Welcome to The VERB!

Well, I have wrapped up reading the 291 entries in our Romantic Encounter Contest—twice—and I am pleased to announce that hopeless romantics are alive and well in 2009. WooHoo!

Unlike our standard contests, which call for a complete story with a beginning, a middle and an ending, these entries were only required to contain a scene of up to 1,000 words. The meeting of the lovebirds. And this is when the contest-judging thingy turns into a party. Aside from reading about so many different characters, worlds and circumstances, I also discovered a thing or two about the authors.

That’s right, as Barney Fife once said to Otis, "You stood naked before me." And this is what I found:

Some feel the first step to a romantic encounter is sexual contact. The sooner the couple commences the kissing, the hugging and the making love, the better. And stop with the talking already. This is certainly the easiest approach because it's surface stuff, but if done well, it also can be quite a [ahem] bonbon-melting read. So I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that these writers are really into... porn.

Some feel the first step to a romantic encounter is intellectual contact. The sooner the two open up and express their opinions, the better. This approach offers a greater challenge because the writer must take the time to delve beneath the surface. What makes her so darn smart? What makes him so darn attractive? Shut up. No, you shut up. So I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that these writers are really into... debates.

And then there's a third group (the majority) who feel the first step to a romantic encounter is really a combination of the two. Sexual tension plus intellectual stimulation equals anticipation. And there is no greater gift a storyteller can give her readers. It’s a little bit of hope, impatience, joy and wonder. And everyone needs at least a little of it to get into the mood. I don't even have to go out to the limb on this one. These writers are really into... romance.

So there you have it: 3 perspectives of human attraction and 291 ways to express them. Doesn't get any better than this. So I thank you all for sharing your stories. It was both a hoot and an honor to read your work. (Well, except for that one entry where the first encounter was an actual rape and the heroine falls for the so-called hero afterward. Try again, buster. Even in the fictional world, things have to follow a logical pattern.) And if you'd care to have a more in-depth analysis of your entry, you may, for a limited time, receive a Contest Opinion for half price. Check it out.

Congrats to the winner, Sue Wentz. Her winning scene is published in this issue on page 7. And a round of applause goes to the Honorable Mentions: Lisa Logan, Maria Fingleton, Charles Stucker, Elizabeth James, Kim Beck, Laurie Baughman, Christine Henderson, Delia Latham, Darcee Yates and Kelli A. Wilkins. As usual, the competition was fierce and the final decision was tough.

Now where are my bonbons?

Elizabeth Guy
Editor

   The VERB
is published once
 a month.
It is sent 
exclusively
 to those who
 requested and
 confirmed a
 subscription. 
To manage 
yours, 
please go to 
the sign-up box
on the left.
























 

This issue 
was published 
under the musical 
influence of...




GINO VANELLI
Slow Love