International Short Story Challenge - very cool concept

The Short Story Challenge is open to writers around the world. There are two rounds of competition.

1st Round (February 4-12, 2011): Writers are placed randomly in heats. Each heat is assigned a genre and a subject. Some examples of past genre and subject combinations are: Comedy / Hunting, Fantasy / Steps, Horror / A family reunion, and Sci-Fi / A blind date. For other examples of genre / subject combinations, check out past competition pages online. Writers have 8 days to write an original short story (2,500 words max). Winners are chosen from the 1st Round to advance to the 2nd round and compete for thousands in cash and prizes. $39 entry fee.

2nd Round (April 1-2, 2011) : All of the writers receive the same genre and subject at midnight (EST time) and have just 24 hours to write an original short story. A panel of judges review the final round stories and winners are chosen!

1st Place $1,500 Cash
2nd Place $500 Cash
3rd Place $250 Cash
4th Place $100 Cash

NOTE: I love the way they select the topic/genre/theme. No way you can plan ahead, not like NaNoWriMo. You are so on your own with this one, and need a fairly creative mind. Nice prizes.

DOUBLE NOTE: Too. Much. Food. I've hit the gym both days since returning from Thanksgiving. Three miles both days. I feel like a Thanksgiving Parade blimp. I stayed with relatives - WITH DIAL-UP! Oh my goodness, the agony. So pardon the delay in blog entries. I was stalled for three days, and my brain just vegetated. I'm kicking it around, trying to wake it back up again. It doesn't want to budge, especially since it turned chilly and I've had to dress in sweats and sweaters. Too dang cozy to get energetic, you know? Out of sync. Gotta shake this malaise ASAP. Got stuff to do!