It’s high time I wrote something happy and joyful, especially after my previous indulgence. Yes, I’ve had a tough couple of weeks, but right now there is a moment of sunshine, and I want to share it with you.
The first story “From Dark Places” has been written, sent to the August short story club winner and now it’s time to send it out to all of the members. Yay!
If you recall, the winner was the dashing Jason Weaver.
A brief introduction to Jason Weaver
Mr Weaver writes a rather smashing blog over at Paperback Jack. I love it there – going to his place reminds me of going to the Bodleian library. It just gets me in the right frame of mind to work, to create. It makes me think hard and marvel at how much is out there to inspire us, if we just take a moment to look. Really, go there. I don’t have internet crushes on just anyone you know.
Jason won the August round with his opening line:
She carried a small claw hammer and seven galvanised box nails wrapped in a handkerchief.
Isn’t that just ace? I couldn’t resist it. When I read those words, a little shiver went down my back. Then the questions started; what does she want to bang those nails into? Why is she doing that? Who is she?
There were so many great suggestions that came in the first round, but that one just wouldn’t let me go. Special mention also goes to Sam for the “Now, she thought, do it now…” which I also loved – so much so that I had to include it in the story too – is that cheating?
The experience was amazing. So many people jumped right in, immediately wanting to make this work. I am immensely grateful. Thanks to you, for the first time in a long time I had to get up in the night to write an idea down, what a joy!
The process has also made me aware of the need to strike a balance between letting an idea germinate, and then just sitting and writing it for heaven’s sake! The latter was one of my aims when I set the club up – I suspected that if there were people waiting for a story that I had committed to writing within a timescale, I knew it would make me write that story. Otherwise the weeks drift by, with lots of words written for my business but not my fiction. Oh for the day when there is no distinction!
That obligation also dragged me through those dark streets of “I can’t write anything good to save my life” town. I got stuck there for a few days. Not nice, I can tell you. But I just didn’t have time to throw what I had written away and start again. When I came out of the other side, I found it wasn’t as bad as I thought, but without the club deadline, it may never have got that far. That’s why I got so fed up with being harangued by Fear’s minions. I hate how it skews everything.
A little titbit for those of you who have read my Collective Inkwell competition story, the protagonist is in this new story too; it’s a prequel. I have the feeling that there is a book there, slowly opening like a new bud in spring sunlight. There is something about Katie, and the world she lives in that just won’t let go…
In other news, I was nominated for the best fiction writing blog category in Maria Schneider’s Best Writing Blogs doohicky. Well, I made it through to the voting stage! I have no idea how I ended up in the same list as one of my heroes, Alan Rinzler, but it’s true – you can read about it here, and if you have a moment to pop over to the forum and vote for my little tiny blog the hugely magnificent Alan I’d be so grateful. I voted for him too by the way…
P.S. Thanks to Jason for the title inspiration – it was in the letter he wrote to me about the story. If there’s anything likely to make an internet crush even stronger it’s an e-mail enthusing about a story you’ve written. Swoon.
P.P.S. If you’re reading this and wondering what on earth I’m talking about, you can sign up for my short story club over here. In a nutshell: Every month you inspire me, I write a short story and send out to club members. And it’s all free.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Amazing, chick. You have such a gift for drawing the reader in, creating a question we’re dying to know the answer to.
Got the new story through today – great stuff!
You’re developing something of a signature style. Hard to be sure, but I think I might have recognised your authorship from that piece.
Right, first off – what an absolutely fantastic story, I loved it! Can’t wait for the next one. Second, it’s definitely not cheating IMHO!
Third, been over to the forum and voted for, err…guess who Emma?! 
Emma this is a fabulous story which had me riveted to my seat. I was eating my lunch whilst reading it but had to put the sandwich down as I couldn’t read fast enough and eat! I’m very new to all this blogging and twittering stuff but I can almost feel an author coming out in me – you have so inspired me! (: Thank you for including me on your list.
Oh wow, this is brilliant!! Really enjoyed it. Can’t wait for the next one!
Great short story – fabulous, Emma! And I don’t think it’s cheating to include the ‘now, she thought …’ line, either. It would have gone to waste, and that would have been a shame.
As an aside – I was up in London earlier today, and walked past one of those squares – you know, the ones like Miri’s garden. Couldn’t help thinking of you (and Twenty Years Later) as I did so. I don’t go into London much, but I often think, when I do, that some parts of it already look like the London you describe.
Yay! Thank you for the lovely comments everyone, so chuffed that you like it
@Dom – that’s interesting to hear… I think that’s a good thing. Then I worry it’s not. Blee, us writers eh?
@Caroline – this made me so bone-shakingly happy! Miri’s Garden is set in a real location (Queen’s Square is a real place I should say!) – it’s the garden square outside of Great Ormond Street hospital. Everything I describe in the book about streets or locations is accurate – I spent hours wondering those streets and making notes, taking pictures etc. So for you to have that experience there means it was worth it. I have very silly dreams about doing TYL tours one day. “This is Miri’s house, and over there is where Zane saw the Giant for the first time, let’s go take a look…” I’m utterly mad, I know….
@Emma – I see it as a good thing, because it means you’re writing with your own voice and not just imitating existing works.
We loved this first story, you certainly have a talent for writing and absorbing the reader very quickly into it. Keep it up great!!!
The story was pretty riveting. I have a nasty habit of putting things off or starting to read long emails and not finishing them, but this drew me right in and kept me there right to the end. I like the idea of you making this into a longer work. I definitely felt there was more to be said, and not just because it ended on a cliffhanger, but because I thought the next chapter would be as surprising as this one.
Thanks for the story.
Wow! I was actually in Gordon Square, a garden square off Torrington Place, near UCL. Next time I’m up that way I promise to wander a bit further east, and go and take a look at the ‘real’ Miri’s garden!
I think it’s great to dream big. The bigger the better. And (as an ex-tour guide) please can I join the team when you get big enough to start running those tours?!
Pretty creepy. Hiding hammer & nails as we speak.
(or am I using them? Mwahahaha)
Loved the new story! Read it last night & it had a lovely a frisson of spookiness. Then it started prodding me again as I was falling asleep. Can’t stop imagining it animated in Tim Burton or Coraline style… Bravo once more & can’t wait for the next one!