Now you might think I have been slacking off due to the lack of posts here on the blog. Never fear. I'm working away on edits for my next book as well as a short story. Life is still giving me fits, but I'm finding creative ways to work around it. Choosing to be happy in the middle of chaos is not easy, but it is possible. :)
This past summer, my good friend William Simon and I entered a contest hosted by Writer's Police Academy called the Golden Donut. Yep, catchy name right? LOL Although we didn't come away with the prize, we did find the experience challenging and rewarding. Writing a short story with "exactly" 200 words, including the title, is more nerve wracking than I ever imagined! LOL But it was great practice for writing tight and making certain every word counts.
Below is what we were to use for inspiration.
Just looking at it still gives me chills!
We worked hard on these stories and felt it a shame not to share. So below you will find our entries. :)
**Warning: This material may give you chills as well and make you want to sleep with the lights on! Read at your own risk. :)
Evil Begets Evil
by Melissa Ohnoutka
The annoying pecking is back.
I know what that means, and shiver.
They have friends this time.
The old rickety roof bulges from their weight.
Will I be lucky enough to outsmart them again?
Crouching in the shadows, I wrap my trembling fingers around the knife's handle. Not that this single knife will do any damage.
Demons, or whatever the hell these creatures are, do not bleed like the others. Believe me. I have tried. From guns to explosives, to even prayers of mercy. All I accomplish is pissing them off.
The damn house looked like the ideal refuge from the storm I created. Far from civilization. Bars on all the windows, locks on the doors. Perfect to keep my pursuers preoccupied.
But these security devices were meant to keep those like me in.
You see, the storm is not at all happy I made the others bleed. Hurting an innocent in this world is frowned upon. Deeply.
I wish the storm had caught me on the outside. Saved me. Thrown me in prison. Hell, incarceration would be a vacation.
One minor mistake and I am left to fight the devil.
On his turf.
For my soul.
CHAINSAW
by William Simon/Will Graham
Something happened here, a long time ago.
Something bad.
According to some, the legends are true.
Others say it never happened, it was all made up.
Me? I came here once to see for myself.
Looks can be deceiving.
You'd never guess what lies within.
Most people think it's in Texas. Or Illinois. Even Minnesota. That's an accomplishment for a house that actually exists in Vermont.
People drive by. They think they know the truth.
I'll tell you the truth.
I'll tell you everything.
You see, the time has come to tell everyone the truth. Not to be maudlin, but I don't have a lot of time left. No, no, don't cry, it's okay. I've lived a good life. I did what I chose to do with it. Who knew it would be a cottage industry?
If you'll pardon the pun.
No mask, I don't like them.
Yes, that is a chainsaw. And a big knife.
But I'm very good at what I do, and I promise it won't hurt.
You'll be immortal, you know.
You'll be the last one.
They'll probably make a movie about us.
And they'll use this house to show everyone where it all happened.....
Be sure to check out William's story in the upcoming release "Love is Murder" due out May 29, 2012.
Blurb:
Prepare for heart-racing suspense in this original collection by thirty of the hottest bestselling authors and new voices writing romantic suspense today.
Go on vacation with Allison Brennan's Lucy Kincaid, where she saves a man from drowning, only to discover he is in far greater danger on land. Meet Roxanne St. Claire's "bullet catcher"-bodyguard Donovan Rush-who may have met his match in the sexually charged "Diamond Drop." Debut author William Simon shows us what happens when the granddaughter of the president of the United States is kidnapped. And Lee Child's pitch-perfect "I Heard a Romantic Story" puts a whole new spin on Love Is Murder. 
