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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Bardsandsages" data-source="post: 4652231" data-attributes="member: 28771">I am very pleased to announce our 6th annual writing competition.  Each year, <a href="http://www.bardsandsages.com" target="_blank">Bards and Sages Publishing</a> sponsors a speculative writing competition to benefit charity.  This year’s competition supports the non-profit organization <a href="http://www.kiva.org" target="_blank">Kiva.org</a>. Kiva.org allows individuals to offer micro-loans to entrepreneurs in developing nations.  By supporting family-operated businesses in developing nations, Kiva lenders help spread prosperity and hope around the world.  This year’s contest will award over $400 in Kiva Gift Certificates, which can then be used at Kiva.org to issue micro-loans or withdrawn to a Paypal account.  The reason for awarding the prize money in this manner is to encourage people to loan it before they withdraw it to spend.  The great thing about Kiva.org is that, once a loan is repaid, the money is deposited back to your Kiva account.  You can then withdraw it to your Paypal account or loan it again.  Our hope is people will decide to lend it first, and once they see the good their money can do, will re-lend it again and again.This year’s contest will award one grand prize, as well as individual prizes in the poetry, flash fiction, and short story categories.  Entrants can enter more than one category.  All entries must be speculative in nature (fantasy, horror, science fiction, etc).   Winning entries will also be published in the planned speculative anthology Bardic Tales and Sage Advice, Volume II.  A $10 reading fee is required to enter the contest, however the reading fee is waived for active Kiva.org lenders.  Entrants that wish to join Kiva.org can pre-register for the competition, and once they have issued their first loan have the reading fee waived.  Complete details are available on the contest site at <a href="http://www.bardsandsages.com/2009contest" target="_blank">www.bardsandsages.com/2009contest.</a>This year's contest is co-sponsored by <a href="http://www.exmachinapress.com/" target="_blank">Ex Machina Press</a> and <a href="http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/fiction_jump.php" target="_blank">Drivethrufiction.com</a>, a division of OneBookshelf.com.  Big thanks to Steve and James for jumping in to offer support to the contest.  Even if you aren't a writer, I hope everyone will visit kiva.org and consider becoming a lender.  It is a chance for you to directly help someone in a developing nation.  I've been a member since 2007, and it really is amazing knowing that as little as $25 really can make a huge difference in the success of a family operated business in a developing nation.  You can see my lender page <a href="http://www.kiva.org/lender/bardsandsages" target="_blank">here.</a></blockquote>

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