The Authors' Hangout 2011 Halloween Contest Support Thread.

[Boxlicker101]

I am so jealous I wish I had a story up. lol.

However I have managed to read a few entries, whoop whoop, go me!

There is still hope.. but I'm just not sure it's gonna happen... we shall see.

I still don't have anything ready to enter. On one, I am spinning my wheels; another is about one third done and a third is about half done. Those are just the first drafts I refer to, of course.

 

[oggbashan]

I have just hit the 'submit' button on my Halloween entry.

 

[electric1]

I’m surprised how little attention my story is getting. Fewer views, fewer comments, and fewer emails than I’ve ever gotten on a contest entry.

Do people just avoid the “Humor & Satire” category like a plague? I know it’s one of the least popular categories, but I didn’t expect this big a drop, especially since the contest page doesn’t identify category. Is there something about my title (“Moan”) that drives people away?

This is like waiting for trick-or-treaters who never show up.

 

[Darkniciad]

Humor and Satire is on the deep bottom of the readership barrel. Not sure what categories you're used to, but I can understand how it would be a shock.

About the only boost you get ( since most reads still come from the New list, rather than the contest page ) is that your story posts high on the New list. It's not easy to even qualify in H&S.

 

[sr71plt]

Humor and Satire is on the deep bottom of the readership barrel. Not sure what categories you're used to, but I can understand how it would be a shock.

About the only boost you get ( since most reads still come from the New list, rather than the contest page ) is that your story posts high on the New list. It's not easy to even qualify in H&S.

I did OK with a humor one for the Valentines contest a couple of years ago. I've been wracking my brain for one in this contest, but no dice so far. I'm going to plumb a couple of more of the really minor categories, though.

 

[DG Hear]

I submitted a non-erotic story last night. Didn't get posted today but this is audio day. I don't expect a lot of reads but pretty sure I'll get the required minimum votes to at least qualify for the contest. We'll see how it goes. Good luck to all that enter the amusement park and ride the roller coaster.
With respect
DG

 

[Darkniciad]

Just sent Barren Harvest off to my editor, so I'm on schedule to hit that Thursday target.

 

[EmeraldKitten]

I had a light bulb go off on my dreary drive home from work..
I literally watched fog roll across the road... it was the creepiest thing.
Anyhow, it kinda put me in the mood.

So I might make it after all.

 

[Sugary_Comfort]

I'm not getting any writing done tonight. I'm so freaking tired right now.

After waking up at 7:30am so I could try and get my baby to move because he'd been pretty inactive for awhile, I stayed up and then had an appointment with the midwives at the birthing center at 11:30am so I had to get ready for that around 10:30am and leave by 11. Had to eat some lunch after and then wait an hour to check my blood sugar. Then I got to nap around 2pm. Slept until 5pm. Got up and drove the 20-30 minutes back into town and ate some dinner with my mom before heading into the first birthing class.

Damn class took 4 hours! I wanted to scream by the end of it. And now I'm so exhausted and all we did was sit there for 3 hours and the walk around freaking hot hospital for a hour.

So I'm going to be reading to my baby ad then going to bed here real soon. Hopefully I'll get to write tomorrow since I don't have anything to do until it's time to get ready for birthing class again.

 

[Sugary_Comfort]

I’m surprised how little attention my story is getting. Fewer views, fewer comments, and fewer emails than I’ve ever gotten on a contest entry.

Do people just avoid the “Humor & Satire” category like a plague? I know it’s one of the least popular categories, but I didn’t expect this big a drop, especially since the contest page doesn’t identify category. Is there something about my title (“Moan”) that drives people away?

This is like waiting for trick-or-treaters who never show up.

Haha I loved your story!

 

[LunaEroticaMystica]

I hope to get back to my story very soon. I haven't forgotten it. Spirit has been intervening more heavily which is okay because I'm almost ready to launch my site and start receiving clients when my voice comes back. I went from a frog in my "froat" to only whisper-capability. Very excited, but also nervous. What better time of year for this venture and getting myself and my abilities out there on a larger scale? Goodluck everyone!

SUGARY COMFORT: So baby and Mommy check out okay?

KITTEN: Yay for foggy inspiration!

 

[BOSTONFICTIONWRITER]

How is everyone?

I see the donuts I left behind yesterday are gone. I brought more today. Enjoy.

My story is doing well, hit wise. It already made the second page of the 30 day most read list and will be mid way up the first page of the 30 day most read list this time tomorrow.

I expected that kind of readership from an incest story, especially a mother-in-law story. Everyone wants to fuck their mother-in-laws, I mean, everyone loves their mother-in-laws.

As I always do, I've already read several of the contest stories and am impressed by the writing ability and talent of all who write and post here. I always vote 5, but never leave a comment for fear of bashers bashing your stories. Based on what I read, I already have my pick for the winner. No, not me. I'll never win.

Halloween and Valentine's Day are my two favorite contests. Good luck to all.

 

[Sugary_Comfort]

I hope to get back to my story very soon. I haven't forgotten it. Spirit has been intervening more heavily which is okay because I'm almost ready to launch my site and start receiving clients when my voice comes back. I went from a frog in my "froat" to only whisper-capability. Very excited, but also nervous. What better time of year for this venture and getting myself and my abilities out there on a larger scale? Goodluck everyone!

SUGARY COMFORT: So baby and Mommy check out okay?

Glad your voice is coming back. Though I always heard that whispering is the worst thing you can do for your throat when it's like that. Hope it gets completely better soon.

Yup, all is fine. Though they didn't weigh me, but I doubt I gained much. Probably around half a pound and that would have been all baby. I haven't gained anything in over 2 weeks (because I'm losing weight but the baby is gaining whatever I've lost). After I have the baby and get rid of the weight I gained with him, I'll weigh less than I did before I conceived. I've only gained 12lbs because I've lost 8 overall. Four pounds back in May from lack of appetite (I didn't have morning sickness), and then 4lbs in early September from the change in diet since I got gestational diabetes and was getting barely 1,500 calories a day.

Oh and fundus height is 37cm which says that's what baby is measuring in weeks (I'll be 36 weeks this Saturday). But measurements aren't exact and it can vary depending on where baby feels like laying when you're measured.

*****

As for story, I hope to get something done today. I'm going to try and get a little bit written before I have to make stuff for dinner to take to the birthing class for me and my mom. I've got a few hours so hopefully I don't end up procrastinating.

 

[Sugary_Comfort]

*screams* Why am I procrastinating!!!??? I have checked several sites a couple hundred times as if in the next moment I check, something new will appear. Meanwhile I could be writing.

What is wrong with me?! I hate it when I get to do this. I feel like there's something I'm supposed to be doing besides writing, but I can't think of anything. I know I need to take a shower today and then in a few hours make something for dinner to take with me to birthing class, but still! That gives me...about an hour and a half in which to write.

 

[electric1]

Haha I loved your story!

Aw, *blush*

 

[LunaEroticaMystica]

Sugary Comfort, good to hear. I lost weight with my pregnancy too. I had bronchitis and bad morning sickness in the first trimester, so weight gain was slow. As long as baby is gaining and healthy, I think you should be good. Start the countdown? Yeah, I'm trying NOT to whisper, but hard with a toddler. *laughs* Just be gentle with yourself.

 

[estragon]

Luna, the Raina-Logan story is too good to keep to yourself. Eagerly awaiting publication. Enjoyed Ogg's haunted hostel story. Wishing good luck and inspiration to all writers. I've got nothing for this competition; inspiration is on an extended vacation.

 

[LunaEroticaMystica]

estragon, I'm getting back to it tomorrow, promise! I managed to get my website up and running and can't do a thing with it until I have my voice back, anyway. I'll send more for beta-reading.

 

[SoCaliComfort]

I wrote an Erotic Horror story for the first time. I'm not really sure what to think of it but I sent it in anyways. After reading some of the other erotic horror I'm thinking I went way overboard. If it gets rejected it'll be easy to cut out the weird stuff at least.

I've decided that I should get an editor. It's been a rough couple of days trying to smooth the whole thing out.

There have been some really great entries posted so far. I've read about 5 of them and voted 5s on all.

 

[Darkniciad]

There are some really dark horror stories on Lit, so I wouldn't panic about a rejection just yet.

If it does get rejected, drop me a PM, and I'll go through it for you to see if I think there's a way to get it back within Lit's range without taking away from the story you want to tell. I've pushed the limits on darkness quite a few times, so I have a pretty good bead on where the bar for "too much" is.

=======

As to me, I just finished formatting Barren Harvest after getting it back from my editor. I'll be putting it in the queue either in the morning or afternoon, depending upon whether the second crop of new stories has been approved in the morning. Aiming for the Thursday/Friday midnight transition, so I want to avoid the story getting approved part way through the day tomorrow.

 

[Sugary_Comfort]

I ended up not writing earlier. I opened the document and was hit with a wave of exhaustion. I was just able to read through the 10 pages I had and fix typos and change some things around. That's at least that much I don't have to do later.

I'm going to try and write some before bed, at least.

***

I don't think I've read anything from the stuff posted for Wednesday, but I've read most of what's up. I think I voted on three or four of the stories, but most got a 3 out me.

I remember one was nicely written but I just felt it wasn't in keeping with the theme. Can't remember if I voted on that one, though.

I was a bit disappointed in most that I've read. I'm not saying my story is any better but a lot of it seemed kind of stale to me.

I honestly can't even really recall most of what I read anyways. The only one that stands out is Electric's story and that's because it was so awesomely cheesy, making fun of those horror movies.

 

[DG Hear]

I submitted a non-erotic Halloween story on Monday, still not posted. I'm quite surprised. Oh well, it will show up eventually, hopefully.
DG

 

[Darkniciad]

I submitted a non-erotic Halloween story on Monday, still not posted. I'm quite surprised. Oh well, it will show up eventually, hopefully.
DG

If it hasn't posted yet, you probably need to get in touch with Laurel to make sure it hasn't fallen through the cracks somehow. Contest stories simply don't take that long to post.

My first is in the queue

 

[Neonurotic]

I submitted a story last night and it posted this morning. I hadn't expected it to show up so damn fast. I haven't done a contest for years so I've forgotten. Ya, my join date says 2011, but I've been around since 2002.

 

[geronimo_appleby]

If it hasn't posted yet, you probably need to get in touch with Laurel to make sure it hasn't fallen through the cracks somehow. Contest stories simply don't take that long to post.

My first is in the queue

mine's up but not showing in the contest list. it has 31 votes, so ...

mind you, the score is low so i might just keep me mouth shut.