Sharon's sentiment is perfect, so let me take up the theme...

I spent a little while today perusing the "Top 25 Favorite Authors" list on the site and note the sad but perfectly natural fact that none of the top 5 most revered authours on the site have posted any stories on SIYE since before 2012. Going a bit further down the list, we have our more current icons like Sharon herself, as well as Northumbrian, Brennus, YellowWitchGirl, MelindaLeo and Kezzabear. Cheer them on, lads and lasses; cheer them because they're great writers, and they will continue to grace your screens with wonderful writing for some time.

But there was a time when everyone on that illustrious list was a first-timer too, nervously posting a story on a site dominated by the Sovrans, Breanies and CWarbecks of their time. So, keeping that in mind, I'm cheering extra loud for those 3 writers honoured today whose first ever SIYE story was this very year. Any of these fine friends could be the icons of the future... as could those *you*, at home, with your tablet, your fingers and your brilliant imagination. We'll be watching for you!