Tri-Studio Sponsors "Novel" Contest and It's FREE

Tri- Studio, home of the Fiction Flyer newsletter, is holding a flash fiction Contest: You choose two characters from one of your stories or novels, or one character each from two of your stories or novels. They can be two protagonists, antagonists, or one of each. Select one of the scene openers or premises below, and create a conversation between your characters. Attention will be given to the strength and credibility of your characters. Unusual characters are welcome, but help us believe they are real. And keep them in character and true to themselves. Remember, while flash fiction is short, it still tells a story, so allow enough development to leave us in the end with a feeling or sentiment. Make us laugh or cry! Here are the scene openers or premises for your entry:

*Your first character is kneeling on shore and holding the lead rope to a flimsy rubber raft, which is frothing in the wake of a rain-swollen river. Your second character sits in the boat, hanging on for life.

*Your first character enters the Grand Ballroom at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino for its opening celebration, which has promised to be the best party Las Vegas has ever seen. The first character immediately spies the second character, who is rumored to be having an affair with the spouse of the first character. The first character has just heard the rumor. He or she approaches the second character. All eyes follow him or her.

*Your characters 20 to 50 years later: they meet randomly in a Laundromat.
The grown children of your two characters randomly meet, fall in love, and become engaged. Your characters are invited to dinner so that the two families can “get to know each other.” They have no idea they will be meeting each other.

*Your two characters must compete for the same job.

*Your two characters must work on the same job. Their success depends on their willingness to work as a team.

*You choose the situation that best suits your characters.

Judging Criteria is:

1. Character strength and credibility
2. Dialogue
3. Short story development, including: Tightness, clarity, structure, strength of lead/beginning, impact, satisfactory close

Guidelines:

1. All subscribers to The Fiction Flyer ezine are eligible. To subscribe, send an email to kgogolewski@sbcglobal.net with EZINE written in the subject heading.

2. There will be a first, second and third prize. Each winner receives a certificate, $5 and will be featured in a publication of The Fiction Flyer with a subscriber list of 1,000 readers. There will be an undetermined number of Honorable Mentions. Press releases with the winners’ names will be released from TRI Studio LLC.

3. Work must be original and not a reprint

4. Up to 1,000 words

5. Multiple entries accepted

6. There is no entry fee

7. Arial or comparable 10 pt font

8. No attachments will be accepted. Include your story in the body of your email. Email entry(ies) to kgogolewski@sbcglobal.net. Use the format below.

9. A selected panel of guest judges will determine final winners

10. Contest deadline is July 1, 2009.

FORMAT in Arial 10 pt font:
Your name:
Your characters’ names:
Title of your novels or stories from which your characters previously lived:
Your story title:
Number of words:
Your story (In arial 10 point font) up to 1,000 words:

Kathe Gogolewski
http://www.TRI-Studio.com
Host/The Mother Daughter Club radio show
The Fiction Flyer ezine for writers: www.tri-studio.com/ezine.html
From Amazon: short stories for 49 cents:
The Gold Coin: http://www.amazon.com/The-Gold-Coin/dp/B000IB0JHK/ref=pd_ts_b_13/102-3993851-2836959?ie=UTF8&s=books

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Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of This Is the Place; Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered; Tracings, a chapbook of poetry; and two how to books for writers, The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success. Her FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques. She is also the author of the Amazon Short, "The Great First Impression Book Proposal". Some of her other blogs are TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com, a blog where authors can recycle their favorite reviews. She also blogs at all things editing, grammar, formatting and more at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog.