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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

“The Interrogation of Margaret Thompson” by Daniel Legare

Submitted to Contest #254

Note: I wanted to write a story about a manipulative narcissist. It ended up only being dialogue, and it was more challenging than I had imagined. This said, I would like strong critiques on how this could be improved. To whoever reads this - feel free to let loose with the critiques. Warning: Mentions of suicide, manipulation Interrogation Transcript : Margaret ThompsonDate: 05/11/1997Location: St. George Police Station, St. George, SCInterrogating Officer(s): Sgt. Patrick GreenTime at start of interrogation: 8:22 am Green: Good morni...

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“Would it be forever?” by Julie Grenness

Submitted to Contest #254

"Have you ever been in love?" Kim slowly awoke in the morning light, asking herself. She had been brought up to show Godly love to all around her. Supposedly, according to her religious elders, friends can leave, but your family are forever.Right now, Kimberley was finding it a real struggle to demonstrate humble Christian forgiveness. In her church group where she was the youth leader, she had been cruising, newly engaged after meeting cute Logan. She respected herself, and did not abandon her family's teaching.But Logan had a few other ide...

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“A Right Old Carve-Up” by Matt Austin

Submitted to Contest #254

After battling through Brighton’s Saturday evening traffic, Phil was relieved to find that there were plenty of spaces in the trader’s car park. He guided his white Citroen Berlingo van into a space next to a row of expansive blue and white marquees.He was delivering seven sides of venison, eight shoulders of lamb and three whole pig carcasses. They were for the carvery section of the Old Steine Regency Fayre. Taking place on The Level, the large municipal park just behind the gothic St Peter’s Church in the centre of town.After searching fo...

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“Anomaly” by Madeline McCourt

Submitted to Contest #254

Brightly clothed bodies swirl through Leila’s vision, all loud music and swinging hips. With her hands in the air, she moves to the beat, dancing through the crowd. Her face is pink from the stuffy room and too many free drinks. She loves the free feeling that comes with a night out. It’s all syrupy thoughts and sultry eye contact. A blue spotlight swings overhead, flashing over her eyes. When they focus a young man is standing before her, watching intently. Leila smiles and sways with him. She can’t see his face well in the dim club lightin...

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“The Zen Protocol” by William Siebold

Submitted to Contest #254

The child Sebastian Destinato was a socially unwelcome circumstance labeled in the habit of the times as developmentally backward. At the age of three years people avoided eye contact with him for fear that he might speak or gesture toward them, that they might be expected to respond, that he might want something from them. They looked right through him because it was convenient to pretend he did not exist. Young Sebastian did not process sensory information gracefully. He became distraught at certain noises or movements. He rejected th...

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“Rumor Has It” by Ralph Aldrich

Submitted to Contest #254

Dust rises behind George Pentland’s carriage as he arrives at his nephew’s manor in Wiltshire. The date is August 8, 1889, the significance being it is his nephew’s eighteenth birthday. Lord Joseph Pentland of Wiltshire, to be exact. George has been Joseph’s legal guardian and overseer since Joseph gained the title at the tender age of eleven, when both his parents died in a horrible accident. George, a tall, good-looking gentleman in his early sixties with a large, well-maintained grey mustache, is met at the door by th...

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“Murderer Monthly: Grim Gossip” by Katharine Widdows

Submitted to Contest #254

The word on the street is that the West End Ripper, TheatreLand Thom, has lost his edge and turned to dealing stolen props and costumes behind the Oasis open-air swimming pool. Local prostitutes are deeply relieved. So, it would seem, is the ripper – the stench of chlorine is horrendous. Nearby residents say they have taken to wearing face masks or covering their mouths and noses with handkerchiefs when in the area. This has, of course, led to an increase in shop lifting and hold ups of convenience stores, since it is now difficult to identi...

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“The Prince” by Dakota Dunston

Submitted to Contest #254

The kings' castle was full of laughter and light. It bounced off the walls and spread the joy of the night. The happiness of the night was contradicting the natural gloomy and goth look of the castle. Hundreds of people dancing, eating, and drinking till their life's content. A beautiful young women stepped out of a carriage with the help of her brother. She wore a dress layered dress, each a descending shade of green. The neckline being heartshaped and a dark green corset looking bodice. Her dark brown hair was twisted into braids that...

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“Seeing Double” by Rubekkah Estero

Submitted to Contest #254

Viscount Edward Ridgely held out his hand to receive the dainty, gloved fingers of the incomparable Lady Paulina Sinclair, as she stepped lightly from his phaeton, followed closely by her Aunt and chaperone, Lady Agatha Westcott. Her eyes immediately widened at the sights of Bartholomew Fair before her. ‘Is it what you were expecting, Miss Fletcher?’ the Viscount asked, his lips curving with amusement at the look of wonderment on her pretty face. If Lady Sinclair suffered a pang of guilt at being referred to by her twin sist...

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“A Waltz is Not a Cotillion” by Beverly Goldberg

Submitted to Contest #254

Emmaline still could not believe she was in London for The Season. She’d known since she turned sixteen that it wouldn’t happen. Her father’s gambling had left them almost penniless. They’d sold what few things were left--her beloved piano, a few paintings her mother had brought with her upon her marriage, and some pieces of silver that her mother had hidden when her father started selling whatever he could find to gather funds for his gambling. The only things that gave their family any relief was that they’d managed to keep that he’d...

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“Not Handsome Enough to Tempt Me” by Sophie Goldstein

Submitted to Contest #254

In one minute, Marianne could shut down her computer and begin getting ready for the event of her life. The event she had been waiting years for. The event where she just knew that everything was going to change, because how could it not? Not Handsome Enough To Tempt Me had been in the works three years ago but something had always gone wrong. Weather conditions, venue cancellations, Covid. There seemed to always be an obstacle in the way of her happiness. And not just her happiness, she knew. But the happiness of every Jane Austen fanatic i...

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“The Villainous Micky Elwood Shakes Up the Town” by Suzanne Cushman

Submitted to Contest #254

In small towns everywhere, there’s always one of each. The tiny village of Twisted Creek isn’t any different. We have one person to chair meetings. That’s Dave. One to fix anything that breaks. Always Jim. One person to explain the hard stuff. That’s Arnie. Virginia organizes social events you look forward to, and Sally organizes social events you dread. And, of course, there’s one bad guy. Ours is The Villainous Micky Elwood. Micky has a perfect track record. Without exception, he has managed to wrong, scam or offend every person in this co...

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“Someone who changed her life without realising it” by Priyanjali Bhattacharyya

Submitted to Contest #254

The most people who change our lives are our parents, or siblings and at most our grandparents and friends.They help mould it, stringently at times, lovingly at others.Lovers mould and change your life too.In fact, she had had a few such loved ones in her life.When she was fifteen, she saw him raking up the leaves from his garden. A quiet shy girl she was, it wasn’t until he had seen her quietly mowing her lawn at evenings that he spoke to her.“Hi.”“Hi,” she said.He paused awkwardly with the broom for a moment and she blushed, ever so slight...

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“The Lady in Blue” by Nita A Mozzi

Submitted to Contest #254

She woke up, letting out shaky breaths and clutching the sheets. As she wiped off the sweat from her forehead, she felt her legs bare and stared at the linen sheets splattered across the wooden floor. Her left arm reached for the empty side of the bed. “Andres must have left the house earlier to head to the capital for those signatures,” she thought. Catalina looked down at her belly and traced her fingers along its spherical shape. “Just a dream,” she muttered to herself, and she stood up to walk toward the dresser., the faint memory of the...

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“Office whispers” by Laura Camacho Frias

Submitted to Contest #254

At twenty two years of age, I was the only woman on the technical team when I started working. Around me, there were engineers and technicians, and me: the girl, the woman. I was also one of the youngest and eager to do whatever was necessary to be successful, as long as it was work-related and did not require my personal time. There was a time when I was good at setting personal boundaries. For years, I was surrounded by those men, listened to their stories, and learned from them. Some became almost paternal figures, and others reminded me ...

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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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