Musings on the Misplaced Challenge

With the Misplaced challenge closed, here are my thoughts, my collated entries, and my recommended reads.

My thoughts

I thought this one was a lot of fun. I wrote four new entries for this challenge, and entered an oldie from last year that I thought fit the brief as well. Getting inside the head of a lost object was an easy one, which either means I nailed it, or I did it very, very badly. I liked that there were lots of ways to interpret the prompt. I hope Vocal give us more prompts like this one.

My entries

Here they are, oldest to newest. Grab a cup of tea and enjoy, I hope!

First up, Lost. This was one I originally wrote for the Aquarium challenge (remember that?) but I didn't finish it in time to submit. Then I tweaked it, and considered entering it in The Mystery Box challenge. I wasn't happy with it, though, and left it in Drafts. I eventually finished it up and published it in April last year. It's finally getting to be a challenge entry - third time's the charm!

Here it is:

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The first new story I wrote for this one was L-O-S-T. I think it is obvious what this one is about! A spunky little dog who is "lost" but really doesn't mind it at all! This was a lot of fun to write, because so many stories on this theme are sad ones. It's also personal to me, because it's based on a real character who was an absolute pain in my bottom for fifteen years (but we loved him).

It's my longest story entered into this challenge. It's also the longest one I've published in a while, since most of my content so far this year has been microfiction.

Here it is:

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Next, Thoughts of a Dead Person:

Another obvious one. This is centered around the idea that when someone dies, we say we "lost" them.

Here it is:

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Next, A New Friend.

This one is about a real lost teddy bear (pictured), but the story of where he came from and where he ended up is completely imagined.

Here it is:

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Lastly, Deliver Us From Evil:

If I have any shot (sorry) at all in this challenge, this might be my best one. But I am fully aware I'm biased about this, because I love butterfly effect stories!

This one is about a letter, written by a soldier, asking his girl back home to marry him. The letter goes astray, and their lives unfold very differently than they would have if it had been properly delivered.

Here it is:

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My Recommended Reads

The Pick Up is light hearted and as descriptively written as you can expect from Hannah Moore:

Best line: the last one! Trust me on this and just read it all the way through.

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Our Last Ride from Dana Crandell will make you feel stuff - go and read it!

Best line: The last one again, sorry.

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More Than One Can Bear from The Dani Writer is dark and horrible but also exactly as eloquent and punchy as you an expect. Dani's voice is right there all the way through.

Best line: "I promise not to peek if you gives it a cwtsh" (purely because I adore the word "cwtsh").

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Monkey by David Brandy is just a lovely story. David imbues Monkey with so much heart, and yours just beats and breaks right along with him:

Best line: "It starts to rain, which is good, because the tears break through."

Some questions

Did you enter? (If so, GOOD LUCK!)

How did you find it? What did you find fun about it, what was tricky?

Thank you!

For reading, for being here, for being supportive, for thoughtful engagement.

If I haven't read yours yet, please remember to leave me a link in the comments!