Date:         Thu, 17 Feb 2000 07:48:00 -0500
From: a scarcely legible hieroglyphic <mbarker@MIT.EDU>
Subject:      WOW: A Contest at the Borders of Infinity?

Okay, it's time.  (It may even be past time, or perhaps you are ahead of
time, but let's at least admit it may be time...)

Announcing A Short Story Contest!

1.  The Task:  Write a short story (5,000 words or less) starting with one
of these sentences:

Miles heard the woman weeping as he was climbing the hill from the long
lake.

Miles contemplated the image of the globe glowing above the vid plate,
crossed his arms, and stifled queasiness.

How could I have died and gone to hell without noticing the transition?

(sentences from Borders of Infinity by Lois McMaster Bujold)

One of the finest collections of science fiction stories in recent years (in
my not-so-humble opine;-)

2.  By When?  Oh, let's be gracious and give ourselves a little time.
Deadline: 00:01 April 1 (i.e., finish by the end of the day on March 31).

Read 'em and weep for about 10 or 15 days after that, vote, vote, vote, and...

I'll mail out a copy of Borders of Infinity (inscribed to order) to whoever
the winner is.  2nd and 3rd place winners will get fine certificates of
accomplishment, suitable for something, I'm sure...

3.  How to Submit?  Let's do the anonymous thing, okay?  So send your short
story, when ready, to mbarker@mit.edu <mailto:mbarker@mit.edu>  Be patient,
he's kind of slow sometimes, but it will then go up on the web AND be posted
to the list as a

Subject: SUB: CONTEST: your title goes here

4.  How many stories can I submit?

I want to encourage you to write your best, so let's say two (2) per story
line.  So you may submit up to six stories.

5.  Story lines?

Okay, let's get to it (including cryptic hints as to what the original
stories are about, but your's don't have to be in anyway related, except
for using that same first line):

Miles heard the woman weeping as he was climbing the hill from the long
lake.  (from The Mountains of Mourning -- in which our hero dedicates
himself to fighting injustice and prejudice as personified in a dead baby)

Miles contemplated the image of the globe glowing above the vid plate,
crossed his arms, and stifled queasiness.  (From Labyrinth -- in which our
hero finds himself trapped with a sex-starved teenage werewolf)

How could I have died and gone to hell without noticing the transition?
(From The Borders of Infinity -- in which our hero helps a prison camp
experience religious conversion)

I'm sure I've forgotten something, so ask, and we'll all be enlightened...

Oh, and start writing!

"Skepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and it is shameful to
surrender it too soon or to the first comer."  George Santayana

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