This is a new series of writing prompts, inspired by some comments over at Porky's Expanse. The idea is to confound expectations and transcend genre, giving people who are looking for something else entirely a (hopefully pleasant) surprise.
Or it might just be a shameless experiment at driving traffic. Let me know how it works out.
On to this week's prompt:
Myth-marked Merchandising #1- Twilight
Write a poem or piece of very short fiction (500 words or less) that is *not* a vampire or werewolf piece that uses at least seven of the following words or phrases (bonus points for using all of them):
twilight
new moon
eclipse
breaking dawn
bloodlust
fanged
sparkle
swan
phoenix
bestial
transformation
Post your response in the comments or post a link in the comments here directly to your response on your blog.
Have fun!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Expansion Joints: part 17, "Lines"
These are my responses to the June 26th, 2011 Expansion Joints Challenge.
*************************************************************************************
"Won't the Imperium send us assistance?"
The governor laughed.
"Not unless it lines their coffers."
*************************************************************************************
Clear instructions: "Keep communication lines open."
Well, the unreliable com-link's queue never shortens...
Good enough?
*************************************************************************************
"Won't the Imperium send us assistance?"
The governor laughed.
"Not unless it lines their coffers."
*************************************************************************************
Clear instructions: "Keep communication lines open."
Well, the unreliable com-link's queue never shortens...
Good enough?
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Expansion Joints Challenge: part 17, "Lines"
When this exercise was hosted over at Porky's Expanse!, he always chose the word for the Expanders! challenge based on some relevant happening or theme. This week, the word choice was relatively easy, although getting to the computer to write the actual post was hard. As I've mentioned before, my son is in a production of "Much Ado About Nothing" this summer, and today marked the day that he needed to be "off book". Consequently, much of the week here has been spent practicing his part and running to and from rehearsals. At this point, I could probably act as a passable understudy for every character he interacts with on stage. A good part of my business week has been taken up with the sorts of administrative details that require standing in queues or waiting on hold while bureaucrats accidentally delete your file and ask you to resubmit forms for the third time. After a week of this, I've begun to notice a certain haggard look to my face, and a least a few new wrinkles. I'm putting it down to stress and dehydration, not age, and, as this is a fiction blog, I can get away with that. The clincher for today's word choice was this post at Porky's Expanse, regarding the boundaries between SF and Fantasy. The common thread binding them all together? Lines, and that is the word of the week.
If you aren't familiar with the Expansion Joints project, it all began over at Porky's Expanse!.
The rules are just as they are described over at Porky's: as much narrative as you can cram into fifteen words, one of which must be the word of the week.
This can take the form of
1. An epyllion,or litle epic, a stand-alone fifteen-word narrative, or
2. An epos, or 'epic'. Instead of an independent 15-word story, you can choose to develop someone else's story from a previous week, or extend your own story from week to week. Just write the next installment. If it has 15 words, uses the word of the week, and continues the story, you've done it.
There are two important things to think about if you choose epos. First, you should have the permission of the person who wrote the story you will develop. If anyone writes a 15-word epyllion or adds to an epos and is happy for others to develop it later, please say so, with something like 'for use in an epos'. Second, by using specific elements of someone else's story, we technically create a derivative work, so it's best to avoid this.
There are a number of generous contributors who have given express permission to use some of their writing as the basis for epos:
Porky, the founder of the project, offers up all of his contributions.
GDMNW has opened up the three stories here.
Dave G_Nplusplus makes any of his Expanders! stories available for use in an epos.
Arlequin has an epos running on his Expanders! page, and he has graciously extended permission to play with any or all of the contributions there.
Andy, over at The Creepy Corridor, has also made his epos posts available for expansion.
And, as always, feel free to use any of the stories on this blog that are tagged as "Expansion Joints" in an epos.
Words that have previously made an appearance in an Expanders!/Expansion Joints include: food, fort, stuff, elf, rogue, pass, fool, hammer, note, temper, table, twisted, missing, sacrifice, spirit, rush, and tie, in case you are of an historical bent, or wish to write a complete set.
When you've finished writing your entry for this week, either post your 15-word story directly in the comments here, or leave a link in the comments to the blog page where we can find it.
If you aren't familiar with the Expansion Joints project, it all began over at Porky's Expanse!.
The rules are just as they are described over at Porky's: as much narrative as you can cram into fifteen words, one of which must be the word of the week.
This can take the form of
1. An epyllion,or litle epic, a stand-alone fifteen-word narrative, or
2. An epos, or 'epic'. Instead of an independent 15-word story, you can choose to develop someone else's story from a previous week, or extend your own story from week to week. Just write the next installment. If it has 15 words, uses the word of the week, and continues the story, you've done it.
There are two important things to think about if you choose epos. First, you should have the permission of the person who wrote the story you will develop. If anyone writes a 15-word epyllion or adds to an epos and is happy for others to develop it later, please say so, with something like 'for use in an epos'. Second, by using specific elements of someone else's story, we technically create a derivative work, so it's best to avoid this.
There are a number of generous contributors who have given express permission to use some of their writing as the basis for epos:
Porky, the founder of the project, offers up all of his contributions.
GDMNW has opened up the three stories here.
Dave G_Nplusplus makes any of his Expanders! stories available for use in an epos.
Arlequin has an epos running on his Expanders! page, and he has graciously extended permission to play with any or all of the contributions there.
Andy, over at The Creepy Corridor, has also made his epos posts available for expansion.
And, as always, feel free to use any of the stories on this blog that are tagged as "Expansion Joints" in an epos.
Words that have previously made an appearance in an Expanders!/Expansion Joints include: food, fort, stuff, elf, rogue, pass, fool, hammer, note, temper, table, twisted, missing, sacrifice, spirit, rush, and tie, in case you are of an historical bent, or wish to write a complete set.
When you've finished writing your entry for this week, either post your 15-word story directly in the comments here, or leave a link in the comments to the blog page where we can find it.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Flash Fearsday - The Next Generation
"You found the energy drain?"
"Positive."
"Permanent?"
"Usually is. Some say it lessens over time."
"What's it called?"
"This one? Junior."
***********************************************************************************
This is my entry for the June 23rd, 2011 Flash Fearsday challenge. over at Lunching on Lamias, where the mission is to write a horror tale in 140 characters. This week's entry is dedicated to my friends who are the proud, but sleepless, parents of a two-month-old baby.
"Positive."
"Permanent?"
"Usually is. Some say it lessens over time."
"What's it called?"
"This one? Junior."
***********************************************************************************
This is my entry for the June 23rd, 2011 Flash Fearsday challenge. over at Lunching on Lamias, where the mission is to write a horror tale in 140 characters. This week's entry is dedicated to my friends who are the proud, but sleepless, parents of a two-month-old baby.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Expansion Joints Challenge: part 16, "Tie"
When this exercise was hosted over at Porky's Expanse!, he always chose the word for the Expanders! challenge based on some relevant happening or theme. This week has me reflecting on connections, both ephemeral and lasting. In many ways, this was a time for revealing and re-establishing connections for me. Early in the week, I was surprised to find messages from a few people I hadn't seen or spoken with in over twenty-five years, a welcome, if somewhat inexplicable, renewal of bonds I'd thought long-severed through neglect on both sides. Continuing the trend, I went into the office on Saturday (a relative rarity) to help out a client who was only back in town for a few days, and received news of some old college roommates - from someone who I had no idea knew them. In other ways, this week has been a reminder of how tenuous and fragile those links between individuals and within communities can be, how easily small things can disrupt them, and how carefully and intentionally we need to cultivate them to keep them strong: a friend of 20 years, whose home and business have been gathering places where many have come to laugh, cry, organize, be nourished, share, and create may be moving a thousand miles away; my younger brother, back from Iraq for the past six months, deployed to Afghanistan yesterday. This week also marked the twentieth anniversary of my father's passing. So, in recognition of the strands of love and affection, relationship and interest, coincidence and intention that join us all, and in a nod to the perennial present of Father's Day, (an object expressly forbidden to appear at my father's funeral), the word of the week is "tie".
If you aren't familiar with the Expansion Joints project, it all began over at Porky's Expanse!.
The rules are just as they are described over at Porky's: as much narrative as you can cram into fifteen words, one of which must be the word of the week.
This can take the form of
1. An epyllion,or litle epic, a stand-alone fifteen-word narrative, or
2. An epos, or 'epic'. Instead of an independent 15-word story, you can choose to develop someone else's story from a previous week, or extend your own story from week to week. Just write the next installment. If it has 15 words, uses the word of the week, and continues the story, you've done it.
There are two important things to think about if you choose epos. First, you should have the permission of the person who wrote the story you will develop. If anyone writes a 15-word epyllion or adds to an epos and is happy for others to develop it later, please say so, with something like 'for use in an epos'. Second, by using specific elements of someone else's story, we technically create a derivative work, so it's best to avoid this.
There are a number of generous contributors who have given express permission to use some of their writing as the basis for epos:
Porky, the founder of the project, offers up all of his contributions.
GDMNW has opened up the three stories here.
Dave G_Nplusplus makes any of his Expanders! stories available for use in an epos.
Arlequin has an epos running on his Expanders! page, and he has graciously extended permission to play with any or all of the contributions there.
Andy, over at The Creepy Corridor, has also made his epos posts available for expansion.
And, as always, feel free to use any of the stories on this blog that are tagged as "Expansion Joints" in an epos.
Words that have previously made an appearance in an Expanders!/Expansion Joints include: food, fort, stuff, elf, rogue, pass, fool, hammer, note, temper, table, twisted, missing, sacrifice, spirit, and rush, in case you are of an historical bent, or wish to write a complete set.
When you've finished writing your entry for this week, either post your 15-word story directly in the comments here, or leave a link in the comments to the blog page where we can find it.
If you aren't familiar with the Expansion Joints project, it all began over at Porky's Expanse!.
The rules are just as they are described over at Porky's: as much narrative as you can cram into fifteen words, one of which must be the word of the week.
This can take the form of
1. An epyllion,or litle epic, a stand-alone fifteen-word narrative, or
2. An epos, or 'epic'. Instead of an independent 15-word story, you can choose to develop someone else's story from a previous week, or extend your own story from week to week. Just write the next installment. If it has 15 words, uses the word of the week, and continues the story, you've done it.
There are two important things to think about if you choose epos. First, you should have the permission of the person who wrote the story you will develop. If anyone writes a 15-word epyllion or adds to an epos and is happy for others to develop it later, please say so, with something like 'for use in an epos'. Second, by using specific elements of someone else's story, we technically create a derivative work, so it's best to avoid this.
There are a number of generous contributors who have given express permission to use some of their writing as the basis for epos:
Porky, the founder of the project, offers up all of his contributions.
GDMNW has opened up the three stories here.
Dave G_Nplusplus makes any of his Expanders! stories available for use in an epos.
Arlequin has an epos running on his Expanders! page, and he has graciously extended permission to play with any or all of the contributions there.
Andy, over at The Creepy Corridor, has also made his epos posts available for expansion.
And, as always, feel free to use any of the stories on this blog that are tagged as "Expansion Joints" in an epos.
Words that have previously made an appearance in an Expanders!/Expansion Joints include: food, fort, stuff, elf, rogue, pass, fool, hammer, note, temper, table, twisted, missing, sacrifice, spirit, and rush, in case you are of an historical bent, or wish to write a complete set.
When you've finished writing your entry for this week, either post your 15-word story directly in the comments here, or leave a link in the comments to the blog page where we can find it.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Expansion Joints Challenge: part 15, "Rush"
When this exercise was hosted over at Porky's Expanse!, he always chose the word for the Expanders! challenge based on some relevant happening or theme. I have been extremely pressed for time, of late, which shows in the dearth of posts and comments from me over the past few weeks, and I have, in addition, been sick off and on this week with a bug that, while not continuously preventing me from being up and about and working more hours than I am used to, has left me dizzy and light-headed. As a result, I have not had much time or, frankly, inclination, to see what is going on in the wider world, although even I have not been able to escape the media coverage (Circus? Stampede? Feeding frenzy?) surrounding the regrettably-named Rep. Weiner. The bright spot in my week was the chance to see some of the natural beauty of the area while on my way from one job to another. The only word that seems to capture all of this for me is "rush", and that is the word of the week.
If you aren't familiar with the Expansion Joints project, it all began over at Porky's Expanse!.
The rules are just as they are described over at Porky's: as much narrative as you can cram into fifteen words, one of which must be the word of the week.
This can take the form of
1. An epyllion,or litle epic, a stand-alone fifteen-word narrative, or
2. An epos, or 'epic'. Instead of an independent 15-word story, you can choose to develop someone else's story from a previous week, or extend your own story from week to week. Just write the next installment. If it has 15 words, uses the word of the week, and continues the story, you've done it.
There are two important things to think about if you choose epos. First, you should have the permission of the person who wrote the story you will develop. If anyone writes a 15-word epyllion or adds to an epos and is happy for others to develop it later, please say so, with something like 'for use in an epos'. Second, by using specific elements of someone else's story, we technically create a derivative work, so it's best to avoid this.
There are a number of generous contributors who have given express permission to use some of their writing as the basis for epos:
Porky, the founder of the project, offers up all of his contributions.
GDMNW has opened up the three stories here.
Dave G_Nplusplus makes any of his Expanders! stories available for use in an epos.
Arlequin has an epos running on his Expanders! page, and he has graciously extended permission to play with any or all of the contributions there.
Andy, over at The Creepy Corridor, has also made his epos posts available for expansion.
And, as always, feel free to use any of the stories on this blog that are tagged as "Expansion Joints" in an epos.
Words that have previously made an appearance in an Expanders!/Expansion Joints include: food, fort, stuff, elf, rogue, pass, fool, hammer, note, temper, table, twisted, missing, sacrifice, and spirit, in case you are of an historical bent, or wish to write a complete set.
When you've finished writing your entry for this week, either post your 15-word story directly in the comments here, or leave a link in the comments to the blog page where we can find it.
If you aren't familiar with the Expansion Joints project, it all began over at Porky's Expanse!.
The rules are just as they are described over at Porky's: as much narrative as you can cram into fifteen words, one of which must be the word of the week.
This can take the form of
1. An epyllion,or litle epic, a stand-alone fifteen-word narrative, or
2. An epos, or 'epic'. Instead of an independent 15-word story, you can choose to develop someone else's story from a previous week, or extend your own story from week to week. Just write the next installment. If it has 15 words, uses the word of the week, and continues the story, you've done it.
There are two important things to think about if you choose epos. First, you should have the permission of the person who wrote the story you will develop. If anyone writes a 15-word epyllion or adds to an epos and is happy for others to develop it later, please say so, with something like 'for use in an epos'. Second, by using specific elements of someone else's story, we technically create a derivative work, so it's best to avoid this.
There are a number of generous contributors who have given express permission to use some of their writing as the basis for epos:
Porky, the founder of the project, offers up all of his contributions.
GDMNW has opened up the three stories here.
Dave G_Nplusplus makes any of his Expanders! stories available for use in an epos.
Arlequin has an epos running on his Expanders! page, and he has graciously extended permission to play with any or all of the contributions there.
Andy, over at The Creepy Corridor, has also made his epos posts available for expansion.
And, as always, feel free to use any of the stories on this blog that are tagged as "Expansion Joints" in an epos.
Words that have previously made an appearance in an Expanders!/Expansion Joints include: food, fort, stuff, elf, rogue, pass, fool, hammer, note, temper, table, twisted, missing, sacrifice, and spirit, in case you are of an historical bent, or wish to write a complete set.
When you've finished writing your entry for this week, either post your 15-word story directly in the comments here, or leave a link in the comments to the blog page where we can find it.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Expansion Joints Challenge: part 14, "Spirit"
When this exercise was hosted over at Porky's Expanse!, he always chose the word for the Expanders! challenge based on some relevant happening. This week has been one of dramatic beginnings and endings for many in the larger world, with the departure of the Yemeni president, the beginning in earnest of the political campaign season for people who may or may not be seeking the Republican nomination for President of the US, and the graduation of droves of US high school and college students. In my personal sphere, the beginning and ending was echoed, as my son finished up our homeschooling year by sitting for his SATs (the end of a huge struggle for him) and starting rehearsals for his role as Borachio, Don Jon's hard-drinking accomplice, in a community theater summer production of "Much Ado About Nothing", I finally got access to Kenneth Branagh's "Hamlet", and had a dear friend (the second in two months) start chemotherapy while reassuring everyone around him that it is no big deal. Such a week requires a word that can cover a lot of ground, and work on many different levels. The only one I found that really tied these disparate events together was "spirit", and that is the word of the week.
If you aren't familiar with the Expansion Joints project, it all began over at Porky's Expanse!.
The rules are just as they are described over at Porky's: as much narrative as you can cram into fifteen words, one of which must be the word of the week.
This can take the form of
1. An epyllion,or litle epic, a stand-alone fifteen-word narrative, or
2. An epos, or 'epic'. Instead of an independent 15-word story, you can choose to develop someone else's story from a previous week, or extend your own story from week to week. Just write the next installment. If it has 15 words, uses the word of the week, and continues the story, you've done it.
There are two important things to think about if you choose epos. First, you should have the permission of the person who wrote the story you will develop. If anyone writes a 15-word epyllion or adds to an epos and is happy for others to develop it later, please say so, with something like 'for use in an epos'. Second, by using specific elements of someone else's story, we technically create a derivative work, so it's best to avoid this.
There are a number of generous contributors who have given express permission to use some of their writing as the basis for epos:
Porky, the founder of the project, offers up all of his contributions.
GDMNW has opened up the three stories here.
Dave G_Nplusplus makes any of his Expanders! stories available for use in an epos.
Arlequin has an epos running on his Expanders! page, and he has graciously extended permission to play with any or all of the contributions there.
Andy, over at The Creepy Corridor, has also made his epos posts available for expansion.
And, as always, feel free to use any of the stories on this blog that are tagged as "Expansion Joints" in an epos.
Words that have previously made an appearance in an Expanders!/Expansion Joints include: food, fort, stuff, elf, rogue, pass, fool, hammer, note, temper, table, twisted, missing, and sacrifice, in case you are of an historical bent, or wish to write a complete set.
When you've finished writing your entry for this week, either post your 15-word story directly in the comments here, or leave a link in the comments to the blog page where we can find it.
If you aren't familiar with the Expansion Joints project, it all began over at Porky's Expanse!.
The rules are just as they are described over at Porky's: as much narrative as you can cram into fifteen words, one of which must be the word of the week.
This can take the form of
1. An epyllion,or litle epic, a stand-alone fifteen-word narrative, or
2. An epos, or 'epic'. Instead of an independent 15-word story, you can choose to develop someone else's story from a previous week, or extend your own story from week to week. Just write the next installment. If it has 15 words, uses the word of the week, and continues the story, you've done it.
There are two important things to think about if you choose epos. First, you should have the permission of the person who wrote the story you will develop. If anyone writes a 15-word epyllion or adds to an epos and is happy for others to develop it later, please say so, with something like 'for use in an epos'. Second, by using specific elements of someone else's story, we technically create a derivative work, so it's best to avoid this.
There are a number of generous contributors who have given express permission to use some of their writing as the basis for epos:
Porky, the founder of the project, offers up all of his contributions.
GDMNW has opened up the three stories here.
Dave G_Nplusplus makes any of his Expanders! stories available for use in an epos.
Arlequin has an epos running on his Expanders! page, and he has graciously extended permission to play with any or all of the contributions there.
Andy, over at The Creepy Corridor, has also made his epos posts available for expansion.
And, as always, feel free to use any of the stories on this blog that are tagged as "Expansion Joints" in an epos.
Words that have previously made an appearance in an Expanders!/Expansion Joints include: food, fort, stuff, elf, rogue, pass, fool, hammer, note, temper, table, twisted, missing, and sacrifice, in case you are of an historical bent, or wish to write a complete set.
When you've finished writing your entry for this week, either post your 15-word story directly in the comments here, or leave a link in the comments to the blog page where we can find it.
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