C.J. Carter-Stephenson's Blog: ~ Crystal Clear ~, page 6
September 15, 2015
~Writers of the Future~ Contest!
Every so often, something happens in your life which takes you completely by surprise. The most recent example for me was finding out that one of my stories had made it to the final of the latest round of the Writers of the Future contest. For those of you who don't know, the contest in question is one of the most prestigious in genre fiction. It was established by L. Ron Hubbard with a view to nurturing promising writers and the top prize is $5000, not to mention publication in a best-selling anthology series and the chance to take part in a week-long programme of workshops with successful writers.
I have been entering the contest intermittently ever since I first heard about it, but have never got so much as an honourable mention before, so you can imagine how excited I was to find out that I might actually be in with a chance of winning. I just wish I hadn't hung up on the director when she phoned to tell me. The display on my phone said the number was unknown, so I assumed it was someone trying to sell me something. Fortunately, I don't think she held it against me.
I tried not to think about the competition in the days that followed, but there was so much at stake, it was always at the back of my mind. It all came to nothing in the end, but it was a great honour to know that somebody of standing thought my work had enough merit to be shortlisted. Which is not to say I will be resting on my laurels. If one of my stories can make it to a final, who is to say the next won't actually win? I just need to come up with a suitable idea.
In the meantime, let me tell you a little bit about the 'almost but not quite' story. It is called The Fate of the Art and was written for one of the modules on my MA course. Our remit was to write a piece of fiction informed by the methods and themes of contemporary international fiction, and I drew my inspiration from Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, a book I have long admired. One idea Atwood explores in The Handmaid's Tale is radical feminism, as we see in the following quote:
They must have poured gasoline, because the flames shot high, and then they began dumping the magazines, from boxes.
Although the burning of the magazines is a symbolic act to demonstrate the feminists’ disapproval of the objectification of women, it also shows a willingness to restrict freedom of speech that parallels the patriarchal administration of Gilead. In my story, I decided to invert Atwood's fictional society and write about a country ruled by an extremist matriarchy, which forces men to take medication to suppress undesirable thoughts.
As there is no historical precedent for this kind of extreme feminist administration, it made sense to follow Atwood's example and set the story in a dystopian future. This being the case, I also found myself drawing inspiration from George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four.
One of the most prominent themes in both The Handmaid’s Tale and Nineteen Eighty-Four is that of censorship, and since this seems to be a characteristic of most oppressive regimes, I decided it should feature prominently in The Fate of the Art as well. The government in my imagined world has introduced legislation that allows works of art which are deemed to be overly violent or explicit to be destroyed, and my story is built around a group of rebels who spend their time trying to save them from this fate.
In her book Negotiating with the Dead, Atwood advises writers that if they "take care of the writing […] the social relevance will take care of itself." This was something I very much kept in mind when working on The Fate of the Art. The story is about the experiences of the main character rather than being a critique of the society to which she belongs. I avoided giving it an explicit moral and left it up to readers to draw their own conclusion.
Like The Handmaid’s Tale, The Fate of the Art is intended to straddle the boundaries between genre and mainstream fiction. This hopefully means it will appeal to seasoned readers of both. I am happy with the way it turned out, but was not expecting it to do so well in the Writers of the Future contest. Obviously, my studies are paying off. Watch this space for details of where and when the story will be available to read.
Now, after what is probably my longest blog entry ever, I guess I should sign off, but before I do, I just want to remind you about my final summer giveaway, which is going on even as I speak. On offer this time are the following prizes...
i) Signed copy of A PLACE OF SAFETY by Natasha Cooper
ii) Signed copy of THE CRYSTAL SHIP
iii) THE CRYSTAL SHIP branded mug
iv) THE CRYSTAL SHIP laminated press release
v) Signed copy of BLOODLUST VARIATIONS
vi) BLOODLUST VARIATIONS laminated press release
vii) Signed photograph of yours truly
The competition ends at midnight on 23rd September. Click here for further details and best of luck to anyone who decides to enter.
Bye for now,
C.J. Carter-Stephenson
I have been entering the contest intermittently ever since I first heard about it, but have never got so much as an honourable mention before, so you can imagine how excited I was to find out that I might actually be in with a chance of winning. I just wish I hadn't hung up on the director when she phoned to tell me. The display on my phone said the number was unknown, so I assumed it was someone trying to sell me something. Fortunately, I don't think she held it against me.
I tried not to think about the competition in the days that followed, but there was so much at stake, it was always at the back of my mind. It all came to nothing in the end, but it was a great honour to know that somebody of standing thought my work had enough merit to be shortlisted. Which is not to say I will be resting on my laurels. If one of my stories can make it to a final, who is to say the next won't actually win? I just need to come up with a suitable idea.
In the meantime, let me tell you a little bit about the 'almost but not quite' story. It is called The Fate of the Art and was written for one of the modules on my MA course. Our remit was to write a piece of fiction informed by the methods and themes of contemporary international fiction, and I drew my inspiration from Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, a book I have long admired. One idea Atwood explores in The Handmaid's Tale is radical feminism, as we see in the following quote:
They must have poured gasoline, because the flames shot high, and then they began dumping the magazines, from boxes.
Although the burning of the magazines is a symbolic act to demonstrate the feminists’ disapproval of the objectification of women, it also shows a willingness to restrict freedom of speech that parallels the patriarchal administration of Gilead. In my story, I decided to invert Atwood's fictional society and write about a country ruled by an extremist matriarchy, which forces men to take medication to suppress undesirable thoughts.
As there is no historical precedent for this kind of extreme feminist administration, it made sense to follow Atwood's example and set the story in a dystopian future. This being the case, I also found myself drawing inspiration from George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four.
One of the most prominent themes in both The Handmaid’s Tale and Nineteen Eighty-Four is that of censorship, and since this seems to be a characteristic of most oppressive regimes, I decided it should feature prominently in The Fate of the Art as well. The government in my imagined world has introduced legislation that allows works of art which are deemed to be overly violent or explicit to be destroyed, and my story is built around a group of rebels who spend their time trying to save them from this fate.
In her book Negotiating with the Dead, Atwood advises writers that if they "take care of the writing […] the social relevance will take care of itself." This was something I very much kept in mind when working on The Fate of the Art. The story is about the experiences of the main character rather than being a critique of the society to which she belongs. I avoided giving it an explicit moral and left it up to readers to draw their own conclusion.
Like The Handmaid’s Tale, The Fate of the Art is intended to straddle the boundaries between genre and mainstream fiction. This hopefully means it will appeal to seasoned readers of both. I am happy with the way it turned out, but was not expecting it to do so well in the Writers of the Future contest. Obviously, my studies are paying off. Watch this space for details of where and when the story will be available to read.
Now, after what is probably my longest blog entry ever, I guess I should sign off, but before I do, I just want to remind you about my final summer giveaway, which is going on even as I speak. On offer this time are the following prizes...
i) Signed copy of A PLACE OF SAFETY by Natasha Cooper
ii) Signed copy of THE CRYSTAL SHIP
iii) THE CRYSTAL SHIP branded mug
iv) THE CRYSTAL SHIP laminated press release
v) Signed copy of BLOODLUST VARIATIONS
vi) BLOODLUST VARIATIONS laminated press release
vii) Signed photograph of yours truly
The competition ends at midnight on 23rd September. Click here for further details and best of luck to anyone who decides to enter.
Bye for now,
C.J. Carter-Stephenson
July 26, 2015
More great prizes to be won...
Just wanted to offer my congratulations to the winner of my first summer giveaway. The prize package will be making its way to you shortly. Commiserations to those of you who missed out, but don't despair, as there's another giveaway taking place even as I speak. The prize breakdown on this occasion is as follows...
i) Signed copy of THE GRAFT by Martina Cole
ii) Signed copy of BLOODLUST VARIATIONS by C.J. Carter-Stephenson
iii) BLOODLUST VARIATIONS branded mouse mat
iv) BLOODLUST VARIATIONS laminated press release
v) Signed BLOODLUST VARIATIONS postcard
vi) Signed copy of THE CRYSTAL SHIP by C.J. Carter-Stephenson
vii) THE CRYSTAL SHIP laminated press release
Click here to visit the page. The giveaway ends at midnight on 19th August, so you have plenty of time to enter. After that a 3rd and final giveaway will begin, with more great prizes, which I will be announcing nearer the time.
Hope everyone is having a great summer. I know I am. I saw some groovy bands yesterday at the Isle of Wight's V-Dub Island festival, and although today was a little less exciting on account of the driving rain, I did manage to get some work done on my latest novel. There's still a long way to go, but if I carry on working at the pace I am, I would hope to have it finished within the next two years. Watch this space for updates and for details of all my other writing endeavours.
Thanks again to everyone who entered my first summer giveaway. Your interest in my work is much appreciated.
i) Signed copy of THE GRAFT by Martina Cole
ii) Signed copy of BLOODLUST VARIATIONS by C.J. Carter-Stephenson
iii) BLOODLUST VARIATIONS branded mouse mat
iv) BLOODLUST VARIATIONS laminated press release
v) Signed BLOODLUST VARIATIONS postcard
vi) Signed copy of THE CRYSTAL SHIP by C.J. Carter-Stephenson
vii) THE CRYSTAL SHIP laminated press release
Click here to visit the page. The giveaway ends at midnight on 19th August, so you have plenty of time to enter. After that a 3rd and final giveaway will begin, with more great prizes, which I will be announcing nearer the time.
Hope everyone is having a great summer. I know I am. I saw some groovy bands yesterday at the Isle of Wight's V-Dub Island festival, and although today was a little less exciting on account of the driving rain, I did manage to get some work done on my latest novel. There's still a long way to go, but if I carry on working at the pace I am, I would hope to have it finished within the next two years. Watch this space for updates and for details of all my other writing endeavours.
Thanks again to everyone who entered my first summer giveaway. Your interest in my work is much appreciated.
June 20, 2015
SUMMER GIVEAWAY NUMBER 1 (featuring signed copy of Ian Rankin's DOORS OPEN)
For those of you who don't know, today is the Summer Solstice, which means summer has officially begun. The weather here in England can can be pretty unpredictable, but I am confident there are going to be plenty of opportunities to mosey on down to the beach, and to celebrate, I have decided to hold 3 new giveaways. These will run consecutively through the summer period, and although there will only be one winner for each, I've upped the stakes in terms of prizes. Here's what's on offer in giveaway number 1...
i) Signed copy of DOORS OPEN by Ian Rankin
ii) Signed copy of THE CRYSTAL SHIP by C.J. Carter-Stephenson
iii) THE CRYSTAL SHIP branded pen
iv) THE CRYSTAL SHIP laminated press release
v) Signed copy of BLOODLUST VARIATIONS by C.J. Carter-Stephenson
vi) BLOODLUST VARIATIONS laminated press release
vii) Signed photograph of C.J. Carter-Stephenson
What I really wanted to do was bury this swag on an island somewhere and have people search for it pirate style using galleons and maps, but there doesn't seem to be a facility for that on Goodreads, so I will content myself with posting the following piratey picture...
and let you all enter in the usual way. You have until midnight on the 25th July 2015 to do so, at which point, the second giveaway will begin (details tba). The giveaway link is as follows:
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
Thanks for stopping by and good luck if you decide to enter,
C.J. Carter-Stephenson
Facebook
Amazon
i) Signed copy of DOORS OPEN by Ian Rankin
ii) Signed copy of THE CRYSTAL SHIP by C.J. Carter-Stephenson
iii) THE CRYSTAL SHIP branded pen
iv) THE CRYSTAL SHIP laminated press release
v) Signed copy of BLOODLUST VARIATIONS by C.J. Carter-Stephenson
vi) BLOODLUST VARIATIONS laminated press release
vii) Signed photograph of C.J. Carter-Stephenson
What I really wanted to do was bury this swag on an island somewhere and have people search for it pirate style using galleons and maps, but there doesn't seem to be a facility for that on Goodreads, so I will content myself with posting the following piratey picture...
and let you all enter in the usual way. You have until midnight on the 25th July 2015 to do so, at which point, the second giveaway will begin (details tba). The giveaway link is as follows:
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
Thanks for stopping by and good luck if you decide to enter,
C.J. Carter-Stephenson
Amazon
November 29, 2014
Coming soon to a webzine near you...
As the end of the year looms on the horizon, I am very pleased to announce another forthcoming story. This one is called Through the Eyes of Another and it will be appearing in The WiFiles on 14th December 2014. For those of you who don't know, The Wifiles is a speculative fiction webzine edited by Jay Faulkner. It is packed with great content and is completely free to read.
As for my story, it is a gothic horror set in Highgate Cemetery (where you can see me hanging out in the picture below with a now sadly deceased four-legged friend called Ollie). Suitable for all ages, it explores what happens when a young girl tries to save a kitten from some sadistic bullies. Please do check it out if you have some time to kill. Have a great weekend.
As for my story, it is a gothic horror set in Highgate Cemetery (where you can see me hanging out in the picture below with a now sadly deceased four-legged friend called Ollie). Suitable for all ages, it explores what happens when a young girl tries to save a kitten from some sadistic bullies. Please do check it out if you have some time to kill. Have a great weekend.
October 18, 2014
Festival No. 6, September 2014
Some of you are perhaps familiar with the 1960s television series The Prisoner. I myself am a big fan (though I missed the original screenings by quite a few years, I am sorry to say), and a little over a month ago, I was lucky to have the opportunity to visit its iconic village setting when I attended Festival No. 6. The village goes by the name of Portmeirion in real life and is situated in the north of Wales, not far from Mount Snowdon. Seeing those familiar streets for myself was a magical experience, though I did find it disconcerting when I went inside some of the buildings and found their interiors were nothing like the sets you see in the show. Needless to say, I took plenty of pictures, some of which you can see at the following link...
Festival No. 6 Pictures
Whilst exploring, I met some members of the official Prisoner fan club and took part in a reconstruction of the chess game from an episode of the show called Checkmate.
As far as the music was concerned, I found much to enjoy, from time-honoured favourites like Beck to up-and-coming local bands like the Moonlight Thieves. A few other acts that particularly stuck in my mind were Spector, Temples, the Undertones and Los Campesinos! I also found time to see some stand up comedy, sit in on some debates and watch an avant-garde film. All in all, it was a highly entertaining experience, which I would recommend to anyone. My only regret was that I was not amongst the authors invited to the festival to talk about their books. Oh well, maybe next year. Be seeing you...
Festival No. 6 Pictures
Whilst exploring, I met some members of the official Prisoner fan club and took part in a reconstruction of the chess game from an episode of the show called Checkmate.
As far as the music was concerned, I found much to enjoy, from time-honoured favourites like Beck to up-and-coming local bands like the Moonlight Thieves. A few other acts that particularly stuck in my mind were Spector, Temples, the Undertones and Los Campesinos! I also found time to see some stand up comedy, sit in on some debates and watch an avant-garde film. All in all, it was a highly entertaining experience, which I would recommend to anyone. My only regret was that I was not amongst the authors invited to the festival to talk about their books. Oh well, maybe next year. Be seeing you...
October 1, 2014
Publication Announcement!
The word on my street today is that another of my short stories has just seen the light of day. The story in question is called Hobz Gobbling and it has been published in issue 6 of Bunbury. Essentially a semi-fictionalised childhood anecdote, it is something of a departure from my normal speculative fare, but I hope you won't hold this against me, as I am quite proud of the imagery. As for the rest of the magazine, it is packed full of fascinating writing and interviews, and is definitely worth checking out, particularly as it is available for the bargain price of absolutely nothing. If you feel like reading it, you can find it at the following link...
Bunbury, Issue 6
Bunbury, Issue 6
August 12, 2014
Another Lulu.com coupon code...
There are more big savings to be had at Lulu.com. Simply enter the coupon code 'TWODAY25' at checkout and they will give you 25% off your order. Offer ends at midnight on the 14th August.
Oh and just in case you fancy using the code to pick up a copy of one of my own literary offerings, here is the relevant link...
C.J. Carter-Stephenson Author Page
Oh and just in case you fancy using the code to pick up a copy of one of my own literary offerings, here is the relevant link...
C.J. Carter-Stephenson Author Page
May 17, 2014
News & Thank Yous
Thanks to everyone who downloaded a free copy of
Bloodlust Variations
during my recent promotion. If you enjoy reading it, please consider posting a review.
Incidentally, I am about to revisit the vampire genre with a new comic strip called Breaking Out. This is a collaborative piece that I have undertaken with Marcello Abreu (artist) and Brant W. Fowler (letterer), who worked with me previously on another strip called, The Experiment (see http://aescifi.ca/index.php/fiction/6...). It is a story I am proud of, as I think it explores new territory, and Marcello's pictures have to be seen to be believed. I'm not sure exactly when it will be published, as I'm still waiting for Brant to finish the lettering, but it shouldn't be long. Watch this space for further details.
Oh and one more thing... if any of you are interested in adding to your libraries, you might want to visit Lulu.com, as they are running another of their money saving promotions. Enter the coupon code 'RDM14' at checkout and they will give you 20% off your order. Offer ends at midnight on the 19th May 2014.
Incidentally, I am about to revisit the vampire genre with a new comic strip called Breaking Out. This is a collaborative piece that I have undertaken with Marcello Abreu (artist) and Brant W. Fowler (letterer), who worked with me previously on another strip called, The Experiment (see http://aescifi.ca/index.php/fiction/6...). It is a story I am proud of, as I think it explores new territory, and Marcello's pictures have to be seen to be believed. I'm not sure exactly when it will be published, as I'm still waiting for Brant to finish the lettering, but it shouldn't be long. Watch this space for further details.
Oh and one more thing... if any of you are interested in adding to your libraries, you might want to visit Lulu.com, as they are running another of their money saving promotions. Enter the coupon code 'RDM14' at checkout and they will give you 20% off your order. Offer ends at midnight on the 19th May 2014.
May 7, 2014
Free Download Event!
▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼
▶ SPECIAL OFFER ◀
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲
Next Friday (16th May 2014) is the 196th anniversary of the death of Matthew Gregory Lewis (see picture).
For those of you who don't know, Lewis was a pioneer of the horror genre and had a profound influence on later writers like Bram Stoker. His greatest contribution to the field, The Monk , is a quintessential Gothic novel, which has been much imitated, but never surpassed. What is particularly impressive about it is that it was written over the course of ten weeks when the author was just 19 years old.
In honour of the death of this great writer, I thought it might be nice to give Kindle readers the chance to download a copy of my own Gothic horror book, Bloodlust Variations , entirely free of charge. Visit the following link on the 16th May to take advantage of this great offer...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bloodlust-Var...
The offer is for one day only, so if you are interested in reading the book, make sure you don't miss out.
~DISCLAIMER~
Please be advised that Bloodlust Variations contains material of an explicit nature. It is not suitable for readers under the age of 18.
▶ SPECIAL OFFER ◀
▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲
Next Friday (16th May 2014) is the 196th anniversary of the death of Matthew Gregory Lewis (see picture).
For those of you who don't know, Lewis was a pioneer of the horror genre and had a profound influence on later writers like Bram Stoker. His greatest contribution to the field, The Monk , is a quintessential Gothic novel, which has been much imitated, but never surpassed. What is particularly impressive about it is that it was written over the course of ten weeks when the author was just 19 years old.
In honour of the death of this great writer, I thought it might be nice to give Kindle readers the chance to download a copy of my own Gothic horror book, Bloodlust Variations , entirely free of charge. Visit the following link on the 16th May to take advantage of this great offer...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bloodlust-Var...
The offer is for one day only, so if you are interested in reading the book, make sure you don't miss out.
~DISCLAIMER~
Please be advised that Bloodlust Variations contains material of an explicit nature. It is not suitable for readers under the age of 18.
January 28, 2014
Two Days & Counting.
In just two days, I will add another birthday to my growing collection. Here is a before picture taken outside the Library of Congress last month...
Watch this space for an after picture and celebratory competition.
In the meantime, if you fancy expanding your library, it may interest you to know that Lulu.com have just released another coupon code in honour of Valentine's Day. Type AMOR14 into the relevant box at checkout before midnight on 14th February and they will give you 14% off your order. Naturally, the code can be used against a copy of my own intergalactic love story, The Crystal Ship. Here's the link...
The Crystal Ship Purchase Link
Watch this space for an after picture and celebratory competition.
In the meantime, if you fancy expanding your library, it may interest you to know that Lulu.com have just released another coupon code in honour of Valentine's Day. Type AMOR14 into the relevant box at checkout before midnight on 14th February and they will give you 14% off your order. Naturally, the code can be used against a copy of my own intergalactic love story, The Crystal Ship. Here's the link...
The Crystal Ship Purchase Link
