First Time Writer Mention: daisy3853 with Underexposed

Every time we got an entry from someone who hadn't written anything before, I did a silent little squee of excitement and pride. It's kind of like all those fics you read where Bella has saved herself for Edward and when they finally get together it's beautiful and wonderful and Edward is all giddy because she's never been with anyone else, and so no matter what, he has solidified himself as numero uno in the story of her life. That's what it was like for me, knowing that writer saved herself for this contest, and it's like this magical beautiful thing and we were her first, well, or Jasper was I guess. I guess it's kind of like the writer's first time ends up being a foursome with Jasper, Elle and me, and well...with a whole lot of people watching. Actually, I guess that's kind of skanky, so I don't know why I ever thought it was so special...

Wait, no. It's amazing because here we thought we were going to be this little dinky contest and then boom all these people decide to write their first-ever story for us, and about Jasper. And since we love Jasper, we love that he inspired so many people to write and that we could provide a vehicle for them to get a little extra attention for it. So yeah, it is magical how many amazing entries we got, and how many of those were from folks who never posted a story before. "Underexposed" by daisy3853 is an example of one of the best from that category.

Man, this one spans the categories. It's got a JILF, a JILS, hell, a BILS, and even a damn RILS (that would be Rose). It begins in a photography class, ends in a darkroom and everything in between is a gorgeous, heart-wrenching, beautifully written story of two people who fall in love, while sharing a love for the camera. Jasper and his little sister Rosie have a lot of pain in their lives and Bella picks up on it instantly. She's no stranger to it, having lost her mother just shortly after she gave birth to Bella, and knowing she is a constant reminder of that loss to her father. Bella is instantly drawn to Jasper and feels an almost immediate desire to dissolve, or, at the very least, shoulder some of Jasper's pain. They get to know each other in photo class, and as Bella learns more about Jasper, she falls deeper in love. The feeling is far from one-sided but before Jasper can give himself over to Bella, he must learn to let go of his darkness and let her in.

Daisy does a beautiful job weaving the beauty and power of photography into the story and using it as a tool to show the deepening of Bella and Jasper's relationship and affections. Her love for the art shines through clearly in this story and yet it never becomes boring or instructional - not even close. As I read, I often found myself wide-eyed at the sheer beauty of some of her words and images, and I was deeply impressed at how fluidly she tells the story. I read the end again, to write this blurb, and again my jaw dropped and my eyes teared up. That her first endeavor could be something so masterful and moving is insanely impressive. I truly hope you'll give it a shot, if only to read that wonderful ending.

So thank you, Daisy, for making us your first. Jasper, Elle and me. We think this may be the start of something beautiful.

-LaViePastiche

Link to story: Underexposed by daisy3853

Host Mention - Favorite Jasper / Bella: Camels and Cloves by Chicklette

Since this is our contest, we figured we could, just once, go all Veruca Salt and make an Honorable Mention category for our favorite pairing: Jasper/Bella. We wanted to pick one Jasper/Bella story that we really loved (and - in the case of the story we ending up choosing - that also happened to be loved by the judges and the public voters) because...well, because we can.

This wasn’t easy. We received a total of 42 stories that were labelled as Jasper/Bella. There were more than a few that we really, seriously loved, but life is all about tough choices so we decided to limit ourselves to honoring just one: "Camels and Cloves," by Chicklette.

I personally loved this story because it has all the elements I like to see in a J/B one-shot: Red-hot JILF? Check. A cool, kind-hearted Bella? Check. Edward? Nope. Alice? Nope (I am told this makes it easier for queasy canon shippers). Some intrigue? Check. Some cool musical references, some slow building UST, leading into some sweet, sweet loving? Check, check, check. Like I said, Chicklette gave us all of that and wrapped it up in a lovely, well-written package replete with wit, humor, attitude, a bit of angst, and a lot of “awww” moments that ultimately make this Jasper very JILSy too.

The story is written in Jasper’s POV and begins with the first time he meets Bella, the new kid, when the two of them are taking a smoke break outside at a party. Quickly we learn that Jasper has a secret, one that many of the kids at school have already filled Bella in on.

“You’re Jasper Whitlock,” she says. I nod, but don’t say anything else. If she knows my name, then she’s heard the stories.

But of course, our gal Bella would not judge lest she be judged, and we eventually find out that there are some rumors about her swirling at school, as well. We watch as Bella persistently tries to break through Jasper’s many barriers and gets to know the truth behind the crazy stories, and they soon discover that they can relate to each other on many levels. At its core, "Camels and Cloves" is a charming high school love story about perception and its impact on relationships: how they are dissolved, formed or strengthened due to it. Chicklette is a great appreciator of Jasper and of the Jasper/Bella ship and it is clearly evidenced in this fantastic entry. I urge you to check it out. Go. Now. *indignant pout and foot stomp*

- LaViePastiche

Link to story: Camels and Cloves by Chicklette. As a note, Chicklette also entered a second Jasper / Bella in the contest: Unbroken

Host Mention - Favorite Use of Edward: Shameless Developments by SweetDulcinea

There were a few stories scattered through the contest that used Edward and/or Bella, depending on the main pairing, in particularly creative ways. For example, "Riders on the Storm" by teacupsNmints - an Edward / Jasper pairing - featured a Bella motorcycle. When I read "Shameless Developments" by SweetDulcinea, I knew immediately that this would be the most creative of the lot.

"Shameless" opens as an Alice / Bella story. They have been dating for three years and have a lively and healthy relationship, both sexually and otherwise. It is after Bella first meets Jasper, Alice's childhood friend, and Bella feels an undeniable attraction to a man for one of the first times in five years, that we are introduced to "Edward."

"Edward," along with "Carlisle" and "Jake," is a featured player from Bella and Alice's nightstand drawer. He is described as a "big boy" and is brought out for particularly..... rousing bedtime sessions.

While I loved this story for many reason aside from Edward's role - and I worry the Edward gals may riot in indignation - I have to admit I was thrilled to see the sparkle peen truly in action.

- ElleCC

Link to story: Shameless Developments by SweetDulcinea

P.S. Extra kudos to AG for her brilliance with this banner. As she said to us, "you know you wanna giggle."

1st Place Open Voting: Fractured by DefinatelyStaying

 

It was no surprise when DefinatelyStaying (DS) submitted a Jasper/Edward entry for the contest. Few fandom authors create such a complex and hot Jasper/Edward pairing as she consistently does.

What was surprising was her nature of her story: “Fractured” is very much a departure from her usual genre. However, while different, it is still done with her usual flair and knack for constructing an interesting Jasper and Edward.

We meet Edward first. He’s just awoken, nude and hung-over, with no memory of the previous night. As he puts it, “order is paramount in my life,” and he starts his day’s routine to help combat the uneasiness he feels at having no recollection of the last twelve or so hours. As he showers and gets dressed, he finds more and more things that aren’t as they should be – his cell phone is out of place, his shoes are missing.... All of this leads to a panicky and paranoid Edward.

Jasper strolls into the picture next and it’s clear almost immediately that he’s not our usual Jasper. This Jasper is jaded and tired and, we discover, a prostitute. We witness his interaction with a client and learn a lot about him during that short amount of time. He does what he does for money, gets no joy from it, but is resigned to the fact that, “this is my fucking life.” He mentions that some of the other guys have plans, but seems disinclined to make any of his own – his resignation overrules any desire he might have to find a different way to live.

It is clear that neither of our guys is in a good place in his life. What isn’t clear is the nature of their relationship to one another. How will their lives intersect? Will Edward, a doctor with a loving girlfriend, seek out Jasper’s services?

This is the mystery of “Fractured.” We are pulled deeper and deeper as we find out that Edward’s sexual relationship with Bella is non-existent; that Alice, Bella’s best friend, doesn’t trust Edward; that Alice finally feels the need to follow her friend’s boyfriend one night to figure out what the hell is going on with him.

It is clear why this entry was popular with voters; the subject is one rarely seen in the fandom and it was well executed and smartly told. DS has woven a suspenseful tale that had me as anxious as Edward to solve the mystery behind his discomfort and confusion, and to find out how Jasper will enter his life. The characters are real – their plights painful – from start to finish.

We thank and congratulate DS for taking a chance by stepping outside of her norm and submitting this captivating entry for the contest.

- ElleCC

Link to story: Fractured by DefinatelyStaying

2nd Place Open Voting: Unspoken by staceygirl aka jackbauer

 

Staceygirl's entry, “Unspoken,” landed in Elle's queue for validation first. We alternated (as best we could) validating ALL the entries that came in before shipping them off in anonymous gdocs to the judges. Often we'd read stories from each other’s queue, particularly if a pairing or summary caught our interest. Stacey's was Bella/Jasper so I knew I was going to have to read it, but before I got to it, Elle informed me that it made her sob like a baby (on her birthday, no less). I hate it when people make me sad (even when I love it), so I put off reading it for a while. Finally, I had one of those days where I really wanted to have my heart ripped out, and so I dove in.

Elle was right, it is sad as hell. But on top of that, it's also funny, sweet, cute, and touching. It's a story of missed opportunities, of bad timing, of "what could have been." As hard as it is to stomach that kind of emotional stuff sometimes, it's also the stuff that sticks with you the most, long after you've read it.

This is the story of Bella and Jasper, who meet in college and form a deep and meaningful friendship over long lines and very embarrassing cafeteria experience. It's the story of what happens when you hide your feelings, due to insecurity or uncertainty, and what impact that decision has on your whole life. It's a story about choices and the ambiguous line between what makes any choice the right or wrong one. It's like a Choose Your Own Adventure in which a wrong choice at the first fork in the story just leads the main character down a path from bad to worse. It's not all doom and gloom though; there is something to be learned from it all, and it will certainly leave you thinking long after you've read it.

The subject matter will hit close to home for some, but whether you have a similar story or not, there is no way you'll be able to read this and not empathize - not with the very real, very engaging way Stacey has written it. She's not wordy or manipulative. You never feel like she wants you to cry, but the character development is so rich and thorough that you find yourself naturally invested in the characters and their emotions. It's the kind of story that has you giggling, screaming at the screen, pulling your hair out and eventually weeping and just wanting to pull both Bella and Jasper to your bosom for a good hard snuggle. This story is most definitely worthy of every one of its votes. I thank Stacey for writing it, and I encourage you to check it out, if you haven't already.

Just don't forget the box of Kleenex.

- LaViePastiche

Link to story: Unspoken by staceygirl aka jackbauer

Open Voting Finalists

The top eight vote-getters from each Open Voting Rounds 1 and 2 comprise the final voting round.

These are the sixteen stories that moved on to final voting.