Saturday, January 16, 2010
Storyblogging Carnival XVI
The newest Storyblogging Carnival is now online at Tales by Sheya. Have a look. If you'd like to read previous versions of the Storyblogging Carnival, I have a complete index.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Storyblogging Carnival XV
NOTE: This is a repost of an old post, so there may be dead links.
Welcome to the Fifteenth Storyblogging Carnival. Here we gather fiction from around the blogosphere to share with our readers. The previous carnival was right here at Back of the Envelope, while the complete listing can be found here.
One Tank
by Lee Zanello of See the Donkey
A 400 word brief story rated G.
They are best friends, possibly more, and they have the whole road ahead of them.
[It's not often that you see a story written in 2nd-person present tense, but it works well here. -DSC]
I, Werewolf
by Andrew Ian Dodge of GoD:blog
A 2,266 short story rated PG.
A short story written in the misery that was my years at my alma malus: Colby. Published warts and all as a hint at my literary beginnings.
Chapters 41, 42, 43, and 44 of The Child (Beginning)
by Sheya Joie of Tales by Sheya
The next 2,306 words of a 35,756 word novella in progress.
Could things possibly get any worse?
[While this story can sometimes be read as a Christian allegory, I'd recommend reading it as story first and allegory second.-DSC]
A Meating of Mines, scenes 7,8, and 9
by Dave Gudeman of Doc Rampage
The next 2,366 words of a 10,291 word story in progress rated PG-13.
Rolf doesn't have so much to say, we learn that Zantar--far from being slow--is practically the Shakespeare of Dwarfdom, and Something finally Happens.
[After my hectoring last time, Dave finally included a full story word count. Meanwhile, his comedic screenplay kicks into high gear and there is much plot progress. -DSC]
Boll Weevil
by Lyle Skains of Hermitville
A 4,213 word short story rated R.
Jake Fuller travels home from college for the first time, reuniting with his childhood love. He discovers, however, that the girl in reality is much tarnished compared to the girl he holds in his mind.
[While a little heavy on the sexual content (nothing explicit, though), this story is very well written. Lyle is a new participant in the Storyblogging Carnival, and he introduces himself with not one but two stories, both well written and with very different voices. -DSC]
Guns, Boats, & Cadillacs
by Lyle Skains of Hermitville
A 4,373 word short story rated PG.
As she cares for her ailing father, Charlotte's life has turned into an endless cycle of Groundhog Days--until today, when she quite literally loses him.\
I hope you enjoyed this carnival. If you would like to participate or even just join the mailing list for the Storyblogging Carnival, please contact me.
Update: The link for Andrew Ian Dodge's story was wrong. It's fixed now.
Welcome to the Fifteenth Storyblogging Carnival. Here we gather fiction from around the blogosphere to share with our readers. The previous carnival was right here at Back of the Envelope, while the complete listing can be found here.
One Tank
by Lee Zanello of See the Donkey
A 400 word brief story rated G.
They are best friends, possibly more, and they have the whole road ahead of them.
[It's not often that you see a story written in 2nd-person present tense, but it works well here. -DSC]
I, Werewolf
by Andrew Ian Dodge of GoD:blog
A 2,266 short story rated PG.
A short story written in the misery that was my years at my alma malus: Colby. Published warts and all as a hint at my literary beginnings.
Chapters 41, 42, 43, and 44 of The Child (Beginning)
by Sheya Joie of Tales by Sheya
The next 2,306 words of a 35,756 word novella in progress.
Could things possibly get any worse?
[While this story can sometimes be read as a Christian allegory, I'd recommend reading it as story first and allegory second.-DSC]
A Meating of Mines, scenes 7,8, and 9
by Dave Gudeman of Doc Rampage
The next 2,366 words of a 10,291 word story in progress rated PG-13.
Rolf doesn't have so much to say, we learn that Zantar--far from being slow--is practically the Shakespeare of Dwarfdom, and Something finally Happens.
[After my hectoring last time, Dave finally included a full story word count. Meanwhile, his comedic screenplay kicks into high gear and there is much plot progress. -DSC]
Boll Weevil
by Lyle Skains of Hermitville
A 4,213 word short story rated R.
Jake Fuller travels home from college for the first time, reuniting with his childhood love. He discovers, however, that the girl in reality is much tarnished compared to the girl he holds in his mind.
[While a little heavy on the sexual content (nothing explicit, though), this story is very well written. Lyle is a new participant in the Storyblogging Carnival, and he introduces himself with not one but two stories, both well written and with very different voices. -DSC]
Guns, Boats, & Cadillacs
by Lyle Skains of Hermitville
A 4,373 word short story rated PG.
As she cares for her ailing father, Charlotte's life has turned into an endless cycle of Groundhog Days--until today, when she quite literally loses him.\
I hope you enjoyed this carnival. If you would like to participate or even just join the mailing list for the Storyblogging Carnival, please contact me.
Update: The link for Andrew Ian Dodge's story was wrong. It's fixed now.
Voting woes
I moved from Waltham to Everett, two towns in Massachusetts just outside of Boston, on January 1st. When I did so, I changed my address with all the necessary bureaucracies and, because Massachusetts law requires it, sent in a new voter registration form with my new address. In retrospect, that may have been a mistake.
At issue are two Massachusetts laws. The first is that you must register at least 20 days before the election. If you do the math, you can see that it was physically impossible for me to register with my new address once I'd actually moved here and still vote on the much talked about special election on January 19th. It didn't occur to me to register here before I moved--I'm not sure that's even possible. But, if you move away from an area, the second law allows you to still vote there for up to 6 months after. However, if my new registration has caused my old precinct to purge me from the rolls, then I may not be able to vote there either. I was not aware of this law until I inquired, else I would not have sent in a new registration until after the special election.
So what am I going to do? Since I couldn't find specific contact information for the city of Waltham's election commision, the only option I can think of is to show up at the polling station on January 19th and see if I'm on the roll. We'll see.
At issue are two Massachusetts laws. The first is that you must register at least 20 days before the election. If you do the math, you can see that it was physically impossible for me to register with my new address once I'd actually moved here and still vote on the much talked about special election on January 19th. It didn't occur to me to register here before I moved--I'm not sure that's even possible. But, if you move away from an area, the second law allows you to still vote there for up to 6 months after. However, if my new registration has caused my old precinct to purge me from the rolls, then I may not be able to vote there either. I was not aware of this law until I inquired, else I would not have sent in a new registration until after the special election.
So what am I going to do? Since I couldn't find specific contact information for the city of Waltham's election commision, the only option I can think of is to show up at the polling station on January 19th and see if I'm on the roll. We'll see.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Storyblogging Carnival XIV
Welcome to the fourteenth Storyblogging Carnival. Once again, we collect stories from around the Blogosphere for your reading pleasure. The previous Carnival, "Storyblogging Carnival the 13th", was at Doc Rampage's blog, while the archives linking to all the Carnivals can be found here.
I don't mean to cause a panic, but I'm starting to become concerned with the number of evil spirits appearing in the Storyblogging Carnival in recent weeks. Of course, between Andrew's Cthulhu tales and my own continuing story concerning the psychotic mutant demon Red-eyes, the Carnival hasn't been completely free of these creatures since the first one. In recent weeks, though, the number has substantially increased, and this Carnival is no exception. Some of them are from the Cthulhu mythos, some are the demons of Christian theology, and some I have no idea where they come from, but they are all agents of corruption and very dangerous. An exorcism may be in order.
The Cool Cat
by Rosie of Tales by Sheya
A 215 word brief story rated G.
Proud momma just had to share this one.
[This story is by Sheya's seven-year-old daughter, Rosie. It's very cute. -DSC]
Once
by CWW of A 2D Life
A 543 word brief story rated PG-13.
Not every second chance at life should be taken.
[CWW is a new contributor, and I wrote the blurb for this story myself. Even though there are no evil spirits in this one, it still has the greatest creepiness per word ratio of any story here. -DSC]
A Meating of Mines, scene 6
by Dave Gudeman of Doc Rampage
A 1,530 word scene from a continuing story rated PG-13.
Once again, nothing much happens, but Rolf sure does talk a lot.
[As usual, Doc is very funny even when nothing much happens. I'd say even more nice things about this scene if he'd give me a wordcount for the whole story like he's supposed to. -DSC]
In Plaid Sight
by Andrew Ian Dodge of Dodgeblogium
A 2,721 word short story rated PG.
A wandering male is found in Cardigan in front of political office. The Sage must find out what happened to him and why.
[Andrew once again shows us how common madness is in the Cthulhu mythos. -DSC]
Chapters 38 through 40 of The Child (Beginning)
by Sheya Joie of Tales by Sheya
The next 2,980 words of a 33,450-word novella in progress rated G.
Into the Dark Valley...
[Sheya's story has become much more suspenseful and exciting recently, as the comforts of the Master's home have been left behind. -DSC]
A Parable of Rain
by Jeff Harrell of The Shape of Days
A 5,419-word short story rated PG.
Willy Judson prayed every day. One day, his prayer was answered.
[This is a compelling story by a new contributor, well worth the read. -DSC]
I hope you enjoyed this carnival. If you would like to participate or even just join the mailing list for the Storyblogging Carnival, please contact me.
I don't mean to cause a panic, but I'm starting to become concerned with the number of evil spirits appearing in the Storyblogging Carnival in recent weeks. Of course, between Andrew's Cthulhu tales and my own continuing story concerning the psychotic mutant demon Red-eyes, the Carnival hasn't been completely free of these creatures since the first one. In recent weeks, though, the number has substantially increased, and this Carnival is no exception. Some of them are from the Cthulhu mythos, some are the demons of Christian theology, and some I have no idea where they come from, but they are all agents of corruption and very dangerous. An exorcism may be in order.
The Cool Cat
by Rosie of Tales by Sheya
A 215 word brief story rated G.
Proud momma just had to share this one.
[This story is by Sheya's seven-year-old daughter, Rosie. It's very cute. -DSC]
Once
by CWW of A 2D Life
A 543 word brief story rated PG-13.
Not every second chance at life should be taken.
[CWW is a new contributor, and I wrote the blurb for this story myself. Even though there are no evil spirits in this one, it still has the greatest creepiness per word ratio of any story here. -DSC]
A Meating of Mines, scene 6
by Dave Gudeman of Doc Rampage
A 1,530 word scene from a continuing story rated PG-13.
Once again, nothing much happens, but Rolf sure does talk a lot.
[As usual, Doc is very funny even when nothing much happens. I'd say even more nice things about this scene if he'd give me a wordcount for the whole story like he's supposed to. -DSC]
In Plaid Sight
by Andrew Ian Dodge of Dodgeblogium
A 2,721 word short story rated PG.
A wandering male is found in Cardigan in front of political office. The Sage must find out what happened to him and why.
[Andrew once again shows us how common madness is in the Cthulhu mythos. -DSC]
Chapters 38 through 40 of The Child (Beginning)
by Sheya Joie of Tales by Sheya
The next 2,980 words of a 33,450-word novella in progress rated G.
Into the Dark Valley...
[Sheya's story has become much more suspenseful and exciting recently, as the comforts of the Master's home have been left behind. -DSC]
A Parable of Rain
by Jeff Harrell of The Shape of Days
A 5,419-word short story rated PG.
Willy Judson prayed every day. One day, his prayer was answered.
[This is a compelling story by a new contributor, well worth the read. -DSC]
I hope you enjoyed this carnival. If you would like to participate or even just join the mailing list for the Storyblogging Carnival, please contact me.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Storyblogging Carnival XIII
NOTE: Once again, this is a re-post, so I can't guarantee links.
Doc Rampage has Storyblogging Carnival XIII up. I'm afraid he didn't have a chance to come up with a really cool numbering system, or for that matter, even read all the stories. Hopefully you will, though, 'cause there are some really good ones.
I'll be hosting the next one myself, so come by two weeks from now
Doc Rampage has Storyblogging Carnival XIII up. I'm afraid he didn't have a chance to come up with a really cool numbering system, or for that matter, even read all the stories. Hopefully you will, though, 'cause there are some really good ones.
I'll be hosting the next one myself, so come by two weeks from now
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Storyblogging Carnival XII
Welcome to the twelfth Storyblogging Carnival. I hope you've enjoyed our Carnivals so far, and that you'll keep coming, and consider participating. And now, on with the stories:
Non-Automated Biography
by cbeck of Feeding the Habit
A 209 word brief story rated PG.
For a young man, the curve of a soft neck, the smell of her air, it all eludes the immediate understanding.
aliens
by Dave Gudeman of Doc Rampage
A 1,684 word short story rated PG.
Old-style, hi-tech, sci-fi adventure. Short form.
[The frantic pace reminds me of some computer games I've played. -DSC]
A Little Vanity
by Wichidude of Storyman
A 2,090 word short story rated PG-13.
Technology changes, even for the oldest of things. Yet, there is always a little vanity and pride involved in a job well done. Some things change, others remain the same. No matter what you get hit with.
[This one is oddly appropriate for Valentine's Day. -DSC]
Chapters 32 through 34 of The Child (Beginning)
by Sheya Joie of Tales by Sheya
The next 2,739 words of a 27,019 word novella in progress rated PG.
They have been chosen; now, they must make ready to go. And that can be more dangerous than it looks at first.
A Sinking Feeling
by Andrew Ian Dodge of Dodgeblogium
A 4,500 word short story rated PG.
It's called a sinking feeling and it involves Cthulhu & his minions...
Thanks for coming by. If you'd like to join the Storyblogging Carnival e-mail list, just drop me a line.
Non-Automated Biography
by cbeck of Feeding the Habit
A 209 word brief story rated PG.
For a young man, the curve of a soft neck, the smell of her air, it all eludes the immediate understanding.
aliens
by Dave Gudeman of Doc Rampage
A 1,684 word short story rated PG.
Old-style, hi-tech, sci-fi adventure. Short form.
[The frantic pace reminds me of some computer games I've played. -DSC]
A Little Vanity
by Wichidude of Storyman
A 2,090 word short story rated PG-13.
Technology changes, even for the oldest of things. Yet, there is always a little vanity and pride involved in a job well done. Some things change, others remain the same. No matter what you get hit with.
[This one is oddly appropriate for Valentine's Day. -DSC]
Chapters 32 through 34 of The Child (Beginning)
by Sheya Joie of Tales by Sheya
The next 2,739 words of a 27,019 word novella in progress rated PG.
They have been chosen; now, they must make ready to go. And that can be more dangerous than it looks at first.
A Sinking Feeling
by Andrew Ian Dodge of Dodgeblogium
A 4,500 word short story rated PG.
It's called a sinking feeling and it involves Cthulhu & his minions...
Thanks for coming by. If you'd like to join the Storyblogging Carnival e-mail list, just drop me a line.
A Prediction for the Massachusetts election
So let me make a prediction. If Scott Brown wins the Massachusetts special election (which, while possible, still isn't very likely), health care reform will not pass. I say this not because Senator Brown would vote against cloture on it--he's promised to, but if the Democrats have anything to say about it, the bill will be voted on by the Senate before he gets there. But, if Brown wins in very liberal Massachusetts, I predict that Democratic Senators and Representatives will panic. If the bill is so unpopular that Massachusetts elects a Republican to the Kennedy Senate seat just to stop it, Democrats will desert the bill in droves. It won't have the votes to get cloture in the Senate. It won't even get a majority in the House. The same could happen even if Brown loses, depending on how close it is.
This vote is largely seen as a referendum on the health care bill, and a Brown win will be seen as a popular, and perhaps more importantly, election-deciding, rejection of it.
This vote is largely seen as a referendum on the health care bill, and a Brown win will be seen as a popular, and perhaps more importantly, election-deciding, rejection of it.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Storyblogging Carnival XI
The eleventh Storyblogging Carnival is now up at Tales by Sheya. Check it out. I will be hosting the next storyblogging carnival myself. After that it will be the thirteenth carnival, which, since the Carnival is every two weeks, puts us at the half-year mark. Time sure flies, doesn't it?
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Storyblogging Carnival X
NOTE: Once again, I'm re-posting an old post, so I can't guarantee links.
Welcome to the tenth Storyblogging Carnival. I'm glad we've made it this far. While I was willing to keep doing this as long as people were willing to participate, I had no way of knowing whether people would be interested enough to keep the carnival going this long. Thank you all for your involvement and for your stories.
And thank you to everyone who's hosted so far. The previous Carnival was hosted by Michele Catalano two weeks ago, while the next one will be at Sheya Joie's blog two weeks from now.
Out of Bounds (Unplugged) (Chapter 1a)
by Mark Philip Alger of BabyTrollBlog
The first 643 words of a short story in progress rated R.
The All-Doll Band gives a concert and there's a snowstorm in Ohio in July. Just another day at the Center. (This story is just starting. Future episodes will be posted — one per weekday.)
His name was Bill
by cbeck of Feeding the Habit
A 1,315 word short story rated PG-13.
A man fighting the thing we all face: our own life.
Walking to California, Chapter 2 (Beginning)
by Curtis Schweitzer of a-sdf
The next 1,496 words of a 3,328 word story in progress rated PG.
Chapter 2 of my never-finished NaNoWriMo entry for 2004, detailing the story of a young man who walks from Denver to Los angeles in the wake of a dark tragedy.
[This story is beautifully told. I love the imagery invoked to give an empathic understanding of the tragedy endured by the main character. -DSC]
The Lesson
by Andrew Ian Dodge of Dodgeblogium
A 1,558 word short story rated PG.
The Sage tells the tale of the first time he met one of Cthulhu's minions face to face.
Little Grey Man
by Brian J. Noggle of Musings from Brian J. Noggle
A 1,835 word short story rated PG.
A self-romanticizing postal carrier sees something that alters his self image irrevocably.
Cokey goes flying
by Dave Gudeman of Doc Rampage
A 2,182 word short story rated PG.
Jim Kjelgaard wrote YA (young adult) adventure fiction --short (40-word) stories aimed at about fifth- to tenth-grade readers.. Many of his stories were written from the point of view of a dog. He was my favorite childhood author and this story is an attempt to recreate the feel of one of Jim Kjelgaard's dog books.
[This is a delightful little story for the dog-lover in all of us. Unless you don't like dogs, in which case it's for the dog-lover in him. Yeah, that guy over there. He likes dogs, just ask him. Anyway, it is clearly inspired by what may be a true story. -DSC]
Last Gas
by Pete C of Engrossing Tales
A 2,849 short story rate PG.
On a dark, isolated road, the last gas for miles could turn out to be a saving grace... or something entirely, ominously different.
The Strangers in Town
by Sheya Joie of Tales by Sheya
A 2,874 word short story rated PG-13.
For Rivkah, this was the strangest birth she had ever attended--beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Trail of the Slug
by Michele Catalano of A Small Victory
A 3,113 word short story rated PG.
Can dreams of vengeance fulfill themselves?
Distaste of Roses
by Jeremiah Lewis of Fringe
The first 3,535 words of a story in progress.
Currently unfinished story about two unlikely people meeting in an unlikely town, and the unaccountable bitterness of rose petals.
Thanks for coming by. I hope you'll be able to visit Tales by Sheya for the next carnival. If you'd like to join the Storyblogging Carnival e-mail list, just drop me a line.
Welcome to the tenth Storyblogging Carnival. I'm glad we've made it this far. While I was willing to keep doing this as long as people were willing to participate, I had no way of knowing whether people would be interested enough to keep the carnival going this long. Thank you all for your involvement and for your stories.
And thank you to everyone who's hosted so far. The previous Carnival was hosted by Michele Catalano two weeks ago, while the next one will be at Sheya Joie's blog two weeks from now.
Out of Bounds (Unplugged) (Chapter 1a)
by Mark Philip Alger of BabyTrollBlog
The first 643 words of a short story in progress rated R.
The All-Doll Band gives a concert and there's a snowstorm in Ohio in July. Just another day at the Center. (This story is just starting. Future episodes will be posted — one per weekday.)
His name was Bill
by cbeck of Feeding the Habit
A 1,315 word short story rated PG-13.
A man fighting the thing we all face: our own life.
Walking to California, Chapter 2 (Beginning)
by Curtis Schweitzer of a-sdf
The next 1,496 words of a 3,328 word story in progress rated PG.
Chapter 2 of my never-finished NaNoWriMo entry for 2004, detailing the story of a young man who walks from Denver to Los angeles in the wake of a dark tragedy.
[This story is beautifully told. I love the imagery invoked to give an empathic understanding of the tragedy endured by the main character. -DSC]
The Lesson
by Andrew Ian Dodge of Dodgeblogium
A 1,558 word short story rated PG.
The Sage tells the tale of the first time he met one of Cthulhu's minions face to face.
Little Grey Man
by Brian J. Noggle of Musings from Brian J. Noggle
A 1,835 word short story rated PG.
A self-romanticizing postal carrier sees something that alters his self image irrevocably.
Cokey goes flying
by Dave Gudeman of Doc Rampage
A 2,182 word short story rated PG.
Jim Kjelgaard wrote YA (young adult) adventure fiction --short (40-word) stories aimed at about fifth- to tenth-grade readers.. Many of his stories were written from the point of view of a dog. He was my favorite childhood author and this story is an attempt to recreate the feel of one of Jim Kjelgaard's dog books.
[This is a delightful little story for the dog-lover in all of us. Unless you don't like dogs, in which case it's for the dog-lover in him. Yeah, that guy over there. He likes dogs, just ask him. Anyway, it is clearly inspired by what may be a true story. -DSC]
Last Gas
by Pete C of Engrossing Tales
A 2,849 short story rate PG.
On a dark, isolated road, the last gas for miles could turn out to be a saving grace... or something entirely, ominously different.
The Strangers in Town
by Sheya Joie of Tales by Sheya
A 2,874 word short story rated PG-13.
For Rivkah, this was the strangest birth she had ever attended--beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Trail of the Slug
by Michele Catalano of A Small Victory
A 3,113 word short story rated PG.
Can dreams of vengeance fulfill themselves?
Distaste of Roses
by Jeremiah Lewis of Fringe
The first 3,535 words of a story in progress.
Currently unfinished story about two unlikely people meeting in an unlikely town, and the unaccountable bitterness of rose petals.
Thanks for coming by. I hope you'll be able to visit Tales by Sheya for the next carnival. If you'd like to join the Storyblogging Carnival e-mail list, just drop me a line.
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Storyblogging Carnival IX
NOTE: This is a repost, so I can't guarantee links.
Michele Catalano has posted the Ninth Storyblogging Carnival. With thirteen stories, it's bigger than ever, and Michele's worked hard to make it look beautiful, too. It's going to be a hard act to follow when I host the tenth carnival here. Check it out!
Michele Catalano has posted the Ninth Storyblogging Carnival. With thirteen stories, it's bigger than ever, and Michele's worked hard to make it look beautiful, too. It's going to be a hard act to follow when I host the tenth carnival here. Check it out!
Friday, January 08, 2010
Storyblogging Carnival VIII
NOTE: This is a repost of an older post, so links may be broken.
The eighth Storyblogging Carnival is now online at Dodgeblogium. There are seven stories from the authors Sheya Joies, Michelle Catalano, Dave Gudeman, Mary Murphy, Tim Worstall, Andrew Ian Dodge, and myself. Enjoy!
Michele Catalano of A Small Victory has volunteered to host the next Storyblogging Carnival. I'll post more details when I have them.
The eighth Storyblogging Carnival is now online at Dodgeblogium. There are seven stories from the authors Sheya Joies, Michelle Catalano, Dave Gudeman, Mary Murphy, Tim Worstall, Andrew Ian Dodge, and myself. Enjoy!
Michele Catalano of A Small Victory has volunteered to host the next Storyblogging Carnival. I'll post more details when I have them.
Multi-tools
I carry two multitools with me, as well as a couple of items on my keychain.
One multi-tool is the SOG S60-N PowerLock
. It's a bit bulky, but it's capable of pretty much anything I might need--knife, pliers, wire cutter and stripper, Phillips and flat head screwdrivers, can opener--and then a few things I don't need much at all. The pliers are sturdy and comfortable to use, and all the blades lock, which is important. It also has a good feel as a screwdriver, with the head just slightly off-center. The one thing that does feel a bit off is the knife, since the blade faces towards the inside, rather than the edge, when it's open. Still, it's long enough that the handle rarely gets in the way. This tool is very useful when you need it (just in case you have to defuse a bomb or something), and not a pain to carry around when you don't.
The other multi-tool is my iPhone 3G. Don't laugh! Aside from the standard phone and iPod functionality, and the other things which you expect from a modern phone (e-mail, camera, alarm clock, calendar with reminders), it also has a GPS integrated with Google maps, which I use a lot more than I would have expected before I got it. The GPS isn't always very accurate (it can be off by a couple of blocks sometimes), but it does land you in the general vicinity well enough that you can find your way. You can even browse the web better than with most cell phones, though in this aspect you'll likely find yourself wishing you had a laptop instead, as the small display and lack of plug-ins makes the experience rather limited.
With the right apps, you can do a lot more with the iPhone. There are four I find particularly useful:
The first is a Dictionary.com's free dictionary and thesaurus. Sure, you can get that functionality using the web browser, but as a writer, I sometimes need them when the browser's unavailable, such as when riding the subway or visiting another country. And since the whole dictionary app's less than 40 MB, it easily fits on my 8 GB iPhone.
The second is Amazon's Kindle app. The app's free, and more importantly, there are lots of books available for free as well. I've been reading a collection of Robert E. Howard's stories (which doesn't appear to be available anymore) and Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Seas.
The third one is the only one I've paid money for, Documents To Go by DataViz. This program lets me edit Word and Excel documents, and synchronize them with my desktop. I can't touch type with it, and it can be difficult selecting for cutting and pasting, but it's the only app I've found that lets me write on my iPhone.
And finally is my most recent, and simplest, free application, John Haney's Flashlight. All this does is turn the iPhone's screen on a solid color, and leave it on. You decide the color (white's best for pure illumination), and how long you have it stay on (I have it set to 10 minutes). This provides enough illumination to see, and it stays on long enough for me to use it (unlike the standard setting for the iPhone, which keeps the screen bright for less than a minute). You can adjust the brightness as well. I don't find that it's as good as a real flashlight when it comes to focused illumination, but it provides a good diffuse light when you need to find your way. You can also set the app to strobe, which I can see being useful in an emergency situation.
Finally, there's what I keep on my keychain. Aside from keys, I like having three items: a flash drive, a knife, and a flashlight. SanDisk's Cruzer Titanium
is a nice one for the flash drive, since its metal casing is solid and the USB plug retracts rather than relying on an easily losable cap. I keep the flash drive mainly so I have a backup of my stories (I did mention that I was a writer, didn't I?) and other important data with me at all times. The one problem is that the key ring is kind of flimsy, and I've had to replace it. The knife and the flashlight may seem redundant considering my other tools, but they're the two things I consider most necessary, so redundancy is a feature, not a bug. I like having them both to-hand in case I lose or have to leave behind my other tools--or just want easier access to a more effective flashlight or a smaller knife. Of course, if I can combine the two, that's even better, as long as I don't need the flashlight on a plane, so I just got this combo from Amazon. It's a bit large for a keychain attachment, but not excessively so. The LED is bright, and has an auto-shutoff after three minutes, which is useful since I've often had LED flashlights come on in my pocket and quickly run down their batteries. The knife is small, but sharp and sturdy. It opens easily with one hand, and locks in the open position. It doesn't lock in the closed position, so it could conceivably catch on something and come open unintentionally, which I'll admit is my biggest concern. So far, though, it's a useful addition to my collection.
One multi-tool is the SOG S60-N PowerLock
. It's a bit bulky, but it's capable of pretty much anything I might need--knife, pliers, wire cutter and stripper, Phillips and flat head screwdrivers, can opener--and then a few things I don't need much at all. The pliers are sturdy and comfortable to use, and all the blades lock, which is important. It also has a good feel as a screwdriver, with the head just slightly off-center. The one thing that does feel a bit off is the knife, since the blade faces towards the inside, rather than the edge, when it's open. Still, it's long enough that the handle rarely gets in the way. This tool is very useful when you need it (just in case you have to defuse a bomb or something), and not a pain to carry around when you don't.The other multi-tool is my iPhone 3G. Don't laugh! Aside from the standard phone and iPod functionality, and the other things which you expect from a modern phone (e-mail, camera, alarm clock, calendar with reminders), it also has a GPS integrated with Google maps, which I use a lot more than I would have expected before I got it. The GPS isn't always very accurate (it can be off by a couple of blocks sometimes), but it does land you in the general vicinity well enough that you can find your way. You can even browse the web better than with most cell phones, though in this aspect you'll likely find yourself wishing you had a laptop instead, as the small display and lack of plug-ins makes the experience rather limited.
With the right apps, you can do a lot more with the iPhone. There are four I find particularly useful:
The first is a Dictionary.com's free dictionary and thesaurus. Sure, you can get that functionality using the web browser, but as a writer, I sometimes need them when the browser's unavailable, such as when riding the subway or visiting another country. And since the whole dictionary app's less than 40 MB, it easily fits on my 8 GB iPhone.
The second is Amazon's Kindle app. The app's free, and more importantly, there are lots of books available for free as well. I've been reading a collection of Robert E. Howard's stories (which doesn't appear to be available anymore) and Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Seas.
The third one is the only one I've paid money for, Documents To Go by DataViz. This program lets me edit Word and Excel documents, and synchronize them with my desktop. I can't touch type with it, and it can be difficult selecting for cutting and pasting, but it's the only app I've found that lets me write on my iPhone.
And finally is my most recent, and simplest, free application, John Haney's Flashlight. All this does is turn the iPhone's screen on a solid color, and leave it on. You decide the color (white's best for pure illumination), and how long you have it stay on (I have it set to 10 minutes). This provides enough illumination to see, and it stays on long enough for me to use it (unlike the standard setting for the iPhone, which keeps the screen bright for less than a minute). You can adjust the brightness as well. I don't find that it's as good as a real flashlight when it comes to focused illumination, but it provides a good diffuse light when you need to find your way. You can also set the app to strobe, which I can see being useful in an emergency situation.
Finally, there's what I keep on my keychain. Aside from keys, I like having three items: a flash drive, a knife, and a flashlight. SanDisk's Cruzer Titanium
is a nice one for the flash drive, since its metal casing is solid and the USB plug retracts rather than relying on an easily losable cap. I keep the flash drive mainly so I have a backup of my stories (I did mention that I was a writer, didn't I?) and other important data with me at all times. The one problem is that the key ring is kind of flimsy, and I've had to replace it. The knife and the flashlight may seem redundant considering my other tools, but they're the two things I consider most necessary, so redundancy is a feature, not a bug. I like having them both to-hand in case I lose or have to leave behind my other tools--or just want easier access to a more effective flashlight or a smaller knife. Of course, if I can combine the two, that's even better, as long as I don't need the flashlight on a plane, so I just got this combo from Amazon. It's a bit large for a keychain attachment, but not excessively so. The LED is bright, and has an auto-shutoff after three minutes, which is useful since I've often had LED flashlights come on in my pocket and quickly run down their batteries. The knife is small, but sharp and sturdy. It opens easily with one hand, and locks in the open position. It doesn't lock in the closed position, so it could conceivably catch on something and come open unintentionally, which I'll admit is my biggest concern. So far, though, it's a useful addition to my collection.
Thursday, January 07, 2010
Storyblogging Carnival VII
NOTE: Just as a reminder, this is a re-post of an older post, so I can't guarantee that the links are still working.
The seventh storyblogging carnival is now online at Tales by Sheya. Enjoy the carnival, and be sure to link to it.
The seventh storyblogging carnival is now online at Tales by Sheya. Enjoy the carnival, and be sure to link to it.
Storyblogging Carnival VII
NOTE: This is a re-posting of an old post, so the links may be broken.
The seventh storyblogging carnival is now online at Tales by Sheya. Enjoy the carnival, and be sure to link to it.
The seventh storyblogging carnival is now online at Tales by Sheya. Enjoy the carnival, and be sure to link to it.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Storyblogging Carnival VI
NOTE: This is a re-posting of an old post, so it's possible that links will be broken.
Welcome to the sixth Storyblogging Carnival. The previous carnival was also hosted here two weeks ago, while the next one will be at Sheya Joie's blog two weeks from now. Today we have one new writer and several old favorites, so let's get started.
Everybody Needs a Ride Sometimes
by Queenie of Rolling My Eyes
A 237 word brief story rated PG.
Con-artist or beggar or both, she still needs to make a living.
Untitled novel length project
by Mike J. of Democrats Give Conservatives Indigestion
A 610 word excerpt of a novel in progress, rated PG.
A private investigator/licensed pilot who specializes in recovering lost, stolen or otherwise missing property lands in Jamaica with his client as the story begins...
Taxi Ride
by cbeck of Feeding the Habit
A 628 word brief story rated PG.
A story of realization; the harsh reality of goodbye.
A Meating of Mines, scene iii (Beginning of the story)
by Dave Gudeman of Doc Rampage
The next 1,151 words of a 3,888 word story in progress, rated PG-13.
Rolf and Zantar are hired by one of the feuding families of Winkelfranks.
Fishies
by Andrew Ian Dodge of Dodgeblogium
A 2,777 word short story rated PG-13.
Rupert, already perturbed to find out that some people like dressing up as animals to get their kicks, has to investigate an even more disturbing club in Aberdeen.
The Child (Parts 11,12,13,14,15,16) (Beginning of the story)
by Sheya Joie of Tales by Sheya
The next 5,245 words of a 11,614 word story in progress.
And so began the sweetest days of the Child's life. Days spent in the company of the Master, her Beloved. Days spent walking together, her small hand in his, her eyes feasting on his dear face - as he delighted in her delight in him. His voice filling both her ears and her hungry heart as he spoke songs of love into her...
[It wasn't obvious at first that this story was allegorical, but it was obvious that it was delightful, as it remains. -DSC]
Thanks for coming by. I hope you'll be able to visit Tales by Sheya for the next carnival. If you'd like to join the Storyblogging Carnival e-mail list, just drop me a line.
Welcome to the sixth Storyblogging Carnival. The previous carnival was also hosted here two weeks ago, while the next one will be at Sheya Joie's blog two weeks from now. Today we have one new writer and several old favorites, so let's get started.
Everybody Needs a Ride Sometimes
by Queenie of Rolling My Eyes
A 237 word brief story rated PG.
Con-artist or beggar or both, she still needs to make a living.
Untitled novel length project
by Mike J. of Democrats Give Conservatives Indigestion
A 610 word excerpt of a novel in progress, rated PG.
A private investigator/licensed pilot who specializes in recovering lost, stolen or otherwise missing property lands in Jamaica with his client as the story begins...
Taxi Ride
by cbeck of Feeding the Habit
A 628 word brief story rated PG.
A story of realization; the harsh reality of goodbye.
A Meating of Mines, scene iii (Beginning of the story)
by Dave Gudeman of Doc Rampage
The next 1,151 words of a 3,888 word story in progress, rated PG-13.
Rolf and Zantar are hired by one of the feuding families of Winkelfranks.
Fishies
by Andrew Ian Dodge of Dodgeblogium
A 2,777 word short story rated PG-13.
Rupert, already perturbed to find out that some people like dressing up as animals to get their kicks, has to investigate an even more disturbing club in Aberdeen.
The Child (Parts 11,12,13,14,15,16) (Beginning of the story)
by Sheya Joie of Tales by Sheya
The next 5,245 words of a 11,614 word story in progress.
And so began the sweetest days of the Child's life. Days spent in the company of the Master, her Beloved. Days spent walking together, her small hand in his, her eyes feasting on his dear face - as he delighted in her delight in him. His voice filling both her ears and her hungry heart as he spoke songs of love into her...
[It wasn't obvious at first that this story was allegorical, but it was obvious that it was delightful, as it remains. -DSC]
Thanks for coming by. I hope you'll be able to visit Tales by Sheya for the next carnival. If you'd like to join the Storyblogging Carnival e-mail list, just drop me a line.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Carnivals are going up
You probably noticed that I've been putting up the past carnivals. I'll continue putting up one a day until I run out of archived Carnivals--which should be sometime in April. Meanwhile, I'll start soliciting for the next carnival, and get the Storyblogging Carnivals rolling again.
I still haven't finished getting the site up-to-date, so you'll see some changes as I do that.
I still haven't finished getting the site up-to-date, so you'll see some changes as I do that.
Storyblogging Carnival V
NOTE: This is a re-posting of an old post, so it's possible that links will be broken.
Welcome to the fifth Storyblogging Carnival! Once again we gather stories from around the blogosphere for your reading enjoyment. The previous Storyblogging Carnival was hosted at Doc Rampage. Meanwhile, if you want to see links all of them, try this page. Today, I broke a rule and included two entries of my own. I try not to include more than one entry per person, but I'm lenient when there are less than ten entries overall. In any case, here we have a total of seven stories, with, I think, a higher average word count than usual.
...And Two Socks
by Queenie of Rolling My Eyes
A 429 word brief story rated G.
Socks. Lots of socks.
[Like most of Queenie's stories, this is funny, short, and sweet.-DSC]
A Meating of Mines, scene ii (Beginning of the story)
by Doc Rampage of Doc Rampage
The next 1,414 words of a 2,737 word story in progress, rated PG.
Rolf and Zantar meet Loan the Ranger and discuss debate points.
[Doc's sense of humor is always fun. His original idea was to turn these screenplays into a computer animated show based on a computer game engine. Any enterprising soul interested in giving it a try? -DSC]
Welcome to the Pack
by Andrew Ian Dodge of Dodgeblogium
A 3,136 word short story rated PG-13.
Parks in London are not just for the priveledged and the drunks...some of them hide interesting secrets. Have you ever wondered why many have high shrubbery so you can't see in?
Cast Out
by Robin Jones of Beyond Salvage
A 5,652 short story rated R.
A cuckold comes to terms with life after betrayal.
[The psychologist in this story is one of those characters you love to hate. I like the protagonist, though.-DSC]
The Child (Parts 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10) (Beginning of the story)
by Sheya Joie of Tales by Sheya.
The next 6,032 words of a 6,413 word story in progress, rated PG.
She could not remember her past - how she came to be in this house under the Mountain of Spices, where she was resting and growing and healing. The Master, she was told, had brought her here. But who was he? And when would he return for her?
And why did the one taking care of her shine with an unearthly light?
[We had a bit of trouble figuring out how to navigate this story, and we eventually figured I'd just post links to each part of the submission, 2 through 9. I recommend you just go to part 2 and navigate through using the links at the bottom of each part. If you missed Part 1 (which was in the last carnival), you can find it here.-DSC]
I'll be hosting the next carnival, followed by Sheya Joie, and then Andrew Ian Dodge, assuming the scheduling works out. If you want to join the Storyblogging Carnival, send me an e-mail at dscrank-at-alum.mit.edu, or use the web comment feature.
Welcome to the fifth Storyblogging Carnival! Once again we gather stories from around the blogosphere for your reading enjoyment. The previous Storyblogging Carnival was hosted at Doc Rampage. Meanwhile, if you want to see links all of them, try this page. Today, I broke a rule and included two entries of my own. I try not to include more than one entry per person, but I'm lenient when there are less than ten entries overall. In any case, here we have a total of seven stories, with, I think, a higher average word count than usual.
...And Two Socks
by Queenie of Rolling My Eyes
A 429 word brief story rated G.
Socks. Lots of socks.
[Like most of Queenie's stories, this is funny, short, and sweet.-DSC]
A Meating of Mines, scene ii (Beginning of the story)
by Doc Rampage of Doc Rampage
The next 1,414 words of a 2,737 word story in progress, rated PG.
Rolf and Zantar meet Loan the Ranger and discuss debate points.
[Doc's sense of humor is always fun. His original idea was to turn these screenplays into a computer animated show based on a computer game engine. Any enterprising soul interested in giving it a try? -DSC]
Welcome to the Pack
by Andrew Ian Dodge of Dodgeblogium
A 3,136 word short story rated PG-13.
Parks in London are not just for the priveledged and the drunks...some of them hide interesting secrets. Have you ever wondered why many have high shrubbery so you can't see in?
Cast Out
by Robin Jones of Beyond Salvage
A 5,652 short story rated R.
A cuckold comes to terms with life after betrayal.
[The psychologist in this story is one of those characters you love to hate. I like the protagonist, though.-DSC]
The Child (Parts 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10) (Beginning of the story)
by Sheya Joie of Tales by Sheya.
The next 6,032 words of a 6,413 word story in progress, rated PG.
She could not remember her past - how she came to be in this house under the Mountain of Spices, where she was resting and growing and healing. The Master, she was told, had brought her here. But who was he? And when would he return for her?
And why did the one taking care of her shine with an unearthly light?
[We had a bit of trouble figuring out how to navigate this story, and we eventually figured I'd just post links to each part of the submission, 2 through 9. I recommend you just go to part 2 and navigate through using the links at the bottom of each part. If you missed Part 1 (which was in the last carnival), you can find it here.-DSC]
I'll be hosting the next carnival, followed by Sheya Joie, and then Andrew Ian Dodge, assuming the scheduling works out. If you want to join the Storyblogging Carnival, send me an e-mail at dscrank-at-alum.mit.edu, or use the web comment feature.
Monday, January 04, 2010
Storyblogging Carnival IV
NOTE: This is an old post, so it's possible that the links will be broken.
Doc Rampage has the fourth Storyblogging Carnival up right now, with ten stories from around the blogosphere. Check it out.
Doc Rampage has the fourth Storyblogging Carnival up right now, with ten stories from around the blogosphere. Check it out.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Storyblogging Carnival III
NOTE: Once again, I'm putting up a Storyblogging Carnival that originally went up a long time ago. Some links may be out of date.
The third Storyblogging Carnival is up at Beyond Salvage. Eight stories from around the blogosphere, including a story from myself and our first audio submission. The next carnival will be at Doc Rampage.
Update (9/12/2005): As Robin Jones's blog is no longer with us, I've retrieved a copy of the Storyblogging Carnival III from the Wayback Archive. Here it is:
Welcome to Storyblogging Carnival III. Thanks to all of you who participated. I encourage you to submit again to Storyblogging Carnival IV, which will be hosted by Dave Gudeman at Doc Rampage on October 25th. I enjoyed hosting this time out. Thanks to Donald Crankshaw for the opportunity. Unlike Donald, I’ve refrained from commenting on any of the stories. I’m not at all acquainted with the language of literary criticism and would certainly make a fool of myself if I tried to fake it. Suffice it to say that I’ve read all the stories and found them each entertaining in their own way. So here are the eight offerings for Storyblogging Carnival III. You’ll find links to the previous carnivals towards the end of this post.
Silence in the Snow
by Andrew of Philosophical Poetry
a 350 word brief story rated G
Walk With Me
by sheya joie yonathi of tales by sheya
A 500 word brief story rated G
Don’t hurt me I’m small!
by Gunner Miller of Monster Blog
542 words of a never ending story rated G
Denise, Denise
by Gary Cruse of The Owner’s Manual
A 900 word brief story rated G
Birdseed
by Peter C. of Engrossing Tales
a 958 word brief story rated PG
Sniper
by Dave Gudeman of Doc Rampage
A 1995 word short story rated R
Holy Spirit Warehouse
by Robin Jones of Beyond Salvage
A 6418 word short story rated PG-13
This submission is in audio (mp3)
Here are the links for carnivals one and two. Thanks for stopping by and don’t forget the next carnival at Doc’s in just two weeks!
The third Storyblogging Carnival is up at Beyond Salvage. Eight stories from around the blogosphere, including a story from myself and our first audio submission. The next carnival will be at Doc Rampage.
Update (9/12/2005): As Robin Jones's blog is no longer with us, I've retrieved a copy of the Storyblogging Carnival III from the Wayback Archive. Here it is:
Welcome to Storyblogging Carnival III. Thanks to all of you who participated. I encourage you to submit again to Storyblogging Carnival IV, which will be hosted by Dave Gudeman at Doc Rampage on October 25th. I enjoyed hosting this time out. Thanks to Donald Crankshaw for the opportunity. Unlike Donald, I’ve refrained from commenting on any of the stories. I’m not at all acquainted with the language of literary criticism and would certainly make a fool of myself if I tried to fake it. Suffice it to say that I’ve read all the stories and found them each entertaining in their own way. So here are the eight offerings for Storyblogging Carnival III. You’ll find links to the previous carnivals towards the end of this post.
Silence in the Snow
by Andrew of Philosophical Poetry
a 350 word brief story rated G
When deep emotion and isolation converge, a man is changed in an instant.
Walk With Me
by sheya joie yonathi of tales by sheya
A 500 word brief story rated G
“A walk with her big brother…”
Don’t hurt me I’m small!
by Gunner Miller of Monster Blog
542 words of a never ending story rated G
Everyone believes in monsters as a child. This is the story of my life after I had to believe again as an adult. That’s when I found, adopted, and raised one for myself. This story never ends, it just keeps going, as long as there is chocolate.
Denise, Denise
by Gary Cruse of The Owner’s Manual
A 900 word brief story rated G
A zany blend of La Femme Nikita and Deliverance
Birdseed
by Peter C. of Engrossing Tales
a 958 word brief story rated PG
The old man, wrapped snugly in an oversized trenchcoat, leaned forward across the stone chess table in the park. His breath came in sporadic bursts of white mist, which drifted slowly to nothingness in the chill atmosphere of this brisk winter day. He wore a knit black cap and heavy leather gloves, and his nose was two shades darker red than normal. He sported a ragged white beard peppered with shards of grey, dripping condensation beading on the hairs in glistening, half-frozen pearls.
Overhead, a coo and flutter. The pigeons had arrived, right on time.
Sniper
by Dave Gudeman of Doc Rampage
A 1995 word short story rated R
Some of the nicest people you know were just born that way. They are just naturally full of kindness and empathy and friendliness. Some of the other nicest people you know weren’t born that way at all.
Holy Spirit Warehouse
by Robin Jones of Beyond Salvage
A 6418 word short story rated PG-13
This story is about lost faith and what one man does to recapture it.
This submission is in audio (mp3)
Why I do …
by Marty Dodge of Dodgeblogium
A short story rated PG that runs just over 7 minutes
Another Sage of Wales tale
Here are the links for carnivals one and two. Thanks for stopping by and don’t forget the next carnival at Doc’s in just two weeks!
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Storyblogging Carnival II
Welcome to the second Storyblogging Carnival. Here bloggers show that not only can they take down Dan Rather in a day, they can write better fiction too! Today we've collected twelve stories from various bloggers, some of whom you're probably familiar with and some you're probably not, but all worth checking out.
Fide
by Curtis Schweitzer of a_sdf
A 310 word brief story rated PG.
An abstract, stream of consciousness statement of faith.
Affirmations
by KJB of One Fish Up, One Fish Down
A 375 word brief story rated G.
A self-involved parent picks her child up from Safe Key.
The Mother Meets the Rabbi
by Yetzirah of Yetzirah
A 665 word brief story rated G
How my Rabbi survived unscathed during my mother's official visit. And how she figured out why Judaism has survived so long. All in one golden afternoon.
Not noir. Not ever. Never!
by Gary Cruse of The Good Intentions Paving Company
A 900 word brief story rated PG.
A noir mystery of 1920s love, rejection, and steamy nonchalance.
Revenge of the Women of Kleenex
by Michelle Catalano of A Small Victory
A 1,202 short story, rated PG-13.
Single Superheroine seeks Super Guy.
[This is a fun one, from a genre that doesn't get the respect it deserves. -DSC]
Haze
by cbeck of Feeding The Habit (A weekend blog)
A 1,273 short story in two parts, rated R.
"Now most normal aborigines would be out dancing, drinking, and not inhaling various clouds of smoke on a Friday night. But instead we sat holding hands in a small semi-circle with someone who should have been a beauty at our focus."
The Never Ending Story Blog
by KJB et al. of The Never Ending Story Blog
The first 1,390 words of an ongoing story of indeterminate length, rated PG (so far).
This is a collaborative story effort, allowing contributions from anyone. You can make it about whatever you want, although your collaborators may decide not to play along.
By Touch
by Wichi Dude of Wichi Dude
A 1,903 word short story rated PG-13.
A man uses an unusual talent to help his family. And passes that talent along.
[Nice. -DSC]
Portraits
by Trudy W. Schuett of WOLves
A 2,078 short story rated PG.
Sometimes it's easier to hang together than to hang separately.
[This one's really sweet. -DSC]
Transcendence
by Dave Gudeman of Doc Rampage
A 2,607 word short story rated PG-13.
This story is either farce or tragedy, depending on your beiefs. If you believe that humans are no more than automatons, then this is an amusing farce about how the survival reflex responds in a situation that evolution didn't prepare it for. If you believe that humans are living souls, then this story is a tragedy about the evil that can result from pride and self-centeredness alone. No malevolence is required.
[I liked this one. It's based on an idea I've also been considering using for a short story, if only Doc hadn't beat me to it. -DSC]
Shadowed
by Marty Dodge of Dodgeblogium
A 2,975 word short story rated PG.
An exhausted man turns up at the Sage of Wales' front door begging to let in. Is he all that he says he is and who exactly is after him?
[This story is an interesting mix of horror and modern fantasy. I liked it. -DSC]
Writer's Block
by Jeremiah Lewis of Fringe
A 4,413 word short story rated R.
A struggling writer (of course) longs for female companionship, for which he invents a creative solution.
[This was an intriguing story, deliberately vague and ambiguous.-DSC]
Fide
by Curtis Schweitzer of a_sdf
A 310 word brief story rated PG.
An abstract, stream of consciousness statement of faith.
Affirmations
by KJB of One Fish Up, One Fish Down
A 375 word brief story rated G.
A self-involved parent picks her child up from Safe Key.
The Mother Meets the Rabbi
by Yetzirah of Yetzirah
A 665 word brief story rated G
How my Rabbi survived unscathed during my mother's official visit. And how she figured out why Judaism has survived so long. All in one golden afternoon.
Not noir. Not ever. Never!
by Gary Cruse of The Good Intentions Paving Company
A 900 word brief story rated PG.
A noir mystery of 1920s love, rejection, and steamy nonchalance.
Revenge of the Women of Kleenex
by Michelle Catalano of A Small Victory
A 1,202 short story, rated PG-13.
Single Superheroine seeks Super Guy.
[This is a fun one, from a genre that doesn't get the respect it deserves. -DSC]
Haze
by cbeck of Feeding The Habit (A weekend blog)
A 1,273 short story in two parts, rated R.
"Now most normal aborigines would be out dancing, drinking, and not inhaling various clouds of smoke on a Friday night. But instead we sat holding hands in a small semi-circle with someone who should have been a beauty at our focus."
The Never Ending Story Blog
by KJB et al. of The Never Ending Story Blog
The first 1,390 words of an ongoing story of indeterminate length, rated PG (so far).
This is a collaborative story effort, allowing contributions from anyone. You can make it about whatever you want, although your collaborators may decide not to play along.
By Touch
by Wichi Dude of Wichi Dude
A 1,903 word short story rated PG-13.
A man uses an unusual talent to help his family. And passes that talent along.
[Nice. -DSC]
Portraits
by Trudy W. Schuett of WOLves
A 2,078 short story rated PG.
Sometimes it's easier to hang together than to hang separately.
[This one's really sweet. -DSC]
Transcendence
by Dave Gudeman of Doc Rampage
A 2,607 word short story rated PG-13.
This story is either farce or tragedy, depending on your beiefs. If you believe that humans are no more than automatons, then this is an amusing farce about how the survival reflex responds in a situation that evolution didn't prepare it for. If you believe that humans are living souls, then this story is a tragedy about the evil that can result from pride and self-centeredness alone. No malevolence is required.
[I liked this one. It's based on an idea I've also been considering using for a short story, if only Doc hadn't beat me to it. -DSC]
Shadowed
by Marty Dodge of Dodgeblogium
A 2,975 word short story rated PG.
An exhausted man turns up at the Sage of Wales' front door begging to let in. Is he all that he says he is and who exactly is after him?
[This story is an interesting mix of horror and modern fantasy. I liked it. -DSC]
Writer's Block
by Jeremiah Lewis of Fringe
A 4,413 word short story rated R.
A struggling writer (of course) longs for female companionship, for which he invents a creative solution.
[This was an intriguing story, deliberately vague and ambiguous.-DSC]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)