Bascomb James's Blog, page 5
May 31, 2015
Five Science Fiction and Fantasy Story Prompts
Friend or Faux? A story about an (alien?) shapeshifter whose chimeric DNA makeup allows it to imitate anyone it touches. A conflict/solution (depending upon POV) arises when it assimilates template DNA from someone with a genetically-based neurodegenerative disease (such as Lou Gehrig's disease). The disease blocks the creature’s ability to shape-shift and it is trapped in a failing shell.
Junker A junk dealer who fixes/recycles broken items acquires a powerful spell writer with a defective spell checker. All hell breaks loose when (s)he tries to fix the infernal contraption.
Cookin’ Skag University researchers create yeast cells that can produce morphine and oxycodone from a simple glucose-based culture media. The organism is smuggled out of the facility on a Band-Aid and grown in sterile Mason jars. This could be a biological “Breaking Bad” scenario coupled with a little terrorist action/human interest as the market for opium poppies crashes. This story could be taken from tomorrow’s headlines. See this story from the University of California at Berkley bit.ly/1EWhwWT
Plug and Play A scientist learns to pull massive amounts of clean energy from another dimension, using inexpensive portable devices. The world’s energy problems are solved until the residents of the tapped dimension send a collection agency to settle the Earth’s delinquent power bill.
Potions A molecular biologist uses his training to create some of the most famous potions in history and sells them via the Internet. The potions work, but buyer beware!
Junker A junk dealer who fixes/recycles broken items acquires a powerful spell writer with a defective spell checker. All hell breaks loose when (s)he tries to fix the infernal contraption.
Cookin’ Skag University researchers create yeast cells that can produce morphine and oxycodone from a simple glucose-based culture media. The organism is smuggled out of the facility on a Band-Aid and grown in sterile Mason jars. This could be a biological “Breaking Bad” scenario coupled with a little terrorist action/human interest as the market for opium poppies crashes. This story could be taken from tomorrow’s headlines. See this story from the University of California at Berkley bit.ly/1EWhwWT
Plug and Play A scientist learns to pull massive amounts of clean energy from another dimension, using inexpensive portable devices. The world’s energy problems are solved until the residents of the tapped dimension send a collection agency to settle the Earth’s delinquent power bill.
Potions A molecular biologist uses his training to create some of the most famous potions in history and sells them via the Internet. The potions work, but buyer beware!
May 27, 2015
Catch and Release Storytelling
“I can hypnotize a rabbit.”
This phrase conjures a host of responses from incredulity, curiosity, and exasperation to concerns about the sanity of the speaker. But it’s also an example of a narrative hook I once used to get my audience interested in what comes next.
Picture if you will, an extended family dinner with 10 or 12 people at the grownup table and at least that many at the kids’ table. There was the usual level of noise and commotion associated with a large family dinner but there was also an air of curiosity--my nephew had brought his new girlfriend home to meet the family. She was an undergraduate science major and she had been told that I was a research and development scientist. So, as you might expect, she asked me what I did at the R&D center. I really didn’t want to put on my scientist’s hat at the dinner table so I responded that I did a lot of different things.
Undeterred, she said, “Tell us about one of them.”
And yes, I told everyone that I could hypnotize a rabbit.
My second point is that you have to know your audience. I could have talked about gene expression, viral antigen production, protein purification and a host of other things, but my non-science audience would have been bored to tears. Instead, I said something interesting--something unexpected--and after the hooting subsided, I was able tell my story about how I learned this unusual skill and why it was necessary.
Short story writing is much like telling a tale at dinner. You have to quickly engage the audience, keep the narrative brief and lively, and have a satisfying ending. The ending is as important as the hook because storytelling is catch and release fishing. You need to release them in good condition so you can hook 'em again later.
This phrase conjures a host of responses from incredulity, curiosity, and exasperation to concerns about the sanity of the speaker. But it’s also an example of a narrative hook I once used to get my audience interested in what comes next.
Picture if you will, an extended family dinner with 10 or 12 people at the grownup table and at least that many at the kids’ table. There was the usual level of noise and commotion associated with a large family dinner but there was also an air of curiosity--my nephew had brought his new girlfriend home to meet the family. She was an undergraduate science major and she had been told that I was a research and development scientist. So, as you might expect, she asked me what I did at the R&D center. I really didn’t want to put on my scientist’s hat at the dinner table so I responded that I did a lot of different things.
Undeterred, she said, “Tell us about one of them.”
And yes, I told everyone that I could hypnotize a rabbit.
My second point is that you have to know your audience. I could have talked about gene expression, viral antigen production, protein purification and a host of other things, but my non-science audience would have been bored to tears. Instead, I said something interesting--something unexpected--and after the hooting subsided, I was able tell my story about how I learned this unusual skill and why it was necessary.
Short story writing is much like telling a tale at dinner. You have to quickly engage the audience, keep the narrative brief and lively, and have a satisfying ending. The ending is as important as the hook because storytelling is catch and release fishing. You need to release them in good condition so you can hook 'em again later.
I Can Hypnotize a Rabbit
“I can hypnotize a rabbit.”
This phrase conjures a host of responses from incredulity, curiosity, and exasperation to concerns about the sanity of the speaker. But it’s also an example of a narrative hook I once used to get my audience interested in what comes next.
Picture if you will, an extended family dinner with 10 or 12 people at the grownup table and at least that many at the kids’ table. There was the usual level of noise and commotion associated with a large family dinner but there was also an air of curiosity--my nephew had brought his new girlfriend home to meet the family. She was an undergraduate science major and she had been told that I was a research and development scientist. So, as you might expect, she asked me what I did at the R&D center. I really didn’t want to put on my scientist’s hat at the dinner table so I responded that I did a lot of different things.
Undeterred, she said, “Tell us about one of them.”
And yes, I told everyone that I could hypnotize a rabbit.
My second point is that you have to know your audience. I could have talked about gene expression, viral antigen production, protein purification and a host of other things, but my non-science audience would have been bored to tears. Instead, I said something interesting--something unexpected--and after the hooting subsided, I was able tell my story about how I learned this unusual skill and why it was necessary.
Short story writing is much like telling a tale at dinner. You have to quickly engage the audience, keep the narrative brief and lively, and have a satisfying ending. The ending is as important as the hook because storytelling is catch and release fishing. You need to release them in good condition so you can hook 'em again later.
This phrase conjures a host of responses from incredulity, curiosity, and exasperation to concerns about the sanity of the speaker. But it’s also an example of a narrative hook I once used to get my audience interested in what comes next.
Picture if you will, an extended family dinner with 10 or 12 people at the grownup table and at least that many at the kids’ table. There was the usual level of noise and commotion associated with a large family dinner but there was also an air of curiosity--my nephew had brought his new girlfriend home to meet the family. She was an undergraduate science major and she had been told that I was a research and development scientist. So, as you might expect, she asked me what I did at the R&D center. I really didn’t want to put on my scientist’s hat at the dinner table so I responded that I did a lot of different things.
Undeterred, she said, “Tell us about one of them.”
And yes, I told everyone that I could hypnotize a rabbit.
My second point is that you have to know your audience. I could have talked about gene expression, viral antigen production, protein purification and a host of other things, but my non-science audience would have been bored to tears. Instead, I said something interesting--something unexpected--and after the hooting subsided, I was able tell my story about how I learned this unusual skill and why it was necessary.
Short story writing is much like telling a tale at dinner. You have to quickly engage the audience, keep the narrative brief and lively, and have a satisfying ending. The ending is as important as the hook because storytelling is catch and release fishing. You need to release them in good condition so you can hook 'em again later.
May 11, 2015
Coffee with Grandpa
Up North Stories. My grandparents were poor Mennonite dairy farmers who lived near Fairview Michigan. Every day is a work day on a dairy farm, and workdays started early. Grandma would stoke the wood-burning cook stove and make breakfast while Grandpa brought in firewood and started his chores. When breakfast was ready, they would eat and talk about the day. After breakfast, Grandpa went down the hill to milk the cows and Grandma cleared away the dishes and attended to her chores.
When the milking was finished, Grandpa came back up the hill for coffee and toast. I remember Grandpa’s cup, a sturdy cream colored vessel with a round tapered bottom and a one-finger handle high on the side. When I see this style today it’s always a “Grandpa Cup.”
Coffee with Grandpa was instant coffee with milk and sugar and two slices of toast. I’m sure he had coffee cake or pastry once in a while, but I remember the toast. Grandpa buttered his toast, folded it in half, and dunked it into his coffee before taking a bite. He would eat soggy toast and drink his coffee every morning. I don’t think he noticed the buttery film floating on top of the coffee and coating his cup.
Grandpa and I were pretty close. Whenever we visited, I would sit with him while he had his coffee. Mom and Grandma believed children should not drink coffee – “it would stunt your growth” - so I sat at the table with my toast and a glass of milk. Sometimes, when Grandma was in the next room, Grandpa brought a second cup to the table - a cup just like his! Grandpa would wink at me and with a finger pressed to his lips, he would transfer several spoonfuls of his coffee to my cup and fill the cup with milk. I was so proud at these moments because I was having coffee, just like Grandpa. And just like Grandpa, I folded my toast and dunked it.
You may be interested in these Up North Stories:
New Feature: Up North Stories
Skinny Dip
Radio and the Fabric of our Lives
Early Reading Experiences
When the milking was finished, Grandpa came back up the hill for coffee and toast. I remember Grandpa’s cup, a sturdy cream colored vessel with a round tapered bottom and a one-finger handle high on the side. When I see this style today it’s always a “Grandpa Cup.”
Coffee with Grandpa was instant coffee with milk and sugar and two slices of toast. I’m sure he had coffee cake or pastry once in a while, but I remember the toast. Grandpa buttered his toast, folded it in half, and dunked it into his coffee before taking a bite. He would eat soggy toast and drink his coffee every morning. I don’t think he noticed the buttery film floating on top of the coffee and coating his cup.
Grandpa and I were pretty close. Whenever we visited, I would sit with him while he had his coffee. Mom and Grandma believed children should not drink coffee – “it would stunt your growth” - so I sat at the table with my toast and a glass of milk. Sometimes, when Grandma was in the next room, Grandpa brought a second cup to the table - a cup just like his! Grandpa would wink at me and with a finger pressed to his lips, he would transfer several spoonfuls of his coffee to my cup and fill the cup with milk. I was so proud at these moments because I was having coffee, just like Grandpa. And just like Grandpa, I folded my toast and dunked it.
You may be interested in these Up North Stories:
New Feature: Up North Stories
Skinny Dip
Radio and the Fabric of our Lives
Early Reading Experiences
April 29, 2015
Ten Writing Prompts for Covalent Bonds – Geeks in Love
As some of you may know, Red Moon Romance has an open call for geek love stories. The anthology is called,
Covalent Bonds – Geeks in Love
. I am not a romance writer but I’m definitely a geek and my geekiness compelled me to generate ten geek romance titles and story prompts.
Yes, I know romance stories are about the relationship, but my inner geek says that geek romance stories need to have some science in them to make them realistic.
I hope you find these prompts and titles amusing and/or helpfulBoxers and Briefs - lawyer representing boxing/MMA pugilistsBenchmark - romance in the standards lab. Is the atomic clock accurate enough? http://t.co/n5NsNAOuHW http://t.co/MuWWUpABFD http://t.co/ElFYaIy2sU Mechanical Stimulation - psychologist and a mechanical engineer working on feedback controls for artificial limbs.What the Frack! - geologist and an environmentalist.(un)Zipping Your Genes - biochemist and a molecular biologist (look up topoisomerase)Three Sheets to the Wind - Yacht racing/marine engineer and female racing captain
Backstory - research librarian and a historical fiction novelist square off
Shake and Bake – love in NASA's food science lab
The Woollies – large animal zoologists with differing opinions about bringing back the woolly mammoth. http://bit.ly/1OlgONE
Bring the Rain - weather control engineer and an environmentalist
Red Moon Romance http://bit.ly/1JiSqc6
Submission window closes December 15, 2015.
Yes, I know romance stories are about the relationship, but my inner geek says that geek romance stories need to have some science in them to make them realistic.
I hope you find these prompts and titles amusing and/or helpfulBoxers and Briefs - lawyer representing boxing/MMA pugilistsBenchmark - romance in the standards lab. Is the atomic clock accurate enough? http://t.co/n5NsNAOuHW http://t.co/MuWWUpABFD http://t.co/ElFYaIy2sU Mechanical Stimulation - psychologist and a mechanical engineer working on feedback controls for artificial limbs.What the Frack! - geologist and an environmentalist.(un)Zipping Your Genes - biochemist and a molecular biologist (look up topoisomerase)Three Sheets to the Wind - Yacht racing/marine engineer and female racing captain
Backstory - research librarian and a historical fiction novelist square off
Shake and Bake – love in NASA's food science lab
The Woollies – large animal zoologists with differing opinions about bringing back the woolly mammoth. http://bit.ly/1OlgONE
Bring the Rain - weather control engineer and an environmentalist
Red Moon Romance http://bit.ly/1JiSqc6
Submission window closes December 15, 2015.
April 3, 2015
Update for Far Orbit: Apogee
I wanted to give everyone an update on the Far Orbit: Apogee anthology. The submission window closed on April 1st and everyone who submitted a story should have received a response from me. If you haven’t heard anything, please send me a note.
I want to thank everyone who took the time to submit their stories. The response to our story call was outstanding! We set Far Orbit and a World Weaver Press records for the number of submissions to a single anthology.
The quality of the submissions was very high and it was a pleasure to read so many imaginative and well-written tales. Like most anthologists, I had the difficult task of saying, “No, thank you” to many high quality stories that didn't quite mesh with my vision for the anthology. I really wish I had a place to put those stories.
During the open call, I made a concerted effort to respond quickly to your submissions. The average response time was 24 hours with a range of 2 hours to 4 days. I tried to keep the response times short so that authors could submit multiple stories during the open reading period. Several authors took advantage of this policy and the anthology will be stronger because of it.
So what happens next?
April and May. We’ll be making final story selections, editing the stories, and issuing story contracts. June. I’ll be writing story intros, volume intros, and cover blurbsJuly. The first “final” draft goes to World Weaver Press for their production workup (cover art, copy editing, generating advance reader copies, book building, marketing, promotion, and distribution). November. Publication of Far Orbit: Apogee. January, 2016. Open call for the third Far Orbit anthology – Far Orbit: Perigee
I want to thank everyone who took the time to submit their stories. The response to our story call was outstanding! We set Far Orbit and a World Weaver Press records for the number of submissions to a single anthology.
The quality of the submissions was very high and it was a pleasure to read so many imaginative and well-written tales. Like most anthologists, I had the difficult task of saying, “No, thank you” to many high quality stories that didn't quite mesh with my vision for the anthology. I really wish I had a place to put those stories.
During the open call, I made a concerted effort to respond quickly to your submissions. The average response time was 24 hours with a range of 2 hours to 4 days. I tried to keep the response times short so that authors could submit multiple stories during the open reading period. Several authors took advantage of this policy and the anthology will be stronger because of it.
So what happens next?
April and May. We’ll be making final story selections, editing the stories, and issuing story contracts. June. I’ll be writing story intros, volume intros, and cover blurbsJuly. The first “final” draft goes to World Weaver Press for their production workup (cover art, copy editing, generating advance reader copies, book building, marketing, promotion, and distribution). November. Publication of Far Orbit: Apogee. January, 2016. Open call for the third Far Orbit anthology – Far Orbit: Perigee
January 21, 2015
Libriomancer Series
I've been reading the Libriomancer series by Jim C. Hines. I really love this series because it provides a fresh approach to the magic realm. As a writer and editor, the “magic of books” has a special appeal for me. The SF and fantasy reader in me is constantly tickled because the author references many familiar titles, pulling surprises from each.
The setting also has a special appeal because the stories are mostly set in Michigan. The scenes and local references make me smile. (Do you know what Yoopers and Cudighies are? By the way, Chudighi is pronounced Coo' da ghee.)
My personal foibles aside, I found the books to be imaginative, well-paced, and fun to read. The protagonist, Isaac Vianio, is a libriomancer - a person who can manipulate the magic in books. In the first volume, Isaac reaches into Ann Crispin's book "Vulcan's Mirror," pulls out a disruptor pistol, and uses it to dispatch three vampires who want to cancel his library card permanently.
That got me thinking. If you could pull one item into our world from any book you've read, what would it be? Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth? The cordial of healing from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe? The Holy Grail? Harry Potter's invisibility cloak?
The setting also has a special appeal because the stories are mostly set in Michigan. The scenes and local references make me smile. (Do you know what Yoopers and Cudighies are? By the way, Chudighi is pronounced Coo' da ghee.)
My personal foibles aside, I found the books to be imaginative, well-paced, and fun to read. The protagonist, Isaac Vianio, is a libriomancer - a person who can manipulate the magic in books. In the first volume, Isaac reaches into Ann Crispin's book "Vulcan's Mirror," pulls out a disruptor pistol, and uses it to dispatch three vampires who want to cancel his library card permanently.
That got me thinking. If you could pull one item into our world from any book you've read, what would it be? Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth? The cordial of healing from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe? The Holy Grail? Harry Potter's invisibility cloak?
December 21, 2014
Night Owl Reviews – Top Pick for 2014!
I woke up this morning to find a wonderful tweet from World Weaver Press. It appears that Night Owl Reviews just published a five-star review of the Far Orbit anthology and they gave it a Top Pick award for 2014. Whoo Hoo! (insert happy dance, fist pump) What a great way to start the morning.
The review can be found here: http://scifi.nightowlreviews.com/v5/reviews/dawncolclasure-reviews-far-orbit-anthology-2014
As the editor and anthologist for Far Orbit: Speculative Space Adventures, I’m obviously pleased by the news. However, I’m just the guy standing in the front of the band waving the stick. The real praise must go to the 13 talented authors who contributed the stories. Without their talents and abilities, the anthology would not have been possible. Well done!
This encouraging news couldn't have come at a better time. World Weaver Press has given the second Far Orbit anthology the green light and the open reading period for Far Orbit: Apogee will open in a few weeks. We are starting our search anew. I’ll be reviewing your submissions over the next three months and I encourage prospective authors to check out the anthology call (links below) to learn what I like and how to submit your story.
It’s story time!
Anthology call links:
http://www.bascombjames.com/blog/anthology-call-far-orbit-apogee
http://www.worldweaverpress.com/submit-anthologies.html
The review can be found here: http://scifi.nightowlreviews.com/v5/reviews/dawncolclasure-reviews-far-orbit-anthology-2014
As the editor and anthologist for Far Orbit: Speculative Space Adventures, I’m obviously pleased by the news. However, I’m just the guy standing in the front of the band waving the stick. The real praise must go to the 13 talented authors who contributed the stories. Without their talents and abilities, the anthology would not have been possible. Well done!
This encouraging news couldn't have come at a better time. World Weaver Press has given the second Far Orbit anthology the green light and the open reading period for Far Orbit: Apogee will open in a few weeks. We are starting our search anew. I’ll be reviewing your submissions over the next three months and I encourage prospective authors to check out the anthology call (links below) to learn what I like and how to submit your story.
It’s story time!
Anthology call links:
http://www.bascombjames.com/blog/anthology-call-far-orbit-apogee
http://www.worldweaverpress.com/submit-anthologies.html
December 14, 2014
Success or Something Else?
As 2014 draws to a close, I find myself wondering if I accomplished my goals for the year. Was 2014 a success or something else?
At the same time, I’m trying to map out what I want to accomplish in 2015. As I examine the map, I realize the goals seem solid enough, but the path keeps changing. Life events and procrastination alter the landscape making the “You are Here” mark wiggle around at random. Mountains and chasms appear in my path as if by magic, generated by unseen outside forces. Charybdis and Scylla, the twin challenges of health and what I do about it, are PacMan ghosts dogging my heels or lying in wait, eager to gobble me up if I lose focus. All the while, the idyllic island of Circe beckons seductively, urging me to lay down my quest and spend time exploring newer and shinier projects. The seductive soundtrack for this journey is provided by the Sirens of doubt and intractable laziness.
So here I am, standing at the edge of the year, looking forward and backward. One gaze measures my progress; the other deciding where I want to go. As I contemplate past and future, I finally realize that, as the author of my life story, I need to know whether I’m a plotter or a seat-of-the-pants writer. Why? Because success looks different to these writers. The pantser has goals, but they are loosely held and subject to change. The real measure of pantser success is whether they are enjoying the journey and accomplishing meaningful (and sometimes unexpected) things along the way. The plotter has a checklist. A successful plotter year ends with all the boxes checked.
For most of my life, I have been a pantser, a spontaneous opportunist, but I’ve judged my successes by the number of checkmarks on my list. This is unfortunate because no matter how many cool unplanned things I accomplished during the year, I still didn’t get the job done.
We all have a mixture of plotter and pantser traits. As I move into the New Year, I need to better understand where I reside in the plotter-panser spectrum. I also need to develop a more realistic vision of what success will look like. The plotter in me must accept that successes of all types are still successes, even if they aren’t on the list. The pantser must understand that some goals must be achieved, despite all the shiny things catching my eye.
As I stand at the edge of the year, I lift my glass to 2014, 2015, and to realistic expectations.
At the same time, I’m trying to map out what I want to accomplish in 2015. As I examine the map, I realize the goals seem solid enough, but the path keeps changing. Life events and procrastination alter the landscape making the “You are Here” mark wiggle around at random. Mountains and chasms appear in my path as if by magic, generated by unseen outside forces. Charybdis and Scylla, the twin challenges of health and what I do about it, are PacMan ghosts dogging my heels or lying in wait, eager to gobble me up if I lose focus. All the while, the idyllic island of Circe beckons seductively, urging me to lay down my quest and spend time exploring newer and shinier projects. The seductive soundtrack for this journey is provided by the Sirens of doubt and intractable laziness.
So here I am, standing at the edge of the year, looking forward and backward. One gaze measures my progress; the other deciding where I want to go. As I contemplate past and future, I finally realize that, as the author of my life story, I need to know whether I’m a plotter or a seat-of-the-pants writer. Why? Because success looks different to these writers. The pantser has goals, but they are loosely held and subject to change. The real measure of pantser success is whether they are enjoying the journey and accomplishing meaningful (and sometimes unexpected) things along the way. The plotter has a checklist. A successful plotter year ends with all the boxes checked.
For most of my life, I have been a pantser, a spontaneous opportunist, but I’ve judged my successes by the number of checkmarks on my list. This is unfortunate because no matter how many cool unplanned things I accomplished during the year, I still didn’t get the job done.
We all have a mixture of plotter and pantser traits. As I move into the New Year, I need to better understand where I reside in the plotter-panser spectrum. I also need to develop a more realistic vision of what success will look like. The plotter in me must accept that successes of all types are still successes, even if they aren’t on the list. The pantser must understand that some goals must be achieved, despite all the shiny things catching my eye.
As I stand at the edge of the year, I lift my glass to 2014, 2015, and to realistic expectations.
December 8, 2014
Call for Authors – Second Notice
Yikes! The submission window is rapidly approaching for Far Orbit: Apogee stories. Far Orbit: Apogee is the second edition of the Far Orbit anthology series published by World Weaver Press.
Come on gang, it’s time to put some polish on those Grand Tradition science fiction stories and get them ready for submission!
Submission Window opens: 1 January 2015.
Submission Window closes: 31 March 2015
Submission information and story expectations can be found on can be found on this blog, the World Weaver press website, and on Duotrope.
I’m looking forward to reading your stories.
Bascomb James
Come on gang, it’s time to put some polish on those Grand Tradition science fiction stories and get them ready for submission!
Submission Window opens: 1 January 2015.
Submission Window closes: 31 March 2015
Submission information and story expectations can be found on can be found on this blog, the World Weaver press website, and on Duotrope.
I’m looking forward to reading your stories.
Bascomb James
