I participate in a couple of writing contests each year. I love to do them because not only is it a break from writing my novels, but I feel like working on these keeps me and my muse sharp!
One of my favorites to write for is The First Line. The First Line is a great contest, and it’s free to enter. They have four prompts throughout the year. Stories are due February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1. The stories should be between 300-3000 words.
I also try to participate in the Writer’s Digest Your Story contest. The Your Story contest takes place every other month. Between keeping up with The First Line, NaNoWriMo, and my own novel writing, I usually forget to do the Your Story ones.
Here are some of the stories I have submitted throughout the years … I hope you enjoy reading them!
A Winter Visit
My eighth attempt for The First Line, February 2023, 1012 words. I am so honored to tell you that my submission was accepted! I cannot post the story here, but you can purchase the digital or print version of the Spring Edition for your reading pleasure. Here is the link to purchase: Vol. 25, Iss…
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Lover’s Reunited
My seventh attempt for The First Line, February 2018. 944 words. Leo massaged the back of his neck, thankful the meeting was finally over. He had a backlog of end of term papers to grade and they weren’t grading themselves while he wasted time attending the monthly faculty meeting. The past half hour was a complete…
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Duke’s Escape
My sixth attempt for The First Line, November 2017. 1423 words. “I’m tired of trying to see the good in people.”“So what are you going to do?”“I’m running away, first chance I get.”“You know that won’t work. They have us on leashes every time we leave the house.”“Well, I’ll figure it out,” he snorted, using his…
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The Drifter
It’s been a little while (almost 4 years!) since I wrote one of these for The First Line, but it sure did feel good to get back into it! My fifth attempt, February 2017. 2013 words. Eddie tended to drift into whatever jobs were available that would pay the rent. He was working one of those…
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The Eclipse Sapphire
My fourth attempt for The First Line. August 2013, 2862 words. Sara There must have been thousands standing in the rain that day. The sky was a dark grey and the clouds looked menacing, ready to unleash the crackling lightning at any moment. I hurried past the crowds, willing myself invisible for if one of them…
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Eli’s Mistake
My third attempt for The First Line. February 2013, 2449 words On a perfect spring morning with flat seas and clear blue skies, Captain Eli P. Cooke made a terrible mistake. Eli had gotten up at four am for his usual five-mile run on the beach. Typically, he would finish his run, take a quick shower…
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Jasper
My second attempt for The First Line. November 2012, 961 words Sometimes, when it’s quiet, I can remember what my life was like before moving to Cedar Springs. Most of the time, though, I don’t want to remember. Remembering is painful and I moved here to escape from the pain. I was eighteen when I gave…
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The Dark Knight
This is the first story I wrote for The First Line. August 2012, 3393 words. A light snow was falling as Charlie Reardon left the diner and made his way down Madison Street. “Ugh, more snow,” he grumbled to himself as he looked around in disgust and burrowed further into his heavy winter coat. Already they’d…
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