On either side of the ocean, both took some time to catch up on their messages. As usual, Shiba had many to read, while Justin had far fewer. Among the messages, one stood out to Justin. He smiled, confident that Shiba would feel the same once she saw it.
'Festival Of Erotica' was the title of the message that had captured Justin's attention, and beyond its headline, the details brought a smile to his face.
A gathering was set to take place to bring together big hitters in the erotic industry. Writers, publishers, manufacturers, and actors. It sounded fascinating, although it might be aimed more at those with a much higher level of expertise than Justin's story-writing skills would suggest.
Shiba smiled as she read the details of the exhibition, just like Justin had. However, her interest was primarily due to the venue's location in London, where her like-minded online friend, Justin, lived.
"You'll be able to pick up some tips and who knows what else," Shiba said in her next message to Justin.
Justin smiled upon seeing Shiba's comment. It was filled with the mischief and humour she often displayed, which made chatting with her so enjoyable.
Justin and Shiba shared their stories on a site with a global membership. However, the site’s administrators believed that their planned presence at the festival would be of greater interest to those in the United Kingdom than to people living elsewhere. While this might have been true, Shiba was just as excited for Justin as he was for anything that brought her joy.
In addition to the global news about the festival, people in the United Kingdom were informed that they had the opportunity to be guests at the event. A story-writing competition would be held to select the recipients. Justin knew his experience might not meet the necessary criteria, but he shared the information with Shiba, even though she was in America and ineligible to enter the competition.
Although Justin lived near the festival venue and could easily purchase tickets to attend, he chose to enter the competition instead. He believed that Shiba would enjoy collaborating with him on a fun project. Shiba thought Justin's idea was good. They both loved sharing creative thoughts, and the competitive aspect didn't bother them at all.
Collaborating on their shared story was a way for Justin and Shiba to learn more about each other. Justin always made sure not to write immediately after reading what Shiba had created, as the vivid images she conjured and her expressive style were too distracting!
Justin and Shiba felt proud of their completed project, which they submitted using a special version of their story template that allowed both members to post and share access. There was still plenty of time for others to participate, and additional information was available for those planning to visit The Festival Of Erotica.
"We will be holding a draw for participants in our competition. Those who meet the publication standards will have the opportunity to read their stories aloud to attendees at the festival. Please remember that this is all in good fun. Participants who we believe have worked independently will either receive a playful spanking or have one denied, depending on which they would dislike the most," the message stated.
Predictably, with Shiba thousands of miles away from the festival venue, she and Justin won a storytelling raffle prize! In many ways, it was unimportant; the fun of participating was what truly mattered.
The day after the raffle was drawn, Justin and Shiba received personal messages from the website's administrators. They both needed to read the messages twice to convince themselves they had not misunderstood.
"We will host a live feed for members on the day the stories are read aloud, and we will also create a video. This means that even if you’re on the other side of the world, you can share in the experience with your co-author."
Justin and Shiba had already shared many smiles, but none were as bright as the ones on their faces upon receiving this news.
With their story complete and plans set for the broadcast and video, it was now just a matter of waiting for the big day. The website sent messages to Justin and Shiba, and reading them often reminded them of how much they had already shared.
While most of the messages were sent to both Shiba and Justin, Shiba received a few that were meant solely for her. The only person she would have liked to share the excitement with wasn't allowed to know about this bonus, which Shiba respected, despite the sense of anticipation it created.
The night before Justin's public speaking engagement, Shiba reminded him to recall the fun they had while creating the story together. Justin replied that he would remember those good times, but he hoped he wouldn't dwell on the feelings he experienced when Shiba shared the parts she had written. He worried that if he did, he might stumble over his reading—or worse, get arrested!