Here We Go Again

Ok, so this morning a friend and former coworker sent me this link: www.writersdigest.com/popularfictionawards

I know, it's evil, but writers are gluttons for punishment right? The basics of it is that Writer's Digest has a genre/popular fiction writing competition. Sounds like fun. I just entered a story in the Writer's Digest Short Story competition not too long ago. I'm working on a couple other projects right now, so I'll have to come up with something new, but I've got time. As of today, the competition is 138 days away.

Here are the basics:
Deadline: November 3
Fee: $12.50
Word Count Limit: 4,000
Genres: Romance; Mystery/Crime Fiction; Science Fiction/Fantasy; Thriller/Suspense; Horror
Grand Prize: $2,500 cash, $100 worth of Writer's Digest Books and the 2009 Novel & Short Story Writer's market

Also of note, Grand Prize winners in any Writer’s Digest competition in the last three years are ineligible. Therefore, since I’ll be winning the short story competition this year (keep positive), I won’t qualify.

For those of you who might stop by and are looking for a story bone to get things going, here is a writing prompt per genre, feel free to use whatever.

Romance: After being prepped for a photo shoot, Fabio catches his reflection in the mirror and falls in love with himself.

Mystery/Crime Fiction: A rich old man dies in a garbage strewn alley on Chicago’s south side. Police are baffled by the fact that only apparent murder weapon is a rubber chicken.

Science Fiction/Fantasy: Rusty the Knight (he is so named because of the condition of his armor due to overactive sweat glands) must travel a great distance to slay the icy Dairy Queen and free the land from her cold, creamy clutches.

Thriller/Suspense: A city is held in the grip of fear as genetically modified gorillas — controlled by a group of eco-terrorists — pillage and plunder, leaving no one safe. Their only hope is a squad of elite military personnel lead by Jane Goodall.

Horror: There’s a reason that no one every goes into the old Mackenzie place at the end of the block. There’s a reason no animal will set foot on the property. And if realtor extraordinaire Kent Turkelton is going to get the commission of a lifetime, he’ll need to go in there and find out. The house knows, and it’s waiting for him.

Happy writing!