Headline: Launch Pad Category Winner Surprises Everyone, Even the Judges

It’s not as if we had nothing to choose from. Remember last month, when I said the number of entries in the Women’s Fiction/Contemporary Fiction category broke all records? Well, the Middle Grade/Young Adult category took it a step farther and gave us our highest number yet. And, like last month, several were quite good.

One entry was in a format I personally had never heard of before: a novel in verse. I asked everyone involved with this category if we should accept it, and the general response was a shrug. “Sure. Wouldn't hurt to take a look at it.”

Well, the judges looked at it.  And it blew them away.

One said: "Well-executed and masterfully done. The author took on a challenge that I haven't seen managed since Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. Though written in verse as a series of poems, the story immediately draws in its reader and makes you root for its protagonist. I don't ordinarily enjoy novels in verse, but this work was so engaging, I couldn't stop talking about it for several days after reading it."

The other judge weighed in: "I had to Google 'novel in verse' to make sure the genre existed.  Once I found the writer stood on firm ground, I decided to give it a try. I was amazed. Ordinarily, I don’t read poetry. But this sucked me right in. Its sparse, well-chosen wording painted the story so clearly, it was almost like watching a movie. The writer has a real gift."

You’ve got to see it to believe it. We’re delighted to share with you the first 4000 words of Skating on Thin Ice by Janine Yordy of Huntersville, North Carolina.

Skating on Thin Ice

by

Janine Yordy

1-THREES

Ever hear how bad things happen in threes?

I never used to believe in that stuff

It used to seem silly.

Superstitions

Hocus Pocus

Flakey flim flam.

But like I said

It used to.

2-NERVES

Skating is my life

Figure skating that is.

On skates I glide and float,

Graceful and strong.

Off skates? 

We’ll get to that later.

But just know

I. Love. Skating.

I practice and practice

And practice.

Every morning, every afternoon

Every day.

Well not Sunday,

but you get the picture.

But today’s competition’s got me

Nervous,

Jumpy.

Not a good combo on skinny metal blades

Spinning through the air

Hoping to land like a feather, a butterfly

Not fall like…

Like I think I’m about to.

3-FLOWERS

Flowers are supposed to bloom

in the ground

Or possibly stuck in a vase

Safely growing smiles of celebration,

Happiness,

Encouragement,

Love,

Congratulations…

Not this time.

4-THESE FLOWERS

These flowers are a ginormous.

Created by mom

and some cruel,

torturing,

florist.

A headpiece

for me to wear

on my head

while I skate!

These flowers are heavy,

Unbalancing,

Froofy,

Not me.

I want to run away from the giant flowers

But mom looks so happy

Like she’s my fairy godmother

turning me,

her only child,

into a pretty princess.

I am Rapunzel

in the skating competition tower                                                   

my flowered, bunned-up hair

will not help me escape.

Where is a prince when you need one?

5-DAD

Dad stands stiffly,

silently,

still reeking from his last smoke.

At least it wasn’t a drink

yet.

He can’t help my head trauma.

“Knock ‘em dead,” he says,

or else, is what I hear.

He is not

my hair prince.

6-MOM

Mom attacks me,

and my dirty blonde pony tail,

with her proud smile

and her bobby pins.

When my “do”

is done,

she is hugging me safe,

loving me,

no matter what.        

“Oh Sara,” she swoons,

 “you look beautiful. 

Good luck!”

I soak up her sweetness,

squeezing her tight.

Cause I will need more than luck,

I’ll need a hedge trimmer for these flowers

And my nerves.

7-HEIDI

Perfect hair

Perfect dress

Perfect annoyingness.

Heidi started at the rink last fall

showing off with super speed

solid jumps

and stuck up self.

Blonde braids, whizzing by me,

sucking attention from Cathy,

My coach

My hero.

8-CATHY

It was mom’s turn to find an activity for bluebirds.

(You know, bluebirds?

Like the kindergarteny version of girl scouts?)

She picked skating,

and Cathy

was our coach.

All my little bluebird friends

bored, frozen, ready for snacks,

flew the coop.

But I was already caught .

Cathy’s quick, shiny blades

her hook,

the promise of golden medals,

her bait.

Cathy mesmerized me.

My six year old blue eyes

glued on her

flowing skirt, flying jumps

Superwoman on ice.

When she suggested more lessons,

Mom agreed ,

I did a dance of joy,

Olympic-bound!

I was sure

with Cathy, my guide

and the rest is history

9-UNTIL NOW

Ever feel like you’re losing something?

Someone?

Like you know

things have changed

something’s different

But you can’t quite

put your finger on it…

or her.

10-JUST SO YOU KNOW

All the other skaters get along.

Even though sometimes

We compete against each other,

We’re sort of a team.

Millions of days together

Zillions of falls

Through first places

Last places.

Locker room laughs.

But not with Heidi.

She doesn’t want in on

“our team”

“Our team”

isn’t good enough

for her.

11-READY

Laces: tight.

Dress: sparkled.

Coach: Good lucked.

Hair: gardened

Nerves: (normally under control)

Frenzied.

12-HERE WE GO

Silence.

As I skate to my place

Alone.

All eyes are on me.

Beady eyes, hoping I’ll fall eyes,

Don’t you have something better to do people!!

Judges sit along the side,

Ready to catch my mistakes, mis-steps, mis-misses!

No pressure though right?!

Just another program…

Picture them in their underwear…

Whose brilliant idea was that anyway?

I mean, we’re in a sub-zero ice rink

What crazed loon would be in their underwear?

Uh oh

Music

Here we go.

[click here to continue]

When she's not writing fiction that takes you out of this world, Yvonne Anderson administers our Launch Pad contest. Interested in participating? This year's event is entering the last lap, but we're still taking submissions in the Contemporary Romance category UNTIL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT (September 10), and in the final category, Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror, until October 10.

Did you miss the deadline for your category? Keep checking with us, because we anticipate doing the contest again next year.

For complete details, click on the Launch Pad Contest tab.

Think you don't like sci-fi? Think again! Check out Yvonne's Gateway to Gannah series. Book 1, The Story in the Stars, is an ACFW Carol Award finalist this year in the Speculative Fiction category. Book 2, Words in the Wind, released August 1.