I love how creative you all are and how each one of you tackled this competition so differently. Well done everyone.  

I would like to congratulate Pnin, KatarinaTechgoddess, and OpheliaTusk for taking the top 3!

1st Place: Daphne by  Pnin

2nd Place: Memories of Mardi Gras (One Last Time) by  KatarinaTechgoddess

3rd Place: Earned My Beads On Downing Street by  OpheliaTusk

The following entries round out the Top 10, and if you haven't done so already, I recommend giving them a read:

4th: And the Band Played On by  sprite

5th: Mardi Gris by  JamesPBear

6th: Sydney's Mardi Gras: We Shall Overcome by  CuriousAnnie

7th: Pancake Tuesday by  SeaJay

8th: The Stories Behind the Masks by  WriterGirl

9th: Mardi Gras: The Darker Side by  Brad_Naylor

10th: Mardi Gras Mink by  DenimAngel

As always, thank you to everyone that participated, as well as those that scored and commented. The stories are amazing, but we rely on you to help keep us motivated. You all are the backbone of this site.

Congratulations again to the winners! I’ll be in touch soon regarding your prize.

Hello. If you go to the home page (click StoriesSpace in the upper left corner) and scroll down past the new stories there will be a tab on the right underneath them that says More Stories.

Click More Stories. That will open up a new page with Search, Write Your Own Stories, and Genres.

Use the Search tab to find the keyword you're searching for and all the stories tagged with that word will pop up for you.

Hope this helps!

Quote by SeaJay

HI, as part of the upgrade, I understood we'd been made Platinum members but when I went to my interactions today, I see this ad. How do I upgrade if I'm platinum?

It could be an update glitch. I'll let the techs know about this.

Twelve! I love people getting it in under the wire. 😊

OpheliaTusk - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/speculative-fiction/earned-my-beads-on-downing-street

verbal - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/young-and-dumb-in-new-orleans

Jimwillhavefun - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/musings/the-other-side-2

KatarinaTechgoddess - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/speculative-fiction/memories-of-mardi-gras-one-last-time

WriterGirl - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/the-stories-behind-the-masks

Brad_Naylor - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/horror/mardi-gras-the-darker-side

JamesPBear - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/horror/mardi-gris

Ceebees - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/pancake-tuesday

sprite - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/realistic-fiction/and-the-band-played-on

DenimAngel - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/mardi-gras-mink

CuriousAnnie - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/realistic-fiction/sydneys-mardi-gras-we-shall-overcome

Pnin - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/romance/daphne

We made it to eleven! There are still some hours left...

OpheliaTusk - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/speculative-fiction/earned-my-beads-on-downing-street

verbal - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/young-and-dumb-in-new-orleans

Jimwillhavefun - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/musings/the-other-side-2

KatarinaTechgoddess - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/speculative-fiction/memories-of-mardi-gras-one-last-time

WriterGirl - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/the-stories-behind-the-masks

Brad_Naylor - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/horror/mardi-gras-the-darker-side

JamesPBear - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/horror/mardi-gris

Ceebees - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/pancake-tuesday

sprite - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/realistic-fiction/and-the-band-played-on

DenimAngel - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/mardi-gras-mink

CuriousAnnie - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/realistic-fiction/sydneys-mardi-gras-we-shall-overcome

We've reached ten!

OpheliaTusk - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/speculative-fiction/earned-my-beads-on-downing-street

verbal - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/young-and-dumb-in-new-orleans

Jimwillhavefun - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/musings/the-other-side-2

KatarinaTechgoddess - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/speculative-fiction/memories-of-mardi-gras-one-last-time

WriterGirl - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/the-stories-behind-the-masks

Brad_Naylor - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/horror/mardi-gras-the-darker-side

JamesPBear - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/horror/mardi-gris

Ceebees - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/pancake-tuesday

sprite - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/realistic-fiction/and-the-band-played-on

DenimAngel - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/mardi-gras-mink

We have nine and three more days!

OpheliaTusk - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/speculative-fiction/earned-my-beads-on-downing-street

verbal - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/young-and-dumb-in-new-orleans

Jimwillhavefun - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/musings/the-other-side-2

KatarinaTechgoddess - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/speculative-fiction/memories-of-mardi-gras-one-last-time

WriterGirl - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/the-stories-behind-the-masks

Brad_Naylor - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/horror/mardi-gras-the-darker-side

JamesPBear - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/horror/mardi-gris

Ceebees - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/pancake-tuesday

sprite - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/realistic-fiction/and-the-band-played-on

Eight!

OpheliaTusk - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/speculative-fiction/earned-my-beads-on-downing-street

verbal - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/young-and-dumb-in-new-orleans

Jimwillhavefun - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/musings/the-other-side-2

KatarinaTechgoddess - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/speculative-fiction/memories-of-mardi-gras-one-last-time

WriterGirl - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/the-stories-behind-the-masks

Brad_Naylor - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/horror/mardi-gras-the-darker-side

JamesPBear - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/horror/mardi-gris

Ceebees - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/pancake-tuesday

Quote by Mendalla

Oo, and I see there's a dark mode in beta (ie. being tested). Is that new or did I just miss it before?

It's new and they are still sorting things since it's all just launched. 😊

Just wanted to let you all know that the tipping is now live! The link below can be found at the bottom of the page along with all of the other site information. There is also a link at the bottom of everyone's stories.

https://www.storiesspace.com/coins

I did! My apologies James. We have seven!

OpheliaTusk - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/speculative-fiction/earned-my-beads-on-downing-street

verbal - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/young-and-dumb-in-new-orleans

Jimwillhavefun - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/musings/the-other-side-2

KatarinaTechgoddess - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/speculative-fiction/memories-of-mardi-gras-one-last-time

WriterGirl - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/the-stories-behind-the-masks

Brad_Naylor - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/horror/mardi-gras-the-darker-side

JamesPBear - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/horror/mardi-gris

We've got six!

OpheliaTusk - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/speculative-fiction/earned-my-beads-on-downing-street

verbal - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/young-and-dumb-in-new-orleans

Jimwillhavefun - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/musings/the-other-side-2

KatarinaTechgoddess - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/speculative-fiction/memories-of-mardi-gras-one-last-time

WriterGirl - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/the-stories-behind-the-masks

Brad_Naylor - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/horror/mardi-gras-the-darker-side

OpheliaTusk - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/speculative-fiction/earned-my-beads-on-downing-street

verbal - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/young-and-dumb-in-new-orleans

Jimwillhavefun - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/musings/the-other-side-2

KatarinaTechgoddess - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/speculative-fiction/memories-of-mardi-gras-one-last-time

Quote by Mendalla

So, Carnival in Rio and some other Latin and Caribbean countries would be on point, since those are Mardi Gras festivals?

Of course, since they are the same celebrations.

Quote by Ceebees

Hi.. it says what we first think of is New Orleans Maris Gras but does the story have to be about New Orleans? Or can it be set somewhere else? Can it be about the beginning of Lent for example? Or is it parades and costumes you want? Thanks.

Hello. The story has to be about Mardi Gras. You don't necessarily have to be in New Orleans, just as long as it's during Mardi Gras.

Two comps stories now!

OpheliaTusk - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/speculative-fiction/earned-my-beads-on-downing-street

verbal - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/general/young-and-dumb-in-new-orleans

Quote by verbal
Thanks Molly. This memory might be a tad more exciting than I had first remembered it to be.

Speaking for myself and I think many others, I look forward to hearing it!

Quote by Ceebees

So.. we buy coins and tip the writers of the stories we like? I guess it sounds good in principle but for paid memberships, are we talking about paying to publish? or paying to read?

I noticed we have all been made platinum members. Looking at the site across the street, does that mean we all have lifetime memberships here already?

Once it is put into action, yes, we will be able to buy coins and tip our fellow writers.

A few facts:

Tips can be made anonymously.

Only you will see how much you have. It's essentially a digital wallet.

New members will receive coins as part of their sign-up. If they don't want to spend them, they don't have to, but there will not be a discount for not participating.

I will update you more about this as it becomes available.

~*~

As for the memberships, if you have been a member here since last year you have been given a platinum membership already. This will carry you for a lifetime as long as you have your current profile. New members signing up will need to purchase a membership for certain features.

Quote by verbal

Okay, I am taking a shot at telling my non-fiction adventures in NO today. Two questions: is non-fiction allowed? And is there a word limit? I looked and couldn't find answers to either.

Non-fiction is allowed, Just no mico, flash, poetry, song, or play.

The word limit is the standard 10,000-word limit that the site has.

This is me talking myself through the plot.

We have our first entry!

OpheliaTusk - https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/speculative-fiction/earned-my-beads-on-downing-street

Quote by Mendalla

So does this mean paid memberships are coming? If not how will this work here? Buying coins seems like a kind of stealth paid upgrade to me.

Given our small numbers, I do not see this being as advantageous here as there but it will be interesting to see how it works out.

Yes, we now have paid memberships for new members.

I'm not sure how this can be seen as a negative for our writers. We have top-notch writers here, why shouldn't they be rewarded? Everything new takes time.

We also have things in the works for SS, things to help grow the site and they will be laid out here as they become available.

You might notice at the bottom of a story there is a link to a new feature, coming soon. These are story tips.

The development team has been working on this for months now, and it will basically be a way for readers to show their appreciation to authors they enjoy reading.

New members signing up will receive coins as part of their membership fee, and existing users can buy coins to distribute if they want to.

If you don't want to participate in this, that's absolutely fine. There is no requirement to use any of the coins you may be gifted.

We have some fantastic authors here, so this is an excellent way of helping them get a little back for the stories they create and share here on StoriesSpace.

More details here:

https://www.storiesspace.com/coins

I was afraid to say that. Lol

Quote by JamesPBear

Is there a maximum word count? 200,000 for instance?

The standard 10,000 since we don't post stories over 10,000.

Good morning/afternoon/evening everyone. I'm leaving cookies and an announcement.

https://www.storiesspace.com/forum/site-announcements-and-members-feedback/mardi-gras-competition

Mardi Gras

The French name Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday, from the custom of using all the fats in the home before Lent in preparation for fasting and abstinence. That is not necessarily what we first think of when we hear Mardi Gras. 

That would be bright colors of purple, green, and gold, lavish costumes, and intricate masks. The parades and parties, losing your inhibitions and stepping out of your comfort zone. Let’s not forget the music! 

Mardi Gras is your theme. What does it make you think of, adventurous times, party after party, scary masks, and what lies beneath?  Make it your celebration. 

All topics are open except for micro, flash, play, poetry, and song.

Quick Facts:

You cannot submit already published work.

All Stories Space rules and guidelines apply.gRnurzb1RF6Cp2tj

The minimum word count is 1000.

The ending date is February 21, 2023

The winners will be announced on March 1, 2023

Prizes:

First: $150 (USD)

Second: $75 (USD

Third: $50 (USD)

Have fun and if you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask!