Flash Fiction Challenge: The Sub-Genre Tango, Part II
This past week’s Frankie Bill-themed challenge — “Must Love Guns” — is ready for your perusing.
It’s time again to smash a bunch of genres together and see what we get. Had fun last time. Will have fun this time. If I’m not having fun this time, I’m going to disintegrate one of you with my orbital laser.
Oh, stop. I don’t really own an orbital laser.
I lease it from a bunch of high-tech Somali pirates.
Anyway.
You will pick two genres from this list of sub-genres I give you. You will mash up those two genres into a piece of flash fiction, ~1000 words long. Easy like Sunday morning.
Here, then, is the list:
Southern Gothic
Cyberpunk
Sword & Sorcery
Femslash
Black Comedy
Picaresque
So, will we see Picaresque Femslash? Southern Gothic Cyberpunk? A Black Comedy S&S tale?
Mix and match, kids.
I’ll offer a prize yet again — I will do a critique and edit of up to 3000 words of your work. A slice of a novel, a short story, whatever. I’ll give it a look-see and add my comments.
That’s what’s on the table.
You’ve got a week. Friday the 26th by noon EST.
You know the drill.
Start dancing that tango.
Amber J Gardner
August 19, 2011 at 8:09 AM //
*rubs chin* Is it even possible to mix Sword & Sorcery and Cyberpunk?
Kate Haggard
August 19, 2011 at 9:00 AM //
For those who will invariably ask:
Femslash is exactly what it says on the tin – fanfiction that has a female-female romantic pairing. So get your Princess Peach/Princess Zelda fics ready.
Also, someone write me a Cyberpunk Picaresque. Those genres are made for each other.
Lindsay Mawson
August 19, 2011 at 9:20 AM //
Alright, this is the first time I’ve done the sub-genre smash-up, but hope I did okay! I wrote Cyberpunk Picaresque. (Hope I don’t disappoint you, Kate!)
Here’s my story, “Matt Grant”
http://lindsaymawson.blogspot.com/2011/08/flash-fiction-challenge-22-sub-genre.html
Bets Davies
August 19, 2011 at 12:36 PM //
All right. Off the reservation and with an NC rating: slapstick meets erotica
Daisy hummed as she slopped horseshit over her shoulder with the rhythm of her work. Then she felt eyes upon her—it was he. Riley stood at the entrance of the barn in a halo of gold light before he entered the dark, moist space. His penetrating eyes stripped her—oh wait. That was her bra straps falling off her horseshit cloaked peasant dress. Her boobs popped out again, tight under his gaze.
His smile daunted her, as he did not take his eyes off her while he stepped across the hay—and kicked a bucket, which slammed her in the noggin. She went down in sparks of light and flowering darkness to the squelch of the manure.
“Darling!” He knelt beside her, his tight jeans sinking into the goo.
When she could speak, she smiled. “You called me darling!”
He laughed. “You have to know I’ve wanted to fuck you silly since the moment I saw your bare little bottom as your sister spanked you for disobedience.
Daisy grabbed his chin and pulled him to her as he ducked forward and their heads conked. She ignored it and slammed her lips against his mouth. He sucked onto hers and bit. But in a breathless instant, he sucked onto one of her tits. She writhed as she moaned. Her legs wrapped around his waist. One hand pulled at his fly, but she hadn’t worn underwear since the day he came to work at the farm. “My sister will be very harsh with me for this. Is that what you want? Do you want to fuck my purple little ass?”
“Baby,” he pulled out his dick, a long strong instrument, already purple with blood. “I want to fuck every piece of you.”
Jenney, the sheepdog, to the opportunity to lick his dick. “Whoa!” He tipped backward in a heap, but Jenney crowded over him. “Darling,” he gasped. “This dog gives quite good head.”
Jealousy struck Daisy. She stood, and picked up Jenney by her scruff and tossed her aside. Jenney hit the wall with a yelp and crashed to earth, but Daisy didn’t look. “Is that the kind of dog you are!” She smacked Riley. “You’ll fuck any dog around!”
“No!” He caught her wrists and wrenched her around so that his hard chest pressed into her back and his dick bumped her rump. “Just the sheep. I promise.”
She could have relaxed at that. After all, what else were sheep for? But she fought against him, rubbing her rump into his dick.
He grabbed her auburn curls and forced her head down so that her hands splurched in manure. He grabbed the back of her dress and yanked. He fell into her when the dress stayed put. He yanked again.
“For Christ sake, do I have to do everything?” She ripped off her dress.
“Can you do this?” He rammed his dick deep inside her. She screamed. Pleasure aerated to her fingertips. But she admitted. “Actually, I have a dildo bigger than your dick. Occasionally I fuck a horse.”
“What?” His dick withered.
“Oh for Gods sake, don’t get jealous. You are the sheep fucker.” She turned and punched him in the chin. He fell into to manure. She straddled him and pounded his firming dick deep into her pussy. “Oh, yeah. That’s it.” She got manure in her mouth when she flung her hair. “I feel so dirty.”
“It’s wrong.” His fingers clenched her ass. “After all, I am your second cousin once removed.”
“I referred to the shit.” She clawed his chest as she rocked her clit into him. She lifted her arms to tangle her hair as her hips circled and swayed till his dick played her like his accordion.
“You are a whore.” He grabbed her hair. “A dirty, horse fucking slut.” He slammed her face into the shit. His hand tickled inside her in sweet temptation but still, “hey, I only fuck Starlight. I am a one horse girl.”
“Well, now you belong to me.” He grabbed a riding crop. A familiar sting of pain struck her ass and wound sweet horniness through her. I was so much better than one her sister did her. He spanked her. “Say it. Say you are mine!”
“Riley!” She writhed. “Sorry. I am a feminist.”
“Oh.” His fingers tiptoed out of her despite her groans. They tip toed up her ass, and smoothed over the sculpted surface. He pinched, and she bleated as her ass twinged pain into her cunt till it flushed fluid with her orgasm. “Then I don’t suppose I can have this ass?” He tapped the riding crop against her.
“Huh.” She went against her better judgment as he cell in her body called out to him when he stuck a finger inside her. “I guess it can for a while.”
He didn’t answer but slopped a good handful of manure on her ass and crammed his dick in. His whole weight came to bear against her as he thrust her out of being. One hand pried her ass enough to stick his fingers back into her pussy.
“Did you have to use shit?”
He just rode her harder till the pain and pleasure all keened into one. “Shit in. Shit out.” Then he ripped her head back by the hair as his hyperventilation came to a climax. Then he dropped to her to the ground as his dick crawled out of her. “Oh, darling. You are better than a sheep.”
“And you are better than a horse.” Her sweat sluiced her with sweet relaxation.
Then clapping. She looked up. Her sister had her hand up her skirts as she sat on a butter tub. “I hope I see that often.” But she raised a butter paddle. “Someone—someones need some correction.
Daisy ground her pussy into the manure as she yearned with anticipation.
contagonist
August 19, 2011 at 2:47 PM //
Clarification on Femslash: does it have to be from an established setting and with established characters, or is it just short for general lesbian romance?
terribleminds
August 19, 2011 at 2:49 PM //
@Contagonist –
Bonus points if it’s officially femslash in the strictest sense, but I’m fine with “general.”
– c.
Louise Sorensen
August 19, 2011 at 4:11 PM //
It’s getting hard to publish these stories in a public place!
I’ll have to actually watch the tutorials and find out how to rate them Adult!
Thanks to BetsDavis for the romp.
And thanks for the definition of FemSlash. Some of the others I’ll have to look up.
Picaresque??? Never heard of it. Picardesque now, I might manage.
Looking forward to reading the new stories. Hope I can come up with something : )
Darlene Underdahl
August 19, 2011 at 4:15 PM //
This is my version of Cyberpunk and Black Comedy. Enjoy.
http://darlene.underdahl.net/?p=89
Josh
August 19, 2011 at 4:52 PM //
@Amber – Yes. Yes it is.
“Walking After Midnight”
http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/2011/08/19/flash-fiction-walking-after-midnight/
oldestgenxer
August 19, 2011 at 6:31 PM //
If I’m not mistaken–and I usually am–a fairly good example of picaresque would be “The Stars, My Destination,” by Alfred Bester. Yes? No? Trying to get a grip on all the many genres out there in the multiverse.
Amber J Gardner
August 19, 2011 at 8:39 PM //
@Josh – Nooo! I wanted to be the first to do it. Aww.
Darlene Underdahl
August 19, 2011 at 9:47 PM //
@ Oldestgenexer: My immediate reaction to picaresque was Scott Lynch’s The Lies of Locke Lamaora and Red Seas Under Red Skies. Gods, that got me back to dreaming about a younger me and Jean…
Ahem, I hope Lynch finishes his series. I think he’s been suffering from some emotional problems, the curse of genius, etc. Hope I’m wrong. I love his books.
Zilvarael
August 20, 2011 at 12:41 AM //
I could see doing a cyberpunk Ghost in the shell fan fiction mixed with Black Comedy or some how incorporating sword and sorcery… One I need to think on.
New around here by the way.. Nice to meet y’all
Lesann
August 20, 2011 at 4:05 AM //
My offering: http://lesannberry.blogspot.com/2011/08/gift-of-life.html
tara tyler
August 20, 2011 at 10:20 AM //
quite a selection! i may hav to shut my eyes when i read some of it! here’s my light story! (mashup picks in the link)
http://taratylertalks.blogspot.com/2011/08/southern-gothic-cyperpunk.html
Michael
August 20, 2011 at 12:51 PM //
http://innocentsaccidentshints.blogspot.com/2011/08/new-stuff-here-there-and-everywhere.html
Southern Gothic/Sword and Sorcery
With a touch of picaresque, I guess. I don’t know.
GRIM
August 20, 2011 at 2:07 PM //
Southern Gothic/Sword & Sorcery
http://users.livejournal.com/_grimtales_/364305.html
Gary E. Weller
August 20, 2011 at 3:23 PM //
Here’s my SoGo-Cyberpunk slice called ‘Bad Juju.’
http://geweller-fiction.blogspot.com/2011/08/bad-juju.html
oldestgenxer
August 20, 2011 at 5:38 PM //
After I looked up the defining characteristics of the different sub-genres, I realized what I had to do. Femslash spoke to me. Actually, it cornered me in a dirty gas station bathroom and gave me a hand-job while whispering dirty things in my ear. But what to put with it? I decided on Southern Gothic, because that is fairly new to me. I’ve written stuff in those others without really knowing what they were. I know you all expected me to do Black Comedy, but I decided against it. No black comedy in this one. I’m not a racist.
A Very Brady Southern Goth Tale
I know it’s only 500 words. I swear to God I couldn’t stand to write any more than that.
Jackie Jordan
August 20, 2011 at 10:26 PM //
Gracious S(n)akes Alive – Last post on the first page of my blog. Black comedy / Southern gothic. Word count 492
http://www.penpalatable.blogspot.com
Jackie Jordan
August 21, 2011 at 4:35 PM //
Hey, Chuck,
Man, I’m disqualifying myself. My story isn’t Black Comedy, it’s a comedy about black people. My bad! Live and learn…
Jackie
Samantha J. Mathis
August 22, 2011 at 4:54 PM //
I’m not in it to win it this time, but just for kicks!
http://samanthajmathis.tumblr.com/post/9263026031/half-man
Sparky
August 23, 2011 at 2:09 AM //
My entry, Sword and Sorcery blended at high speed with the Picaresque. Serve over ice and enjoy.
http://sparky29252.blogspot.com/2011/08/night-school.html
Joseph Devon
August 23, 2011 at 2:57 PM //
Holy mother this challenge is nuts. I’m barely able to wrap my head around the sub-genres alone not to mention the mashing that is to take place.
Hmmmmm
tara tyler
August 23, 2011 at 3:00 PM //
samantha! holy crap! that was awesome! (couldnt comment on your site)
Samantha J. Mathis
August 23, 2011 at 3:15 PM //
@tara: Sorry about that! Me and my comment program have these standoffs from time to time. But thank you!
Louise Sorensen
August 24, 2011 at 11:14 AM //
This was a tough one for me. And it became a quest last night getting the story past the Trolls of Hewlett-Packard and Norton . Who needs Sudoku when you have a computer?
here it is Sea Watch http://wp.me/p1BAlV-1a
Louise Sorensen
August 25, 2011 at 12:46 AM //
I read all the stories to this point. Bloggr still won’t let me comment.
I’m very impressed by the high quality of all the stories.
Amy Tupper
August 25, 2011 at 11:51 AM //
Sword & Sorcery meets Black Comedy. “Oh, The Humanity”
http://amytupper.net/2011/08/25/oh-the-humanity/
Sarah Olson
August 25, 2011 at 1:21 PM //
I have to admit that I didn’t know much about any of these subgenres, but this was a fun exercise.
So I went with Cyberpunk and Southern Gothic, and I really like what I have so far. However, I’m at ~2000 words and there’s more I’d like to add. Yikes. Plus, I like it, which makes me hesitant to cut it down to size and post it publicly.
Conundrum.
I still have time to decide (and shorten if necessary).
BA Boucher
August 25, 2011 at 4:39 PM //
“A Thousand Waking Moments”
http://defconwhiskey.wordpress.com/2011/08/25/a-thousand-waking-moments/
Steampunk meets Sword and Socery. Although not really.
Also, I owe everyone a reading from last week. I’m very sorry. I will throw my eyes your way this weekend, I promise. On stack of bibles, or pancakes.
In other news, pancakes…
Michael Trimmer (@MichaelSTrimmer)
August 25, 2011 at 6:56 PM //
Dear all
This is very last minute to the entry, namley because I’ve been with another contest this weekend just gone “GASP! CONTEST ADULTURY!” But I’ve come back, and I’ve got this for you. Cyberpunk and Sword and Sorcery come together in “Pixel Wizard”!
http://www.michaelstuarttrimmer.co.uk/pixel_wizard.html
Looking forward to your thoughts.
Michael
Stephanie M. Lorée
August 25, 2011 at 8:56 PM //
Here’s my mash-up, Southern Gothic + Cyberpunk = weird stuff. Thanks for the challenge!
http://blog.stephaniemloree.com/2011/08/flash-fiction-scavenger.html
Steph
August 25, 2011 at 9:14 PM //
http://writex3.blogspot.com/2011/08/southern-gothic-meets-cyberpunk-in-1k.html
Tom
August 25, 2011 at 9:52 PM //
Here is my entry: http://latent-ambiguity.blogspot.com/2011/08/flash-fiction-challenge-sub-genre-tango.html
Sword & Sorcery + Black Comedy.
I hope you enjoy it, and I appreciate any feedback.
Phrawger
August 25, 2011 at 10:52 PM //
This is the first thing I’ve written in quite a long time, and it’s going to show. It feels a little too long and a little too awful, but dammit I had fun writing it and I’m going to keep working on it.
http://phrawger.tumblr.com/post/9401179827/the-light-of-iron-city
Southern Gothic and Cyberpunk.
Chris White
August 26, 2011 at 5:55 AM //
Here is my Sword & Sorcery Cyberpunk – Katanas & Magi.
http://chriswhitewrites.wordpress.com/2011/08/26/katanas-magi/
Comments, as always, very welcome.
T
August 26, 2011 at 6:47 AM //
I had more fun this week than last…didn’t think it was possibly. And I’m also on time this week
I mixed femslash and Cyberpunk:
http://movieremnants.wordpress.com/2011/08/26/the-sub-genre-tango/
Movieremnants
August 26, 2011 at 6:58 AM //
*possible
Joseph Devon
August 26, 2011 at 9:37 AM //
Here we go, this is femslash and cyberpunk…I think. So nuts.
http://josephdevon.com/short-stories/your-princess-is-in-another-castle/
Johnn Lemuria
August 26, 2011 at 9:39 AM //
Dr Who femslash (not too obvious in my choices, I hope) crossed with Southern Gothic.
“Encounter at New Savannah”
http://pleasuresaucer.com/2011/08/free-flash-fiction-time.html
Roger Kilbourne
August 26, 2011 at 11:07 AM //
Made it! I cut it a little close this time.
“Hidden Fees” (Picaresque Cyberpunk)
http://rogerkilbourne.wordpress.com/2011/08/26/flash-fiction-hidden-fees/
Melissa Pascarelli
August 26, 2011 at 11:25 AM //
A last minute entry.
http://melissapascarelli.wordpress.com/2011/08/26/help-this/
Amber J Gardner
August 26, 2011 at 12:00 PM //
Here here here!!!!
http://wp.me/p1vufx-3S
Snellopy
August 26, 2011 at 11:33 PM //
A bit late, but here it goes: Swords and Sorcery and Cyberpunk.
Swords and Cybery.
http://snellopy.blogspot.com/2011/08/swords-and-cybery.html
oldestgenxer
August 28, 2011 at 3:30 PM //
is there a winner yet? Even if it’s not me, I’d like to know who it was.
terribleminds
August 29, 2011 at 6:01 AM //
@oldestgenxer –
It’ll take me a bit of time to read through these. (Plus, was just saddled with a hurricane which killed our power.)
Gimme a week.
– c.
oldestgenxer
August 29, 2011 at 2:48 PM //
Oh, that’s totally cool.
But I can’t believe you’re using the hurricane as an excuse. The dog ate my homework. There was a hole in the condom. We had a hurricane–