I’m excited to share my good news that my story Coming up Roses has won the Newcastle Herald Summer Short Story Prize. I am thrilled with this achievement, and really haven’t come back down to earth yet. I’ll be receiving fifty new release books as my prize, the prospect of which has me drooling, plus a subscription to the Herald. Congratulations to all the finalists, whose stories were published in the Herald during January.
The competition required a response to a photo prompt, so I’m sure that my Friday Fiction involvement has helped me to remember “it’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see”. Thank you, Rochelle, and Friday Fictioneers for your wonderful examples and helpful feedback each week.
My story for FriFic this week follows, and it isn’t at all what I thought I’d write when I learned of my success. I was all ready to lead off here into a 100 worder about winning a prize, and that would be such a nice connection, but this week’s prompt led me off in a different direction. Here it is, and here’s where you can read the other stories for this week.
*****
Eliana’s Crossing
Copyright – Erin Leary
Eliana was a dreamer, the youngest and prettiest of five sisters.
One day, her sisters whispered of a shy admirer across the channel. Their tales of the magic that follows a girl’s first kiss set her heart a-flutter.
At dusk, they rowed her to Marsh Island, exhorting her: “Search carefully. He wants to be found.”
In gathering darkness, Eliana swirled and splashed, confused. Which one? Which lily pad concealed her prince?
The sisters laughed so much they nearly overturned their boat, as the marsh erupted with the frogs’ throaty guffaws, and the seabirds’ echoing caw-caw filled the sky.
*****
Here’s a happier ending, if you’re feeling cheated. Maybe this will suffice for my nod to Valentine’s Day, coming up soon. In addition, my husband and I are about to celebrate a BIG wedding anniversary (5th Feb), and I’m certainly glad I found him under a lily pad somewhere once upon a time, long, long ago.
Onto the page 
Congratulations Margret!
Hard work pays off and you have done a great well job in writing this story 🙂
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Thank you for your lovely comment, Madeeha.
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Oh I love your story and the cartoon as well.
Congratulations, coming up roses was really lovely.
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Thank you so much. I’m so glad you liked them both.
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Dear Margaret,
There are the dreamers among us. I think they’re called writers. Congratulations on your story! That’s awesome. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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And a PS…I just read “Coming Up Roses.” Stunning, heart rending, beautifully written. You deserved the award, Margaret!
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Thank you, Rochelle. Dreaming and writing do go well together. Thank you, too, for your congratulations. It is a very exciting time.
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What a nasty trick to play!
Congratulations on your win.
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Thank you, draliman. And yes – nasty trick. They’re not nice sisters at all.
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Well you DO have to kiss a lot of frogs to find the prince! Lovely little story. And congratulations on all of your successes in writing and in life!
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That’s very funny. Poor Eliana – she’s just starting out. Thank you so much for your kind words, Ruth.
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Happy anniversary and congratulations on the prize. I liked this story – I’m sure there are far, far more frogs than princes on the lily pads 😉 But dream on, Eliana, dream on.
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Thank you for your good wishes, Trent. And I’m glad you enjoyed the story.
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I loved both your stories Margaret. And 50 new release books is one heck of a prize. Very well done!
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Yes, I’m pretty happy about it all. And I’m glad you liked my stories, Sandra. Thank you so much.
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Wow two winners in the competition this week many many congratulations… Now I will rush off to read your story… What a terrible situation to search for a frog…( I thought the frog would search for the princess).
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And I really loved the story… just the way I want a real short story told…
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Thank you again.
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Thanks for your congratulations, Bjorn. I feel very privileged to be a winner in company with Sandra this week. And about frogs – you’re right. The trouble is, there really are no princes left out there. I got the last one.
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Sad story, but congrats for your win.
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Yes, it is sad. I’ll try to do a happy one next week. And thank you for your congratulations, and for dropping by to read and comment.
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First: CONGRATS on Coming Up Roses. A lovely take on the picture prompt. And I’m so excited for your win.
Second: Eliana’s Crossing is gobs of fun. Bad Sisters!
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Thank you Alicia. I’m still buzzing with it all. It’s my first winning story. I’m so glad you liked both stories.
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Congratulations on your win – how will you find time to read 50 books! And further congrats on your Big Anniversary.
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Thank you, Liz. I’m hoping the books can be spread out over a long period (or shared as birthday presents!).
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Typical of an army of frogs, kisses required all round. Congrat’s on winning a writing competition.
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Thank you, Michael. I hope all kissable frogs get kissed today.
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What a fun story! I bet many years from now the sisters will all laugh together. A bit of teasing won’t hurt as long as it doesn’t evolve into bullying. And congrats on your well-deserved win. Your short story is wonderful.
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We’ll give them the benefit of the doubt, but I suspect those sisters are nasty to the core. Thank you for your congratulations and lovely comment, Gah. And thanks for reading both stories.
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Lovely story! It has a real magical feel to it. Congrats on your story!!! Yay, I’m so thrilled for you. Wow, two wins this week by our community. I’m so proud to be a part of it. 🙂
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I’m glad you like it, Amy, and thank you for your kind words. I feel privileged to be involved with this lovely group too.
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I just read your winning story. Wow. Well deserved. It’s so rich and I love the way you end it. Congrats again!!
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Thank you again, Amy. What a wonderful comment.
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Why oh why do sisters have to be so mean to each other? Good story!
Congrats on your “Coming Up Roses” winning first prize. It was a wonderful read though so sad to me. I, like Miriam, am the positive one. Always disheartening to be inundated with negative all the time…
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I’m glad you liked my stories, Dale. Thanks so much for your encouragement. Keep being positive. We need you.
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Awww thanks!
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Congratulations on taking the prize–you may interpret that to mean the Newcastle Herald award or the charming frog prince anniversary. Either sentiment would be heartfelt and true.
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Such a lovely comment, Kirizar. Thank you. It’s been a big week for me, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s so nice to be able to share it all with Friday Fictioneers.
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Margaret, a lovely fairy tale this week and an incredible dream come true, in your fabulous win! Way to go! So excited for you; it’s well deserved!
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Thank you, Dawn, for your lovely words. I’ve had quite a time. And I’m glad you like my little tale here.
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Congratulation on your “Coming Up Roses” winning first prize. It was a very subtle story that conveyed so much in what was left unsaid.
Eliana will survive, siblings harden you up too 🙂
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Thank you, Subroto. I’m glad you liked my story. I was very excited about its success. And thanks for your feedback on Eliana.
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Congratulations, Margaret! That’s just great. All those books! Good story. Poor Eliana. She might laugh last though when she grows up and really meets her prince. Congratulations also on your wedding anniversary. You had a couple reasons to celebrate. Well done. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Thank you, Suzanne, for all of your lovely comments. I have been celebrating. We spent the weekend in Sydney to celebrate our anniversary, actually, and saw a wonderful production of ‘The Barber of Seville’ at the Sydney Opera House. Fantastic. I have to come back down to earth pretty soon, however.
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Congratulations on your award! Your story was fun and poignant. Nicely done!
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Thank you, Erin. And thank you for the lovely photo.
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Those are horrid sisters. And I hope the dreaming girl finds her prince, anyway!
A very well-narrated, perfectly-paced story, Margaret.
And congratulations on your first prize! I went straightaway to read it, and was deeply moved by it — a very powerful story of a marriage that will sooner or later sink, unless both of them talk, without one being too complain-y, and the other being overly positive!
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Thank you for your kind words, Dreamer. I’m glad you liked my stories, and I appreciate your congratulations. You’re right about the marriage in the ‘Coming Up Roses’ story -their future look bleak.
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