(vol 1) CHAPTER 06: “Check out the competition”

Last week I hit a dilemma. While I’m still determined to continue writing this blog and put together my collection of short stories for release, it seems fate has other ideas. It’s nothing drastic and it won’t stop me I promise. It’s just a very short detour.

While browsing the SFX magazine website I spotted two words that struck me with both excitement and fear in about equal measure.

WRITING

COMPETITION

It’s so frustrating because I’ve just gained momentum and promised myself to really focus on the short stories and then I turn around and Distraction stands before me, grinning in true Gene Simmons style.

So before you nag at me that I should be focusing on getting LOVE BITE ready for people to read I’m still working on that stuff too. I mean, honestly, a 1500 word short story shouldn’t be a problem, should it? I just couldn’t pass it up.

I put my Vampire story to one side and started working on a Zombie one instead.

The competition is to write a 1500 word zombie story. The magazine judges will whittle it down to five and, from those finalists, author Darren Shan will pick the winner. Now, I’ll admit that I’ve never read any of his work but, at the end of the day, he’s a ‘proper’ author and if he was to read my work, well that would be awesome. Of course I’d love to win too. If I did manage that then I would get seven of Darren’s books plus my story would be printed in SFX issue 250.

“I’d buy that for a dollar!”

So last week an idea popped into my head and I got straight to work. I’m trying to avoid the stuff that’s been repeated in movies and video games but without being too wacky or ‘left field’ so as not to be recognisable as a zombie story. I want to do something that’s not instantly obvious. Hopefully I’ve succeeded. If I don’t win then I will post the story on this blog once they announced the outcome. Of course, if I do win then you’ll have to buy the mag to find out what happens to George.

If you know your zombie movies then you might assume that the main character of George is named after George A Romero, the legendary zombie move director. Well you’d be right. I myself like little clever things dropped by authors in their work so of course I like putting them into my own work too.

Any way, if you don’t have much going on and feel like taking part yourself then follow this link and get writing. You’ve still got about six or seven weeks so what are you waiting for.

As for my wonderful beta readers who have been patiently waiting for me to put you to use and get something in your hands to start critiquing? Well, some of you should already have a copy of CONDOLENCE in your hands.

Be gentle.

See you in seven.