ETA: This contest is now CLOSED to entries. Finalists will be posted on October 21st and 22nd, and voting will open on October 23rd. Good luck!
We’re doing something new here at the Spectacle: we’re having a contest and we’re letting our readers judge it!
Here what’s to do if you want to enter:
- Write the beginning of a spooky/scary/suspenseful story (up to three sentences). Make it original, make it surprising, make us want to read more.
- Enter it in the form below along with your name and email address (we will only use contact info to reach the winner–not for any other purposes). Entries are due by October 16.
- Check back on October 21st and 22nd to see if you’re a finalist.
- Visit our site on October 31 (Halloween!) to find out if you are the winner of a $20 online giftcard for Powell’s bookstore and a copy of Dead Girl in Love by our own Linda Joy Singleton.
Here’s what to do if you want to vote for the winner:
- Visit our site on October 21st and 22nd to read the finalists’ story openings.
- Come back any time between October 23rd and October 30th to cast your vote for the one opening you like best.
- Find out who won on Halloween, October 31st.
Okay, get your ideas going and write those story beginnings. Remember to make them spooky, scary, or suspenseful (but not gory or violent–think PG 13 or under) in honor of Halloween. Of course it’s great if your story opening fits in the speculative fiction genre, but it doesn’t have to. And keep them between 1 and 3 sentences. Good luck!
Chris Eboch
Greg R. Fishbone
Nick
lindajoysingleton
Parker Peevyhouse
Joni Sensel
Oooh. I like the sounds of this. Quick question: Are we each limited to one entry?
I suppose you can enter as many times as you like. It’ll be fun to read all the entries.
My husbands death was devastating for the children but his haunting nearly killed them. It all started with a dream he had where he was being dragged under-ground by demons with tendon arms like roots reaching out of the earth. He was a gentle man and that scared him. He was dead the next day in a stupid accident. Three months later to the day he was on my bedroom balcony asking to come in. I was in a moment of weakness.
Contest entries must be one to three sentences.
My husbands death was devastating for the children but his haunting nearly killed them. What started with his nightmare – being dragged under-ground by demons with tendon arms like roots reaching out of the earth – ended (I thought then) the next day with his death in a senseless accident. Three months later to the day he was on my bedroom balcony asking to come in.
Sorry – missed the three sentence part. Was clued in by a reader so I re-submitted an edit.
No problem. We got your re-submit.
It was Sean’s Birthday and we all gathered around to play Truth or Dare. Everybody got there turn except for me. The bottled turned facing me and Ryan. I knew Ryan was going to make me do a scary dare but at the same time I didn’t want to let them know I was chicken. “Truth or Dare?” asked Ryan. “Dare.” I replied nervously. It took him a while to think of one but he had this look on his face that screamed a creepy dare. Ryan said, “I triple doggie dare you to go to the abandoned amusement park on Maple St. tomorrow at 9:00pm” You could hear the whispers and gasps of the other kids after he said that. “No problem”, I said trying to act like if that was an easy task. “How are you going to prove it to us?” said Emily. Sean said, “How about you bring back a skull or something?” “Okay”, I said thinking about how I am going to find such a thing. We continued playing but after that dare I kept picking truth. The party was soon over and my mom picked me up.
Remember, contest entries must be one to three sentences.
The children looked out of place in the night. Craig Besand walked down the street toward his flat in Norwich, England, when two figures approached him. Then something had flshed past then again and again,what could it of been….
i did two please reply to my email
I got your entries–thanks.
your welcome i appreciat dat (that)
Yikes. I almost forgot about this. I’ve been so sidetracked with submissions and rewrites, I nearly left this off entirely.
Parker,
I sent in an entry, using the box up top. I hope that was correct. If you didn’t get it, let me know and I will repost there or here. Thx
I got your entry. Thanks!