Ten Halloween Writing Prompts

Once upon a midnight dreary, you found inspiration growing weary. Never fear(y): These Halloween writing prompts are here to rescue you from the haunted crypt of writing block. They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky, and they’ll have you back to penning spine-chilling tales in no time.

Halloween Writing Prompts

The Fear Within (Book Trailer)

Sell your Self-Published Books on Consignment

The American Booksellers Association shared a very useful article last year by Karen Schechner (the senior editor at Kirkus Indie) explaining how self-published authors can sell their books at a few independent bookstores around the country.

Read the full article here:

https://www.adweek.com/galleycat/how-to-sell-your-self-published-book-into-bookstores/52736

Win an Amazon Gift Card!

I'm looking for someone to create the cover art (preferably digital or photographed) for my upcoming high seas thriller, On Deadly Seas. It's an 18th century pirate ghost story. Summary of the book is as follows:

Strange things happen aboard the 18^th century brigantine, The Fiery Wench. Accidents occur quite frequently; crew men are killed off in horrific ways; and visitors have reported seeing the ghosts of those tortured souls warning them of worse things to come. Pirate Captain Aiden McGuire never believed in curses and he would have anyone whipped who even suggested the idea. It’s only when young Jaclyn steals away aboard his ship that one misfortune after another befalls him and his crew. The decks of The Fiery Wench, for the first time since he became captain, start to flow red from the blood of his men. Is his stowaway a Siren who has come aboard to tear apart his vessel, or is she an innocent caught in a game of tragedy? Only time will tell as this ship sets sail ON DEADLY SEAS.

THE PRIZE: $50 AMAZON GIFT CARD

CONTEST RULES:

Winner will be selected on April 2, 2019 and announced via my email list, . The prize will be emailed within 5 business days. Winner must check our blog and contact us within 2 business days to confirm their email address for delivery. Valid only where permitted by law.

HOW TO ENTER:

1. Answer this question in a comment on this blog post: Why should I choose your cover art?

2. Like Screams for Sale on Facebook and share it with a friend.

3. Follow me on Twitter @shelbypatrick

4. Subscribe to my email list at darkfictionmuse-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

5. Email up to three of your best cover artwork to blackwidow@shelbypatrick.com

Winning entry will be used as the cover art for my book. Artist will be credited on the inside of the book. 

How to become a successful writer

This is a great article from Writer’s Digest.

https://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/questions-and-quandaries/writing-advice/how-to-become-a-successful-writer-to-dream-or-not-to-dream

Fright Night Hoodie

This is totally awesome.

Limited Edition Print

Love Gone Awry

2019 is just around the corner. It's not too early to start planning for Valentine's Day and I have the perfect gift.

Have you always wanted to be the star of your own story? Do any of the following apply to you?

• Been scarred by love
• Had a scorned woman try to exact revenge on you
• Lost the love of your life
• Dumped or been dumped but then reunited with that person and realized they weren't the same
• Been blinded by love
• Went a little too far for love
• Had regrets with a past lover
• Will never forget your first love
• Found true love that only a tragedy could stop

Well here's a unique opportunity to be the hero (or villain) of your own making.

I will write a piece of dark fiction, up to 1,000 words, based on your "Love Gone Awry" idea.

Send me an email at blackwidow@shelbypatrick.com with the subject "Custom V-Day Story" briefly summarizing your idea in 100 words or less. Since this is meant to be a horror story for the Valentine's season, please let me know if you want to be the hero or the villain and provide me with a location (preferably your own or some place you always wanted to go but isn't too exotic). Also, please provide two names to be used in the story: yours (or an alias) and that of a loved one.

For example, your email may look like this:

I would like a custom story featuring me as the hero, where I was foolish and lost the love of my life and now realize my life is incomplete without him/her.

 

OR

 

I would like a custom story featuring me as the villain, in post-apocalyptic California, where Necromancers roam the place, seeking out depressed souls to reunite with loved ones.

Stories cost $30, paid via PayPal, and will be sent to you via email. Please allow up to three weeks for turn-around time. 

Buyers must agree to allow their story, or a portion of it, to be posted at my website, blog, or in a future anthology.