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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#132: Time to Blume

On February 12th, Judy Blume turns 84 — and her bestselling book, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, is finally becoming a feature film this year. To celebrate, we’re featuring prompts based on the YA classic released over 50 years ago.

If you need a refresher, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret follows 6th grader Margaret Simon in her quest for a religious identity. Her mother was raised Christian, her father Jewish. They’ve decided not to impose one belief or the other on their daughter, but that leaves Margaret longing for a god of her own to talk to.

Dive into this blast-from-the-past and relive your childhood reading by writing a story based on one of our five Judy Blume prompts.

This week's prompts

Start your story with a character saying “Are you there, God? It’s me…”

Dialogue – 108 stories

Write a story where a character is exploring their religious or spiritual identity.

Fiction – 59 stories

Write a story about a couple with fundamentally different beliefs.

Valentine's Day – 23 stories

End your story with a character saying “Thank you, God. Thanks an awful lot.” (sarcastically or not).

Dialogue – 44 stories

Write a story about a teenager whose family is moving.

Teens – 46 stories

Stories

“Feeling Lucky” by HAYDEN MARONEY

Submitted to Contest #132

We stood sitting outside the house with our dog Opey by our side. My little brother and I lived with our Grandma and Grandpa because our Ma and Pa died when our house burned down. Jeremy my little brother keeps having flashbacks and just stares at the wall for half an hour. Even though it was three years ago, I remember it like it was yesterday. It was a pretty cold night. Me, Jeremy, Ma, and Pa were all asleep. I don't know what happened, but I felt the wet and warm lick of Opey's tongue on my cheek. When I woke up, I smelled smoke. Then I ...

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“Heaven Has Horses” by Kathryn Mofley

Submitted to Contest #132

The night was not just snowy, but a blizzard. Jenny, a very old woman, was driving on a curvy mountain road and slid off down a steep ravine. She was shaken but unhurt, saved by her seatbelt and the six feet of snow that cushioned her landing at the bottom. Even though the car had settled mostly level and upright, she knew she was in big trouble. She’d never gotten a cellphone—her rotary-dial worked just fine—and she hadn’t told anyone where she was going. Jenny figured she’d be warm enough for awhile, but only awhile since the blizzard...

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“Overcoming Abuse and Healing” by Rajat Agrawal

Submitted to Contest #132

The BeginningNow when he is finally here, he is scared of the unknown as a result of the trauma he endured all his life. Twenty five years ago, Lee was born in the midst of a storm, with a dirt spoon in his mouth, and survived an almost premature death with Jaundice. His father, who was a new architect who recently got his first job, didn't have enough money to get his son treated, and borrowed some money to save his life.Lee spent the first 5 years of his life in his village, being homeschooled by his parents and his uncle. Like most kids a...

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“My Timeline” by Maxine Burston

Submitted to Contest #132

Melody stared at herself in the mirror. She didn't recognize the woman staring back at her. She had been pretending to be what fits or is acceptable for so long, that she was anything more than a collection of others' opinions and thoughts. As Melody contemplated this, a ding from her phone alerted her that she had received a message from one of the few people who could get a smile from her with just their name popping up on her phone. Opening the text, appeared one word “Starbucks?” from Dan. She expected the daily text but it always gave h...

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“A Buck Fifty” by Valerie Vince

Submitted to Contest #132

When Kim tells me her dad died that morning, the inside of my head clangs like a church bell. This is our very first phone call, and for a second, I don’t recognize her voice or her name. I sit down on the side of the bed in my parents’ bedroom, and I kind of grow up in that moment. Thanks a lot, God. When I woke up this morning, I said to myself: gee, I hope I grow up today.This is so typical of me, taking the floor when Kim has just told me her dad died this morning. Seriously Angie, drop the daze and think of someone other than ...

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“Life...” by A Odom

Submitted to Contest #132

somewhere in this twisted brain of mine, i just wanted to tell everybody to go squat in a cactus tree, but my manners wouldn't let me. i was so sick of feeling compelled to situations when i knew that i didn't volunteer in the first place, but then again, did i even have a choice? i was reeled in like a naive little fish trying to escape the grasp of their corroded hooks, knowing that the more i fought to get my freedom back, the more motivated the captors would become to keep me. well what if i just played along and pretended to die, would ...

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“Moving Day” by Kim Benton

Submitted to Contest #132

Moving day It’s moving day September 1974, no exclamation marks here, to show excitement. I am glum, bummed, sad, scared, and nervous. How is the day I have been dreading for months here already? I feel like my life i...

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“Bags and Black Mould” by Leah Reynolds

Submitted to Contest #132

Shelley knew to keep quiet; years of conditioning will do that to a person. There was little to take- there never was, when you rarely even feel like a guest at a new address you learn not to burden the space with stuff. “Shelley, are you packing?” the question didn’t need to be asked but her Mother was in full panic mode. Time was always of the essence when they were moving. “Yes, nearly finished, Mum” but as the last syllables left her lips, she immediately regretted them. Thoughtless, thoughtless Shelley. Shaking her head, she k...

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“These Wandering Dreams” by Elliot Altin

Submitted to Contest #132

Content warnings: implied xenophobia, implied Islamophobia, descriptions of blood/minor injury. Ayla found the egg buried in her sock-drawer. It was a small and rounded thing, with a smooth shell of emerald-green. Likely made of some sort of marble, if she had to guess, but the egg itself wasn’t heavy. It felt light as fog and fit easily in the palm of her hand. Glistening, milky pearls dotted the surface of the egg, arranged in neatly spaced-out circles that wound around it. “Ayla?” her mom, Jessica, poked her head into the roo...

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“David” by Holland Wells

Submitted to Contest #132

Saying goodbye is never easy. It brings a sadness in each one of us that runs deep in our soul that can only be comforted with time. It was the late 1970's in Los Angeles California when I had to say goodbye to a friend named David. It would be the first upset of many in my life.David was a thirteen year old teenage boy who lived next door to me. He was into scientific stuff and had gotten a chemistry set for Christmas one year. He would always show me slides of bugs and things through his microscope and even showed me a slide of blood once....

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“Embroidered in blood” by Lilla Toth

Submitted to Contest #132

NowShe was able to wash most of the blood off when she heard the door bell. She peeked outside behind from the curtain. Great, she thought, never better timing. Mrs. Potts, the sheriff’s wife, her next door neighbour was standing at the door. She threw the rubber gloves and the apron into the sink, and ran to the mirror at the hallway. She tucked her hair behind her ears, and straightened her floral blouse at the waistline.“Mrs. Potts, hi! What can I do for you?” she stood in a wide stance with the arms folded on her chest. “Can I come ...

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“Basta! A New Beginning ” by Toni-Ann Daly

Submitted to Contest #132

The boat swayed back and forth as it pulled into the harbor. It would have felt like a peaceful rocking, but nothing about Louie felt at peace, and no movement of a boat – no matter how peaceful – could change that. While most of the boat, and even his cabin mates, were likely on deck, watching their arrival to this new county, this new place, Louie sat on his top bunk, in the cramped, dark, and smelly cabin, and thought back over the last month of his life. The choices that he made four weeks ago had led him here – on a boat, to a strang...

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“He Was There” by Kimberly Larraine

Submitted to Contest #132

"Are you there, God? It's me..." I can remember those words as I cried them, dropping to my knees on the cold bedroom floor. I remember telling him how frightened I was. Saddened by the news of my impending divorce; I knelt in prayer. I was not sad for myself as I had lived nearly ten years with a man that did not know how to show love. I was sad for six children who would rarely see "Daddy." As the enormity of the situation closed in on me, I cried even louder. I could not afford the house that we were soon to buy. I was a high school drop ...

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“Invisible” by Joy Arnett

Submitted to Contest #132

Are you there God? It’s me…the Invisible Old Lady on Every Street. We have to talk about this aging thing. On the invisibility scale I am almost a winner. The first thing I noticed when I crossed over the old age threshold was a distinct shift in my universe. I can’t tell you exactly when this happened but what I can tell you is that things have been weird and off kilter ever since.All through my years of youth and adulthood I was quite visible. Sometimes this was for the seventy inch length of me and sometimes for the two hundred plus pound...

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“The Labryinth” by SUNI NELSON

Submitted to Contest #132

The Labyrinth “Hey God, its me, Suni” “I was told I might find you here. Some say, this spot, this place is filled with you. At least more so than most other geographical locations.” “Is that true?” ……”I mean, are you really more in some places than you are in others? Some folks sure seem to think so. Enough to fight...

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$250

Prize money

280

Contest entries

127

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Feb 11, 2022 EST

Won by Adam El Nabli 🏆

Title: Inshallah

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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