Alan would have enjoyed seeing this. thank you for the opportunity to do something creative in his memory.
To answer B) as Liz said, it depends on the judges. some might prefer more traditionally scripted stories while others might enjoy stories that are wildly outside the box. there have been times when i've read the comps and fallen in love with a story that i know won't do well because it's pretty out there - that's my tastes speaking. that said, quality is recognized - if there's a gay story, for instance, and a judge isn't into gay stories, but it's above and beyond the rest in quality, they are impartial enough to rank it up at the top of the list.
hope that helps add some insight?
I don't take anyone's passing lightly. that said, sometimes i feel the need to try to convey how special someone was to those who didn't know him, or know him well. just wanted to share a few personal stories.
Although Alan wrote some lovely erotica, at heart he was a poet, and a serious one. he wrote a tribute shortly after 9/11 that is well regarded far beyond the borders of Lush. It is called We Shall Never Forget (you can find a video of him reading it on youtube if you'd like). He also published a book called I Often Wonder full of prose, poems, and short stories. He worked tirelessly to promote his work, and the work of others. He'd often send me links about contests or writing submissions that he thought would interest me. Modern Fairy Tales. Short stories based on Alice in Wonderland. that sort of thing.
btw, he is responsible for "Her Royal Spriteness". that's how he used to refer to me. we used to trade silly barbs back and forth on each others walls. I hope that mine made him smile as much as his made me. He was a good man, a sweet man, and he had a huge heart as well as a beautiful mind. As with all friendships, sometimes we'd both wander our own ways for a bit before getting back to each other, but i always knew that i could send him a note anytime i wanted, about anything, and he'd be there. When i first joined, i was just settling down into writing. it was new to me, writing for an audience, writing something that someone besides me would read. he always encouraged me.
i don't know what else to say. someone so bright is no longer with us. i like to think that there's one more star in the night time sky rather than one less.
he was one of the first friends i made here and a delightful and talented author.