Interview with EvelynnVirgil

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by SummerZodiacAwards

by SummerZodiacAwards

Interview with EvelynnVirgil

Author of Premonition, first place Short Story

What inspired you to write Premonition, and how did you shape the plot and create its characters?

I actually wrote the original version, which was horrid XP, when I was in 6th grade. I was inspired to write the story after watching the movie "Premonition" with Sandra Bullock. In the movie Sandra plays a character that dreams her future, and each time she wakes up she tries desperately to save her family from various tragic outcomes. I had the DVD for the movie, so it came with special features such as bonus clips. In the bonus clips there were various stories of people, IRL, who experienced premonitions. Talk about bone chilling. After watching the movie and those clips, I just had the idea of a young male dreaming of a tragic incident involving his wife, who he had not yet met. As I started writing, the details and plot flushed themselves out along the way.

What was the hardest part of the story to write and why? How did you overcome it?

The hardest part to write was the moment the MC, Katie and the masked man got into a fight. It demanded so much concentration that I would have to replay the scene in my head several times, and type each sentence based on what I "saw". Oftentimes people struggle with writing that feels real. You have to analyze characters actions in comparison to their context. Katie is a healthy female, so she is strong enough to put up a good fight. In that same respect, it would be a bit absurd if Katie whipped out some hardcore martial arts and took the masked man down immediately.

Do you have any advice you'd like to share for writers in the short story genre?

Don't ever feel pressure to craft the "perfect" short story. I've entered many other contests and for some reason or another Premonition hasn't been up to par. In this contest it was recognized, which I still cannot believe! Use short stories to explore what you like to write, experiment with what you struggle with, and venture down paths you haven't traveled. You might be surprised with what you are capable of!