Menu

Prompts

Contests

Stories

Blog

Menu

✕

CONNECT

Editing Design Marketing Publicity Ghostwriting Websites

BLOG

Success Stories

APPS

TOOLS

Book Promotion Sites Book Review Blogs Booktube Channel Guide Book Title Generator Character Name Generator Independent Publishers Literary Agents Literary Magazines Pen Name Generator Plot Generator Publishers Directory Short Story Ideas Writing Contests Writing Exercises Writing Scholarships

ABOUT

About Reedsy Terms Privacy

CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#99: Summer Solstice

In the Northern Hemisphere, June 21st is the ‘summer solstice’ — the longest day of the calendar year and, in astronomical terms, the beginning of summer. In my part of the world, this season evokes a plethora of scenes: sunbathing on river banks, al fresco dining with friends, and trips to the seaside, all punctuated by the heady scents of summertime — potent florals, sunscreen and food sizzling on the grill.

The solstice celebration has its roots in ancient Paganism — where people would gather at sites like Stonehenge and wear protective garlands of herbs and flowers to ward off the evil spirits who, according to Pagan folklore, walk the earth more freely at this time. From a spiritual standpoint, the solstice is all about embracing the sun and its awesome power. Whether you love basking in the sun or prefer to stay inside with the curtains drawn, I thought this week's prompts could be a way for us Reedsians to mark the advent of summer too. Happy writing!

This week's prompts

Begin your story with somebody watching the sunrise, or sunset.

Fluff – 275 stories

Write about the longest day of the year, or a day that never seems to end.

Summer – 99 stories

End your story with somebody stepping out into the sunshine.

Summer – 211 stories

Write a story about somebody reminiscing on an event that happened many summers ago.

Summer – 217 stories

Write a story about characters going on a summer road trip.

Summer – 104 stories

Stories

“All Art is Beautiful” by Abbey Long

Submitted to Contest #99

It really is beautiful, isn’t it? The way the moonlight casts everything in an ominous glow, even though it’s quite naturally almost the same as the sun. Even so, it creates a sort of tranquillity in me, one that I never thought I was capable of feeling. Each little star is a pinprick of hope, scattered across the sky. All around, everything is pitch black – like tar, only much more petrifying - and is only illuminated by the faint glow of the moon. Gosh, even the moon seems more threatening today. It does...

Read story

“Fallen Star ” by Sharon Williams

Submitted to Contest #99

Rhys stepped out onto the gangplank of his boat. All day torrential rain had pounded the roof of his home, beating a steady tattoo upon its metal construction. Finally, as the sun began to set, it had stopped, leaving everything damp and clean looking. It was high tide and the boat and its neighbours were bobbing gently on the sparkling water. Where the sky met the distant, black outline of woodland on the horizon, it was a deep cerise gradually fading through shades of pink, until it finally dissolved into a misty white. Wisps of purple and...

Read story

“Have You Seen Hira?” by Hannah Parsons

Submitted to Contest #99

"So... this conspiracy board. It's really something."Having taken refuge from the torrential summer downpour in the city's only cat cafe, this was the last thing I'd expected to see. I'd just been making friends with a little gray fur ball when I noticed Have you seen Hira? scribbled above a bulletin board on the wall nearby. Toting my little friend along, I went to check it out. News clippings, photos, sticky notes, and even threads of red yarn tacked to different bits of information swallowed up the board. More than anything were pictures ...

Read story

“Elysian” by Sarah Verrastro

Submitted to Contest #99

A brush of my finger across a large expanse of sky leaves behind featherlight trails of orange, like long tufts of cotton candy. As I work, the colors ooze into one another with the grace of a swan, as if bleeding across the surface of the world. It is my turn to paint the sky. Each night, as the world below winds down from long days of waking we give them a sight to behold. Violets and magentas, butter yellows and orange cream soda; each fading away with every breath. All the more beautiful because they cannot last forever. I make my ...

Read story

“Unforgettable Sunset” by Mika Writes

Submitted to Contest #99

The sun peaked through the horizon, if saying a final goodbye to this California beach bed. Before leaving she gave me a gift of pure peace and serenity. Holding my eyes prisoner to the heavenly sight she put in front of me. While my feet were held into the grainy sand in desperate need of warmth and the smell of salt invading my nostrils. The beach is warm, with a captivating view, and has pure peace. The beach is where my problems and stresses are released, where nothing goes wrong, it all just fades away along with the sunset. The strug...

Read story

“My sun, you keep him” by Lily Mages

Submitted to Contest #99

As faint light washes over the beach, I begin to see the sun blooming from its deep sleep under the horizon. With just the slight top of it showing through the slightly colored clouds i think, even the sun takes time to be complete again. I lift the elbows that were supporting me, and lay my back down in the sand. As my mold takes place, I close my eyes.when i open them again, it must of been a little while because the warmth almost shocks me. I had forgotten the unfamiliar kindness of the sun. My skin and body open and exposed, I take in ev...

Read story

“The Healing” by Julie Frederick

Submitted to Contest #99

The glare of the rising sun through the dingy net curtains stung my eyes. Scrunched up on the couch, I tented my hand across my forehead, shielding myself from the worst of it. As I reconciled myself to the day ahead, I recalled the countless childhood photos of me squinting at the camera, my sister and brother chastising me for always grimacing. It’s too bright! I whined, even on cloudy days. I can’t see! My pale blue eyes were my defense; theirs were a deep brown, like my parents’, better equipped for brightness, but I’d inherited mine fro...

Read story

“Ray of Sunshine” by Naajia Aasiya

Submitted to Contest #99

Dawn. Yue hadn’t realised it, but she’d been awake all night. A sliver of soft, silver light illuminated the blue horizon. Now that she was aware, she could hear the birds just outside their bedroom window chirping. All throughout the winter, that tree would cast ominous shadows into the room like bony fingers ready to snatch Hinata in one swift movement. Yue shivered at the memory, pushing the thought from her mind as she watched Hinata’s chest rise and fall. She was only a week old, but she looked so peaceful in her sleep. Wi...

Read story

“Blackdamp” by T.J McLaughlin

Submitted to Contest #99

Arizona, June 21st 1982 The burning hot glare of the solstice sun seemed like an eternal Martian star, laying constant in the sky. The desert heat had swept across the barren landscape, and created a glistening mirage effect throughout the surrounding area. It would have been a calming and tranquil place were it not for the insufferable heat, and the myriad of venomous snakes and scorpions that hid amongst the dry foliage and rocks. But calm and serenity were descriptives t...

Read story

“CornFlower Moon” by Harley Seesholtz

Submitted to Contest #99

CornFlower Moon Harley Seesholtz Aaria was just another part of just another normal day. A day on a planet that was so, so special. This planet was called Soha, and Soha’s days were years and years long. They never ever seemed to end, and nobody on Soha really counted anymore. Aaria loved the warm, welcoming sunshine on her face, even if it was artificial. She wasn’t sure how the big corporations and producers did it- made fake sunlight. It seemed impossible, she thought. She loved the warm feeling on her face when she walked outside, bu...

Read story

“Paused ” by 2 7

Submitted to Contest #99

There’s too many things and nothing to think about, there’s too many books and no books to read, there’s too many muscles and no muscles to move. And there’s Ma, outside the room, screaming, snapping, growling, trying to drag me out from my room but I tell her I will finish my breakfast after I’m done studying, though the truth is I can’t finish anything. Brain on a grill, that’s what I’m feeling, brain on a grill, melting, melting, melting,I rub my temples, flipping through the pages, my eyes burning from exhaustion, words and pictures danc...

Read story

“Sun Poisoning ” by Alexander Katz

Submitted to Contest #99

(Author note: the following is potentially disturbing.)“The sun is stuck in the sky.”The anchor for channel 4 said it with a hysterical chuckle through the screen. The man’s hair a shaggy mess of brown reeds, dropping down to a five-o’clock shadow that was getting closer to midnight. Dread sat atop each word he uttered, riding them through the airwaves and into the ears of every single person tunning in. Including the family of three currently tied to the chairs of their kitchen table. Everyone except for The Burnt Man, who stood on top of t...

Read story

“To Those Who Died” by Arvin Bantasan

Submitted to Contest #99

Every year, there is one day that has come to be feared by many. The prosperous town of Sollan. There are places called kingdoms, empires, and even city-states all throughout the continent, countries with large populations, massive amounts of land, and bountiful economies. The town of Solan is by no means inferior to these countries; it far exceeds the population count of most kingdoms, it is comparable in size to the largest empire of the continent, and its economy’s so great that the standards of living couldn’t be compared to those of r...

Read story

“Sunwashed Solstice” by Amalee Bowen

Submitted to Contest #99

I paused on the long path up the mountain. It wound around the mountain like a long snake coiled back on itself, like folded sheets stacked in the top of a closet. When I was younger I never understood its purpose. Why go back and forth and back and forth across the mountain side, almost crossing your own path, when you could just pelt up the sharp ridge to the top in half the time? I used to just race up the ridge, my teeth set against the burn in my calves and my lungs as I clambered up the steep, rocky side. You just had to plow ahead on ...

Read story

“The Ritual” by Don McCann

Submitted to Contest #99

NoMoreNoMoreNoMoreNoMore!! NO MORE!! The Wizard’s mind screamed at itself over and over and over until the ragged words and evil sun became his entire world. Even the pain—the blinding agony—faded with the screeching in his mind. But not really. The searing, scraping, clawing, ripping torture never truly faded. How could it? That anguish was at the root of everything . . . was everything . . . . . . except the screaming. NO MORE!! But there had to be more. The only way for there not to be more was to emerge...

Read story

Load more stories

$50

Prize money

909

Contest entries

0

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 25, 2021 EST

Won by Tom Vandel 🏆

Title: The Men and the Lake

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!

Explore more writing prompt ideas:

Adults Writing Prompts ⭢

Adventure Writing Prompts ⭢

Angst Writing Prompts ⭢

Character Writing Prompts ⭢

Christmas Writing Prompts ⭢

Dark Writing Prompts ⭢

Dialogue Writing Prompts ⭢

Dramatic Writing Prompts ⭢

Dystopian Writing Prompts ⭢

Fall Writing Prompts ⭢

Fantasy Writing Prompts ⭢

Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Fluff Writing Prompts ⭢

Funny Writing Prompts ⭢

Halloween Writing Prompts ⭢

High School Writing Prompts ⭢

Historical Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Holiday Writing Prompts ⭢

Horror Writing Prompts ⭢

Kids Writing Prompts ⭢

Middle School Writing Prompts ⭢

Mystery Writing Prompts ⭢

Narrative Writing Prompts ⭢

Nonfiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Novel Writing Prompts ⭢

Poetry Writing Prompts ⭢

Romance Writing Prompts ⭢

Sad Writing Prompts ⭢

Science Fiction Writing Prompts ⭢

Short Story Writing Prompts ⭢

Spring Writing Prompts ⭢

Summer Writing Prompts ⭢

Teens Writing Prompts ⭢

Thanksgiving Writing Prompts ⭢

Thriller and Suspense Writing Prompts ⭢

Valentine's Day Writing Prompts ⭢

Vampire Writing Prompts ⭢

Winter Writing Prompts ⭢