21/2/2023 0 Comments GenreCon 2023 - The DesignerI mentioned in my January update that I'd submitted a short story into the GenreCon competition. The theme was 'Forbidden Doors' Word limit: 1000 My mind immediately went to sci fi, fantasy, and I thought about how doors are portals to other places and why that door may be forbidden. I felt like it was a bit generic of an idea and I didn't think I was up for making something like that interesting, so I tried to think about how a door may be forbidden and landed on the idea below. I hope you enjoy it and are happy to take on any feedback. “Sullivans! Great to see you today!” Said Jaksen, as my wife and I entered the sales office within the display home.
My heart sank. I’d hoped Nancy was here. I’m sure he’s a nice kid, but when your parents decide to name you Jackson but spell it Jaksen, I have doubts about your upbringing. “Your house is lookin’ great!” He says enthusiastically, flashing a wide veneer smile. “How about that splash back in the kitchen? Next level right?” Before we can answer, he waves us to the chairs on the other side of his desk, saying, “Please. Please. Take a seat.” I’m mesmerised by his teeth. They look about two sizes too big for his mouth, a permanent smile plastered on his face. I wonder when the dentist asked him what shade of white he wanted, he requested the colour of pure snow, with the underlying ability to give you sunburn from their reflection. Leaning forward and resting his arms on the desk as we sit, he asks, “Now! How can I help?” “The splashback is the most beautiful thing I’ve seen.” My wife begins. We’d agreed that she would do the talking. She delivers the best ‘compliment’ sandwich of anyone north of Brisbane. “But. We noticed the toilet doesn’t have a door. We’re not super comfortable with the idea of an open toilet, especially if we have visitors.” Says my wife. Thinking to myself, Last thing I need is the mother-in-law walking past while I’m taking my morning poo. “Otherwise it’s perfect!” she finishes, smiling, showing a mouth full of teeth that actually fit in her head. Nailed it. Here’s your sandwich sir, I thought. A look of distress crosses Jaksen’s face. He shifts himself in his chair and fiddles with the flipped cuffs on his long-sleeved Y.D. shirt. “Umm, ok.” He replies, eyes darting left and right as he shuffles papers on the desk. He looks at my wife, “You know that design is all the rage in Europe right now.” offering his best closed-mouth smile but failing to contain the massive enhancements. “We know it’ll be a variation but we’re happy to pay.” My wife says. Jaksen starts to sweat, the fibres of his pastel blue shirt are absorbing it, turning the $49.99 special into a hyper-colour shirt that was all the rage in the 90s. “Ma’am, if I can be honest, I think it’ll upset the aesthetics of the house.” My pulse rate increases and I take a deep breath in through my nose. My wife knows instantly that I’m getting irritated and she rests a hand on top of mine. Fifteen years of marriage gives you a lot of insight into a person even when they're not speaking. “Give me a dunny door.” I say, measured in my request. Jaksen gets the message, his moisture levels increasing further. My wife gives me a sideways glance and squeezes my hand. “Look Jaksen, maybe if Teddy the builder is around we can just have a chat with him.” She says. Jaksen’s smile returns in all its glaring wonder. Here’s your out kid, take it! “Yeah, yeah. Absolutely! Let me go grab him.” He shoots out of his chair like a rocket, exiting a side door into the house. Teddy comes in, taking Jaksen’s seat with Jaksen a step behind. “Jo, Steve. House looks great, doesn’t it? Almost done!” He says, matching Jaksen’s enthusiasm. Jaksen leans down to Teddy’s level. “They love the splashback Ted.” “Great!” replies Teddy. Pleasantries out of the way, Teddy’s face turns sombre. “Now Jaksen says you’ve got some issues?” “Teddy, we absolutely love the house, but we think maybe the toilet needs a door.” “Oh. Did Jaksen explain that this design is all the rage in Europe right now?” Teddy asks, Jaksen nodding his head emphatically behind Teddy. Jaksen leans down, interjecting again, “Even told them about the aesthetics too.” “He did. But it’s not to our taste and we’d really like it rectified please.” Says my wife, her voice strains with a pleading tone. Teddy turns in his chair to peer at Jaksen, who looks away from his scrutinising gaze. Swivelling back towards us, Teddy taps his fingers on the table. Heavy grey eyebrows scrunch together, deep lines appear on his forehead as he takes a moment to think. “Look. We’re in the business of making the customer happy, but I can’t do anything without it getting signed off by the designer.” He says. “No worries, we’ve got no problems meeting with them.” His shoulders slump and he takes a deep breath in before getting out of the chair. Jaksen holds the door open for him as he whisks through. My wife looks at me and whispers, ‘What the hell?’ I shake my head and shrug. I hear the designer before I see her. The clip clop of high heels on porcelain tiles, the smashing together of metal bracelets as her arms swing. Then she enters, followed by Jaksen and Teddy, who refuse to make eye contact with us now. A stout woman with bright red rimmed glasses and purple hair. Her black and orange striped blouse reminds me of licorice allsorts I had as a kid growing up. To my surprise, whatever scent she wore completely overpowers Jaksen’s Lynx Africa instantaneously. She elects to stand, pushing the chair away with a hand that’s tipped with purple nail polish in the same shade as her hair. Her head held high, she stares deep into my wife’s soul and says. “Teddy tells me you have issues.” I get sidetracked. Weird, she pronounces issues like ‘icshues’. My wife, the patience of a saint, says again. “Not issues. Just one tiny thing. We’d really like a door on the toilet please.” The designer huffs. “And these two,” she waves absently towards Jaksen and Teddy, who’ve bundled themselves in a corner, “they explain the aesthetics, yes?” My wife nods her head. “Then it is settled. No door. I forbid it.”
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Writing PromptsUsing writing prompts was a great suggestion that was discussed at one of the writing groups I attended. Typically at the start of any of the meetings, everyone is given a word or phrase and they spell the next 10-15 minutes writing whatever comes to mind.
I find this exercise is awesome at firing the brain up and starting to think creatively. But I didn’t want to do all the work myself so who better then my 12 year old to provide me with the writing prompts and I attempt to write something from it. Typically I try and write a short story of about 1000-1500 words which I then share with said 12 year old for feedback and a rating, this rating is captured on each story as the Certified Score. Shh.. It’s also a sneaky way to get him reading a bit more as well. I post my writing prompts to Medium so I can get some more eyeballs on them and get feedback on anything I can improve on. Archives
June 2023
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