Watch the August 2016 Winning Short Story Reading.
Reading Performed by actor Geoff Mays
CELIA’S NIGHT OUT by Agata Zema
Get to know the winning writer:
1. What is your 1pg Short Story about?
A woman, Celia, is driving the forest road home with more anxiety than usual because of the unfavourable weather. She comes upon a situation that turns her life around upon the choices she makes. The end sees her in the back seat of her own car with someone else navigating the route homeward.
2. What genres would you say this short story is in?
Suspense Thriller
3. How would you describe this story in two words?
Distorted interpretation
4. What movie have you seen the most in your life?
The Shawshank Redemption
5. How long have you been working on this story?
The idea was brewing for 2 months and took only one night to write first to last draft.
6. Do you have an all-time favorite novel?
This is a very challenging question as I am an avid reader.
‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ by Oscar Wilde because it influenced my in direction and content of writing.
Close second is ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ by Charles Dickens for the same reason of influence and igniting an imagination full of characters and dialogue rather than just a story line.
7. What motivated you to write this story?
A good friend. She loves my work and asked me quite meekly one day to write her character into a story.
8. What artist would you love to have dinner with?
I have to pick two.
Alfred Hitchcock and Peter Allen at the same dinner session.
9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
My other passion is helping others to write and develop their own style of writing for whatever type of project they are interested in; such as writing a novel, screenplay, song, poetry and so on.
10. What influenced you to enter the 1pg. Short Story contest?
One of the best writing festivals around with a huge following of quality creatives.
11. Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?
I am a writer, author and freelance writer; but above and beyond the best advice I would like to share is to always promote your own unique style of writing.
From this you can attract the best projects, networking support and friendships and appropriate pay/compensation.
*****
Producer/Director: Matthew Toffolo http://www.matthewtoffolo.com
Editor: John Johnson
Casting: Sean Ballantyne
Novel Writing Festival 