Science Fiction Microstory Contest discussion
***AUGUST 2021 SCIENCE FICTION MICROSTORY CONTEST (Comments Only)***
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Does this have to include all of these? --"A flavor, an odor, a sound, a sight and a tactile sensation"
I'd say try to do as many as you can without it being ridiculous, unless ridiculous is the goal. It's a challenge to see how well we can describe sense experience in our writing.
I always heard that good writing means selectivity in offering sense data, LOL Of course, really good writing requires selectivity in which "writing rules", such as "use selectivity in offering sense data," one may decide to follow (or not).
Anyone else in the Hugh Howey's Self-Published Sci-Fi Contest (SPSFC)? I just got confirmation last night that my entry is included. Many thanks to Jeremy for posting about this back in May.https://hughhowey.com/the-spsfc-begins/
Totally forgot about until last night.Thaddeus, nice story.
Ooops, forgot about that contest. I am certainly not surprised that your entry has made it through the first gate/s, J.F!
Apologies, been mostly absent for a while. New job, young kids. I've roughed out stories the past two months, but ran out of time to complete them. Hopefully not the same this time around.Seconding Jack - great story Thaddeus!
Hi everyone, got my story up a little earlier this month. A couple things - my Facebook account was hacked and I've not been able to regain access to it. FB help is non-existent, so really secure those accounts! If you see anything weird from me, that's why (and my apologies).Also, I just finished and submitted the audiobook version of my novella, Cerulean Rising, Part II: Evolutions, to ACX/Amazon. So in ten days it should go live if there are no issues. I started producing this back in Sept., 2019, but I took time out to record a different audiobook and had other delays. So I'm thrilled to finally get this done!
I've also gotten a new editing software that has cut my editing workload by at least 90% - and that's no exaggeration. Everything I was doing by hand is now done with a few filters and the click of one button. My editing productivity has skyrocketed, so I'm hoping to start getting more audiobooks narrated and produced.
Anyway, thanks for letting me share. I hope you all are well during these crazy days. I really enjoy reading what you come up with each month!
Justin wrote: "Hi everyone, got my story up a little earlier this month. A couple things - my Facebook account was hacked and I've not been able to regain access to it. FB help is non-existent, so really secure t..."Sorry to hear about your Facebook issues. It is a problematic walled garden to the Internet filled with unpleasant snakes. Sounds like you are hitting your stride creatively. Congratulations.
Ok, mines up. A little bit steampunk, but completed.
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Will be working on a story tomorrow or Saturday.
Finally got mine posted. Crazy Month, resuming work on many delayed projects.
I've one done in longhand. Shall try to get it up by 11:59pm on the 22nd, if that's the deadline. So much to do this month!Justin, I really hope you can get your account back/up!
Chris, Jeremy and Kalifer,I loved all of your stories. Fantastic! Chris, I felt the thrill of the race, Jeremy, the thrill of the hunt, and I loved the progression of Kalifer's character through the transfer process.
Nicely done!
Facebook security has emailed me a code. We'll see if it works. Based on what I've read online, I'm not holding my breath. Jot, thanks for the update on my page. Have a good weekend everyone!
Justin wrote: "Chris, Jeremy and Kalifer,I loved all of your stories. Fantastic! Chris, I felt the thrill of the race, Jeremy, the thrill of the hunt, and I loved the progression of Kalifer's character through ..."
Thanks, Justin!
Good luck with getting FB under control. It's a hot mess when things go wrong, for sure.
Echoing Chris. Thanks Justin, and best of luck hunting the social media beast!
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Well, somehow I got back into my FB account. First I tried typing the code in they sent me, but that didn't work. Then I copied/pasted and then it did. It took me through a long confirmation process, but at the end I was able to get back in, remove the hacker's email address, and set up a password so long someone will need a Cray supercomputer to brute force it. I also added several other protection layers. Fortunately nothing on my account was deleted. What concerns me just as much as losing my FB account is how much I felt cut off from family and friends. It was very disconcerting and I did not like it. Anyway, I'm back baby!
Jot wrote: "Mine's up. Wouldn't mind trying this drop thing myself. Enjoy."It would probably be fun - but I'm afraid of heights! Nice one Jot!
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I saw some crazy FB ad about a telescope place going out of business which didn't seem legit, but for everything I searched, I could not verify it was bogus. Fairly sure it was, but I took a gamble on the $99 12" telescope, which would normally sell for a few grand. I'll be really surprised if it shows up at my house. The main transaction did go through paypal, and I only used a credit card with signing into any accounts, so I should be safe at least.
Greg, loved your story! Fantastic!Paula, the way you string words and phrases together continues to astound me. It is so unique from anything else I've ever read, anywhere. Mystical, magical, stream-of-consciousness poems. Beautiful!
Justin wrote: "Greg, loved your story! Fantastic!Paula, the way you string words and phrases together continues to astound me. It is so unique from anything else I've ever read, anywhere. Mystical, magical, str..."
-----Justin, I am honored and flattered, and--what can I say? Thank you.
And, btw, very glad you were able to get back into your FB account!
Paula wrote: "Justin wrote: "Greg, loved your story! Fantastic!Paula, the way you string words and phrases together continues to astound me. It is so unique from anything else I've ever read, anywhere. Mystica..."
Yes, I'm very happy I got my account back. I really did not want to have to start from scratch. It's funny how possessive you become of a free service you've become invested in!
Hey everyone!I am proud and pleased to announce the release of the audiobook version of Cerulean Rising, Part II: Evolutions. Now available on Audible, Amazon and coming soon to iTunes, listen at the link below as UNSA forces begin their assault on a deadly enemy.
If you'd like a copy I'm happy to send you a promo code while supplies last. Please share this with your own networks and thanks for listening!
https://soundcloud.com/user-368674090...
As for Singles Cruise, I was definitely going for sweet rather than creepy. (Thanks, JF for the critique) The original story grew to over 2000 words as I explored if alien pheromones were anymore unnatural than human crushes (Where the hormones are intrinsic rather than extrinsic pheromones) and whether NRE with an alien friend was any different from falling for a human who has been a friend for years.Then there is consent. Is an alien in the throes of pon-farr-like desire any more consenting than a drunk human female? Is a human under the influence of intoxicating alien pheromones and more consenting than if he/she is drunk? Would male alien – female human sex be considered more creepy than the female alien, male human type?
Any what about regular human conservative values? If they don't like homosexuality, what are they going to think about human-alien sex? Would this make Polyamory and Compersion more mainstream?
And the disruption of “enhanced” humans possibly displacing the original species. Would those same conservative think “They will be better than us, out compete us and yet our very beliefs prevent us from benefiting from this new discovery. Let’s destroy it before it goes too far.” Would there be war?
This story could go many places and I’m flagging it for more work in the future.
Thanks for the inspiration, the motivation and the affirmation!
Thaddeus wrote: "Congratulations, Justin."Thank you Thaddeus!
Jot wrote: "Congrats dude!"Thanks Jot!!
Paula wrote: "Great news, Justin!"Thanks Paula!
Indeed, lots of possibilities, Greg. The story also works, as is (with perhaps its last couple of sentences deepened a bit), simply as an attaction/friendship/love story that just happens to be cross-species--and a really fine story.Greg wrote: "As for Singles Cruise, I was definitely going for sweet rather than creepy. (Thanks, JF for the critique) The original story grew to over 2000 words as I explored if alien pheromones were anymore u..."
Theme: Recreation.
Elements:
A flavor, an odor, a sound, a sight and a tactile sensation.