Blowing my trumpet

No, that’s not some kind of weird euphemism, I’m a bit chuffed as I was shortlisted in Writing Magazine’s paranormal short story competition. Here, see;

But the interesting thing – to me – is that I didn’t show this story to anyone before I submitted it. It hasn’t been critiqued, so I made it this far completely on my own.
I don’t intend that to sound like a brag, because a good crit is priceless and enlightening. But it tells me something about how I’ve progressed as a writer; in critiquing my own work and in having the confidence to send it out solo. I don’t plan to make a practise of that, mind you.

Why didn’t I show it to anyone? There’s a story there too.

Part of it was down to timescales and the deadline. But the main reason was because the main character in my story is also the MC in my novel, but five years later.

Around the same time, I’d started to show my novel to some people, and I didn’t want to land them a spoiler when they may only be a few chapters in. And five years on, things have changed for my character… a lot. (I don’t have a problem with the judges having read it as they’ll never know.)

I realise I could have changed the name, I considered that but… she’s my character and it would have been a betrayal of her story. (Ok, apologies if that sounds up itself; if you prefer, let’s just say that I’m contrary and awkward and I just plain didn’t want to!)

Anyhow, I was in the top 11 finalists and I didn’t have the dilemma of providing a plot spoiler. I will hang onto it now though, as it could be a freebie extra in the future some time.