Multiple Musings and Other Random BS

It's a new year, the holidays are done, and the children have returned to school after winter break. We had a fabulous Christmas, there were tons of packages under our tree. It was slightly ridiculous.

Okay, it was highly ridiculous.

But it was so fun.

Now, I find myself writing a lot of thriller/suspense and contemporary fantasy tales of recent. This is not a bad thing, and yes I do still write horror - it is my first love after all - but this thriller/suspense and fantasy kick has me wondering.

Perhaps some of my "horror" tales are not horror at all. They horrify me, but then again, I'm afraid to walk past a window with undrawn shades after dark so that doesn't mean much. And in fact, I frighten myself far more often than any story I've read, any movie I have watched.

I will admit though that this hardcore horror lover-girl is excited to see "The Rite". Anthony Hopkins is a so-good-it's-almost-stupid talented actor. And him in horror? Gimme, gimme. I'm hoping to be scared.

Then again, I also hoped for that with "The Last Exorcism" and was sadly disappointed. Oh, I was plenty startled by that one in spots, but overall... no lasting impression. I like my horror to scare me for months afterward.

Sadly, I haven't had that for a looooooong time.

Also, I have a story out - "The Cat Lady" over at SNM Horror Magazine in issue 1 of the January Jambalaya Issue. (clickable)

And January also marks the start of the Shock Totem Magazine's (clickable) bimonthly Flash Fiction contest (another clickable). This month's contest is already under way, but you can try to rush for it if you want, or wait until the March contest kicks off. You'll have to sign up for the forum and follow the rules (which means you have to READ them), sign up in the thread linked in the contest bit above, and check out the prompt. Shock Totem also reopens to regular submissions on February 1, 2011, so make sure you have something ready for them.

Make it something about a box. Ken would just love that.

All right, so that's it for now. I hope everyone has had a great start to 2011.

Peace & Love
~Effie

It's a Flash of Shocking Proportions!!!!

Okay y'all. Listen up.

The incredibly awesome people at Shock Totem Magazine are hosting a Flash Fiction Contest every month, with the exception of two months during which the previous winning stories will compete for possible publication in the magazine. So, how hard does that rock?

Very hard, baby. Very, very hard.

You can get the rules on the ST forum. Every entrant must become a member of the forum in order to compete (as well as request access to the hidden contest sub-forum via a forum moderator or administrator), as all competitors must vote, and are encouraged (you don't have to critique each entry, but hey... there's no entry fee. All it costs is a little time and you have to read in order to vote anyway, right? Let the writers know a little something of your thoughts, you know?) to leave at least a quick sentence or two about each story submitted for the contest.

I competed in the very first contest which was held in January, and I have to say that the critiques and thoughts given about my story (which tied for the win with three others, all listed on Shock Totem's web site) were worth the time. More than worth it. I'll be competing again for the next contest, which starts March 1, 2010. This contest is prompted/themed, so make sure, if you plan to submit, you go through all the steps (register for the forum, read the rules, request access to the contest forum, and read the prompt on the first of each month) and do it right to have a better chance at getting votes. I'll be looking for you there.

Peace & Love, y'all
~E.