tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post6279046048232095998..comments2024-03-18T09:09:59.625-04:00Comments on Janet Reid, Literary Agent: Preliminary contest result-FINALJanet Reidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-87462919919080120942017-12-05T10:44:04.074-05:002017-12-05T10:44:04.074-05:00I love that picture of the baby shark with the hug...I love that picture of the baby shark with the huge attitude so much.<br /><br />One more comment regarding flash fiction, writing, and Rain Crow. Flash fiction really isn't my thing and I know it. Once in awhile, a story will pop in my head immediately when the contest goes up, so I'll write it, but dang, for some of you this is a real strength. It's amazing to see what you do with it.<br /><br />I do think I can write... at times. Some of it I have to yell at the characters to slow down so I can catch up. Other parts are like chiseling bit by bit from rock. <br /><br />As you say, writing is work. Anyone who thinks it isn't hasn't done it.Julie Weathershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13725236516593676381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-6649205364225677882017-12-04T23:39:59.024-05:002017-12-04T23:39:59.024-05:00I'm late again. It's not even fashionable ...I'm late again. It's not even fashionable anymore.<br /><br />Congratulations to Kathy Joyce. Well struck!<br /><br />I loved Mallory and Brian's on Sunday. Love all the finalists on Monday. <br /><br />I'm perplexed with Rkirkman's 5:31 a.m. entry. Excellent writing and a fun story and I too love a woman with a silencer in her purse. But on Sunday when I read it, I thought: "Brilliant writing, but not quite a story." <br /><br />Nope. Wrong again, Frain. I referee a basketball game most nights of the week, so I never tire of getting things wrong. <br /><br />Take no offense, Rkirkman. I thought your story was wonderful. Just didn't seem to have an ending for me. I guess it was because it was Bond, so how could that be the end? <br /><br />Anyway, brilliant stuff, you finalists and I am SOOOOO looking forward to the Great Christmas Challenge of 2017.<br /><br />John Davis Frainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18020019400599228492noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-45278677719703563462017-12-04T22:36:33.289-05:002017-12-04T22:36:33.289-05:00Kathy Joyce: Congratulations
Also congratulations...<b>Kathy Joyce</b>: Congratulations<br /><br />Also congratulations to all the rest of the long listers, honorable mentions (of which I got two, hot damn) and all the rest of you who entered. I know there are several hundred others who did not enter. You should<br /><br /><b>Brian</b>: good to see your voice again.<br /><br /><b>Elise</b>: Don't forget that you have won here. I had a couple that almost made it but the world got in the way.Craig Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07157301156577795781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-8176010629393762012017-12-04T21:29:36.100-05:002017-12-04T21:29:36.100-05:00Congratulations, Kathy, for a very clever entry! ...Congratulations, Kathy, for a very clever entry! All of you made this look like child's play. Thanks again, Janet, for the opportunity.Just Janhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12546035917149403735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-88410959030766570252017-12-04T20:57:49.332-05:002017-12-04T20:57:49.332-05:00Bless you, Colin. :)
And I can’t wait to read J...Bless you, <b>Colin</b>. :) <br /><br />And I can’t wait to read <b>Julie Weathers</b> novel, any of them, all of them. <br /><br />And next time I will finish my flash entry unless it’s that 100 syllable thing. Word doesn’t count syllables. That is not a good idea. Let’s not do that ... yeah, yeah I know Forti would knock it out of the park alomg with another few dozen geniuses lurkiing in these waters. But no. Just no, <br />E.M. Goldsmithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18387494005655553037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-5320352714315905682017-12-04T20:42:18.876-05:002017-12-04T20:42:18.876-05:00Colin,
Nothing is set yet. However, saying "...Colin,<br /><br />Nothing is set yet. However, saying "I don't even care if you kill me as long as it's a noble death" opened some doors. War is hell.Julie Weathershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13725236516593676381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-30888262686911783022017-12-04T20:15:29.324-05:002017-12-04T20:15:29.324-05:00Julie: It's my accent, isn't it. :D
OK, t...<b>Julie</b>: It's my accent, isn't it. :D<br /><br /><i>OK, time for a writerly pep-talk, inspired by <b>Elise</b>, but as much for me as anyone:</i><br /><br />Yes, Elise, we all have those moments when we feel like we killed it as a writer, whether it's a contest win, or a "WOW" from a beta reader, or a line we wrote the other day. And then the rest of the time, when we <i>don't</i> win the contest, or the beta readers are not loving our work, or the words are clunking, we feel like we're the worst. Everyone else is so much better. We wonder who we're kidding calling ourselves writers.<br /><br />But we're lying to ourselves, and we know it. And we know we know it because we keep writing. Because we know that contest win wasn't a fluke, and our work is capable of wowing beta readers, and there are plenty more wonderful lines in us.<br /><br />I'm getting ready to update the Writing Contest spreadsheet. It's interesting to look through the list of winners to see whose names are NOT on there. One name stands out by its absence. And I'll embarrass her, because, well, she's pretty darned hard to embarrass. <b>Julie Weathers</b>. We all know what a fine, fine writer she is. Janet herself is chomping at the bit to read her novels. And yet she has never won one of Janet's contests. Why not? Maybe flash isn't her thing (though I think her entries are good), or maybe the weeks she came up with a zinger, someone else is a little bit zingier. Or maybe what she's written has not been what was tickling Janet's fins those weeks. But no-one denies Julie can write. And I suspect, deep down, Julie knows it too. Which is why she keeps writing. And thank the Lord for that!<br /><br />Writing is hard. If it wasn't everyone would be doing it. Even the best, most seasoned writers write bad stuff. Most of the time, they're savvy enough to recognize it and destroy it before anyone else sees it. But sometimes the dross slips through. A novel bombs. A short story goes unsold. But that doesn't mean they're no longer writers.<br /><br />So don't give up, friends (and me)! Embrace the struggle. Just we edit our work into better novels, so the struggle edits us into better writers.<br /><br />Okay, I'm done.<br /><br /><b>Julie</b>: I've pretty much sealed my fate now, haven't I? :)Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-86417299415686217472017-12-04T19:26:41.491-05:002017-12-04T19:26:41.491-05:00So glad I wasn't the one to judge these. Lovin...So glad I wasn't the one to judge these. Loving so many makes it hard to be monogamous.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-15549132231522312782017-12-04T18:49:42.257-05:002017-12-04T18:49:42.257-05:00Thanks all, for your kind words. I feel all sparkl...Thanks all, for your kind words. I feel all sparkly!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01999175415765818941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-14870915364204031462017-12-04T18:44:53.429-05:002017-12-04T18:44:53.429-05:00I'm not sure if this is the place to mention i...I'm not sure if this is the place to mention it. I told Colin on Twitter. If this isn't the place, Miss Janet can remove it. If anyone is interested, I'd be happy to put the name of a Reider Nano finalist in Rain Crow. Colin has already agreed. I don't know what kind of character, male, female, or even human. Who knows, it could be the Colin Smith Ale House or the USS Colin Smith. I certainly don't know what would happen to the character. I don't even know what's going to happen to my main characters. I'm just along for the ride. I'll just say I won't make them a horrible villain.<br /><br />My guess is Colin is going to be a Union officer from Massachusetts at this point.<br /><br />Anyway, just putting that out there.Julie Weathershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13725236516593676381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-61273908781364832632017-12-04T17:48:17.102-05:002017-12-04T17:48:17.102-05:00
Congrats Kathy, enjoy the win, well deserved.
<br />Congrats Kathy, enjoy the win, well deserved.<br />french sojournhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14262858704848580714noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-28874930098332916382017-12-04T17:48:04.437-05:002017-12-04T17:48:04.437-05:00Congrats Kathy! Your entry was so clever that I al...Congrats Kathy! Your entry was so clever that I also had to reread it. I enjoyed Laurie's and Brian's, too. I read them on Sunday and thought: yep, those two are winners for sure. All the other finalists were brilliant as well. Heck, some that weren't finalists were as well. The talent is always vast and extremely high in these contests. Thank you, Janet, for another fantastic one and for the honor of being a finalist. It really turned my less than stellar day around. Your compliments have that magical power. Can't wait for your Christmas revenge....I think. Mallory Lovehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16282261391938135052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-8209242166366104882017-12-04T17:41:34.090-05:002017-12-04T17:41:34.090-05:00Wait...Kathy Joyce?
Huh?
Oh, now I get it.
Now I&...Wait...Kathy Joyce? <br />Huh?<br />Oh, now I get it.<br />Now I'm jealous. Life imitating art.<br />Note to self: Find someone to imitate.<br />Kathy Joyce is a good choice.<br />Rhymes too.<br />Good job to both ladies and everyone else involved.<br />Can't wait until Christmas. Dr. Krag Churchillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12846125350449064169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-57396135178296184192017-12-04T17:31:18.584-05:002017-12-04T17:31:18.584-05:00Yeah, Colin exactly - a 100 syllable story. Great ...Yeah, <b>Colin</b> exactly - a 100 syllable story. Great giving a shark an idea like that. And me in the middle of a crisis.<br /><br />You guys ever feel like writing is like being a stand up comic. When you kill it, it’s great. It’s a freakimg addiction when your writing touches someone, anyone, but you have no idea how you did it.<br /><br /> And when you bomb, well Holy crap, it’s like the world just came to a crashing halt. But are you going to try again. Oh yeah. You’d saw off your damn arm for one more laugh, one more tear, one more oh wow. <br /><br />Well, I’d saw off <b>Colin</b>’s arm anyhow. <br /><br />Ok, back to Carkoon with me.E.M. Goldsmithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18387494005655553037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-13434075616940629182017-12-04T17:22:19.670-05:002017-12-04T17:22:19.670-05:00By the way, congrats to Colin, Gayle and John for ...By the way, congrats to Colin, Gayle and John for winning Nano 2017:)<br /><br />On to the murky depths of revision land! Cecilia Ortiz Lunahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00336485056322219624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-38033376797060421272017-12-04T17:19:38.606-05:002017-12-04T17:19:38.606-05:00Julie,
Among the Reider Nanoers (those who buddie...Julie,<br /><br />Among the Reider Nanoers (those who buddied up here) Colin, Gayle and John Frain finished/won. A lot of us made it past 40K though:)<br /><br />Actually, I made it past 50K but I was rewriting so I didn't report my word count. I was afraid the Nano Police might arrest me for cheating. Cecilia Ortiz Lunahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00336485056322219624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-83682021911901326082017-12-04T17:19:16.199-05:002017-12-04T17:19:16.199-05:00Congrats, Kathy, and all the longlisters. (And eve...Congrats, Kathy, and all the longlisters. (And even everyone who didn't make the list.) These things are hard. At least for me, and so much good stuff comes out of them.Barbarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15769803733067838372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-90995282514106538052017-12-04T17:12:47.836-05:002017-12-04T17:12:47.836-05:00Elise: What's the worst she could require of u...<b>Elise</b>: What's the worst she could require of us? Write a story containing exactly 100 syllables and the word "Xmas"? <b>Steve Forti</b> does that kind of thing in his sleep! Perhaps a 100-word gut-wrenching tale including the word "tinsel"? She should remember what <i>you</i> did with the word "ash"... 8-O<br /><br />We got this. ;)Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-64337369769033752272017-12-04T17:03:46.221-05:002017-12-04T17:03:46.221-05:00Colin What are you doing? Do NOT provoke the shark...<b>Colin</b> What are you doing? Do NOT provoke the shark. She knows lots of weird ass words and learns new ones every day. Do you really want to spend anymore time tending the kale fields on Carkoon? I still have gas from the last time I was there. E.M. Goldsmithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18387494005655553037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-62133792607864029912017-12-04T16:56:21.026-05:002017-12-04T16:56:21.026-05:00Congrats, Kathy! And well done all the mentioneds....Congrats, <b>Kathy</b>! And well done all the mentioneds. :)<br /><br /><b>Rio</b>: I'm glad to give NM a bit of sunrise recognition. :D The truth of it is, the version of the "butterfly effect" (the theme of my story, as y'all no doubt discerned) that sprung first to mind was, "Could a butterfly beating its wings in New Mexico cause a tsunami in China?" That's initially why I picked New Mexico. After, I reflected on whether another State would be preferable, but nothing else seemed to work as well.<br /><br /><b>Janet</b>: I think I speak for all of your readers, both lurked and un-lurked, when I say *ahem* <i><b>BRING IT ON, SHARKIE!!</b></i> ;)Colin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03292997431935215499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-87824545230328644552017-12-04T16:47:19.286-05:002017-12-04T16:47:19.286-05:00aha! I knew it! One more pass, the next morning an...aha! I knew it! One more pass, the next morning and you would have seen it. <br /><br />And now back to contemplating my Christmas torture for you all.<br />I have some VERY good ideas.<br /><br />Janet Reidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00615380335938685231noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-62197906534929975892017-12-04T16:42:41.245-05:002017-12-04T16:42:41.245-05:00Holy Moses, I'm so honored to be counted among...Holy Moses, I'm so honored to be counted among such inspired work! I dashed this off on Saturday as a distraction from the twitch-inducing batcrap crazy state my 4 kids were driven into by this weekend's "supermoon." <br /><br />Janet, thank you for the feedback, I honestly appreciate anything that will help me improve as an aspiring writer.<br /><br />These stories were all so creative, well done Kathy Joyce and Mallory Love gave me all the feels.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04930630307884052879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-28610822064781007512017-12-04T16:09:03.368-05:002017-12-04T16:09:03.368-05:00Congratulations, Kathy. Very clever. Well done all...Congratulations, Kathy. Very clever. Well done all the finalists. Thanks, Janet, for the contests. Marie McKayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11405271051226910312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-15629192406425739262017-12-04T15:35:31.866-05:002017-12-04T15:35:31.866-05:00Oops--that should have been "surer" inst...Oops--that should have been "surer" instead of "more sure." Why does "I should probably look that up" so often happen right <i>after</i> I've proofread five times and then hit send?Amy Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05324408700941398495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17040756.post-39616476770048089232017-12-04T15:27:41.455-05:002017-12-04T15:27:41.455-05:00Kathy! Way to go! I'm so happy you're so h...<b>Kathy</b>! Way to go! I'm so happy you're so happy. I was partway through your story when I started wondering, and eventually became more sure of your cleverness on display. Great job and fun to read.<br /><br />I was thinking we'd have at least of few uses of "bonanza." I'm always surprised by what the amazing writers here come up with. Thanks, Janet.Amy Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05324408700941398495noreply@blogger.com