Absolute Monthly Horror Contest

Hi folks,

I know we're now in the process of working out a judging system, via e-mails, but I just wanted to add a note to this forum for anybody else who stumbles across the chatter below.

Firstly, let me say how touched I am (some say in the head ) that my being away has caused a little controversy - It's had the strange effect of putting a warm feeling in the cockles of my heart - Thank You ALL for that - because it means that you enjoy the contest and feel a part of it (which is what I hoped most would feel).

Since, I've got a little more time, at the moment, I went and looked for other running contests that deal with the horror genre... let me say there are quite a few that just stopped and were never closed down - Ghost Contests, if you will. Where on the groups contest page there's still activity - that is a great thing - so it's not quite gone yet - lets see how long we can keep resuscitating it .

As for the subject matter in the previous messages, I have taken the stories and will be casting an eye over them, and letting you know my decision. This doesn't mean Vickie was wrong to do the judging - in fact Thank You, for taking it upon yourself to help, I appreciate it (as I also appreciate Manda's and La Captaine's opinion too), nobody is wrong and there is no fault - what it will mean is that there may be two winners if I disagree with Vickie's judgement (as with the Flash Fiction contest)

In one of Vickie's messages she states that judging isn't easy - and I fully agree, and I see this one being a difficult judgment too as I've read Jag's and Manda's work before, and though they are very different styles they are both good writers. Then there's the outsider Caeser Rupus and I love reading new writers - Sometimes (a lot of times it just comes to gut feeling, which one grabbed you more than the other, which had that tad bit more) - the reading is great, the judging is difficult and I don't envy my band of guest judges who are taking over - though it you do it as a panel, there will be less possibility of ties.

Enjoy the stories and enjoy the contests. Have fun with them - by the way, the way I chose the challenge was to write a sheet of paper for each Sub-genre and Style - pin them too a wall - drink copious amounts of JD or Southern Comfort - then walk around a cane for thirty seconds - then try and aim at the blurred and constantly moving wall, while squirting it with the flower in my lapel. The wettest one won. As for the prompt, the first one I could read after an hour was the one. Hope this helps... the sales of liquor and funny flowers (which you can buy on my website at... )

Come join me - We ALL Float Down Here.

PENNYWISE Stephen

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