Return of The Penny Dreadful One Line Horror Competition -October 2014

Extract from the private papers of an unknown Penny Dreadful editor, October 2014

Possible readers of this missive should bear in mind this inalienable and unavoidable truth, horrendous as it undoubtedly is. It has come to our attention that Samhain approaches and with that, comes our most terrible duty, hosting The Penny Dreadful One Line Horror Competition. Our faithful readers may remember the shadow it cast over last year, but for those blessed innocent of its wicked charm, it is a twitter competition. To enter, tweet a one line horror story with the hashtag #PDHorror.

Here are some examples from last year’s shortlisted ten for inspiration (Though it will not be of the divine variety):

“He’s just her imaginary friend,’ I heard my mother say, as Toby used my Etch A Sketch to scrawl the words: ‘I’m neither. ‏#PDHorror” - @LjCassidy

‏”He always fed the birds when they were hungry, and his dying didn’t change that. #PDHorror” - @ClaireNolan

“Told ya you’d eat yer words, said The Butcher Madigan, forcefeeding me slivers of my book wrapped around razor blades. #PDHorror ” - @MaireTRobinson

(To see the full list, click here)

As before, the ten best entries will be featured on the website on October 31st and the winner shall win a copy of The Penny Dreadful (an issue of their choice), a cash prize of €6.66 and an original etching of the most frightening thing our illustrator can think of. As we cannot bear the thought of deciding between your most ghastly tweets, the winner shall be chosen by our judge, spooky YA writer and last year’s winner, Laura Jane Cassidy. The competition runs till midnight of October the 30th and you can enter as many times as you like.



So that’s it. Tweet us your brief horrors using the hashtag #PDHorror and may the Old Ones have mercy on our sanities.