The crew of the June Ann knew they weren't supposed to be shrimping in the Gulf of Mexico on New Year's Eve. Thinking the massive haul would be worth the risk, they soon regret their decision when something unexpected shows up in the nets. On December 6th, 2023, the author posted a call for random prompts on social media. She asked for a location, a random word/phrase, a murder weapon, and a sub-genre of horror. The winner was able to name the characters in the story. The winner: Location: Shrimp Boat in the Gulf of Mexico Random Saying: "You put your right arm in, you take your right arm out..." Murder Weapon: A bottle of rum Sub-genre: Lovecraftian or Haunted Twenty-five days later, "Battle Shrimp" became a New Year's Eve-themed horror short story set on a shrimp boat in the Gulf of Mexico.