand away, but she pressed harder.
“Believe me, kind sir, I know. I’ve gone lengths to ensure that won’t happen,” Edith crooned. His eyes widened and he stopped fighting. She grinned and let go. “Now run along. I have work to do.”
She didn’t tell him about the trap his mutinous gang had set for him, poor old Farley Baxter.
Guest author judge Tashie Bhuiyan had this to say this about The City’s Pawns:
"Reading this felt like reading something from a published novel. The worldbuilding was so easy to get into and really helped set the scene. It was so immersive and captivating, and the main character immediately drew me in!”
Abigail (Abby) C. loves reading, writing, music, and standing on top of hills with her face to the wind. While her friends at school say she reads and writes too much, her family and other friends say otherwise, so she’s not stopping anytime soon. Her favourite books to read always involve betrayals and major plot twists, to the dismay of book characters everywhere. She hopes to one day follow in her mom’s footsteps and become a published author.
In February, we challenged you to submit a 400-word excerpt from your NaNoWriMo novels. From over 650 fantastic entries, we chose two Grand Prize Winnersandfour Runners-Up. We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we did! (For more excerpts, check out this forum thread.)
“Demons & Detectives” by Asenath W. — Grand Prize Winner (14-18 age group)
Phinsby was out the door in an instant. The shock of the cold, icy air outside made it hard to breathe, but he pushed himself as hard as he could, gaining on the man in front of him. Snowflakes swirled around him, stinging his skin, and people scrambled to get out of his way, their protests silenced when they saw his badge glittering on the lapel of his flapping black coat.
The man didn’t stop to look back, sprinting across the snow with frantic, muffled footsteps. Phinsby almost thought he could hear him gasping for breath.
He caught up with him by a snow-filled alleyway, grabbing hold of the man’s coat and yanking him to a stop before tossing him against the rock-hard snow with a growl. “Some way to treat the man who’s here to save your life,” Phinsby said, pulling his scarf down so he could gasp for breath. The frigid air nipped at his exposed skin with razor-sharp teeth, but he ignored it the best he could. “I’ve been looking for you for a long time.”
The man lay curled on the icy ground, his face bright red from the cold. He had a pox-scarred, thin face with muddy colored eyes and a pained, horrified expression. “You’re different,” he panted, trembling. “You don’t look like the others.”
Phinsby grinned like a hungry wolf. “Correct.”
“Were you the one who did this to me?” the man asked, his breath coming in quick puffs. He scrambled backward, slipping, shaking his head. “Were you the one who cursed me? Is that why your aura is blue instead of yellow?”
Phinsby tilted his head, gazing down at the man through his tinted snow goggles. The blue glow of the man shifted and wavered, like it was trapped inside him. “Not exactly.”
“What happened to me?” the man demanded fearfully. “Why am I seeing things? And—who are you?”
“I already told you who I am, my dear man,” Phinsby said, winding his scarf around his nose and mouth again. “I’m your savior.”
Guest author judge Tashie Bhuiyan had this to say this about Demons & Detectives
“This story really painted the scene well, describing both characters vividly. The interactions between them were compelling and made me want to keep reading. The final line felt a lot like a mic-drop in the best way!”
Asenath W. is a junior in high school who loves to spend her time reading, writing, painting, watching old TV shows, and enjoying fresh air. Her favorite genres are fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and Regency romance, and she is constantly obsessing over her favorite characters. Although she spends more of her time daydreaming about her ideas than writing them, she hopes to become a published author in the future.
@webslingerholland and I are happy to announce we have picked our winner for this years writing contest!
We would first like to thank everyone who has participated. The decision was hard, seeing as we had so many great entries, but a winner had to be chosen!
And finally, it’s time for what you have all been waiting for, our winner is…
Announcing our May/June issue, a perfect springread! Inside you’ll find Porochista Khakpour’s conversation with Elif Batuman, Ananda Lima’s guide to finding the right contest for you, Eva Recinos on the Graywolf Press African Fiction Prize, and Courtney Maum on sharing your memoir with your family. Read more: at.pw.org/MayJune2022
Voltage Inc. is proud to announce our 4th Annual Script Writing and Illustration Contest for Romance Apps. This is a project that we have started to encourage aspiring artists and writers to work on their craft. We will choose a winner for both categories.
During last year’s contest we received a high number of top quality entries from passionate artists and writers. As a result we were able to crown a winner in the illustration category.
This year we have created new sections in the contest where we welcome entries from around the world to enter anime style art to coincide with the release of our new AMEMIX series, which is produced out of our San Francisco office.
Through our Romance Visual Novel Apps we hope to see high quality creators continue to flourish in the future.
Can anyone give me more information on the writing portion of the contest? I checked the website but there isn’t much… Winning would really mean a lot to me. I’m aspiring to become a writer by profession, but more importantly I need that money as I’m trying to become a Paralympian officialvoltageotome Post link
in celebration of @dadplease reaching 5,000 followers, i’m hosting a stuffied-themed writing contest— with a prize for first place! thank you all so much for supporting me and my work; i can’t wait to see what adorable creations you come up with!
what | a writing contest hosted by eun! open to anyone (who meets the participation rules) — not just writers — to submit a piece of writing to be added to the event’s masterlist and read/shared by on her blog! (eun will also be contributing a stuffie-themed fic of her own!)
when | submissions are being accepted between monday, march 28th and friday, april 29th, 2022. a winner will be chosen and announced on saturday, april 30th.
where | submit your writing to the contest by creating your own post and tagging eun (@dadplease), along with adding the challenge tag (#dadplease 5k submission).
the prize | the winner will receive a $30 build-a-bear gift card (via email!)
We’re thrilled to announce our very first Flash Fiction Open! The contest is open to flash fiction 500 words or under, and it will be judged by a writer who is beloved by us: Karin Tidbeck, author of the unclassifiable and wonderfully strange collection Jagannath, and stories that have appeared in some of our favorite places like Unstuck, Tor.com, Lightspeed, Strange Horizons.
The prize is $200 and publication in Issue 6. As each issue of The Golden Key is themed to be inspired by some “object” that might come out of the little iron chest in the Grimm Brothers’ “The Golden Key” tale, the winning piece selected by Karin Tidbeck will also set the theme for Issue 6.
There will be a modest entry fee of $5 for one entry, or $7 for two. We’re raising money so that we can pay our future contributors—entry fees are considered donations, and donations are never used for website or site-related costs—editors pay that.
We hope you’ll enter our first contest! You could win $200, your story could be the centerpiece of Issue 6, and you’ll be supporting other writers!
The wonderful poster art for the Flash Fiction Open was created by the supremely talented F. Lee. See more of F. Lee’s work here: Portfolio,store, and on Twitter @FleeCentaur. @fleebites
This month’s piece generated some incredible stories. I chose this work of art believing there were numerous tales buried within it, and I was not disappointed. Each entry took a completely different perspective on what is happening in this scene. If you enjoy one of the Honorable Mentions below, please let the writer know. I’m sure they would love to hear from you.
As a reminder, I celebrated the new year by featuring one of my favorite artists, @hydraart. If you’ve been following this contest, you may remember that this artist was also featured in January of 2019 and 2020. This seems to now be a New Year’s tradition, and I am happy to be able to continue it this year. If you would like to see the pieces previously featured by this artist, you can view them here:
“Do not move,” Eleanor whispers to herself, thin frame curled inward.
The flapping of wings drowns out her panicked breathing. Dust swirls around. Bits and pieces rain down, and they sound like bullet casings striking metal.
Eleanor could recognize the sound anywhere. It is as familiar as her grandfather’s wartime movies. Black and white visions of the dead.
“Do not move,” Eleanor reminds herself, eyes scanning the words scratched into the steel.
The great bird passes overhead, and the entire shard shakes with its might. She bites her lip. A moment of terrible silence.
It is circling around. Coming back.
“Do… not… move,” Eleanor repeats, unaware that it doesn’t matter.
The shelter is just a jagged piece of roof. It isn’t big enough to hide her, not all of her. Not her shadow.
And unfortunately, the sun is burning in her direction.
“What is it?” replied his mother, her voice drenched in fatigue.
“Billy smashed up my 172 scale model Medieval Human Village.”
“Now Tommy…”
“It wasn’t me,” shouted Billy. “I wouldn’t do nothing with your stupid model.”
“Yes it was,” shouted Tommy waving his wing at the table. “That’s your feather laying right there.”
“Nuh-huh.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Nuh-huh.”
Their mother rubbed a talon against her throbbing forehead. It was going to be a long day. Maybe it was time to just kick the little bastards out of the nest? She looked at the two chicks arguing. “No,” she said softly, “I’ll give it one more day.”
I dug my fingers deep into the ground as I curled tighter into myself, squeezing my eyes shut in a vain effort to concentrate. This had to work- in the end it’s all I could do, whatever God that’s left forgive me. I could feel the beast looming impossibly large behind me, breath wuffing over the ruined plains like winds before a storm. A low growl thundered from its throat and I dug harder even as my fingernails protested and bent from the dirt being shoved underneath them. I couldn’t fail. I had to find them, and to do that I needed to make it out alive. To do that…
I felt it suddenly, claws slicing easily into the dirt deep enough that I’m sure someone could make a bomb shelter of it later. The tips of its heavy wings brushed the uneven ground, dragging stone and steel along as they swayed in rest. Feeling the pull of its head was the worst; it had seen me that much I knew, darting from toppled building to ruined tower to hastily put up shelter as fast as my legs could carry me had not been fast enough. It’s great shriek had nearly deafened me as it shook the earth landing just a few yards away from where I had crouched. The few warriors who had gathered to head off the beast- they all knew in their hearts they hadn’t a chance of making it.
That’s what I kept telling myself as the beast’s arm raised and came crashing down to sweep away fallen debris and lean to steel sheets and scattered weapons, armor and men alike, leaving them to try and bury themselves yet again. Collect their wits and reorganize perhaps. I couldn’t afford to give them that chance. Setting everything in motion the wings swept back, the arms came up, the eyes focused forward, sharp beak opening wide with vocal chords straining to make its signature call- and so it was done.
All at once I severed the connection, feeling impossibly small and weak and useless once again as the ground shook like an earthquake with the speed at which the beast fell, screaming its indignation at being puppeted for as long as it had, intelligent eyes snapping forward to those running for better cover, myself sitting still and forgotten for the moment in light of more easily accessed prey. I covered my ears and closed my eyes, whispering out a prayer of forgiveness to carry on the artificial wind for those who cared to hear it.
Eventually the shaking ceased, noise quieted, beast placated if only for a moment making it possible to crawl out and stand up though I dared not turn around. Sticking to the irrational belief that my imagined carnage was worse and therefore I was absolved of blame I squared my shoulders and turned west.
I had survived and would continue to do so through whatever means necessary. I would survive. And I would find them.
Maran huddled beneath the toppled roof of a ruined dwelling, sitting now upon the ground, broken and battered. All of the buildings in this tiny hamlet told a similar story; one of destruction and wrath.
Maran heaved a silent sigh. He had sent out Maran-do, his mind partner, when the day was still bright, her task to bring down anyone he had not dispatched. Very few would be daring enough to try to evade her. It would take a remarkable being indeed to slip past Maran-do unnoticed, avoiding her wicked talons. He had never known it happen yet.
Maran-do hung in the air now like a dark, oppressive shadow. She had been the foretelling of death for so many souls, Maran had long since stopped counting.
He had never imagined she would foretell his own death, too. Maran frowned, trying to recall such a thing happening before. What could possibly cause a mind-partner to turn upon its host? It was unheard of.
He knew the tiniest movement would be enough to alert her to his whereabouts. Resisting the urge to break cover and run, Maran struggled with ordering his thoughts. That was the biggest problem. Maran-do was inside his head as well as outside it. She knew his own mind better than he knew it himself.
How could he possibly escape? Wherever he went, Maran-do would go with him. Why had she turned on him? In a rare moment of self-pity, Maran gave a sniff.
It was enough. He could feel the air outside shifting, darkness looming over his hiding place like an unstoppable, oncoming storm. For the briefest instant, Maran felt the terror and utter helplessness so many had known before.
A large talon tapped impatiently before him. Inside his head, the words ‘Come out, come out, wherever you are’ blossomed into life like clouds of puffed smoke, Maran-do taunting him with his own phrase.
“Why?” Maran breathed, “Why do you turn upon me?”
More words of smoke, ‘I am to be mind-partner to a greater one than you, little Maran,’ using the childhood endearment, ‘Your mind is weak. You take much pleasure from death and killing. I belong to a greater mind than yours,’ she repeated.
She raised her foot. Maran flinched as, above him, the beams and planks of the rough wooden roof began to splinter. Instinctively he crouched, making himself smaller, as if he could avoid being crushed.
He had just enough time to wonder how she could survive without his mind to host her. Then he was gone; snuffed out like a bare candle in a blizzard.
Maran-do stretched her wings, letting out a silent shriek as her head turned to the west. A new host awaited her, a new name forming in her mind even as she rose from the earth. A path of flight was shown to her fathomless mind, stretching like an umbilical cord across the skies.
Maran was dead.
So was Maran-do.
Tethered
Written by: @wildler
I heard the spirits before I saw them—their strangled moans carrying through the smoke-stained air. Carys whinnied beneath me, her ears twitching in all directions.
“Easy girl,” I murmured, stroking her neck. “Only a little further. Should be the next clearing.”
The sound continued, growing stronger as we pushed closer to where the village was rumoured to be. I tugged the hood of my cloak from my head, sweat sticking my hair to my neck. It seemed my limited healing skills had arrived too late to be of use—but my other skills—well, perhaps I would return to the king with something more substantial than rumours at last.
We entered the clearing, the devastation hitting me like a sword to the gut. Homes had been scalped, gutted and burned. Their charred remains left crumbling into the earth. Spirits inhabited the ruins. Flickers of human outlines that cried out as they relived their violent, final moments of existence. Their fear keeping them tethered to this plane.
I dismounted Carys and pressed my hands to the ground, shuddering as the sweat on my neck turned cold. A haze of panic blanketed the site like thick smoke, making it impossible to get a sense of the events leading to its ruin. I sank my fingers into the soil and focused my will, trying again.
Sounds and smells came rushing at me, distorted screams on a hot jet of air. My eyes sprang open to find the spirits staring in eerie silence, their gaze passing right through me to something on the horizon.
I heard the presence before I saw it—a monstrous shriek carried on a blast of flame. It was an end too terrifying and binding to escape.
This month’s piece, created by @hydraart generated some incredible stories. I chose this work of art believing there were numerous stories buried within it, and I was not disappointed. Each entry took a completely different perspective on what is happening this scene. In addition to reading the winning piece below, I hope you’ll look for my Honorable Mentions post later today to see some of the other interpretations that gave this story competition for the win.
The winner for this month’s contest is…Maree Brittenford @mareebrittenford! Congratulations! If you like the story below, you may also want to check out the three books this author has published, which you can find by clicking here.
As a reminder, I celebrated the new year by featuring one of my favorite artists, @hydraart. If you’ve been following this contest, you may remember that this artist was also featured in January of 2019 and 2020. This seems to now be a New Year’s tradition, and I am happy to be able to continue it this year. If you would like to see the pieces previously featured by this artist, you can view them here:
The piece for this month was titled, “Hide and Seek.” Here it is with the winning story below:
It was a soggy, sullen sort of war. Fought over a piece of land that neither side actually wanted.
If their leaders were in a saner place then the grim swampy valley could’ve been deemed no man’s land, and left as a natural barrier between the two nations.
Instead they pushed and pulled at each other and when they gained a little ground they tried to build fortifications on the slightly firmer islands that rose a few inches above the water.
Ethel was no patriot. She didn’t see the point of wasting so many lives over such a place. All she wanted was to live a quiet life, but she was forced into the conflict, just like so many others.
Search and Rescue was what she was supposed to be doing. But it was a joke. She searched, but there was no rescue. The ones she carried back were either thrown back into the conflict or executed, depending on the colors they wore. The ones who were injured were supposed to get some kind of treatment. Mostly they just died.
The wind currents were brutal as she walked into the narrow pass between the mountains. It was part of what made the valley so unusual. Of course if a bird gained enough height they could fly across, but to get access to the valley one had to walk through the pass. It was too dangerous otherwise.
She was soon able to take flight over the mist that swooped and swirled through the valley, as if the spirits of all those killed were lingering.
She had to angle down low to even see anything through the mist, cutting dangerously close to the ground, and dodging the few spindly trees that suddenly appeared out of the mist ready to cut her down.
A movement caught her eye and she banked to investigate. Ethel’s landing on the spongey ground was silent, as silent as her wing strokes.
It wasn’t a bird, it was one of the little creatures. It cowered in the ruins of an old fort. The valley was infested with them, and most of the larger birds of prey considered them convenient snacks, but something about the way they acted troubled Ethel. She didn’t like food that looked at her with so much intelligence in it’s eyes. So she pretended not to see it and took flight again.
Perhaps some day, when the endless war was over the little creatures might make something of themselves, down there in the valley.
In this contest, I reach out to artists directly about specific pieces. As a result, I already love all of the artists and pictures that are featured. However, this month’s artist has been featured more than any other. This is definitely one of my favorite artists. Additionally, their work is the perfect catalyst for Ekphrastic Fiction pieces as they are often pictures of apocalyptic scenes that look like they are begging for stories to be crafted around them.
So, to celebrate the new year, I am once again featuring a piece by Virginie Juteau @hydraart. If you’ve been following this contest for a while, you may remember that this artist was also featured in January of 2019 and 2020. This seems to now be a New Year’s tradition, and I am happy to be able to continue it this year.
The piece for this month is titled, “Hide and Seek.” Can you see why I feel like there are unlimited stories hidden here? This artist has the incredible gift of crafting surreal scenes that have multiple stories emanating from them.
If you would like to see the pieces previously featured by this artist, you can view them here:
You can do either one of these to enter the contest. You do not need to do both.
Contest Prize: I will feature the winning piece on my blog and link directly to the writer’s page in order to promote his/her/their work. The winning piece will also have a permanent spot on my contest page. This gives writers a chance to have their work shared and seen by others. Sorry, but at this time I am broke, so no cash prizes will be given.
WTF is Ekphrastic Fiction? Ekphrastic Fiction stories are short fictitious pieces inspired by a work of art. To see some of my Ekphrastic Fiction pieces, click here.
Will there be any future contests? Yes! As long as there is enough interest, there will be a new contest, and a new piece of art work, posted every month. Check out my page on the 1st of each month to see the new contest.
If you saw my previous post, you know that this will be the last contest for the time being. If you missed that announcement, you can read it here. I thought it was only appropriate for me to bring things to a close by featuring my favorite and most featured artist. Virginie Juteau @hydraart is not only an incredibly gifted creator of monsters, but has also been continually supportive of this contest over the years. I couldn’t resist featuring one more of this artist’s incredible creations.
The final piece for the contest is titled, “Scientia,” and it’s an example of yet another mythical being that was generated from the mind of @hydraart. If you’re into fantasy/horror art and you’re not familiar with this artist’s work, you can click here to see a vast collection of original work.
