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February 7, 2011

The Finalists

Well, it's time for us to announce the ten finalist of the Shattering the Glass Slipper Competition, and to open up the voting for the final winner.

But first I wanted to tell you a little bit about how the contest came to be, and follow up with a few words from Stephanie.

While at a wedding hall, a couple of months ago, I idly glanced in to the kitchen where the staff was preparing for an upcoming event. My attention was caught by a middle-aged woman washing dishes in the large industrial-size sink. As her hands dipped in and out of the soapy water the light glinted on the large diamond ring on her finger. For some reason I immediately thought about Cinderella and I found myself wondering if circumstances might have brought the fairy tale heroine to similarity be washing dishes in a kitchen somewhere, wearing her prince's diamond ring. But what might those circumstances have been. From there my mind began to concoct several elaborate possibilities of the events following Cinderella's happy ending. Perhaps the prince lost his kingdom his younger brother and he and Cinderella were forced to find work in a kitchen somewhere. And though impoverished, still in love. Or maybe the prince abandoned Cinderella for a younger women and all she has left of him his the diamond engagement ring. 

Excitedly, I decided I was going to write a collection of stories focusing on Cinderella and all of the different ways that her story might have continued after the "Happily Ever After." But then I was forced to admit that I probably never write any of these stories, but still, the idea was too good to just give up on. And so I hit upon the idea of having getting other people to write these stories instead, through a writing contest. And so the Shattering the Glass Slipper Competition was born.

But even as my mind was bubbling over with all of the different story possibilities for Cinderella I never imagined the wonderful variety of stories that we would actually end up receiving. So many of the entries just blew me away and it was a a real struggle when the time came to choose just ten of them to be voted on. But it had to be done and we are delighted to present you with the ten finalists in the contest.




When I first considered running this contest with Simcha - I was doubtful if there would be enough variety with just one theme.  Why not open it up to all the fairy tales?  But I wasn't counting on the breadth of creativity out there; quite simply, I was entranced by all the different ways writers shattered the glass slipper.  Despite the common theme of Cinderella's reinvention, each one of these finalists is enchanting and unique.

-Stephanie

RULES:

Please vote for what you believe to be the best Cinderella fairy tale retelling by commenting on THIS POST only.  The story with the most votes garners $50 prize.  The story with the second most votes will receive a copy of the fantastic anthology edited by Kate Bernheimer, My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me

One vote per person.  Finalists are excluded from voting.

You must be a registered user (including those with a Google account or Open ID) in order to vote.  Anonymous votes/commenters will be disqualified. 

Voting ends on February 21, 2011, 8:00 p.m. PST.  The winner and runner up will be announced on February 28, 2011.

The finalists in the 2011 Shattering the Glass Slipper Contest (in no particular order):










82 comments:

  1. Question, how are we to vote? It says we have to be registered but there are no instructions on how.

    Thank you,

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  2. I vote for "Perspective" by Chris Longhurst.

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  3. Tony & everyone: Christina's is the correct way to vote. Thank you.

    -Stephanie

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  4. What great selections!

    I love "Perspective" by Chris Longhurst, and thank everyone for a fun read.

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  5. My Vote for "Diamond Tear" By Miss Jane Buffham

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  6. Great entries, but I gotta go for "Just Outside the Closet" by Mandy Manning.

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  7. I vote for Cinder Elvis by Becky Kyle.

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  8. I'm voting for Cinder Elvis by Becky Kyle.

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  9. I vote for Best Foot Forward by T. L. Sherwood

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  10. "Diamond Tear" by Jane Buffham

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  11. I vote for "CinderElvis" by Becky Kyle. Too funny (and yet so insightful...)

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  12. I vote for "CinderElvis" by Becky Kyle

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  13. My vote is for Becky Kyle's Cinder Elvis

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  14. Becky Kyle's CinderElvis gets my vote.

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  15. Becky Kyle's Cinder Elvis has my vote.

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  16. I vote for CinderElvis by Becky Kyle. Hilarious!

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  17. I vote for "CinderElvis" by Becky Kyle.

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  18. My vote is Just Outside the Closet by Mandy Manning

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  19. My vote is for CinderElvis. Becky Kyle. Thanks!

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  20. I vote for Just Outside the Closet by Mandy Manning

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  21. I vote for Yaddi Shaw! Hands down!

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  22. My vote goes for YADDI SHAW...WOOOHOOOOOOO

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  23. I vote for Diamond Tear by Jane Buffham.

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  24. "Dark and Fair" by Brian Gray is the best story by far and gets my vote. The author has taken elements/motifs from several variants of Cinderella (and other tales), and created something truly enchanting. Buffman's story is the second best. Longhurst's is so close to the novel "Coachman Rat" it almost approaches plagiarism. All these votes for the ridiculous Cinder Elvis....this is why contests like this should be judged by a panel. Did you consider the fact that people with a bunch of facebook friends can get more votes than the writers with talent? ....Anyway, it's 4a.m., just about the right time to end a useless internet rant.

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  26. Diamond Tear by Jane Buffham

    Haunting with a cold twist. It made me want to read on.

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  27. I vote for 'Perspective' by Chris Longhurst. :)

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  28. Voting for Becky Kyle's Cinder Elvis.

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  29. I vote for Cinder Elvis by Becky Kyle

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  30. I vote for CinderElvis by Becky Kyle...'every girl in the kingdom!' LOL!

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  31. I have a tie. Cinder Elvis and Full Circle. Both for different reasons. :)

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  32. I vote for Yaddi Shaw.

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  33. I vote for Cinder Elvis by Becky Kyle.

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  34. I vote for "Just Outside the Closet" by Mandy Manning - Very well written.....

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  35. No question..."Just Outside the Closet" by Mandy Manning get my vote!

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  36. Great contest - my vote goes to

    "Just Outside the Closet" by Mandy Manning

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  37. I vote for Cinder Elvis by Becky Kyle.

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  38. My vote goes to Just Outside the Closet by Mandy Manning. Good Luck!

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  39. YADDI SHAW ALL THE WAY! My Vote for Yaddi.

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  40. CinderElvis for sure by Becky Kyle

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  41. My vote is for Cinder Elvis, Becky Kyle. It is just way too funny.

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  42. I vote for CinderElvis by Becky Kyle.

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  43. I vote for Cinder Elvis by Becky Kyle

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  44. I happily cast my vote for Becky Kyle's Cinder Elvis.

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  45. Barbara says

    I vote for Diamond Tear by Jane Buffham

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  46. I loved Just Outside the Closet by Mandy Manning

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  47. I vote for Just outside the closet by Mandy Manning! GREAT writing!

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  48. I will Rock my Vote for: Just Outside the Closet by Mandy Manning.

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  49. My vote goes to Just Outside the Closet by Mandy Manning. Still laughing!

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  50. I vote for Cinder Elvis By Becky Kyle. :)

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  51. I vote for Cinder Elvis by Becky Kyle.

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  52. I vote for Cinder Elvis by Becky Kyle

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  53. I vote for Cinder Elvis by Becky Kyle-- GREAT story!

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  54. I vote for "Cinder Elvis" by Becky Kyle!

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  55. Definitely Cinder Elvis by Becky Kyle.

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  56. My vote goes for Just Outside the Closet - great read.

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  57. I vote for "CinderElvis" by Becky Kyle.

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  58. I vote for just outside the closet

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  59. My vote goes to Yaddi Shaw. Loved it.

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  60. I vote for Just Outside the Closet

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  61. I vote for Perspective by Chris Longhurst.

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  62. Toe to Toe was impressive for me.

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  63. My vote is for Cinder Elvis by Becky Kyle

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  65. I vote for Cinder Elvis by Becky Kyle

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  66. I vote for Mandy Manning's Just Outside the closet

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  67. I vote To Be Queen by Hollan Lane, it looks like I'm in the minority though.
    I loved Cindy and her wickedness and I wish I could have read what would have happened to the stepmother. Genius.

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  68. I vote for Cinder Elvis by Becky Kyle. Happily ever after!!

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  69. My vote goes to CINDER ELVIS by Becky Kyle...

    Fantastic!

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  70. My vote is for CinderElvis!

    OMG having to choose has ripped my heart into pieces. All the stories are so good and I have thoroughly enjoyed being taken from my place to these other worlds. I have to say all good trips, I've laughed so much, and been so engaged, I think a couple times I could hear a glass slipper tinkling across the floor, with a sparkling melodic tone much like tuned crystal chimes.
    To actually pick a winner, as best, is so very difficult, but I vote for CinderElvis.
    I want to say how very much I enjoyed them all. My second choice goes to FullCircle.

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  71. I VOTE FOR CINDERELVIS BY BECKY KYLE

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