#ThursThreads - Week 36 - Winners

Week 36 of #ThursThreads had some great tales! Thanks to all who entered this week. I'm honored to see all of you and read your stories. And it was great to have our returning regulars. Great thanks also goes to judge Alex Bowman for reading all the tales.

Entries:

• Ryan Strohman | @rastrohman
• Wakefield Mahon | @WakefieldMahon
• Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider
• Kimberly Gould | @Kimmydonn
• Toni Wyatt | @Toni1777
• Olivia Grambo | @KelseyPotter13
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Cara Michaels | @caramichaels
• Kel Heinen | @Aightball
• Cameron Lawton | @CameronLawton
• Susan Hayes | @capricia13
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
• Daniel Swensen | @surlymuse
• Elaine Hillson | @tollykit
• Rebecca Grace Allen | @RGraceAllen
• Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster
• Clare Stubbs | @ClareStubbs2
• Crystal | @NightOwlWrites
• Chessny Silth | @ChessnySilth
• Jeffrey Hollar | @Klingorengi
• Mike E Miller | @MikeEMillerBook
• Nellie Batz | @solimond
• Rebekah Postupack | @postupak

 

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Robin Abess | @Angelique_Rider

Alex says: Another great use of imagery. Loved that it was a bit darker, adding another element to the narrative.
 

Olivia Grambo | @KelseyPotter13

Alex says: Evocative, it made me feel the awkwardness of the narrator. Nice use of emotion.

 

Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir

Alex says: Strong technically. Tight writing made it flow easily. It made me want to know more. (I'm ineligible as host, but I wanted to include Alex's comments)
 

Week 36 Winner

Ryan Strohman | @rastrohman

Alex says: The imagery was great -- I felt like I was sitting on the bus as I read it. Also, it's so divergent from the expected use of the prompt, so I liked that surprise as well as the little mini-twist at the end which changed my opinion of the narrator.

 

I never stood up for her, that pregnant woman on the bus. I didn’t even think of it at the time. I was too engrossed in reading over the headlines on my iPad. I didn’t even really look up. Or at least I can keep telling myself that.

Neither did a lot of people, I guess. The guy in the suit didn’t, but that was no surprise. He was on his cell phone, talking at a volume unfit for public transportation. Unfit for public, really. The college kid with the glasses and headphones didn’t stand up either. He just stared out the window.

The mother with her two young children looked like she would have if she’d been alone. She gave a sympathetic smile. And the elderly couple did the same, although I did see the old man rise a little before his wife pulled at his arm to stay. He wouldn’t have been able to manage standing with his oxygen tank.

I should have stood up for her. I know it. Why didn’t the others? A pregnant woman, appearing at least eight months along, forced to stand the entire trip from 5th to 42nd. As I checked the straps on my prosthetics, still adjusting to using them like this, the bus rolled to a stop. The pregnant woman passed me, and I ungainly rose and followed. Only then did I see my folly.

I didn’t have legs, but I did have manners. I should have stood up for her.

Congratulations Ryan, Robin, and Olivia! Claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! :)

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here. Next week I'll be out of town at Authors After Dark in New Orleans so #ThursThreads will be postponed until August 16th 2012 and I hope to see you all back then. :)

#ThursThreads - Week 11 - Winners

Week Eleven of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales! Thanks to all who entered this week. I'm honored to see all of you and read your stories. And it was great to have some new "faces" join us. Huge thank you to judge J. Whitworth Hazzard for reading through all of them.

Entries:

• Kimberly Gould | @Kimmydonn
• Gordon Bonnet | @TalesOfWhoa
• Toni Wyatt | @Toni1777
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Stacy Bennett-Hoyt | @Rowanwolf66
• Ryan Strohman | @rastrohman
• Nancy Porter | @ModernBard1024
• Cara Michaels | @caramichaels
• Jalisa Blackman | @J_M_Blackman
• Wakefield Mahon | @WakefieldMahon
• Wendy Russo | @wendysrusso
• Jen DeSantis | @JenD_Author
• David A Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
• Jeffrey Hollar | @Klingorengi
• Revo Boulanger | @RevoBoulanger
• Charles W Jones | @ChuckWesJ
• Nellie Batz | @solimond
• Lisa McCourt Hollar | @jezri1
• Aurora Lee | @AuroraLee

J says: First, thank you so much for asking me to judge, I had a great time reading over the entries with a critical eye. It give you a different perspective on this side of the desk.  :-) There were tons of great entries and they were all entertaining. I narrowed it down to a winner and 3 HMs by the narrowest of margins.

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Stacy Bennett-Hoyt | @Rowanwolf66

J says: One part seduction, one part serial killer, one part zombies, all fun. Sure, it's a shameless attempt at courting the judge's obvious interests, but it worked because it was unique.

David A Ludwig | @DavidALudwig

J says: This one gets an HM because it was just so damned intriguing. I read it and immediately wanted to know more about everyone in the scene and what the hell kind of "show" this guy puts on.

Wendy Russo | @wendysrusso

J says: This one threw me for a loop when I got to the Easter Bunny. I thought for sure it was a dream or an acid trip until it all fell beautifully and sweetly into place in the last lines.

Week Eleven Winner

Ryan Strohman | @rastrohman

J says: When I finished reading this piece, I realized I had a great big fish hook stuck through my cheek. This is fantastic example of setting a hook and reeling in a reader, only to throw them back with a laugh on the last line.  Simple but effective, you clever bastard.

“Oh my God, Ron! She’s dead!”

He was up off his seat in a fraction of a second, bolting into their daughter’s room.

“Ron, oh Ron!” she cried, dropping to her knees.

He stared in horror at the body. Frozen, lifeless, pale. Pushing his emotions aside, he knew instantly that this would not end well in any imagined scenario.

“I think you poisoned her, Mary,” he said, looking forlornly at his wife, who had begun to sob.

“I did not! How could I have poisoned her?”

He shook his head and walked further into the room staring down at the corpse. Turning back to his wife, he said, “Let’s get this over with, and stop being so overdramatic!”

He grabbed the little round fish tank and carried it to the bathroom. He’d leave it up to his wife to explain to Alli that she’d killed her goldfish.

Congratulations TWO TIME WINNER Ryan, Stacy, David, and Wendy! Claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! :) 

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here and I hope to see you all back next week for #ThursThreads. :)

 

#ThursThreads - Week Five - Winners

Week Five of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales! Huge thank you to all who entered this week. It was great to see all of you and read your tales. And it was great to have some new "faces" join us. Another huge thank you to judge Tom Keller for reading through all the stories.

Entries:

• Charles W Jones | @ChuckWesJ
• Toni Wyatt | @Toni1777
• Bethany Lopez | @BethanyLopez2
• Wakefield Mahon | @WakefieldMahon
• Ryan Strohman | @rastrohman
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
• Jeffrey Hollar | @Klingorengi
• Rafe B | @etcet
• Corgzilla
• Cara Michaels | @caramichaels
• David A Ludwig | @DavidALudwig
• Robby Hilliard | @redshirt6
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Richard C Hale | @Richard_C_Hale
• @LupusAnthropos
• Daniel Swensen | @surlymuse
• Lenore Diane | @Lenore_Diane
• Nellie Batz | @solimond
• Stevie McCoy | @theglitterlady
• Rik Davnall | @eatthepen
• Miranda Gammella | @MLGammella
• Lisa McCourt Hollar | @Jezri

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

@LupusAnthropos

Tom says: I could see a lot of Sam in my own dog, lol.

Wakefield Mahon | @WakefieldMahon

Tom says: I gotta give Wakefield an Honorable Mention for his use of the prompt. It was a fun, sexy story.

Richard C Hale | @Richard_C_Hale

Tom says: I really liked Richard C Hale's story. That damn elevator scared the crap out of me as well.

Corgzilla

Tom says: "Business first then we'd talk romance. I wanted my guns back." I liked the fighting cyborg-mage idea. Spitting out a tooth was also a nice touch.

Week Five Winner

Ryan Strohman | @rastrohman

Tom says: I really liked @rastrohman's story. That one moved me and I could really feel for the character.

“Here you are, in all your glory. Tie just right. Shirt fitting perfectly, outlining those muscles. You’re tall and handsome, and you have a winning smile. You look great, and yeah, you’re worth a million bucks. You know that? You can tackle anything. And you want to know something else? You will take the bull by the horns and come out of here grinning with the thought of knowing you did it. People may say you lack character or charisma, that you maybe aren’t brave enough to do something like this, but sure you are, tough guy. You are a born winner, and you can accomplish anything.”

“Hey buddy, quit talking to yourself and move it. You’re holding up the line.”

He turned and glared back at the sour old man, then took a step forward. Time to shine.

“Hi, can I help you?” she asked, smiling cheerfully.

“Yes, my name is Reggie, and I have severe agoraphobia. I’m trying new medication though, and this is my first time out of my house in seven years. Ahem. I’d like a hamburger and a small Coke please.”

As she smiled awkwardly and called out the order, he whispered to himself, “You did it, Reggie. You did it!”

Congratulations Ryan, Lupus, Wakefield, Richard, and Corgzilla! Claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! :) 

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here and I hope to see you all back next week for #ThursThreads. :)