#245: Heavenly Bodies
On Monday, a total solar eclipse will pass directly over North America. Dubbed a "Great American Eclipse", huge areas of the continent will be plunged into darkness for four minutes. Miss it, and you'll have to wait another 20 years to see the next one.
Just like the millions of people who will watch on Monday, we've been looking up at the sky and asking questions about what we see since time immemorial. We've explained the movements of celestial bodies through myth, science, and ritual, and shaped our lives around them. This contest's prompts are inspired by this week's astronomical event, and the way objects trillions of miles away can impact us here on Earth.
This week's prompts
Set your story during a total eclipse — either natural, or man-made.
Fiction
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72 stories
Write a story in which a character navigates using the stars.
Adventure
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24 stories
Stories
“Miss Purdy Sees” by Tanya Humphreys
Submitted to Contest #245
“Pillars of Creation” by Liam Cochran
Submitted to Contest #245
“A Day at the Dog Park” by Stacey Cooper
Submitted to Contest #245
“Always Nothing and Always Darkness” by Hailey Chan
Submitted to Contest #245
“April Hums” by Alannah Kennedy
Submitted to Contest #245
“The Darkness Eclipse” by Noted Moments
Submitted to Contest #245
“The Day Ununit Blinded Her Sister” by Eloise Luxart
Submitted to Contest #245
“The Virgin and the Scales” by William Derby
Submitted to Contest #245
“Lack of Soul to Lack of Light” by Emily Venglar
Submitted to Contest #245
“When the Night Swallowed the Sun” by Ella Smith
Submitted to Contest #245
“The Eclipse that Almost Wasn't” by Mary Holley
Submitted to Contest #245
“Frank, And the Big Day” by Samuel Jackson
Submitted to Contest #245
“Writer's Block” by Livia Owens
Submitted to Contest #245
“How would you spend your last day?” by M Oakwood
Submitted to Contest #245
“The Lost Tales of Anerudo: A Rogue Moon” by Shelby Noyes
Submitted to Contest #245
$250
Prize money
221
Contest entries
88
Stories
Ended on 23:59 - Apr 12, 2024 EST
Won by Olivier Breuleux 🏆
Title: Everything is Connected
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!