Something Or Other Publishing is proud to introduce Haley M. Forté, an exciting rising writer and winner of the 1st Prize in the Young Adult Category of our 1st Annual Short Story Contest.
Haley M. Forte, creative writer. (Haley Forte)
Haley Forté is a creative writer and English student with a fiction concentration. Growing up in both Washington State and California, Haley has relied on her family to keep her busy and on her toes. She is a writer of many genres but prefers to sit within the realms of horror and science fiction. When she is not writing, she curates her Star Wars helmet collection, plays apocalyptic video games, and learns about the Cosmos.
The Collector, her award-winning short story, will become part of an upcoming anthology from SOOP, currently titled SOOP’s Finest: a collection of award-winning short stories, set for release in the Winter of 2022.
Her story follows the Carnival’s arrival in Rosalind’s small farming town to entice the residents. Every October, an urban legend follows in its tracks, and the story about a menacing and resolute man is about to unfold. But, when Roz and her two best friends, Olivia and Mason, enter the fabled big top, Roz discovers that the tale of The Collector may not be as fictional as they first thought.
Jesus E. Bracho, SOOP’s Director of Marketing, sat down with Haley to engage in a fun Q&A session to learn more about her:
JB: What inspired you to write “The Collector”?
HF: The entire idea of urban legends that might end up having some truth to them has always interested me. This story focuses
1st Prize in the Young Adult Category of SOOP’s 1st Annual Short Story Contest. (SOOP)
on the idea that there may be more than just a bit of truth.
JB: What was the most challenging part of writing the story?
HF: It was knowing when to stop the narrative.
JB: What genres do you personally like to read?
HF: I really enjoy science fiction, high fantasy, thriller, and horror.
JB: Do you have any other writing projects in the works?
HF: I am currently drafting a science fiction work that I have begun in my final year at university. I am also outlining another work, but it’s in its very early stages of brainstorming.
JB: Who is your target audience?
HF: Readers who like to embrace the odd and are willing to cultivate their own curiosities.
JB: What do you hope readers take away from your story?
HF: I hope that it offers them a new look at the world around them and maybe begin to ask questions such as: is everything really as it seems?
JB: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?
HF: Get that first draft done. The revisions and the reactions come later, but you need to get those initial words down. Write a bit every day, even if it is just twenty words. You have time to go back and refine things, but as long as you get the initial story down, that is the first step. Also, don’t be afraid to branch outside of the genre you think you work best in. I used to think fantasy was my genre, but I now live in horror and science fiction. Try different types of storytelling until you find your perfect fit.
Readers can pre-order “The Collector” through her customized pre-order page right here. Stay connected with Haley M. Forte through her Instagram page.
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