The entries are arriving thick and fast, and I hereby add my own to what is beginning to look like an intense competition! I have yet to read any, but the feedback looks awesome, and once I've taken a breath, I will try and do some catching up.
I hope readers enjoy The Reluctant Butterfly - I certainly enjoyed writing this quiet little tale...
This is the tale of how a crazy idea from my best friend pulled me out of a rut and changed my life forever.
Exhibitionism
Quote by JamesLlewellyn
Well done Jason! You've got that magic touch…
Thanks, Bear 😊- yeah, that's what my wife says...🤣- it's all in the fingers...
Quote by KimmiBeGood
Bonfire winner is TheShyThespian!
Congratulations and your coins are on the way!
Oh my 😲! I was scrambling to get an entry in, so I'm chuffed to bits 😊. I do love these little competitions, Kimmi, so thank you so very much for taking the time and effort to organise them! I think this is the first I've entered on Lush, but I've been seeing how popular they are - it keeps the creative juices flowing and is great for bringing us wannabe writers together. Take a bow, my friend!
Fireworks
Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m the greatest. Blown more cocks in a day than my poor cuck hubby managed last year. Fuckadoodledoo.
And the bureaucrats from the Guinness Book of Records have made it official – it’s the Number of the Beast (I made it worth their while. All three stuffed me like a turkey, gobble, gobble, gobble…)
Celebrate the occasion, my friends, for I am the queen of steam!
Might need a stomach pump, though…
Bonfire
I’d watched them all day. Happy. In love.
She aimed the flowers at me. But she knows. Without her, there is nothing.
I cannot forget her scent; the arousal, the passion of bodies joined, sweat running together. Fingers and tongues urgently seeking, teasing, beguiling. Cunts on fire and decadent screams filling the night. Nothing could separate us.
Until…
Choosing him left me reeling. Devastated.
What now? The flames beckon, need feeding.
And I am fuel…
Congratulations Genny, Rowan and Dubya, Dubya 😊 - all fabulous stories that I very much enjoyed. I thought the standard high across the board and was chuffed to be counted amongst those shortlisted. There are two on that list of thirteen that I have not yet read, so I will try and remedy that idc. Thank you to Jen, the shortlister, judges, and all that make the competitions happen. As others have mentioned, I have also enjoyed the byplay in the comp thread (usually from afar - I'm shy, remember... 😳).
Quote by kistinspencil
53 by my count. Somewhat lower than usual,
Or the disallowance of AI entries has put some off, perhaps...?
Quote by WannabeWordsmith
So, as authors, something you may be proud of gets relatively low views if it's in a non-mainstream category. Such is the nature of Lush.
Yup. The story I have been most proud of has (despite the RR), after nearly 5 years, a grand score of (wait for it...) - 10 votes and 2189 reads. That'll teach me to publish in 'Novels' with tags of 'fantasy', 'history' and 'legend' lol... With an even lower score for Part 2, I lost the will to continue. Still trying to convert it to an actual novel, but never seem to find the time.
One day...
Well, I'm in - which is a miracle because there seems to be so much going on at the moment. I'm on the move a lot over the next few weeks, so I'm pleased to have managed to submit an entry before the silly season starts 😊. I stole the title from a piece of music I was listening to, which my youngest child had recommended - it was ' Meet Me in the Woods', by Lord Byron. It sounded like it might fit my story, so here it is: Meet Me In The Woods...
Now let's see if I can catch up with some of the other entries!
For thousands of years they walked the earth, their mere existence hidden from us. But one-by-one they began to fade. What now for those that remain?
Outdoor Quote by sprite
we actually time our comp announcements based on your submissions. Jen has a cruel sense of humor. i've talked to her about it, but what can i say; she's Scottish.
Ha! I knew it! (or should is 'I kent it...'.
This obviously gives me a huge advantage. All I need to do now is, every time I write a story, I'll pen a second story on the same theme, and I'll be ready to go when a new competition is announced! It'll save me a ton of time.
God, I'm so smart! 😊
Have I won yet...?
Quote by KimmiBeGood
Well… you’re already well-acquainted with the theme then, Mr T.
Now get to writing! Or else…
Yes, Ma'am! I know my place... (gets on knees and prostrates himself for punishment)
Also, how come a new competition is announced with a theme about the elements just 12 days after my last story was published, where the key scene towards the end was, quite literally, centred on the elements of earth, wind and water...🙄(and lightning - no fire, but definitely lightning!).
Just how do you explain that, huh?
Huh?😒
Quote by AAnna
Earth wind and fire that would make a good name for a rock band😁
Wouldn't it! 🤣 - I just googled them for inspiration...
Congratulations to all on the podium, and those who made the top 15 😊! Thank you to Jen, the judges, and moderators who make these competitions happen. I understand the effort that goes into these things and can only admire from afar those who dedicate their time so generously.
I was chuffed to bits to be included on the shortlist and be awarded an RR for my story😊- it made my day and goes a long way towards keeping me writing when the doubts creep in. I'm afraid I'm in a bit of a strange place at the moment and, as a consequence, I have not yet read any of the other entries. I will try and rectify this over the next few weeks - there are clearly some great stories out there!
Quote by Klaus_B_Renner
She did, then changed her mind.
Missed that 🤣 - thank you!
Quote by Jen
I'm kidding myself. Too many visitors at this time of year. Announcement date will be 12th Jan to also give a chance for more judges to be around to support. Thanks.
I'm going quietly mad. I was sure this said the 5th...🙄
Quote by Jen
I'm kidding myself. Too many visitors at this time of year.
I really hope 2026 is kinder, Jen 😊.
So... I had this really great, clever idea for a comp entry, and then, well, it just didn't want to be written 😕 (time was most definitely a factor - I didn't have any, and I don't write very fast at the best of times). So I thought maybe I'd write a Micro on the Monday before Christmas just to have something to publish. Only, it very rapidly decided it wanted to be a Flash story instead. And then it thought maybe - just maybe, it might be suitable for a category as it was heading towards the 1000 words mark. And finally, it thought that it might just be able to adapt to the comp theme. So rather belatedly (and definitely not what was originally intended), I bring you Morning Glory - almost, but not quite, an afterthought... 😘.
Merry Christmas to you all, and here's to (hopefully) a better New Year than the last one. It sucked!
There’s nothing quite like an unexpected helping hand at Christmas time to tempt the devil inside us…
Reluctance
Quote by CarltonStJames
Finally got my entry in, which is also my 100th publication!
Congratulations! 😊- mine was my 99th - one more to go to reach that milestone!
Quote by Shyexhibitionist
I opted for a non-tropical theme.
Quote by Seeker4
Nothing in the comp description said it had to be tropical, did it? 😊
Well, this is proving a popular competition, isn't it. Somehow, I have finally managed to put an entry together. I'm 76th (right behind CarltonStJames, which is not the first time lol 🤣) on the list with 5 days to go.
Tropical? Um, no.
Marooned? Nope.
Penguins? Could be... (but it's not Madagascar).
I opted for something a little different. I hope it works, and I hope some of you enjoy it 😊.
This is the story of how one night can change your life forever.
Taboo
Rain:
“That’s the one!”
“Thank fuck! Can I get in the car now?”
“Yup. Time to warm you up.”
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“Damn right! We’ll make a fortune. Jeez, you’re dripping!”
“You wish…”
“It’s posted. Remember the agreement?”
“Yeah. $50 I suck your cock. $100 you get to taste me. $500 you slide inside and if we pass $1,000…”
“…your ass is mine!”
“Remind me why I married you…?”
Well done to the winners and all those in the top ten - excellent choices all 😊! Thank you, Jen, for organising and thanks also to all those involved. I read some fabulous poems and I thought it was an excellent way to pay tribute to Elliot's passing.
Been a very busy few weeks at home - didn't think I was going to be able to submit an entry. But I somehow got there 🙄 (with some encouragement from a friend - thank you, Kimmi 😊). I never claim to be a poet, but I wanted to give it a go in honour of Elliot's passing. So here it is: Still Waters Beckon.
With luck, an audio version should be available soon.
How can love hurt so much...?
Love Poems A great idea. I will try and write something and join others in this fitting tribute to Elliot's passing.
Quote by JourneyYoung
We all know TheShyThespian will find a way to win despite not even submitting a story 🤣
If only... 🤣
See, I got as far as a title and pic - it was going to be a story about two Edwardian teens - Jenny and her misbehavin' American brat cousin, Rachael. They were adhering to the Christmas tradition of the well-to-do serving their staff dinner on Christmas Day and were going to get royally spanked, fucked and buggered.
Unfortunately, I didn't get the opportunity to write it - bad timing 🙄 lol.
Never mind - maybe I can write it up for another occasion. Looking forward to seeing which tales triumph 😊!
Quote by Ensorceled
This is a great read! Fast and fun and hot
Or, alternatively, really, really slow, and fun, and hot 🤣!
Quote by WannabeWordsmith
Nothing to stop you recording it in multiple takes and stitching them together in post-production. I do this in Audacity.
Except my appalling technical skills 🤣 - thank you for asking, WW - I will endeavour to find the right software.
