_{I find it ironic that people complain about plagiarism yet see no problem copying others' characters, character names, or personalities on the internet. And yes: it is the same.}
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_{I'm probably behind in reading and commenting on your journals and deviations: please forgive me.}
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Pip's Top Ten of 2006: [link] .

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I'm weary and suffering from yet another bout of pneumonia; it's been an exhausting week. Nic will still be keeping up with the contest entries for me until I have more energy. Hope you're all doing well.

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I'm very tired and incredibly lovesick (it happens). Also (in case you have somehow failed to notice), I am an existential romantic with a soft spot for sentimentality. I don't appreciate sap, per se, but I really do enjoy a good romance. And St. Valentine's Day is right around the corner, so--

I'm having a contest. Well, more of a "challenge" with prizes.

Contest Objective: Write a love letter

I want you to write a love letter that represents a stage in someone's romantic relationship. It doesn't have to be a lovey-dovey stage or even a remotely happy one (unless you want it to be), but the relationship (implied or stated) must be between two people (and only two, please--no poly-loves here) who have the potential to experience some form of sexual tension (without breaking any laws).

You can include poetry. You can write it as straight prose. You can make it very formal or you can write in slang or dialect and make it personal in that regard. It can be real; it can be fake. It can be visual poetry, a photograph, a manipulation, a painting--anything. However, it must be a letter (which includes a salutation and a closing line).

Rules:

1. It must be a letter (salutation, etc.);
2. It must be a new scrap or deviation in your gallery;
3. It cannot be longer than two pages (1,500 words), but it must be longer than one paragraph (100 words).

To clarify: visual poetry, photography, and other genres are welcome--as long as there is a letter included somewhere in there. Be creative!

How to Enter:

Send *GeneratingHype a NOTE entitled "Love Letter" with the link before Midnight GMT on February 10, 2007. You can submit more than one letter, but please do not submit more than three.

Who Can Enter?

This challenge is open to anyone, but I think I am only going to advertise it in my journal for now. You are welcome to tell anyone else about it, or advertise it in your own journals, and I actually encourage you to tell as many people as possible. (Okay, I lied. The News article is here: [link] You know you want to it.) Also, do not be discouraged if you are not a writer. All of us have written a love letter from time to time, and sentiment can be far more important than grammar under the right circumstances.

Judges

*Ebonessa
~EveningDownpour
*joecifur
*GeneratingHype

Prizes:

First place will receive a three month subscription donated by ~EveningDownpour, a one month subscription from me, a small print (A5 size) from =Mithgariel's gorgeous gallery, and either David Lowenherz's The 50 Greatest Love Letters of All Time (ISBN: 0517223333), A. S. Byatt's Possession: A Romance (ISBN: 0679735909), or Kazuo Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day (ISBN: 0679731725).

Second place will receive a three month subscription donated by `youthculture and a choice of Lowenherz's The 50 Greatest Love Letters of All Time, Byatt's Possession: A Romance, or Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day.

Third place will receive a one month subscription from me.

All winners will also receive a non-animated icon/avatar courtesy of ~azayii and will be featured in =Riangel's journal.

(Special thanks to `diamondie for her excellent suggestion, *Ebonessa for agreeing to judge, =Mithgariel, ~azayii, and `youthculture for their generosity, and =Riangel and ^coshdaddy for their support.)

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For current entries please check out Nic's Journal: Contest Submissions.
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is also running a great contest, so don't forget to check that out. You can find the information here: [link]

Also, take the time to have a look at =hellfirediva's contest ([link]); it's innovative and creative (and I'm donating a prize)!

=StJoan is hosting an open visual challenge, too. Check out the information and remember to enter here: [link]

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^{My name is Bill, and I am a punctuation junkie. Please click the link for a list of my pet peeves (and for some idea of what I look for when I first critique your work): [link] .}

Have a great day!