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| I've just posted my most ambitious story yet. it's a sci-fi/noir mashup with androids, artificial intelligence, and a hard-drinking private eye. Chapter 1 was originally written as flash fiction for the October 2023 round of The Grim Reaper Contest - Closed  . The prompt was 'Horror Noir'. That story, Genifer, has a dark ending, but it isn't really horror. It was well received and won an award anyway. Friends in real life loved the characters in Genifer and urged me to expand the story and give Murphy a shot at redemption. Seven more chapters followed. My friends liked the full story and keep asking for more of Gennifer and Murphy. That's as good a review as an author can get (and perhaps the biggest challenge). So, if you're willing to invest 45 minutes, you may enjoy:
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 I'm just hopping in from the "Wonderland" challenge, where I'm getting one step closer to the Red Queen, to wish you a little March Madness/Joy!  |
Here's one last thank you to Schnujo's Doing NaNoWriMo?  and her merry band of merit badge donors. I've posted this before, but it bears repeating: Do you like merit badges? And awardicons? Do you enjoy a challenge? Want to improve your writing skills? If you answered Yes, then The Contest Challenge is for you!
I started the challenge in 2020, and I'm glad I did. Half my merit badges have come directly from Schnujo's recognition events (thanks again!). And I've earned many badges and awardicons from individual contests featured in the challenge. Another reward is getting helpful reviews from the good folks who host those individual contests (hooray for them too!). It's easy to write with passion. We're almost compelled to write when we care deeply about the genre, our characters, and we're working in our preferred format. It's much more challenging to change gears from love poems to horror stories (or for the cooking impaired to write out a recipe). Taking on the unfamiliar forces us to rely on writing skill more than enthusiasm, the monthly deadline helps to overcome procrastination, and we might even find a new love (opposites attract!). It took me 18 months to catch up with contests from prior years (an average of 3 entries per month). I've coasted along at one or two contests a month since then. In the process, I've written a number of stories and poems that simply wouldn't exist without Schnujo's challenge. Some of them are actually good, a few have won awards, and I've even gotten some Quill nominations. The sense of satisfaction from 'checking all the boxes' is second only to the joy of creating stories and poems that I can feel proud of. And that's what it's really all about. Trophies from individual contests:      ![Merit Badge in Red Wheelbarrow Poetry
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Congratulations! 1st place, [Link To Item #1390406] contest, May, 2023 for [Link To Item #2251696] . Excellent poem!](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/group-Red_Wheelbarrow_Poetry-2231099_8.gif) ![Merit Badge in Funny
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Congratulations on winning second place at [Link To Item #thssc] for your entry: [Link to Book Entry #1034546]! Way to go, and thanks for making me laugh. *^*Starr*^* ~Lornda A.K.A. The Queen of Comedy *^*Crown*^*](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/general-Funny-200.gif) ![Merit Badge in Divine Unity
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Congratulations on your third place win in Honoring the Dead! *^*Heart*^*](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/group-Divine_Unity-2193496_1.gif) ![Merit Badge in Horror Scary
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Congratulate on winning 2nd Place in [Link To Item #2046245] , October 2022 ! I'm pleased to award you this well-deserve win for [Link To Item #2282419] !](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/genre-Horror_Scary-900.gif) ![Merit Badge in Humorous Poetry Contest
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Congratulations on the third place win at [Link To Item #hpc] for your poem: [Link To Item #2270759] . Thanks for making me laugh, and keep writing the funny stuff! *^*Bigsmile*^* ~Lornda A.K.A. The Queen of Comedy *^*Crown*^*](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/group-Humorous_Poetry_Contest-1875103_14.gif) ![Merit Badge in Inspiring Poetry Ideas
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Congratulations on being in first place at my [Link To Item #2216416] !!!
Blessings, Sharmelle](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/group-Inspiring_Poetry_Ideas-2259846_14.gif) ![Merit Badge in Zodiac Sagittarius
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*^*Bigsmile*^* Congratulatons on winning first place in [Link To Item #2262851] ! Here is your very own centaur! *^*Wink*^*](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/astrology-Zodiac_Sagittarius.gif) Best of all, several Quill nominations! So, get started today! This is the one contest where everybody wins. This testimonial is an unsolicited endorsement from Fans of Schnujo. |
| I owe thanks to a bunch of people. First is Schnujo's Doing NaNoWriMo? . I've received more than 70 merit badges for completing seven years of the The Contest Challenge . So, to her and all who participated in the giving: Meritorious Thanks! That leads into thanks for all the good folks who host contests on WDC and inspire us to create. Without a variety of contests, the Contest Challenge couldn't push us out of our comfort zone. To those who dream up interesting prompts and quirky rules to stretch our imagination and test our writing skills: Thanks for your hospitality and hard work! Those contests helped me produce some good work in 2023. I also want to thank the kind folks who nominated several of my poems and stories for a Quill Award. Your critical acclaim means a lot to me. Thanks for your endorsement! And perhaps the biggest thanks go to those who reward my efforts by actually reading my stuff. You're the ones who keep me going. Without readers, I'd have given up long ago. So, whether you've fanned me, added me to your favorites, or just dropped by as a casual reader: Thanks for your time and attention! Partial List: ♥noVember tHiNg♥   Adherennium Plotting something   Anni Pon  Benjamin Black  ദƖυҽყҽʐ 🤍  Brenpoet Richard ~ Less Mummy Like!  Nobody’s Home  CheerFairy Dutchessbarbie.  Fictiøn Ðiva the Wørd Weava  Angel Wolf GERVIC  Cubby  H❀pe Joan ForeverDreamer Jtpete 1986  NaNoKit  Krista Broken Angel LeJenD'  Beacon's Anchor  Lilli 🧿 ☕  Lori J Sky D. White Lornda  THANKFUL SONALI Library Class!  Monty  Starling Patrece ~ PiriPica Marvelous Friend Choconut  🌻 thankful pwheeler nanoing  Pumpkin Spice Sox  rupali Lorelei Sharmelle's Expressions  LMs❤️BrewinMagic  Creativity in words dogpack saving 4premium Warped Sanity  Whata SpoonStealer  William Cole winklett  Arakun the twisted raccoon  GeminiGem🐾  StephBee  NaNoNette Sophurky  Solace.Bring W.D.Wilcox  Beck Firing back up!  👼intuey  K5Rakitan Ẃeβ࿚ẂỉԎḈĥ  David the Dark one! Future Mrs. Boo  ~Brian K Compton~ |
| Here's a big thank you for all of the anniversary wishes! ![Merit Badge in Writing.Com 5th Anniversary
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Congratulations on your 5th Writing.Com Account Anniversary!](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/achievements-Writing=46Com__5th_Anniversary.gif) An anniversary is always an opportunity to look back and reflect. I've been on WDC for five years and it's been good for me and for my writing. My successes include more than 600 merit badges and nearly 100 awardicons. I've been nominated for several Quill Awards, and I've even won a few. I've created 230 items in my portfolio that have garnered a total of more than 30,000 views. That's not quite the same as being published, but it's enough to keep me going. My success here is largely due to the helpful WDC members who have encouraged me and given me useful reviews. I owe thanks to many fans and casual readers, but a long list would be awkward. You know who you are because this post is showing up in your personal newsfeed. I'm especially grateful to the good people who offer inspiration through contests, challenges, and activities. They put in a lot of time and effort to make WDC a fun place to hang out. They challenge us to move out of our comfort zone and try new things. And they promote the single best practice of all, simply writing. Thanks to Schnujo's Doing NaNoWriMo? I've created two merit badges: ![Merit Badge in Words Whirling 'Round
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Congratulations on your new merit badge! Thank you for supporting the Writing.Com community with your inspirations, participation and activities. We sincerely appreciate it! -SMs](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/group-Words_Whirling_=Round-2264190_8.gif) ![Merit Badge in Write What You're Like
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Congratulations on your new merit badge! Thank you for supporting the Writing.Com community with your inspirations, participation and activities. We sincerely appreciate it! -SMs](https://images.Writing.Com/imgs/writing.com/writers/badges/group-Write_What_You=re_Like-2264190.gif) I've also created three trinkets that can be collected in these blog entries: My failures have been my own fault. I'm uninformed and inept when it comes to social media. I never open a Facebook, I've no time for Tik-Tok, I'm not a Twitter, and I don't know how to make a mark with my brand. I have to admit that it's foolish to think I could maintain personal connections on WDC when I can't even do it in real life. Social interactions have always felt like a performance to me. I learn my lines, play my part, and keep any real thoughts to myself. It's a good strategy for friendly acquaintances, but it's always a relief to drop the act and move on. So, going forward, I intend to spend less time on the newsfeed and focus more on writing. Again, thank you to everyone for your support and encouragement. I wish you all well. |
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