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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#211: Cozy Corner

You’ve probably noticed that cozy fiction has been on the rise for several years, and even more so post-pandemic. Cozy mysteries about grandparent sleuths, pets, food, bookshops, and villages have flourished, allowing people to dabble in suspense while still maintaining a sense of warmth, familiarity, and comfort. The same is beginning to happen in the fantasy genre (think of Travis Baldree’s Legends and Lattes, about an orc opening a coffee shop), so it’s clear that the appeal of wholesome, comforting fiction exceeds the mystery genre.

With that in mind, let’s get comfy — as much as summertime allows! Put on your imaginary cardigans and let’s see what this week’s homely prompts will yield.

This week's prompts

Write a story starring an octogenarian who’s more than meets the eye.

Fiction – 67 stories

Begin your story with a librarian searching for something.

Fiction – 70 stories

Write a story involving a friendship with an adorable animal.

Fluff – 50 stories

Set or begin your story in a room lit by the flickering flames of the fireplace.

Fiction – 70 stories

End your story with two characters reconciling.

Adults – 47 stories

Stories

“A mother's Distrust” by Felicia Owadara

Submitted to Contest #211

Choose your friend, and choose wisely, was an old saying among Aries’ circle. How would she have known that the concept should include neighbors? Not everyone who smiles at you, is a friend. One of her follies was that she was too trusting, until it nearly ruined her family, and destroyed her peaceful co-existence.Aries, a widow with three children had nothing to worry about when she first moved to town. She relocated to a new neighborhood in Fodio, a relatively small town, whose economy relied solely on farming. On her first arrival, she li...

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“Destined Sparks” by Ishan Gupta

Submitted to Contest #211

Location: Hotel Radisson Parking Lot, ChennaiTwo buddies, Mudit and Sanleen, are hanging out in the parking lot of Hotel Radisson. They're here for their college alumni meet, and while reminiscing is nice and all, they're starting to wonder where their pal Yash disappeared to. The clock's tickin', and Mudit's got a bit of a time crunch.Mudit: (tapping his foot) Hey, Sanleen, any clue where Yash went? Weren't you supposed to bring him along?Sanleen: (shrugging) No idea, man. He was supposed to be here, then went MIA. I've been calling his pho...

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“Bloody Daughterhood” by Allison Cho

Submitted to Contest #211

The heartbeat in the womb is very loud - as loud as a church bell that wakes up the whole town. It thudded at such speed with blood pouring into me with warmth. The dull and soft sound is imprinted in my brain. The pinkish-orange light coming through the belly was my whole world before the contraction started. It squeezed and pushed me. The first pain I feel - it was as ecstatic as the dance of the burning flame. The light was overwhelming my sight, the cold rushed into my skin, enveloping me with the shiver. It is an unfortunate...

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“I Think You're The Problem” by Anna Popnikolova

Submitted to Contest #211

It was your ninth birthday and I forgot to get you a present. You were nine and knew everything. I remember all of this like it happened last week. It’s hard to imagine that you’re so old now, turning 25. That afternoon, I was laying on my stomach on the bed and you were jumping around my room with a blue balloon, trying to keep it from touching the hardwood. You were playing all by yourself and I was watching. The room was quiet and all I could hear was your breath every time you launched yourself into the air or across the room, you...

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“And the rain will wash our problems away ” by Brenda Torres

Submitted to Contest #211

“Rain’s really coming down hard huh?” And it has. It has been raining for a little over two weeks now. But the thunderstorms are nice white noise to fall asleep to. While everyone else in Itzel's family has been having trouble sleeping, Itzel has had no trouble falling asleep. The thunder or lightning are not what wake her up. Her dreams had been filled with memories of Peter. “Yeah, it doesn’t look like the gathering won't happen then” she tries her best to sound disappointed, but her sister can easily see through her. &nb...

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“Elegance and Enigma: Brenda's Unconventional Love Story” by Carol Boeth

Submitted to Contest #211

Brenda had always been a woman who defied expectations. Her entrance into the Golden Haven Senior Residence was no exception. At 82, she was a vision of timeless beauty, with a body that could rival those half her age. But it wasn't just her physical appearance that turned heads; it was the aura of mystery and confidence that surrounded her. Brenda was like a chameleon, seamlessly transitioning from classic elegance to rebellious biker chic. She could slip into a tailored suit one day and don leather jackets and boots the next, her style c...

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“ The Devil's Daughter” by Erica Dorsey

Submitted to Contest #211

“Mouse! It’s your turn to check on Mama and Papa!” Mouse’s brother yelled as he chased their cousins' kids around the lake. “You know how Papa is!” That, Mouse thought, was the understatement of the century. Mouse Hasley left her family raising hell around the small lake on her great-grandparents' property. She gave up on keeping track of the horde in the first hour because…. As everyone who knew them always said….. The Hasley family had a bit of the devil in ‘em. They were good people…. But man could they raise hell when they got together...

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“Mikhail Orlov ” by Gabriella Schubert

Submitted to Contest #211

Upon 21st avenue, along the many houses, right at the end, situated a bustling tiny café. Regardless of it being in a forgettable corner in town, it sits beaming with people from opening time till the sunset over 21st avenue. It was deemed a local attraction with everyone passing the information of this hidden, miniature café onto newcomers and visitors of the area. Of course the staff had their regular customers; Mrs. Thompson, the soccer club boys, a businessman with a top hat. The most memorable customer was Mikhail Orlov. He was a man in...

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“Goblin Cat ” by Hazel Carter

Submitted to Contest #211

Lillian had been working the closing shift at the Huntington grounds library for 25 years, but this night there seem to be something lurking in the air, a darkness she had never noticed.It was time to skedaddle everyone out the front door. “Good night, Ms. Lillian”said Nancy, who was a regular here at the library , a very sweet girl.“ Catch you later, Ms. L.” That was Stan, he was the high school football star. He only hung out at the library to check out Nancy, who wanted nothing to do with him. Lillian found it funny, to chase something an...

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“A Knight, a Toad, and a Cat, go into a Library” by David B Fraser

Submitted to Contest #211

Margaret steadied herself on the ladder. She held on with one hand as the other was pressed against her white blouse trying to calm her heart against the height she had climbed. She lifted the same hand to run a finger along the heavy tomes stored up here. Coats of Arms. Heraldry. Gwynn-Jones. Emblems. Black, Farrel, Howells, Rowlands, Ward. Margaret looked down. At the foot the rolling library ladder was a knight, a toad, and a cat, looking up at her, expectantly. Of course, Margaret wasn’t sure it was a knig...

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“As The Sun Went Down” by Elaiza Jane Manansala

Submitted to Contest #211

Dusty books, the smell of wood. I've been circling around on these shelves for hours, looking for something that I can't point out. In this peaceful small old library, with a few usual students coming over, they know me as the weirdo librarian. No. It's not about the way I look or dress, it's simply because of this habit of mine roaming around the library and tapping my index finger on the edge of each book on the shelves. I know it's a little bit weird but, I just feel like doing it. Seems like something in one of these books is pulling m...

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“Of Tinkers and Treachery” by April Pereira

Submitted to Contest #211

Laucian scanned the library shelves looking for the information requested. The young gnome’s maroon vest indicated his affiliation with the Academy, the guild for magic users and tinkerers. The black and yellow sash at his waist denoted him as apprentice, archivist class. He was currently doing a rotation with the Cataloguer, director of the library for the Scholars Guild. It was his first week and the Cataloguer had given him the difficult task of finding everything available on ways to delay spell casting and the various major and lesser H...

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“Under the blue hardback” by Kit Spayd

Submitted to Contest #211

Juliette was working the late shift at the community library one evening, when she realized something, she was looking for was now missing. Earlier that week, she had found the most peculiar article, one from the Salem Witch Trials, that she had never seen before. She worked there for nearly ten years, and knew the library inside and out, along with its contents. So, when she happened upon this article, she knew it was very important. The importance would not come to be known until later. But she knew it was going to be one of the mos...

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“Our Marvellous Morris” by Tom Williams

Submitted to Contest #211

Morris Lamb rested his reading glasses back onto the bridge of his nose and uncurled his top lip. “So, Timothy, you’re saying that this book you’re looking for has a blue cover?” “Yes,” the boy replied. “And it has big, bold white lettering?” “Yes.” “And there is an illustration on the cover of a…” “I think it’s a centaur?” Timothy pondered with a twiddle of his fingers. “Or maybe a mermaid? Or a goblin? Something mythical anyway.” Morris Lamb brushed a loose white flyaway behind his ear. “Give me a moment,” he said. With that, h...

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“On My Recommendation” by Sydney Crago

Submitted to Contest #211

The phone on the desk rang again. “Annabeth?” Lindsey called over her shoulder, “can you get that?” The phone’s ringer was interrupted mind tone as the library’s assistant lifted the dated receiver from its cradle, stretching the tangled spirals of its cord as she pressed it to the side of her face. Lindsey dragged her finger along the spines of the books marking her progress as she scanned the white, laminated labels for “GRE”. As she did, she heard her associate say, “Yes, we do have a copy, but I’m afraid you are the third person this...

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$250

Prize money

304

Contest entries

107

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 18, 2023 EST

Won by Kenz Ross 🏆

Title: Do Flamethrowers Belong In The Library?

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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