Chapel-en-le-Frith writers celebrate double win with chilling horror stories

Writer Mark Henderson won first prize in the horror story competition.

Members of the Chapel Arts Creative Writers took part in a competition held by Fantastic Books Publishing, which invited entrants to write a short fantasy horror story inspired by a picture of a spooky castle in the snow.

The entries were judged by Matt Adcock, author of the Complete Darkness series, with the winners announced via a live YouTube video on Hallowe’en night.

Glossop resident Mark Henderson, who leads the writers’ group, won first prize with his mystery tale ‘The Loop’, while group member Caroline Hardwick took second prize with her chilling saga, ‘A Study in White’.

The pair won cash prizes of £75 and £25 respectively and their stories will be included in an anthology to be published in the summer of 2021.

Many other entries to the competition will also be eligible for the anthology, including ‘The Extraction’, a dark tale set in a dentist’s surgery penned by Chapel Arts Creative Writers member Stephanie Billen from Buxton.

Group leader and first prize winner Mark Henderson said: “To say I’m delighted by this achievement would be an understatement.

"In particular, the judge’s comments about Caroline’s story, which won the second prize, gave me more pleasure than anything he said about my effort.”

Second prize winner Caroline Hardwick added: “It was truly an unexpected pleasure to be one of the top prize-winners in Fantastic Books Publishing’s competition.

"I would never have thought to attempt a horror story but with Mark’s encouragement and inspiration, we Chapel Arts Creative Writers often find ourselves straying out of our comfort zones with surprising results.

"It is great to be part of such a supportive and diverse group.”

Chapel Arts was formed to encourage the development of a broad range of arts in the Chapel-en-le-Frith area.

More details are available at www.chapelarts.org.uk.