Net Work Book Club discussion
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A Drabble fever - share yours.
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Michael
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Dec 25, 2013 10:55PM
Great start! Welcome to the world of drabbles :-)
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Bet you can't stop! I have loads more (you will soon!) but they are on my laptop at home. I'm at my daughter's for a few days, playing with granddaughters. It's making a lovely Christmas. :)
Great one Frenchie. You definitely have the talent.
Frenchie,I sincerely admire those like you who are bi-lingual.
I studied French in high school many, many years ago; and actually had an opportunity to test my proficiency in the language in 1967 while enjoying an all-expenses paid vacation in Vietnam; compliments of the U.S. Government.
As it turned out, I knew just enough French to confuse people and get myself into trouble most of the time.
Jim
Well done Frenchie, I had a good laugh. My French is the same Jim, I would embarrass myself.
Here's one of my favourites:A Marriage Made In...
Hell. You know the place. Lakes of burning sulphur. Torture pits filled with the wailing of the damned. Not the place you'd expect to fall in love. But I did.
Our eyes met across the inferno. It was love at first sight, or at least first scream. The demons didn't approve at first, they tried to quench our love with fire and brimstone.
We endured and in the end they came round.
Lucifer himself even officiated at our wedding. Love, honour and obey, two of those things are welcome here.
But 'till death do us part could be a problem.
Here's one from me -And Another Thing!
"What time did you call that last night?"
"I wasn't late love. We just went for a pint after the game."
"And another thing. You promised to take me out for a meal. You're always out with the lads."
"Not always dear. Only on Saturday after the game."
"Seems more often to me. And another thing. You said you'd cut that grass!"
"I'll do it today. It's Sunday all day you know."
"Well clean up the mower before you put it away. And another thing... Why have you got that leather gag in your hand?"
"Ah, well that's another thing!"
Nice one Kath!
Beowulf is the latest in my Drabble Classics series where I take classic pieces of literature and recreate them in drabble form. As always the drabbles are posted first in the Indie Book Bargains newsletter (www.indie-book-bargains.co.uk) which is a great place for a daily drabble and the latest Kindle bargains.
I first read Beowulf when I was in school, it's a good example of Saxon epic poetry and is considered one of the earliest examples of classic English Literature.
You can read the rest of the Drabble Classics series here:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/p/d...
And now, let's enjoy this classic tale in drabble form:
Beowulf
Three great battles are sung of Beowulf’s life, the first in the hall of King Hroðgar where the celebrations angered Grendel who slew many warriors within.
Beowulf wrestled the fell creature and tore off the creature’s arm. This caused his second battle, now against Grendel’s mother. They fought in her lair under the lake and with a magic sword he beheaded her.
King Beowulf’s final battle was against a dragon enraged by a theft from its horde. All but loyal Wiglaf abandoned him and together they slew the dragon, but Beowulf was mortally wounded and buried with the cursed treasure.
You're all very talented. Thanks for sharing them. :)
Might as well share my own. (Now at a 100 words after fixing one or two mistakes):A Christmas Drabble
Snow falls. A dog, lame-legged, lies on a street corner. Fur partly snow-white. He looks up at passers-by with black eyes and feasts upon scraps. Either ignored or treated abhorrently by tormentors, he wishes for company. Someone to care for him.
Before Christmas Eve’s end, a father and his daughter pass him by, the daughter’s face red and showing disappointment. But they stop. The daughter turns, her face lights up, tugs on her father’s sleeve, points at the dog.
The father sighs, but smiles slightly, shaking his head. He kneels beside the dog, says, “Hungry?” and ruffles the dog’s fur.
David wrote: "Might as well share my own. Just a few words under 100 words, Christmas themed:Snow falls. A dog, lame-legged, lies on a street corner. Fur partly snow-white. He looks up at passers-by with black..."
That's cheating - it has to be exactly 100 words long :-)
I'm a bit of a rebel. Never been one for rules. ;) It's three words under, forgive me?
Good, good. ;) I thought I was in trouble.Seriously though, I did check the wikipedia entry again. I'd thought it had to be as close to 100 words as you can get. On checking it again, I did notice the 'exactly' part.
Writing's a funny business really. Stories should be the exact length they need in an ideal world.
Did you include the Title??
Haha banned from Drabbling ever again David :-) You will have to redeem yourself now by writing another Drabble. : - ]
I didn't, T4bsF. As it was so creative, 'A Christmas Drabble', I figured I'd leave it out. I suppose that if I add it in, I have my 100 words? ;)And that'll excuse me from writing another drabble, while preventing me from being banned, Linda! I'll make up for it in another way. *nods*
...we'd forgive you anyway David - we're still in Christmas mode! lol
I’m sure there’s someone following me, Marion’s fault, trotting off with Jeremy. Mind you, I didn’t fancy that bloke, or his friend - both a bit weird by my reckoning. The footsteps are getting louder now and they sound heavy, like a man’s. I can’t run in these blooming heels. I turned round to face him, waving my hairspray, hoping he would think it was one of those gas things. “It’s okay” our local PCSO says, “I could see you were on your own and one murder tonight is quite enough, thank you. Lovely girl that Marion was too”
I sat beside him; held his cold hand, and then stared into his half-opened eyes; resisting the temptation to try and shake him awake.I had always imagined that my first experience with a friend's death would be dramatic. My daydreams always involved me bravely comforting my dying comrade with encouraging words while he tried to console me by giving a brief, heroic speech. It wasn't like that at all. There is nothing dramatic or heroic about death; it is depressing and permanent. Those left behind ache terribly inside because their hearts have been broken and never completely heal.
....you've been there too then Jim!!
The latest drabble in the Tales of the Imp series has been posted in the Indie Book Bargains newsletter (you can sign up for the newsletter here: www.indie-book-bargains.co.uk), I've also copied it below.If you haven't read the rest of the Tales of the Imp series then you can find them all here:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/p/t...
The Imp's Christmas Carol
“I am the ghost of Christmas past,” the Imp said and I remembered all too many lonely Christmas days without turkey or gifts.
He nodded, “And now your Christmas present.” My mind passed over the guilt of the murder and settled on the joy of more money and respect in the office.
“I have brought you the good life and now see your Christmas future.” He promised me everything, my book would sell millions, I would marry a lovely woman and all it would cost me is my soul, what every imp wants for Christmas.
I agreed.
Wait a minute!
The latest in the Murder Drabbles series has been posted in today's Indie Book Bargains newsletter (visit www.indie-book-bargains.co.uk to sign up for a daily drabble and Kindle bargains).If you'd like to read the other drabbles in this series you can do so here:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/p/m...
Knock at the Door
I felt rather pleased with myself, sure I’d given into my impulse, but I’d thought my way through it. Every morning and every evening I watched the local news, waiting for the discovery of her body. For two weeks they reported nothing and every evening I dreamed of my hands around her throat.
Pleasant visions every night but the memory faded all too quickly. The memory no longer satisfied, I wanted something new. Someone to share that last tender moment with and I already had someone special in mind.
That pleasant thought was interrupted by a knock on my door.
If you write in Word it counts for you too.
That's what I used for my Drabble Kath. I had to play around a bit with phraseology, but got to the exact hundred in the end.
Frenchie wrote: "Ignite wrote: "If you write in Word it counts for you too."I must be the only one who does not have Word on her computer. I only use the Wordpad, that does not count words, or a notebook and a pen..."
Frenchie,
I definitely advise you to follow through regarding considering inatalling "Word".
The acquisition department of all mainline publishers now utilize the "Word" methodology as the official word-count when evaluating a manuscript.
Jim
Made me smile, but we all know a Balrog would never be satisfied with digestive biscuits :-)
Frenchie wrote: "Oh thank you Jim. I did not know this. I have noticed some online counters sometimes differ because some count ''I'm'' as one word, others as two, for example.I suppose I have to buy this Word onl..."
Frenchie,
I like your version of Gandalf's rear-guard action on the bridge better than Tolkien's.
You should be able to find a version of "Microsoft Word" where you usually purchase your PC programs
at a modest price, considering it is an older, and realitively simple program.
I've only ever used the free version of Word since I'v had this laptop. It was only supposed to be for 6 months or so, but I just open a file I've already used and "create new" from that and save it under a different name...... it seems to work.
Frenchie wrote: "Sorry to be a bit slow tonight, but is it this?http://www.download366.com/microsoft-......"
That looks like it Frenchie!
Can you still get Open Office? One of the techy people might know.
I'm currently using Quick Office on my tablet. It's a google app which gives you a word processor and a 'presentations' thing (technical term, there!) and an excel type spreadsheet. Great value (for nothing!) I can't find a word count thing on it though!
Ignite wrote: "I'm currently using Quick Office on my tablet. It's a google app which gives you a word processor and a 'presentations' thing (technical term, there!) and an excel type spreadsheet. Great value (..."What version are you using? There should be a word count feature.
Blimey - now THAT's a technical question! I just checked - wait for it..Quickoffice 6.2.5.310b
You should have it then, what platform are you on? Android? Windows? iOS?
You do realise Michael, that you have now revealed yourself as a techno-knowledgeable person and will now be bombarded with "help me" techno questions!!! .....you fool you!! lol
Android - a Nexus - but it's not on a platform it's next to me on the sofa! (Plays dim - it usually works!)
It should be listed in the view menu when have the document loaded.
Which is the view menu? It's got several little pull-down things but none of them has a word count.
....pity you couldn't have found your creative author head in time for the competition Frenchie... you're churning out some good drabbles here.
The latest in the Murder Drabbles series has been posted in the Indie Book Bargains newsletter (check out www.indie-book-bargains.co.uk to sign up for their newsletter) and is copied below.If you're looking for other short and flash fiction then come on by the Facebook group set up for fans of writers of those forms:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/short...
The rest of the Murder Drabbles series can be found here:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/p/m...
Keeping Cool
My heart stopped when I saw the two officers standing on my doorstep. I faltered for a moment; I almost succumbed to the urge to flee, but that calm voice deep within me counselled against making any rash decisions.
I listened to it, but my hand still trembled a little as I opened the door. They greeted me with officious politeness and asked if they could come in. In a voice that wasn’t my own I asked them why.
Nothing to worry about, just some routine enquiries, a few minutes of my time and they would be gone.
They lied.
Ascension Aurora lay back as the computer analyzed her cerebral cortex. This was something she’d trained for her entire existence, to transcend the mortal coil. She could hear the rabble outside calling yelling, 'Quit the abuse of technology', 'Stop Playing God.''
The crowd had been picketing the project for years. 'They cannot understand what we are trying to accomplish. They can roar all they like' Aurora smiled to herself. She heard a loud hum and a sharp electric pain shock her entire head. This did not bother her, for it would soon not matter. In 30 seconds, her journey would begin.
Nice - always good to meet a new drabblist :-)
Michael wrote: "Nice - always good to meet a new drabblist :-)"Thank you Michael. I enjoyed writing it.
Thank you Frenchie. I shall register. Looks a lot of fun.
The latest Tales of the Imp drabble has been posted (Thanks Rosen - check out her Indie Book Bargains site for a daily drabble and Kindle Bargains - www.indie-book-bargains.co.uk), for more drabble fun check out the Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/drabbles
If you haven'tread the rest of the Tales of the Imp series or want to give them another look!) then you will find them all here:
http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/p/t...
A Drink and a Dance
The Imp is a charming fellow when he wants to be. I don’t know how he’d set the date up but he’d chosen well, Lorraine was funny and smart and the girl of my dreams, literally in this case.
I joked, I reminisced and I charmed her with wit I didn’t possess. The evening wore on and a piano played slow numbers for lovers to dance the night away to.
The Imp has some moves on him too and I followed his moves to dance like I’d never danced before.
But in the back of my mind I wondered, why?
Ignite wrote: "Which is the view menu? It's got several little pull-down things but none of them has a word count."That's as far as my Google-foo took me I'm afraid.
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