Update: due to the multiple requests for extension, everyone is allowed another week to finish and submit their stories! The new deadline will be June 7th!  


 The first quarter contest of 2014 has turned out some super creative and entertaining reads and I would like to personally thank all our writers for taking the time to compose their entries and have the courage to share them with the Writers-Guild-DA Community!!  

Now for the reviews, posted in the order they were submitted to the group:  

ChiouRin entry: My Name's not Alice - I felt the second paragraph is so strongly written that I think it may actually make a more powerful opening even without the first, but that may just be personal preference.  The composition is very poetic, with lines like "I barely notice, because it is always the same. Fairies and goblins and marmots during the day, wasteland and take out food after." and "A sad smile settles on my lips filling me with longing for a real one. The taste of joy and happiness." Zeena's story is full of feeling, the way she observes things then explains her inward emotion is smoothly married together.  Another fabulous quote that exemplifies this point is, "She is always smiling. Even at me, and sometimes I can't help but stare at her, study her glee, wonder about its source. On desperate days I envy her, on others I hate her. But I know it isn't her fault that she is happy and I am not."  It's hard to pick only three because the prose is so beautiful and I want to share it all (if you haven't read it, please do!)  My only critique is that I was a little uncomfortable reading the transition for a school girls inner turmoil to a seduced young woman after her melt down at the piano.  I think if some context for her age group was added in the beginning this would seem more appropriate and less alarming.  I initially interpreted the story of a girl in mourning for her mother, and blaming her self for making her daddy cry as a much younger individual somewhere closer to the ages of ten to twelve.

SouthernWriter2 entry: Bridges - This was a heavy read, not at first, but it accumulated weight as the story progressed.  Sean's take on Bridges is profoundly real world.  Its a story from the perspective of a young, yet successful writer, which when read by young writers makes it easier to put ourselves in the characters shoes.  There are two peoples lives really being narrated in the beginning and its not until you are wading neck deep in water that they merge together.   It's difficult for me to explain what this tale meant to me, because I grew up living half of it myself.  Not because I'm a renowned author but because one of my moms exes- was a lot like Frank in this story.  Not to spoil the plot but (spoiler alert!) I know what it's like to wake up one day with a known killer at the door recently out of prison, standing there for all the world with every intention of picking back up where he left off as "daddy".  For that reason I'm not entirely sure how to respond objectively to what I've read. I can say it is riddled with suspense, evocative motives, and a lingering aftermath that hits the reader hard because of the old adage "that could happen to anyone".

NicolaiGrey entry:First light at the bridge -  Nicolai brings us a fear-inducing fantasy right off the cusp! I do kind of wish that we had a bit more detail about what the beast lthat Alleiya encounters in the beginning looks like, I assumed it was a fantasy werewolf or creature of that nature but since the description was vague it could have been a common grey wolf for all I know.  Although there were some editing issues that made me do a couple double takes to register what the story was saying, the moment dialogue was added it became clear that magic was involved and anything could happen in this fantasy-scape.  One of my favorite quotes from this entry really helps us to feel, see, and hear what the main character is experiencing with three of her senses: "Her heart was hammering against her ribs as the world outside rushed past her in an indistinguishable mass, the sound of other cars and horns reached her ears, adding more to the already bewildering picture before her."  Speaking of, the car chase in this story is wonderfully illustrated and he manages to balance the urgency with the details in a way that keeps us on the edge of our seats without losing us.  There is definitely a wealth of depth just waiting to be used to fatten up this 6,797 word short story and I almost regret that 7K is the limit because I think Nicolai has so much more story hiding in here to tell, and he just needs the freedom of an unlimited word count to really flesh it out the way it deserves to be told.

Lugal entry: My Name’s Not-Alice (or Curiouser and Curiouser) - He paused. “What is your name, by the way?” “My name’s not Alice,” I said. “Nice to meet you, Not-Alice,” I guess this quarter I'm all about quotes, but I cannot help but include that one.  It made me laugh and was a great start to a new Wonderland adventure.  The concept of the Queens House of Broken Girls was interesting, and it reminded me slightly of the movie Sucker Punch.  Not-Alice did strike me as a bit off-her-rocker after she repeated "curiouser and curiouser" a few times too many, but overall the dialogue and environments matched the stylized expectations established in previous Adventures in Wonderland.  The room of mirrors was described excellently, and the inclusion of a  psychic character made for a clever twist.  The story overall was quick and concise, almost to the point of lacking details, but toward the end things were wrapped up nicely.

WhippedBlueIceCream entry: Bridges - Sophie has such eloquent penmanship its admirable and alluring.  She takes us on a journey across a bridge where she will face all manners of temptations and be tested.  We root for her step by step as she conquers them all through caution, perseverance, and a humble heart.  The visual stimuli is really pleasing to read, and it paints such vivid imagery without ever feeling superfluous.  Its a kind of "unveiling" mystery that you can puzzle through and if you're able, even forsee the end result before reaching it.  I admire the interpretive vision at the end, and how it has the sort of "feel-good" relief and resolution one would associate with her final destination.  Major Kudos to Sophie for her take on Bridges.

Mardefune entry: Memory - Ok, as soon as I stop crying, I'll be able to write a proper review.....   This rendition of Bridges is, indescribable.  Risha broke my heart with this one, and although I see "light at the end of the tunnel" I can't help but mourn for Sylvia.  The pacing was perfect, and the indoctrination of each character was well placed, smoothly done, and just enough depth to make them real to the reader without feeling forced.  The sorrow and the sacrifice crippled me.  the literary device of beginning and ending the same way created a nice sense of closure, and the slight additives in the last paragraph left a positive impression in an otherwise melancholy situation.  I think Risha's grasp for the divine and how she handled the supernatural, keeping it within universally acceptable parameters felt very concrete and believable.  The strength of Sylvia's character really shows and reads as genuine.  I don't think I have one bad thing to say about this entry.  I simply loved it.

willwriteforhearts entry: Blue - Peach writes a captivating futuristic or alternate universe dystopian society maintained inside these domed cities.  The air outside of each dome is toxic and the survivors inside are not physically all there.  Theyre bodies are failing them genetically, missing limbs or features (even eyes) and the concept of naturally grown hair is a thing of the distant past.  I really enjoy the way the lead character Isis describes her thoughts on these mutations.  "It’s funny to think that people used to be born with all their naturally parts intact. I’m not too jealous of the fact that people used to grow hair naturally, though; how boring, to have to wear the same set of hair every day."  She doesn't express self-pity but rather pities the old ways.  "Blue" uproots the readers and plants them in the center of a new reality that is fresh and quirky and bizarre.  There are signs of some authority issues, secrecy, or power abuse that could be explored more as a plot device.  The only problem is the story abruptly ends in the same spot it starts to really take off.  There is a lot of room left to build on the currently existing story and I think it has a lot of potential to really develop into something exciting.


There were some very unexpected themes this round that cropped up and really took me by surprise.  I think all of our writers are creative and talented individuals just overflowing with unique stories and wild imaginations to share with us.  As such, choosing was (as usual) a difficult thing to do.  None-the-less, I'm happy to present this quarters winners:

The SS1 of 2014 contest winners!

- 1st place: with fav.me/d78e674
- 2nd place: with fav.me/d77k30t
- 3rd place: with fav.me/d72xq4k



About Prizes:
For the new winners of 2014SS1, message me with descriptions of what you would like your artwork to be!!

The prizes for each of our three winners goes as follows:
FIRST PLACE:
1) A Photomanipulation of your request from me
2) 60 DA Points
3) Featured in Perry-Pictures and the Writers-Guild-DA journals

SECOND PLACE:
1) A Photomanipulation of your request from me
2) 30 DA Points
3) Featured in Perry-Pictures and the Writers-Guild-DA journals

THIRD PLACE
1) A Photomanipulation of your request from me
2) 10 DA Points
3) Featured in Perry-Pictures and the Writers-Guild-DA journals

Winners Hall of Fame

2013SS1

1st place: with fav.me/d66hvap
2nd place: with fav.me/d652a8r

2013SS2

1st place: with fav.me/d6kapqx
2nd place: with fav.me/d6kgghx
3rd place: with plynwfire607.deviantart.com/ar…

2013SS3

1st place: with fav.me/d6vexwu
2nd place: with fav.me/d6ule9s
3rd place: with fav.me/d6twae7

2014SS1

1st place: with fav.me/d78e674
2nd place: with fav.me/d77k30t
3rd place: with fav.me/d72xq4k

Welcome to SS2 of 2014!!

We aren't starting the contest on April fools day, so April 2nd will have to do!  I have two new covers that I hope you will find flexible and inspiring for the next round of short stories  Without further adieu here are your options for SS2:

The first cover option is simply titled: "MYTH"


The second cover has a more modern appeal and is titled "Gone too Far"

RULES

All entries have to follow these rules:
1) No fewer than 1000 word count | No more than 7000 word count, based on the image of the quarter (writers choice of two pre-made covers each quarter).
2) The title of the cover you select needs to appear somewhere in the body of the text for your entry to count toward the contest.
3) Must mention contest its being submitted for in the deviation description.
4) All entries must be submitted to the SS Comp Entries album in the group gallery.

This Quarters Prizes:
FIRST PLACE:
1) A Photomanipulation of your request from me
2) 60 DA Points
3) Featured in Perry-Pictures and the Writers-Guild-DA journals

SECOND PLACE:
1) A Photomanipulation of your request from me
2) 30 DA Points
3) Featured in Perry-Pictures and the Writers-Guild-DA journals

THIRD PLACE
1) A Photomanipulation of your request from me
2) 10 DA Points
3) Featured in Perry-Pictures and the Writers-Guild-DA journals

Schedule of Events

Starting Date: Apr 2, 2014. Deadline: May 31, 2014.
Jun 30, 2014  is the day I will compose my reviews of each story
Winners will be announced by Jul 01, and we will begin the 3rd quarterly challenge of 2014!!!

(*prizes will be awarded to winners before the end of the following quarter)

Important Information about the timeline
I know most if not all of our contestants are anxious to hear the results, so I felt a little breakdown of how the timing is planned was in order:

-There is a reason why everything is spaced out exactly the way it is. Firstly, each contest last 3 months total, making it possible to have 4 quarters per year.
-The writing and entry portion of the contest last the first 2 months, providing ample time to contestants to get their entries finished
-The judging portion of the contest last 1 month, allowing the judge(s) ample time to read all the entries and make a fair decision for the winners
-The prize art delivery will be awarded between the day the winners are announced and the end of the following quarter
*most of the time prizes will NOT take this long to complete, especially awarding of DA points (which happens right away) Due to the time constraints of in-real-life (irl) demands I have decided all prizes henceforth will be of the photomanip variety

-ALL aspects of the breakdown per quarter provide excess time for irl issues that can and do come up. (Not just for the contestants, but for the host as well)