Love Nudge Competition Winner

Image: Pixabay

 

The judging is over and what a tough week it’s been for me here at Shamble Towers.

I received so many submissions of such high quality and in such a wide range of styles, it felt almost impossible to choose between them. If I could afford to send you all a prize I would.

I was impressed by what an emotional lot you are – you covered everything from pure joy and passion to twisted loathing, blackmail andstalking finally nudging towards jealousy-fuelled homicide. The full gamut of the love experience.

Poetry was a big hitter in the competition and I’ve been introduced to forms I’d never heard of previously – haibun, senryus, shadorma, rondelet, gogyohka – and each one a sparkling gem of brevity and beauty.

Before we go to the result – and because this was about reading people’s work and discovering new blogging pals as much as a finding a winner – I thought I’d share some of my favourite moments from each entrant.

All writing below is the author’s own and merely reproduced to show how clever they all are.

 

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Kittykat-bits and bobs

The dressing room door stood open, revealing rows of designer clothes. Her perfectly manicured fingernails caught the sunlight in the mirror as she applied foundation to cover the bruises. The price of security.

***

In Medias Res

From to love to loathing
a step down a twisted path
thorns prick, bleed insults

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Making it Write

when you try to leave he’s filled with remorse
and you don’t realise that it’s par for the course.
his claims of regret bring you back to his arms
but once you are there he drops the charm.

***

Life Lessons

New love blogs extreme attraction.
Experience posts a retraction.

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Cherrytartblog

Why are women jealous when I talk to their men, thinking I’ll steal them away. When really it’s the men who should worry, when I talk to the girls.

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What the Woman Wrote

stay away
from this broken heart
nothing else
makes me sick
more than watching you pretend
that you give a damn

***

F Dot Leonora

it was like a fire at first, but she put it out. the warm remnants ignited again, and she could not help but savor the wamth, the feeling, the draw…it reminded her she was alive…

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Only 100 Words

The collection of Max and Olive’s drawings has you stumped for hours. He gets the children, he’ll get more drawings. So you should keep these. Then you think of the children – they might miss their masterpieces.

***

Merlot Bookbinder

Instant attraction.
Love at first sight.
Jaw dropping beauty,
Feel as high
As a kite.

***

Waltbox

The bell rang, but he waited as she collected her notes, her book, and zipped her backpack. It was how he said goodbye each day. But he couldn’t let her leave him again. This time, he chose to follow her.

***

Olivier Fiction

Observing obscure overtures optimistically. 

And

Obnoxious?  Obtuse? Oafish?  Officious? Obliterated outright. 

And

Jibing, jeering, JERK!  Just you judge your jugular, junior, for jagged joints.

***

A Word Adventure

Sure she was no longer young or beautiful but was it reason enough to cheat on her, to leave her and the kids for a Barbie doll?

***

And now to the prize giving. 

I wish I could give you all a gold star just for finding this competition and for being here.

Honourable Mentions

I send a big, electronic hug to my blogging pals Kat and Sonya and to all those who spread the competition on social media – they know how rubbish I am at Twittering and without their help no one new to this blog would have heard of Love Nudge at all.

More Honourable Mentions

To those who submitted every day – thank you, you’re amazing. And for those very clever souls – Jane at Making it Write, Walt at Waltbox and Sonya at Only 100 Words – who not only posted for each prompt, but also made each a chapter in the same story: a nod of admiration to you talented group. Also special nods go to Annie at What the Woman Wrote for being so proficient at so many beautiful poetic forms and to Jonathan at Olivier Fiction for torturing himself by using only alliteration in his submissions.

And now to the Winner!

Firstly, let me explain the reasons behind my decision. Not only did the winner post every day, they used a poetic form – the haibun – which combines prose with a haiku ending. They also weaved all seven segments together, making one story, beginning at the height of a passionate affair, passing through its souring by jealousy, stalking, attempted blackmail, separation and a high profile trial. I was by turns gripped, saddened and angered by the way the plot developed, the writer making me care for a protagonist that was foolish, selfish, but strong and witty – someone who was manipulated and could have become a victim but emerged a survivor.

And all this written in the rather tricky second person POV.

So, first prize and a copy of Still Me by All Write Then goes to Sonya at Only 100 Words for her exceptional work. My email is on my profile – if you’d be happy to send me your address, I’ll wing a copy to you in the post as soon as the Royal Mail will allow.

Thank you, again, to all of those who took part. It’s been a joy to meet many of you for the first time and to be introduced to your writing – a pleasure to know such a talented bunch of people all across the world.