2004 1K Bedtime Flash Contest Winners

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Our contest stories just get better and better.

More than 150 authors participated in our Bedtime Flash Contest, and our judges, Chris Bridges and Desdmona, had more than 200 great stories to pick from. The quality of the submissions, top to bottom, was the best yet. And the large number of stories that had a legitimate shot at winning was amazing. It was tough to whittle down the winner’s list to only 10.

But whittle the judges did. And you’ll agree, they came up with a bedtime orgy of excellent erotica for all you readers out there. And every one of these gems is a complete story in 1,000 words or less.

We were delighted to read some of the best gay and lesbian stories we’ve received since we started these contests. There are the homeless men in goodrichdirt’s “Sunny,” and there are the tacit homoerotic elements in Jezebel’s “Train.” There is the predatory lesbian in Carmel Lockyer’s “Tats,” the odd bisexual relationship featured in crystal jade’s “Whispering Silk,” and the unexpected lesbian encounter in “Watching Ellie,” by Ariana Dark.

Interesting characters graced every tale. Harry Neptune’s “Pinch of Salt” made us laugh. “Thief,” by Kathryn O’Halloran, shows that you can create a complex, contradictory character in only a few words. L.A. Mistral created a fabulous, vivid setting and dropped two realistic characters right in the middle of it.

Po Bashka and Tara Alton jumped in with a couple fascinating characters of their own. I wonder if you’ll agree with us that these two narrators should get together and talk out some of their issues. Read “Cherry Air” and “Drama Queen/Soap Star/Porn Princess” and decide for yourself.

All together, our Bedtime Flash Contest may be our best contest ever. Behind the scenes, there are a huge group of stories we sincerely hope find a home. In the meantime, join us in congratulating the winning stories. Take a moment to read them all. We promise, you will enjoy them.

Until the next time,

Desdmona


First Prize: Train, by Jezebel

This story is more than the little engine that could. It’s gritty and sexy. Jezebel proves that hearing can be just as powerful as sight in sparking the deep voyeur in all of us. Every word chugs us uphill toward a peak and then leaves us there long enough to absorb our surroundings before plummeting us toward the end of the ride. Masterful!

Second Prize: Extra Virgin, by L.A. Mistral

The protoganist in “Extra Virgin” by L. A. Mistral is in a class by herself. At turns shy and daring, she finds herself drawn to the customer in the Hungarian restaurant where she works. They tease and flirt together, and we get to overhear it as if we were sitting nearby. It has the charm of new love and the naughty flirtation of blossoming lust. Charming.

Third Prize: Watching Ellie, by Ariana Dark

Ariana Dark has crafted a deceptively simple tale of an exhibitionist and her masturbatory encounter in a Wal-Mart. Ellie’s public romps are arousing by themselves, but it’s the feeling behind them and the expressive descriptions that drew me in to this story. Ellie clearly excites herself, and she certainly excited me. Attention-getting.

Honorable Mentions

Sunny, by goodrichdirt

“Sunny” by goodrichdirt defies description. A slice of life in the world of the homeless, a disturbing description of rough times, and a tender story that proves love can grow anywhere. This story grew on me and I got more out of it with every reading. Refreshing.

Drama Queen/Soap Star/Porn Princess, by Tara Alton

What else is there to do in the cafeteria besides eating lunch? Tara Alton brings us one woman who has a definite answer. The woman borders on obsession. But it’s her fast paced mania from one seamless idea to another that brings her to life – and makes us like her because she dreams the dreams so many of us do. Mesmerizing!

Tats, by Carmel Lockyer

Body art and sex have been around forever. Carmel Lockyer takes a lesson from history and brings the two together in a titillating story about taking chances, realizing advantages, and knowing the importance of a soothing balm. Delicious details will have your fingers itching, your palms sweating, and your heart racing. Sybaritic!

A Pinch of Salt, by Harry Neptune

What man doesn’t like to help out in the kitchen? Okay, but if the reward is some close body rubbing with a dish? Harry Neptune gives an amusing look at a couple preparing food for a party and in the process proves how much fun sex and cooking and giggling can be. Hedonistic!

Whispering Silk (A Story in Bed), by crystal jade

What could be more exciting than girlfriends cuddling in bed and trading intimate secrets of their love lives? Why, acting them out, of course. In “Whispering Silk (A Story in Bed),” author Crystal Jade shows us love, lust, and true affection, all wrapped up in an extremely hot evening. All bedtime stories should end this way. Evocative.

Cherry Air, by Po Bashka

Take a psychoanalyst with a name like a porn star, put her on an airplane near a hunky pilot-out-of-uniform, and the sexy tales begin to spin inside her head. If you’ve ever wondered what your shrink does after listening to an hour of your sexual fantasies, you’ll get a nice taste here. Soaring!

Thief, by Kathryn O'Halloran

She’s a prisoner. Taken as a hostage. The sort of story fantasies are made of. Kathryn O’Halloran weaves a tale of panic and excitement in the mind, and she shows us the Stockholm Syndrome through erotic-tinted glasses. It leaves us breathless and sinfully hungry for the smell of fresh tobacco. Carnal!


When you’re done here, take a peek at the winners of our other contests.

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