The following is a follow-up interview with author Justin Robinson regarding his win of this year’s installment of the writing competition, Reanimated Rumble. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Robinson about his experience in this year’s competition, what he took away from the readers and other participants, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on your recent win of the Reanimated Rumble writing competition! We chatted late last year about the framework of the competition, but what can you tell us about your experience of the process?
Justin Robinson: It was a lot of fun! Good short stories are difficult to write, but there’s also a freedom to them that don’t exist in books, especially when you’re writing a series. It was nice to get in, build a world, and then break as much of it as I wanted without having to worry about continuity.
The competition aspect was nervewracking for me, but it was also educational. It was humbling to see the things the other writers did much better than I do, and, hopefully, I can apply some of the lessons I’ve learned in the future.
BD: What were some of the other stories that were entered by the various competitors, and were there any that really stuck out to you?
JR: My favorites from the competition were “Taste of Flesh” by Joshua C. Chadd in the Hunger round, “Origin” by Angie Taylor in the Paradise round, and “Clawson’s Lament” by John L. Davis IV in the Old West round. All three of them are unique takes on the prompts and are just fantastic pieces of bite-sized fiction. Had one of my stories gone up against any one of those, you’d be talking to a different winner right now.
BD: Did the voters offer any helpful feedback or praise regarding the stories entered into Reanimated Rumble?
JR: The readers were, for the most, incredibly supportive. I don’t know what it is, but the Reanimated Writers community is a very friendly place.
BD: Now that the competition is complete, are there any plans for what will happen to the writers’ stories?
JR: They have been collected, along with some bonus content, into an anthology! You can pick it up on Amazon for 99 cents.
BD: As the winner, are there any special prizes that are headed your way?
JR: I’ve been promised a championship belt, which I plan to wear to the next wedding I’m invited to.
BD: Are there any other projects on which you are working that you would like to share with our readers?
JR: Wolfman Confidential, the third book in the City of Devils series, will be out on Halloween. It’s the best thing I’ve ever written, so I’m really looking forward to people getting their hands on that one.
BD: Lastly, where can our readers find more information about Reanimated Rumble, as well as your own work?
JR: Join us over at the Reanimated Writers fan page! We’re a friendly bunch. You can also like me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter (@JustinSRobinson). Or you could head over to my website (captainsupermarket.com), where I have an ever-growing library of free short stories.
