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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#254: The Talk of the Ton

Dearest readers,

It has come to our attention that the conclusion of Bridgerton’s third season is nigh upon us. I, for one, can’t wait to be swept up in the latest rumors and scandals of the ton — and so, in my excitement, I am writing to you to request you share your own scandalous tales. If you're not familiar with Julia Quinn's Regency romance novels or Netflix's popular TV adaptation of them, fret not; tales of forbidden liaisons, star-crossed lovers, and gossipmongers are as old as time. Besides, who doesn’t love a bit of Austencore?

In honor of this momentous occasion, I must ask you — gentle writer — to sharpen your quills and step into a world of high society, social scandal, and regency pomp...

This week's prompts

Set your story at a Regency-themed fair.

Short Story – 12 stories

Write a story where a rumor starts to spread. Your protagonist is either the topic or the source.

Short Story – 54 stories

Write a story about two characters who start as mortal enemies but learn to embrace their differences.

Short Story – 37 stories

Write a story where an important conversation takes place during a dance.

Short Story – 78 stories

Write a story in the format of a gossip column.

Short Story – 37 stories

Stories

“ELIM CIVOLUDAR'S MEMOIRS: BREAKING FREE” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #254

Imagine life as a TV program where, at any moment, you could press a button to change the channel when things were not going your way. No longer would you have to endure discomfort or displeasure. With a remote control, you could effortlessly switch to a different scene, a new plot, or even an entirely different life genre without leaving your seat.Are you facing a difficult day at work? Just flip to a scene where you are on a tropical vacation. Are you encountering a challenging relationship issue? Change to a narrative where harmony and un...

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“VINCENT BLACKWOOD’S THE ROYAL HEIST” by Darvico Ulmeli

Submitted to Contest #254

The grand hall of the National Museum buzzed with excitement, an atmosphere charged with anticipation and awe. The air was heavy with the scent of polished wood and the soft murmur of hushed conversations. Visitors from all walks of life were drawn to the focal point of the evening: the royal diamonds, a dazzling collection of gemstones sparkling under carefully positioned lights. The gems, steeped in history and legend, were displayed in a specially designed, heavily guarded case at the center of the room. Their brilliance cast a spell over...

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“The Lady and The Lovers ” by Devon Cano

Submitted to Contest #254

“This is the best day of my life.” Or at least I thought that’s what Allison said, but it was difficult to understand her around the mouthful of loosely-themed “Rake Funnel Cake” that she had purchased mere seconds after stepping foot through the gates of the fairground. “Your bar might be a little too low,” I replied, hand shielding my eyes from the late afternoon sun as I studied the dusty scene in front of me. The annual Lords and Ladies Regency Fair was trapped somewhere between a convention, a renaissance festival, and a ...

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“The Preacher's Daughter” by Brian Haddad

Submitted to Contest #254

Richard cleared his throat in a futile attempt to restart his shocked heart. An itch nagged at his scalp as fresh sweat began trickling around his hair follicles. The space inside his top hat was quickly becoming a sauna. "Well?" Joanne pressed airily, her smiling eyes flittering with false innocence. "I presume you, a gentleman, can hardly do more than politely deny the accusations, but I'm afraid my husband absolutely insisted that it was true." "Madam," Richard began warmly, shifting his hat around to allow the steam to exit at the back o...

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“Land, ho!” by Kim Olson

Submitted to Contest #254

George looked out over the ocean. As far as he could see, there was nothing but deep gray sea, teeming and rolling under equally gray, cloud filled skies. He felt his spirits plummet. He had hoped to see faraway, distant shores, some sort of mark on the horizon. The mark of Terra Firma. Mother Earth, land. It wasn’t to be. At least not yet. He didn’t know exactly when that momentous occasion would occur. The moment when one of the sailors on board would yell triumphantly “Land, ho!”George had almost forgotten what day it was and how long he ...

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“Debacle at the Ball - A Regency Romance” by Kaitlyn Wadsworth

Submitted to Contest #254

Dear hearts and gentle people, let me tell you the tale of the dreadful scandal at Viscountess Agatha Grenville’s Ball. DEVONSHIRE 1812 CEViscountess Agatha Grenville’s Wentworth ResidenceOut of kindness, Lady Agatha had invited her widowed niece-in-law to stay at magnificent Wentworth Hall. This is the notorious Mrs. Rowena Findlay, formerly married to Robert, the son of Lady Agatha’s brother Stuart. Rowena’s Aunt, by marriage, wanted to provide her with company and pleasant surroundings to lift her spirits after her tragic loss. Rowena had...

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“A Portrait Of Love” by Marshall Gothage

Submitted to Contest #254

From her tightly fixed chignon, a strand of amber hair escaped the claws of Alyssa's neatly placed clip, caressing her cheek as it fell. Lifting the tips of her fingers from where they had danced on the keyboard, she pinched the hair back into place and resumed typing. For a few more seconds, there was a hidden rhythm in the tapping of her unpainted fingernails until, in a culminating moment, the enter key was pressed. She read the message aloud to ensure its meaning could not be misinterpreted. To whom it may concern, While I apprecia...

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“Fresh Pine Creek's Parked Gossip, Episode 17” by AnneMarie Miles

Submitted to Contest #254

[Transcribed from a previously recorded live stream]Hello Campers and welcome to another episode of “Parked Gossip!” Coming to you live from Fresh Pine Creek RV Resort where we hook you up with more than just 50-amp electricity, water, and sewage at every site, I’m your host, Morgan Juliana, here to hook you up with all the campground gossip.If it’s your first time tuning in, let me tell you how it works. Each week, residents of our campground can drop a note into our Guest Gab box in the office, and every Sunday morning, I open it up and sp...

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“Ton Talk” by Laurie Spellman

Submitted to Contest #254

"Ton Talk"Society Papers Issue# 1 - The London Season of 1814April 13thDear Dear Gentle Readers,Prepare to be enthralled, my loyal accomplices, as the esteemed families in our tight-lipped society find themselves once again under the scrutiny of my sharpened quill. The Ton has been veiled in hushed silence for months in the off-season, awaiting the blossoms of spring. My ink well ran dry with the absence as the nobility took a holiday to country estates and long ocean voyages.Some of you thought I, too, convalesced taking summer off from gat...

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“Echoes of indifference ” by Dishali Ramdenee

Submitted to Contest #254

Days of angered fighting had marked the border clash between Aethoria and Sylvaria, a monument to the long-standing hostility between the two countries. The sound of steel hitting steel and spells roaring filled the valley, echoing like the distant thunder of a storm on its way to invade but the storm never came. Elara Windrider, a fierce warrior from the highlands of Aethoria, guided her group with remarkable intensity. Her family's sword flowed through the air with deadly accuracy; every blow was well-planned and devastating. Her tight bra...

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“Tell Me Your Secrets!” by Myranda Schustz

Submitted to Contest #254

Tell me your secrets!Know any secrets you feel your community might need to hear about? Want to get it off your chest? Tell Me Your Secrets will be a new tri-weekly column in the Boulder City Gazette starting on June 5th, where the lovely Miss Mystery tells us all about your dirty little secrets. Email your entries to: BoulderCityGazette304@yahoo.com. Please remember to keep any names involved in your stories anonymous.Tell me your secrets!06/05/23By: Miss MysteryInfidelityA lady we here at the BCG will call Theodora, writes to us about how ...

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“A Liar and a Cheat” by Karen Hope

Submitted to Contest #254

“I can’t believe he’s here.” My back stiffens and I whisper into my husband’s ear as we walk into the party, onion dip in hand.“Just relax Mary,” Jim says. His hand slides up my arm and moves over to my back. He rubs in slow circles, pulling me close. I resist his gentle touch, but then try to relax. I need a distraction from the philanderer who is standing on the other side of the room. How dare he come to our neighborhood potluck after what I just learned about him. I smile over at Jim, feeling grateful that I’m not married to a liar...

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“Messy Missives” by Christopher Cayen-Cyr

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #254

Hermes's Messy MissiveVolume XII, Issue IIITrojans and Achaeans alike, rejoice!Your boy Hermes is back at it again with another edition of his weekly newsletter. I may be a messenger to the gods, but you know my heart has always been with the hot gossip of folks down below! I'm a messy messenger who lives for drama, after all.Ever since the Aphrodite-Ares-Hephaestus love triangle drama died down eons ago, the tea has been cold up on Mount Olympus. Thankfully, Goddess of Discord Eris has finally brought us the earth-shattering pettiness us go...

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“Grace and Guile; or, the Adventures of the Shadow and Fox” by Martin Maynard

Submitted to Contest #254

Grace and Guile; or, the Adventures of the Shadow and Fox As I descended the grand staircase in my midnight blue ball gown, I inwardly commended my discreet modifications, which rendered the gown far more comfortable than those of the vapid and affected ladies around me. These women, with their simpering smiles and ostentatious gowns, fluttered about in a vexatious manner. Their garrulous chatter grated on my nerves, making me grateful for the small adjustments I had made to my attire.Instead of the usual baleen that provided structure to my...

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“Dan Helsing” by Joshua G. J. Insole

Submitted to Contest #254

The neon sign strobed into the night, red like blood: ‘THE VAMPIRE NIGHTCLUB’.Dan Helsing grunted. He shook his head and pointed to the flashy thing. ‘You see that? How distasteful! There’s an actual vampire in our midst and these people are making money from the bloodsuckers’ name! The gall.’Simon frowned. ‘Um, Sir? I’ve been watching this place and it seems that they’re actually vampi—’Dan whipped his cape over his shoulders for good effect and barged through the black door. ‘Come along, Simon. We have a vampire to find. I have much to tea...

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$250

Prize money

218

Contest entries

88

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 14, 2024 EST

Won by Phoebe Barr 🏆

Title: Found Family

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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