I was serving up our Sunday dinner tonight, lovely boiled ham, cabbage, carrots, peas and parsley sauce, with new potatoes from the garden when I had a text message. One saying, you’ve won a competition. I thought ‘oh yes, I know, you’ve won a cruise, just ring this number and blah blah blah, I almost deleted it. It was from Eddie Walsh, thank goodness I read to the end. I’ve won his competition, with my story The House-sitters. Isn’t it funny how when we hear good news we grow springs in our feet? I do anyway, I boinged around the kitchen for a bit, then calmed down. I think there were 65 ish entries, so I’m thrilled about that.
It was a quirky little story, here’s the link to it on Eddie’s new site. They were the type of house-sitters you wouldn’t want to employ. In fact, it’s a first for me as it’s a bit of a horror story. Maybe comedy horror. There’s a touch of Wodehouse to it I think. I have been reading a lot of his books lately.
I’m enjoying reading a Barbara Erskine novel that one of our lovely customers has lent me. Time’s Legacy. A ghost story that shifts back to the past. It centres around a crystal and Glastonbury, but I won’t spoil it by saying any more. I read her Lady of Hay years ago, it was brilliant. You have to like history and spirituality to like these books. I do and I love them. Her website is here.
Sue’s Website 
Congrats on such an excellent win. Exciting and very motivating, I bet!
Hi Jacueline, thanks for popping by my blog. Yes, I’m planning my next competition story now.xx
First, may I come to dinner one day? Sounds lovely! Second, congratulations! I’d entered that one, so you’ve beaten me! The nearest I’ve come to a prize in the last month is being shortlisted for (and then not winning) a Writers Toolkit Flash Fiction comp. Again, well done.
Hi Julia, of course you can come to dinner, I’ll lay a place for you. Being shortlisted is quite exciting isn’t it? Keep writing and entering, you’ll be boinging around your kitchen then.xx
Excellent news ~ congratulations, Susan! The image of your ‘boinging’ around your kitchen really tickled me! LOL 🙂
Thanks Jacqueline, it’s an automatic response I think. xx
Yay, congratulations 🙂 Thank goodness you read the text to the end! x
I know Teresa, I thought it was one of our over friendly customers maybe wanting a chat, or a junk caller. It’s only when I saw cheque in the post, and Eddie at the end I realised. xx
Congratulations.
Hi Patsy, great to hear from you, hope you’re enjoying your fab holiday.xx
Well Done you! God I shall have to remember that we have text now as a way of being told we’ve. I always think you will hear by post, phone or email, but Text! like you I would have just deleted it.
Best wishes and congratulation!
Oh thank you so much Paula, it surprised me as well. xx
Well done! I was a runner-up but obviously the best woman won!
Hi Sally, yes I was proud to get to the long list of 17, yet somehow this story was so off the wall I had a sneaky feeling it would win. Then again I always think that when I enter a competition.xx
Congratulations!I’ve read Times Legacy and really enjoyed it.
Happy boinging!
Hey Debbie, I love boinging, it’s so therapeutic, I think we should all boing a lot more. Oh that book is fantastic, so good, talk soon.xx
Nice one Susan. congrats on winning last Emerald competition. Loved the story, but can’t help worrying about poor Cliff and Binkie – what a way to go!
Hi Tracy, glad you read the story, I need to put a link but I couldn’t find it last night. I know it was awful about them wasn’t it, not only that, I would have liked Cliff and Herbert to have had lots more house sitting adventures, now they can’t. I might work backwards, and then that would be the last instalment.xx
Congratulations, Susan!!! What wonderful news 🙂 I bet you couldn’t stop smiling, and too right! Well done – really pleased for you 🙂
Thanks Nicola, I’m well chuffed. First out of 65 entries. It’s a story that’s a bit different, so I’m going to write different more often. Thanks for popping by.xx
Different is good, Susan. It can challenge us as writers and help is expand our repertoire. Out of interest, what do you think was most different about this one compared to your other stories?
Hi Nicola, you make me smile. Have you clicked on the link to read it? The lovely old gentleman house sitters let the dog in on the bird, he ate it, then the dog grabbed a rat that the snake should have eaten. Then the snake ate the dog full of bird, with rat in mouth and then the old man as well. Not a womag story that’s for sure. Slightly unbelievable maybe, but I know a few people who’ve had to look after pets while friends are on holiday who either died (especially goldfish) or once an uncle’s dog ate someone’s budgie. Maybe we’re just a funny family… Hope you enjoy the story.xx
Congratulations Susan! Loved the story! Great stuff. Keep on entering those competitions
🙂
x
Thanks Juliet, I do try and enter as many as I can. I get a bit big headed when I’ve won something, but after a week or so I come back to earth.xx