Science Fiction Microstory Contest discussion
** MARCH 2017 MICROSTORY CONTEST - COMMENTS ONLY
Have we stopped doing required elements within the theme? Just asking :)
Hi Marianne,I think it's up to the previous month's winner to decide what if any criteria apply.
-C
Mod
Mod
I fastidiously avoid all eclipses and any type of shooting stars. They tend to blind the observer while making the plants come to life and become carnivorous...
Oooh. The Day of the Triffids. Great Sci-Fi horror. Read it as a kid, it gave me nightmares for weeks after.-C
Reference:
The Day of the Triffids is a 1951 post-apocalyptic novel by the English science fiction author John Wyndham. It is about a plague of blindness that befalls the entire world, allowing the rise of an aggressive species of plant.
The story has been made into the 1962 feature film of the same name, three radio drama series (in 1957, 1968, and 2008), and two TV series (in 1981 and 2009). It was nominated for the International Fantasy Award in 1952,[1] and in 2003 the novel was listed on the BBC's survey The Big Read.[2]
Just make sure they are docked and it'll be fine...where's my flamethrower...
Jot wrote: "Anyone gonna be able to check out the eclipse in August?"When and where will this eclipse be?
Mod
Nice story Chris!Too bad the alien didn't carry a scythe-shaped alien gizmo... maybe a weapon like the energy-whips carried by the Ferengi on Star Trek TNG?
http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/En...
They were kind of lame on film, but they were fairly unique.
Or maybe a communicator like GetSmart's shoe phone? Lol
-C
Got an email post from Amazon.com on a free kindle book. Unknown: A Science Fiction and Fantasy Anthology (Hidden Worlds Book 1) Wonder if this something we might want to check out, for one of our earlier anthology books.
Thanks for 2017 anthology clarity, Jot. With my reading issues, I am horrible at parsing info and doing forms, so I will go forth with due diligence in getting my submissions ready :) Somewhat surprised to see that I only did 4 stories for 2016, and no "winners" in that bunch.
Actually got a story up :) Matches my mood of late.
Marianne,I enjoyed your story very much. I really got the point! ; )
-C.
Thanks, C. Might be different points for different folks depending on your prism :)
Mod
Use these Instructions at http://www.lillicatpublishers.com/?pa... (please follow the instructions carefully) on how to format your story, including Bio and Teaser, before you send it to Lillicat Publishers. After properly formatting your edited story, 800 words max for each story, not counting Teaser and Bio, you can submit it using this Submission Form at http://www.lillicatpublishers.com/?pa... (Submit stories one at a time.) If you have questions or special requests, you can enter them in the Message field on the Form. Always include your last name and story title in the Subject. It is imperative that all communications, questions, and information regarding your stories go through the Submission Form, otherwise emails could be routed incorrectly.
Jot, your story is great! The end is hilarious!!!
Yeah, Jot. I almost laughed my nib off.-C
Thanks for posting Carrol's instruct'ns here, Jot. Much appreciated.
Jot, when are these due to the publisher?
Justin, I believe due March 22 2017, so next week.
Mod
I'll check with Carrol to see how we're doing storywise. If she's okay with it, we'll extend the deadline to the end of the month.
Jot wrote: "Thanks Justin and C. Comedy has always been difficult for me, so I'm glad I gave you guys a laugh.I'll check with Carrol to see how we're doing storywise. If she's okay with it, we'll extend the ..."
Hey Jot, just to double check, you did say that we can submit 3 stories?
Marianne wrote: "Justin, I believe due March 22 2017, so next week."Thanks Marianne!
Jot wrote: "Thanks Justin and C. Comedy has always been difficult for me, so I'm glad I gave you guys a laugh.I'll check with Carrol to see how we're doing storywise. If she's okay with it, we'll extend the ..."
Jot, it was funny because I'm watching my own gray start to appear. Not much yet, mind you - but enough to make me relate to the story. It was a clever twist that gave the story the right amount of levity.
Mod
Justin,There is a way to turn your current month's story into a novel or novelette. Simply expand each of the three acts into a three-act sub-play, and if needed, expand each of those as well.
Then keep switching back and forth between them as things progress in each world, and maintain your ending wrap up.
(no spoilers here.)
This is a classic device and a powerful tool to keep the reader on the very edge of her seat.
Would be a cool way to expand your short story and amp up the emotional power of the tale.
-C.
Thanks C,I can certain see how that would work. I will save the idea away for the future. If I could do a good job with it, then I would be game to tackle it. Thanks for the idea!
Jot wrote: "From Carrol:Use these Instructions at http://www.lillicatpublishers.com/?pa... (please follow the instructions carefully) on how to format your story, including Bio and Teaser, before you ..."
Okay Jot, I've done the formatting as indicated and used the submission form to send in my three stories. I'm assuming they'll contact me if they have any problems or questions. Thanks for the opportunity to participate!
Justin,Let me know if you wish to collaborate on this. It's a cool story. Very cool indeed.
-C.
Thanks for the offer C. If I do expand the story it will have wait for a bit. I've just GOT to get my third book in my Cerulean Rising series going!
C. wrote: "Justin,There is a way to turn your current month's story into a novel or novelette. Simply expand each of the three acts into a three-act sub-play, and if needed, expand each of those as well.
T..."
Thanks for the great advice on expanding a story into a larger work. Good idea.
John
John,You're welcome. I read this in an excellent book titled "Plot and Structure" written by James Scott Bell. I Highly recommend this book; it's a great reference.
-C.
Time is running out to submit your 2016 Science Fiction Microstory Contest stories to The Future Is Short Volume 4. Go to www.lillicatpublishers.com and submit your stories asap!
Factoid of the day:To flounder is to struggle, but to founder is to sink like a stone and fail. Both are fun as nouns, not so fun as verbs. Flounder and founder are happy little nouns that don't get mixed up. But it all falls apart when they're verbs — if you're floundering, you're struggling.
Here's another factoid:
From www.dictionary.com/browse/factoid
factoid. /ˈfæktɔɪd/ noun. a piece of unreliable information believed to be true because of the way it is presented or repeated in print. C20 (coined by Norman Mailer): from fact + -oid.
Ain't this fun?
-C
We may all flounder, but hopefully none of us will founder. :)
Never fish with an angry angler. She might founder you with a flounder.Or worse...
-C
So Marianne, I listened to you on Twitter and here I am
And never fund the floundering founder of a flounder fishing franchise. That'd be far from fortuitous.OK. Slow day. I admit it. : )
-C
Hi, Richard and welcome! We are just about to judge for this month's entries. You still have until midnight 3/22 to get one in for this month if you want to just leap into the ring :)
I see you got a story in, Richard :)
Thanks! Sure, I was getting nowhere with what I'd written over the weekend for this and was going to skip it this month, but then I took it in a different direction and came up with what I posted.
IMMORTALITY