Late April 2011 I discovered http://StoryADay.org and the project that is to write 31 stories in 31 days. Anyone who knows me or follows this blog, knows how passionate I am about short stories so my clichéd eyes lit up at this new marvel. And just a few days later there I was, breathing life into new characters. This went on to become (with some editing of course) my 31-story collection eBook Story A Day May 2011.
And here we are a year later doing it all over again. Today’s prompt was to write a story with a quest. Knowing I’d have very little time (it’s now 5pm and I’m going out again at 5.20, a gap in the busy Writing Workshop, Ramsgate, Kent – 20th May 2012 schedule 
) I did a search for the meaning of quest and Google gave me ‘Noun: A long or arduous search for something: “the quest for a reliable vaccine has intensified”.’ Below that was ‘Verb: Search for something: “he was a real scientist, questing after truth”’ so here is my very rough round the edges 215-worder featuring a very serious scientist. Robert Neill by the way came from the author of ‘Moon in Scorpio’, one of the lovely old books on my desk at the hotel (The Royal Harbour, Ramsgate – it’s fab).
The Quest for the Truth
Tapping the spoon against the side of his mug, Professor Robert Neill, looked over the edge of his spectacles. “Say that again.”
“I bought it in a sale.”
Professor knew when his young wife was lying and this was one of those moments.
“Half price.”
He couldn’t help smile at her accent, what had attracted him in the first place when he’d met her on his overseas conference. The others had told her that he was just with her for his money but he’d been too in love with her to care. He was handsome so he believed she loved him for his looks. And if she didn’t then she’d stay with him for his money. Either way he had her. And the brother she brought with them to keep house.
As he sipped his tea, it felt like the first of the day, sweeter than normal but just how he liked it.
“Strong for lots of things our holiday,” she continued.
That’s one thing they had in common, they loved going abroad.
“Where shall we go next time?” he asked her, resigned to her lavish lifestyle.
“We go nowhere. Angelo not my brother, he my lover. And he very good at sweet poisons. Sleep well, my love.”
Mmm… OK, a work in progress… and as usual there’s a body in it somewhere.
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Unfortunately, as I post an interview a day (amongst other things) I can’t review books but I have a feature called ‘Short Story Saturdays’ where I review stories of up to 2,500 words. Alternatively if you have a short story or self-contained novel extract / short chapter (ideally up to 1000 words) that you’d like critiqued and don’t mind me reading it / talking about and critiquing it (I send you the transcription afterwards so you can use the comments or ignore them) on my ‘Bailey’s Writing Tips’ podcast, then do email me. They are weekly episodes, usually released Monday mornings UK time, interweaving the recordings between the red pen sessions with the hints & tips episodes. I am now also looking for flash fiction (<1000 words) for Flash Fiction Fridays and poetry for Post-weekend Poetry.
