Recently we heard about one of Ray's stories being included in an anthology for Operation Shoebox which some Scribblers may recall from the Bill Budner Trophy. We thought we'd like to find out a little more about it so we asked Ray who kindly obliged:
A while back there was an invite from United Press promoting a competition with a short story or poem. The winners would be incorporated into an anthology of stories that was being edited by Chris Ryan. This was for Operation Shoebox.
Operation Shoebox is a charity that sends a shoebox filled with bits and pieces to the forces in Afghanistan.
I wrote to United Press with a copy of my story 'The 294th' but made a point that I was not entering the competition. Simply, if they wanted to use the story then they were welcome to use it.
Jon was the most irritating and annoying kid I have ever met - yet was admired and cared about. He had those qualities that endeared himself to the family as a whole. Every soldier who died in Iraq and Afghanistan have a story - this is just one.
The story itself was about Jon Monk, my son Jack's best friend, who was killed in Afghanistan. In fact the story was one that I submitted a while back for the Bill Budner Trophy. Although told from Jon's point of view it told of friendship, mischief and mayhem but the ending is a touch chilling and gory. Death by IEDs is not a pretty sight - it shreds.
When Jon's coffin came home they wouldn't let the family see his body - it was unrecognisable. So, the end of the story is about as accurate as I could get.
Ray
