Awesome!  Congratulations @Libby Drew!  Well deserved.  It was a beautiful story. 

Congratulations  

Congratulations!!

Funny thing is, originally, I thought Libby Drew wrote this story, but then I second guessed myself! 

Congratulations @Libby Drew, you did a fantastic job with 14,000 Days of Virtue, the reviews are there to prove it. 

Congratulations!  

Thank you, everybody! 14,000 Days of Virtue is truly the saddest thing I've ever written, and I didn't believe it would have a chance against a more upbeat story, BUT I wrote it anyway. I feel like submitting anonymously gives me tremendous freedom to try something outside my wheelhouse. I couldn't be happier at its reception.  Even if I cried while I was writing it. 🙃

And now, I can dive into all the other entries! Which I've held off on doing until now...

Thank you to all the readers and especially to @Cia for modding the anthology/contest!

2 minutes ago, Libby Drew said:

Thank you, everybody! 14,000 Days of Virtue is truly the saddest thing I've ever written, and I didn't believe it would have a chance against a more upbeat story, BUT I wrote it anyway. I feel like submitting anonymously gives me tremendous freedom to try something outside my wheelhouse. I couldn't be happier at its reception.  Even if I cried while I was writing it. 🙃

And now, I can dive into all the other entries! Which I've held off on doing until now...

Thank you to all the readers and especially to @Cia for modding the anthology/contest!

Lucky for you (not that you needed any luck) there was not much along the lines of upbeat stories lol

Heartfelt congratulations, Libby. What a touching story!

2 minutes ago, Mrsgnomie said:

Lucky for you (not that you needed any luck) there was not much along the lines of upbeat stories lol

So what you're saying is... open a bottle of wine and grab some tissues before I dive in tonight? 😉

Just now, Tim Hobson said:

Heartfelt congratulations, Libby. What a touching story!

Thank you. I'll be replying to story comments in detail tomorrow but please know yours touched me very deeply. You have tremendous courage.

16 minutes ago, Libby Drew said:

So what you're saying is... open a bottle of wine and grab some tissues before I dive in tonight? 😉

I would say a couple are sad...some are just...dark-er... lol

I guessed wrong on this one, and I should have known since I'm currently very heavily invested in Bending the Iron...but it is very different from what you've posted before, and I have to say, congratulations Libby!! It's a wonderful tale that was, yes, very sad - but also an amazing look at friendship, and love, and sacrifice. I was pulled in immediately, and I could relate very easily, as I've lost two grandparents to Alzheimer's or dementia. 

Congratulations @Libby Drew a truly awesome story.

Well deserved and congratulations...

Congrats to both!

Thanks to all who wrote, read and voted!

@Libby Drew and @George Richard

Congrats to the both of you.

Libby, it's a wonderful, wonderful story.  I enjoyed it very much. It was very moving.

I enjoyed all the stories, though i know i owe some comments on a couple of them. I'll get there. It was a great contest and a lot of fun. I hope we get a larger bunch of souls to join next time.

There's nothing much to be afraid of. 

Here, here.  I raise my cup and toast both @Libby Drew and @George Richard.  Congratulations to each of you! 

Congratulations to you both!  

Yes, well done. There was some stiff competition!

The winning story was powerful and, I thought, very original.

Congratulations! That story had an impact.

20 hours ago, Jkeeletupelo said:

I guessed wrong on this one, and I should have known since I'm currently very heavily invested in Bending the Iron...but it is very different from what you've posted before, and I have to say, congratulations Libby!! It's a wonderful tale that was, yes, very sad - but also an amazing look at friendship, and love, and sacrifice. I was pulled in immediately, and I could relate very easily, as I've lost two grandparents to Alzheimer's or dementia. 

It was very different. I do love my happy endings. I appreciated the challenge of taking on a concept I'd normally steer away from. You hit the nail on the head with sacrifice; there was certainly plenty of that. While some may feel the saddest part of the story was the crippling toll of dementia, I think for me it was how Sid pretty much lived his whole life for a person who could never give him 100%. 

My daughter, who often reads my work (I appreciate her feedback) asked me what I thought the most heartbreaking line was, and that was tough. I think it was either, "He lives by himself in upstate New York." or the line from the hospital flashback when Arthur makes Sidney promise never to leave him -- an incredibly selfish request, all things considered. 

Anyway, I'm rambling. But thank you for your kind words and feedback. I truly appreciate them. 🙂