So, you're probably wondering what the heck my entry was in the first place! It's a folktale-style piece that followed the contest's theme of "magic" in an indirect and more metaphorical sense, titled "Wonders of the Sky." It tells the tale of a man called the Wanderer who travels the world searching for "wonders so impossible that they could only be magical." Following him on his journeys are a group of devoted Followers. Eventually, however, he begins to give up hope of ever finding what he is looking for. Will he ever find it? Find out in "Wonders of the Sky!" (Yes, I used to love making advertisements for things.)
Where can you find this new story? Hit the jump to find out this and more!
In the contest results thread, that's where! I will also be publishing "Wonders of the Sky" to Figment in the coming week or so, as well, so my fellow Figs (a.k.a. my Figment audience) can enjoy this piece, too! I will also be posting it here as the new Featured Story.
I actually wanted to post my first piece of positive reception for "Wonders" here. This, again, is from ZU member America, as posted in the August Writing Contest voting thread:
Entry #10.ENTRY #10.ENTRY. NUMBER. TEN.10, please.
DO EEEEEETTTTT (In case I have the wrong number, it's Wonders of the Sky)
It blew my mind. It made me cry from how much it moved me. It's fan-tas-tic, it was just beautiful and I was like *glimmering eyes* *angelic voices singing* when I finished it. I loved it. It deserves ten thousand votes but I can only give it 1 so I'll just put it down four times anyways. Place holders for when I find something that moves me even half as much as it. I loved it. So much. Words do not describe it. It was amazing. Amazing. Just beautiful. I mean seriously, seriously beautiful.
Now I'm rambling, sorry
-America, ZU Forums, 8/26/2011, here
Ye gads! Like I said before, this is quite possibly the most touching piece of feedback I have ever received for my writing, even better than Naya's feedback for The Current back in June! Like, cripes, man; my chest and throat totally tightened up when I first read that, and I felt like I should have been crying at that moment (but I didn't feel like it)! Thanks so, so much, America--that sounds funny--and I am thrilled that you were so touched by "Wonders!"
On a different topic, my 2010 sci-fi/tragedy short story "Trust Fall" was also an entry in an August ZU Writing Contest! Obviously, it was my entry in the August 2010 contest, but still, it was an entry in an August contest. In honor of its one-year anniversary (which actually passed a couple weeks ago), I will be giving Figment the previously-ZU-exclusive extended second chapter this week! Until now (or this week, rather), Figs have only had access to the original "cut" of the story.
And what of The Current? As I mentioned in my last post, the school newspaper activity at my school will be starting on the first day of school, which is this Friday. During this time is when I have gotten tons of my creative writing done (because once I'm finished writing a 500-word article, I don't have anything else to do for about three weeks), so you can bet I will be continuing to write the third chapter of The Current starting this Friday.
In the meantime, I have a podcast segment script to write (and record) for the ZUCast (ZU's podcast)! Oh, goodness. I feel rushed. (Liah, if you're reading this, I'm working on it today. Sorry for the delay; I got lazy and I'm a bad boy and you're gonna kill me don't kill me!)
Anyway, that's about it for now! Thanks again to those who voted for "Wonders" in last month's ZU Writing Contest, and I'll post again next week or so to let you know about my progress on The Current (and maybe some musings on my first couple days of 11th grade)!