Give Me Ten (or Three - awards, that is)

I participated in the Passionate About Paul contest  a little while ago and failed to report back to you. You probably just assumed my geeky band story was overlooked and overshadowed by smut-filled Paul and Bella goodness, but you'd be wrong! My story actually placed, and it placed well. Give Me Ten won first place for overall-best story by a public vote. It also won two of four Judge's Pick awards. The judges that chose my story as their favorite had some nice things to say about it. You can read their words below.

Give Me Ten has become a favorite of mine as well as some of my readers. I hope when inspiratoon hits I can expand a bit with some drabbles here and there. If you'd like to read them someday please put me on Author Alert. Thanks! Purely

my hubby is no edward

Give Me Ten by purelyamuse

Admittedly, one of the biggest reasons I decided on "Give Me Ten" was for the memories it provoked of my own days back in the marching band in high school. Bella, who is a confident, little spit-fire, wants nothing more than to be considered one of the guys in the drum line. The drum line's section leader, Paul, is an obnoxious, but sexy asshole who constantly tries to put Bella in her place. When these two get into an argument, you can rest assure that the sparks will fly. This one-shot is the perfect example that all fic doesn't have to contain over-the-top smut to still provide a little heat.

todream

Give Me Ten by purelyamuse

I wasn't a band kid in high school, but if there was anyone who looked liked Paul in the drum line, you could bet your ass I'd try to learn an instrument just to be in the same room with a guy like that. I was taken in by the world of PurelyAMuse's story called Give Me Ten. You see the everyday life of the Bella, one of only two girls on the male-dominated drum line, and how she deals with her overbearing, tyrant of a section leader named Paul. The immediate love/hate relationship between Bella and Paul is evident, and PurelyAMuse brings you along for the drama-filled ride. The entire story has a sexual tension that is palpable, leaving the reader panting and waiting for how it will be resolved. And the kicker? There's not a lemon at all in this one shot. (But there's plenty of UST, believe me.) It's just a damn good story. Period.