Contest Entry Discussion

[Nik Houser]

I have to tell you Nik, I thought your story was fantastic. I really did. If my story hadn't ended up in the same group, I would have easily voted for yours--if it's any consolation.

Thanks for the kind words, Nikita. At the beginning of the contest, when I read the opening of your story, I thought "Ah, crap, this is gonna be hard to beat."

[Nik Houser]

DAN and RICHARD: Thanks tons, you guys. I'm feelin' all warm and gushy. Probably should get this stab wound looked at. No, seriously, you guys are great peers and colleagues on this forum, and thus your words have a particularly strong impact for me. Really glad you enjoyed the story.

[JJ Holden]

Phew.

This last two weeks' nail biting almost makes me feel happy I'm not going into the next round!

Well done, everyone, and Richard, once again congratulations. Cool story and good luck during the next stage.

As for those who voted for Tapestry - thank you. Honestly, I'm stoked. It was an odd tale - historical rather than contemporary and 24 votes was extremely encouraging.

[C.W. LaSart]

A huge Congrats and Good Luck to all the other semi-finalists, and an equally huge congrats to ALL those that participated. It's not easy to put yourself and your writing in this sort of contest-much easier to let an editor choose your fate than a group of peers. Thank you to all that voted for my story and those who didn't! Good luck to everyone on their future writing and I am most grateful to Dan and Cemetery Dance for this opportunity, not only for possible publication, but to meet such a great group of writers and walk away with some new friends!

[TerryE]

Congratulations to everyone who's moving on! I may not have voted for all of you, but at least everybody that is moving on deserves to. Kudos to you, and kudos again.

[TerryE]

Wow! I just noticed that Dan has already moved all the runner-up stories to the Share Your Work section. And here I thought I'd be able to concentrate on work for the rest of this week. I mean, aside from that fact that I need to reread all the finalists.

[C.W. LaSart]

Holy Cats! It's going to be a LOOOOOONG week-I'm going to get a case of tums!

[Steven Cox]

To everyone out there in Cemetery Dance Land, what a wonderful competition this has been. Where else could we have had the opportunity of reading so many stories of such high quality? A huge thanks to Dan for organising the competition thus far and - dare I say it - an even bigger thanks to all those of you who voted for me. I thought I had a good story, but there was so much talent on show that to come out as my group's winner is way more than I could have ever hoped for. In life, to receive support from your nearest and dearest is one thing... but to have had so many 'strangers' think my story was worthy of their precious vote is, frankly, humbling.

So to all you folks Across The Pond, and to the others of you from my own homeland, good luck in all you do... and the sincerest best of luck to all the finalists.

[mlouisdixon]

Congratulations to everyone who made it to the finals: best of luck to you. To everyone who submitted: there’s some really good stories in there. Keep on keeping on. Write, write, write. Submit, submit, submit.

MLD

(Now my day job is taking me awayyyyyyyyy)

[mstrom]

We've recently been through a massive change at where I work. As part of major cut backs the whole department had to be streamlined by 42%, which meant that every unit within that department had to lose at least 1 member of staff, sometimes more. When you were told that you had retained your job there was no great push to celebrate because it was at the cost of your fellow colleague losing their job.

This is what it feels like now.

Too many good stories lost out on having a real chance of winning this. I know there is another stage, and I wish everyone involved the best of luck, and to those who missed out (for whatever reason), more than anyone I hope your stories find a perfect home. Hopefully some may resonate in the minds of the CD staff, and we'll see them soon in some other form.

Good luck, and thanks for allowing me on this.

I know exactly what you mean Craig. I once worked at a company that had bi-monthly layoffs over a two year stretch. After each gutting, the clueless executives would throw a survivors party in an attempt to boost moral. Of course, it had the exact opposite effect.

As for this contest, I also have mixed emotions. This contest drew in a remarkable amount of talent. In fact there were a few groups that I had no idea as to how to vote so I kept procrastinating until late last night when difficult decisions had to be made. But in the end, lady luck shined on a small percentage of us, yet that should not reflect negatively on the work of the others.

It takes guts to put your personal work out there to be judged by the public, and for that reason alone, I applaud everyone who participated. It has been an honor to have participated in this extraordinary contest with such a bold and talented group.

[peteOcha]

I know exactly what you mean Craig. I once worked at a company that had bi-monthly layoffs over a two year stretch. After each gutting, the clueless executives would throw a survivors party in an attempt to boost moral. Of course, it had the exact opposite effect.

Facepalm moment if there ever was one...

[Shiney]

Just a quick thanks to those who read my story and liked it...and even to those who read it and didn't like it.

Thanks!!

[johnpeters]

Thanks to the couple of people that voted for my story. I know it wasn't that good but it was my first time "putting something our there" and I'm pretty happy with it. This has been a positive experience for me so I want to give big props to CD for putting on the contest....Thanks CD!

Well dang, I'm glad you did put it out there. Now that you've got that first one behind you, keep writing, find some rough-and-tumble honest folks to share critiques with, and keep putting it out there! Congrats on your first time.

[Draven Ames]

Holy Cats! It's going to be a LOOOOOONG week-I'm going to get a case of tums!

My ulcers are doing horrible now.

[jmcraven]

Well, it's looking like I won't lose any sleep this week!