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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#24: Genre-Blending

This week is a special edition of the Reedsy Prompts contest because our friends at Barnes & Noble Press are taking it over with their own theme, prompts, and special bonus prize! We'll let them take it from here...

With an abundance of content these days, it really takes a little something extra to keep a reader engaged. And one optimal way to do this is by blending genres.

When a story takes on characteristics of more than one genre, it’s not just about reshaping norms or conventions; it’s also about understanding what makes the different elements of those genres fit together. If the elements are treated with respect and appreciation, blending together multiple genres can have the positive effect of capturing your reader’s attention, and also maintaining it. This happens because it keeps a reader guessing, it subverts expectations, and it highlights narrative strengths.

For our takeover, we've put together five genre-bending prompts that we hope will get the creative juices flowing, strengthen and flex the narrative muscles, and sparks new ideas.

As extra incentive, we’re throwing in a $50 B&N gift card to the winner who best blends different genres in a way that feels fresh and unique. Good luck!

This week's prompts

Write a story set in the dark recesses of space where the two main characters are often at odds with each other in humorous and comedic ways.

Science Fiction – 70 stories

Write a sweeping romantic tale of two lovers who must overcome the horror of being hunted by an unseen foe.

Romance – 87 stories

Write a murder mystery with an amateur sleuth who must navigate a fantastical world in a quest to discover the truth.

Mystery – 38 stories

Write a thrilling adventure of a special agent who is harboring a paranormal secret.

Thriller and Suspense – 47 stories

Write a magical realism story that takes place in the Wild West.

Fantasy – 51 stories

Stories

“The Last Stand of Henry and Ann” by L.A. Crum

Submitted to Contest #24

Hand-in-hand, they bowed their heads to pray.“Dear Lord, thank You for this day. Thank You for this food and for the chance to share it together. May Your blessing rain down on us during these trying times. Watch over us, guide us and protect us as Your will be done. Amen.” A cricket chirped outside. The large oak in the front lawn swayed in the soft breeze. The pair ate in near silence. Ann quickly finished her meal. The rabbit was tender and cooked perfectly, paired nicely with some rice and dried fruit and washed down with rain water...

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“Two Green Eyes Staring at Me” by Sue Marsh

Submitted to Contest #24

Two Green Eyes Staring at Me Suzanne Marsh &nbsp...

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“As the Sparrow Dies” by Deborah Landers

Submitted to Contest #24

"So, Sparrow. At last we meet." The blond woman behind the desk had her hands neatly folded, the picture of business elegance. It was difficult to tell that her business was secrets and murder. "I'm not trading clichés with you," Gwen retorted as she was pushed down into a chair opposite. She would rather she wasn't here at all. "This isn't good," Lucas whispered in her ear. "If I'm right, that's La Reine. And if it is her, you're probably dead." Gwen carefully didn't react to that information. Or, rather, she was beyond the point of caring ...

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“The Girl who Defied Dotty Moon” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #24

Nobody knew quite how or when it had started, apart from Dorothy herself, and sometimes even she wasn’t quite sure, but scores of people claimed they did. Doc Moon’s daughter Dorothy was a miracle worker, said the folk in Gifford’s Creek. Doc Moon’s daughter can make the blind see and can quite probably make the deaf hear and the lame run, and the mute talk the hind leg off a mule, and make the mayor have some common sense – no, that was probably expecting too much. Even of Dotty Moon. Sh...

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“Captain Antonille” by Andrew Grell

Submitted to Contest #24

CAPTAIN ANTONILLEBy Andrew Paul Grell“Because I’m three billion years old, you big oaf, that’s why. Your years. Oaf is the correct word? We haven’t had extra-large or overly-clumsy people in quite a long time. How would you describe that process? Darwined out? Is that two n’s or one? What kind of language have you got going on? On Kapteyn A we have seven billion years of language and by now we know how to spell.”“Nice neologism, Yip. I’ll have to email that to Oxford; maybe they’ll get it in time ...

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“Affairs of the Heart” by Keyleigh Perham

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #24

Drip, drip, drip.The sound of the rain, seeping in through the ceiling of the small shack she called home, was keeping Marie awake all night. She sighed and rolled over, pulling the sheets above her head in a half-hearted attempt to drown out the sound. It was no use. With every minute that passed the dripping only got louder, more persistent. It was as if the rain knew how exhausted she was, not letting her sleep only to spite her. Working two jobs just to be able to pay the bills wasn’t exactly what she would call ideal, having to give up ...

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“For The Next Meal” by Grey Oberst

Submitted to Contest #24

It’s a cool and quiet night. The only sounds accompanying Alder are the gentle breeze and his horse’s hooves against the hard, dry dirt. The sky is clear, with stars sparsely sprinkled across the dark. The moon is full and bright. The nearest town is miles away. He would know, he left there that evening with a job to do. A howl sounds, long and high pitched, ringing against the quiet. It’s distant, so much so that Alder barely hears it. It’s hard to place the exact direction it came from, but he’s able to discern a general location. He ...

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“Grapefruit” by Sierra Tkacik

Submitted to Contest #24

“Jane!” A voice bellowed from the recesses of the ship. “Where is my grapefruit?”“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” A voice echoed from the opposite direction.“My grapefruit, Jane! The one I specifically had my name on! The one you stole!”“First of all, why would you print your name on a freaking grapefruit? Second of all, if you didn’t want me to take it, you shouldn’t have put it in a community fridge.”“So you did take it!”“Why is this grapefruit so important, anyway?”“Do you know, Jane, how many people have died in ships due to scu...

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“On the Way to Paradise” by Cory Pines

Submitted to Contest #24

"You told me this would be a short trip. We've been on this wretched ship for twelve years!" Halo roared. "I know, but I broke the digital map and-" "I don't care what happened! I paid you a good handful of money and I expected to be home long before now!" Halo had the perfect life back on Earth, but he just had to pay Mirabella almost three billion to take him to Tariphor, the most beautiful paradise planet in the galaxy. The trip was only supposed to be nine years in total, but the journey to Tariphor had stretched out to twelv...

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“For Better or Worse” by Alexandra Courtney

Submitted to Contest #24

"Get out of the house now!" Jacob screamed into the phone. "Babe, what's going on?" I asked sitting up in bed alarmed. I hadn't remembered even falling asleep, but there was an urgency in Jacob's voice that I had not heard before. I could hear his voice on the other end, but it had become very distorted. The call ended and I became more aware of my surroundings. I would never have gone to sleep in this house without him. We celebrated our first year of marriage by moving into our dream home. That was about six months ago and w...

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“A Place in the Sun” by John Rennie

Submitted to Contest #24

The metallic surface of the Cleveland Company logo glimmered faintly as the space station became slowly bathed in the dim glow of moonlight. Eileen sat in the control room chair looking straight ahead, not distracted by the sight of Umbriel passing the window; she’d seen it a thousand times. Her eyes were fixated by the 50-inch rectangle of light above her head. “He never takes me anywhere” she sighed. Prodding the remote control repeatedly at three second intervals, she continued browsing images of the inner Solar System - far off places, c...

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“Fire and Ice” by Elizabeth Lowery

Submitted to Contest #24

Taiga circles the room slowly, lighting candles with a single touch. “I told you your friends wouldn’t come back for you.”“They will.” A fire blazes behind the hero’s eyes.Taiga chuckles, “It’s been four days.”He smiles, “Then we'd better quit wasting time.” He reaches for her hand and pulls her down on top of him.“Fintan,” she giggles, landing against his bare chest. “Let me go. Fin!”Her protests are silenced by his lips on hers. He cups her face, rubbing a thumb across her cheek. A shiver runs through her as the heat of her body meets the ...

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“The Puzzle Solvers” by Deborah Mercer

Submitted to Contest #24

“I’m the team captain, for my sins,” Flora Fenton said, every few days. Or sometimes a few times every day. Nobody was deluded, and probably Flora herself (and say what you liked about her, she wasn’t stupid) wasn’t either. Had anyone suggested that someone other than Flora should be the captain of the Archer’s Arms pub quiz team, then Flora’s sin might well be murder. Or at least GBH. Nobody did suggest it. And her teammates tolerated her with resigned good humour. Anything she didn’t know about the f...

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“The Gunfighter Theory” by Rudy Uribe

Submitted to Contest #24

I thought when I died, I would instantly know the answers to all the mysteries of the universe. Was Darwin, right? Does life exist on other planets? How did they build the pyramids? The reality is I didn’t learn a darn thing. The mysteries of life did not present themselves as I had expected. Once my soul left the body, and I passed through those pearly gates, I didn’t care if I knew those answers or not.Even though I’m poo-pooing solving the world’s greatest mysteries, the one mystery that kept gnawing at me was how the universe began....

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“Ludvig” by Aha Blume

Submitted to Contest #24

I remember the case distinctly, because it was unlike one I’d ever worked on before. My partner Roger and I had mostly looked for cats in trees, or recovered someone’s missing money. But one day, I got an interesting call."Hector and Roger, Private Investigators, no case too small. How can I help you?""This is Dr. Paley in the morgue. I need your help.""No problem, with what can we help you?""A body has disappeared.""What?""I think you better come down here and I can explain."So I drove the few blocks to the morgue, and met with Dr. Paley. "...

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$50

Prize money

293

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jan 17, 2020 EST

Won by Gabrielle Gerstley 🏆

Title: The Ghostwriter

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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