Second Place: Fate of Desire and Decay by Beth D-Bates
Beth D-Bates (@openlybeth) ______
What the Judges said:
"Beth, your opening scene hooked me in with its nerdy, witty banter and I wanted to read more after the final page’s promise of supernatural suspense. I got a true sense of your main character in just a few paragraphs, and was already rooting for her to unravel this intriguing, multi-layered mystery."
"What a thrilling combination of science, mystery, morality, and the tantalizing possibility of something even stranger at work. Avery’s character voice is so distinct that I was completely invested within the first page—she's brilliant, self-aware, and willing to take risks that make me desperate to see how it all plays out. The banter between her and Lena is fantastic and naturally funny, and “Mushroom Darling” had me cackling!"
"Getting Ali Hazelwood vibes from this first chapter and I mean that as the highest possible compliment. Your work is the perfect mix of humor and seriousness, and I was impressed with your depiction of epilepsy – it’s rare to find that executed so well. Combined with the small taste of a mystery man at the end of your pages? I was absolutely hooked and ready to read more."
"From your opening paragraphs, I was entranced by the humorous banter between characters, the viral predicament your main character has found herself in, and the intriguing scientific concepts being studied. Your attention to detail is gorgeous. And the mysterious turn the end of the chapter takes? I immediately wanted a second chapter!"
Tell us a little about your writing background. How long have you been writing?
I've been writing (and procrastinating at writing) for a little over 20 years now. Funny enough, I started writing stories when I was 10 to 11 years old and well before I loved to read. I can't say what inspired me then, but I was truly inspired to write my own novel after I started reading Harry Potter soon after the hype of the Order of the Phoenix's release, and consequently, I've loved reading books ever since.
How did you come up with the idea for this story?
The character of Griffin has been around in my head since I was 13. In all honesty, I created him for my Jak and Daxter fanfiction stories. It took a while to develop an original story around him that fit, and I've pulled from a variety of inspirations, but he's always remained the reluctant hero.
Since I was a kid, my family has vacationed in Maine every few years. I was inspired by the small coastal town we visited to make Griffin's home a small coastal town in a fantasy setting. With lobster being big in Maine, it only made sense to make him a lobsterman; a twist on the farm boy trope.
Where can readers find more of your work?
I haven't shared my work beyond family and friends and writing workshops. I've entered other writing contests before, but winning this contest is my first major leap.
What advice would you give writers on writing a great first chapter?
My advice to writers would be to not force chapter one; pick a starting point, and write the rest of the novel first. I know, easier said than done, especially for perfectionists like myself. But I found that as I wrote the body of my novel, I got ideas to improve my first chapter. My first few renditions of chapter one look nothing like what I submitted to the First Chapter Challenge contest. Think of it this way, you won't know what to grab the reader with until you know where you want to lead them.
A Chat with the Author:
