Vita.mn's $1,000 Summer Story Contest 2011: We want your sex

Vita.mn is back with our third annual Summer Story Contest, with $1,000 in prizes for talented Twin Cities writers. And this year, we've got sex on the brain.

You could win a $750 cash prize, a Kindle 3G, have your story published in our pages, and/or be invited to read your story at the Vita.mn Summer Story Contest event. The first year the contest theme was "last night." Last year it was "water." This year we're going for broke. Yes, your theme for the third annual Summer Story Contest is "sex."

Everyone's favorite topic, right? A pretty broad one, too. Interpret it however you like, as long as "sex" is the theme of your story.

We're not talking Penthouse Forum here, and we're not looking for straight-up erotica. But if you can make us think, make us laugh, or even creatively turn us on, you might have what it takes to win.

To enter, write an original story -- fact or fiction -- with the theme of sex in 300 to 600 words and email it to promo@vita.mn by July 4. One winning storyteller will win the $750 first prize. Finalists will have their stories printed in the Summer Story Contest issue of Vita.mn. Several more writers will be invited to read their story at our special event on July 27 -- where the crowd favorite will win a Kindle 3G.

The following words should be excluded from your story:

The point here is not to censor you, but to challenge your creative abilities.

1. No Purchase Necessary. The Vita.mn 2011 Summer Story Contest is sponsored by Vita.mn and Star Tribune Media Company LLC, located at 425 Portland Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55488. Prizes are provided by Vita.mn and The Star Tribune Company. No purchase is necessary to enter or to win.

2. Contest Period. The "Contest Period" begins at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 2, 2011, and ends at 11:59:59 p.m. on Monday, July 4, 2011.

3. How to Enter. To enter, write a story about 'sex' in no more than 300-600 words and send it via e-mail to promo@vita.mn during the contest period. Stories can be fact or fiction. With your entry please be sure to include name, phone number and any other pertinent contact information. To be eligible, contestant (sometimes referred to herein as an "entrant") may only enter one story to vita.mn. Stories can include a caption that provides background on the subject matter of the story (each story and caption entered in the Contest are jointly referred to herein as a "story"). All stories (including related captions) submitted must adhere to Vita.mn and Star Tribune Media Company LLC standard terms and conditions for user-generated content. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any story for any reason. To be eligible, all entries must be received no later than 11:59:59 p.m. CST on Monday, July 4, 2011 (the "Entry Deadline"). All entries remain the property of the author, but the sponsor will receive first-reading rights of the story. Sponsor assumes no responsibility for lost, illegible, incomplete, damaged, late or misdirected entries, all of which will be void.

4. Submissions. By entering the Contest and submitting a story to Sponsor, each entrant has represented (i) that the entrant is the creator and copyright owner of the story, (ii) that the entrant has granted to the Sponsor an irrevocable license to publish, republish, distribute and copy the edited Story an unlimited number of times in any print, electronic or other medium, and (iii) that the entrant has obtained from anyone identified or depicted in the story (or the parent or guardian of any child identified or depicted) all permission necessary to grant the Sponsor the foregoing license.

5. Selection of Winners. On, or about, July 8, 2011, the Contest judges will select the top Stories to be read by the Vita.mn Judges panel. Contest judges will judge on quality of submission. On or about July 14, 2011, one first place winner and up to 20 runners-up will be selected using the criteria stated above. A "Fan Favorite" submission will also be selected after all stories have been read aloud at the Vita.mn event; this winner will be determined based on number of votes received by attendees of the event. The decisions of the Contest judges regarding entries and winners shall be final.

7. Claiming Prizes. To claim the prize, the winner must respond by email or phone within four (4) business days of prize notification, at the phone number designated. Within 10 days of claiming prize, potential winners must provide appropriate photo identification (e.g., passport or driver's license) and must fill out such eligibility declarations, publicity releases, and prize acceptance documentation as Sponsor shall provide; failure to timely claim prize in such manner shall result in forfeiture of prize. All federal, state and local taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of the winner. Prizes may not be substituted and are not refundable, transferable or redeemable for cash, except at the sole discretion of Sponsor.

8. Eligibility. This Contest is open to legal residents of Minnesota or Wisconsin who are 18 years of age or older. The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. This offer is void where prohibited or restricted. Employees of Vita.mn and The Star Tribune Media Company LLC, any companies owned by or affiliated with Star Tribune Media Company LLC, the Participating Company, the advertising and promotion agencies representing any of such companies, and members of those employees' families are not eligible to enter or win. By submitting an entry, each entrant agrees to all the terms and conditions of these rules; agrees to be bound by these rules and the decisions of the Contest judges; and consents to the use of his/her name and other information for purposes of direct mail or similar solicitations. Each winner accepting a prize consents to the use of his/her name and/or likeness and any submitted story for advertising, trade and promotional purposes without further compensation, except where prohibited by law. Each entrant waives the right to assert, as a cost of winning any prize, any and all costs of verification and redemption or travel to redeem a prize and any liability that might arise from redeeming or seeking to redeem a prize. Each entrant releases each of the following from any and all liability with respect to or arising out of the acceptance, use, misuse or possession of any prize and/or the loss or misdirection of any prize: Sponsor and the Participating Company; their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, divisions, franchises, advertising and promotional agencies; and their respective officers, directors and employees. Sponsor reserves the right to cancel, amend and/or revoke this Contest at any time due to printing errors or other mistakes.