Backstory for Jack Who Works the Beanstalk

In terms of my writing, this YA (Young Adult) sci-fi is unusual because of the YA and harder sci-fi nature of it. Contemporary fantasy (i.e. ghosts and such) are easier to write, no pesky research and looking up details. Getting sci-fi facts right (or right enough) is a lot of work.

This story started as an image: a street urchin plying his trade on Mars. The allusion to Jack and the Beanstalk just fell out of that, and while the story doesn’t parallel the fairy tale, this Jack still longs to rise out of poverty and to climb the sci-fi beanstalk and achieve greater things.

This story received an honorable mention from the Writers of the Future contest.