I would like to see this friend ^^

I thought of a really great fix-it over the weekend. It sucks the contest is over. Oh well, at least I submitted 2 already.

I plain to post more and didn't even realize that there was a forum here because i post on many others. This isn't sour grapes or anything and am not upset i lost- sent in two story ideas. Not the kind of person to have a pity party. But when i read the winner felt i should say that it sounds too much like past ideas specifically elements of the Saw films and Die Hard 3 and it is a tired idea. Why would someone associated with the Otherness need to resort to something like this. They can make things happen in an instant. Why would they want Jack to do anything for them anyway.

Just my thoughts. Congrats to the winner though and I will read the book anyway. What I like about the Repairman Jack novels among many things is that Mr. Wilson takes ideas like a haunted house or conspiracy theories or religious cults and put s new spins on them. Maybe he will with this story too. Hope people aren't upset for speaking negatively about the winning plot problem. Honestly just my feelings on the winning story.

Saying all that I trust F. Paul Wilson and will continue to read new novels. I bought an advanced reader copy from Gauntlet Press before it was even out. That is how addicted and into Repairman Jack that I am. So this is a fan talking not a disgruntled loser. My story was way better though.:p

Just kidding, no really...

... it sounds too much like past ideas specifically elements of the Saw films and Die Hard 3 and it is a tired idea. Why would someone associated with the Otherness need to resort to something like this. They can make things happen in an instant. Why would they want Jack to do anything for them anyway.

Just my thoughts. Congrats to the winner though and I will read the book anyway. What I like about the Repairman Jack novels among many things is that Mr. Wilson takes ideas like a haunted house or conspiracy theories or religious cults and put s new spins on them. Maybe he will with this story too.

Apparently I didn't read the instructions very well, nor did I enter. But I didn't realize the winning suggestion would wind up in an RJ novel. Is it really? Because I agree with Scott on this one - the winning suggestion sounds un-RJ/Otherness/Adversay Cycle and does sound like S/M slice and dice movies, to my ear at any rate.

Congrats to the winner.

Apparently I didn't read the instructions very well, nor did I enter. But I didn't realize the winning suggestion would wind up in an RJ novel. Is it really? Because I agree with Scott on this one - the winning suggestion sounds un-RJ/Otherness/Adversay Cycle and does sound like S/M slice and dice movies, to my ear at any rate.

Congrats to the winner.

The reason, I think, it doesn't fit the RJ canon is that the "harness" idea relies on suspension of disbelief on a purely technological view. The RJ series lately requires a suspension of disbelief on the supernatural side of things as its primary focus and the combination of the two would collide. Legacies as a story was a technological story, but the supernatural wasn't there. If the harness was something that existed or didn't have an inherenet flaw in the idea, then we could probably see it through in a RJ novel.

Now, if there is any one writer out there that can take a half-formed idea and make it gel into a fully-formed, comprehensive torture device, it is our FPW. This idea is a kernel, a seed and FPW can build upon it and make it work. I think that's what set it apart for him. It's not so much what was presented, but what wasn't to make it more fully formed.

A good way to use the idea and still have it fit into the RJ canon, would be for a character named Joe come to Jack with a request to help Joe remove the harness he put on. That way, Jack isn't at risk, but can help an old friend save his family and his own neck. And, if Jack fails, well, we all won't be too sad, will we....

But when i read the winner felt i should say that it sounds too much like past ideas specifically elements of the Saw films and Die Hard 3 and it is a tired idea. Why would someone associated with the Otherness need to resort to something like this. They can make things happen in an instant. Why would they want Jack to do anything for them anyway.

My story was way better though.:p

Just kidding, no really...

I have not seen any of the SAW movies. I am a writer and have been published (of course, not to the extent of FPW) and my sense of honor prevents me from plagiarizing someone else's idea. I feel that if my own ideas are not good enough, then I'll be damned before I'll steal.

He Who Is Not To Be Named (HWINTBN) feeds on the deepest despair of the human soul, that feeling of utter hopelessness and helplessness. HWINTBN has already stated that he looks forward to savoring the vintage that will be produced from RJ's breaking. By turning RJ into his tool to carry out his plans (e.g., killing Glaeken, torturing the Oculus, etc.), RJ knowing that his actions are bringing about the Adversary's victory and perverting his own moral code, RJ would face that degree of despair. Making "things happen in an instant" would not give HWINTBN any satisfaction.

This is what was on my mind when the idea came to me and I wrote it down as a directive from HWINTBN to RJ. I'm sorry it bored you, but glad you were not on the panel of judges in any case.

NewYorkjoe: you have the final laugh because you won and I will have to read it. Just because I didn't like it doesn't mean many others would not. Wasn't posting to slam you or anything, don't even know you, just to express my thoughts on the story. Plenty of writers I love have disappointed me like Stephen King or even F. Paul Wilson (didn't care for the last half of Midnight Mass for example) Doesn't mean I won't continue to read them. People like different things is all. I've been in writer's groups and being bashed around by people not liking my story. Oh well. There are Repairman Jack books I like more than others. But I'll still read them because they are addictive and usually good if not even great for some of them. I entered the Stephen King contest in On Writing and some of the winners didn't even adhere to the rules of the contest. I told King that I entered and didn't win and he said better luck next time. I'm not bitter or anything about it- life is too short.

I did congratulate you and do so again. Perhaps the Otherness truly exists and we'll all be goners anyway.

Apparently I didn't read the instructions very well, nor did I enter. But I didn't realize the winning suggestion would wind up in an RJ novel. Is it really?

As I understand it, the idea might be used in a future RJ novel, but that was not a part of the prize, the money and the winner's name in an RJ novel was the prize.

Dave

As I understand it, the idea might be used in a future RJ novel, but that was not a part of the prize, the money and the winner's name in an RJ novel was the prize.

Dave

WHAT!!! I don't remember the part about the winner's name in an RJ novel! I missed that! When I suggested it would be great to appear in an RJ novel and die in a particularly interesting and gruesome way, I thought it was a novel idea of my own! Sheesh! I guess great minds do think alike!

WHAT!!! I don't remember the part about the winner's name in an RJ novel! I missed that! When I suggested it would be great to appear in an RJ novel and die in a particularly interesting and gruesome way, I thought it was a novel idea of my own! Sheesh! I guess great minds do think alike!

I don't think that it's guaranteed that you'll die in the novel, but I believe Dave is correct; the monitary prize, and your name as a character in the novel.

Congratulations!

Ken V.