Introduction

The best place to start this blog lark is with a quick explanation of its title - why 'Scallops'?  
It came to me in a dream:  short stories are like scallops!  Similes and metaphors don't usually come to me in my sleep, I wish they did,  but on this occasion  I had watched rather too much of Hell's Kitchen before bedtime.  At some point, the wannabe chefs had competed to free perfect scallops from the gelatinous mass inside the shells. Craggy-faced Gordon was not pleased if any scallops had been spoiled in the process which, of course, most were.

A short story should also be small and perfectly formed:  it is the result of the skillful cutting down of a large, slippery concept in to a small, firm morsel of art.  As a writer still learning her craft, I know how easy it is to mutilate a good short story.  But I am hoping I'll get better with practice and - fingers crossed - that'll happen before my face turns too craggy...

Tuesday, 11 May 2010

High Hopes

I'm pretty excited.  I received an email today informing me that I am through to the third round of judging for the BritWriters' Awards!  I'll be going into the final round to choose the finalists for the Awards in July but all I know is there were 21,000 entries.  I don't know what the second round was whittled down to or, indeed, how many competitors I have in the third.  I don't even know which of my three stories is in the running - although I did get the same email twice so maybe there are two??  All I do know is I am pretty excited.  

Just to be a finalist would be brilliant - I don't necessarily want to win.  But there'll be agents and publishers at the awards and so just being on the programme would be a huge benefit.  

So, at this time, Elevenses, Skin Deep and Boxed In are shelved until early June when I'll find out if I've made it to the final and if i'll be invited to the Awards at the O2 in London.  Fingers, toes and all other appendages crossed.
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