"Offering" is live! And, the story behind it.

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"Offering" is now live over at The Horror Zine! Come read it here.


"Offering" started out as a flash fiction, because I got recommended to try for being a "Pen of the Damned" writer. They were going to send me a picture for which I'd write a flash piece. Then they'd make their decision.

Guess what, I got a picture of a bridge, a happy bridge, too. Not the one above, though. My problem was that I loved bridges. They're the most wonderful things in the world. Now I was supposed to pen something horrible in an area I had zero experience in: flash fiction.

I tried my best, and of course they told me to get lost, leaving me with the beginnings of a new story. "Offering" sat in my computer like a sad castaway, rejected, dismissed and written off by the whole world.

I began writing, jumping off the original idea and marrying it with another idea I had. The story slowly fleshed out until the disconnected pieces knit together like wounded flesh


"Offering" juggles two loosely related threats that never meet. It was a little nuts, but I loved it. Hopefully, an editor would, too.

Turned out one did. She said she'd take it if I added in a chase scene or two. I love chase scenes and wondered at myself for not incorporating one. Maybe I thought something which focused more on atmosphere would work?

It taught me a lesson I'd forgotten amidst a tumult of rejection letters. Curtailing my creativity to match a magazine's wants is not creative and will kill my love for writing.

So I added the chases and my "Offering" was accepted.


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