Ooh, I won Chocolate!

I like chocolate (ask anyone who knows me) and I approve wholeheartedly of Halloween, so I was delighted to win some Halloween chocolate in Nicola Morgan's Hotel Chocolat Halloween Writing Competition today. The brief was to write a piece of flash fiction (up to 100 words long) that touches upon three themes : chocolate, fear and the written word. I wrote a couple of pieces, one about a vampire and one about - well, you'll have to go and read it on the Help! I Need a Publisher! blog to find out.

As I said to the delicious Alison, "It's not quite the Booker." But she thought about this and replied, "Better in some ways." And I think she has a point.

And actually, it's the piece that didn't win that has stayed with me. I think there's definitely some mileage in the vampire character. I just might work on a longer story about him. Here's that original flash fiction story :

'Have some chocolate.'
They stood overlooking the twinkling city. Surveying their domain.
'Toxic to canines,' said the werewolf. 'Theobromines.'
'But it’s a crescent moon, my friend,' the vampire said, biting off a chunk. The words Dark, 100% Pure slipped into his mouth.
'Gone off blood?'
The vampire swirled his black overcoat as if preparing to fly.
'Ah, they all taste so infected, Swine flu or worse. Quite disgusting. Chocolate helps. It's the iron.'
Amused, the werewolf shook his shaggy head.
'Problem is, I still get the cravings, my friend.’
The werewolf’s eyes went wide with fear as the vampire lunged.

Heh. As an aside, I do find writing to a strict word-limit like this immensely pleasureable. It really helps instil an economy of style. I must write some more.