Now that we’ve bid 2009 goodbye, it’s time to take a fond look back. We had an excellent year for fiction and many of our stories have been picked up for Best Of volumes. We’d like to give our readers the chance to tell us what their favorite stories are, though. You’re the reason we can keep publishing amazing stories, so you should get a say. Thus, our third annual Best Story Poll!

Just like last year, however, we’re rewarding authors, and not only will the story with the most votes get the author bragging rights, but it will also win them a prize. But wait, there’s more! We’re also offering a prize to readers. If you leave a comment on any of the 55 original stories published in 2009 you might be entered in a drawing for a prize of your own. “Might be” because there are some rules:

1. The comment must be substantive — not just ‘This story was awesome’. Tell us why you liked or didn’t like the story, make your case that it’s one of the best stories of 2009 (if you feel that way), or anything else you’re moved to say.
2. You are allowed to comment on as many stories as you like, but only one comment per story is counted. (Example: if you comment 1 time on 5 stories, we throw your name in the hat 5 times, if you comment 5 times on 1 story, we throw your name in the hat only once.) Maximum number of entries is 10.
3. Your comment must be timestamped on or after January 4th and on or before January 25th, 2009.

The winner is picked randomly, so the more you comment, the better your chances. The prize? A $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com.

Click here to take the FM Poll

Leningrad by D. Elizabeth Wasden
The Moon, a Roman Token by Darren Speegle
The Gnomes are Coast Guards by Chantel Tattoli
Teaching a Pink Elephant How to Ski by Rochita Loenen-Ruiz
The Men Burned All the Boats by Patricia Russo
The Adventures of Petal by Paul Jessup
Chemical Magic by Katherine Sparrow
White Stone by Genevieve Valentine
Birds by Jean-Claude Dunyach
Jane by Nicole Kornher-Stace
The Most Dangerous Profession by Sergey Gerasimov
Shades of White and Road by Camille Alexa
Early Winter, Near Jenli Village by J. Kathleen Cheney
Garkain by Samantha Henderson
Voice like a Cello by Catherine Cheek
Revisionist History by Alison Campbell-Wise
Oh He Is by Karen Heuler
Timepiece by Gay Terry
People of Leaf and Branch by Jay Lake
Superhero Girl by Jessica Lee
Woman in Abaya with Onion by Ruth Nestvold
Lake Tahoe’s Lover by Nadia Bulkin
Trench Foot by Cate Gardner
The Water Tower by John Mantooth
The Integrity of the Chain by Lavie Tidhar
Playing with Spades by Mari Ness
Golden Lilies by Aliette de Bodard
The Vigilant by Dirk Strasser
Offerings by Stephanie Burgis
The Moon Over Tokyo Through Leaves in the Fall by Jerome Stueart
Images of Anna by Nancy Kress
The Girl in the Green Sequined Dress by Berrien Henderson
Tending the Mori Birds by Caroline Yoachim
The Good Window by Lisa Hannett
The White Part of the Apple by Emily Yersoff
Clockatrice by Tanith Lee
La Mer by Simon Logan
Jews in Antarctica by Lavie Tidhar
Undocumented by Rachel Swirksy
Light on the Water by Genevieve Valentine
In Dreams Tangible by Su-Yee Lin
A Song to Greet the Sun by Alaya Dawn Johnson
Cesare by Meghan Arkenberg
The Confessions of Prince Charming by Kelly Barnhill
My Best Friend’s Girl by Ari Goelman
Medusa Complex by Christie Skipper Richotte
Into the Monsoon by A. M. Muffaz
Reading by Numbers by Aidan Doyle
The Chrysanthemum Bride by Angela Slatter
The Raccoon’s Daughter by Nicole Kornher-Stace
The Tongue of Bees by Claire Humphrey
Choke Point by Sarah Totton

Click here to take the FM Poll

P.S. Want to pimp a favorite story so that everyone will know how awesome it is? Do so in the comments!