2006 Short Story Competition Final

[Scheherazade]

Throughout the year, there have never been a shortage of good, engaging stories to take part in the competition. I would like to thank everyone for their contributions both as entrants and voters. However, as the end of the year approaches, we have our finalists and during the next two months, we will be voting to decide the winner!

Please vote for the story you like best to be the winner of Literature Network 2006 Shorty Story Competition!

Discussion of the stories are not allowed, not to influence the outcome of the poll.

If those of you who have submitted a short story have any questions, you can email us at [email protected] instead of asking them on here!

Please note that the authors agree to keep their identities secret when they enter the competition. Those who breach this rule will be disqualified automatically.

Here are the stories:

[Shannanigan]

Erg, I knew I was going to miss the last one! I've just been much, much too busy lately...but I will try to make some time for this final round since it's less stories...

[Pendragon]

Well. this is one vote that I won't rush! The finals.

[miss tenderness]

I'll try to read them:)

[Scheherazade]

This poll is open for two months so I am hoping that everyone will have enough time to read the stories and vote! :)

[Adelheid]

Yes everyone, do vote! Give the finalists a chance!

[MrBojangles]

I found the stories quite dry.

[Scheherazade]

Yes everyone, do vote! Give the finalists a chance!Where is your vote, Adelheid?

:D

[Pendragon]

I found the stories quite dry.Really? They made it to the finals, didn't they? Some of us found them quite interesting and well written. That is why we chose them as our final four! :thumbs_up :)

[Shannanigan]

I've narrowed it down to my favorite two, but I'm really stuck. I don't want a coin flip to determine who I think should win :p...I'm going to have to sit on it for a lil while. I hope I have time to vote before it all ends!

added later: well, all that thought seems to have been for little effect, lol. At least my other choiuce is not lacking in votes!

[Pendragon]

Now this is what I like to see. No story will go without at least one vote this round. If the stories have made it to the finals, then some one voted for them when they were first posted. So no story should go unnoticed in the finals. A close race should be expected! :) :nod:

[Shannanigan]

hrmm...where is everybody?

[Pendragon]

Good question Shan! This is the finals, people! The World Series of Lit-Net!


VOTE NOW! IT'S YOUR DUTY!http://www.invision.smileyville.net/smilies/info (45).gif

[Logos]

I've always refrained from voting because I am just here to be impartial mod but it makes me sad that there are so few votes right now :(

[AimusSage]

Oi! I thought the final voting was in December, good of you to put up that thread Logos, somehow I managed to miss this.

[Logos]

Admin has now created a global announcement at the top of all forums so hopefully that will get some more action here :D

http://www.online-literature.com/forums/announcement.php?f=5830

[papayahed]

Admin has now created a global announcement at the top of all forums so hopefully that will get some more action here :D

http://www.online-literature.com/forums/announcement.php?f=5830


I had no idea this was here, I'll get to reading.

[Bastet]

Hello all!! There goes my vote, let's keep this going! :)

[Scheherazade]

Oi! I thought the final voting was in December, good of you to put up that thread Logos, somehow I managed to miss this.To give enough time for everyone to read and vote (fingers crossed), the final poll is open for two months; ie, you have time till December 31st.

However, no harm done if anyone decides to vote earlier than the deadline!

:D

[mtpspur]

Unable to vote fairly--2 of the final choices were on Microsoft 2002 and my computer doesn't have it yet or I haven't ordered it/paid for it. The other 2 stories I was able to bring up. So abstaining for now. Sorry.

[Schokokeks]

It's just amazing how talented people around LitNet are. Great work ! My kudos to all the writers ! :nod:

[subterranean]

Discussion of the stories are not allowed, not to influence the outcome of the poll.


So it means that it is allow to influence?


I'm slow and English is not my native language. Hence, a confirmation is needed.

[Virgil]

So it means that it is allow to influence?


I'm slow and English is not my native language. Hence, a confirmation is needed.

Sub, I think that is a typo. We are not allowed to influrence the voting in any way.

[Ceahorse]

It took me some time to narrow down my choice.

[Psycheinaboat]

I am going to vote now. This has been a very difficult decision! Each story was certainly worth reading.

[Madhuri]

I didnt know the poll is open till December. Since, I saw the threads by Logos and now as a global one, I thought its almost the end and I should not vote, as I didnt want it to be a hasty decision, as every vote counts (a person may win or lose by just one vote).

I will read and cast my vote. :nod:

Edit -- Can we go by our own criteria and decide which one to vote for or are there any rules that should be followed? I mean are there any rules for people who have to judge the story?

[Scheherazade]

Please note that discussion of individual stories is not allowed during the voting.

Those participants who would like to receive a critique of their stories can post their stories later for other members to comment.

[Madhuri]

Ummm..which one to vote for.....the storylines are good.........I think i'll have to come back again.......

[Virgil]

Very competitive so far. Wow. I will wait still. I have narrowed it down to two, but have not made up my mind.

[Pendragon]

Now this is what I like to see. A nice close race, with no clear front runner at the moment. That let's us know that these stories have really had an impact on people. And that is what a good competition is all about! :)

[Zippy]

Yes, looks like things are getting interesting now. Still plenty of members who haven't voted yet though!

[RobinHood3000]

If, on the penultimate (love that word!) day of the year, I have not yet voted, feel free to deluge me with "polite" reminders.

[Shannanigan]

Man this is getting good! :D

[Pendragon]

Hee. I feel like some announcer from the horse-races is going to pop in any second now with commentary: "And OTP and KW are neck-and neck for the lead, but SW is closing on the leaders as we speak. Meanwhile, don't count out WIY, doing a commentable job of closing the gap in the far outside lane.":lol:

As I predicted, a very close race. Anything else would be illogical. :D

[Laindessiel]

I'll try to read all of them later after I'm done with my chores. Or most probably tomorrow. I'll give my vote to only one! Although Toni has knows who wrote the one story...

I wish I could read it now!!!!

Aaaah, loggin' out. Bailin' out everybody. See ya. :)

[brainstrain]

Oooh, fun. Some interesting literature to look forward to this weekend! Its a safe bet my vote will be to the one that wins, as i have an uncanny sensivity (even online!) to other peoples emotions.

May the shortest storiest win!

[Rogers_68]

i can't vote yet (not enough posts) but i know which one i would vote for. congrats to all the authors and kudos for having the balls to post them for us to read.

[Schokokeks]

i can't vote yet (not enough posts) but i know which one i would vote for.

Come on, you can still reach a hundred before the poll closes. Go visit the Games section ;) After all, your vote could be the deciding one.

[Laindessiel]

Yeah the Games! Especially the Count to 10,000 thread. You can do it all by yourself until you reach a hundred! Hehe...One vote can make the difference between a whimpering loser and a jubilant winner!

Ofcourse, there are no losers here who whimper! Just joking y'all! In fact there are goin to be no losers here! All of 'em are winners, in my opinion, 'cause they made it this far...:)

[Rogers_68]

Come on, you can still reach a hundred before the poll closes. Go visit the Games section ;) After all, your vote could be the deciding one.

twenty-two.

[Rogers_68]

twenty-three.

[Rogers_68]

how long should i do this? :D

[Virgil]

how long should i do this? :D

:lol: No, Roger. What she meant was that in the games section of lit net it's easy to accumulate 25 posts ina day or two. You have untill December 31st to get to 50 posts if you want to vote.

[miss tenderness]

so we're not allowed to discuss our votes before the result appears?

[Jay]

how long should i do this? :D
As long as you want ;)
You can find the game here (http://www.online-literature.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17657).

[Shadowsarin]

Read all and voted, I found that fairly easy actually. Though its worrying that out of 25,000 members, only 19 have voted :(

[RobinHood3000]

Don't forget, though, Shadow, you need 100 posts by the end of December for your vote to count. Though at the rate you're going, that shouldn't be a problem.

[Pendragon]

Methinks Shadow doth have a valid point, however, Robin. The clock steadily ticks the time away and where oh where the voters? http://www.invision.smileyville.net/smilies/info (45).gif

[Virgil]

Don't forget, though, Shadow, you need 100 posts by the end of December for your vote to count. Though at the rate you're going, that shouldn't be a problem.

No, he needs only 50, and he's already voted.

[RobinHood3000]

Oh, really? Must've missed the specifics.

I'm going to vote, I swear! Just procrastinating...

[Virgil]

I can't make up my mind. I don't know how to choose.

[Pendragon]

In a race like this one, the problem of who to vote for must be a nail-biter! Wow! Close! Would it be so bad to have a four way tie? :)

[Turk]

I don't think my English is enough to read and rate a story.

[Laindessiel]

But everyone is creative and imaginative enough to understand the meanings and imaginations that the stories represent, right? Regardless of language barrier. So vote, Turk, VOTE! :thumbs_up!!!

[Shannanigan]

My goodness what a race this is! Everyone hurry up and vote please and spare me the suspense! :P

[Pendragon]

Hee. I still feel like a racetrack announcer at the derby! http://www.industreal.spb.ru/smiles/tube.gif And they're off! The Swan now drops to the inside and takes the lead, with On Terrapin Pond just two lengths behind Swan. Then it's The Killing Word , only a length behind Pond. And don't count out I Feel The West in You , only a length behind Word in the outside lane. It's gonna be a race to the finish, folks! Don't anyone leave your seats! It ain't over until it's over! :D

[SleepyWitch]

will there be a competition in January?

[Virgil]

will there be a competition in January?

I hope so. I've been planning a story for it.

Can someone tell us if the short story competition will be reusmed in 2007?

[Scheherazade]

Can someone tell us if the short story competition will be reusmed in 2007?
*someone saunters in*

:p

Our competition will resume in 2007 and, as the rules state, the first elimination will be in February:
There will be 5 selections (in February, April, June, August and October) throughout the year and only the stories which have been submitted by the first of these months latest will be included in that month's elimination. The five stories which win the each selection will take part in the final voting in November and December.So, we will start accepting stories for the February leg in January as usual.

[Virgil]

*someone saunters in*

:p

Our competition will resume in 2007 and, as the rules state, the first elimination will be in February:So, we will start accepting stories for the February leg in January as usual.

Great. This was a lot of fun, and got me writing again. :D

[SleepyWitch]

*someone saunters in*

:p

Our competition will resume in 2007 and, as the rules state, the first elimination will be in February:So, we will start accepting stories for the February leg in January as usual.

ah, the rules.. i knew it said somewhere, but why look for it myself as long as I can order an old woman around? :lol:
thanks Scher

[Scheherazade]

ah, the rules.. i knew it said somewhere, but why look for it myself as long as I can order an old woman around? :lol:
thanks ScherNo worries! That's what this old woman is here for! :D

[Pendragon]

No worries! That's what this old woman is here for! :D Vieille? MOI réfléchir pas! http://www.cosgan.de/images/midi/froehlich/d050.gif

[Laindessiel]

Did that mean " Old? I AM old!" ? http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/verschiedene/f047.gif

And I don't believe it! The competition is so close! The Swan is taking the lead with 2 votes. http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/verschiedene/d050.gif

[Pendragon]

No, Flower. Scher speaks French, and mine is poor, but roughly it means: "Old woman? I don't think so!" ;)

[Virgil]

OK I voted. It was a tough vote. At some point or other, each of the four stories almost had my vote. They were all great, but they all had some flaws too, if you ask me. I finally voted for The Killing Word.

If it means anything, I had my wife read the stories too. She is not a member and so she can't vote, but she enjoyed On Terrapin Pond best.

[Laindessiel]

No, Flower. Scher speaks French, and mine is poor, but roughly it means: "Old woman? I don't think so!" ;)

Oh okay. I don't speak French, that's for sure. And I'm sorry if I offended you in any way, Uncle Pen! http://www.cosgan.de/images/more/schilder/072.gif

[Pendragon]

My Flower doesn't offend me http://smilies.vidahost.com/otn/shocked/Voskl1.gif

[ktd222]

I read the four short stories last night and I must say they were good. I'm hoping to make up my mind in the next couple of days as to whom I should pick.

[Scheherazade]

I read the four short stories last night and I must say they were good. I'm hoping to make up my mind in the next couple of days as to whom I should pick.Great! :)

Make sure to cast your vote by December 31st, ktd! :)

[Shannanigan]

Aye aye aye but how this has progressed! Oh the agony of waiting!

[Pendragon]

Without a sharp swing in another direction, I'd say our winner is comfortably set! :) A close tough race, and one no story failed to garner votes in. That's what makes a good race!

[zanna]

Um, planning ahead, where do you submit stories for next year's contest? I might have somethin' lyin' around here somewheres I can use . . .

[Jay]

Zanna, have a looky here (http://www.online-literature.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18200) for futher info/rules :)

[zanna]

Thanks! I'll have to get crackin'. :)

[Shadowsarin]

Hehe, teh yearly competition is one of the things I joined for. I can't wait to get a chance to enter it!!!

Still though, its a damn shame that so few have voted.

[AutumnGal]

Hello, fellow Lit lovers!

I'm new to the Lit-Net forums, and as I was browsing through, I saw this competition--much to my delight. I immediately read the stories and decided upon my favorite; however, when I returned to vote, I couldn't find the mechanism by which to cast said vote. I can see the ticker at the top of the thread, but it informs that "You may not vote." Can some good-hearted person enlighten me as to why this may be?

Thanks!
AG

[Jean-Baptiste]

Welcome to the Litnet, Gal!

I'm afraid there's a minimum post requirement for voting in the competition. I believe you have to have made at least 100 posts in the forums before you can vote. You still have a couple of days until the polls close; you might be able to do that in the games forum, if you're diligent about posting continually. I'm glad you feel passionately about the stories, they are rather good. Hurry. Drop everything you've been planning for the next couple of days and post post post--then you can vote.

[Logos]

Jean's right AG, the General Chat

http://www.online-literature.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=10
and Games

http://www.online-literature.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=2353

forums will help you in no time to get 100 posts so that you can vote. Welcome to LitNet, hope to see you around :)

[AutumnGal]

Drop everything you've been planning for the next couple of days and post post post--then you can vote.

Thanks for your speedy response! With this blizzard bearing down on us at the moment, it won't be at all difficult to drop all my weekend plans. I'm sure this new occupation will serve to stave off the monotony. I hope all the Lit-Net'rs won't tire of me--the posting fool--over the next couple of days.

Cheers!

[Jean-Baptiste]

I hope all the Lit-Net'rs won't tire of me--the posting fool--over the next couple of days.

Join the ranks :goof:; you won't be the oddball here. Hurray for the blizzard!

[ktd222]

Should I call on the fat lady?

[Scheherazade]

Going once...

[jon1jt]

where are the stories i'll read them and vote to participate in this democratic event or do i just vote for the coolest title?

[Jean-Baptiste]

They're found at the beginning of this thread. Hop to.

Is there one day left to vote? Only 16 members have voted! Shame on thousands of you!

[AutumnGal]

where are the stories i'll read them and vote to participate in this democratic event or do i just vote for the coolest title?

You can find them on page one of this thread. I thought they were all very much worth the read. BTW, it took me less than an hour to read all four.

Enjoy! :p
AG

[Virgil]

You're getting closer Autumn. :p

[jon1jt]

my computer doesn't have the compatible software (i think microsoft works) to open the short story docs. i have basic word. they should be posted in a thread somewhere, yes?

[AutumnGal]

Hooray! I did it! I reached my 100th post! :banana:

[Jay]

Congrats, AutumnGal :D

[Jean-Baptiste]

my computer doesn't have the compatible software (i think microsoft works) to open the short story docs. i have basic word. they should be posted in a thread somewhere, yes?

I don't believe they are actually posted other than by these links.

Sheherazade, Logos, or Jay--or any other members in charge: Would it be proper to open them up and post them in this thread, for those without the technological capability of reading them in this current format?

[ktd222]

I see you voted for The Killing Word, Autumngal. Nice choice. :thumbs_up
Any choice would have been a good one, I presume.

[Scheherazade]

Going twice...

[Scheherazade]

http://www.snitchseeker.com/vb3/images/smilies/ballet.gifCongratulations to Snowpetal who is the winner of 2006 Literature Network Short Story Competition!http://www.snitchseeker.com/vb3/images/smilies/ballet.gif

I would like to thank all the contributors and our members who have been reading and voting for the stories all year round!

Looking forward to receiving more exciting and great stories in 2007 and reading them all! :)

Finalists> If you would like to read others' comments and thoughts on your stories, please feel free to post them in separate threads.