#289 Between the Lies with S. J. Watson

This week, we're running a takeover in collaboration with multimillion-copy bestselling author S. J. Watson. The winner of this contest will not only be awarded $250 — they’ll also receive a special bonus prize: personal feedback from S. J. Watson himself. Here's what he has to say about his takeover:

Hi! I’m S. J. Watson, internationally bestselling author of psychological thrillers Before I Go to Sleep, Second Life, and Final Cut. You can check out my website here and get access to some exclusive new writing from my newsletter, A Life Worth Writing, here.

Although very different, the themes of my books have tended to coalesce around memory, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of the world and our place in it. In my debut novel, Before I Go to Sleep, the protagonist loses her ability to make new memories and wakes up every day believing herself to be someone quite different from who she really is. In Second Life, a grieving woman negotiates an online relationship fraught with danger, and in Final Cut, a character discovers her own past is only half the story.

This week, choose one of the five prompts below and explore the nuanced themes of identity and memory…

Special Update: The Results

S.J.'s Watson's top pick for his takeover was "All I Have To Offer Is My Truth" by Dermot Lane. Here's what he had to say about the winning story: "It was difficult to choose an overall winner between the top stories, but I loved the richness of ‘All I Have to Offer Is My Truth.’ Brilliantly written — like the best short stories, it allows the reader a glimpse into a whole new world, and despite the finality of the ending, it left me wanting more. Wonderful.’"

Congratulations to contest winner Dermot Lane and the runners-up, Rebecca Hurst and Orwell King!