This week\u2019s ultimate question is brought to you by that sleazy guy at the table in the corner:<\/p>\n
What\u2019s your sign?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
You\u2019ll note that we didn\u2019t start the question with, \u201cHey baby.\u201d Do us a favor: don\u2019t go with the obvious here. You are all smart, creative people \u2013 you don\u2019t need to fall back on cliches to build a great story. Remember that you don\u2019t need to include the question in your response. Give us your answer in exactly 42 words. Here are a couple of guidelines:<\/p>\n
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- Do not mention anywhere in your post, either as intro or footnote<\/b>, that you are writing to a prompt.<\/li>\n
- We want the story the furthest away in your imagination from the original prompt<\/b>. Let your imagination loose.<\/li>\n
- Keep your writing style! Do you tell stories with humor? Prose? Verse? Photos? Illustrations? Keep doing that.<\/b><\/li>\n
- Proofread.<\/b> Just because it\u2019s short doesn\u2019t mean you can cut corners.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The grid is now open<\/b>, and will close at midnight on Tuesday (one minute after 11:59 PM on Monday).Yes, that\u2019s only 24 hours to post<\/b>, so you\u2019d better get writing now! We\u2019ll announce winners on Wednesday. Don\u2019t forget to badge your post \u2013 the current gargleblaster badge is below.<\/p>\n
Recipe for a proper gargleblaster<\/h2>\n
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- Entries must be 42 words exactly. We count. (Tip: don\u2019t trust your word processor \u2013 use your eyes!) Also: hyphenated words count as one (willy-nilly, self-centered, etc.).<\/li>\n
- Non-fiction, fiction, and poetry are all welcome.<\/li>\n
- Let your post speak for itself. If it needs an explanation, it\u2019s not really 42 words, now is it?<\/li>\n
- Link to the individual blog post, not your main blog page.<\/li>\n
- Include the gargleblaster badge and accompanying backlink. Scroll down to get this week\u2019s badge.<\/li>\n
- One post per person, please, and no cross-posting to other link-ups. We want you all to ourselves!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Any submission deemed not to meet the guidelines will be removed from the grid and the author will be notified. Read the gargleblaster FAQ<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n
Remember: the grid is limited to 42 (of course!) submissions. If you miss the grid, don\u2019t panic!<\/b> Leave your link in the comments of the voting post and you may be eligible for the hitchhiker prize<\/b>, which may be awarded at the editors\u2019 discretion to someone who missed the grid, but wrote up a particularly excellent response to the prompt. However, to be eligible for the hitchhiker\u2019s prize, you\u2019ve got to stick around for the whole ride, not just hop on, drop your link, and hop back off. After leaving your link, go forth and read, comment and vote on the grid as usual.<\/p>\n
Badge up!<\/h2>\n
Please be sure to include the proper gargleblaster badge in your post. Not sure how to add the badge? It\u2019s simple. Copy the code under the badge below and paste it into the html or text view of your blog editor. Having trouble? Contact christine@yeahwrite.me<\/a> for tech support.<\/p>\n
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- We want the story the furthest away in your imagination from the original prompt<\/b>. Let your imagination loose.<\/li>\n