Here in Myrtle Beach for the South Carolina Writers Workshop, Mer Bear and I finally got a chance to read entries for the Nightshade contest!
They were fantastic - and some put quite a clever twist on the words, especially the Krokolian Rage.
Best Werewolf-y Entry:
Marianna 3:16 pm
Best Justification of How Much Money I Spent on My Last Haircut:
Melissa Peagler 8:54 pm
Best Quotes:
"A delusional Twilight-fan stabbed her with a wooden stake because of her body glitter and red hair. She screamed, “I did it for Edward!” when they arrested her." BPatterson 3:40 pm
"Even as her traitorous blood raced deafeningly in her veins..." Leigh 11:45 pm
"While he waxed zoologically, I finished my pastry." Mesmerix 4:23 pm
Best Rhymes:
Erin B 6:24 pm
Best "Hick" Voice:
taratyler 10:23 am
Best Use of "..."
Kulsuma 2:44 pm
Runner Up (Loved the ending imagery):
ShelleyB 11:53 pm
Which brings us down to the final three...
3rd Place - Best Trigger for the Krokolian Rage:
"Who ate all the Häagen-Dazs?!"
Sarah W 5:21 pm
2nd Place - Best YA Voice:
My supplier, Sylvia, melted into the cold cement wall of our school. Except for her nails purposely filed to look like dragon claws -long and sharp-she could have been anyone’s sister.
“A little something new to make your hormones hum,” she said, discreetly shoving a small vile of thick blood into my locker. “Just in. It’s called Krokolian Rage. Guaranteed to make you sing to the moon.”
I smelled her curse of brotherly love. “Family first?”
“Always, mon frère, always,” she said, blowing me a kiss and drifting into the crowded hallway.
Bettelynn 10:40 am
1st Place and WINNER of Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
Germaine (who had two great entries) 2:40 am
Norma slouched low in her seat. “God, they’re just so awful.”
“You want another drink?” Peggy asked.
“No.” Norma massaged her temples. “My head hurts.”
“You’re dripping on the table.”
“What?”
Peggy pointed to the blood. “Here,” she said, handing Norma a cocktail napkin.
Norma cursed, and started dabbing at her ears. “Sometimes they bleed.”
“Bobby’s here. He took me to see Moonraker at the—hey! ” Peggy grabbed Norma’s hand. “Take it easy. Don’t claw at them.”
“They hurt. What’s this band called anyway?”
“Krokolian Rage.”
“Like ‘raging hormones?’”
“No, like ‘they’re all the rage.’”
“I’ll have that drink now.”
***
Congrats to everyone. I loved reading these! Germaine, send me an email with your address and I'll happily send you a copy of Nightshade.