The Harrogate Advertiser series has once again teamed up with the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival to offer budding writers the chance to flex their creative muscles.

The competition will be judged by author Ann Cleeves, the festival's reader in residence, and the top entries will be published in the Harrogate Advertiser series.

To enter, use the following sentence as your introduction and finish the story in no more than 300 words:

"Next to the body lay a bottle of Theakstons Old Peculier and an upturned book; it was a crime novel and the already lurid jacket was spattered with real blood."

The prize for the winning story is a free ticket to Creative Thursday at the Crown Hotel, Harrogate, on July 17 from 9am to 5pm. It offers anyone interested in crime writing the chance to learn more.

This year's festival, run with education partner Leeds Metropolitan University, offers new sessions for budding authors.

A session on the "cosy" side of crime, led by author Zoe Sharpe, will look at how to commit murder using just the contents of a handbag.

Stuart MacBride and Jason Goodwin will share their tips on topics such as writing convincing sex, romance and relationships within the crime genre. There will be practical tutorials from creative writing specialist Greg Mosse and a chance to find out more about the process of getting published with Hilary Hale and a team from Little, Brown publishers.

A pass for the full day is £100 including lunch, with tickets available by calling 01423 562303. For more details of the festival programme, go to www.harrogate-festival.org.uk/crime.

The closing date for entries is 5pm on Friday, June 13. The winner will be announced on Friday, June 27.

Send your short story competition entries to ackrill.news@ypn.co.uk with Crime Writing Competition as the title, or post to Crime Writing Competition, Ackrill Media Group, 1 Cardale Park, Beckwith Head Road, Harrogate, HG3 1RZ. Please include your full name, address and telephone number.



Terms and Conditions

Entrants must be aged 18 or over. Tickets are not transferable and no cash alternative will be offered. The judge's decision is final.