• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Get published
    • How to publish a book
    • How to write a novel
    • How to Edit a Novel
    • How to write a nonfiction book proposal
    • Writing advice
    • Book publishing glossary
    • Writing and book publishing FAQs
    • Blog Directory
  • Find an agent
    • What literary agents do
    • How to Find a Literary Agent
    • How to write a query letter
    • Literary agent etiquette
    • The Basic Query Template
    • How to write a synopsis
    • How to handle an offer of representation
  • How to self-publish
    • How to self-publish a book
    • Should You Self-Publish or Traditionally Publish?
    • How to decide where to self-publish
    • How to choose a cover
    • How to Determine Your Price Point When Self-Publishing
    • How to make the leap from self-publishing to traditional publishing
    • How to market a book

Nathan Bransford | Writing, Book Editing, Publishing

Helping writers achieve their dreams!

  • My books
  • Need editing?
  • About Nathan

THE SECRET YEAR Publication Day! Plus Finalists!

January 7, 2010 by Nathan Bransford 291 Comments

Confetti!!! Streamers!!! Ticker tape!!!

Big congrats to Jennifer Hubbard as THE SECRET YEAR is now officially on sale at bookstores around the country!! Please be sure and pick up or order your copy as it is quite an amazing book, in case you haven’t heard.

And we have finalists for the THE SECRET YEAR Teen Diary Contest Extravaganza!

But first I thought I’d explain a bit about what went into my (ridiculously difficult) decisions.

Choosing the finalists was way more subjective than usual, even by contest standards, because there’s really no easy way to judge entries that varied so much – some seemed like excerpts from bigger stories, some seemed like they were meant to stand on their own, and there were so many different goals for what authors were hoping to achieve. It was also extremely difficult to judge these out of context: some may have been completely perfectly appropriate in the context of the story, but take them out and it’s harder to determine how well they may have fit into a larger narrative.

So please bear in mind that this was extremely difficult, and just because yours wasn’t chosen doesn’t mean it’s not fantastic.

The thing I love about Julia’s diary entries in THE SECRET YEAR is that they are completely in character. It’s not an epistolary novel, but they pop up at key moments in the narrative and hearing her voice is extremely powerful. Particularly since we know Julia is dead, it’s all the more compelling/poignant/tragic for Julia’s personality and voice to just leap off the page. There’s a vivid picture in the entries of a brash, forward girl, who also sometimes tries to stretch and use evocative words and images because she wants to be something more than what people think of her. So in choosing the finalists, I was drawn to ones that showed a unique, distinguishable voice, which was the most important factor in my decision.

I’d also like to be clear that I wasn’t actually going strictly for verisimilitude. It wasn’t a contest to sound most like a teen – it was a contest to write the most compelling entry. Just as with other first person narratives, I think the best entries give the illusion of a teen diary without actually making it sound completely literally what a teen diary reads like in real life (if you read my actual real life teen diaries you’d probably want to end yourself).

So if these end up sounding more eloquent than what most teen diaries would be like in real life: well, yeah!

Some random preferences/common themes/extra thoughts:

– There were a whole lot of teen rants, and I found that these were extremely difficult to pull off unless they were funny. There were quite a few that read, essentially, “This sucks! I hate this, I hate this so much let me tell you PRECISELY HOW MUCH I hate this, God have I mentioned I hate this?” Stretch this over 500 words and it’s extremely difficult to keep the reader engaged and to keep the character from being completely unlikeable, particularly out of context.

– There were also a ton of unrequited crushes, which, hey… I’m sure at least half of the ink produced in the history of the world has been spilled in teen diaries about unrequited crushes, but when reading many many entries in a row these ended up running together just a tad unless there was something unique.

– I found myself drawn more to ones that told a story rather than just providing scattered observations.

– There were lots of notes to selves, letters to dead people, and therapists/parents forcing kids to write a diary. Also pregnancy sticks.

– Some of the entries felt more like excerpts from a novel with a “Dear Diary” tacked on and didn’t provide enough of a sense that they were from a diary or unsent letter.

NOW THEN!!

The honorable mentions, who I’m afraid just missed the cut of finalists but who done quite good:

Holly Bodger
Melissa
AimeeLove
virg nelson
Liz Czukas
Kelly R. Morgan
Mira
Ryan @ 12:53
june

Good work!!!

Before I announce the finalists for real, please remember the voting rules:

In order to vote for the winner, please leave a vote in the comments section of this post. You will have until approximately 9-10 PM Pacific time TONIGHT to vote. Please not e-mail me your vote.

Anonymous comments are closed for the voting.

Also: No campaigning for yourself or for your favorites out there on the Internet. Let’s keep this fair. Please remind friends of this as well.

The grand prize winner will be announced tomorrow.

The five finalists are…………

Jamie B!

Dear Pop Pop,

There’s sand in Nana’s hair. It’s the last time I’ll see her like this, on the beach, collecting shells, her blue veins showing through her delicate skin.

She stumbles and Mom catches her arm. Both of them laugh as waves rush up their calves.

Her smile still looks the same as it did when she was younger in the photograph Mom has of the two of you on the mantle.

Remeber the time you let me cast your rod into the ocean, certain I’d tangle up the line and lose your bait? Remember how shocked we all were when I reeled in a flounder?

The Outer Banks aren’t the same without you.

Now she’ll be missing from the cottage too.

But, she’ll be with you again. I can still hear the two of you laughing and playing cards in the summer evenings out on the screened in porch. Ice tinkling in your High Ball glasses.

We’ve taken care of her for you, and it’s almost time for you to take over again.

She’s looking down at her hand and twisting her wedding ring that she’ll never remove.

She’s looking forward to being with you again.

I’ll see you someday, Pop Pop.

Love,
J

Jenny!

Thursday–

Things I love about Jake: 1. The way his hair curls at the nape of his neck when it gets too long. It reminds me of water skiing in the third grade when his parents and my parents would drag us to the lake and we’d tumble through the water–he’d toss his head and send droplets into my eyes. 2. The way he hunches down over his desk, like now, when he’s taking notes and I’m writing this, pretending to take notes. I wonder what he doodles in the margins? He’ll get up soon when the bell rings. He’ll uncurl like a cat and that’s the best part about watching him. 3. The way he remembers my name in the hallway and says “Hey, Amy” even when his arm is around Brina’s shoulders. People are surprised we know each other. Him: a boy with torn-knee jeans and rock and roll t-shirts. Me: laced up science wiz. 4. The way he guides Brina into a room with his hand at the small of her back. When I see that, I feel the cold space of skin beneath my shirt and know his hands would warm it. 5. All the bits I’ve collected of him: his Grateful Dead keychain, his iPod (with earbuds), his essay on the Civil War, his cologne. If I lean forward now I could smell it on the cotton of his t-shirt, but that’d be too strange. Better to watch his hair curl from here. The bell’s gonna ring and, like always, he’ll unfold himself, turn around to grab his backpack, which has fallen on the floor–he’ll nod, smile his half-smile that ignites the dimple beside the corner of his mouth, say “See ya, Amy” and walk out of Mr. Timberly’s class as if we didn’t share a secret.

Rowenna!

May 5, 1780
Full sun, unseasonably warm

I know it is an awfully uncharitable thing to think, but I cannot be in the room with Aunt Madeleine’s spoilt children for more than five minutes before I start to wonder if Swift’s Modest Proposal could be tested in our household. Perhaps this is why Mother protested so violently to Father allowing me to read modern writings, though I believe the primary reason to lie more solidly in her own inability to read any but the most elementary of compositions. Anyone knows that I am most conscientious to avoid prideful thought or uncharitable comparison, but I cannot escape the fact that my mother not only far less educated but less inclined to education than I. Regardless, I shall be escaping ever the more often to the library to escape Ophelia and Cornelius (are those not the silliest names you can imagine bestowing upon children?) as they will be with us for another fortnight.

Perhaps I am in a particularly foul mood on the subject of those children as it is on their account that I am being kept from the dinner party at the Greenes’ next Thursday evening. Mother thought it a delightful idea that I remain at home and watch the miniature terrors so that Madeleine could attend the party. I protested that my old nursemaid would be better suited to the task, but as she is now the plantation’s pastry cook Mother felt she would be kept too busy at her own tasks to properly manage the children, too. In addition, she felt it would be beneficial to my moral character and maternal instinct to watch them. Maternal instinct, indeed! As though one could feel maternal toward a pair of sticky-handed demons.

It is almost as though Mother knows that Betty Greene has been contriving to arrange dancing after dinner, and to provide her middle brother for my partner. Betty can think of no better amusement than match-making her brothers away to her dearest friends, hoping, I suppose, that she can eventually add us as sisters. It is not that I find Jerome Greene terribly appealing—he is too short, for one, and his red hair does not suit him—but it would be nice to dance for an evening like a proper adult. No, instead I am chained to a pair of prattling, screaming Lilliputians. It seems that everyone around me is permitted some acquiescence toward adulthood—my brother joining the Congressional forces of his own volition, Betty with her little dance parties. I must content myself with books, I suppose.

Tara!

Dear diary,

Oksana left today. Dad’s parting words were “Never believe a mail-order bride when she says I love you.” He was so chin-trembling, tear-stained-cheek sad watching her tear up our lawn that I wanted to cry just looking at him.

Oksana, on the other hand, was throwing her luggage around and cursing him in Russian. I wasn’t sure how safe it was for either of us standing by the living room window with so much glass around.

Dad always said she was different. I thought he was referring to the Belarusian catalog she came from, but his tears were genuine.

He whispered, “Sorry about the eggs.” This morning, Oksana accused him of deliberately making runny, undercooked eggs. It escalated to an accusation of salmonella poisoning. Finally, she revealed the real reason for the argument.

Dad and I both know that she keeps this house so clean you can eat out of the sink, drink from the toilet, and perform surgery on the kitchen table. And neither of us thanked her for it. I guess I stopped noticing what she did for us when I began expecting it.

Dad thinks she’ll come back. Every time she’s left us, she’s come home apologetic after the mall closed. I haven’t told him that this time is not like the previous ones. I saw her take the kitchen timer. Who takes a kitchen timer with them when they leave? People who move.

Just before she left, she paused in her ranting and looked at me. Her expression softened like she was going to cry too. Could it be that Oksana, the step-mom with the maternal instincts of a broom, was going to miss me? That’s when she waved good-bye to me slowly, three times with one hand, and got in the car.

As she backed out the driveway, I think I surprised her as much as she surprised me by mouthing the words “thank you.”

LJKuhnley!

Dear Future Losers of Brookview High,

The world looks a little brighter when your head’s suspended in a toilet. In between the water swirling around your ears and your silent thanks that nobody’s taken a piss in the bowl this morning, there’s a strange sort of calm that comes over you. Mouth closed. Eyes open. Water whooshing ‘round a porcelain sky. The hell of high school disappears and for a moment, you feel at peace. Because you know, that for those seven seconds, life can’t get any worse.

But then the jerk holding your feet lets you down and you’re gasping for breath and the world comes rushing back. You stare at the bowl, water dripping down your face, wishing you’d been flushed down the pipes and spit out in the James (or wherever piss-water goes). Because the moment your feet touch the ground, your seven seconds of peace are over.

If you’re a loser (and if you’re reading this I guess you are), the best advice I can give you is gain weight. Fast. Forget the dollar menu. Super-size those fries, scarf down all the quarter pounders you can swallow and keep right at it. Because an extra layer of fat is the only defense against the jerk-wads of the world.

Sure, you’ll get the lard-ass jokes. But, take it from me, if you can gain a few pounds-or thirty-do it. I’m cursed with an ultrafast metabolism my mother would kill for which means no matter how much lard I shovel down my throat, my bony ass doesn’t get an inch bigger.

I’ve been stuffed in lockers, trash cans and believe it or not- a tuba case. And that’s not even the worst of it. Did you hear the rumor about the geek who went dumpster diving for his retainer on mystery meat day? Yep, that was me. The total dweeb whose locker was plastered with pictures of the Jonas Brothers? Me again. The dork whose underwear got sent up the flagpole with him in it? You guessed it.

So let me tell you, if you’re as big a loser as I was, plunging head first in a toilet bowl might just be the highlight of your day.

Thanks again to everyone who entered, and congrats to the finalists!

UPDATE: Voting is closed! Winner will be announced tomorrow.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Contests Tagged With: contests, writing advice, Young Adult Literature

Subscribe to the blog!

Receive the blog directly in your inbox when there are new posts!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Yat-Yee says

    January 7, 2010 at 5:49 pm

    I am just impressed you could read all the entries and still keep your eyesight (and sanity?)

    Thanks for another awesome contest.

    Reply
  2. hannah says

    January 7, 2010 at 5:52 pm

    With all due respect to your previous contestants, I think these are the strongest finalists of any contest you've had. Well done, guys.

    Reply
  3. stephanie says

    January 7, 2010 at 5:55 pm

    I am so glad my favorite made it to the list of finalists. There were tons of superb entries, but Jamie B's really tied me in knots. I loved this one. So, there's my vote.

    And yes, thanks, Nathan for another great contest!

    Reply
  4. Tiana Lei says

    January 7, 2010 at 5:56 pm

    My vote goes to Jenny. I loved reading all of these. Thanks for hosting the contest!

    Reply
  5. Hilabeans says

    January 7, 2010 at 5:58 pm

    Jaime B!

    Reply
  6. Rachele Alpine says

    January 7, 2010 at 5:58 pm

    Jamie's piece is my fav! I'm impresed I could feel so sad for the narrator when only reading a a few sentences. Well done!

    Reply
  7. Rachel Hamm says

    January 7, 2010 at 5:58 pm

    my vote also goes to Jenny. Her's sounds the most like a journal or diary entry to me.

    Congrats to all the finalists- superb writing!

    And Nathan- I am AMAZED you were able to read through all of the entries in such a short amount of time. thanks for your hard work

    Reply
  8. Valerie L Smith says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:00 pm

    Usually it's easy to pick a favorite, but these are all good in their own way. I think I'm leaning toward LJKuhnley, though.

    Thanks for the fun!

    Reply
  9. Melissa Sarno says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:00 pm

    My vote is for Jenny! I'm curious to know how these two characters know eachother. Very compelling.

    Thanks for a fun contest!

    Reply
  10. JustineDell says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:02 pm

    LJKuhnley! LJKuhnley! The words ring out so true for anyone who has ever been bullied in school. My vote is for LJKuhnley.

    Reply
  11. Triffany says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:05 pm

    These are all great. I'm so impressed, but since this is a vote and I have to pick a favorite, my fave is Jenny's entry.

    Ugh..so hard to pick! How did you do this?! I guess it gives me a little insight into how tough your job really is.

    Wonderful exercise!

    Reply
  12. Amanda says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:05 pm

    These are great!

    My vote goes to Jamie B.'s. 🙂

    Reply
  13. Jeni says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:06 pm

    My vote goes to Jenny, too — loved the description — but Jamie B.'s was a close second. Awesome entries all around! Thanks for such a great contest — it was fun. JEni

    Reply
  14. Sheila says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:08 pm

    I vote for Tara, but I enjoyed reading all of them. Congrats to you all!

    Thanks, Nathan!

    Reply
  15. Josin L. McQuein says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:09 pm

    1. Congrats to finalists and HM's.
    2. Nathan… you should be in Guinness Book for power reading.
    3. I vote Jamie B.

    🙂

    Reply
  16. Sophie says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:11 pm

    My vote goes to LJKuhnley but Jenny was nipping at the heals. Both sooo good.

    Reply
  17. Stephanie says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:11 pm

    LJKuhnley!

    Reply
  18. Sophia says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:13 pm

    My vote is for Jenny's entry. It kept me reading, it was easy to visualize, I loved the voice and the final line mentioning a secret was perfect. Great work!

    Reply
  19. Holly Bodger says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:13 pm

    Oh, I love LJKuhnley (the entry, not the person… not that there's anything wrong with you LJKuhnley… I'm sure you're lovely… or handsome… or have a great personality)

    Reply
  20. Eric says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:15 pm

    LJKuhnley

    Congrats to all.

    Reply
  21. Sharon says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:15 pm

    I'll cast my vote for Jenny. I'm curious to know their secret.

    Also, to honorable mention AimeeLove… your entry brought tears to my eyes!

    Good job everyone, especially Nathan! That wasn't easy.

    Reply
  22. JEM says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:15 pm

    My vote: LJKuhnley

    Reply
  23. Mira says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:16 pm

    Wow.

    I'm sorry I didn't even read the rest of the post yet.

    I made the honorable mention list????????

    Do you have any idea how validating that is, Nathan? Well, you probably do. Did you really mean it, or are you just being nice because I threatened to jump off a bridge if I lost the contest. I mean, I meant it – I would have jumped off a bridge – but it would have been a very small bridge.

    For the rest of my life, when I'm doubting my writing, I'll think that I made honorable mention on your list – and I am being completely truthful about that – you have such good judgement.

    Thank you.

    Btw, my word count was 428, but honestly, I don't care that much. Maybe you counted all the little dashes. This is good enough. Truly.

    Um……I suppose that there is more going on here than just me. So, I'll go back and read the post, and cheer on the finalists.

    And congrats to you and Jenn! I hope the book is a total smash!

    Reply
  24. Emily Hinchey says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:17 pm

    My vote is with Tara!

    Reply
  25. Margie says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:19 pm

    I vote for Jenny. Love the hook at the end.

    Reply
  26. Nathan Bransford says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:19 pm

    mira-

    Oh no, Word must have counted the dashes! I'll remove the part about being over.

    Reply
  27. Stephanie Thornton says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:20 pm

    I'm going for Jamie B. Poignant and beautiful!

    Reply
  28. Alexa says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:20 pm

    Congratulations to finalists and honorable mentions.

    My votes for Jenny, I really want to know what that secret is!

    Reply
  29. Bethanne says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:21 pm

    I like Jenny's. 🙂

    Reply
  30. Rooty Too, mRoo, and other nom de plumes says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:22 pm

    I vote for Jenny!

    (Nathan, the Ryan excerpt link is broken.)

    Again, a very informative contest.
    Thanks Nathan and Congrats all!

    Reply
  31. Linda Godfrey says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:22 pm

    Congrats to all excellent finalists. My vote goes to Tara for the unique premise of Dad's Russian mail-order bride.

    Reply
  32. Hannah says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:22 pm

    Oh so many fantastic entries! I was incredibly torn between Jenny and LJKuhnley's entries, but the last line about the secret sold me on it – my vote goes to Jenny!

    But they're all fantastic and I salute you Nathan for managing to get through so many words so fast, especially when it isn't actually part of your job!

    Reply
  33. Haley says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:22 pm

    Though I really like LJKhunley's a lot, my vote is for JENNY! Sounded so real.

    Reply
  34. susiej says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:23 pm

    These, of course, were all god but LJ Kuhnley sounded most like a teen diary to me. And as funny as it was the bit about getting fat and lard jokes being better than dweeb jokes-heartwrench!

    Reply
  35. Michelle says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:24 pm

    Tara!

    They were all fabulous. Great contest, Nathan! Thanks for the opportunity.

    Reply
  36. Liesl says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:24 pm

    I loved them all, but I was particularly impressed with Rowenna.

    Reply
  37. T. Anne says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:27 pm

    Great fun! Thanx Nathan, that was a blast.
    My vote goes to LJKuhnley. Well done!

    Reply
  38. Lauren says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:27 pm

    Jenny. 🙂

    Reply
  39. Christy Pinheiro, EA ABA says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:29 pm

    Tara hands down, was the best. And unlike some of the others, it sounds more like something that would actually happen.

    Reply
  40. Melissa Pearl says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:32 pm

    Thanks for your time and a really fun contest, Nathan 🙂

    My vote is Jenny!

    Reply
  41. à la vanille says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:33 pm

    My vote goes to Jenny.
    But congrats to all the finalists and honorable mentions!

    Reply
  42. chris says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:35 pm

    I have to go with Jenny. It's the only entry that made me wish for more right now!

    Reply
  43. Kayeleen says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:36 pm

    I'm voting for LJKuhnley.

    Reply
  44. Jille says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:36 pm

    LJKuhnley & Jenny

    Reply
  45. Kristen says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:37 pm

    My vote goes to Tara, with LJKuhnley close behind.

    I'm surprised Jamie B's made it, despite how beautiful it is. The diary author talks and makes references that would suggest she's at least in her 20s.

    How many teenagers can claim to have taken care of a sister who has a wedding ring around her finger? Am I just missing something?

    Reply
  46. Anita3 says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:38 pm

    This was really great!
    My vote is for Jenny.
    Anita

    Reply
  47. Diana Paz says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:38 pm

    Jenny, if these were novels and I could only have one to read it would be hers.

    Reply
  48. Suzanne says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:38 pm

    Congratulations to all of the finalists! Based on your well-written entries, I would pick up a novel from each of you. That's what makes voting for one so difficult.

    My choice is Rowenna for such a clever entry. It was a reminder that teens in the 1700s were not all that different from teens today. Well done!

    Reply
  49. D. G. Hudson says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:38 pm

    My vote is for Jenny. Her words sounds like some of my own diary entries in my teen years. She seemed to instill that yearning that is so poignant in the teen's life. The last line got me too.

    Good Luck to all the finalists! I loved reading the entries. Mira's earwig entry was fun to read, too.

    Reply
  50. Nathan Bransford says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:39 pm

    kristen-

    I think you're misreading that, I believe she's talking about her grandmother.

    Reply
  51. Chuck H. says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:40 pm

    My vote goes to Rowenna. So refreshing to read a diary entry from someone my senior.

    Congrats to all who entered, to all honorable mentions and to the finalists.

    Bransford, you are a glutton for punishment. How you do it is far beyond me.

    Reply
  52. annerallen says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:40 pm

    My vote is for Tara. And Mira, CONGRATULATIONS! You rock. No more bridge-jumping fantasies allowed.

    Reply
  53. Franziska says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:42 pm

    Jenny gets my vote. All were great reads, though.

    Reply
  54. Karen says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:43 pm

    These are all good, but my vote goes to TARA. I wish I could read more about that story!

    Reply
  55. RLS says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:43 pm

    Excellent to all.
    Tara gets my vote.
    Way to go Nathan for all the work that went into this.

    Reply
  56. KT says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:43 pm

    Wow – what a lot to read through! Nathan, you must be seeing double by now.
    My vote: LJKuhnley

    Reply
  57. Matilda McCloud says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:44 pm

    I vote for Tara.

    Congrats to other finalists and honorable mentions!

    Reply
  58. Kristen says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:44 pm

    Oh yes, and thank you for the contest! Your assignment helped me sort out a problem I was having with a novel I've been working on for a while. I wish I had more random opportunities to compel me to write outside the box! Thank you very much!

    Reply
  59. tinainwonderland says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:46 pm

    I vote for LJKuhnley.

    This entry tells so much about the character and how he sees the world, and that he has compassion for others going through similiar bullying. The author seems to have a firm grasp of a teenage boy's voice.

    Reply
  60. stopdropandplot says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:47 pm

    I vote for Jamie B.

    It was beautifully written, vivid, and one of the four entries I was certain would place in either the mentions or the finals.

    Reply
  61. Larissa says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:50 pm

    LJKuhnley

    Reply
  62. Leis Draven says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:51 pm

    After much deliberation, I vote of Rowenna's piece — the historical setting presented additional challenges, and she's done it extremely well.

    All five are very good, it was difficult to choose just one.

    Thanks for the contest, Nathan.

    Reply
  63. Cheryl says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:51 pm

    Thanks for the contest. It was fun. All of the finalists were fantastic, but I think my vote goes to Jamie B. I loved her voice – it seemed genuine and grabbed my heart. Good luck!

    Reply
  64. thoughtful1 says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:53 pm

    Jamie B. I thought hers was poetry when I first read it and I think it just glows in freshness and poignancy. Second I like Tara's. What a tale!

    Reply
  65. Kristen says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:53 pm

    Nathan: Whoops! Thanks for the clarification… I'm more used to seeing Nana as a name than a nick name.

    She still sounds like someone in her 20s to me, but it's a lot more open to interpretation if the person in question is her grandmother.

    So some people call their grandparents Pop Pop and Nana… I learn something new every day!

    Reply
  66. Mira says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:53 pm

    Thanks, Nathan. I just didn't want you to think I'd ignore your requirments. 🙂

    Thanks DG and annerallen!! Okay, no bridge jumping today. 🙂

    I'm too happy to vote. I'll have to come back and vote later.

    Btw, Nathan, you do know that now I'll be impossible to live with?

    'K. Enough about me. This is the finalists time to celebrate – I'm happy for all of you – congratulations!!! I'll vote later.

    Reply
  67. Kelly R. Morgan says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:58 pm

    Congrats finalists, great writing all around.

    My vote goes to Rowenna. Very clever and entertaining. (And I have a soft spot for formality).

    Reply
  68. Jamie says

    January 7, 2010 at 6:58 pm

    My vote goes for Jenny although they were all great!

    Reply
  69. Laurel says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:00 pm

    LJKuhnley.

    Written from a retrospective POV and still felt immediate. I also thought it was interesting that I had a vivid mental picture of what this kid looks like by the end even though he never describes himself. All we know about him is that he is skinny enough to fit in a tuba case.

    These were all great, congrats to the finalists!

    Reply
  70. dan radke says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:01 pm

    Nathan, just wanted to say, thank you for keeping up with the shortlist. Gives a lot of us something to shoot for that's a little less intimidating.

    My vote goes to Tara.

    Reply
  71. Jami G. says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:02 pm

    I vote for Rowenna. She kept the teen angst feeling but added the historical voice. Very tricky to do and very well done.

    Jami G.

    Reply
  72. Kristin Miller says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:02 pm

    LJKuhnley FTW!

    Reply
  73. Ryan says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:04 pm

    Classic prompt! Thanks for taking us away from the misery of queries and proposals for a few moments. I'll mirror what Mira said. Any kind of validation helps. I always thought I was a tough guy with thick skin until I started writing–and sharing.

    My VOTE IS FOR JENNY because her entry has the best teenage-diary voice.

    Kuhnley's made me laugh really hard but it feels like an older guy writing in retrospect(which is what it is) instead of a teenager.

    Great stuff in the other finalists' entries but Jenny's subject matter is pure high school.

    Cheers to all on this wonderful blog.

    Ok(sigh). Turn Wifi off. Back to proposal….

    Reply
  74. Kelly Bryson says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:04 pm

    great entries! I vote for Rowena. Mail order brides have fascinated me since Sara plain and Tall.

    Reply
  75. KathySkaggsPoet says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:06 pm

    Tara! But great entries all.

    Reply
  76. jls says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:06 pm

    I vote for Jenny. I always dig a story that starts out sounding sweet and then gets kind of creepy.

    Reply
  77. KLBradyWrites says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:07 pm

    For me, it was a close tie between LJKuhnley and Jenny. Wish I could vote for both. But I'm gonna pick one.

    Really I am.

    Now.

    Okay now.

    Seriously, this time I'm voting for sure.

    Ummmmm…

    Decisions. Decisions.

    Eeney Meeney Miney Moe, catcha…

    Oh nevermind.

    Jenny…

    Reply
  78. Emma Michaels says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:07 pm

    My vote is for Jamie B! I don't feel so bad about not making it to the finals after reading how beautiful her entry was. Great choices.

    Sincerely,
    Emma

    Reply
  79. Natalie Whipple says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:07 pm

    Gah, I like them all! I really have to pick? Umm…

    Jenny, though I want to know more about all of them.

    Reply
  80. Lydia Sharp says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:08 pm

    LJKuhnley.
    Hands down. That was the best thing ever.

    Reply
  81. Melissa says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:10 pm

    First, *OMG* – How cool to be an honorable mention!!! I double and triple checked the link just to make sure that it was really mine! Just be warned that I plan on printing this post out and putting it on my fridge. (Now, if I can only work this into a query letter…)

    Second, Wow! Awesome choices for HM and Finalists. There were so many other ones that I really enjoyed too.

    Third, Aside from a 5-way tie, LJKuhnley's entry is getting my since I can *totally* picture some students I know reading a whole story about that character.

    =)

    Reply
  82. Merry Monteleone says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:10 pm

    Another great contest, nathan, thanks for all the work!

    My vote's for Jenny, though it was really hard to decide. Nice work, everyone.

    Reply
  83. Cory Clubb says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:10 pm

    I vote LJKuhnley! Nice perspective.

    Reply
  84. Jeanie W says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:13 pm

    Well done, everyone! These are all great, but LJKuhnley created the character I'm most interested in reading more about.

    Reply
  85. jjdebenedictis says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:13 pm

    Tara! The narrative slurped me right in.

    Reply
  86. Michele says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:14 pm

    Definately LJKuhnley. I felt like I was right there in that toilet . Loved the irony of how things can be so bad that you are relieved they can't get worse for just a moment. Great imagery and genuine voice.

    Reply
  87. fairyhedgehog says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:16 pm

    LJKuhnley.

    It was very hard to choose – and we only had a few to choose from!

    Reply
  88. school_of_tyrannus says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:17 pm

    Tara

    Well done

    Reply
  89. re-cap says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:17 pm

    Jenny!

    Reply
  90. MzMannerz says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:17 pm

    I vote for Jenny – and now I need to go back and count and see how many are with me. 🙂

    Reply
  91. Frosty says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:18 pm

    LJKuhnley gets my vote

    Reply
  92. Andy says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:18 pm

    Tara.

    It's the only one that made me feel anything, and also came off (to me) as the one most like something someone might actually write. Tough to pull those off together in my book.

    Reply
  93. Kate says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:19 pm

    Tough! Really, really tough! All of them are so great, but Jenny's made me wish I had the whole book…

    Reply
  94. Deniz Bevan says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:19 pm

    Congrats all! I vote for Jenny 🙂

    Reply
  95. Karen says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:21 pm

    My vote is for Tara. Oh, the intrigue! 🙂

    Reply
  96. Liz S says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:22 pm

    JENNY!

    Reply
  97. Kristi says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:22 pm

    Wow. I liked them all – a lot. If I had to pick one, I'd say LJKuhnley, but they were all fabulous. Great job to all the finalists!

    Reply
  98. Pamela Hammonds says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:22 pm

    Jenny gets my vote although I was torn between hers and LJKuhnley! Well done, everyone.

    Reply
  99. BriMaresh says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:23 pm

    Jamie B gets my vote for doing awesome emotional things with words.

    Reply
  100. Arabella says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:23 pm

    My vote is for Tara.

    Reply
  101. Anita Saxena says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:24 pm

    LJKhunley

    Reply
  102. Genny says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:25 pm

    My vote is for Jamie B. 🙂

    Reply
  103. TKAstle says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:27 pm

    I vote for Jamie B.

    Great job, everyone.

    Thanks, Nathan, for employing your superhuman reading ability and devoting your time and effort to this contest. You're a generous one alright.

    Reply
  104. Christina Adams says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:32 pm

    Jamie B. I wanted to cry!

    Reply
  105. Drgnwrtr says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:36 pm

    It was so difficult to choose, really. I decided to choose the one that felt more like a journal or diary entry and it was a toss up between Jenny & Roweena. And its even more difficult to choose between them.

    I'm going to go with…

    Roweena
    I like her written voice.

    Reply
  106. Cassidy says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:39 pm

    The former high school nerd in me loves LJKuhnley. The former boy-obsessed high school nerd in me loves Jenny…

    But I just have to vote for LJKuhnley. You had me at "piss".

    Reply
  107. cwsherwoodedits says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:43 pm

    LJ Kuhnley!
    All were really well done, however.

    Reply
  108. Carolyn V. says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:43 pm

    Congrats everyone! There are some very good writers out there. I'm impressed.

    Thanks Nathan, I love a good contest!

    Reply
  109. Véro says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:46 pm

    My vote is for Jamie B! The emotions and descriptions really sucked me in.

    Reply
  110. KatieGrrr says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:47 pm

    Tara!

    Reply
  111. Sarah Olutola says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:49 pm

    These are amazing!

    I pick LJKuhnley!

    Reply
  112. writerlass says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:50 pm

    My vote is for Jamie B.

    Reply
  113. vividumas says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:51 pm

    My vote is for Jenny.

    Reply
  114. Rachel says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:51 pm

    I can't vote, I can't choose just one – but the last three (Rowena, Tara, LJKuhnley) are all books I would gladly read, if they were books. LJKuhnley's had me cracking up, though, so if I HAD to choose one, I'd go for that one.

    But all five of these are lovely! It's just that when faced with five amazing ice cream choices, you have to break the tie with something unrelated (such as whether the name of the flavor makes you laugh) rather than the merits of each individual scoop. Uh, yeah.

    Reply
  115. Lyn Miller-Lachmann says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:51 pm

    Count me for Jamie B.

    Reply
  116. DeadlyAccurate says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:54 pm

    What hannah (2nd comment) said.

    I had an incredibly hard time choosing, but I finally went with Rowenna.

    Reply
  117. Pixiewinkle says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:56 pm

    Congrats to all the finalists and runner ups!

    My vote goes to Jamie B- only because I connected most with her entry. ALL the finalists were superb!

    Reply
  118. PatriciaW says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:56 pm

    Jenny

    Reply
  119. Terry says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:56 pm

    Tara has my vote.

    But it was a tough choice. They were all first-rate.

    Congratulations to the finalists and HM's!

    And Congratulations on the pub of "The Secret Year!" That book sounds really good to me and I'm not even a YA.

    Hey, two great excuses to break out the champagne.

    Reply
  120. Frank says

    January 7, 2010 at 7:57 pm

    I vote for LJKuhnley

    Reply
  121. Gretchen says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:00 pm

    Jamie B!

    As a high school English teacher, I am well aware that teenagers are capable of such mature, poignant observations. This one made me cry.

    Reply
  122. Jenny says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:01 pm

    Wow! I'm so excited! Thanks to everyone who has voted so far! As much as I'd like to vote for myself, I feel it wouldn't be sporting…so I vote for LJKuhnley! Have I used enough exclamation points!!?

    Reply
  123. Haste yee back ;-) says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:04 pm

    LOL…
    I can't believe you turned down,

    TELL LAURA I LOVE HER
    TEEN ANGEL
    PATCHES

    LOL,LOL!!!

    Haste yee back 😉

    Reply
  124. Bane of Anubis says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:04 pm

    Congrats everyone. I'm going with Rowenna.

    Reply
  125. Karla says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:09 pm

    LJ Kuhnley 🙂

    Reply
  126. laurel says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:17 pm

    I vote for Jenny. Catch-you-by-the-throat beautiful.

    Reply
  127. Ink says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:19 pm

    Jamie B.

    Because Jamie B was Moe. Jenny was Minie.

    Reply
  128. shield maiden says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:22 pm

    LJKuhnley gets my vote!

    Reply
  129. moirayoung says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:23 pm

    I vote for Rowenna. 🙂

    Reply
  130. Kristan says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:24 pm

    Congrats to all the finalists and honorable mentions! (Yay Liz!) My vote is for LJKuhnley.

    Thanks for doing this, Nathan!

    Reply
  131. J.T. Wilbanks says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:24 pm

    Tara, that broom line should be written on a plaque somewhere.

    (I'm glad to have been beaten by these guys, they're entries were amazing. And I figured mine was far too sappy from the get-go.)

    Hope you have another contest soon, this was fun.

    Reply
  132. T.R. Patterson says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:25 pm

    Thanks for a great contest Nathan !!

    And looking forward to the arrival of my pre-ordered copy of TSY…

    Congratulations to all the finalists and HM's they were all great entries…

    My vote is for Jamie B !! 😀

    Reply
  133. moirayoung says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:27 pm

    And congratulations to all the finalists and honourable mentions!

    Reply
  134. Erica says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:31 pm

    Congrats to all the winners! Well done :o)

    My vote is for Jamie B! Beautiful work.

    Reply
  135. marilynpeake says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:36 pm

    Congratulations to all the Honorable Mentions and Finalists! I absolutely LOVE all of the Finalist entries, but my vote is for Jamie B!

    Reply
  136. Falen says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:38 pm

    i vote for Jamie B. But they were all great

    Reply
  137. marilynpeake says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:40 pm

    Mira,

    Congratulations! I'm so happy for you! I know how long you've wanted to win one of Nathan's contests. I've long since given up on winning one, but it's wonderful to see you persevere and succeed. You go, girl!

    Reply
  138. CKHB says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:42 pm

    These were AWESOME. I had a very hard time choosing between the last 3 finalists, but ultimately I want to read more about LJKuhnley's narrator than anyone else.

    Reply
  139. Christy says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:44 pm

    My vote is for Jamie B. Great description!

    Reply
  140. Myrna Foster says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:48 pm

    I'm voting for Tara! All of the finalists entries were great though.

    Reply
  141. Madeline Mora-Summonte says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:52 pm

    I vote for JENNY's, although Tara's was a very close second.

    Reply
  142. Jennie says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:56 pm

    My vote is for Jamie B!

    Reply
  143. careann says

    January 7, 2010 at 8:59 pm

    Congratulations to Jenn on today's release of THE SECRET YEAR! I've posted an interview with her on my blog: http://wp.me/phaYw-ul

    The contest was genius, Nathan. Kudos to all the finalists. My vote goes to Jamie B but Tara's and LJKuhnley's entries also appeal. 🙂

    Carol Garvin

    Reply
  144. Regan says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:01 pm

    Jenny gets my vote! I thought hers was the most true to a diary entry. I also liked Melissa's the best out of the honorable mentions.

    I also want to mention that I really thought the one by Hannah on the first page of comments was a contender. (The one signed Grace.) Also on that first page, I really liked the one by EB. BUT I confess to only reading the first couple of pages!! 🙂 I never had time to read them all.

    Congrats to all and good luck finalists!

    Reply
  145. Heather Dougherty says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:01 pm

    Although I thought they were terrific – my vote is for Jamie B. Hers connected with me on a very deep level – brought me right back to being sixteen and that first real experience with the pending loss of someone you love.

    Reply
  146. Elaine 'still writing' Smith says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:03 pm

    Well done to everyone who entered and I read them all! 🙂
    Nathan, I think you a great job doing more than picking winners with a piece of random-number generating software!

    MY VOTE – to JENNY

    But, considering the heart-stopping-panics I had over spiders and daddy-long-legses when I was a teen, I think you can guess where my vote would have registered!

    Also, Ryan – I loved it.

    Reply
  147. Liz Czukas says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:09 pm

    My jaw dropped when I found my name on the Honorable Mention list.

    Thanks for the opportunity, Nathan!

    My vote is for Jenny. Her entry is everything I love about YA: quirky, funny, honest and deeply human.

    All the finalists did a fabulous job.

    Reply
  148. ryan field says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:11 pm

    I love Jaime B's entry so much I wish I could vote twice.

    Reply
  149. Jabez says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:16 pm

    Tara.

    Congratulations to all the finalists, and most of all to Jennifer Hubbard. Best of luck to The Secret Year.

    Reply
  150. Lizardbreath McGee says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:17 pm

    All amazing, but I think my vote must be for LJKuhnley.

    Reply
  151. R. Garrett Wilson says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:19 pm

    Jamie B has my vote from the finalists. But I actually preferred Holly Bodger from the Honorable Mention list.

    Reply
  152. Kia says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:21 pm

    I vote for Jamie B. What a beautiful piece of writing. It's short but so powerful.

    Jenny comes a close second. I love the dimples igniting line.

    Reply
  153. abc says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:27 pm

    Jenny!

    This contest was my favorite! Can we have more writing prompt contests?

    Reply
  154. Seamus says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:28 pm

    I believe the most authentic was LJKuhnley. Maybe it's a geek thing.

    Reply
  155. Kasey says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:29 pm

    Congrats to all the finalists and runner ups. I still can't believe you read through all of those entries Nathan. That's definitely dedication.

    Anyways, my vote goes for Jenny's entry. I had read through a good amount the night I submitted mine and hers stuck out to me even then.

    Reply
  156. Amy Kinzer says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:32 pm

    Nathan – I can't believe you read all of those. Gold star for you in the New Year.

    I enjoyed all the entries.

    My vote goes to TARA! – reminded me a bit of Vickie Christina Barcelona for some reason.

    Good work all.

    Reply
  157. the Amateur Book Blogger says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:37 pm

    LJKuhnley gets my vote!

    All five are strong in their own ways and I enjoyed them all. I think this looks like its going to be close!

    Well done everyone, I really enjoyed some of these – AND THANK YOU – you help me see what's good about your writing that I need to strengthen in my own too. A contest with a benefit for everyone! Thanks for running it Nathan, an almighty task.

    Jen P

    Reply
  158. Loaferholic says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:41 pm

    There are so many girls here. Sometimes makes me feel like I am the only guy who reads. Post after post its women. I want to vote, but will my vote make a difference against the female majority. The winner will definitely be a female favorite.

    Reply
  159. E McD says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:44 pm

    I vote Jenny and the Grateful Dead!

    Reply
  160. E McD says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:45 pm

    p.s. I LOVE THE EARWIG STORY!!!

    Reply
  161. Leatherdykeuk says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:46 pm

    My vote to Jamie B

    Reply
  162. Yat-Yee says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:51 pm

    Oh, and my vote goes to LJKuhnley!

    Reply
  163. Ted says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:52 pm

    The finalists were all great. I vote for Tara, with Jamie B, Jenny, and LJKuhnley close behind. And I loved Mira's earwig.

    Reply
  164. Sam Downing says

    January 7, 2010 at 9:57 pm

    Voting for Rowenna. Great voice, and something a little different.

    (Tara is a close second.)

    Reply
  165. A. says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:01 pm

    LJKuhnley gets my vote. That entry was perfect in every way.

    Reading the finalists submissions, I kept thinking, "Wow. These are all fanstastic. How will I choose a winner?" But when I got to LJKuhnley's, there was no question.

    Congrats to all of the finalists. Brilliant entries from all of you.

    :)Ash

    Reply
  166. J. M. Sabel says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:02 pm

    I vote for Jenny.

    Reply
  167. Robert Michael says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:02 pm

    Nathan,
    I am astounded you got through those so quickly. We appreciate your hard work and your positive attitude. Thanks again for your encouraging, meaningful blog. My day would be incomplete without it.

    Congrats to all the finalists and honorable mentions!

    My vote: LJKuhnley

    Reply
  168. Chantele says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:07 pm

    I vote for Jenny. Loved it!:)

    Reply
  169. klromo.com says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:12 pm

    Thanks for the contest Nathan, and congratulations to the winners – great writing! I vote for Jenny.

    Reply
  170. thndr says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:12 pm

    I was impressed by Jenny's but LJKuhnley captured a brilliant snapshot of life as a loser so that's who I'm voting for.

    Reply
  171. Lydia says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:15 pm

    Don't know if I'm in time: don't quite get this Pacific time stuff. However – it has to be Jenny. That is absolutely how if felt like to be a besotted teen, but she's made it more intriguing with the secret thing. Great writing – well done.

    Reply
  172. SZ says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:17 pm

    I cant even pick from 5 ! I am guessing you read some each day and not in one sitting, then kept notes. And now here you are reading posts and commenting !

    I read, write like a teen, and tried to hard. Wish I know about the verisimilitude, maybe would have tried to be eloquent instead.

    hmmmmm, Ok, um, Rowenna, and LJK right behind

    Reply
  173. Welshcake says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:22 pm

    My vote goes to Tara.

    Reply
  174. Jil says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:24 pm

    I vote for Tara – I know some Russian brides.
    'The contest was fun and a learning experience. Thanks,Nathan.

    Reply
  175. Emily says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:25 pm

    LJKuhnley. Definitely.

    Reply
  176. kathy says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:28 pm

    I vote for Tara. I want to read the rest of that story.

    Reply
  177. Ash. Elizabeth says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:32 pm

    I vote for Jenny!

    Reply
  178. Jamie B says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:35 pm

    If you don't vote for yourself, why should anyone else? So – I vote me. Jamie B. 🙂

    Although, I did have a tough time deciding – wow, great competition – congrats to all the others!!

    Reply
  179. sharpierae says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:43 pm

    Jenny!

    Reply
  180. Pam Harris says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:47 pm

    My vote's for Jenny all the way. 🙂

    Reply
  181. Mercy Loomis says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:48 pm

    This was a hard choice, but my vote goes to LJKuhnley!

    Great posts guys!

    Reply
  182. Dara says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:50 pm

    LOL, yeah I was definitely one of those "unrequited crushes" entries. 😛

    Anyway, it's hard for me to choose but I think I'm gonna vote for LJ's entry. Something about the way they described having their head shoved in a toilet…I don't know, it just resonated.

    Congrats to all the finalists and semi-finalists!

    Reply
  183. heather says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:51 pm

    LJKuhnley's Dear Future Losers of Brookview High gets my vote!

    Reply
  184. Taymalin says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:56 pm

    LJKuhnley!

    Reply
  185. Skipperhammond@gmail.com says

    January 7, 2010 at 10:57 pm

    Oh my, here I am on line and I still haven't decided–Tara or Rowenna. OK, I vote for, ah, for Tara.

    Reply
  186. Other Lisa says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:00 pm

    Okay, I'm actually going to vote this time…

    Rowenna, with Tara a very close second.

    I agree with whoever said that Rowenna managed to accomplish something tricky, a teen voice using believable period language.

    And Tara's for the specificity of some of the images/events. The kitchen timer!

    Reply
  187. Laurie Lamb says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:05 pm

    Jamie B! Outstanding!

    Reply
  188. Shelby says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:06 pm

    Of these 5, the Jamie B 'Dear Pop Pop' is interesting..it gets my vote.

    Reply
  189. Catherine Ensley says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:18 pm

    I vote for Jenny

    Reply
  190. Corra McFeydon says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:19 pm

    All the entries were excellent!

    I vote for Rowenna. 🙂

    Reply
  191. Elizabeth says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:21 pm

    Tara! I totally want to read the book.

    Reply
  192. Mikki Black says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:22 pm

    My vote goes to LJKuhnley, please.

    (PS Sorry for ranting in my entry)

    (PPS Sorry for ranting about a both a mom AND a therapist in my entry)

    Oh, well.

    Reply
  193. Kate says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:22 pm

    Just ordered THE SECRET YEAR on Amazon. So excited.

    Reply
  194. Sharon Mayhew says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:24 pm

    Great job to all the mentioned writers!

    My vote is for Jenny. LJ was a close second.

    Thanks for doing the contest Nathan.

    Reply
  195. ruththomashansen says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:29 pm

    I wish I had a towel for LJKuhnley. I hope he wins.
    Congratulations to all! Good job.

    Reply
  196. ljkuhnley says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:29 pm

    Jenny

    Thanks for the vote. You've got mine.

    I vote for Jenny.
    (With an honorary vote for Mira. I love the earwig).

    Reply
  197. Julie Arduini.com: The Surrendered Scribe says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:31 pm

    Tara.

    Great job, everyone!

    Reply
  198. Angie says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:31 pm

    Thanks for the contest, Nathan, and great entries everyone!

    Difficult decision, but I vote Jenny (followed closely by Jamie B).

    Reply
  199. Tara says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:31 pm

    Jenny gets my vote.

    Reply
  200. Empty Refrigerator says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:33 pm

    LJKuhnley! I loved that one.

    But all of them are great, as many others have said.

    And Mira, you made me smile. I think it's because what you wrote is exactly how I would have felt if I had gotten an h.m. 🙂 I guess it always feels good (validating) to have someone else put your own feelings (or what would have been your feelings) into words.

    Reply
  201. Sandra Stiles says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:39 pm

    I am impressed with all of them but my vote goes to Jamie B. I have always been a sucker for emotional reads. Great job guys

    Reply
  202. pippa says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:39 pm

    Tara. I really want to see where that story goes. Loved it!

    Reply
  203. Henya says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:39 pm

    Jamie gets my vote. Simply stated, I was drawn in immediately.

    Good job, Nathan.

    Reply
  204. Polenth says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:44 pm

    Tara.

    Reply
  205. Cynthia Wilson says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:44 pm

    Jamie B

    Reply
  206. dawnallen20 says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:45 pm

    LjKuhnley

    Reply
  207. Katie says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:47 pm

    LJKuhnley! Hilarious!

    (Random question)

    BTW, how many people do you think actually read the reasons for your decisions, etc. instead of just skipping ahead to see who you picked?

    Reply
  208. Empty Refrigerator says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:47 pm

    Nathan,
    I already voted, but I wanted to let you know that your contest really helped me out last night. I had to do a colonoscopy prep, which, if you don't know, is a fabulous experience involving multiple cups of a solution of what tastes like ocean water mixed with rotten Tang – anyway, guess what I did while I chugged? Yep. There were so many great entries, and reading them took my mind off the ocean water /tang, as well as the, shall we say, explosive aftermath, the details of which I'll spare you here. See? You help people in all kinds of ways that you don't even know about.

    Reply
  209. Lady Glamis says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:50 pm

    Congrats to the finalists! Another great contest, Mr. Bransford. 😀

    Reply
  210. Shauna says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:50 pm

    I vote for Jenny.

    And if she doesn't write it as a book; she's going to have to e-mail me and tell me what the secret is, what happens and when we get rid of that dang girlfriend.

    Reply
  211. marye.ulrich says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:51 pm

    Rowenna!

    Jane Austin lives again. This just sounds like a high school kid who thinks their world is so different from their parents.

    Reply
  212. Victoria Dixon says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:53 pm

    Man, was this ever hard! Kudos to you, Nathan.

    I'd have to say Jenny's got my vote locked because of her last line.

    Reply
  213. 2girls says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:54 pm

    Jenny withe Tara just a second behind.

    Reply
  214. Publicist says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:54 pm

    Jenny

    Reply
  215. Colette says

    January 7, 2010 at 11:56 pm

    All terrific! I vote for Jenny!!

    Reply
  216. Laura McMeeking says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:11 am

    All the finalists were great, but I'm still crying over Jamie B's, so my vote goes to her. Well done!

    Reply
  217. Darin says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:11 am

    LJKuhnley. I liked everyone's, but LJ captured a moment, and was funny and even more importantly, accurate. Great job everyone!

    Reply
  218. Madeleine says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:12 am

    I vote for Jenny. I love the last sentence. Pure brilliance. When I got there, I wanted to know what that darned secret was.

    To be fair, here's something I liked for all of them:

    Jamie B: The first sentence.
    Jenny: Almost everything, but especially the last sentence.
    Rowenna: The vocab.
    Tara: The second paragraph.
    LJKuhnley: The toilet bowl thing. Priceless. Plus, the "Dear Future Losers of Brookview High."

    Will you ever have another contest with similar prizes? (Yes, I've asked you this before. I guess I'm just dying to know.)

    -Madeleine

    Reply
  219. Genevieve says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:12 am

    I vote for Jenny.
    Some of those were beautifully written, but more like prose than diaries, I thought.

    Reply
  220. Dahle Pinata says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:20 am

    Gosh I feel it is a tough one between LJKuhnley and Jennifer! I've never been bullied but LJ's post sure makes ya think about it! Then Jennifer has a way of making you fall in love all over again and HECK we don't even know this guy! So since we can only vote for one of them MY VOTE IS FOR…LJKuhnley. Oh, and congrats to those who did so well!

    Reply
  221. J. M. Hunter says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:20 am

    It is almost impossible to choose between Jenny and LJKuhlney, but I'll cast my vote for Jenny. I was so enthralled while I was reading it at work, I didn't notice my boss standing over my shoulder. Reading. Intently.

    Reply
  222. thoughtful1 says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:21 am

    From my teen aged daughter re: two finalists:

    They were okay. They both seemed rather forced though. Like they were written by old people. Good ideas, but the style is just so so. Maybe it was the word limit.

    Reply
  223. Elle Strauss says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:21 am

    All are amazing, but my vote goes to TARA.

    Reply
  224. StephanieD says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:22 am

    LJKuhnley (but I really like Jenny's)

    Reply
  225. Girl with One Eye says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:26 am

    It was tough between Jenny and LJKuhnley…my vote, Jenny.

    Reply
  226. Karen L. Reese says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:27 am

    I vote for Tara. Her entry drew me in the most and the ending left me itching for more – the classic sign of a good story.

    Some of the others had a more authentic diary feel, but that also made them more difficult to read, as they lost my attention fairly easily.

    All of them had a very authentic YA feel, which I congratulate them all on. I guess my genre will always be adult fiction, even if my characters are not! 🙂

    Reply
  227. Julie says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:34 am

    any chance of another, similarly fantastic contest in the future? this was great, nathan.

    voting for LJKuhnley!

    Reply
  228. Janalyn says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:37 am

    Jenny!

    Reply
  229. Nita Lou Bryant says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:40 am

    My vote is for Jenny.

    Reply
  230. Sarah says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:42 am

    Tara!

    Reply
  231. Linguista says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:43 am

    LJ!

    Congrats everybody!

    http://aclairedawn.blogspot.com

    Reply
  232. Hollister says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:45 am

    Jamie B

    All the finalists wrote wonderful pieces.

    And congratulations to Jennifer Hubbard for THE SECRET YEAR!

    Reply
  233. Dorinda Ohnstad says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:48 am

    Congratulations to all five finalists. Very different types of writing, which made choosing one difficult.

    I cast my vote for Jenny.

    Reply
  234. Krista Ashe says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:48 am

    I give two enthusastic thumbs up to JAMIE's entry. Awesome job!

    Reply
  235. Kristin Laughtin says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:50 am

    Can I vote for three of them? I can vote for three of them, right?

    OK, I'll pick LJKuhnley.

    Reply
  236. Agnieszkas Shoes says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:51 am

    Rowenna
    She's the only one with a propper diary entry. The others are just to big scale. Great diary entries are about little things that feel big to the writer. Big events are lazy writing. IMHO

    Reply
  237. fridaysgirlcc says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:56 am

    Jenny! So much said in what was not said. Nice job!

    Reply
  238. Stephanie Jenkins says

    January 8, 2010 at 12:58 am

    Wow! All of the finalists and honorable mentions were awesome. JamieB's entry was my favorite, though. Beautiful writing. 🙂

    Reply
  239. sea-truth says

    January 8, 2010 at 1:04 am

    I don't think my comment posted, but here it goes again. My vote goes to Jenny's, which I really liked. Plus the last line sealed the deal for me, as I think it did for many others.

    Congrats to all the finalists, by the way!

    Reply
  240. Jennifer says

    January 8, 2010 at 1:04 am

    My vote's for Rowena. I just love that one. 😀 They're all good, but it took me back to reading Pride and Prejudice and those books that I just adore, and I just loved it. 🙂

    Reply
  241. Orange Slushie says

    January 8, 2010 at 1:08 am

    Tara, hands down.

    Reply
  242. Amna says

    January 8, 2010 at 1:13 am

    I vote for Jamie B!

    Absolutely loved her entry.

    Jenny was a close second. Am I the only one who almost fell of her chair when reading the last line.

    Great contest!

    Reply
  243. Yvonne says

    January 8, 2010 at 1:16 am

    It is a difficult choice but if you could choose five from– was it 685?– I can choose 1 from 5.

    I vote for Rowenna. Love the reference to Swift's Solution.

    Reply
  244. Rebecca Knight says

    January 8, 2010 at 1:17 am

    Dang–these were fantastic! SO hard to choose just among the finalists.

    My vote is for Tara! Although, the last entry was an extremely close runner up, and I now want to read the book (if there is one.)

    Great job, finalists!

    Reply
  245. Elizabeth says

    January 8, 2010 at 1:22 am

    Tara!

    Reply
  246. Ryan Ashley Scott says

    January 8, 2010 at 1:23 am

    Jenny.

    Reply
  247. Allez-y! says

    January 8, 2010 at 1:24 am

    Jenny!

    Reply
  248. Charlie Aka Children's Lit Addict says

    January 8, 2010 at 1:30 am

    Jenny gets my vote, closest to a teen voice. All great entries!

    Reply
  249. Inkblot says

    January 8, 2010 at 1:32 am

    My vote goes to Jenny, and I REALLY hope she plans to continue writing, because I want this as a book on my shelf!!

    Reply
  250. Catenabi says

    January 8, 2010 at 1:38 am

    My vote is for: Jenny

    Congrats to all the finalists!!

    Reply
  251. Adam Heine says

    January 8, 2010 at 1:47 am

    I can identify with LJKuhnley's, but my vote goes to Jenny. That one caught me off guard.

    Reply
  252. herethesidewalkends says

    January 8, 2010 at 1:50 am

    Rowenna!

    Reply
  253. Laura D says

    January 8, 2010 at 1:55 am

    I vote Jenny!

    Reply
  254. Tricia J. O'Brien says

    January 8, 2010 at 1:55 am

    I really loved the detail that established character in both Jenny's and Tara's entries. Having to choose just one, I'll say Tara for a fresh concept.

    And, Nathan, I am awed that you hold these fantastic contests. I'm speculating that you've cloned yourself so you can divvy up the work.

    Reply
  255. Becky says

    January 8, 2010 at 1:55 am

    Tara!

    Reply
  256. Charlee Vale says

    January 8, 2010 at 1:58 am

    I vote for Jenny! Thanks for hosting this fun contest!

    CV

    Reply
  257. Angela K. Nickerson says

    January 8, 2010 at 2:00 am

    LJKuhnley

    Great contest!

    Reply
  258. Mary says

    January 8, 2010 at 2:02 am

    All the finalists are well= written and unique. I vote for JKuhnley because her entry reminded me of the subject matter a teen would write about. Plus, I liked the humor.

    Jenny & Tara's entries were close seconds.

    Reply
  259. writercoll says

    January 8, 2010 at 2:05 am

    Jenny gets my vote.

    Also, yay Jenn! The day is finally here!!!!

    coll

    Reply
  260. Eva O'Dell says

    January 8, 2010 at 2:14 am

    My vote is for Jenny. Simple and full of truth.

    I have to say, it was a tough decision.

    Reply
  261. Karma & Adam says

    January 8, 2010 at 2:29 am

    Great contest! Can't believe you were able to get through all of the entries, Natha…wow.

    It was tough (all finalists were great) but I kept coming back to Jenny's entry. Something about it stuck with me.

    Good luck everyone!

    Reply
  262. Nicole says

    January 8, 2010 at 2:29 am

    All of the finalists are great, which makes voting hard but after reading them all three times I'd have to pick Rowenna.

    Reply
  263. Trish says

    January 8, 2010 at 2:32 am

    Nathan, you rock!

    I vote for LJKuhnley!

    I loved all the finalists though and laughed out loud at some of the others, particularly Holly Bodger and Liz Czuka's posts.

    Reply
  264. KM Fawcett says

    January 8, 2010 at 2:33 am

    Thanks for the contest, Nathan. Lots of great entries.

    My vote is for LJKuhnley (did I spell that right?)

    Reply
  265. Ann M says

    January 8, 2010 at 2:41 am

    What an enjoyable contest!! I can hardly wait for the next one!

    It was very difficult to choose, but I think I'll go with Tara!
    I really enjoyed the simplicity of the entry and yet I felt I was already immersed in the story.

    Reply
  266. J.S. Wood says

    January 8, 2010 at 2:43 am

    They are all so good but Jamie B gets my vote!

    Reply
  267. inkspatters says

    January 8, 2010 at 2:44 am

    Jamie B. Amazingly beautiful writing.

    Reply
  268. TheUndertaker says

    January 8, 2010 at 2:53 am

    I vote for Jenny please! I would like to read the rest of that 'book', it grabbed me.

    Reply
  269. Dave F. says

    January 8, 2010 at 2:53 am

    I vote for Jamie B — Dear Pop Pop.
    I liked it the best.

    Reply
  270. Jude Hardin says

    January 8, 2010 at 2:57 am

    LJKuhnley.

    Really first-rate.

    Reply
  271. Rowenna says

    January 8, 2010 at 3:08 am

    Wow…this is unexpected! Congrats to the finalists and runners-up–really fabulous work. I fully intended to pop into the comments to vote for one of the other finalists but I'm finding that I can't pick–Jamie's was so evocative, Jenny pulled me into the story so deftly, Tara's use of detail was just lovely, and LJ made me laugh out loud.

    Thanks for this contest, Nathan!

    Reply
  272. Marina says

    January 8, 2010 at 3:08 am

    They're all fantastic and I had a hard time deciding. But I really loved Jenny B.'s.

    Reply
  273. holly says

    January 8, 2010 at 3:10 am

    wow, sounds very good, and also congrats to the winners of the contest.

    Reply
  274. J.J. Bennett says

    January 8, 2010 at 3:27 am

    Okay. I pick Jenny! I'm a sucker for great description.

    P.S. Mira I loved yours too. 🙂

    Reply
  275. Abby says

    January 8, 2010 at 3:31 am

    Talented, all.

    But my vote is for Jenny, followed closely by Jamie B.

    You both just raised the bar.

    Reply
  276. KeepWhitneyWild says

    January 8, 2010 at 3:32 am

    LJKuhnley !!!!!

    Reply
  277. Jess says

    January 8, 2010 at 3:35 am

    Great entries. I'm going for Tara

    Reply
  278. Mira says

    January 8, 2010 at 3:41 am

    These are sincerely impressive entries. I thought they were all extremely well-written. In fact, I'd choose any of them. It was a ridiculously difficult decision.

    I thought Jaime's was heartbreakingly and beautiful, Jenny really captured the erotic yearning of a crush, and Tara's was original, intriguing and suprising.

    Rowena's was beautifully done – subtle and captured the period voice.

    But LJ is a style close to my heart. When I read it, I thought I couldn't have written this voice, but I wish I could. That's my vote, definitely!

    And thanks to those people who said they liked my earwig. It meant alot!

    Marilyn, thank you for your support – I felt sad though when you said you'd given up. I hope you'll reconsider. I like your writing alot.

    I thought all the HM were terrific too!

    Reply
  279. Stacy McKitrick says

    January 8, 2010 at 3:45 am

    It was hard to decide, but since I need to pick, I'll pick Jenny's. I could kind of relate to that one (back with I was a teenager, anyway!).

    Reply
  280. Jemi Fraser says

    January 8, 2010 at 3:47 am

    I love the diversity of these really well written entries. Very well done, everyone!

    My fave (and it was tough) would be Dear Pop Pop by Jamie B. Wow.

    Reply
  281. Jewel/Pink Ink says

    January 8, 2010 at 3:52 am

    Great contest, Nathan!

    My vote is Jamie B.

    Reply
  282. Jaime says

    January 8, 2010 at 4:36 am

    Jenny!

    Well done to everyone!

    Reply
  283. Glamour177 says

    January 8, 2010 at 4:37 am

    I vote for Jenny. I believe I fell in love with Jake just from that short entry.

    Reply
  284. Kelly says

    January 8, 2010 at 4:46 am

    Thanks for putting in all the hours for this contest, Nathan!
    Excellent entries!
    My vote is for Jenny. It made me smile.

    Reply
  285. Jackie Brown says

    January 8, 2010 at 4:50 am

    LJKuhnley!

    Thanks for another challenging contest, Nathan. How many hours are there in your day? How do you get it all done??

    I'm bummed because my B&N (NYC) didn't have The Secret Year in stock today. I'll try again tomorrow.

    Reply
  286. Paranormalchick says

    January 8, 2010 at 4:58 am

    My vote—JAMIE B. Love the flow and the emotional tug. Great job!

    Reply
  287. folksinmt says

    January 8, 2010 at 5:03 am

    Loved them all…but I have to vote for LJK. It was funny…yet painful. So glad to have high school long behind me.

    Reply
  288. Rusty says

    January 8, 2010 at 5:28 am

    Nathan – great contest! Loved both the finalist & the runner up entries. My vote goes to LJKuhnley …

    Reply
  289. Vacuum Queen says

    January 8, 2010 at 5:45 am

    LJ and then Jenny. I'm on pacific time, so hopefully my vote still counts.

    Reply
  290. Tricia says

    January 8, 2010 at 6:00 am

    Fun Contest Nathan, thanks.

    I enjoyed entering and reading the entries.

    My vote is for Jenny.

    Reply
  291. Nathan Bransford says

    January 8, 2010 at 6:01 am

    Voting is closed! Winner will be announced tomorrow.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

About Nathan

Hi, I’m Nathan. I’m the author of How to Write a Novel and the Jacob Wonderbar series, which was published by Penguin. I used to be a literary agent at Curtis Brown Ltd. and I’m dedicated to helping authors chase their dreams. Let me help you with your book!

My blog has everything you need to know to write, edit, and publish a book. Can’t find what you need or want personalized help? Reach out.

Learn more about me

Need Editing?

I'm available for consultations, edits, query critiques, brainstorming, and more.
Learn more!

My Books

How to Write a Novel
Cover of How to Publish a Book by Nathan Bransford
Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapo
Jacob Wonderbar for President of the Universe
Jacob Wonderbar and the Interstellar Time Warp

Subscribe!

Receive the blog directly in your inbox when there are new posts!

Follow Nathan on the social media

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Forums

Need help with your query? Want to talk books? Check out the Nathan Bransford Forums

Peruse the archives

Affiliate Disclosure

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon links are usually affiliate links.

Nathan Bransford © 2019 · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.