He spent his last £30 on a plate of oysters and a glass of champagne.

[redzinger]

In view of the discussions we've had on here about different Lit competitions, I find this writing competition in the Guardian quite interesting:

To enter, write a 500-750 word story with the above line as your first sentence. The winner will receive a writing course of their choice, worth up to £450! Plus, we’ll publish your story on our blog for the world to read.

http://www.theguardian.com/guardian...-a-writing-course-of-your-choice?CMP=ema-1650

 

[Handley_Page]

In view of the discussions we've had on here about different Lit competitions, I find this writing competition in the Guardian quite interesting:

To enter, write a 500-750 word story with the above line as your first sentence. The winner will receive a writing course of their choice, worth up to £450! Plus, we’ll publish your story on our blog for the world to read.

http://www.theguardian.com/guardian...-a-writing-course-of-your-choice?CMP=ema-1650

Pass this on to Lynn, who, I think, will walk it. . . .

 

[redzinger]

I'm certainly going to stick an entry in. There's a few interesting-sounding classes and networking chances.

 

[redzinger]

Entry drafted. Sent to my editor-of-non-kinky material (my mother).

 

[sheablue]

Ooh, this looks fun. I love the shorty shorts!

 

[redzinger]

Ooh, this looks fun. I love the shorty shorts!

I quite enjoyed writing it too. Perhaps we should do a monthly shorts challenge, and vote on it here? I know there's the writing challenge sub-forum, but I think that's forgotten about by many (myself included).

 

[DeYaKen]

In view of the discussions we've had on here about different Lit competitions, I find this writing competition in the Guardian quite interesting:

To enter, write a 500-750 word story with the above line as your first sentence. The winner will receive a writing course of their choice, worth up to £450! Plus, we’ll publish your story on our blog for the world to read.

http://www.theguardian.com/guardian...-a-writing-course-of-your-choice?CMP=ema-1650

What really puzzles me with this is: Where would I get a plate of oysters and a glass of Champagne for £30?

 

[Learin]

What really puzzles me with this is: Where would I get a plate of oysters and a glass of Champagne for £30?

By the coast, perhaps?




BTW, I like short contests like these but haven't got the time to sit down and write. I vote for a thread dedicated to such contests.

Maybe next time...

 

[HandsInTheDark]

What a terrible first sentence. It's a *great* idea for a story, mind you, but that sentence needs to be in the second paragraph of anything I try to do with it.

 

[glynndah]

I quite enjoyed writing it too. Perhaps we should do a monthly shorts challenge, and vote on it here? I know there's the writing challenge sub-forum, but I think that's forgotten about by many (myself included).

We used to have quite an active and vibrant thread of one hundred word stories on a revolving series of topics. That was so much fun. I loved doing those.

 

[_Lynn_]

We used to have quite an active and vibrant thread of one hundred word stories on a revolving series of topics. That was so much fun. I loved doing those.

Flashfics, found here. They were fun.

 

[TxRad]

What a terrible first sentence. It's a *great* idea for a story, mind you, but that sentence needs to be in the second paragraph of anything I try to do with it.

He spent his last £30 on a plate of oysters and a glass of champagne. The champagne was flat and the oysters tasted like they were soaked in diesel. Gary pushed the plate back and looked around for his waiter.

Not a hard start.

 

[Hypoxia]

He spent his last £30 on a plate of oysters and a glass of champagne. The oysters were bright with a little horseradish, taken between bites of sourdough French bread, not too fresh, not too old; the champagne fizzled nicely but could have been drier.

He chuckled quietly to himself throughout his solitary repast. Staff and other patrons paid him little attention. Just a nicely-dressed older man, slightly balmy.

Finished, he charged the meal and tip to his AmEx card and walked outside. He retrieved a parcel from the boot of his sports coupe. He walked to the end of the seaside resort's pier, tied the stick of dynamite around his neck, and lit the fuse. The blast indeed attracted attention.

The sommelier shook his head as he walked back inside after briefly surveying the carnage. "I MUST insist that management stop serving mislabeled champagne," he thought.

 

[redzinger]

Winners out - didn't make it.

http://www.theguardian.com/guardian...g/2015/oct/12/short-story-competition-results

This was mine, if anyone's interested:

He spent his last £30 on a plate of oysters and a glass of champagne. To be delivered to the birthday girl’s table.
Finally ready to tread the miles home, he picked up his coat, walking stick and wallet shorn of emergency funds. The strike wouldn’t end any time soon, and all the apps in the world couldn’t find him a taxi or minicab.
He pushed open the bistro door and groaned. It was still torrential; pools of water had turned into dark lakes, and water beaded and streamed off every street-lit surface.
‘Sir?’
For a moment, he contemplated ignoring the plaintive female voice, but sighed and turned.
‘That was really nice, what you did.’
He shrugged at the dark-haired girl who’d been serving behind the bar all evening. Girl? She was barely younger than him. He’d thought of flirting with her, but she was stunning, and out of his league. Like the sombre, plain woman in the corner, quietly celebrating her birthday while counting pennies with another sombre, plain friend. They were all way out of his league.
‘Why are you leaving now?’
‘They’ll want a handsome prince, I’m a scarred toad.’
‘You’re no toad.’
He shook his head. Maybe before the insurgents’ raid, he could have been considered handsome. Not now.
‘Have you far to go?’
‘A few miles.’
‘Walking?’
‘Yeah.’
‘But, it’s pouring!’ She’d heard him on the phone. Seen him slump and accept his sodden fate, had given a sympathetic smile.
‘I was in the Army, it’s not far.’
‘But with your leg…’ she trailed off.
‘Legs.’ The prosthetics clunked when he tapped them with his hated stick. ‘They’ll be fine.’ They weren’t fine – the fit of one cup wasn’t quite right, and he could feel a sore developing.
‘Can you wait just a while longer?’
He drew his shoulders back, lifted his chin up. ‘Sorry, I have to go now. Goodnight.’ And stepped out into the deluge.
Fifty yards later, he was wishing he’d kept the thirty quid to offer any driver still brave enough to be on the roads. Along with wishing that he’d chosen any other night to venture out. His arranged date had failed to show, citing a work emergency. He suspected she’d arrived at the restaurant, seen him and backed out.
He lifted his face to the darkened heavens, enjoying the sprinkling of autumn rain, reminding him he was still alive. Unlike his mates, blown to pieces in that desert-dry country. Until the pervasive drift of wet fingers reached duller scar tissue.
Some bleak days, he thought his mates were the lucky ones, to have experienced a quick death rather than the protracted withering of body and mind.
Enough malingering. He pulled his collar up, focussed his eyes on the end of the street, the first leg as it were, and continued.
Such was his concentration in setting one foot in front of the other, he didn’t notice the buzzing to his right. ‘Sir?’
That voice again. This time louder. The girl from the bar, hunched on a moped, shadowing him on the road. He stopped. ‘What are you doing out here?’
The buzzing stopped. She rested a foot down. ‘Would you like a lift? I have a spare helmet.’
He looked her over. A coat covered her torso, but a short skirt bared her already-soaked legs, running with water. ‘Aren’t you a bit underdressed for this weather?’
‘I w-wanted to catch you. Please, get on.’
He wanted to say no. But she had gone to so much effort. He sighed, and nodded. The corners of her mouth twitched up, flashing dimples. He took the helmet she offered, and clambered on.
‘Where do you live?’
’10 Swansby Road.’ His hands on her coat barely touched her.
‘Hold me properly please, I don’t want to lose you.’
Her waist was narrow, he could feel her every breath. He soaked up the human contact.
The streets didn’t exactly fly by – his sparse weight was enough to slow the machine– but they arrived at his building sooner than he’d wish. His hands reluctantly released her, and he busied himself with untangling his legs.
He handed the helmet back. ‘Thank you.’
‘It w-was an hon-honour.’ Her smile had stiffened and her whole body tremored slightly.
‘Do…would you like to come in to dry off?’
A catch of breath, and her eyes shone along with her dimples. ‘W-would you mind?’
‘Not at all. You’d be welcome.’
An unexpectedly light feeling grew in his chest. Hope.

 

[Handley_Page]

Winners out - didn't make it.

This was mine, if anyone's interested:

And it was damned good

 

[redzinger]

And it was damned good

Thanks. Think I'll stick it up on here. Romance or Non-Erotic?

 

[SamScribble]

Thanks. Think I'll stick it up on here. Romance or Non-Erotic?

I also didn't win. But it was fun writing it.

Where shall we post?

 

[JustaSCOUNDREL]

Red maybe you could start a thread in the Writers Exercises and Challenges thread with a contest every 30 days. You could ask some of your favorite authors to judge each month. You might want to change judges every month or maybe one of them.

Sam Scribble is already interested.

JUst my thoughts

Mike

 

[redzinger]

I also didn't win. But it was fun writing it.

Where shall we post?

Listed mine as N-E, which Laurel has seen fit to agree with.

 

[elfin_odalisque]

I quite enjoyed writing it too. Perhaps we should do a monthly shorts challenge, and vote on it here? I know there's the writing challenge sub-forum, but I think that's forgotten about by many (myself included).

great short story. If not this, who won? Please Post yours
to Lit. Must be romance.

 

[_Lynn_]

I also didn't win. But it was fun writing it.

Ditto.

 

[redzinger]

great short story. If not this, who won? Please Post yours
to Lit. Must be romance.

Mine's here (non-erotic):

https://www.literotica.com/s/he-spent-his-last-30

(Someone's already commented on its brevity. )

The three placed stories are here:

http://www.theguardian.com/guardian...g/2015/oct/12/short-story-competition-results

Red maybe you could start a thread in the Writers Exercises and Challenges thread with a contest every 30 days. You could ask some of your favorite authors to judge each month. You might want to change judges every month or maybe one of them.

Sam Scribble is already interested.

JUst my thoughts

Mike

Good idea. Challenge for November once the RWC is over, methinks. (Will have more free time.)

 

[redzinger]

Where shall we post?

Additional note: would probably be a good idea for you to post in the preamble that readers should be aware it is a SHORT STORY OF AROUND 750 WORDS as dictated by the competition rules.

Just had my second complaint about how short it is.

 

[NaokoSmith]

Aww, guys. You did good! I totally failed to enter, even though I had this humdinger of a true story I ought to have written up for it.

http://naokosmith.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/the-stranger-on-train-oysters-and.html

I suppose people who did enter wouldn't like to have a chain story with all the entrants in it? I will try to organise it for you if so.

 

[Handley_Page]

Mine's here (non-erotic):

https://www.literotica.com/s/he-spent-his-last-30

(Someone's already commented on its brevity. )

And damned good it is, too