We Have the Winners…Next Week

Guess what? Simon and I had our top four contest entries picked out. We had even sealed the deal with a virtual handshake. But then something happened. Here’s roughly how it went:

Carol:  Simon, you remember how I told you that I spent two hours clothes shopping and that at the end of the excursion, I went back to return the first three shirts I had bought?

Simon: Yeeeeaaaaaahhhh…? [meaning, “um, not really”]

Carol: Well, Simon…that’s how I roll.

Simon: Huh?

Carol: I mean, this decision is killing me. We’re never going to be able to rank these finalists. And I really feel like _______’s story should be a finalist, too. Gads, they're all so good...it's killing me.

Simon: But we can't choose them all.

Carol: Right. But what about _______'s story. It really should be a finalist.

Simon: Yes, Carol, you’re right.

Carol: Huh?

Simon: You’re right.

Carol: Oh. Well. Fine then.

Simon: Right.

Carol: Of course.

Simon: So we’ll just add a fifth prize—

Carol: And have two tiers of finalists—

Simon: Two first place entries—

Carol: And three second place entries.

Carol and Simon: We’ll need another book.

Simon and Carol: Right.

Carol: How about—

Simon: Donald Maass’s—

Carol: Writing the Breakout Novel? 

Simon and Carol: Perfect.

Carol: So, you want to devote all next week—

Simon: To the winning entries? Sure. One each day.

Carol: I’m so brilliant.

Carol and Simon: Let’s discuss something else now.

Simon: You go first.

Carol: What are your plans this weekend?

Simon: Shoveling snow.

Carol: Really, Simon, you’re way more fun than that.

Simon: Naked.

Carol: Well. There you go.

Simon: What are your plans, Miss Judgerson?

Carol: I’m going to a Super Bowl party.

Simon: Naked?

Carol: Don’t be silly, Simon.

Simon: You’ll have a hat on?

Carol: Of course. A Colts hat.

Simon: Really, Carol, you’re way more fun than that.

Carol: Fine, I won’t wear the hat.

Simon: That’s the spirit.

Carol: You’re so pushy.

Simon: You know you like me anyway. Separated at birth, remember?

Carol: Yeah, well, I have 9 more followers than you. So there.

Simon: Geez, you really are my sister, aren’t you?

Carol: Don’t be gross, Simon. I wouldn’t host a contest with my brother. Ew.


So, there you have it. We have winning entries chosen—five of them—but we won’t be posting the results until Monday. A new winning entry will be posted each day. Then (next) Saturday, we will post a final review mentioning the remaining entries and what we loved about them. Unfortunately, we’re too poor to be able to offer prizes for all the entries, but I must say, it was not an easy choice. All of the entries were remarkable. Simon and I nearly tore each other’s our hair out making our final decision.

I would like to apologize for the delay in our announcement, but I won’t. Because, well, I just won’t. It’s all the entrants’ faults, really. Their stories shouldn’t have all been so brilliant. Actually it might even be our mother’s fault, partially (yes, our mother—it’s come to our attention we were separated at birth), because she must have given us the indecisive gene (could be Dad’s, too, but we’re not yet certain we share the same father). So, really, we’re blameless.

Anyway, be sure to tune in next week for Flash Fiction Week on Simon and Carol’s blogs. I promise you’ll enjoy the stories. Good fun, I tell you. Good fun.

And because it’s the weekend, and because I’m feeling happy and generous, I think I’ll leave you with some hope:

Happy Friday, friends.