Haunted October ... It's That Time of Year Again!

[dawn_felagund]

Every year, I participate in a personal writing challenge called Haunted October. I started this back in 2006 with the aim to post a horror story on my LJ every week in October, ending on Halloween. It serves the dual purpose of forcing me to write at least five short stories, as well as serving as a fitting celebration of Halloween, which is Bobby's and my biggest holiday and a month-long affair in the House of Felagund.

Well, it's almost that time again.

I am sincerely hoping to be able to do the challenge fully again this year. So far, I have two stories finished and one started. This year, as well, I'm changing it a bit and reserving one week as "flash week," in which I will post a short-short piece (< 2000 words) every day for the week. Whether I will be able to come up with several pieces of flash and 1.5 short stories will largely depend on my school schedule. (I am up to my ears in assignments at the moment; American Fiction ends this week, so I have two major projects due this week. I have a Poe anthology tapping its foot and looking at me imploringly as I type this ...)

As in years past, I welcome anyone else who would like to play along during Haunted October to join me. It doesn't have to be a story a week; the point is to meet a challenge that is a challenge for you, not me. I am disgustingly prolific and know that. But I'd love to read as well as write some spooky stories in October, so let me know if you'll be writing anything!

All of my stories will be posted here on Friday. They will be friend-locked in order to maintain my first rights to publication, so if there are any lurkers who want to read them who are not on my flist, let me know and I will add you. If you're not on LJ at all, let me know and we'll work something out.

Past years' stories are here.

Comments

[heartofoshun.livejournal.com]

Only for you and, at best, a single ficlet. I tried to write a scary story last year for IgnobleBard (birthday in October and loves scary stories and I always owe him for putting up with me). It wasn’t entirely wasted. I never did finish it, but it became Maitimo’s flash-back-to-Angband scene in one of the last chapters to A New Day. My plans will necessarily be more modest this year, in the hopes that I can actually finish something.

I don’t think I will wish you luck on the schoolwork; you really don’t need it. Oh, I forgot that I had started and was interrupted from writing a response to your last email to me relating to a point about your Tolkien class. I should finish it soon and send it off.

[dawn_felagund]

Oh, you don't have to feel obligated to write for me! (Hence giving you two prompts for my birthday drabble, since I know horror really isn't your thing, but sometimes inspiration lurks in strange corners. ;) But, every year, people say, "Next year, I'm going to do this!" So I remind them in hopes that they actually will. ;) (Bobby's supposed to be writing something, but he hasn't talked about it in a while, so I think the muses might have absconded. They're probably off somewhere with my muses, who are pissed since I've been devoting my mental energies to entirely serious pursuits.)

I look forward to that email! :)