Contest Entry Discussion

[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.

[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."

[Draven Ames]

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.

This is why you won your group, Craig. Very good way of putting it.

[RichardThomas]

^ what he said - so many great stories, i hope you'll all send them out, they deserve to be published - best of luck in the finals everyone, should be really tough, the competition is unreal for those three spots

thanks dan and CD for all of your hard work

[Craig Wallwork]

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.

[RichardThomas]

i agree, i loved American Inferno as well

[Dan Hocker]

Meat Socks, was very good, but something about Nik's American Inferno just stuck with me in that group. Might be, because it was one of the first ones I read, but it most certainly was good as well.

[RichardThomas]

really liked meat socks nikita, that was a tough group indeed, several really great stories

[ozmosis7]

Thanks, Draven. Appreciate the kind words. Good luck in the next round.

[ozmosis7]

Love me some Meat Socks.

I rather enjoyed that cute story as well. Reminiscent of a great movie scene, "It puts the lotion on its skin."

[peteOcha]

I'm happy to have received as many votes as i did. I know where 2 came from, but the other 6 were completely random which is really cool. Thanks!

And good luck to all those in the next round! I'm curious to see how the voting will go when only a few stories will be taking part in the last poll.

[Draven Ames]

I made a hard run at the end there though, striking up two more votes and nearly catching the leader in my group. LOL. Seriously a good time, great forum discussions, many good stories, many new friends. Thanks to all of those who tossed me your vote. It means a lot knowing that you liked the story.

I thought you did a great job with your story, Kenneth. Branded was a great entry and deserving of its votes. I hope you consider publishing it somewhere. I thought our group was one of the hardest to decide on.

[Dan Hocker]

Most of the votes should be over within the next hour. With the exception of group 1, which ends later in the day today, because I made the vote thread a day before the others.

Scratch that. I forgot I could manually close a poll, so I will close group 1 when the last of the other groups voting has ended in about an hour.

[Dan Hocker]

Most of the votes should be over within the next hour. With the exception of group 1, which ends later in the day today, because I made the vote thread a day before the others.

[mlouisdixon]

Since it's so close to the end of this round I hope it's safe to comment on Meat Socks by Nikita. This was my favorite story out of all of them! Love me some Meat Socks.

MLD