CHRISTOPHER RIDGE

Week five story is done. This time I tried a more subtle type of horror story. Not quite sure how it panned out considering it's not my norm and it turned out to be a bit unusual. Starting in June I will also be adding a novella in the mix as well as my weekly stories. Moving right along

Late post but last week story is done. I knew I would have limited writing time due to the surgery last week so I managed an additional story a few days before I had to go back to the hospital. The doctors prepared me enough for how this was all going to happen so I thought it would be a good idea to have an extra in the bank. Skin work is done and just waiting on things to heal. I do have a follow up coming up this week so with my arm wrapped up the way it is it is going to slow me down a bit. Just a tad Moving right along

Weekly story is done and I'm moving right a long and having a good time at it. I am right on track with Dean Smith's story challenge. I even wrote an extra story this week so I have one in the bank just for those 'just in case' situations. I always like to be ahead.  I'm reading a lot of different short stories in other genres. Mostly on the dark side of life. Joyce Carol Oates is really good at this. I did notice my last couple of stories are hitting on a more emotional level. Not so much action about what is happening to the character but how the character is responding to the situation. I've learned that is what really makes the story.  Also, reading some Hemingway short stories which was recommended by Joyce Oates. I took some extra time and watched a few videos of her. She talked a lot about the different types of writing, mostly styles and the importance of white space and how the reader responds to it.  Next month I am going to start writing a

Third story of the month is done. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to abandon the story a day in May challenge. It's just getting too hard for me to do all that writing with my wrist and arm the way it is and it is putting too much pressure on it. Some of the stories are wanting to be longer and I can't write much over two thousand words it seems. I am continuing on with the story a week though. That one was the one I started with and I am continuing onward with that. Yesterday read a couple more chapters of my Jim Thompson book. Has some funny parts to it plus I have my collection of Joyce Carol Oates stories which I am learning a great deal from.. see ya soon

Finished up the second story for May so off to a great start. This streak will gain more power as I truck along. I do have a surgery coming up, not sure when yet but I should be home the same day. Still I want to have an extra story in the bank just in case it turns into a non writing day. It shouldn't but I want to be prepared Got into a great discussion about noir fiction with a writer friend of mine today and have some good story ideas.  I'm learning to add more emotion to my stories. Emotion gives stories power. Joyce carol Oates is a good one for this. Been reading a Jim Thompson novel. I really like this guy. He has a sick and twisted sense of humor and I like how he just has characters appear out of nowhere, AFTER DARK MY SWEET . Now, what's there not to love about a title like that?  And this character has a serious attitude problem. Actually, there's not a nice person in this book at all as far as I can see. I'm loving it. Great fun. see ya soon

Okay, it's May 1 and the first story of the month is done. Also this counts for the weekly story as well. One short story a day is about all I can manage and I have to write it in short periods. Too long and my arm get really tired because of the nerves.  The doctor says they don't want me not to use it but keep everything I do simple. No lifting, no running around outside doing things. They don't want me to do anything until after the second surgery follow up then they will talk light duty until things get back to working order. This short story challenge allows me the freedom to play around. I'm trying out different things with my writing and in a few other genres. I discovered while reading some others that I really like noir. Dark stories where the protagonist is self-destructing. Not sure why I like those kinds of stories other than the fact that life tends to work that way. How many times do we find ourselves trying to solve a problem and we end up making