Contest Winner

What contest was your winning entry submitted to?

Thriller First Pages

How many writing contests have you entered?

10-12

Please give the title of your entry and a short summary of the story.

A Doll to Kiss, A Doll to Kill
After the death of a local serial killer, the residents of a small Kentucky town believe they’re safe, but the murderer’s secret partner is determined to exact a terrible vengeance upon them.

What inspired your winning entry?
My novel is the third in an as yet unpublished series taking place in and around the fictitious town of Cambin, Kentucky. The first two novels are A Little Doll Will Die and A Doll to Die For. A Little Doll Will Die is slated to be published soon.

How has entering this contest helped your writing?
It has encouraged me to spend more time writing with my audience in mind.

How did the critique in the Winners’ Workshop help you?
It has helped me realize that my stories have some merit, and that there are readers out there who will like and appreciate them.

Are you a full-time writer? If not, what is your “day job”?

At present, my writing is more of a hobby, but I hope to write more. I am retired from a thirty-six-year office job.

How long have you been writing?
10 years

What will you do with your piece now that it’s been recognized?
Be proud of the honor but also humbled by it and continue to learn more about writing and improve my writing skills.

Any fun plans for the prize money?
Take myself out to dinner!

What do you do when you’re feeling discouraged or blocked? Do you have any tips for your fellow writers?
Often it’s simply a matter of sitting at my computer and getting started and let ideas start to flow. Sometimes, I can read over what I’ve written previously and make a few corrections or changes to get myself in the mode.

If you could go to the yard sale of any character in the history of children’s literature, whose would you go to, and what would you buy?

Huckleberry Finn’s yard sale, and I would buy his ragged old straw hat.

Anything you’d like to share about your IFW experience?

Entering and winning a prize in the contest has given my confidence in my ability as a writer a boost and encouraged me to keep at it.

Will you be our next contest winner? Discover our current writing contests here!