Backwards In High Heels

I Won! A Spooktacular Day All In All

Eek! Oooh! Aaaah! Were the sound effects in my house this morning when I found out I won the Foyles's Summer Scream Short Story Competition which I mention being shortlisted for the other day. Just being shortlisted felt like the biggest boost but to be told I'd won today was like a hug from the universe!

Author Sarwat Chadda was the head judge for the shortlisted stories and he's comments on my story were very uplifting and encouraging.

You can read my story on here on the Foyles website, and it will be on display in their Charing Cross flagship store (about which I am uber excited and sending my friend along with her camera!). I also get a hamper of goodies. But, it is the accolade, judges' feedback and encouragement that is the big prize to me.

The genre for this story was young adult horror/fantasy. Now, I love my horror/fantasy but had never considered the YA reader before, and this has really whetted my appetite. I think horror and fantasy can cross the age barrier far easier than many other genres, especially the more 'old fashioned' horror that I enjoy such as Gothic ghost stories. I adored Mark Gatiss's Crooked Houseon BBC4 a couple of Christmas ago (please can we bring back the tradition of Christmas ghost stories?!). I love to listen to genre on radio, tune in to BBC 7 as they have a great selection of classic and new fantasy and horror. I love comedy horror to chilling horror and everything in between. Give me The Munsters followed by The Shining and I am a happy girl. And yes, I happen to think Carry On Screaming is a classic.

 

 

Shortlisted!

When I started this blog, way back when, it was because I wanted to explore writing much more. Since then I have taken part in the BBC radio comedy writer's talent scheme and am still contributing to comedy shows.

I also have a love of old-fashioned horror and ghost stories, so last month I took the opportunity to enter the Foyle's Summer Scream short story competition. Today I found out I have been shortlisted and was sent some of the feedback from the judging panel. To say it put a smile on my face is an understatement! It has been a real confidence boost and further inspiration to keep plugging away. The winner will be announced later next week. Exciting!

I Did It (Wake Me Up Next Week)

Ta da! Today, with a day to spare, I won NaNoWriMo. 50,033 words in November. I can't believe it. The story isn't finished and then there is the small matter of making it readable but as of now I have 50,000 words on my computer (and backed up!) to work with.

It has been an amazing experience and one that i have learnt a lot from. I can do it. I like doing it. I want to do it.

It is fair to say I am a bit knackered. I've been pulling late nights every night of November in a bid to get this done and still work, but the eye bags are worth it. I'd like to say wake me about Wednesday but I now have another writing challenge to face, one which excites me to the point I shiver. Someone else has faith in me, cripes they think I can do they and they want me to do it. That said I can't go into much more detail about the project. That may sound rather cloak and dagger, but at the moment it is very much a project in development. Needless to say I foresee many more late nights ahead of me....