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Erik-Seattle says: 2001 Seattle Story Contest Winners | 1 Nov 01 // 8:34PM | |
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At long last, each and every story submitted to the "Seattle Stories: Stories About Seattle Contest" between August 10th, and October 18th has been thoroughly read, scrutinizingly scrutinized, and harshly, yet lovingly, judged. And we have two winners. Before I announce the winners of a super grand prize of $50 and a second place prize of a gift certificate to one of several lovely bookstores for $15, let me introduce our second judge. As you may remember, at the beginning of the contest, I announced the option for anyone to step forward as a judge if they would like to help by donating part of the award. Though several people initially replied, hearts in story-loving hands, only one has come forward with cash in hand, and that special someone is Amie Nelson, happy-go-lucky resident of Fremont. I would go into our complex system of rating and judging these stories, but it's probably too high-tech for most of you. Let's just say it involved high-level algorithms, a laser beam, three pots of coffee, and a tube sock. Yeah, you don't wanna know. But, what's important is that in the end, I only had a small patch of missing hair in my scalp, Amie was released from the hospital after only one night, and we have two winners. Here is the full list of stories submitted. All deserving of praise and reward, if I were a little more opulent than the bank currently informs me of being, please, if you haven't yet read them all yet, I guarantee that they are well worth your time. Even Big Boxes Can't Be Trusted by Christina Thomas Taylor A Day of Zonal Travel With Vomit by Steven Seighman Seen From The Rooftop by Steve Branson CP; SOB by Paul Dexter Monkeys, Bicycles, and Drunks! by Steven Seighman Doppelganger by Eric Nygren Central District by chera kelsey sunshine on my face by degan beley The Loneliest Supermarket by David Conrad Conversations In Transit by Paul Dexter NEWS FLASH! Remember, all of these stories took place in your city! These are people who you pass when you cross the street, having experiences in buildings and neighborhoods that you frequent daily. It's amazing that our city is so large, has such a diverse catalog of tales, that you never need think of traveling to distant countries in search of adventure, it's all right here. From tales of death, to love, to the clash of cultures, from tales of the sublime to grotesque horror stories, from odes of familiarity to the crisp tingle of newness, it's all in these stories, and it's amazing. That said, here are the WINNERS, WINNERS, WINNERS! First Place: "Doppelganger" by Eric Nygren. I felt that this story was deserving of first prize because he has my same first name, even though it's spelled wrong. No no no! I mean, really, this story is excellent. We've got a nemesis established early on, clearly an evil twin of some sort who deals in the dark art of boat-crime in some way, a classic representation of the id, battling the forces of good as he tries to go about his daily life drifting in and out of apartments and hitting on chicks that mistake him for someone else on the phone. It's Dr. Jekyl meets Clark Kent, with a cheesy pop star thrown in, and all I'm left wondering is, "What IS your middle name, Eric Nygren?" Excellent job, Eric. Please stay on the line to receive your fifty bucks. Second Place: "Monkeys, Bicycles, and Drunks!" by Steven Seighman In the words of Amie Nelson, "I loved this story. I laughed heartily, it was well written, and lucid. Steven reminds me of a lot of great writers of today, all rolled into one. He doesn't blatantly steal a certain style, but takes good bits from many. It was to-the-point and almost unbelievable. I favor witty, funny, charming anecdotes in short-story form. I feel that this piece is worthy of second place." I too enjoyed this story, as much for the interesting conversation within the comments as for the story itself. Is the writer morally responsible for the actions he takes in a story? That's deep. The story has a few post-modern elements in it (I always use this term when I can't think of another term to use, "Don't these chips just taste fabulous in that ... um, post-modern dip?"), with the author stating that it might be helpful to have a couple drinks in order to read correctly a few lines of dialect from the homeless man. Since the author wasn't present when I read this, I took it upon myself to get drunk, and before I knew it I was wandering around dark alleys searching for an "Elephant Truck." What was that all about? Anyway, so there are your winners. I hope you agree that these two are deserving of their prize, if not, get your story ready for the next contest, and show them who's who in the Seattle Story-telling Ghetto Mod-Rocker Cool Hipster Pant Scene. Or else be a judge yourself, whiny pants. I hope life is going well for everyone, and I look forward to hearing you tell your next story. Thanks to everyone. erik |
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