The Official Authors' Hangout Summer Lovin' 2025 Contest Support Thread

[PapaRomantic]

I just saw this today, but reading the first post inspired me with a story idea in the First Time category. Now I just have to write it!

 

[BryanRichardson]

Can you describe your bunny?
Mine are just tiny baby bunnies.


Speaking of tiny baby bunnies, I found some once.
Picture this: Early spring, maybe ten years. The middle of the day.
I was in the yard with my young son and for some reason we wanted to start a fire in the fire pit. I started ripping up dry grass for tinder with my bare hands until I grabbed hold of something warm and soft. I immediately let go and yelled. My son came toddling over and when my heart rate dropped back down I gently uncovered the baby bunnies so he could see them. I took a quick picture and covered them back up. We decided not to have a fire, and in fact went inside for the rest of the day. The mommy bunny had moved the babies the next day when we checked on them.

 

[Duleigh]

I got a bunny that keeps scurrying away.

Here, use this bunny, he doesn't go anywhere.

 

[Aoife_from_Ulster]

AM curious how everyone is doing on their story (ies) I am about 10,000 words in and 2/3rd of the way completed

 

[dirk2024]

AM curious how everyone is doing on their story (ies) I am about 10,000 words in and 2/3rd of the way completed

Wow! I am still working on finishing my Nude Day submission.

 

[Voboy]

AM curious how everyone is doing on their story (ies) I am about 10,000 words in and 2/3rd of the way completed

Mine was finished many months ago. I love it, but I'll be slightly surprised if it finds a strong audience.

 

[PapaRomantic]

AM curious how everyone is doing on their story (ies) I am about 10,000 words in and 2/3rd of the way completed

Wrote mine in two settings, one of those times where an inspiration strikes and I happened to have time to write. It's only 9,000 words, which is short for me!

 

[Bassytian]

I've got two that I'll be submitting. I plan to work on them soon.

 

[Aoife_from_Ulster]

Wow! I am still working on finishing my Nude Day submission.

I passed on the Nude Day, I couldn’t come to the table with a suitable prose

 

[BryanRichardson]

I haven’t actually started working on any of my three story ideas.

I’m finishing my third Nude Day submission in the next couple of days.

I’ve got a Heroism essay waiting for the publication date.

And I’ve got an idea for Hammered that I will work on first. (Robbing the Hood and the Sheriffs Daughter)

Yeah, so I’ve got a lot of writing ahead of me…

 

[Aoife_from_Ulster]

I haven’t actually started working on any of my three story ideas.

I’m finishing my third Nude Day submission in the next couple of days.

I’ve got a Heroism essay waiting for the publication date.

And I’ve got an idea for Hammered that I will work on first. (Robbing the Hood and the Sheriffs Daughter)

Yeah, so I’ve got a lot of writing ahead of me…

I’m in the middle of a rather long series that I’m paying attention to, It has held me back from the Hammered event and I’m working on my Crime and Punishment as well. I hadn’t given any thought to the heroism though I should have.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

"Just remember, it has to be summer related - not necessarily beach related."


How summer does summer have to be?

Got a bunny running around about a wedding, but I'm not sure it would be an outdoor wedding.

 

[BryanRichardson]

I would say it has to be more than “It was the summer of ‘69.”, but then nothing more is mentioned about the season, or the weather.

But I’m not in charge f anything.

 

[Voboy]

"Just remember, it has to be summer related - not necessarily beach related."


How summer does summer have to be?

Got a bunny running around about a wedding, but I'm not sure it would be an outdoor wedding.

Hot weather and kids out of school is enough to link it. No beach required.

So, for a wedding tale, I'd make sure to include three elements:

1. The heat, and its impact on wardrobe (this could be a fun feature of the larger story).
2. Mention of some sort that "it was a July wedding."
3. The idea that there are kids there with their parents, and that the kids can stay late because there's no school now.

No need to do much more. I did a wedding story once for the Summer Contest, which did include a beach, but it didn't necessarily need to. I suspect a hotel pool would have worked just as well. I don't remember whether I made it an outdoor wedding.

 

[Aoife_from_Ulster]

I would say it has to be more than “It was the summer of ‘69.”, but then nothing more is mentioned about the season, or the weather.

But I’m not in charge f anything.

Yeah I remember the summer of 69, but I was still running in Mary Jane’s, not quite combat boots …yet

Mine is a Summer Lovin’ on the high seas, on a now over written cruise ship adventure, with a significant sapphic twist

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

5K

Needs a lot of polishing and probably some fill in.




Late August weddings are OK.

 

[Aoife_from_Ulster]

Please tell me that this happens to you all as well …
My story just fell apart, it crashed on me. I can’t find the arc anymore.

Putting it away for now, maybe to resurrect later. But for now, it’s in the trash

 

[Voboy]

Please tell me that this happens to you all as well …
My story just fell apart, it crashed on me. I can’t find the arc anymore.

Putting it away for now, maybe to resurrect later. But for now, it’s in the trash

Oh, happens to me all the time. I never return to them.

 

[iwatchus]

Please tell me that this happens to you all as well …
My story just fell apart, it crashed on me. I can’t find the arc anymore.

Putting it away for now, maybe to resurrect later. But for now, it’s in the trash

I managed to resurrect one. The others are still in limbo.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Starts: August 15 ?????
Crap, I thought it was July 15th

 

[crookedletter]

How do these contests trend toward story length? Mine seems determined to end up pretty long. Probably over 20k words, maybe more.

I plan to submit it one way or the other, I'm just curious how that might go over, if people tend to look for quicker payoffs in this sort of format.

 

[Trionyx]

How do these contests trend toward story length? Mine seems determined to end up pretty long. Probably over 20k words, maybe more.

I plan to submit it one way or the other, I'm just curious how that might go over, if people tend to look for quicker payoffs in this sort of format.

I believe that longer stories which have plot involving more than just sex tend to do well.

 

[BryanRichardson]

How do these contests trend toward story length? Mine seems determined to end up pretty long. Probably over 20k words, maybe more.

I plan to submit it one way or the other, I'm just curious how that might go over, if people tend to look for quicker payoffs in this sort of format.

Don’t worry about story length. Quality is all that matters. Long stories with plot and developed characters score well. Partially because by the time someone gets to the end they’ve invested time and effort into reading.
You want to really screw with readers? Alternate between 750 word stories and Novellas…

 

[silkstockingslover]

Two done.
One edited already: a different for me romance-ish story about a teacher bumping into a former student.
NOt edited: a Modern family lesbian anal parody

Third one in the works that is BBC based... but it is going at a snail's pace.

Good luck to all...

 

[DeLaFaye]

I've actually started writing one for this even. It's been a minute, but I'm enjoying it, so . (Posting here/now to hopefully hold myself somewhat accountable to actually post the story. )