Wednesday, June 23, 2010

CRASHERS contest-We have a winner!

We learned some interesting things about Keith Kahla
he's a cyclist (Anderson)
he's the dreamiest (Buffy Andrews)
he's a contestant on Literary Chef (Lara Zielin)

These lines just cracked me up
"Criminal, the way Keith Kahla, Editor to the Stars, flaunted his textuality." (Mattew Masuccii)

"Oregano have another round" (Mama Bear)

"Slevin Brides for Slevin Brothers" (Paul C. Maurer)

“Lucky for me I’m fungi-free,” I said as I skimmed a manuscript." (Paul C. Maurer 10:08)

Some of you thought Slevin was a:
horse (Kari Lynn Dell) and (Katt)
food (Jake)
dog ( Latoya Alloway)

chef (Melissa Emerald)
insect (KO)
goon (Vincent Kale)

steel beam (Rick Anderson)
wild creature (Nate Wilson 9:27)

bodega (Adamo)
cat (Josin L McQuein)
card shark's move (Nancy Coffelt)

Rick Anderson's entry had brilliant twists on word usage:
Keith sat on Slevin steel beam number 187 looking at the Oregano Sissies occupying the office built by him and union brother Kahla Editor. ”To the Stars, with you all” he thought, aiming his Crash rivet gun for one lucky shot.

Crash Kahla, self-appointed Editor to the Stars, noticed Keith. “That guy” he said to the small number lucky enough to be in his presence, “will never taste an Oregano Slevin, or buy an original Keith …”

Crash Kahla’s brain grew “number” as it turned to oregano when Keith’s lucky shot of Slevin steel sent the editor to the stars.


You'll recall the contest asked for a story. A lot of you did pretty well with only 100 words!
Kari Lynn Dell
Cole Howard
Bill Kirton

JustWriteCat
Lynne Dempsey
Nancy Coffelt

Paul C. Maurer (10:08pm)
Laurie Lamb (If Suzie Townsend was judging this would have been high on her list too!)


In the end there were two entries that really stood out, and I had to read them both several more times before deciding:

Kat Zhang's entry:

Day number 476.

I’m lucky the lamp didn’t crash into my face; a bruised face is hardest to hide.

The kitchen smells of the oregano I’d chopped before Steven came home screaming.

I force myself up and head for Mattie’s room—I have to leave.

Mattie smiles as I lift him from his cradle.

“Slevin,” he says. He hasn’t quite got the hang of words yet.

“Shh,” I say, his tiny chin resting on my shoulder.

“Slevin,” he says again, reaching for something behind my back.

I freeze.

“Slevin,” Mattie says.

I whirl around. “Steven!”

But it’s too late.

JDH's 4:47 entry

“I just don’t understand the advice I got from the Query Shark,” the author complained. “I mean ‘Slevin Your Oregano’? What is it? Some kind of coded message?”

“It’s an anagram, although an unintended one,” Keith Kahla, Editor to the stars, replied. “Janet’s computer suffered quite a crash. It did a real number on the Query Shark. The shark is lucky to have survived, albeit with British spellings.”

Keith smiled at the befuddled author. “What the shark is telling you is that now you have a shark-approved letter, you must take time to ‘Organise Your Novel’ with the same care.”


In a VERY close competition, the winner of the CRASHERS audio set is Kat Zhang. Kat, if you'll send me your mailing address, we'll send you the CDs! Congratulations!

This really was a lot of fun! Thanks to all of you who entered!

19 comments:

Josin L. McQuein said...

Okay, the anagram was brilliant.

Nate Wilson said...

I was sure JDH had it all wrapped up with his clever wordplay, but lo! (and behold!) Kat Zhang managed to eke out a victory without any bonus points to speak of. Well done!

Now, if you don't mind, I need to go slevin my oregano.

Jean Oram said...

That was fun! That's for the entertainment. Even though I didn't win, I think I'll have to find a copy of this book--sounds good!

Buffy Andrews said...

It was soooo much fun. You have to do this again sometime. Absolutely loved it. And the entries were priceless. Thanks, Janet:)

Laurie Lamb said...

Way to go, Kat Zhang! Excellent entry. Congratulations!

suzie townsend said...

So impressed by all the entries. congrats to all!

And yes, Laurie, I LOVED your entry!

JD Horn said...

I totally agree with Kat's being declared the winner and am dying to find out what happens next.

How about in addition to the Crashers prize, Kat be given the chance to do a short story (to be published on your blog) based on her beginning?

Kat Zhang said...

Thank you, Nate, Laurie, and jdh :) I'm glad you enjoyed the entry. It was honestly more like 180 words the first time I wrote it. Then started the paring, paring, paring...

Lisa_Gibson said...

Congrats Kat! Some great entries to be sure.

Casey Lybrand said...

Congratulations, Kat Zhang! Chilling story and very compelling: I forgot all about the key words while reading it.

Lots of awesome stories! This was a fun contest. And now I will always remember how important it is to slevin your oregano.

Unknown said...

Loved the contest, some really brilliant entries! Next go around, could you see fit to maybe give us 200 words? By the time I trimmed mine down to fit, it lost a lot of flavor. Though I did go home and make chicken parmesan seasoned with home-grown oregano served over a bed of capellini!

KatOwens: Insect Collector said...

lots of fun.

Kat's story really took it to a higher level.

In my defense, the Slevin's skink is a real thing. It's not an insect, it's a salamander from Guam.

Penelope said...

Congratulations to Kat Zhang! Her story was excellent!

Rick Anderson said...

Kat, very well done. Congratulations. I look forward to seeing your next piece.

Ronda Laveen said...

The challenge was fun at 100 words. Congrats to the finalists on their entertaining pieces.

Thanks, Janet, you're a good time.

Cole Howard said...

Good grief...how can you even compete with Kat? I feel like a seven-year-old who entered a crayoned drawing into an art competition, only to find out Picasso whipped a little something up as well. Well done. So good.

Katt said...

congrats Kat.... um, I was more than one t short!

_*rachel*_ said...

Honestly, Kat, I am amazed. That took my breath away. It made me want to cry, and that doesn't happen often. I don't know what else to say.

Kitty said...

I liked the very first entry by Bohemienne. I stopped reading after I read hers.