user65

This seemed to work for me:

<?php
$featuredPosts = new WP_Query();
$featuredPosts->query('showposts=5&cat=3');
while ($featuredPosts->have_posts()) : $featuredPosts->the_post(); ?>
<h1><a href="<?php the_permalink() ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></h1>
<div class="meta">
By <?php the_author() ?>
</div>
<div class="storycontent">
<?php the_excerpt(); ?>
</div>
<?php endwhile; ?>