Voice Message
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Our Mystery prompt was a resounding success, and inspired some excellent writing! We will be returning to this page many times to read and re-read these exciting stories.
We are honored to have Dr David A Ross, Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of North Carolina, as our Guest Reader for this contest. He selected his top four favorites from the contest – the Grand Prize, two Runners Up, and one additional Finalist. If your story was chosen by Dr Ross, you deserve an extra round of applause!
Thanks to all of you for another great contest!
Shortlist
Contest - 2021-Flash-04 - Mystery
Over 90 Story Submissions
33 Stories selected for the Shortlist and Amazon Kindle book
Congratulations to the writers whose stories made the shortlist!
- All selected stories were formatted and edited for publishing in our eBooks Collection.
- Voice.club Staff will select the Grand Winner from the shortlist.
- Public voting will select 1st, 2nd and 3rd winners.
- Check your My Account page to watch your likes and credits accumulate!
There’s a like button at the bottom of each story. Each “like” = 1 vote.
(All Prizes and Rewards are only paid out via Amazon Gift Cards)
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2021-Flash-04
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Mystery
- Grand Prize (Staff Pick) – $50 Amazon Gift Card
- First prize (Public Voting) – $25 Amazon Gift Card
- Free Google SignIn, and Free Contest Submission
2021-Flash-04
"Mystery"
For those of you who are life-long fans of Agatha Christie, Sherlock Holmes, Alfred Hitchcock and similar writers and movie directors, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for!
Many of our past stories are good examples of the “Mystery” genre. Your story doesn’t have to be a murder mystery, although it could be. It can also be a ghost story, a story of possession, or other-worldliness, or transcending time or a host of other inexplicable topics. Here are some of our past mysterious stories that might inspire you!
We invite you to explore the world of Mystery in your own new stories. We look forward to being puzzled, intrigued, haunted, enthralled and always entertained with this new, exciting prompt!
Good luck in the contest!
Double-check your story against the rules below, and make all corrections BEFORE you submit! Multiple entries of the same story will be disqualified.
Ensure your submission follows these rules:
- Correct length (350 words or less)
- Correct spelling and grammar
- Family-friendly content
Comments without a personalized avatar will not be published.
To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleHow wonderful to wake this morning (here in Australia) and find a new competition prompt to inspire. I love how something like this literally plants a seed and it grows in all directions while walking my dog, doing the dishes, gardening or when I’m drifting off to sleep ? Thank you, everyone, a great challenge!
I so agree, Sandra. Now all I can think about is ghosts and supernatural events and meeting my ancestors – things like that! Watch out, Edgar Allan Poe and Rod Serling. This is going to be fun! ?
The scope is endless! My first thought was a video conversation I had with my then 3-year-old granddaughter last year. Walking home from the shopping centre with her mum and baby brother they saw a head of broccoli (which she loves!) on the footpath. As soon as she got home she had to call me because it was a ‘BIG mystery’ how it got there and Grandma might be able to solve… Read more »
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleFirst of all, how wonderful that a three-year old loves broccoli! So do I, by the way. Secondly, I would almost bet that no one else will write about broccoli for this contest, so your entry will certainly stand out! Your granddaughter must be an absolute joy. Is she the one in your avatar picture?
Yes, that’s her in the avatar – Dahlia and she loves her vegetables. Only one back then, now quite the grown young lady with a head of Shirley Temple curls. They live 700 kilometres away and I haven’t seen her since I went to stay with her when her baby brother was born. I am very grateful for video calls. Hopefully, covid will pull in its ugly head and allow me to… Read more »
Funny that you would mention broccoli. I’m considering giving a slightly older Jem and Clem, of my Revulsion Revolution story, a spin in this one. Mystery solving is sort of their thing, so we shall see.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleWhat a great prompt. I just know this is going to inspire so many amazing stories from everyone. Looking forward to reading them! And thank you so much Voice-club for including my story ‘The Paintbrush’ in your list of mysterious stories, I’m really chuffed!
We thought “The Paintbrush” was an excellent example of a mystery story, even though it was a micro!! Just think what you can do with 350 words! ?
Yes indeed! I’m working on my new story right now and loving every minute!
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleI love mystery stories! I cant wait to get writing and read everyone else’s.
Me too, Daisy! Mystery is probably my very favorite kind of story!
I always think about the whole writing process as the ultra detailed work of a fine mechanism being the writer itself The Mechanic Master, so to speak. We servants of the Verb must endure safe and sound until all expression colors and the right atmospheres merge in a sort of near perfection.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleI’m not exactly an experienced author(My spelling is proof!) But a mystery? This will definitely push me! I love a challenge!
I am excited to read everyone’s stories from this prompt, it was great. I can’t wait.
This is a great choice, Voice-Team! It triggers a lot of thoughts and associations. Just like Linda, I feel honored that you picked one of my previous stories as some kind of role model. However, while she feels “chuffed,” my little iPad is complaining that there might be some heavy expectations hanging over its old, beat-up keyboard. However, we promise to do our best to come up with something interesting.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleI like writing since I was nine. I felt happy when I saw this competition. I like writing on mysterious things.