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#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

“On God's Deaf Ears” by Iris Champion

Submitted to Contest #132

“Are you there, God? It’s me, Sophia. I don’t think I can do this anymore.” I grasp the toothbrush in my hand and stand beside him. His feet are bigger than mine. Masculine, slightly dirty. I watch as he taps two of his calloused fingers together in front of his chest, his gaze fixed firmly on the photographs on the wall. I look at them, too. Old images of easier times. What I wouldn’t do to go back and stop this somehow. Too much emotion rises in my chest. I look away, intent on keeping the sadness out. Instead, I lean in toward his sh...

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“When did you last see the tramp?” by Angelina Sokolsky

Submitted to Contest #132

Are you there, God? It’s me. It’s - uh - it’s happening again. I caught their gaze - immediately looking down at my chest. I tugged a little at the v-neck of my dress, an embarrassing attempt to seem more self-aware than self-conscious. Or self-loathing. Hey, I’m not sure if you can do anything about them staring, but… I didn’t particularly loathe myself for going, but I did for the expectations I held walking in. The second I saw someone I knew, my heart sank and my chest tightened as the mind fog brewed and crept slowly through my entire b...

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“Making Deities” by Pandora Naveen

Submitted to Contest #132

Sensitive Content Warning: Mentions of physical abuse and suicide Are you there, God? It’s me. Again. Fourth time this week. I don’t know if you’ve checked recently but I’m still stuck in a body I shouldn’t be in a place I definitely shouldn’t be. I still have two chins and my parents still fight. I went to church on Sunday but I’m pretty sure you didn’t hear me last night. It just doesn’t seem fair. You hand us a crusty old book and expect us to follow it. Do you never check in down here? Because it doesn’t really apply anymore. W...

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“Jimmy's Questions” by Amanda Bird

Submitted to Contest #132

January 16 Are you there God? It’s me, Jimmy. Today in school Mrs. Warren read us a story about a king who lived a long long time ago and used pigeons to get cherries from a far away mountain. My mom’s pigeons don’t usually carry messages but since pigeons fly up into the sky I figure they must get closer to heaven where you are. I picked Ivanhoe to carry this letter because he’s my mom’s strongest pigeon. He’s the boss of the food bowl and he won’t let anyone eat until he’s finished. Even if he hasn’t been to heaven before I’m hoping he can...

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“I've Been Found” by Nevaeh Wilcox

Submitted to Contest #132

WARNING: Mental health problems and suicide! I finished filming my ASMR makeup video, edited a different ASMR nail art video, and the moment I closed my computer and packed it in its bag, my big smile sunk into a deep frown. I stood up, and went over to my “teary corner”, and started to curl up like all the other days I’ve been through, but realized something that stopped me from a complete ball. The room seemed to be getting slightly brighter, I looked around confused, but mesmerized. Tears had already started flowing, but I was s...

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“"Are you there, God? It's me.."” by Arya Riles

Submitted to Contest #132

"Are you there, God? It's me.." I was so nervous to even start a conversation, or a prayer if you will. It's been a while since I've last sat and talked with the big man up there. clearing my throat, for some reason I felt so nervous, though I've had many talks with God, but this talk was different. like..the prodigal child returning home but with a burden to get off my chest. "It's me..riley, and..it's been a while since ..you know..we last talked..or since I last talked to you...considering everything that's been happening and going on...

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“An Answered Prayer” by Cheryl Kula

Submitted to Contest #132

Trigger warning - story deals with death. An Answered Prayer “Are you there, God? It’s me, Violet.” Violet paused in her prayer, unsure about continuing. She didn’t know what God might think about what she wanted. Was she about to pray for murder? Violet didn’t necessarily want Pops to die, but she worried that her mother was killing herself with exhaustion. Her parents often argued about it. Violet wanted to go back to how it was before. Would it be so bad, she wondered if she just wished this long-drawn-out illness would end? Would i...

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“Mutuality” by Rob Ryter

Submitted to Contest #132

In the garden“Are you there, Lord? It’s me, Amelie.”It has been a long night in the garden. She has spent every hour in prayer, with barely a break.The gnarled olive trees stay mute, save for the hiss of the dawn wind through their branches, upper twigs waving like the thin, sharp-nailed fingers of a demented witch as she casts a hex on one who threatens her peace.And then Amelie sees the tall figure, at the far end of the grove, throughthe limbs and foliage. Smiling, bearded, white-robed, hands clasped, glowing in the morning sun. Open-arme...

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“I Meditate in the Woods” by Rob Jonasson

Submitted to Contest #132

Christianity has persevered just over 2,000 years. Prophesied by John the Baptist, to arrive imminently, Jesus started preaching about his Father and called forward Apostles. Since then, we, the faithful, have endured every deceit that evil could derive to knock us back and prevent the prophesied Second Coming. Despite countless setbacks, Christianity has become the predominant religion in the Western World built on the collective faith of millions of true believers in the return of Jesus the Christ to redeem the fallen. I am one of them and...

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“ULTIMATE SHARE” by Day Parker

Submitted to Contest #132

ULTIMATE SHARE 10-year old Jonathan walked solemnly by his father’s side. They were going to see and hear the man called Jesus. His message was so different than what Jonathan was being taught at school. He did not hear about the kingdom of God or about eternal life at school. Only sacrifices and feasts. This man’s message was all about the kingdom of God, eternal life and how God did not want sacrifices. He wanted faith in Jesus and trust in Him. Yet he was a Jew, and was schooled just like Jonathan. ...

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“Seek” by Melissa Woods

Submitted to Contest #132

“I’ve got you! Just hold on! Hold on!” He pushed the water with one arm, and prayed it’d propel them to the riverbank a little faster than possible. The woman in his other arm coughed and struggled to breathe as water spilled over her face. He thought he could feel her kicking, occasionally–trying to help, he hoped–as they approached the muddy ledge. “Here,” he panted, when they finally reached the bank, “hold on… Can you?” He pressed her hands to the cool grass and held onto her until her feet found purchase in the slippery mudbank. He pu...

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“The Snort” by Barb Leedom

Submitted to Contest #132

The Snort After attending churches, synagogues, temples, prayer meetings, healing sessions, and gala ...

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“The Maybe of Faith” by Mary Burns

Submitted to Contest #132

THE MAYBE OF FAITH By Mary P. Burns mary.p.burns1@gmail.com (This story concerns itself with the murder of a young woman, whose body left in a field is part of the setting; it also addresses cancer and the main character's mother's death from it) Trout Almandine scrambled up into the old oak tree, her toes finding familiar notches, her bare feet balancing easily on broad rough branches. She glanced over her shoulder as the blue-and-white patrol car rumbled onto the edge of the wooded area and stopped, its siren dying. Hunching do...

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“Morning News” by Jalissa Mooney

Submitted to Contest #132

Morning News By Jalissa Mooney I had chosen the Army Bugle Call as my alarm for seven am. Turns out it was a bad idea. When it went off at seven o’clock on the dot, I fell out of bed and plopped onto the floor. At least there was carpet. Of course, one sniff, and I realized I needed to vacuum. Since my bed wasn’t even twenty-four inches off the ground I knew that I hadn’t broken anything. So I lifted myself up and onto my knees to reach across my bedside table and turn off my alarm. As I stood up I groaned. I had slept on my leg the wr...

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“The Preacher’s Kid” by Sheryl Thomasson

Submitted to Contest #132

It was inevitable. I just had to wait. What day was this? Saturday? Yep, on Monday it would be all over except for the crying. And crying there would be. Monday would be my first day of high school and the dreaded words would either be whispered behind my back or if there were a particularly bold imp, right to my face. Preacher’s Kid. Preacher’s Kid, or PK to those in the know. Most people are definitely not in the know. Were that so, my life might have been spared a bit of grief. PK was a bit less in your face. It hadn’t al...

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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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