Flash Fiction Challenge: The SubGenre Smash-And-Grab
AND WE’RE BACK.
And we return with an old favorite.
We shall make subgenres dance together for our whims.
I will give you 20 subgenres. You will pick two from the list either using a d20 or random number generator (or use monkey knuckles or coffee grounds or whatever), then you will write a short story that mashes up those two subgenres.
Length: We’ll say 1500 words.
Due by: Next Friday (5/19), noon EST.
Post at your online space.
Link to it in the comments below. So we can all read it!
THE SUBGENRE LIST:
- Political Thriller
- Erotic
- Fairy Tale / Fable / Folklore
- Haunted House
- Weird West
- Body Horror
- Near-Future Sci-Fi
- Sword & Sorcery
- Occult Detective
- Historical Fantasy
- Comic Fantasy
- Vampire
- Superhero
- Bodice Ripper
- Heist / Caper
- Space Opera
- Biopunk
- Medical Thriller
- Paranormal Romance
- Splatterpunk
Tamra Hart
May 12, 2017 at 1:43 PM //
I was skimming the list and initially misread 18 as Dental Thriller, so now my brain is stuck on that concept.
Tracy S
May 12, 2017 at 2:29 PM //
@Tamra Hart Dentistry is a medical field…
Maurice
May 16, 2017 at 7:00 PM //
Dr. Emile Molar is a dentist on the edge! Three days from retirement, he’s about to work on the dental bridge of his life!
Win Barker
May 12, 2017 at 4:05 PM //
Near Future Sci Fi / Biopunk here we come!
Tracey Steinbach
May 12, 2017 at 6:03 PM //
I want someone to do a space opera bodice ripper!
Mark Gardner
May 12, 2017 at 7:46 PM //
I did #7 & #15: https://article94.wordpress.com/2017/05/12/scandalous-contradiction/
AN
May 12, 2017 at 8:51 PM //
If you smash 8, 17 and 18 together you might get a Nanobiotechnoshaman Thriller. Does that break the rules?
gloriousmonsters
May 12, 2017 at 10:19 PM //
I got Vampire and Superhero and wound up immediately writing 650 words about a little girl who idolizes Batman and decides she’s a superhero after she gets bitten by a vampire. I know two things: this is probably the weirdest thing I’ve written, and I’m not going to be able to stick to the 1.5k word limit because I already have so many ideas for it.
(this is what I love about these things; you get the oddest stuff when you try to fit genres together)
Mozette
May 13, 2017 at 2:01 AM //
A smidge over the 1,500 word mark. But it was fun doing this one.
http://youcantgoback-andotherimpossibilities.blogspot.com.au/2017/05/my-hero.html
enjoy.
Jeffery Reynolds
May 13, 2017 at 4:03 AM //
Erotic medical thriller might have been… well… anyway, random rolls done, results obtained, story written. Folks can view the results here: http://trollbreath.com/index.php/2017/05/13/the-sneak-thief/
Christopher Slagle
May 15, 2017 at 10:04 AM //
Fun read! I enjoyed the gradual introduction of the fairy-tale element.
Jeffery Reynolds
May 18, 2017 at 4:32 AM //
Thanks! I was trying to keep it a mystery as long as possible which fairy tale I was playing with. Although the “goose vase” at the beginning might have been a little too cute and given it away. 🙂
Adan Ramie
May 17, 2017 at 2:40 PM //
A good laugh. I really enjoyed the giant’s wife – she seemed like a pleasant woman.
Jeffery Reynolds
May 18, 2017 at 4:33 AM //
Thanks, I’m glad you liked it. I really wanted his wife to be that loving, kind, motherly sort of character you see on some British television shows. Always pleasant and cheerful, sees the bright side of everything. 🙂
Adan Ramie
May 18, 2017 at 9:12 PM //
Reminds me a bit of Shaun’s mother in the movie Shaun of the Dead. Cheerful even in the worst situations.
curioushart
May 13, 2017 at 9:41 AM //
I wrote a genre fusion of #3 (based on The Faerie Queen) and the 2015 AP Calculus Exam. Since Mathematics is not on your list, I will not be participating this week.
jazzpianotrio
May 13, 2017 at 10:57 AM //
Hey Chuck, why are Amazon.co.uk charging £21.56 for Thunderbird? It’s $19 on Amazon.com. $19 usd to gbp is £14.75. What gives?
Thomas Diehl
May 13, 2017 at 12:37 PM //
Okay, 2/19 seemed way too easy (Erotic Paranormal Romance is not exactly unusual, not to mention I don’t know anything about either genre), so I rolled again. 19/10 it is. Though I’m really intrigued by option 19/6.
So, I probably do two stories or end up with 19/10/6.
jazzpianotrio
May 13, 2017 at 1:42 PM //
Thanks for deleting my comment related to the price of Thunderbird on Amazon.co.uk vs the price on Amazon.com Chuck. I’ll wait and pick up a second-hand copy.
terribleminds
May 15, 2017 at 7:51 AM //
I didn’t delete it, ding-dong. It just wasn’t approved yet.
But you’re still a ding-dong, because:
a) I don’t control the price of my books
b) I don’t control Amazon
c) This post is a flash fiction post, which has literally nothing to do with my novel Thunderbird, or any of my novels, or the price of any of my novels, or Amazon, so really, I *should* delete your comment outright, but I’ll leave it here so your ding-dong nature can be on full display for all to see.
d) also, your threat is heard (oh no, a second hand copy), and I rate it 1 out of 10, very disappointing
Enjoy your book, should you buy one.
— c.
jazzpianotrio
May 15, 2017 at 8:09 PM //
Ah ok. I apologise for thinking my comment was deleted. Still going to buy a second-hand copy though. Just waiting for a copy to be available for around £10.
Also, Amazon.co.uk have put the bloody price up to £21.72 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Thunderbird-Miriam-Black-Chuck-Wendig/dp/1481448714/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1494892375&sr=1-1&keywords=chuck+wendig+thunderbird
Allison Maruska
May 13, 2017 at 6:32 PM //
I got superhero and medical thriller. This was fun.
https://allisonmaruska.com/2017/05/13/flash-fiction-the-healer/
Christopher Slagle
May 15, 2017 at 9:31 AM //
Very well done! Loved the voice, the dialogue, the tension, and the concept!
Adan Ramie
May 17, 2017 at 2:48 PM //
What an interesting idea.
dcxli
May 14, 2017 at 4:26 AM //
Sword and Socery/Space Opera for 911 words
https://dcxli.wordpress.com/2017/05/14/duel/
Christopher Slagle
May 14, 2017 at 11:23 PM //
Here’s a molecular biologist’s take on a biopunk-themed superhero story. https://christopherslagle.wordpress.com/2017/05/14/flash-fiction-splice
Adan Ramie
May 17, 2017 at 2:57 PM //
Loved everything about this story. Reminds me of The Fly. Gorrific!
Christopher Slagle
May 17, 2017 at 3:00 PM //
Thank you!!!
Rebekah Turner (@RbkahTurner)
May 15, 2017 at 9:04 PM //
Near-Future Sci-Fi & Occult Detective. I think this exercise cured my writers slump!
http://rebekahturner.net/index.php/short-stories-2/flash-fiction/
Sertysh
May 16, 2017 at 5:10 PM //
My tea leaves gave me 5. (Weird West) and also 15. (Heist/Caper).
https://hikelylads.wordpress.com/2017/05/16/flash-fiction-subgenre-smash-and-grab/
Also, I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who found this weeks prompt exciting! Almost like a palate cleanser!
Adan Ramie
May 17, 2017 at 3:04 PM //
Considering the state of the world today, this one was oddly apropos.
Maurice
May 16, 2017 at 6:55 PM //
Got my first draft done for a splatterpunk space opera. It is goddamned revolting. So, I think it’s pretty good. I’ll post it up once I have a change to set down tomorrow and give it an editing pass.
Andys
May 17, 2017 at 5:57 AM //
Okay, so I got haunted house/Weird West, and it was interesting, because I don’t write Westerns. But here you go – Witch. http://andreaspeed.com/2017/flash-fic-challenge-witch/
David Ralph Lewis
May 17, 2017 at 11:43 AM //
Excellent resolution and really interesting story. Good stuff.
Andys
May 17, 2017 at 8:13 PM //
Thank you. My only exposure to Westerns has been old Jonah Hex comics and some Joe Lansdale shorts. I did my best.
Adan Ramie
May 17, 2017 at 3:14 PM //
This story. This character. Your writing style. I’m in awe of it all. Very well done!
Andys
May 17, 2017 at 8:15 PM //
Thank you! I did like the character a lot. I bet a genderqueer woman with a demon sense and a Death eye could get up to some crazy stuff in the west…
Adan Ramie
May 18, 2017 at 9:12 PM //
I wish it was a book I could pick up and read right now.
Andys
May 19, 2017 at 3:02 AM //
I’ll take that as encouragement! I think it’ll be the start of something bigger.
David Ralph Lewis
May 17, 2017 at 8:39 AM //
I got 4 and 6. So haunted house body horror it is! Here’s Oak Tree Manor: http://davidralphlewis.co.uk/oak-tree-manor/
Adan Ramie
May 17, 2017 at 3:20 PM //
Love the manner of haunting in this tale. Slow and steady. Well done!
J.W. Martin
May 17, 2017 at 10:07 AM //
Haunted House + Comic Fantasy. Not at all the kind of story I would ever think to write. Just a bit of a goof off more than anything: https://www.jwmartin.com/the-haunted-fellowship/
Adan Ramie
May 17, 2017 at 1:27 PM //
Even when I tried to game the system, I kept getting “fairytale/fable/folklore” and “superhero”, so I finally just went with it. And went waaay over 1500 words.
https://adanramie.com/black-current-fiction/
Maurice
May 17, 2017 at 8:06 PM //
As promised – here’s my gorefest, ‘Beasties’ for the Space Opera / Splatterpunk mashup. This is going to get disgusting.
http://ossua.com/beasties-a-terribleminds-flash-fic-challenge/
Sam Brady
May 18, 2017 at 11:29 AM //
Great story. Good use of the gore. Not at all what I was expecting. Good stuff.
Adan Ramie
May 24, 2017 at 9:36 AM //
Sick! Freaking loved the beastie near the end, what it did with the finger bones…
Sam Brady
May 17, 2017 at 9:37 PM //
Here’s 1445 words of Weird West/Vampire goodness. Please to enjoy “Bible And A Gun” and comment if you feel so led. Let me know what you think!
https://sambrady.wordpress.com/2017/05/17/chuck-wendig-bible-and-a-gun/
Martin
May 18, 2017 at 10:12 AM //
I got superhero/superpunk. This is what I came up with: http://mywrite.martinperlin.com/2017/05/flash-fiction-offer-we-cant-refuse.html
Sam Brady
May 18, 2017 at 11:27 AM //
That was fantastic. Nice job.
Matthew X. Gomez
May 18, 2017 at 11:48 AM //
Okay, so this was supposed to be sword&sorcery/bodice ripper. Way more the former than the latter. Round about 1600 words. https://mxgomez.wordpress.com/2017/05/18/serpent-of-smoke-a-chuck-wendig-challenge/
Raney Simmon
May 18, 2017 at 11:56 AM //
For this challenge, I got sword & sorcery and biopunk. https://rainyday.blog/2017/05/18/our-only-hope-flash-fiction-challenge-the-subgenre-smash-and-grab/
Now, I’m nowhere near finished with this story, which you can tell. Most of this is just the beginning and a lot of it is world building. But this is what I have so far to start off the story before my hero begins her quest. Hope those of you who read it enjoy, and don’t hesitate to tell me what you think.
Eva Therese
May 18, 2017 at 1:42 PM //
Got Haunted House and Paranormal Romace. Since we got 1500 words this time, I tried to make it a (somewhat) finished story, rather than just a slice-of-life. https://evathereseebert.wordpress.com/2017/05/18/the-subgenre-smash-and-grab-2/
Adan Ramie
May 24, 2017 at 9:43 AM //
Not what I was expecting. Well done!
GuyOHarrison
May 18, 2017 at 4:16 PM //
Near future Sci-Fi / Biopunk mashup. Hope you enjoy it.
https://guyoharrison.wordpress.com/2017/05/18/enhanced/
Adan Ramie
May 24, 2017 at 9:50 AM //
Terrifying. Gripping. I knew how it was going to end, but the story kept me engrossed through the final sentence. Bravo!
Vicente L Ruiz
May 18, 2017 at 6:52 PM //
Almost late!
I got Near-Future Sci-Fi & Occult Detective. I wrote almost 1700 words, and I’m afraid the story is not really finished, so finishing it will be an extra challenge in the future.
I hope you enjoy “A Private Enquiry”: https://medium.com/@VicenteLRuiz/a-private-enquiry-7aa931368618
jakashadows
May 18, 2017 at 7:21 PM //
I got Vampires and Political Thriller, so I give you:
“Vampire for President”
https://jakashadows.wordpress.com/2017/05/18/flash-fiction-vampire-for-president/
A little over 1500 words at 1821
Rebecca Douglass
May 18, 2017 at 7:48 PM //
I got Near-future SF and Biopunk, which are pretty overlapping. Used just under 1400 of the words Chuck allotted us.
http://www.ninjalibrarian.com/2017/05/friday-flash-fiction-crispins.html
aimeethere
May 19, 2017 at 12:05 AM //
Sooooo. I haven’t written any fiction in nearly twenty years, and I want to find my way back to writing again, so I figured why not jump in with both feet? Gah. Super nervous. Here is 1500 words on numbers 12 and 18, vampire/medical thriller.
https://aimeethere.wordpress.com/2017/05/19/brand-new/
Anna Nyms
May 19, 2017 at 11:47 AM //
Wow, that was a great story. You should write more.
aimeethere
May 25, 2017 at 11:28 PM //
Hey, thanks! I’m planning to; I managed to get one in for this week’s challenge as well. 🙂
Ex Libris Regina
May 19, 2017 at 1:02 PM //
I love when beauty products go horribly wrong. Nice!
aimeethere
May 25, 2017 at 11:30 PM //
Thank you! Funnily enough, I read the novella Reenu-You right after I wrote this, which is about a hair relaxer that has a v tragic outcome. It’s haunting.
Ex Libris Regina
May 26, 2017 at 6:44 AM //
Ha! I will have to check that out.
Adan Ramie
May 24, 2017 at 10:23 AM //
I need this to be a series.
aimeethere
May 25, 2017 at 11:38 PM //
Man, no pressure. 🙂 (Replied to your other comment on my blog)
Becca Smith
May 19, 2017 at 3:55 AM //
I got body horror and heist/caper. Hope you guys enjoy and let me know what you think!
http://marspetrichor.tumblr.com/post/160832109476/latent-impressions
Ex Libris Regina
May 19, 2017 at 12:21 PM //
Gave me chills! Nice job.
Becca Smith
May 21, 2017 at 10:33 AM //
Thanks!
Frank Yacenda
May 19, 2017 at 11:54 AM //
Okay, giving this a try. I used the random number generator and got 6 and 9, Body Horror and Occult Detective. Which, until I saw this, I didn’t even know were actual genres, along with many of the others.
Anyway, here it is, for what it’s worth:
http://www.alphaopportunities.com/another_damned_message.htm
Ex Libris Regina
May 19, 2017 at 12:44 PM //
Okay. This one messed with my head big time. LOL! Nice job.
Frank Yacenda
May 19, 2017 at 3:44 PM //
Thanks!. If that one messed with your head, you should read some of the other twisted stuff I write.
BTW, I found some glitches that got introduced in the text while doing a rushed coding job on the initial posting. These have now been corrected.
Ex Libris Regina
May 19, 2017 at 11:56 AM //
Just made the deadline with my Space Opera/Splatterpunk tale. This was fun.
https://exlibrisregina.com/2017/05/19/space-wedding/
Anna Nyms
May 19, 2017 at 2:07 PM //
Like it a lot. Sort of old fashioned Space Opera feel to it.
Ex Libris Regina
May 20, 2017 at 7:22 AM //
Thank you.
Anna Nyms
May 19, 2017 at 12:00 PM //
I rolled Near Future SciFi/Medical thriller. This story is thrown together roughly and needs more polish. You have a really good blog Chuck, lot of tips and plenty of help.
Here’s my link everyone, enjoy.
https://annanyms.wordpress.com/2017/05/19/of-two-minds/
I like writing, it’s a lot of fun. And I’m sorry if this post is a multiple post. I’ve tried posting my link to my story, but the post did not show up, even with a status of awaiting moderation. I’ve been having some network problems this week. We switched over to a new fiber network and still are having a few problems.
Ex Libris Regina
May 19, 2017 at 1:03 PM //
I really enjoyed this one.