Hello everyone. This month we received 28 stories from 16 authors. Six were disqualified: three weren’t written to the theme (two from one author who subsequently realised then emailed me asking me to just consider the remaining story, the other was sadly the only entry from the respective author, a newbie to this competition) and the others were just 84, 97 and 99 words respectively. The latter three were also the only stories submitted by those authors so they missed out on the chance of me considering other stories. Annoyingly (for the author) the 99-word story was a word short because there was a space between the end of a short piece of dialogue and the close inverted commas so when the space was closed, the story lost a word. I’d urge you all to thoroughly check your work before you submit it, especially if you’re only submitting one story (instead of the maximum three), and especially if you’re submitting it early in the month (the 11th May in this case). The theme for June is ‘close’ (shut and / or nearby) and you can enter up to three stories between now and midnight (UK time) on Thursday 30th June.
Before I reveal the winners and highly commended, I have some news… can I have a “woo hoo” please. Thank you. 🙂
My writer’s block workbook – volume 1 course is now FREE! so I’ve removed it as an option to win but have a new course, plot scenarios – month 1, which you can choose should you come first, second, or third in this competition. (Highly commended receive free access to the entering writing competitions course).
OK without further ado… here are the successful entries for May…
First placed (winning three Online Courses of her choice): Miriam Drori with ‘Sleeping On It’
Monday. She fell asleep worrying about the overdraft and the overdue rent. She woke too early, her head aching.
Tuesday. She fell asleep worrying about the overdraft, the overdue rent and her daughter’s brush with bullying. She woke early, her head pounding.
Wednesday. Overdraft, rent, bullying and dying cat. Unbearable pain on awakening.
“That’s it,” she told herself. “A brain tumour. Soon I will leave this life. Someone else will take over all my problems.”
Thursday. She fell asleep flying over vast green fields, purple flowers and deep blue lakes. She woke refreshed and smiling, ready to follow the sun.
*
Second placed (winning two Online Courses of his choice): Gary Marsh with ‘The Visit’
Crockery clinks. Time drags. Say something!
“So, how are the new hearing aids, Gramps?”
“Eh?”
“I said, how are the new hearing aids.” Slower, louder, frantic hand gestures around the ears.
Thumbs up and smile as a reply.
So speech has gone now has it?
This whole conversation is giving me a headache! It’s even worse than last week.
Uncomfortable silence. Glance at the clock.
“Well, I’d better be off!” Virtually shouting.
“Bye, then. Next week?” Nodding, voice even louder!
He waves and leaves.
“Thank God he’s gone?” Says the old man. “Is it my deal? Anyone got any aspirin?”
*
Third placed (winning one Online Course of his choice): N.T. Franklin with ‘My Headaches’
I have a headache. I get them often. More now than before.
Mom says it was because of the weather. She tells me I’m a good boy. Every day, she does. But things are different now.
We haven’t gone out for lunch for almost a year. I miss those special times. But I know Mom loves me. She tells me. Every day. Things are getting better though.
The house is starting to smell like it used to. That will make Mom happy. But her favorite dress doesn’t fit her right anymore.
I wish she wasn’t all shriveled up these days.
*
Highly commended (winning the entering writing competitions course):
- Jason Phillips with ‘The Morning (Migraine) After’
- Salvatore Buttaci with ‘I Can Smell A Killer’
- Lesley Middleton with ‘The Cure’
- Paul Isaac with ‘Phantom Pain’
Congratulations everyone. Another month of great stories. If you’re name’s not listed, don’t be disheartened. The chances are that you only just missed out. You have until 30th June to enter this month’s competition with the theme of ‘close’ (shut and / or nearby) and do remember that you can enter up to three times. I will choose my favourite of your three to go into the competition so two more chance (obviously) than if you only entered once.
***
You can subscribe to this blog on your Kindle / Kindle app via Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com. Alternatively, you can sign up to receive these blog posts daily or weekly so you don’t miss anything (see right-hand vertical menu).
You can contact me and find me on the internet, view my books (including my debut novel The Serial Dater’s Shopping List, various short story collections and writer’s block workbooks) and If you like this blog, you can help me keep it running by donating. Thank you.
I now run online courses – details on Courses – and for anyone looking for an editor, do take a look at Editing and Critique.
If you would like to send me a book review of another author’s books or like your book reviewed (short stories, contemporary crime / women’s novels or writing guides), see book-reviews for the guidelines. Other options listed on opportunities-on-this-blog. And I post writing exercises every weekday on four online writing groups.
Morgen 'with an E' Bailey 
Thank you, Morgen! That took my headache away.
LikeLike
You’re very welcome, Miriam. Congratulations.
LikeLike