Gosh. I feel stupid. I finally figured out where all the discussion of the contest is taking place. I've been going back to the social group and not seeing anything there.
Well, all I can say is that I am stupid with these websites still. Only now figuring out how to subscribe to threads (without emails pinging me), etc. So my apologies to anyone that I have failed to follow up with a comment. I am just an ignoramus here.
And yes, I agree, there are many many good entries. Love the Dude Ranch idea.
I am a big McMurtry fan, going back to
Hud and
The Last Picture Show, both of which I saw in the late '70's. Loved
Lonesome Dove (and my husband is still upset that Gus died)
. Never have been able to get through Cormac McCarthy, though.
I suspect that most of us tired of the western genre because it was such a B-movie staple, that and the horror genre.
At any rate, I take my hat off to all the other contestants. As I wrote to Harry earlier, I don't expect to place. I won in just being pushed to write a short story where I could practice many of the story-telling techniques I am learning on this website.