placement: Christmas Classic 2022 |story submitted: Welcome Krampus 

1 What is the title of your story? and what inspired the title?

The title of the story is "Welcome Krampus," a spin on the phrase "welcome Christmas."

2 What is your story about?

My story is about a narrator who committed a graven sin, on Christmas Eve no less, and now is haunted by the demon who takes care of people "too naughty for the naughty list."

3 Is the Christmas prompt contest, the first contest you entered?

I've entered a couple of other contests for fun. I won second place in one, otherwise I didn't come back very successful, but I still had a lot of fun.

4 What was your reaction to discovering you were one of the winners?

It was fun, really! I worried I wouldn't be able to submit anything, so I was just happy to get it in!

5 What is your favorite holiday activity?

My favorite holiday activity is picking out a new ornament with my brothers, then helping my mom decorate the Christmas trees around the house. It's always nostalgic and fun.

6 do you have any future plans with the story you entered? (standalone novel/series)

 "Welcome Krampus" was purely a short story, so I have no plans to develop it.

7 What's a good piece of advice to give someone, who desires to enter a contest?

Some good advice to give is the same advice I received: even if you think you'll lose, just enter. It'll still be fun and connect you with other writers.

8 What is your favorite holiday memory? (optional to answer)

 My favorite holiday memory is a very funny moment, when I was about eleven or twelve. My brother jokingly stuck a French vanilla jelly bean on an ornament hook, calling it the "bean ornament," and demanded it be stuck on the tree. It was a silly kid's joke at the time, but every single following year, we kept finding the same hook-impaled jelly bean in the ornament box. It didn't always get hung, but it was always there, even this year (the preservatives are keeping it alive, haha). Now it's just funny that we keep pulling up this stupid little bean on an old hook.

9 What is the most important piece of a story? 

The cover |quality of the story| type of story 

I'm not sure I can answer that, but I'll try. I think the most important piece of a story is nailing, in simplified terms, the place and setting. It's just such a crucial part of storytelling, to place the reader in the world you're creating, before you even begin revealing the people, the conflict, the culture, the dialogue, etc.

10 How does being a part of the Wattpad community help you as writer? 

The enthusiastic and supportive community on Wattpad helps me gauge what readers like in a story, and what fails to draw the eye. I can rant about the issues with the site itself for a long time, but when it comes to my fellow writers here, I cannot complain. These people are incredible!

11 What genre of story attracts you as a reader? 

As a reader, I enjoy most fantasy themes, and a good, intense fight scene. I also have a soft spot for horror, as it's where I got my start, writing scary short stories and eerie poems. Recently, I've also tried reading stories with a more romantic subgenre. I'm a horrible romance writer, centered on familial relationships (and bloody rivalries), so it's kind of a mystery to me.

12 What's a good piece of writing advice, that you've learned? 

I've gotten so much good writing advice, but the best has to do with writer's block. Even if you feel like you NEED to write, when you have a block, resist! Close that laptop, play a videogame (a cheap mobile game like Doodle Jump works best), and just take a break. Distract yourself until you're not even thinking about writing, and sooner or later, the story -and all the words you need- will come back to you.

13 Do you believe contest and interview platforms help you as a writer? 

I feel like it certainly helps get you out there, and connect with others, so yes!

14 Since joining Wattpad, do you believe you've become a better writer?

Absolutely! By just writing and writing, I've learned plenty, but reading other works also helps! That goes for professional books, classic books, and Wattpad books as well.

 15 What is a must have item for you to enjoy the holiday season? 

 I need a big cup of peppermint hot chocolate (white is my favorite), and my family's three favorite holiday movies: The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Polar Express, and A Christmas Tale.