WRiTE CLUB 2012 – Round 30

Final two weeks…last seven preliminary bouts…anyone getting excited?

Ravenclaw won round 27 and has now been added to the list of all of the winners on the WRiTE CLUB 2012 results page.  As I mentioned previously, it would be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the winners before we move into the play-off rounds, where the pace really picks up.

I've been hinting about the play-offs for weeks, it’s time we talk specifics about how we will transition from the regular bouts and how the play-offs will work.   Next week (Oct. 15-19) there will be four bouts instead of three, that’s so we can squeeze in that final fight to make it an even 36 winners. Those bouts will be on Mon, Tue, Wed and Fri, but the kicker is that ALL VOTING FOR THOSE BOUTS WILL END BY NOON ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 21st. Once I have the final list of 36 winners, the playoffs will proceed as follows:

Round 1 (Oct. 22 – Nov 2) - Original submission - 18 bouts spread across three separate blogs (MWF) for 2 weeks  = 18 winners

Round 2 (Nov 5-9) - Original submission (edited)  -  9 bouts spread across three separate blogs (MWF) = 9 winners + 1 wildcard winner*

Round 3 (Nov 12-16) - 2nd submission - 5 bouts  (M-F) = 5 winners + 1 wildcard*

Round 4 (Nov 19-23) - 2nd submission - 3 bouts  (MWF) = 3 winners + 1 wildcard*

Round 5 (Nov 26 – 30) - 2nd submission (edited) - 2 bouts (T TH) = 2 winners

FINAL  -  3rd submission - 2 contestants = CHAMPION  (this round will be judged by agents/editors/authors)

*Wildcard winners will be chosen from among the losing entries by selecting the one that received the most amount of votes.

Pairings will always be determined by a blind drawing.  As you see, becoming a WRiTE CLUB champion is more than seeing how far a particular piece of work will go.  The overall writers ability will be tested across multiple pieces and edits.

Fun times ahead!  Now let’s fill up those last seven slots!

Here are this rounds randomly selected WRiTER's.

Standing in the far corner, weighing in at 499 words, please welcome to the ring……..Honey Child.

A lone figure stands at the crypt’s entrance in a halo of moonlight. A sword dangles from a hand, and the glimmering coming off the metal trembles.

My heart claws up my throat.

“Why are you here?” His words are slow and raspy.

I can’t remember if I screamed. Not that it matters. No one will hear me out here in the middle of the night.

His boots thump against the stone floor with each approaching stride.

“I…I’ll leave. Just let me pass, okay.”

I jam my back into the wall, and the tip of his sword is pointing into my chest.

His hood conceals the man who’s at least a foot taller than me. “What’s your purpose here?”

“I’m lost.”

The sword’s bite eases. He guides the blade down the side of my dress before lifting the hem.“You’re a Mist in training. You shouldn’t have left the grounds.”

I push myself off the wall. “Maybe you shouldn’t go around scaring people. Is that how you get your kicks?”

“I did no such thing.”

“Really?” I tap his blade with the toe of my shoe. The fact that he hasn’t even shown his face infuriates me. Who does he think he is?

“You must be fresh blood, otherwise you’d know you’re prohibited from entering a seiomenn’s crypt.”

I don’t care for his open threat. “And I guess almost stabbing a girl is allowed?” Walking toward the entrance, I try my hardest to keep a normal pace and not show him my fear.

He sighs, and I can’t help myself.

“Why in the world do you care if someone comes to this place? It’s moldy, a health hazard, and crawling with spiders.” I turn around him, and he’s standing a few inches from me. Crap. I didn’t hear him move.

Moonlight strikes the side of his face, revealing a guy about my age. The hint of red in his eyes matches the leather vest beneath his cape. I’m having immense trouble tearing my gaze from his knee-length skirt, boots and broad chest.

An amuzed look crosses his face, and my cheeks heat. “Why are there only boys buried here? Were they sacrificed?”

He frowns. “You’re one of those girls.” He swings his blade over his shoulder and marches outside, his cape flapping in the wind.

Before I can rein in my emotions, I throw a pebble at him, hitting him square in the back.

“Did you just throw at rock at me?”

“Did you insult me?”

“You’re one crazy girl.”

“Look, I was kidnapped today. A troll almost killed me. And everyone else in the Hall is enjoying the company of their Mom. I’m confused, lost, and I’d sacrifice a leg to get my Mom back from the dead.”

Silence slips between us. He looks at me - not checking me out, but taking a long hard stare as if trying to work out if I’m real or making shit up. “You’re not the only one who’s lost a parent.”

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And in the other corner, weighing in at 483 words, let me introduce to you ……..Jade Kestrel.

I was in a strip club trying to help a ghost get laid, which was challenging, but not impossible. It was just extremely taxing on the necromancer extraordinaire (me) who had to channel energy into the ghost to make her corporeal enough to entice one of the stripper boys. Technically what I was doing was illegal, but it was my job to help ghosts settle their affairs so they could move on to eternally ever after, and Julia’s unfinished business was that she’d died a virgin. I’d made it as easy as I could for her by starting at a strip club; if she couldn’t get some here I wasn’t sure how much lower I could scrape the barrel.

Julia’s prolonged virginity was an enigma to me, even though she’d told me that she’d been waiting for her soul mate. I just didn’t understand why that meant she couldn’t hit up a bar, get drunk, and have a fun, regret filled weekend that included the walk of shame. At least she’d have been in better shape once soul mate came around.

 “What do you think about him?” I asked, pointing to one of the three oiled up men who were gyrating for the benefit of all the screaming women. He had blond hair and green eyes, and was well muscled but not overly so. Julia looked at him then quickly looked away. I took that as a sign of approval.

“I think this was a bad idea,” she stammered.

“This was a fantastic idea,” I said.“And it will work, don’t worry.”

“No, I mean, I don’t think I can do this. I waited my whole life for my soul mate and now you want me to just--,”she stole another quick look at the stripper, “I don’t think I can do this with some random…stripper man. It’s so indecent.” I rolled my eyes.

“Julia, you’re a ghost; you no longer have the option of being discerning. And if you don’t wrap up what’s keeping you around, you run the risk of turning into a monster. Then it’s an even bigger pain in the ass to get rid of you. So let’s call our efforts here at Bump and Moan choice A, and murderous monster choice B, which choice would you like to make?”

“A,” Julia said, but she didn’t sound happy about it. I grabbed a couple drinks off the tray of a passing waitress and set them down in front of Julia.

“Drink,” I said. “This will help.”

“I’m a ghost,” she said. “I thought I was unable to eat or drink.”

 “You can feel the effects of the alcohol since you’ll be working off my energy, so drink up. I’ve pegged you as a light weight so I think two drinks will be enough.”

“But how is this supposed to help?”she asked.

“Because its job is to help,” I said, smiling.

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Remember, here in WRiTE CLUB, it’s not about the last man/woman standing, it’s about who knocks the audience out!