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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#56: Introductions

Hello, everyone!

Since it first started four years ago, I've had the pleasure of running this contest: writing weekly prompts, reading your wonderful submissions, working with our committed group of judges, and connecting with this steadily-growing community of writers from around the world. It's been an experience I've thoroughly enjoyed, and for which I am very grateful.

Today is my last day with Reedsy, so I wanted to use this Friday's newsletter as an opportunity to say a big THANK YOU to all of you! The level of literary chops present in this community is truly marvelous, and I look forward to reading all the future short stories you have yet to write.

I also want to introduce you to your new "writing prompter," Jenn! Jenn has been with Reedsy for about a year and is a fiction writer like most of you. In her free time, she’s an avid swimmer, reads widely in any and all genres, and dabbles in all kinds of different hobbies. She’ll be sending you her first batch of prompts next Friday!

And on that note, this week's prompts all revolve around the theme of introductions.

I wish you all the best of luck on your writing journeys! And I'll see you around Reedsy Prompts 😊

– Arielle

This week's prompts

Write a story from the different perspectives of two people meeting for a blind date.

Romance – 129 stories

Write a story in which two people who know each other are introduced — but neither person admits to knowing the other.

Fluff – 190 stories

Write a day-in-the-life-story about a first-time parent and their newborn child.

Adults – 100 stories

Write a story about two people meeting during unusual circumstances and becoming fast friends.

Teens – 225 stories

Write a story about an established group of people welcoming (or not welcoming) a new face into their midst.

Kids – 129 stories

Stories

“The Crowned Virus” by Akshat .

Submitted to Contest #56

A Week BeforeBOOM! A missile shot by the enemy had rattled the ground. I had jumped out of the way as the shockwave made by the projectile threw my troops to the ground. I had taken my gun and shot blindly at the opposition. They shot back. A lot. So much that the tanks couldn't take it, and exploded, as the bodies of my allies showered the ground.“No,” I had whispered through my lopsided helmet, “no.” The enemies were killing us, and bodies had been falling like puppets cut from their strings. The helicopters had to collect the su...

103 comments 103

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“MALE #18” by Deidra Whitt Lovegren

Submitted to Contest #56

“It sounds like hell.” “You’ll be fine. Now, the women stay stationary in the circle while the men rotate around the perimeter. You’ll switch to a new partner every three minutes,” he carefully explained.“It sounds like square dancing,” I protested. “Do I allemande right or left?”“It’s not square dancing. And you will not be promenading with anyone unless you at least try to talk to someone. Just be nice. Don’t be an ass,” he warned. He sounded like my new ex-wife. Just be nice. Being nice lost me my home, limited visits with my ch...

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“Sunrises Over Afra and Gervassi” by Jubilee Forbess

Submitted to Contest #56

"I just don't see why you had to bring her." Eleanor and Gervassi stood on the porch together, standing several feet apart and whispering. It was some of the most aggressive whispering anyone ever heard, and yet that was just the dynamic the two seemed to have. Gervassi wished that Afra hadn't gone inside, but he knew too that this was a battle he had to fight alone. His ex girlfriend, and maybe now ex friend in general, glared at him from across the porch. "She's wasn't part of our group growing up. She doesn't belong with us." "I don't kno...

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“Legend Of Evie ~part 1~” by B. W.

Submitted to Contest #56

its been a while since i've last watched avatar the last air bender so if i forget anything or do something wrong then tell me in the comments. Water. Earth. Fire. Air. The avatar was the only one that could master all four elements. They were able to keep peace, even stopping a few wars (mostly caused by the fire nation.) before they ever fully began. Though 16 years ago the avatar had disappeared so suddenly and without a trace. Everyone had been on edge, they tried their best to not start something until the Avatar returned. Though th...

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“The Love and Hate Life of Momma” by B Hall

Submitted to Contest #56

I see Momma typing quietly over at the computer from the other side of the room where I lay in my cage, or playpen as she likes to call it. The house is so clean that you would think a guest of royal descent were about to walk through the door. She seems completely ignorant of my presence for over a second now so of course, I know that this is the perfect time to let out my signature ear-bleeding cry, with added salty tears for that special touch. Immediately that grabs her attention as she looks over towards me with full responsiveness. She...

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“Game, Set, and Mismatch” by Jonathan Blaauw

Submitted to Contest #56

It was truly amazing what one could find on the Internet, Trevor thought as he fussed nervously with his tie in the mirror. The last thing he thought he’d be doing at this stage of his life was getting ready for a date, yet here he was, primping and preening like a teenager.First dates are always anxiety-inducing affairs, even when you’re 38-years old, and the sad fact that Trevor had never been on one before made it all the more sofor him.He regarded his reflection in the mirror. He wasn’t ugly, per se. In fact, he wasn’t much of anything. ...

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“All the Colors of the Sky” by Amiable Sorceress

Submitted to Contest #56

There are reasons we are living.Reasons why the sky turns orange and pink and yellow at the same time,Reasons why we have pets to make us happy,Reasons why we travel, Reasons why we have family and friends,Reasons why we have to see all the colors in the sky. The sky turns a bright purplish orange from my perch on the roof, a bruise staining the perfectly blue evening. My uncle’s footsteps echo all the way upstairs until he’s standing above me, covering the purple orange blob in the sky. “Blue,” His voice makes me want to laug...

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“A Scoop in the Night” by Kristin Neubauer

Submitted to Contest #56

Of all the strange things that had happened in Eddie Dent’s life - and death - the incident involving Julia Garcia was perhaps the strangest. The night had started normally enough. The politics reporter had slammed down her phone, cursed and raced out of the office, late for the city council meeting. The sports reporter had filed on the tennis tournament and also raced out, late for the high school football game. The crime reporter had stayed hunched over his keyboard clicking and clacking, occasionally swearing, until midn...

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“My Best Friend Wants to Die” by Thom With An H

Submitted to Contest #56

My best friend wants to die. It is very important as I tell you my story that you know two things: the first is the story is absolutely true and the second is I have no idea what to do. I guess it’s also important you know there are so many things that could have happened differently and if they had I would not be able to tell this story.Young men, oftentimes, make big decisions for insignificant reasons. One such instance happened when I decided to join the military in 1988. I joined the Army but I could just have easily joined the Mar...

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“Always Human” by Christina Li

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #56

I met her at the edge of the world. She sat with her feet dangling over the Edge, the place where the stars touched the earth. I’d almost tripped when I saw her. From the distance, she looked like a marble statue, the ivory glow of the moon softening the edges of her silhouette, turning her hair into the colour of winter snow. No, not a statue, I thought as I approached, squinting into the darkness. A ghost. Perhaps foolishly, I thought of my father.“Guǐ” he called them in his stories. “Stay away, Leo. They linger between the ...

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“Devil In Disguise ” by Jorja Orne

Submitted to Contest #56

Braddock, Pennsylvania. Marla and her father’s daily routine was always the same, ordinary, people would say. Wake up, work, go home. Marla happened to love this routine. She also had friends in the mix of her schedule. She generally loved her life, but not as much as she loved her Dad. “One caramel frappuccino for you!” Marla exclaimed as she handed the frappuccino to the customer. “Marla, how many times must I tell you to stop yelling!” Her father, Mr. Capu said. “I know Dad. I’m just happy.” He walke...

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“Intergalactic Culinary Preferences” by Jonathan Blaauw

Submitted to Contest #56

The arrival of extraterrestrial visitors had been so widely featured in popular culture that when it finally happened it was something of an anti-climax. The strange, oblong-shaped craft touched down on the front lawn of the White House to minimal fanfare, not a single reporter in evidence. Conspiracy theorists, had they known, would surely have cried ‘government coverup’ and rushed to their blogs and Youtube channels to share the ‘truth’ with anybody foolish enough to listen. There was no coverup, though. Given all the goings-on in the wo...

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“Spin like the Lilies (Part 1/2)” by <inactive> .

Submitted to Contest #56

You know how fairy tales work? The princess usually meets the prince at a ball. They fall in love. But then something happens and then the prince has to rescue the princess. He rescues her and then they ride off into the sunset on a horse that has no other role. That’s how they work. There’s never been any change to it.I, for one, always hated that story. There were just so many problems with it. Here, have my full list of issues, that grows by the day-1. You can meet *insert love interest* at ANY OTHER PLACE apart from a ball. These authors...

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“First love” by B. W.

Submitted to Contest #56

this is honestly my first type of romantic story i'm doing on anything. So this is probably gonna be terrible so sorry. to make it easier to know who's who sometimes here: the parts with Harper will be in italics. the parts with Penny will be regular. Harper sighed as she stared out into the gym. For the next few days there was a dance in there for couples. She didn't really know why or care that much. But she saw how much people were in there dancing and having fun together. Sure you could go there with a friend and not be together but th...

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“A Deathly Friendship” by B Easton

Submitted to Contest #56

There are many thoughts one experiences as she’s hit by a car. The first is pain as her body collides with the ground. The second is confusion as the agony makes her forget what she’s doing. The third is anger because she realized the car had run a red light, and the forth is annoyance as a in the midst of all this, one of the pedestrians apparently thought the best course of action was to nonchalantly stroll over and slap her back and forth across the face.“Up and at em, Sweetheart.” His voice was young but weathered, and every word flowed ...

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$50

Prize money

773

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Aug 28, 2020 EST

Won by Amalee Bowen 🏆

Title: Hello, Meredith

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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