MARCH - 2020 - MICROSTORY CONTEST (COMMENTS ONLY)

[Tom]

This thread is for Comments Only. See contest rules under the Stories Only thread.

**********

This Month's Theme:

What if matriarchal culture had endured and predominated over the past 5 millennia?
Required elements:
1) Infidelity
2) Jealousy

[Jot]

I looked up the sales of the Future is Short (volume 2). Since 2015, we sold only 38 copies, nothing since Dec 2018. It is a tough industry to make money in, that's why it's important to help each other succeed. If one can, it can help us all.

[C.]

Thanks for doing the research, Jot!

-C

[Paula]

Any figures for volumes 1, 3, or 4, Jot?
(no need to look these up unless you've the free time to!!!)

[C.]

Wow Tom. Quite the story parameters. This is going to be a fun one.

[Tom]

C. wrote: "Wow Tom. Quite the story parameters. This is going to be a fun one."

That's my hope.

[Jot]

I didn't publish anything by the second volume. The other three were published by Carrol Fix. We'd have to ask her.

[C.]

Mine is up. Fun indeed!

-C

[Paula]

Has anyone even been in touch with Carrol in recent months?

[Tom]

Excellent police procedural, C.

[Jot]

Don't think anyone has. I'll touch base with her.

[Jot]

She doesn't seem to have her domain anymore:

Your message wasn't delivered to carrolfix@lillicatpublishers.com because the domain lillicatpublishers.com couldn't be found. Check for typos or unnecessary spaces and try again.

[C.]

Jot,

They have a Facebook page. Try there.

-C

[Jot]

Sounds good.

[Jot]

If anyone is interested in helping my cause, I'm getting my head shaved on St. Patrick's Day for the St. Baldrick's Foundation, who is the largest private sponsor of grants to childhood cancer research.

Given the growth of children, cancer can be extremely aggressive, and on average, a child is diagnosed with cancer every other minute. My employer, IHS Markit, is going to double what my fellow employees and I raise, up to $100K. Currently, we are only at $37K.

stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/1...

Thanks in advance,
Jot

[Paula]

Thanks so much for attempting to reach her, Jot and C.
And, Jot, great idea and action on your part. I've nearly no funds anymore for donations, but have sent a donation per your suggestion here the St. Baldrick's Foundation something. Good of you to do this!

[Jot]

Thanks so much, Paula!!!

[Paula]

Jot wrote: "Thanks so much, Paula!!!"
An important cause, Jot.

[Jot]

Good to have you back Chris.

[Chris]

Thanks, Jot! It's been an overwhelming three months! And it's good to have a little time to scratch something out - lol.

[Tom]

Welcome back, Chris. I've missed you. This one was definitely one of your very best. Potent, stark and beautiful.

[Justin]

Chris! This is a story worthy of the Dune universe!!!! It felt rich, deep and malevolently elegant. Nicely done and welcome back!!

[C.]

Chris,

Definitely Dune-esque. Nicely done.

-C

[Justin]

The Duke, will die before these eyes and he'll know, he'll know!!! That it is I! Baron, Vladimir Harkonnen who encompasses his doom!!!! (cue Toto soundtrack)

[Chris]

Tom wrote: "Welcome back, Chris. I've missed you. This one was definitely one of your very best. Potent, stark and beautiful."

Thanks Tom, I really appreciate it. Hopefully, things have calmed down a bit now.

[Chris]

Justin wrote: "Chris! This is a story worthy of the Dune universe!!!! It felt rich, deep and malevolently elegant. Nicely done and welcome back!!"

Justin and C. thanks so much. I'm happy that's the vibe you got, because it's sort of what I was going for. I'm definitely no Frank Herbert, but I'm glad you liked it!

[Tom]

Justin wrote: "The Duke, will die before these eyes and he'll know, he'll know!!! That it is I! Baron, Vladimir Harkonnen who encompasses his doom!!!! (cue Toto soundtrack)"

"How often it is that the angry man rages denial of what his inner self is telling him."
- The Collected Sayings of Muad'Dib by the Princess Irulan

[Justin]

Tom wrote: "Justin wrote: "The Duke, will die before these eyes and he'll know, he'll know!!! That it is I! Baron, Vladimir Harkonnen who encompasses his doom!!!! (cue Toto soundtrack)"

"How often it is that ..."

Yes!!!!!!

[Jot]

Welcome back, Andy!

[Tom]

Striking imagery, Andy. 'Made me think of the Handmaid's Tale in reverse.

[Andy]

Thanks Jot, and Tom!

[C.]

Nice story, Andy. Welcome back to the contest.

-C

[Jot]

Mine's up. Not an easy theme for me...

[Andy]

C. wrote: "Nice story, Andy. Welcome back to the contest.


Thank you, C

[Kalifer]

Mine's up! I thought I would mix a couple of themes here.

[Justin]

Fun story Kalifer! Nice work!

[Jack]

I decided to write a story about a real loser with delusions of grandeur and a lot of anger.

[Justin]

Jack wrote: "I decided to write a story about a real loser with delusions of grandeur and a lot of anger."

You certainly did! You write internal dialogue really well.

[Kalifer]

Jack, Your story reminded me of some lyrics written by Swedish musician Avicil who died by suicide.
"Starting to choke on/Your heart in your throat and
It feels like/You can't remember how to fight."

The man/woman role reversal was also very effective.
It does make one think.

[Jack]

Kalifer wrote: "Jack, Your story reminded me of some lyrics written by Swedish musician Avicil who died by suicide.
"Starting to choke on/Your heart in your throat and
It feels like/You can't remember how to figh..."

Nice, I think. Good to evoke a response, anyway. And The Beatles hit a pretty good note:

Although I laugh and I act like a clown
Beneath this mask I am wearing a frown
My tears are falling like rain from the sky
Is it for her or myself that I cry?

[Tom]

Splendid story, Justin. Strong use of light, sensory and emotion. Inventive cultural developments, like the term "dream walking" and the use of numbers in naming. Ending a bit baffling, but intriguing.

[Jot]

Looks like I'll have hair until May 12th. My company might have been exposed to the virus, so they postponed the head shave and are taking other steps to have people work from home.

How has this impacted you guys? Justin, I brought Bowing last week during a dip, but didn't realize how hard your company would be hit. Hope the company recovers quickly after they get a handle on this. This pandemic is a scary thing.

[Justin]

Tom wrote: "Splendid story, Justin. Strong use of light, sensory and emotion. Inventive cultural developments, like the term "dream walking" and the use of numbers in naming. Ending a bit baffling, but intrigu..."

Thanks Tom! I had a really hard time with this month's theme and elements. One, writing realistic female characters and dialogue is someplace I go with great insecurity. I also wanted to go someplace different with the infidelity/jealousy requirements. I think I needed about another 500 words to fully flesh out what was going on Downbelow.

[Justin]

Jot wrote: "Looks like I'll have hair until May 12th. My company might have been exposed to the virus, so they postponed the head shave and are taking other steps to have people work from home.

How has this i..."

Hello Jot! So far there have only been three confirmed cases of COVID-19 at the Everett site, and none where I work. A lot of people are working from home, and while I could do that, I'd rather not. So with fewer people even around, I'm not worried and besides, parking is easier with so many people working remotely. With travel and tourism down, the airlines need fewer planes, etc., so many are happy not to have their MAX's right now. Eventually this will all get sorted, businesses will get back to work, people will travel, etc. I was listening to a doctor on KIRO radio on my drive in this morning and he put it in a good perspective. There is a lot of media hype that is driving panic in the general population and Wall Street. That's not to say don't take it seriously, but this is not the apocalypse. I do take is seriously because my daughter is a Type I, insulin dependent diabetic, which is an underlying health condition. So I definitely do not want her to get it. We just don't want her to get sick period at all. Anyway, this too shall play itself out like SARS, MERS, West Nile, swine flu, bird flu, etc. If you need me, I'll be in my bomb shelter, surrounded by toilet paper and playing HALO on my XBOX. LOL!

[Tom]

We've had some great stories and reviews this month, and it's still early. But, I hope we see some female participants before the month is out. Last month, we heard complaints that too few women were in the group. That's one reason I chose the theme, hoping it would attract a few more, and get a female perspective on the topic.

[Paula]

I'm hoping to get something in this month, but--to answer Jot's question--it's very hard to write a science fiction story when we are living in what's previously seemed a science fiction and/or historical/fiction period. I'm a bit at risk, and Oregon's public health system is not exactly the US's best, so I'm disturbed by what's happening. And I sympathize with you and your daughter's situation, Justin. I hope you are able to keep her out of school, or are the schools already closed there yet?
Meanwhile, I've four books, including a meta/parody/sf novel of the multi-calypse, that I'm struggling to get into ebook and pod format for self-publishing . . . if not before the virus reaches here (it's already in Oregon, though there's nearly no testing around), then hopefully at least before it reaches my neighborhood. A big thank you to Jack in regard to the self-publishing.

[Jack]

Paula wrote: "I'm hoping to get something in this month, but--to answer Jot's question--it's very hard to write a science fiction story when we are living in what's previously seemed a science fiction and/or his..."

Stay safe, Paula.

[Paula]

Jack wrote: "Paula wrote: "I'm hoping to get something in this month, but--to answer Jot's question--it's very hard to write a science fiction story when we are living in what's previously seemed a science fict..."
Jack, thank you!

[C.]

Yes, Paula, lay low and be well.

All: I am really excited to see broader review activity this month! I am also doing reviews along the way, but since my points rating system shows my top story choice ahead of time, I am waiting to publish my reviews until after the contest winner is announced so as to not telegraph my likely vote.

It's fun to see the differing points of view on story reviews. Highly instructive!

-C

[Jot]

Yes, stay safe everyone