Over the past 12 months, I've read books by beanpolewatson, wsells, and (two by) Aggeloi. I know wsells was published (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B9JBRL2), and I believe writerwannabe is self-publishing a trilogy (http://www.lex-author.com/home/the_novels). djinndarme has a variety of short fiction published. I have my book (http://www.amazon.com/Featherless-Woozy-James-G-Becker/dp/145643120X/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1361379740&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=featherless+woozy) available on Amazon (7, count 'em, SEVEN! copies sold in the last three years!).

If you've published a book or write consistently for a blog or whatnot, feel free to toot your own horn here.

When someone decides to put together a "Greatest Hits of StoryMash" collection, I hope I've laid a track or two. I fulfilled my self-imposed obligation and am now writing my way into the sunset. God bless.

-- Jim

Midnight -

You're welcome to add to the story, but at this point, you're whistling in a graveyard. Which is to say the site has lost its lustre. Cooperative writing is exciting and enjoyable, but - and it saddens me to type this - StoryMash isn't the place to do it. Good luck finding somewhere that is.

-- Nash

Should you find yourself full of ego and devoid of inspiration, consider using one of the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest award winners for first sentences. They're ingeniously awful.

My personal favorite: Ronald left this world as he entered it: on a frigid winter night, amid frantic screams and blood-soaked linens, while relatives stood nearby and muttered furious promises to find and punish the man responsible.

Bonus points if you can concoct a chapter using multiple sentences. Find them here: http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/2012win.html

Ah. Yes. Welcome to the system that is StoryMash. I caught this post after replying to the other. --sigh--

Why must my head always be up my rear? (No? That isn't what you said? Hmm.)

Paul -

To my knowledge, no such story exists. Rather, authors who have been here for any length of time have grown weary of the developer (Ethan) and his promises of changes to the site that never materialize. Notifications. Favorite chapters, strings and authors. Better communication. A better rating system. The reinstatement of contests. I suspect you could find other forum posts somewhere to better detail the improvements regulars like me would appreciate.

Yes, the site has incredible potential. Unfortunately, it has lackluster management. Users recommend changes, Katrina dutifully passes them along to the developer, and they die. I waiver between laughter and sadness, depending on my frustration level d'jour.

I'm on IE, so I'm only able to read one of your chapters (Fri Nite), but you've some talent. I'd love it if you chose to hang around and contribute. But history has a long list of writers who grew too frustrated with the stagnation of the site. What seems like easy alterations (to an admittedly non-techie) haven't happened and there's no reason to believe anything new is on the horizon.

Another contributor here spoke about developing another collaborative fiction site while integrating the suggested improvements. I'm still waiting and nagging.

Again, I'm glad to see new, hopeful blood on the webpages, but I fear you'll become the latest in a line of casualties that grew disillusioned enough to vanish.

Though I troll the site regularly (and add at least one chapter a month until the end of 2012 to fulfill a commitment I made), I tend to prefer better communication methods. If you want to contact me, it's my moniker at yahoo.com

-- Nash

This is quite probably my favorite piece of your writing.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Welcome to StoryMash, a site that never changes.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

I have three days to post a chapter to fulfill my self-imposed obligation of at least one chapter per month on StoryMash. That obligation will cease in December, unless the unlikely happens and there's another resurgence. After a nudge or three from Crystalfoo, I spearheaded a resurgence of sorts in February this year. It lasted a matter of weeks. Now dr3arms and his multiple perturbonalities are back, combined with crappy poetry by Stormbird and Norcia, and it makes a quick search unappealing. I keep my eyes open for the occasional contribution by quality (I didn't miss yours, djinn), and I check out new authors as they submit. There's some talent out there, but you have to search through a shitload of loads of **** to find it. Yes, I was intentionally redundant on purpose. Twice.

Ethan (the architect of StoryMash) replied to an email of mine back in March with promises of change. I've yet to see one.

Shadow proposed improving or building a separate writer's site. I'll stick with my elitist persona and say if/when that happens, I hope there are individual invites. We'll see.

Hockey, MBF:

There are a host of projects that have been left open-ended here. Everything that's not concluded is available for contributions. If you want to run Around the World, it starts here: http://storymash.com/u/nashvillebecker/furanimu/ and continues to Cheese's chapter: http://storymash.com/u/Cheeseliker/gepiviwu/

You'll also find an ambitious beckon for finishing imcompletes here: http://storymash.com/f/projects-and-contests/1031/#c_42109

(Speaking of which, I realize I still have a chapter of Zorro to write. Oops.)

I continue waiting for a new renaissance period on StoryMash. You'll find contributors occasionally popping in for a comment or three, but most of us are waiting for another big thing. Feel free to be that next big thing.

-- Nash