The 777 Writing Challenge

I received these instructions from Sharon Kae Reamer.

“Take a current WIP (I think it can also be published, I mean, it’s up to you) and go to the 7th page, and then go down 7 lines, and then post the next 7 lines.

I like these sometimes inane challenges to show our underpants. But you may feel differently.”

As she is so gorgeous, it would be churlish of me not to play along.

This is from “The Crow Palace”, one of a few things I’m working on.

“Your dad was a terrible patient. They told him he should have an operation to clear his arteries but he refused.” Elsa opens one of the kitchen cupboards. “Look.”
I take out some of the boxes, shake them, read the leaflets. There’s twelve months of medication here. Dad never took any of it. Aspirin, statins, nitrates, ace- inhibitors. Wonder drugs to keep his stodgy arteries patent and the blood flowing through them.
I slam the door shut, making Elsa jump. It’s the gesture of a petulant teenager. I can’t help it. Dad’s self neglect is a good excuse to be angry at him for dying.

Next up is lovely Cate Gardner.

Blonde

“When did you go bald?”
Only Clarice would ask such a forthright question.
“Leave her alone,” Jake drains his beer. Only he would dare contradict his sister.
The clock hands have gone from late at night to early in the morning. Jake’s bar is empty of customers. The staff, who are sitting round the table, fall silent, intent on their drinks.
“It’s okay,” Rapunzel says. “I was sick and it all fell out.”
Her scalp is shiny, every follicle devoid of life. Nor does she have any eyebrows. Or hair elsewhere for that matter.
“What colour was it?”
“Blonde.”
There’s a pause, then laughter.
Jake nudges her. “You’re a joker after all.”
She knows what he thinks of her. That she’s vague and evasive and hasn’t a clue what’s going on most of the time.
“Lucky you’re beautiful enough to be bald,” he adds.
Rapunzel touches the nape of her neck where she feels most exposed and tries not to smile.

From my story, “Blonde”, Issue 260 of Interzone, now available from TTA Press.

Thanks to Andy Cox for including this story.

The September-October issue of Britain’s longest running science fiction and fantasy magazine contains new stories by John Shirley, Jeff Noon, Priya Sharma, C.A. Hawksmoor, Christien Gholson. The 2015 cover artist is Martin Hanford, and interior colour illustrations are by Richard Wagner, Dave Senecal, Martin Hanford, Warwick Fraser-Coombe. Features: Where O Where Has My Hugo Gone? by Ian Sales; Ansible Link by David Langford (news and obits); Mutant Popcorn by Nick Lowe (film reviews); Laser Fodder by Tony Lee (DVD/Blu-ray reviews); Book Zone (book reviews); Jonathan McCalmont’s Future Interrupted (comment); Nina Allan’s Time Pieces (comment); and Shaun Green interviews Becky Chambers.

 

 

 

 

Interzone’s sister magazine, Black Static is also out at the same time, and it promises to be a great issue with the line-up listed below.

The September-October issue contains new novelettes and short stories by Jeffrey Thomas, Cate Gardner, Steven J. Dines, Andrew Hook, and Stephen Bacon. The cover art is by Martin Hanford, and interior illustrations are by Joachim Luetke, Tara Bush, and Richard Wagner. Features: Coffinmaker’s Blues by Stephen Volk (comment); Notes From the Borderland by Lynda E. Rucker (comment); Case Notes by Peter Tennant (book reviews and an interview with Simon Kurt Unsworth); Blood Spectrum by Tony Lee (DVD/Blu-ray reviews).

 

 

 

 

The Lowdown with…interviews by Simon Bestwick

Simon Bestwick, author of “The Faceless” and “Angels of the Silences”, is running a  series of mini-interviews with other writers on his blog called “The Lowdown with…” He’s recently included Alison Littlewood, Ray Cluley, Laura Mauro and Conrad Williams, just to name a few.

If you’re interested on the lowdown on me, it’s here.

Midnight Mystery

Midnight Mystery is written and illustrated by the very talented Bernie Gonzalez.

Midnight Mystery on Facebook.