What a dark and mysterious crew we have aboard this ship! It seems this week’s ultimate question brought out all the ghosts and stalkers that have been lurking behind closed doors. You’d almost forget it’s supposed to be springtime. I think a few prizes will bring back the sun!

This week’s crowd favorite was, well, that would be me, and I can’t tell you how excited I am to have my very own gargleblaster badge! Thanks, you guys, for making my week. Here’s Tuesdays: 

Every Tuesday at 7:00, like clockwork, I pass her on the street. Most days she watches me, eyes shaded by a tattered scarf, fingers twitching restlessly. She never smiles. It wouldn’t bother me, if I always took the same route to work.

Editor’s pick

We love it when you don’t answer the question directly. We want you to be inspired, not constrained, by the question. This week’s editor’s pick did a great job of illustrating this.  The badge goes to Larks at Larks Notes This, who gave us this story in 42 words.

She was there once, I was sure. Then parts of her left, replaced with apparitions and facsimiles of shoulds. I couldn’t tell the difference between who she was and who she pretended to be. Now I see her everyday, but she’s gone. 

Congratulations, Larks! Go grab your editor’s pick badge from the sidebar.

Who doesn’t love a shiny badge?

Many of you have commented on how difficult it is to choose only three favorite posts. We have been having the same problem. Not to mention, sometimes only a couple of votes separate the top posts. We think this warrants recognition, and so we’ve created a gargleblaster top row 7* badge! The grid below is now sorted by number of votes. So, De (whimsygizmo), innerzone, Angie, Courtenay, Christina, and Irene: go ahead and claim your prize!

* I realize that your browser may not display the grid in neat rows of seven, but mine does. Therefore, the top row 7.

Hitchhikers

We all know that the grid fills up fast. This has led to a number of folks hitching a ride, so to speak, by leaving their gargleblaster links in the comments. We love your spirit and enthusiasm. You don’t just post gargleblasters to get votes or drive traffic; you are looking to share something with the community. That rocks. And we know that sometimes it’s hard to beat the clock to get on the grid.

So we’ve decided that now and then, as the mood takes us, we will award a special hitchhiker’s prize to a post that didn’t make the grid, but really exemplifies the kind of writing we’re looking for. We won’t necessarily award one every week, but know that even if you don’t make the grid, you might still get recognized. All you have to do is leave your link in the comments of the open grid post, and then read, vote, and comment on the other gargleblasters.

This week, we’re awarding the hitchhiker’s prize to Saroful at Textwall for her lovely post Leah:

She left, after that summer her sister died. Oh, she’s still in town, but she’s not really here anymore. All you see in her eyes is a reflection of the road. Folks round here just don’t have enough gas to get far.

Congrats, Saroful! You get the first-ever hitchhiker’s prize! Pick up your badge, and sport it with pride.

Remember the rule of 42-42

There’s no need to remind you that your post should be exactly 42 words. Remember, though, that your post should stand on its own. If you need to add a postscript or explanation, that takes away from the integrity of the piece. It won’t disqualify you, but it’s something to keep in mind.

About capping the entries at 42 posts: The gargleblaster grid fills up fast. We know this; it’s part of the design! We want you to be able to think on your feet and still give us your best work. Your safest bet is to subscribe to the yeah write e-mail blast – the prompt is announced in the Sunday kick-off post, a full day before the grid opens. That’s 24 hours for thinking and writing.

Miss the gargleblaster? Try some moonshine

We know you won’t all make the grid every week, but don’t panic! The moonshine grid opens on Friday and we’d love to see you there.

About those birthday presents

If you participated in our birthday prize drawing over the past few weeks and you’re wondering where you’re at, stay tuned! We’ve drawn our winners and we’ll announce who they are in Sunday’s kickoff post for yeah write 158.

 

[hr]