A few months ago, I ran a writing competition to win a copy of my latest book of short stories, A Walk in the Woods. I had some super entries and so, as it’s coming up to the sixth anniversary of the release of my first book of short stories, The Siege, I thought it was time for another competition.
One of the stories in The Siege opens as follows:
I didn’t know what had happened. Not at first. And then I knew.
I’d like your story to open in the same way. What happens after those first three lines is up to you. Your character could have woken up and not known where they were or perhaps they arrived home and the front door was wide open. There are all sorts of possibilities. Let your imagination go.
The maximum word count for your story is 500 words. The closing date is Friday 19th June. E-mail your entries to estherchilton@gmail.com
I’ll choose the winning entry after the closing date and publish the story on my blog. The winner will also receive a copy of The Siege, penned under the name Esther Newton.
Esther Chilton 
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