Read the remaining 5 contestants’ latest writings (click on Home and scroll down – also, you can read their complete writings on the Contestants Page) and vote for one TO BE ELIMINATED based on how well you felt they all responded to the Round 8 Challenge. The challenge was different for each contestant (the challenge is listed on each individual post). You have until midnight October 23rd to vote. You can find out who was eliminated and learn what the Round 9 challenge is in a video that will be posted on October 24th.
Coco’s Round 8 Challenges (Word limit – 600): * Incorporate a glimmer of light / hope through the character of Frank (given by Kaylie Jones)
* Include an interaction with a wild Cyprus donkey (given by Vasia Markides)
* Incorporate a Brazilian girl named Renata (given by Renata)
Read COCO 7 here (see “Similar Posts” at the bottom of this post for any earlier entries)
Young man nods his head when I ask if he’s been to cabaret before. I put his hand on my leg. He is little shy so he doesn’t move his hand around. Some old men squeeze half your zhopa before you even say hello how are you.
I am wearing tanga so I lift leg to make him excited and buy me drink (fake drink – 20 euros for small glass of grape juice). I begin to rub his arm while looking him in eye. Trick always is make man centre of attention. Not like you need prostitute to tell you that.
He is Shamus from Ireland. A writer who want to learn about cabaret life to tell world. Only tourist would say that. Cypriots anyway they don’t write. They come only for the sex. Continue reading
Utah’s Round 8 Challenges (Word limit – 600): * Incorporate a prophetic dream (given by Eros) * Set your passage on Christmas Day (given by littlestar) * At least half of your passage should be a flash forward to the end of your story (given by AnnasBones)
Read UTAH 7 here (see “Similar Posts” at the bottom of this post for any earlier entries)
* * *
Canada geese migrating from the south honked overhead as they whooshed in V formations over the greening earth. Corey and Delia interrupted their seeding and straightened their backs to watch with craned necks, humbled by the majestic effort filling the skies with music and symmetrical power.
The fields, fallow for so many years, had again been plowed. The spring planting was underway. Delia’s life had always been intertwined with the health of her farm, but this spring the farm took on more significance than ever before. Since the January FBI raid on Jacob’s cabin that had rescued Corey, Delia had thrown herself into rejuvenating the abandoned acreage.
A nosy few in the community, the ones who lacked imagination, insinuated that Delia was placing her farm’s wellbeing before her daughter’s. But Delia knew that, in some unfathomable, archetypal way, the mending and resuscitation of the farm reflected Corey’s own healing process. Each seed germinating in the greenhouse represented a small victory in Delia’s heart against the morally deformed fiend who had stunted her daughter’s growth for so many years. Continue reading
Nora’s Round 8 Challenges (Word limit – 600): * Incorporate a Walmart greeter or shopper (given by Seldom Seen) * Write about how humans would evolve with the collapse of religion (given by Joaquim) * Incorporate satanic music (given by George Barbayiannis)
Read NORA 7 here (see “Similar Posts” at the bottom of this post for any earlier entries)
“Richard was born in the U.S.S.R. the year before Stalin came to power,” said Arthur, his nostrils twitching over the glistening sausage links on his fork.
Nora gasped as Richard’s upward-traveling toes found her inner thigh. She eyed his broad, upright, muscular form. “Why, you look not a day older than 50!”
“Sixty-nine, my dear, and not a year younger,” Richard said, cocking a roguish eyebrow and slurping down an oyster as his toes circled upward under her dress towards her lotus.
“You can’t imagine the life this chap has led,” said Arthur, bringing the sausage to his mouth. “I daresay, had Richard been born in these United States he’d be president right now.” Catherine’s nipples snapped to attention as stiffly as #2 pencil eraser tips as she gazed helplessly at Richard, hypnotized by the slow, side-to-side, equine chewing of his powerful outthrust jaw.
Arthur smacked his greasy lips and picked up a steaming cob of corn. “Tell Catherine about your novels.” His trembling nostrils explored the buttery cob before his teeth crunched ecstatically into it, spurting juices over Catherine’s startled face. Continue reading
Olaf’s Round 8 Challenges (Word limit – 600): * Incorporate an encounter by a visitor from Portugal (given by Margarida Medeiros). * Describe how Ron sublimates his lost love (given by Emily Markides)
Read OLAF 7 here (see “Similar Posts” at the bottom of this post for any earlier entries)
Olga’s daughter broke the silence. “Yes?”
Ron had blanked on her name. “Hi. You must be…” Her bra strap was light green. Not turquoise but close enough.
“Ron?”
He cleared his throat. “Yes.” He glanced into the empty room behind her. “I’m an old friend of Olga.”
“Of course I know who you are! I’m Annikki. Mama told us all about you.” Her cheeks dimpled just like Olga’s once did. “We were hoping you’d come by.”
She waited for Ron to speak. The words had gone out of him. Ron raised the ziplock. “Tuna steak. It’s for you… for your family. Just tell your mother that—”
She swung the door open wide. “Mama would hit me over the head if I let you leave!”
“No, I can’t stay. I’ve—”
Annikki hooked her elbow around Ron’s arm. “No chance!” She was a foot shorter than him. She leaned in and pulled on his arm, smiling. The collar of her sky blue dress hung down, displaying her pale breasts and the light green cups of her bra. He turned his gaze away. Continue reading
Tess’s Round 8 Challenge: Incorporate betrayal (given by Tony). Word limit: 600
Read TESS 7 here (see “Similar Posts” at the bottom of this post for any earlier entries)
“Favorite things” by John Coltrane was playing as I snuggled up against Ryan and caressed his bare chest. I normally never do that because it gives boys the impression that they’re manly protectors and that we’re frightened little schoolgirls who need comforting or something. I know some girls love it but I can’t stand it when the first thing that a boy does when you lie with him is put his arm out and expect you to just crawl up into his embrace and start purring. Not that they ever do it if you extend your arm for them. I’ve tried that tons of times. One boy did, but it was totally awkward for him. Not that Ryan ever put his arm out. I’m the one who asked if I could lie on him.
I loved how he had a bare chest. Not that I don’t like hairy chests. I totally don’t mind them. I’m just so tired of all the girls that once whined about boys that had even the thinnest coat of fuzz (not that it ever stopped them from giving it up on the first date) and now go on about how boys with hairy chests are the sexiest thing around just because they started watching Mad Men and they’ve gone all girly over Jon Hamm. What a bunch of total sheep we are. Continue reading
Rhae has been eliminated. This round I asked each reader to assign a challenge to any contestant. This means one contestant may get numerous challenges and another not get any. The contestants have received the challenges by email. You’ll be able to see what they are as they post their entries. The first part of the video includes footage from the frog exhibit and animal displays in the Museum of Natural History . The second half includes footage of Don Delillo, Paul Auster, Eve Ensler, Art Spiegelman, George Saunders and Jonathan Ames.
Here’s how it works. Come up with ONE literary challenge to be assigned to ONE of the remaining six Fourth Fiction contestants. DO NOT post the challenge as a comment because the contestants will learn of their challenges in the Round 8 video. Instead, email me the challenge and contestant you’ve chosen (fourthnight@gmail.com). There is no selection process this time so every challenge will be used. Your name and website (if you have one) will be recognized on the contestant’s post.
This means one contestant may get numerous challenges while another may not get a challenge.* The remaining contestants are Rhae, Tess, Olaf, Nora, Coco, and Utah.
You must email me your proposed challenge by MIDNIGHT EST TUESDAY, October 13th, when the Round 7 elimination poll closes.
"In defense of privacy-20th century's most reclusive authors" http://bit.ly/cTQi0E Good piece despite the title's hypocrisy 3 weeks ago
@yasminepeacock Ha, and you also found your cousin's Twitter page! ("Just found my uncle's wikipedia page lol! Search Kyriacos C. Markides") 3 weeks ago
99 degrees. If I were bald, I'd fry an egg on my head. #nyc3 weeks ago
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Young man nods his head when I ask if he’s been to cabaret before. I put his hand on my leg. He is little shy so he doesn’t move his hand around. Some old men squeeze half your zhopa before you even say hello how are you.
