Talentmania Fan Fiction Entry #22

Friendship Bracelet
By Julie Belnap

Those few weeks with Jude were absolute bliss.

April had been friends with Jude for years, and she knew a lot about him through their conversations at the café and through Grace. She was about on the moon when he asked her for coffee.

She could tell that he asked her out because he needed to let off steam of the situation. Maryanne Duke had just died. He found her body. They started talking about casual things. She could tell that she was his escape, in hindsight.

She only wished she could have been more helpful. The most interesting thing that had happened to her was her parent’s divorce.

Two days later he dropped the bomb. Daniel was a werewolf, and Jude might end up like him.
April’s second feeling was worrying about Grace being so close to Daniel. Her first thought was to try and find a cure for Jude.

A couple of days after Jude shared his secret, April got to work on a gift for him. He told her that werewolves had an allergy to silver, so she thought that even if he did fall like Daniel, she still wanted him to wear whatever she made. She thought about it for a day, and then finally made a decision.

She wove a braid of blue, black, and green; into a friendship bracelet for Jude. She made sure it was perfect, and handed it to him Monday morning, that first day that Grace didn’t go to school.
Jude was in a good mood that morning, and hugged her in the hall. “Hey beautiful,” April about swooned. “How are you?”

For the first time since Jude asked her out, she was flustered. “I’m f-fine. I have a present for you.” She pulled out a wrapped box with a cute little bow on it.

“Thank you.” Jude said. He was in such a good mood. April probably should have been suspicious but she didn’t want to ruin a happy moment. Especially when with the Divine family, there seemed to be so few since the Markham Street Monster returned, in Daniel. “How about I wait until after school to open it?”

“Okay…” April pouted a bit.

He hugged her and escorted her to class. Jude wasn’t much of a fan of public displays of affection, but April would never deny something like that.

Later that day, April was really worried about Grace, but Jude dodged most of her questions with questions about her. They ended up at her house, with no one else home.

Jude opened the present. “Thank you, April.” He turned to her and kissed her square on the mouth.

At first her eyes were opened wide in surprise, but she embraced him and the gentle kiss turned into a full out snug. Finally, Jude seemed to get a hold of himself and backed off.

“I’ll wear it every day.” He slipped it on his wrist. “I should get home.”

That day had to have been the best day she had with Jude.

She was so excited for the Christmas dance. Grace had tried to bail, but she wouldn’t let her unsupportive friend (and potential sister-in-law?) get in the way of her happiness.
The only thing that she was worried about that night was if her nails looked okay. She was confused about the confrontation with Jude and Grace, but didn’t let it ruin her night. She didn’t know what happened, but before she knew it, Jude, Grace, and Pete were gone. She ran after them.

The main thing she remembered from that night (besides seeing Jude nude, of course) was watching Daniel turn back into a human. Watch him being healed from being stabbed in the heart. By Grace.

She ran off to get help, and remembered what Jude once told her. “The wolf can only be saved by a sacrifice of love.” But she could never kill Jude like that. She could never handle that. It made her wonder how superficial things were.

After they came back for help, she picked up pieces of a blue, black, and green friendship bracelet covered in blood. She repaired it and went to the Divine house.

But Jude was already gone. If only repairing her heart would have been as easy as fixing the bracelet. She knew she failed him. And she’d never forgive herself.

Talentmania Fan Fiction Entry #23

Second Chance
A Dark Divine Fan Fiction by Jared Peterson

Grace Divine jogged along the side of the frozen road. Despite the frigid morning air, she wore only a thin jacket. Her nose and cheeks were tinged with red.
It had been two months since that day in the Parish, the day when she’d saved Daniel from the wolf. Two months since she’d been infected with the powers of a monster; two months since she’d last seen Jude. Jude . . . Grace found herself thinking about him often.
The sky above churned in a maelstrom of hate, envy, longing and cold, dark emptiness. She stopped, holding her arms closer to her, wishing there was some way to erase the void that was Jude’s absence. Closing her eyes, she bowed her head to give a silent prayer to God above – if He was even listening.
A bright flash of ambient light illuminated the empty street.
Grace snapped to attention, warmth trickling into her limbs.
Purple and blue blotches flashed before her eyes, and she blinked furiously in an attempt to push them away.
A figure stood before her. Simply the way she moved screamed familiarity.
“Grace,” a voice said. A feminine voice. A voice she knew all-too well. “Grace, is that you?”
The light in her retinas began to fade; enough that she could see clearly. Her eyes widened. She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came. It was as if she were looking into a mirror, with the exception of one thing: when she moved, her reflection didn’t.
“How . . .” she stuttered.
Grace Divine stepped toward her slowly, as if scared she might shatter.
“It’s alright,” Grace Two whispered. “I’m a friend.”
Grace stared dumbstruck at herself. “Who are you?” she said.
“I’m you, Grace.” The figure said, “I’m your parallel.”

They walked down the street. Grace kept giving “herself” sideways glances every now and then, still quite unsure of this.
Maybe I’ve gone senile, Grace thought, I’m just having hallucinations. Or maybe it’s just a dream. . . . But it was difficult to convince her mind any of these were true. It seemed harder to persuade herself of the implausibility of anything lately, not when such ultra-mundane events were included in her everyday schedule.
They stopped beside the ashen walnut tree in their yard. Her dad was at the Parish, working; her mom was monotonously checking off grocery items at the store, probably fretting over which loaf of bread she should buy – Which bread-tie matches the curtains better? – And Daniel had gone into town for the day. Grace could still feel the warm, soft touch of his lips when he’d kissed her good-bye.
Grace Two had her tear-welling eyes turned to the frozen grass as she said, “I miss that old tree.”
Grace looked at her quizzically. “What do you mean?”
“Jude . . . had Dad chop it down a few years back. Said he was sick of looking at it.”
“What? Jude would never do something like that. Not in a million years.”
Grace Two gave her an icy glare, narrowing her eyes.
“I don’t think you get it,” she said, “things are different where I live, Grace. People are different. They may look exactly the same, but that doesn’t mean they have to act like it. In my world, that is exactly something Jude would do.”
Grace looked at her hands. They were still stained with the oils her and Daniel had used the day before. Painting this exact tree. She absentmindedly traced the chromatic pattern they’d created. It looked like a river of sorts; with twists and turns, and all grey and blue. If Jude was so different, then what else could be? The possibilities seemed endless. Am I different? Do I still love Daniel?
“I came here today, Grace, because I wanted to tell you something. I know this is probably all still confusing for you, but believe me when I tell you this: you don’t know how good you have it. You don’t know what you have, the opportunities in front of you. Don’t waste them.”
Grace Two looked at her a pleading look in her eyes.
Grace looked up, suddenly aware of her breath in the subzero air.
“What do you mean?”
Her parallel turned her head away as though ashamed of herself, and wiped a tear from her eye.
“Daniel died that night, Grace. . . . I couldn’t save him.”
She disappeared with a flash.

Roundup of stuff you should know about

Hey folks-

Just a quick note to tell you about a few things you should know about:

1. The winner of the $20 iTunes giftcard was Christine Chapman. (Egmont will contact you about claiming your prize.)

2. Yesterday, I sent out a bunch of special Dark Divine Valentine's Day Treats, but if you didn't get one, you can still go HERE to enjoy. Caution: Contains Much Hotness.

3. Loving all the entries for Dark Divine Fan Talentmania! The fan-fiction entries have been rolling in, but we still need some more Fan Art entries to round out the pack. If you love creating fan art, or know someone who does, throw your talent into the ring. Also, I've decided to extend the deadline for Fan Art entries until February 20th so you all can have more time to work on your projects. (Note: the extension is for FAN ART ONLY.) For details about the contest, go HERE.

Full Moon Extravaganza #5

The full moon is bright in the sky once again, and Egmont USA is celebrating with a new extravaganza. This time you can win a $20 iTunes giftcard. Head over to their Facebook page in order to enter by clicking HERE.

And don't forget about the Dark Divine Fan Talentmania. Submissions are starting to come in and I am so excited! Be sure to check out the contest because there is something for everyone. Even if you don't want to submit fan art or fan fiction, you can still enter to win signed books, jewelry, and nail polish by helping to spread the word about Talentmania. For details, click HERE.

Oh, and look what arrived today: Hardcover copies of THE SAVAGE GRACE! I can't believe this little baby is finally a real book! Isn't she a beauty?



Also, a few events are coming up over the next couple months too. Check them out:

February 9th-11th - I'll be speaking and signing at the Life, The Universe, and Everything conference in Provo, UT. (Utah Valley University)

March 13th - THE SAVAGE GRACE will release in the US! The official launch party will be held that evening at The King's English in Salt Lake City, UT, so save the date.

March 17th - I'll be teaching at the Writing For Charity conference held at the Provo Library. This is a great event that gives all its proceeds to children's charities. Go HERE for more details.

April 11th-15th - I'll be attending the RT Book Lover's Convention in Chicago and participating in the YA Slumber Party, the Teen Day Party, as well as doing a signing in YA Alley. Be sure to stop by if you'll be there, too!

Dark Divine Fan Wrestlemania Talentmania

CALLING ALL WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS . . .

In anticipation for the upcoming release of THE SAVAGE GRACE--the third and final installment in the Dark Divine trilogy--Bree Despain and Egmont USA are excited to introduce the first ever Dark Divine Fan Fiction and Fan Art Competition:

Dark Divine Fan Wrestlemania Talentmania!

Okay, here's the thing. There's nothing that warms my heart more than fan fiction and fan art. Like seriously, it makes me giddy. The only thing I love just as much, is giving stuff away. Which means I think it is time for an awesome contest!

But not just any contest. Think of it more as an epic showdown of the best Dark Divine fan art and fan fiction out there. With two categories and two opportunities to win awesome stuff--writers, artists, fans of the Dark Divine trilogy, show me what you've got!

All entries will be posted here on my blog to be voted on by blog readers at home, and the finalists will be judged by a panel of professional artists and nationally published authors. Winners will take home a fabulous prize pack.

[Not a writer or an artist? Don't worry, you can participate in the contest by voting for your favorite entries, and spreading the word about Dark Divine Fan Talentmania!--and Egmont USA is donating door prizes (see below) that will be given out to randomly selected voters!]

Here's how it works:

Contestants have 2 weeks to create an entry. They will then need to send a copy of their work to me at readbreecontests(at)gmail(dot)com by 11:59 P.M. MST on February 17th, 2012. Edit: the deadline for Fan Art entries has been extended to February 20th. I will then post all of the Fan Fiction entries here on my blog on February 20th. All Fan Art entries will be posted on February 21st. Blog readers will then have one week (respectively) to vote for their favorite entries.

For each category (Art and Fiction) 3 entries will be picked by popular vote to advance on the the finals. 2 additional entries will be selected (by me) as "wild card" entries to advance on to the final round as well.

These five finalists in each category will then be submitted to a panel of judges (consisting of professional artists and nationally published authors) who will determine the winners of first, second, and third place. (Prizes explained in a minute.) Winners will be announced on or before March 13th, 2012. (TSG release day!)

The first category is FAN FICTION. The rules:

1. Write and submit a short story that takes place in the Dark Divine world, meaning it must follow the rules established for the DD mythology, setting, characters, etc.

2. Your story must include at least one Dark Divine character. As in, someone featured in one of the stories by Bree Despain: THE DARK DIVINE, THE LOST SAINT, or THE LOST LETTERS OF BROTHER GABRIEL.

3. If you want to create your own vision for a scene from THE SAVAGE GRACE, that's fine. But to the few who have already read TSG, please NO TSG SPOILERS!

4. Your story must be NO LONGER than 750 words. 751 words disqualifies you.

5. Please send your story in the body of your email. No attachments please.

6. Please send entries to readbreecontests(at)gmail(dot)com with the subject line: FAN FICTION ENTRY.

7. Your entry MUST be received by 11:59 p.m. MST on February 17th, 2012 in order to be considered. (Yes, you can submit something you've written previously to today, just make sure it fits the criteria.)

8. This contest is open internationally, however, your entry must be written in English. (Or sadly, I won't be able to read it.)

9. I reserve the right not to post any entry I deem inappropriate for this forum. As in, keep it rated PG-13 or lower. (My mom reads this blog, ya know.)

The second category is FAN ART. The rules:

1. Create an illustration/depiction in any medium that has something to do with the Dark Divine world as established in THE DARK DIVINE, THE LOST SAINT, or THE LOST LETTERS OF BROTHER GABRIEL. As in: a scene from one of the books, a character illustration, a scene you would like to see happen, etc.

2. If you want to create your own vision for something that might happen in THE SAVAGE GRACE, that's fine. But to the few who have already read TSG, please NO TSG SPOILERS!

3. The artwork must be sent to me in a digital format (i.e. if you didn't create it on your computer, take a picture or scan it).

4. No files larger than 1MB.

5. Please include a description of your work for use during the judging process.

6. Send entries to readbreecontests(at)gmail(dot)com with the subject line: FAN ART ENTRY

7. Your entry MUST be received by 11:59 p.m. MST on February 17th, 2012. Edit: the deadline for Fan Art entries has been extended to February 20th. (Yes, you can submit something you've created previously to today, just make sure it fits the
criteria.)

8. This contest is open internationally, however, your entry must be submitted in English. (Or sadly, I won't be able to read it.)

9. I reserve the right not to post any entry I deem inappropriate for this forum. As in, keep it rated PG-13 or lower. (My mom reads this blog, ya know.)

PRIZES: Okay, on to the goods. As stated above, there will be two grand prize winners, two second place winners, and two third place winners (one for each category).


GRAND PRIZE PACKAGE:

1. A $100 gift-card to your choice of one of these retailers: Amazon, Indie Bound, Barnes & Noble, or Infinite Jewelry Company.

2. Signed hardback editions of THE DARK DIVINE, THE LOST SAINT, and THE SAVAGE GRACE.

3. Either a 45 minute Skype visit with Bree Despain to discuss writing, publishing, the Dark Divine trilogy, Daniel's hotness, chocolate, kittens . . . or whatever you want to talk about. This can be used for yourself, a friend, a book club, classroom, blog interview, etc.

OR . . .

Receive a 15 page manuscript critique from Bree Despain for a Young Adult or Middle Grade novel/story. (As in, Bree will read the first 15 pages of your manuscript and give you useful feedback.)

4. The complete Dark Divine nail polish set, including: THE DARK DIVINE violet, THE LOST SAINT blue, and THE SAVAGE GRACE coral pink. (Note: Nail polish cannot be shipped outside the US, so international winners will receive stickers and bookmarks instead.)

5. Winner's entry will be published on Bree Despain's official website for all to enjoy.

SECOND PLACE PRIZE PACKAGE:

1. A $30 gift-card to your choice of one of these retailers: Amazon, Indie Bound, Barnes & Noble, or Infinite Jewelry Company.

2. Signed paperback copies of THE DARK DIVINE and THE LOST SAINT (which includes THE LOST LETTERS OF BROTHER GABRIEL.)

3. A bottle of THS SAVAGE GRACE nail polish. (Note: Nail polish cannot be shipped outside the US, so international winners will receive stickers and bookmarks instead.)

4. Winner's entry will be published on Bree Despain's official website for all to enjoy.

THIRD PLACE PRIZE PACKAGE:

1. A $20 gift-card to your choice of one of these retailers: Amazon, Indie Bound, Barnes & Noble, or Infinite Jewelry Company.

2. A bottle of THS SAVAGE GRACE nail polish. (Note: Nail polish cannot be shipped outside the US, so international winners will receive stickers and bookmarks instead.)

3. Winner's entry will be published on Bree Despain's official website for all to enjoy.

DOOR PRIZES:

Don't forget, everyone can participate in the contest by voting and by spreading the word about Dark Divine Fan Talentmania--and you will be entered to win some fabulous door prizes by doing so, including:

Signed books:
HOURGLASS by Myra McEntire
TRIS & IZZIE by Mette Ivie Harrison
THE MEPHISTO COVENANT by Trinity Faegen
EVERY OTHER DAY by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
THE BUTTERFLY CLUES by Kate Ellison
THE SAVAGE GRACE by Bree Despain
EVERNEATH by Brodi Ashton
TIGER'S VOYAGE by Colleen Houck

Dark Divine Jewelry from Infinite Jewelry Company

TSG nail polish

{EDIT FOR CLARITY: if you submit fan art of fan fan fiction entry, you still enter to win door prizes by voting and spreading the word.}

Ready to start earning entries in the door prize contest right away? You can do so by spreading the word on twitter, Facebook, or your favorite social media site about the contest, directing people to this post. Then just leave a comment on this post telling me what you did (with linkage) to get your first entry!

Artist and Writers, get those entries ready and be sure to email them to readbreecontests(at)gmail(dot)com before 11:59 p.m. MST on February 17th, 2012!

Need to brush up on the Dark Divine novels before getting started? Click HERE.

Looking for a little inspiration to get your creative juices flowing? Check out this totally neat fan-made trailer for THE SAVAGE GRACE.

Disclaimer: (Legalese)Entering the above contest constitutes the entrant's agreement to the posting and publication of his or her work on any website owned or operated by Bree Despain. In accordance with copyright laws, any original content will be credited as appropriate. Entrant is also attesting that their entry is their own original work and not plagiarized. No purchase necessary to enter this contest. (Plain English)In other words, if you enter the contest, you are agreeing that I can post your work on my sites without further release from you, but I promise I'll give you credit. Also, you are promising me that you didn't steal your entry from someone else. Got it? Good.

Got further questions? Ask me in the comments, or send an email to the addy listed above.

{Edit: to answer one question, yes you can submit more than one entry in the Fiction or Art contest (or both) but only only entry per person is allowed to advance on to the finals.}