Ok, so the title might be a bit of an exaggeration, but a short story I wrote recently – No Escape – did just win the first heat of the NYC Midnight Short Story Challenge. If you haven’t read any of my work before, this is a good place to start!
The competition is an interesting one. Each competitor is given a genre, a central component, and a character assignment and has eight days to pen a story of 2500 words based around these elements.
For my heat the challenge was a suspense story involving a caretaker and a cancelled flight. I based my story about the real life location of Maatsukyer Island off the southern coast of Tasmania. If you are feeling bold after reading my story, why not apply to be the caretaker there?
How would you have approached that challenge? Have a go yourself! (And you can find out more about the competition at www.nycmidnight.com.)
Wish me luck in the next heat!
Well done, creative son! And thanks for choosing our magic island and its offshore elements….. You should read Favel Parrett’s Past the shallows! Like me to save it for you????
Nothing quite like your mother posting a comment on your website. 🙂
I always love your book recommendations, so send it through!
Hello, Matt! I am your mother’s pen pal from the U.S. Do you remember when my daughter and I visited your family way back in 1989?
I just read your short story and loved it! Congrats on your award – I can’t wait to read more!
Thanks Carol – of course I remember you! So glad you liked it. I’ve just finished the short story for my second heat (a comedy this time) and will post when results are out – whether I’m successful or not. 🙂