@axeminister since Hatrack. I'll be able to tell people "eh that famous author there used to call me the troll man" 
R:6 RWC:1 HM:9 SHM:3
My Blog
Whoomp, there it is! (Are the young kids still saying that these days? I'm pretty sure they are.)
DQ:0 / R:0 / RWC:0 / HM:15 / SHM:7 / SF:1 / F:1
Published prior WotF entries: PodCastle, HFQ, Abyss & Apex
Okay…and this is BIG for me:
WHEEEE!!!
Many congratulations! Yay! 🎉
~ I honestly believe that good stories write themselves. You can always start writing a story, but the characters tell their own tales and if you're lucky enough, you get to merely be in the audience watching everything unfold. ~ 8/1/2022
***
WotF - 2022, V39 Q4: R
WotF - 2022/2023, V40 Q1: HM; Q2: HM; Q3: HM; Q4:HM
I think this gif says it for me. Congratulations, my friend! 😊🥰
Interesting that this is my post # 1111
That's one one one one
Because...
Yup:
~ I honestly believe that good stories write themselves. You can always start writing a story, but the characters tell their own tales and if you're lucky enough, you get to merely be in the audience watching everything unfold. ~ 8/1/2022
***
WotF - 2022, V39 Q4: R
WotF - 2022/2023, V40 Q1: HM; Q2: HM; Q3: HM; Q4:HM
Second entry, second SHM.
I wrote an SFF take on a creation myth set in modern times with a crow protagonist, in present tense. It was either going to get straight up R'ed or [insert some award I would not allow myself to imagine]
I know it's only two entries so far. But linear progress usually points to a quiet rut before a big breakout, and I hope that's where I'm at. Feels like it!!
Fired up for Q1 2023. 🔥 Let's get writing!
y'all probably already got yours done and submitted haha 
SHM Q2 2022 - "Desolate 4869"
Galileo reborn in hard sci-fi; there's an uplifted dog with a snarky collar
🪐 Read it here
SHM Q4 2022 - "The Legend of Noble"
SFF creation myth based on my PNW upbringing; has a crow protagonist
@lizbusby You got this! 40 is a nicer, rounder number already
SHM Q2 2022 - "Desolate 4869"
Galileo reborn in hard sci-fi; there's an uplifted dog with a snarky collar
🪐 Read it here
SHM Q4 2022 - "The Legend of Noble"
SFF creation myth based on my PNW upbringing; has a crow protagonist
@toddjones Thanks, Todd 
R: 2 / HM: 6 / SHM: 2
Published stories:
"Drunk Scentless" - Daily Science Fiction (June 2021)
"Interview with the Vampire Hunter" - Every Day Fiction (October 2021)
"Dutch Courage" - 365tomorrows (August 2022)
@axeminister 
Amazing news, well done!
R: 2 / HM: 6 / SHM: 2
Published stories:
"Drunk Scentless" - Daily Science Fiction (June 2021)
"Interview with the Vampire Hunter" - Every Day Fiction (October 2021)
"Dutch Courage" - 365tomorrows (August 2022)
@AxeMinister sent me here, and I couldn't stop grinning when I saw the win! I actually still can't. Awesome!
I got my 12th mention in a row this quarter (my second SHM), and Dustin is inspiration to keep me going for 12 years if necessary.
Congrats to Becky too. I especially enjoy the success from some of the WotF stalwarts.
I've missed being in and around this place and hope to be a regular again soon. 🙂
Yes, definitely be a regular again. This place needs more Alex.
And 12 in a row? Shee.
Should take you less than twelve years at that rate...
Career:
1x Win
2x NW-F
2x S-F
9x S-HM
11x HM
7x R
Okay…and this is BIG for me:
WHEEEE!!!
Congratulations! So excited that this story made finalist. It's a fantastic story!
Death and the Taxman, my WotF V39 winning story is now a novel! (Click Here >).
Subscribe to The Lost Bard's Letter at www.davidhankins.com and receive an exclusive novelette!
New Releases:
"Milo Piper's Breakout Single that Ended the Rat War" in LTUE's Troubadours and Space Princesses anthology
"Felix and the Flamingo" in Escape Pod
"The Ghosts of Hart's Gambit" in Renaissance Press's There's No Place anthology
"The Devil's Foot Locker" in Amazing Stories
Interesting that this is my post # 1111
That's one one one one
Because...
Yup:
YES! CONGRATULATIONS!! Well done! You've been fighting for this for years. I will see you in Hollywood!
Death and the Taxman, my WotF V39 winning story is now a novel! (Click Here >).
Subscribe to The Lost Bard's Letter at www.davidhankins.com and receive an exclusive novelette!
New Releases:
"Milo Piper's Breakout Single that Ended the Rat War" in LTUE's Troubadours and Space Princesses anthology
"Felix and the Flamingo" in Escape Pod
"The Ghosts of Hart's Gambit" in Renaissance Press's There's No Place anthology
"The Devil's Foot Locker" in Amazing Stories
@axeminister Dustin, my friend, although we've shared emails concerning this long-awaited, long-deserved, glorious achievement, I just had to officially (i.e., here, on the forum) add my voice to the chorus of congratulations for your LRH WOTF contest win -- even if I had to set up a new account to do so.
With the greatest admiration and respect,
Bob
"Tho' we are not now that strength which in old days moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are; one equal temper of heroic hearts made weak by time and fate but strong in will. To strive, to seek, to find -- and not to yield." -- Ulysses, Alfred, Lord Tennyson
2x Finalist (V31Q1, V30Q1)
5x HM (V35Q1, V32Q1, V31Q2, V30Q3-4)
Total WOTF Submissions: 11
Story Acceptances: 19
Story Publications: 17
Thank you, Dr. Bob. I'm glad to see you over here on Prime.
I definitely feel a sense of if I can do it, you can do it with the Old Timers. PD Blake goes back to Hatrack as well. Maybe we should start a Hatrack Outcasts group and get Frank in there with us. He's still submitting, just, off the grid.
I've been telling anyone who'll listen, and this is the sense I've had for the past few years (after not having won with my carefully crafted, deliberately honed-to-the-last-word entries), to write and submit as often as you can. It's not about this story, it's about your stories, your voice.
And damn do you ever have a Voice.
I'm not saying submit willy nilly, just get 5000 - 8000 polished words in every three months. Might take a few quarters, or a few years (or 12), but you gotta get back in it in order to win it. 
Career:
1x Win
2x NW-F
2x S-F
9x S-HM
11x HM
7x R
Wow! Dustin! That is #)@#*U@! awesome! You've worked hard for this, I know. So very happy for you. Fantastic! Yay! Way to go. Congratulations!Interesting that this is my post # 1111
That's one one one one
Because...
Yup:
Preston Dennett
HM x 12
F x 1
Winner, 2nd place, Q1, Volume 35
40 stories published! (and counting!)
Do we know why there's no blog post yet? I'd love to see who the other winners were.
V38: HM, R, R, HM
V39: RWC, HM, RWC, HM
V40: RWC, HM, SHM, R
V41: R, P, WIP
@chwalter I was wondering the same thing.
Small steps add up to miles.
V38: R, R, HM, HM
V39: RWC, HM, HM, SHM
V40 : HM, RWC, R, HM
V41 : RWC, P
"Amore For Life" in After the Gold Rush Third Flatiron Anthology
"Freedom’s Song” in Troubadour and Space Princesses LTUE Anthology
"Experimenting with the Dance of Death" Coming in Jun '24 in Love is Complicated LUV Romance Anthology.
My cat made this face last night.
Had to come post it for @writersaraho
Career:
1x Win
2x NW-F
2x S-F
9x S-HM
11x HM
7x R
@tj_knight there's a story in there somewhere. A horror perhaps
R:6 RWC:1 HM:9 SHM:3
My Blog
Every night he waits at the top of the stairs for me. I come up and he leaps! That's the face, but the noise is like half growl half squeal. Right now he's sleeping in my recycle paper bin.
Career:
1x Win
2x NW-F
2x S-F
9x S-HM
11x HM
7x R
The results are out! Congratulations Marianne Xenos, Jason Palmatier, and @tj_knight, and also the illustrious illustrators: Chris Arias, Chris Binns, and April Solomon.
And a Happy Holidays to everyone!
VOL 40 2nd Quarter: Third Place ("Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber")
Past submissions: R - HM - HM - HM - HM - HM - SHM - SHM
www.jd-writes.com
There it is on the blog!
Here's the link (Or you can click blog on the left).
Career:
1x Win
2x NW-F
2x S-F
9x S-HM
11x HM
7x R
Congratulations to Marianne Xenos, Jason Palmatier, and TJ Knight.
Today's science fiction is tomorrow's reality-D.R.Sweeney
HM x5
Published Poetry
2012 Stars in Our Hearts
Silver Ships
@kent well done! Keep writing!
“Stories are the collective wisdom of everyone who has ever lived. Your job as a storyteller is not simply to entertain. Nor is it to be noticed for the way your turn a phrase. You have a very important job—one of the most important. Your job is to let people know that everyone shares their feelings—and that these feelings bind us. Your job is a healing art, and like all healers, you have a responsibility. Let people know they are not alone. You must make people understand that we are all the same.”
Brian McDonald
2022: Second Place Winner V39 Q1
2021: HM, HM, SHM
2020: R
2019: SHM, R
2018: HM
2017: HM
Check out my fiction and more at spencersekulin.net
@tj_knight woooooooooooooooooooooo congrats bro!
“Stories are the collective wisdom of everyone who has ever lived. Your job as a storyteller is not simply to entertain. Nor is it to be noticed for the way your turn a phrase. You have a very important job—one of the most important. Your job is to let people know that everyone shares their feelings—and that these feelings bind us. Your job is a healing art, and like all healers, you have a responsibility. Let people know they are not alone. You must make people understand that we are all the same.”
Brian McDonald
2022: Second Place Winner V39 Q1
2021: HM, HM, SHM
2020: R
2019: SHM, R
2018: HM
2017: HM
Check out my fiction and more at spencersekulin.net
For those who like statistics, you may be interested to know that this quarter had 295 honorable mentions and 115 silvers.
Not sure, but I think that's a record. Still, with "several thousand" entries per quarter, getting on that list is a significant acheivement.
Congrats again to all who placed (and entered!) Never give up!
Preston Dennett
HM x 12
F x 1
Winner, 2nd place, Q1, Volume 35
40 stories published! (and counting!)
Hey Preston, I recently (finally) listened to your podcast with DWS (#5). Great stuff.
One thing I'll share is when you did win I was really excited for you. I may have typed out a congrats or something, but that didn't accurately represent the joy I felt sitting here at my pc, grinning, and just feeling genuinely happy for you.
Then, listening to your story, and hearing the depths of how long and hard you worked at this, well that makes it even better. So I'm going to say congrats again, even though you won a few years back, because your win is still freekin awesome.
Career:
1x Win
2x NW-F
2x S-F
9x S-HM
11x HM
7x R
@prestondennett ... Did you... count them?!
And @tj_knight: you've given a similar experience, of sitting at a PC grinning like a fool (a grin that slowly built over almost a week as suspicions grew) to at least one forumite. Probably many.
VOL 40 2nd Quarter: Third Place ("Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber")
Past submissions: R - HM - HM - HM - HM - HM - SHM - SHM
www.jd-writes.com
It is so awesome to see writers like Preston and Dustin stay the course and ascend to the podium. You guys rock. Like the immortal words of Jimmy V.
Never give up!
Today's science fiction is tomorrow's reality-D.R.Sweeney
HM x5
Published Poetry
2012 Stars in Our Hearts
Silver Ships
Thanks, Dustin. Very nice of you. I'm very eager to read your story. I'm very curious to see whether it's fantasy or sci-fi, how long it is and what it's about. So glad you stuck it out and pulled off a win.Hey Preston, I recently (finally) listened to your podcast with DWS (#5). Great stuff.
One thing I'll share is when you did win I was really excited for you. I may have typed out a congrats or something, but that didn't accurately represent the joy I felt sitting here at my pc, grinning, and just feeling genuinely happy for you.
Then, listening to your story, and hearing the depths of how long and hard you worked at this, well that makes it even better. So I'm going to say congrats again, even though you won a few years back, because your win is still freekin awesome.
Preston Dennett
HM x 12
F x 1
Winner, 2nd place, Q1, Volume 35
40 stories published! (and counting!)
Thanks storysinger. That's the real key to winning this contest. Never give up!It is so awesome to see writers like Preston and Dustin stay the course and ascend to the podium. You guys rock. Like the immortal words of Jimmy V.
Never give up!
Preston Dennett
HM x 12
F x 1
Winner, 2nd place, Q1, Volume 35
40 stories published! (and counting!)
