'Fiction in a Nutshell'

Thank You to Everyone Who Participated in

Amanda Lichtl ey can be different and

Several weeks ago we asked our readers—those with an active imagination and a knack for writing—to put their creative juices to work in The Acorn's second annual "Fiction in a Nutshell" contest. The response was gratifying, as 115 entries were submitted. The stories, limited to 100 words, covered a wide range of genres: science fiction, romance, comedy and adventure. We had animals, emotions, danger and despair—and several surprise endings that left us howling. Somewhere there's a novel out there! Entries were judged on writing style, creativity and story line. The first-place winners each received a $50 prize. To all the contestants, we say, "Thank you."

FIRST PLACE

Under 18 years

"Bobolicious"

 

Bobolicious, a penguin from Antarctica, never fit in with his family because their passion was knitting while Bobolicious' passion was playing the tuba. The penguins thought his talent was useless until evil mutant toads invaded Antarctica.

Colleen Benedict Newkirk

The penguins knitted sweaters with love in every stitch with the hope of making the toads nice, but it didn't work.

Finally, Bobolicious put his talent to work.

His tuba playing was magic, as it made the toads happy, cheerful and kind toward the penguins. From that day forward, Bobolicious' gift was appreciated, and he became a legend among all knitting and tuba playing penguins. Amanda Lichtl Thousand Oaks  

FIRST PLACE

18 and over

"Down to the Wire"

 

"Oh, disaster," Millie thought as the Kavli Theatre lights suddenly blew out. TV moderators and the audience gasped. Secret Service agents grabbed their weapons. Evan, the young Republican volunteer, grabbed Bridgett, his Democratic counterpart (he secretly desired her).

Senators Obama and McCain were arriving for the debate, and Millie, the backstage manager, had a massive problem.

"Terrorists," a Secret Service man hissed in the darkness. Millie flipped open her phone, scrolled to Building Electrician, and in the pale blue light cast by the phone, eyed the agent.

"No," she declared, with the steely confidence of a native.

"Squirrels." Colleen Benedict Newkirk Thousand Oaks  

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

"Fabulongoshmarvelishywondertipical!"

 

That's a word made up by contest winner Amanda Lichtl, 12, a Sycamore Canyon Middle School seventh-grader. She uses it when she's really excited. Like when she's just got some good grades or wins her first writing contest.

She also likes the word "fabulicious." She puts "icious" on words a lot to make them more meaningful, she said. That's how a tuba playing penguin whom another writer might have simply called Bob got the name Bobolicous.

"I have a big imagination and I wanted to write about something really different," Amanda said.

Her inspiration was only her own desire to be creative and write a story with a good message. She writes all the time and composed her entry while riding a bus to outdoor school, she said.

"I wanted to let people know they can be different and still pursue their passions."

Amanda can be extra excited because her father, Lou Lichtl, possibly known now as Dadalicious, is going to match her winnings, she said.

—Nancy Needham

Sometimes creative writing can be a struggle, but according to Colleen Benedict Newkirk, when she first read the article asking readers to submit a 100-word story, the idea just came to her.

The Thousand Oaks resident loves to hike in Wildwood Park and see the wildlife that includes quails, lizards and squirrels. She also loves the animals she finds when she reads the Thousand Oaks Acorn—especially the Squirrel of the Month, she said.

"I knew the story had to have a squirrel in it," Benedict said.

She then thought of presidential politics and everything came together.

The faithful Acorn reader has loved to write ever since she was in an all-girls Catholic high school. So much so that when she first attended college she intended to major in journalism. But the shy young woman found she was intimidated asking strangers questions, so she switched her major to nursing.

Later she went into law and became a practicing attorney for more than 20 years. Now she's a full-time mom who writes. She's focusing on children's fiction but is interested in other subjects as well. She currently has an article in a fishing magazine.

"The idea of sending in a story for a contest is very encouraging for writers and so much fun," she said.

—Nancy Needham