Welcome to the 5th annual Wicked Women Writers Challenge – hosted by HorrorAddicts.net

Where women show how horror done right is horror that stays with you forever.

Snag the long promo   Snag the short promo 

What is the Wicked Women Writer Challenge?

A challenge to all women horror writers, published or unpublished. Not only do you get to show off your prose, but we challenge you to perform your story in a podcast recording for all our listening pleasures. Both your written story and audio podcast are publicly judged and voted upon by the fans to determine who becomes 2013 Most Wicked. Each podcast story must be crafted by the entrant and will be limited to ten (10) minutes.

Listen to the Norns Hands of Fate Weave their Wicked Tale 

2013 Theme: How Will You Survive?

Premise: Life is never convenient. Why should the apocalypse be any different? Our challenge is how would you survive in an untimely apocalyptic situation.

Story Elements

Upon acceptance in to the 2013 Wicked Women Writers Challenge, your destiny will fall under the Norns Hand of Fate. The Norns will randomly assign the following required elements to help you craft your apocalyptic survival story.

Location: Where will you be when the inevitable strikes? The office lunchroom, stuck on the freeway, a public toilet, or at the gynecologist? We’re pretty sure it won’t be while you’re hunkered down in an underground missile silo with a fully loaded bug out bag.

Disaster: How will the end of the world strike? There is an endless spectrum of how humans will meet their ultimate demise. EMP blasts, super volcano, economic collapse, aliens, terrorist invasion, asteroids, or possibly even zombies are but a few of the ways to end humanity, as we know it. Will you be prepared? What Will You Do to Survive?

Item: It wouldn’t be fair to trap you in a room full of flesh-eating slugs and not give you a fly swatter now would it? Each challenger will receive one item to help them out of their dire situation. Use your item wisely.

Caveat Disability: You are trapped in your designated location. Unfortunately, you have an untimely disability. There is someone or something trying to kill and possibly eat you. Will you escape or battle it through to the bitter end? What might await you on the outside if you do manage to escape? How Will You Survive?

WARNING: The Norns are feeling itchy this year. This challenge is not for the faint of heart.

Ladies, are you ready for this year’s Wicked Women Writer Challenge? Please email your name, headshot, and short bio (under 50 words) to wwwchallenge2013@gmail.com to tempt the hands of fate.

Killion Slade, our 2012 Wicked Women Writer Winner, will contact you for further challenge details and timeline. Deadline to enter the 2013 Wicked Woman Writer Challenge is June 20, 2013.
Please note: The earlier you enter the challenge, the longer you’ll have to prepare, write, edit, and produce your contest entry before the deadline. Contest slots fill up fast!

Listen to the Norns Hand of Fate Weave their Apocalyptic Tale about the 2013 Wicked Women Writer Challenge

Good Luck and May the Norns Take Pity on Your Mortal Soul!

Posted by Sapphire Neal on HorrorAddicts.net – January 10, 2013

Wicked Women Writers all over the world,

Here is the woman you voted MOST WICKED 2012!!!!!

That’s right I had the opportunity to interview the one and only Killion Slade. The set up for this interview will be a little different than usual so that all of you at home can really get a look into the mind of our Wicked Woman Writer.

So stay scared and enjoy,
Sapphire

1) How does it feel to have the title Most Wicked 2012?

I am very honored to be among the Most Wicked and seriously stoked about being 2012 Most Wicked Women Writer! It is a great honor and I sincerely thank everyone for their votes and time listening to the stories.

When I first found the Wickeds I was so excited that I found other women who wrote in the same genre as me. I knew immediately – I wanted to be a wicked. This means so much to me! Thank you again for such an awesome opportunity. The stories from everyone were amazing and I knew the competition was going to be tense. I am honored to take the Gauntlet for 2012 and help usher in for 2013. I am so proud to be a Wicked!

2) What inspired your story?

You all did such a compelling introductory to our contest theme for this year – Horror takes no Holidays and I’ll admit it was a real challenge. I personally was taken aback when I received the Passover holiday. I had no clue where to begin. But truthfully, that was probably the best thing that could have happened to me because I had no preconceptions. Thus, the research began. I traced the story back to it’s old testaments roots and the plagues of the pharaohs. From there it morphed into evil Egyptian Gods and their annual Passover Harvest of souls.

The most challenging aspect of the entire story to me was the “why” factor. It had to be more than just an evil presence wanting to take souls for Passover – there needed to be a compelling reason why. That’s when the idea of the Nephilim came in and how they were banned to the underworld for the misdoings of their parents. They had a reason why they wanted redemption and revenge.

It was sentimentally fun incorporating the garden rake and the beach scene into my story – they were actually fond memories of summers on the beach building sand castles. But that still wasn’t enough. I needed the horrific evil, twisted surprise at the end which tied back into the original research on Passover. I didn’t want the holiday to be a passing moment for the story but the catalyst for the entire event. So in the end, our heroine we all were rooting for, turned on us, and became the Antichrist.

3) Is there anything you would change about your submitted story?

I think if there was anything I could have changed would have been the amount of time we had for our story. The complexity my story could have been supported stronger with a subplot, but other than that, I don’t believe there is anything I would change. I really enjoyed the whole learning curve of keeping it under a time limit. That was very challenging.

4) Have you started thinking about next year’s WWW Challenge?

I have actually. I am excited to test out a couple of ideas that I believe will up the challenge level of the contest and participation.

5) What do you have to say to the other WWW Contestants?

I wanted to thank each and every one of them for participating in this contest. It was a lot of hard work and it takes a very determined woman to not only write an intriguing horror story, but then to craft it into an audio podcast performance. My hat is off to everyone. It was an honor to be featured with you in this contest and I encourage you to participate again in the 2013 challenge!

6) What was your favorite WWW story?

Oh boy…that’s a toughie. Each one of them had their own unique level of intrigue and twist. I especially loved the endings because each WWW submission pulled out an excellent surprise to their stories. However, the vampire trucker story sticks in my mind

I was truly inspired when I heard the sound effects from Laurel Anne’s podcast from 2011 Wicked Women Writer contest. Her timing and placement of the sound effects added so much more depth and sensory to her words. I was hooked. I just knew mine had to include them. . My goal then was not just write a compelling story, but to turn it an audio auralgasm.

I contacted Emerian to learn how to create a podcast. I learned so much form her awesome video tutorials and listened to all the great advice you, and others offered on story podcasting. I researched online to find sound effects and purchased a few as well. Some were hard to find, such as the Gregorian chanting monks, but I didn’t stop until I had the right mix.

In using the Audicity software, I mixed, flipped,and morphed the screams and music to time it right with the words to help convey the emotion of the moment. I even found that the sound of silence became very engaging and added impact. I sent my story out to a few beta listeners and got their feedback before recording the final take. I think I must have done it at least 20 times!

7) Are you currently working on any projects that your fans should be looking forward to?

As a few folks know, my husband and I are a writing team, but for the Most Wicked contest, this was all my own horror show. He’s more of a fantasy – sci-fi guy. We met on Second Life and now live in the mountains of Montana with our beautiful daughter, 4 cats, a dog, and seven horses… oh and a few chickens. We do have several more short stories published in anthologies for Death Sparkles, Bite from the Heart and soon to be released, The Ghoul Saloon Anthology. After this fantastic experience of podcasting, I am anxious to add additional audio versions of our published stories.

We are currently in the second round revision edits on a paranormal thriller trilogy called Exsanguinate in which we hope to pitch in 2013. Here is logline and blurb.

A Halloween horror night, theme park adventure for software gaming developer Cheyenne O’Cuinn results in a death style change she never dreamed existed. Recovering from a vicious attack and her sisters abductions, Cheyenne must rescue her sisters from vampiric kidnappers before they’re used to breed warmongering dhampirs. By unconventional means through her on-line role-play game, Cheyenne must navigate violent and tortuous clues in both reality and virtuality to rescue them. Betrayal throughout the vampiric realm unravels human food shortages and global war preparations. Amidst an impending vampire apocalypse, Cheyenne finds herself both in conflict for survival, and for her heart. Will her immortal self derail any hope of solving the growing puzzles before time runs out to save her sisters, herself, and her humanity?

Question from Rhonda Carpenter – What made you join the Wickeds?

As soon as I found the Wickeds online – I knew I wanted to be among you. I purchased the Wickeds anthology and when the contest came up, I knew I had my work cut out for me. Finding other women who had just as twisted points of view on life as me, was a real thrill. I wasn’t crazy after all. But crazy is subjective, now isn’t it? LOL

For more information on Killion please check out these sites:

We have a website at http://www.killionslade.com where we offer up character dossiers and book trailers about our upcoming stories. We are also on Facebook, Pinterest, and occasionally on Twitter.

Chantal Boudreau

Chantal Boudreau is an accountant, author and illustrator who lives in Nova Scotia with her husband and two children.  A member of the Horror Writers Association, she has had several of her stories published in horror anthologies and as stand-alone digital shorts.  She has three novels published as of the end of 2011.  Her website is  http://www.writersownwords.com/chantal_boudreau/

 “Thanksgiving Special” by Chantal Boudreau
Holiday:  Thanksgiving
Location:  A big box store — She used Sale-Mart
Object:  A sack of marbles

Rebecca Snow

Rebecca Snow lives in Virginia with a small circus of felines.  Her short fiction has been published in a number of small press anthologies and online.  You can find her lurking at cemeteryflower.blog.com and on Twitter @cemeteryflower.

 “The Secret Ingredient” by Rebecca Snow
Holiday:  Christmas
Location:  A tunnel
Object:  A Matzo ball

Killion Slade

Killion Slade is normally a married author team, but for the WWW Challenge, Mrs. Slade holds the reins. Members of the Horror Writers Association, Killion prefers the darker side of humor, to guts and gore.  Podcasting for this contest, Killion has found a new love of turning the written word into an audio podcast auralgasm.  Killion’s published short stories can be found in The Danse Macabre, Cynic Magazine, Bewildering Stories, Midwest Literary Magazine, and in two upcoming anthologies, Bite from the Heart from Rainstorm Press and Death Sparkles due out in Fall 2012.  The current project for Killion Slade is a paranormal thriller trilogy series, where a gaming software developer must play wicked clues inside her own online role playing game to rescue her kidnapped sisters before they become breeders for the Dhampir army.  To learn more about Killion Slade, please visit http://www.killionslade.com or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/killion.slade  or @killionslade on Twitter.

“The Children of Angels” by Killion Slade
Holiday:  Passover
Location:  A seashore
Object:  A garden rake

Maria Violante

Maria Violante is the author of the De la Roca Chronicles, a fantasy trilogy of novellas and novels, and the Shiver Shorts line of horror stories.  When not writing, she reviews indie authors on her website, www.mariaviolante.com.  Her next major project?  Tackling life and a writing career on a semi-truck – wish her luck!

 “Out of Hours” by Maria Violante
Holiday:  Halloween
Location:  A gas station
Object:  A mink coat

Jenna M. Pitman

Jenna M. Pitman is a 20-something year old from the Pacific Northwest where she attends many science fiction/fantasy/horror conventions as a panelist and guest. She has written for a variety of publications and anthologies.  Most of these are currently available on Amazon.  Others can be found elsewhere.  Recently she took on the responsibility of editing the Iron Maidens charity anthologies.  She has a wonderful dog with horrible tendons named Fenris, a Great Dane named Remus, a cat dubbed Whymer Cathulhu, and the paragon of kitty-ish virtue Zillah.  Her house is more than a little hairy.

 “Do Not Trust the Gilded Tentacles on the Fourth of July” by Jenna M. Pitman
Holiday:  The Fourth of July
Location:  A cruise ship
Object:  A silver candelabra

Michele Roger

Michele Roger is author of the novels “Dark Matter” and “The Conservatory.”  Some of her short stories are published in anthologies as well as in podcasts on iTunes.  When she isn’t writing she is performing as a harpist in the Detroit area.  You can find her at www.micheleroger.com .

“Deus Mortis” by Michele Roger 
Holiday:  Columbus Day
Location: A computer mainframe room
Object: A walkie-talkie

Jaki Idler

Jaki Idler is an award winning director and educator. She lives outside Philadelphia with her partner of over fifteen years and their two young sons. Her flash piece “Prenup” was Earthbound Fiction’s Earthbounder of the Month Feb 2012, and she has an upcoming story “Pawn” on Pseudopod. You can follow her writing exploits atidletruths.blogspot.com, facebook.com/Jaki.Idler, or on twitter @jaki_idler.

“Terminal” by Jaki Idler
Holiday:  Valentine’s Day
Location:  A train station
Object:  A Gucci handbag

Jeri Unselt

Jeri Unselt is a receptionist by day and a gothgirl in mind by night.  Jeri  has been writing horror since childhood.  It was in 2008 that she began podcasting her novel Inner Demons and she’s been hooked since.  Plans are being made to publish the novel in e-book form as well as podcast the prequel Inner Demons: Turmoil.  She can be found at http://www.jeriunselt.com.

“Memorial Day Aftermath” by Jeri Unselt
Holiday:  Memorial Day
Location:  A museum
Object:  A peanut butter and jelly sandwich

I hope you enjoy these stories!

Warm and wicked wishes,

Laurel Anne Hill  (“Most Wicked 2011″)

The Wickeds

A Wicked Women Writer’s Anthology
Available now at Amazon.com 

Edited by Hollie Snider

authors:
Emerian Rich
Michele Roger
H. E. Roulo
Rhonda R. Carpenter
Kimberly Steele
Hollie Snider
Arlene Radasky
Laurel Anne Hill
Linda Ciletti
R. E. Chambliss
Jennifer Rahn
Jeri Unselt
Sapphire Neal
Amity Green

HorrorAddicts.net presents thirteen horror tales from up-and-coming women writers. This diverse collection of revenge, torture, and macabre is sure to quench any horror addict’s thirst for blood. Between these covers reside werewolves, demons, ghosts, vampires, a voodoo priestess, headless horseman, Bloody Mary, and human monsters that are perhaps the most disturbing. With an exclusive interview of The Wickeds by Sapphire Neal. Lock your doors, bar your windows, and enjoy stories from: H. E. Roulo Jeri Unselt Linda Ciletti Emerian Rich Marie Green Hollie Snider Jennifer Rahn Michele Roger R. E. Chambliss Arlene Radasky Kimberly Steele Laurel Anne Hill Rhonda R. Carpenter.

All proceeds will be donated to LitWorld, a non-profit organization that uses the power of story to cultivate literacy leaders around the globe.

“Your heart’s desire is manifesting as we speak,” said Carma the Wise.

“You’re in luck,” Dr. Fortune agreed.

Carma and Dr. Fortune don’t always hand out such positive predictions.  Needless to say, their comments made my day.  WICKED WOMEN WRITERS ROCK, and even my wall calendar knows it.

Here’s the list of story assignments for the 2012 Wicked Women Writers Challenge.

Chantal Boudreau
Holiday:  Thanksgiving
Location:  Wal-Mart
Object:  A sack of marbles

Jennifer Caress
Holiday:  New Year’s Day
Location:  A campground
Object:  An eagle feather

Amity Green
Holiday:  St Patrick’s Day
Location:  An opera house
Object:  A  leather shoestring

Jaki Idler
Holiday:  Valentine’s Day
Location:  A train station
Object:  A Gucci handbag

Jenna M. Pitman
Holiday:  The Fourth of July
Location:  A cruise ship
Object:  A silver candelabra

Michele Roger
Holiday:  Columbus Day
Location: A computer mainframe room
Object: A walkie-talkie

Killion Slade
Holiday:  Passover
Location:  A seashore
Object:  A garden rake

Hollie Snider
Holiday:  Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)
Location:  SPCA/dog pound
Object:  A copy of the Wall Street Journal

Rebecca Snow
Holiday:  Christmas
Location:  A tunnel
Object:  A Matzo ball

Charissa Udar
Holiday:  The Queen’s Birthday Holiday
Location:  A dentist’s office
Object:  An ancient arrowhead

Jeri Unselt
Holiday:  Memorial Day
Location:  A museum
Object:  A peanut butter and jelly sandwich

Maria Violante
Holiday:  Halloween
Location:  A gas station
Object:  A mink coat

Warm and wicked wishes to our twelve writers this year.  I’m so excited.  Who will be “Most Wicked 2012?”

Laurel Anne Hill (Most Wicked 2011)

To discover the mystical secrets of the 2012 WWW Challenge story assignments, use the above link and listen to my Walpurgisnacht Podcast.  I’ll post the names of our contestants and their assignments on May 2.

Warm and Wicked Wishes,

Laurel Anne Hill (Most Wicked 2011)

First, I’ll assemble my four mini-cauldrons on my trusty hearth.  Please forgive the fact that these vessels resemble coffee cups.  It’s the thought that counts.  Next, I’ll add magical ingredients to three of these containers.  No eye of newt or tongue of dog, mind you.  The use of dust bunnies will be far more humane, and I’m tired of seeing them on the floor.

Next, cauldron #1 will receive little slips of paper, each paper containing the name of a single holiday.  The slips of paper going into cauldron #2 will each contain the name of a place.  Mini-cauldron #3 will receive the names of objects.

Then, after sunrise on May 1, I’ll fill cauldron #4 with the names of those wicked gals who have accepted the 2012 WWW Challenge and have sent me their contracts, short bios and headshots.  (Some of the photos and avatars you gals have emailed me are major cool.)

By noon (PDT) on May 1, I’ll draw one slip from each mini-cauldron, record the results, and draw another round, until all the assignments have been made.   Then I’ll send each Challenge participant an email with her assignment.

If your contract, bio and headshot don’t reach me until later on May 1, you can still participate, as long as you sent me your basic entrant information by April 15.  I won’t draw your assignment until I’ve received the requested materials, however.  The deadline for receipt of contracts, bios and headshots is 11:59 pm on Tuesday, May 1.

On May 2, I’ll give the overall list of participants and their assignments to Emerian Rich and post the information.

Warm & Wicked Wishes,

Laurel Anne Hill

Horror Addicts everywhere have been wondering, ‘Who will be 2011′s Most Wicked?’ The wait is over, put your hands together (or on the keyboard to type ‘congrats’) for our newest Wicked Women Writer Challenge winner…

Laurel Anne Hill!

Laurel was excited when she heard the news, “I feel both honored and amazed.  With all the great WWW podcasts submitted, I never expected my story, Flight of Destiny to win.” She then added, “I have to admit, though, a bit of worry has crept into my mind.  Rhonda Carpenter did such an amazing job organizing this year’s WWW Challenge.  Talk about a difficult act to follow!”

The idea for Flight of Destiny came easy for this steam train fan. “I’ve served on several steampunk panels at science fiction/fantasy conventions.  Some authors of steampunk ignore the laws of physics when they craft their stories.  For over a year, I’ve wanted to see if I could write an engaging short story in that genre and include a few scientific details at the same time.  My WWW assignment presented a perfect opportunity.”

Hill’s steampunk knowledge didn’t cover everything though. “I needed to research the physical characteristics of polonium-210, as well as details about its discovery and purification.” She also did “some fact checking about the operation of steam-powered vessels in the Nineteenth Century was necessary, too.  And spent several hours reading about women’s Victorian-era clothing.”

For this year’s competition, each Wicked was given a poison, a place, and an object to base their story around. Laurel was given: Radio Active Polonium-210, Aircraft Carrier on the Pacific, and Cuban cigars.

“My prior employment involved working with radioactive materials and one previous boss of mine smoked cigars.  My assigned poison and place presented no unusual problems.  But an aircraft carrier in the Pacific Ocean?  I knew little about Naval operations aboard such a vessel.  That part of the assignment generated an internal “oh, no.”  Then the steampunk idea hit me and my racing heart slowed to normal rhythm.”

Curious, I had to ask how her writing and podcasting processes came together. “I tend to mull over ideas in my head before I start writing.  I select a main character, give him or her a problem, and try to climb inside of his or her mind.  Then I write and revise over and over, finally reading the piece out loud for rhythm.  My story goes to my writing group for feedback.  Additional revisions follow.  During this process, I write in time blocks as short as thirty minutes or as long as eight hours. [When I start a podcast] I read the manuscript a couple times to prepare, then set up my computer, microphone and pop-filter (a knee-high nylon stocking stretched over a diamond-shaped metal hanger) inside of my bedroom closet.  After recording the entire selection twice using Audacity, I sound edit the better version.  Sound editing takes me the longest, often several hours.”

One thing is for certain if she can combine radio active materials, aircraft carriers, and cigars to make one killer story; then there is nothing this Wicked Women Writer can’t write! I’m sure next year’s WWW challenge will be just as deadly, if not more so, than this year!

Hill fans, be on the look out for Laurel’s up and coming projects: “My new fantasy/horror short story, “The Vengeance Garden,” is scheduled for publication in December 2011, in the “Spells and Swashbucklers” anthology (Dragon Moon Press).  I’m also working on several other short stories and a steampunk novel.”

For more information on Laurel Anne Hill check out these websites:

http://www.laurelannehill.com/
http://laurelannehill.com/blog/
http://www.facebook.com/people/Laurel-Anne-Hill/1171607081

Horror Addicts #63, Wicked Women Writers Challenge
Listen to the full show to find out how to enter the contest and hear more about the challengers.

01. Laurel Anne Hill
“Flight of Destiny”
Items: Radioactive Polonium-210, Cigar, Aircraft Carrier on the Pacific

02. Michele Roger
“Root of all Evil”
Items: Unspecified Radioactive Material, Micro Chip, US Treasury

03. Rebekah Webb
“Memory of the Sun”
Items: Lead, Laptop, Space Station

04. Erica Ruedas
“On Spirit Mountain”
Items: Mushrooms, Emerald Ring, Spirit Mountain

05. Marie Green
“Her Pristine Demise”
Items: Arsenic, engraved silver serving tray, a gentleman’s club in London

06. Jeri Unselt
“Never Forget Cynthia”
Items: liver of the fugu fish, water bottle, corner of Bryant and Bell

07. Chantal Boudreau
“Rats!”
Items: ricin, floor 13 in office building, camera

08. Hollie Snider
“Sapphires and Toadstones”
Items: Gas, Sapphire Necklace, Museum of Natural history

09.Arlene Radasky
“The Circle’s End”
Items: Poison Berries, Cell phone, Oak Grove

10. Jennifer Caress
“Freya the Passivist”
Items: Toxic Waste, Times Square, Tire Iron

Who will be HorrorAddicts.net’s 2011 Most Wicked?
VOTE NOW!!!
by emailing your favorite story to:
horroraddicts@gmail.com