The prior installment of the flash fiction challenge — “The Sub-Genre Tango II” — is large and in charge for your reading pleasure.
Over at his site, author Dan O’Shea is writing a novel day-by-day for all of you to see. It is the first draft and you can see it as it is written, tracking a new chapter every 24 hours.
The novel is titled ROTTEN AT HEART but the first thing you need to know about it is that it places Shakespeare into the role of shamus to solve a murder — which makes Shakespeare the protagonist.
A genius turn. And that’s what you’re going to do with your flash fiction.
Well, no, not necessarily take Shakespeare as your main character. What I want is for you to choose a famous person from history — be it Mark Twain, Babe Ruth, Nikola Tesla, Hannibal, whoever — and use that character as the protagonist in your short fiction. Bonus points for spinning it in a cool way: Shakespeare-as-detective, Nero-as-witch-hunter, Tesla-as-secret-alien, etc.
Once more, the plan remains the same. Up to 1000-word story. Any genre. Post at your blog, then link here and drop a note in the comments so we know where to find your story.
No prizes or incentive this week other than, “This is an awesome challenge, why not try?”
Choose your champion.
Let’s see some stories.
42 responses to “Flash Fiction Challenge: “Plucked From The Pages Of History””
Thanks for the linkage, sir.
Hey, I got dibs on Shirley Temple as a pre-pubsecent Mata Hari satisfying the unholy desires of the Nazi leadership. I just gotta make sure she can’t sue me first. *checking internet* Damn. She’s still alive. That scene with Goering, Goebels and Himmler making her air tight is gonna have to go.
Dan
I happened to write a piece starring Sinatra and his pals.
http://thatneilguy.blogspot.com/2010/09/all-way.html
Now, this other one isn’t EXACTLY like what you describe, but it’s near enough, I figure. It involves Lyndon Johnson.
http://thatneilguy.blogspot.com/2010/08/names.html
Okay, yes, they’re both from last year, but that’s just a technicality. Right…?
S. Blackmoore points us to these images:
http://io9.com/5831152/teddy-roosevelt-murdering-sasquatch-and-fdrs-mecha-the-most-insane-presidential-portraits-youve-ever-seen
— c.
Hmmm… I have a zombie Babe Ruth story I’ve been, um, dying to get back into. This little exercise might be the perfect gateway back to it!
Here’s my entry: http://saraheolson.com/2011/08/26/flash-fiction-story-the-burned/
[…] http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2011/08/26/flash-fiction-challenge-plucked-from-the-pages-of-history… […]
The day Carl Sagan took over my brain:
http://darlene.underdahl.net/?p=93
My offering: http://lesannberry.blogspot.com/2011/08/whitechapel-mercy-killings.html
Soon Dak Kodak will join the others.
Thanks for the great challenge Chuck.
And without further procrastination, Dak Kodak
http://geweller-fiction.blogspot.com/2011/08/dak-kodak.html
http://users.livejournal.com/_grimtales_/365550.html
Two for the price of one, psychedelic gods.
http://janjepriestess.blogspot.com/2011/08/clone-martin-luther-king-jrs.html
There is my little bit of writing, Clone Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Wikigalaxciapedia page.
It is an excerpt from the Wikigalaxciapedia page on Martin Luther King, Jr. and Cloned Martin Luther King, Jr, as copied in the year 2545 (Earth Standard) by student Earalion Johnstiearmarithan for a school paper.
http://innocentsaccidentshints.blogspot.com/2011/08/terrible-minds-challenge-man-out-of.html
Ok, this piece most definitely does NOT fit the 1000 word limit, but I came up with the idea for it whilst working on this. I may write another piece in a few days which will fit the limit, but in the meantime, I’d really like to see what some of you think of this
http://www.michaelstuarttrimmer.co.uk/furthest.html
Something you probably did not know about Ben Franklin.
http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/2011/08/29/flash-fiction-the-haunting-on-rue-de-berri/
[…] addthis_product = 'wpp-254'; var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true,"ui_language":"en"};Plucked from the pages of history […]
An alternate history tale starring Philo T. Farnsworth, inventor of the Boob Tube:
http://www.planetmag.com/pm27/helloooo.html
[…] y’all. Once more into the breach. Wendig has asked as politely as he could, swinging a live badger, to write 1000 words on the […]
Once more into the breach as they say,
“Justice Squared, Bitch”
http://defconwhiskey.wordpress.com/2011/08/29/justice-squared-bitch/
The less said the better
Here’s my entry this week:
The Missing Years (of Leonardo da Vinci)
http://lindsaymawson.blogspot.com/2011/08/flash-fiction-challenge-23-plucked-from.html
Enjoy.
[…] week’s flash fiction challenge from Terribleminds: Write a piece using a famous person from history as the […]
http://melissapascarelli.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/an-inauspicious-beginning/
[…] published this short-short story in Planet Magazine in 2000. I’m re-publishing it for the Terrible Minds Flash Fiction Challenge, Wendig have mercy on my ramshackle soul. As I read this old piece, I recall that shortly after I […]
Whoops. Sorry for the dead link to the 404. I published this story in 2000 and was ecstatic that Planet Magazine published it. Back when Democrats ruled and sanity reigned, Planet was the Sci-fi online magazine, the back of the school bus with the cool kids.
What if you had to intelligent to watch TV?
http://barelyok.com/hellooo-ms-anderson-lee.html
[…] Wendig is hosting another of his excellent flash fiction challenges. I haven’t participated in a long time due to various other projects, but I’m trying to […]
I wrote about a couple of music stars who aren’t technically historical yet. But I couldn’t resist this one.
http://allysonmwhipple.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/flash-fiction-challenge-plucked-from-the-pages-of-history/
[…] crazy summer of travel is over, so it’s time to start spinning tales. This is my entry for this week’s flash fiction challenge at terribleminds. Famous people doing fictional things. As a musician as well as a fiction writer, I’ve […]
Bob Dylan stoned on the banks of the Ganges with Mother Teresa?
As a musician as well as fiction writer, I’ve always been a Dylan fan. It was really fun to see how many lyric fragments or song titles I could fit into the story limit. All you Dylan fans, see if you can find them all…
Read it here – http://sittingindarkness.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/mama-youve-been-on-my-mind/
This one was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. >.> But! here we go:
http://samanthajmathis.tumblr.com/post/9616423615/peggy-lee-super-spy
[…] This my entry to Chuck Wendigo’s Terribleminds.com Flash Fiction Challenge Plucked from the pages of History […]
I’ve been away for a brief hiatus, but I’m back and kicking bottom.
here’s my entry, I hope you like it…. It’s called ‘The King’s Evil’
http://cheddarnightmares.wordpress.com/2011/08/31/the-kings-evil/
Dear all
This time round, I have in fact fitted into the word limit, and have taken a somewhat distinctive spin on the controversy surrounding Elizabeth I and Robert and Amy Dudly. If you don’t know much about them, here’s some Wiki’s for your pleasure
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Dudley,_1st_Earl_of_Leicester#Amy_Dudley.27s_death
And the story…
http://www.michaelstuarttrimmer.co.uk/affairs_of_court_and_state.html
Enjoy!
Michael
Hi All. This was harder than it might have been due to a week of constant interruptions. i was happy to produce a story in spite of them.
Revolt in 2150 http://wp.me/p1BAlV-1c
[…] A flash fiction response to a challenge issued by Chuck Wendig at terribleminds.com. […]
http://amytupper.net/2011/09/01/sanremo/
Hey I know I’m a bit late but I finished an interesting piece taking well known rumors about one famous man and making a story of my own—maybe it will be a series, who knows.
Its called “A Rebirth” and can be found here: http://eliomans.com/journal/2011/09/01/a-rebirth/
Comments would be nice!
Here it is.
http://robynettely.blogspot.com/2011/09/flash-fiction-challenge-amelia-earhart.html
I’ve been so looking forward to reading everyone else’s!
[…] “Plucked From The Pages Of History” is the prior week’s challenge, and I ask — nay, demand! — you go check it out. Right now. No, no, I’ll wait. […]
Here is my attempt at last week’s challenge
http://impossiblejournal.blogspot.com/2011/09/sic-semper-tyrannis.html
http://writex3.blogspot.com/2011/09/king-kamehameha-takes-to-voyageurs.html
It’s very late. I offer no excuse. So instead I give you double portions. First a tale of a few brothers in a small town in texas.
http://sparky29252.blogspot.com/2011/09/three-nightingales.html
And second: a meeting between a monster and a devil.
http://sparky29252.blogspot.com/2011/09/four-months-of-gomorrah.html
[…] This my entry to Chuck Wendig’s Terribleminds.com Flash Fiction Challenge Plucked from the pages of History […]