Tonight is the last night to comment on the entries for the first challenge of the Fear Project. Here’s a little something to encourage you…

You don’t want to be force choked by Darth Vader, do you?

Since David Wellington’s Fear Project started a lot has happened. I’ve gotten more involved in the writing community, and I have to say it’s an amazing bunch of people. I’ve gotten involved with Sanitarium Magazine, reviewing submissions, and I’ve made tremendous progress on my novel.

Competing against the others in the Fear Project so far has been a wonderful experience. Most of us are getting to know one another and communicating on a daily basis. They’re an amazing group of people and I’m honored to be a part of the Fear Project with them.

They’re a talented group. Some of what I’ve seen has surprised me. And it’s only the second week.

The Sanitarium faculty members, or doctors as Barry Skelhorn, editor of Sanitarium Magazine has given us the privileged title of, are a great group of authors and I’m proud to be working with them.

I keep telling people I’m a doctor now; no one believes me.

Through these experiences I’ve found the writing community is full of wonderful people. It’s a group that comes together, supports one another, bonds, and shares a love for the written word.

It’s a community I’ll always feel proud to be part of.

By the way, Sanitarium issue 30 will be coming soon. Dr. Forman has recommended something to treat your chronic boredom.

But beware… There could be some side effects.

www.sanitariummagizine.com

I made my decision and submitted the story I thought was best for this week’s challenge. Tomorrow morning the entries for the first challenge will be on the site to read and comment on.

Friday, February 13, the first elimination will happen. And the second challenge will begin.

Here’s a calendar to keep track of when the challenges begin and when they’ll be posted. You can comment on the week’s entries Monday through Thursday. Each Friday, when the new challenge is announced, an author will be eliminated as well.

Click on the calendar to enlarge.

I stayed up until 6 in the morning working on two pieces for the first challenge. I wanted to try a few ideas and choose which one I like best. The second piece I wrote stuck with me after reading it. I’m seriously considering it over the first one.

I’m going to read it over and over until I can’t stand the sight of it.

Then I’ll read it again.

At midnight the first challenge of David Wellington’s Fear Project was posted to the site. It’s been a long wait for this moment and I’m relieved that it’s finally here. Now that it is, it’s time to get to work.

CHALLENGE: There may be no more important aspect in writing horror fiction than defining an atmosphere of dread. Of all the elements of writing, SETTING can be the most effective at this.

In 250 words or less, please describe a spooky, terrifying, or simply disgusting place that would make your spine tingle. An old haunted house? A graveyard at midnight? Perhaps a perfectly ordinary house, on a perfectly ordinary street, where something… awful is about to happen.

It’s February 1st. Week Zero. The entries that got myself and the other twelve contestants into the Fear Project are now posted to David Wellington’s Fear Project.com. Read, comment, enjoy! The first challenge begins on Friday, February 6th. The entries for the first challenge will be posted to the site on Monday, February 9th, when you can read and leave comments. Your comments have an effect on the competition! The author who has the most comments on their entry will be immune from elimination for that week! But the rules aren’t always so simple. There will be surprises, unexpected twists and turns to the rules that will push us to the limit, and maybe even instill some fear into our very souls.