#justimagine Author Polly Robinson on Fusion and ‘the most helpful editing process I’ve come across yet’

My interviewee is author, Polly Robinson, who had two stories shortlisted in the Fantastic Books Publishing fantasy / sci-fi short story competition and both of them made it into the anthology. Polly is a member of Worcester Writers’ Circle, Worcestershire Literary Festival, Parole Parlate and 42. Polly’s writing CV is impressive. Her work has already appeared in many anthologies including the Survivor’s Guide to Bedlam; Reflections on a Blue Planet: Earth – Water – Sky and Reflections on a Blue Planet: Nature’s Palette, Ripples: Friends in Verse, and Eerie Digest. www.eeriedigest.com

Polly heard that her stories were shortlisted when Fantastic Books Publishing announced the shortlist. ‘I was delighted,’ she says. ‘I hoped that my stories would hold up to scrutiny, but you are never quite sure, so it was great to see two of my stories in the shortlist.’

And what was her motivation to enter? ‘Well, without wishing to seem mercenary, the cash prizes were kind of an added incentive - I might have entered anyway, but we’ll never know now J (!)’

Polly saw it as a definite positive to be published alongside international award winners, Danuta Reah and Stuart Aken. Asked about the process of working with the Fantastic Books Publishing editorial team on her stories to prepare them for publication, she says, ‘This was probably the most helpful process I’ve come across yet. I was impressed by the quality of the editing.’ The end result she thought was some ‘nicely tightened up text.’

When Polly is asked what she would recommend to a long-haul passenger wishing to lose themselves in a compelling tale, she recommends The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.

I’m surprised to learn that Polly’s current writing project is not something aimed at another anthology, but a 2000-word assignment for her Open University creative writing course and that ‘~ it’s going … slowly.’

Don’t let it delay you for too long, Polly. Your fans want more like Dust to Dust and The Changeling.

You can find out more about Polly and her writing on her blog or on her  Facebook page or  Facebook profile

Find her first poetry collection, Girl’s Got Rhythm, here in ebook or paperback

and Six Small Beasties a small book of poetry for children also in ebook or paperback.