Last week’s challenge — “A Game Of Aspects” — was so cool and so weird (and is still ongoing until noon) that I thought it was high-time to do another one. Or, at least, a similar one.
Once again, we’ve got three categories.
Slightly different this time:
Again, Subgenre.
Then: Setting!
Then: Element to Include.
We’ll leave theme/motif/conflict off the table for the time being, since some of these settings and included elements will have conflicts implicit.
This time, there’s a different prize.
Interested in attending the Crossroads Writers Conference in Macon, GA? October 5th through the 7th? Where I am, in fact, a speaker? (Who the hell let that happen?)
Well, I’m giving away — courtesy of the conference —
THE WORDSMITH MEGASUPREME PACKAGE.
Ahem. You get:
The full day of the Saturday conference with the Keynote Lunch, a swank room at the Marriott City Center, after hours access to Crossroads HQ, a T-shirt, a 2GB pre-loaded USB, a Crossroads travel mug, wristband, a reception on Saturday night and brunch on Sunday, plus they’ll throw in an extra night at the hotel (total of two) and a free pass to the Freelancers Summit on Friday.
Then there will be two runners up who can nab: a Pen & Paper registration package, which includes access to the Saturday conference, a Crossroads T-shirt and Keynote Lunch.
Here’s a link to the registration page and breakdown:
http://www.crossroadswriters.org/conference/?page_id=819
Further questions can be dropped into the comments or emailed to Chris -@- CrossroadsWriters.org.
Now, you can still participate in the challenge without throwing your name into the prize hat — after all, the prize won’t be useful to people who can’t make it to Georgia on those dates, right? Right. So, when posting your entry in the comments, please note whether you’re submitting to be included in the prize draw (which will be a random draw of those participating). If you don’t note your interest, I’ll assume you’re not.
If you know people who might like to take advantage of the potential prize, please send ’em here.
To play, you gotta write a story.
1000 words.
Host at your blog or online space.
Link back here.
Again, you can still participate in the flash fiction challenge without throwing your name into the prize hat, but the reverse is not true — you cannot throw your name into the prize hat without first participating in the flash fiction challenge. Dig? Dig.
You’ve got one week. Due by Friday, September 21st, noon EST.
Now, onto the categories:
Again, the coolest way to play this is to either roll a d10 for each category or to choose a random number between 1-10 using an online random number generator such as the one found at Random.org.
One from each, then write.
The categories:
Subgenre
Paranormal Romance
Cyberpunk
Splatterpunk
Ghost Story
Space Opera
Alternative History
Lovecraftian
BDSM Erotica
Murder Mystery
Superhero
Setting
A Brothel
A Space Station
Bottom of the Ocean
Inside a Massively-Multiplayer Game
Wal-Mart
Hell
The Hollow Earth
The Zoo
In a Vehicle Traveling Down the Highway
Paris, 1944
Element to Include
Weapons of Mass Destruction
A Funeral
Adultery
A Robot
Amnesia
A Fashion Show
A Dragon
Some Kind of Alien Virus or Parasite
Tattoos
Cloning
David Grigg says:
All right, all right. Let’s admit it. I’m lousy at keeping to the right length.
I wrote one story for this prompt and it turned in at over 2,000 words and I want to find a magazine which will take it. So I started again with a different set of aspect choices (deliberately picked, this time).
And ended up writing nearly 1,900 words which I don’t really feel I can trim, so I’m disqualified (and couldn’t use the prize anyway). But this time I’ll link to it. It’s called “The Quickening” and you’ll quickly pick which aspects 2 + 3 I chose. Aspect 1 is a bit sloppy, maybe “Lovecraftian”?
Here you go: http://narratorium.com/2012/09/19/the-quickening/
September 19, 2012 — 2:00 AM
kacynielsen says:
Kind of killed the flash aspect of my Game of Aspects (by about 2,500 words).. but she’s still worth a post.
Lovecraftian/ Bottom of the Ocean/ Some Kind of Alien Virus or Parasite
Enjoy the adventures of a doomed cephalopod in “Squids Make the Best Captains”
http://outwardbounder.wordpress.com/2012/09/19/short-fiction-squids-make-the-best-captains/
September 19, 2012 — 12:05 PM
J.M. Dow says:
Alright, thanks to Random.org, I got:
Genre: space opera
setting: In a Vehicle Traveling Down the Highway
element to include: weapons of mass destruction
So, I came up with a story called “The Transport.”
http://whirlingnerdish.blogspot.com/2012/09/flash-fiction-challenge-transport.html
September 20, 2012 — 12:16 AM
Jon says:
Man, did this one come in long. Any suggestions for trimming it by about 750 words, I’m all eyeballs.
“The Zoo and What Was Found There”
ghost story/zoo/alien infestation
No prizes, please, I’m on a diet.
September 20, 2012 — 12:17 AM
Jo Eberhardt says:
Alright. I rolled my 3D10 and got:
Cyberpunk/Brothel/Tattoos
I give you: Switched Off
(As much as I’d love to win the prize, airfares from Australia are a bit hexxy. So count me out.)
September 20, 2012 — 8:09 AM
Elizabeth Poole says:
I rolled 3d10 and got Cyberpunk/Inside a Massively-Multiplayer game, and Cloning.
I give you Doppelganger
This was fun!
Considering I live an hour and a half away from the seminar, and didn’t register because of lack of funds, I would love to be added to the drawing!
September 20, 2012 — 2:03 PM
Trey Holliday says:
So, yeah, I got Cyberpunk, 1944 France, and Alien Virus/Parasite. Thank goodness the drawing isn’t based on quality. And, like Elizabeth, I’m fairly close to the conference and wound up not registering because of a lack of funds. So, I’m definitely entering for the drawing. Best of luck to everyone.
http://wp.me/p2g8dR-1T (WordPress shortlink)
September 20, 2012 — 2:46 PM
Aurora says:
Yikes. The RNG was not interested in cutting me any slack this time around! All is explained in, on, and around the post, here:
http://amalgamatedwords.wordpress.com/2012/09/20/the-under-queen/
September 20, 2012 — 3:19 PM
Bookewyrme says:
I decided to give this a go because it looked like fun (it WAS!) and I’ve never written flash-fic before. So, anyway, thank you to Chuck for doing this.
I got Alternate History, The Hollow Earth, and Weapons of Mass Destruction (yes I rolled). And I wrote this story: http://bookewyrme.straydreamers.com/flash-fiction-challenge-accepted/
Also, I would definitely like to enter the drawing please. 🙂
~Lia
September 20, 2012 — 9:23 PM
Raphealite says:
Here goes! My first attempt at these contests. Not interested in prize, just trying to get myself back into writing. This was fun!
Splatterpunk, Hell, Tattoo
http://adaydreamerswish.blogspot.com/
September 20, 2012 — 10:45 PM
Jeremiah says:
First flash fiction.
I rolled and got:
7 = Lovecraftian
9 = In a Vehicle Traveling Down the Highway
4 = A Robot
Here’s my story:
http://www.jqpdx.com/2012/09/21/black-rain/
No thanks on the prizes.
September 21, 2012 — 2:20 AM
Casz Brewster says:
Tattoo Pairs, 1,000 words.
Ghost Story
Paris 1944
Tattoos
http://www.casondrabrewster.com/?p=945
It was an exercise for me. I’d love to be added to the drawing; however, airfare from SEATAC would murder me. Good luck to whomever can go for this awesome deal!
September 21, 2012 — 2:32 AM
Jeff Ellis says:
Lovecraftian Zoo Tattoos was not what I was expecting to write about on my Thursday afternoon, but I have to say: it was a blast.
Enjoy, “The Corruption of Redpool”!
http://firstwordproblems.wordpress.com/2012/09/21/the-corruption-of-redpool/
September 21, 2012 — 4:02 AM
Samuel Schultz says:
Tattoos
Superhero
Paris, 1944
I call this story Ink.
http://razorwiretightrope.wordpress.com/2012/09/21/ink/
September 21, 2012 — 10:45 AM
John Gardner says:
Mwahahaha! Made it under the wire. Not that I would be able to accept the prize if I won. So I just wanted to use the deadline as a motivator. I rolled splatterpunk, space station, and WMD.
http://wombatdeamor.wordpress.com/2012/09/21/choices/
September 21, 2012 — 11:10 AM
Jeff Xilon says:
Another buzzer beater this week. I can’t accept the prize though so I just wrote it to write it.
The House on Cedar Avenue
http://www.jeffxilon.com/flash-fiction-challenge-more-random-goodness/
September 21, 2012 — 11:50 AM
Jon Stoffel says:
I rolled myself into a Paranormal Romance with Amnesia, set in the Hollow Earth. Not an easy combination, but even so I give you… “Beyond the North Wind”
http://inspirandomonium.blogspot.com/2012/09/flash-fiction-beyond-north-wind.html
I will be able to attend if I am selected.
September 21, 2012 — 11:52 AM
Amber J. Gardner says:
My entry with four minutes left on the clock.
http://amberjgardner.com/2012/09/21/another-flash-fiction-challenge/
Superhero, at the Zoo, with Amnesia.
September 21, 2012 — 11:57 AM
Mike says:
I got Lovecraftian, vehicle travelling on highway, and robot. Never read any Lovecraft, so tried some stories to get a taste of him. Did have a story idea but couldn’t really get rolling on it. Later.
For now – here’s bit of a a ghost story
http://www.ravensview.ca/ravens/2012/09/the-ghost-in-the-machine.html
September 21, 2012 — 11:57 AM
Amber J. Gardner says:
Also, yes I bloody hell want to go. XD
September 21, 2012 — 11:58 AM
Matt Jackson says:
Murder mystery in the hollow earth with weapons of mass destruction.
http://mattwilljackson.tumblr.com/post/31987674236/nazis-gnomes
September 21, 2012 — 12:03 PM
Trey Holliday says:
The suspense is killing me 😛 Think I saw Chuck say he was at an event this evening, so… *twiddles thumbs, gets a thumb knot*
September 21, 2012 — 9:38 PM
chriswhitewrites says:
Too late, I know, but Cyberpunk, Paris 1944 and a dragon had to be written.
The Jungle Reclaims All
http://chriswhitewrites.wordpress.com/2012/09/23/the-jungle-reclaims-all/
September 22, 2012 — 7:07 PM
Jessica Burde says:
Damn it, life exploded and the ass shit I managed to squeeze out for this challenge I wouldn’t rip up and feed to my dog. Plus, I’m late. Another time, damn it.
September 24, 2012 — 7:38 AM
terribleminds says:
WHEW, I already picked this, thought I posted the comment and then… mmm, nothing.
Obviously, I didn’t post!
SO.
First up! The two RUNNERS UP:
Amber Gardner!
Bronson O’Quinn!
And, the WINNER:
Elizabeth Poole!
Thanks, all!
Winners should email:
Chris at CrossroadsWriters.org’
Looking forward to meeting some of you at Crossroads!
— c.
September 24, 2012 — 10:10 PM
Amber J Gardner says:
Yes! Thank you!
September 24, 2012 — 10:25 PM
Verity Caine says:
I really enjoyed this challenge!
I rolled the (virtual) dice and got
Murder Mystery
A Brothel
Cloning.
Nice challenge. A link to my story is here:
http://veritycane.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/tea-for-thirteen.html
September 27, 2012 — 7:49 AM
Sarah O'Hara says:
Hoo boy. This was fun.
http://authorsarahohara.blogspot.com/2012/10/terribleminds-flash-fiction-challege.html
October 2, 2012 — 12:12 PM