Pick Your Poision

As a result of all this writing I’ve been doing lately I have decided to try entering a literary contest. I’ve thought about this before and didn’t do it. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to make the effort  despite reading over the criteria for entering. Last year I looked the contest up again and read some of the winning selections.  Personally I found them all depressing but interesting. The winning piece was about suicide. The runner-up piece was about dealing with drug abuse. Considering I mostly write about my garden and cherished old family memories I put aside any urges to compete  in the yearly contest. But not this year. Heck why not?

I’m wound up now and my writing shows it . I can write depressing and interesting stuff too if I try really hard. Many friends, family and neighbours are reading my blog now and most find it either amusing or revealing. Some read it and don’t know what to think, I’m sure. They are reluctant to discuss it with me as if I have a frightening illness and don’t want to set me off emotionally by mentioning their reactions to it. Sensitive girl that I am, I can read their minds and some of them are confused or a bit worried about me. Others grin and wave at me in the grocery store or lean out of  their car window and quote little goofy things I’ve written as they drive by me when I’m out walking the dog. It’s rather fun for me and now I know how vulnerable other writers feel when they shared a completed work. My task right now for the next month is to write my entry for the contest and I’ve made a good start.

The contest material has to be original and about 1500 words. Neither, can it be something already published on the internet such as my blog stuff. If it was any good at all  wouldn’t hurt my chances either. I’ve decided to write three short fiction stories but they will be inspired by my varied dark side life experiences. Then I will have a choice of material and make my selection for the competition.

The first story which I’ve already started is about an arrogant and untrustworthy son of a gun. The second in the trilogy will be about a mean, old son of a gun. Finally, the third will be about a disturbed, lying son of a gun. Does anyone out there appreciate the pattern evolving here? Apparently I can find the inspiration to rage and rant with the best of them.

It is worth your while to look up the origin of the phrase” son of a gun” . Shakespeare had an appreciation for the character type and referred to it in his own special way using different words in King Lear. I can’t remember the quote but it involved  several choice put downs. Look it up yourself why don’tcha! (See what I did there.)

Once I have these stories written out and polished up I intend to perform them for my drama coach. She helps me with my voice and presentation skills as I continue to refine my storytelling performance art. Poor girl didn’t know what she was in for when I signed up. Over the next couple of weeks I will be in this mode of writing, editing and performing for one weary, paid listener. I can’t post these stories until after the competition, but rest assured they will be humdingers .Think of me sitting in the local coffee shop, church meeting or town hall gathering, writing furiously away while the locals come and go, shaking their heads.

They should worry.

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