National Story of Romance Month – A Writing Challenge

Two years ago, a group of creative people hanging out on Kim Harrison‘s blog banded together for a month of love-themed creative abandon. Thus was born the National Story of Romance Month (NaStyRoMo for short).

With February coming around next week and a big hole in my heart from the NaSty absence last year, I’ve decided to try my hand at rekindling the old flame, awakening passions untold, and charming new writers into the fold.

So I’m calling on you, aspiring writers on a quest for new challenges.
You, dabblers who never thought you’d write romance and/or fantasy.
You, drabblers who stop by every week and would like to join a new type of prompts.
You, romance and/or fantasy writers who want to ditch the routine, have fun and get some free publicity.
You, people living where February means cold and dark days that demand we warm our heart.
Can’t you feel the love? *laughs*

Okay, seriously now, starting February first, I’m kicking off NaStyRoMo 2012 Edition which will last for the whole month. Everyone is invited to celebrate February by writing love stories between supernatural/fantasy/horror/anything-non-human-really characters. The format of the story and level of hotness is up to you!
During the last NaStyRoMo, I wrote poems, shorts, songs, and experimented on a lot of different levels. Some people wrote serialized shorts. There was one werewolf/pony character. It’s really up to your imagination!

Here are the links to my past creations to give you an idea of just how crazy and fun things can get.

The Hunt : A female werewolf refuses to bow to tradition and be dominated by her suitor.
The Infomercial: Cupid presents the ultimate lover: the werechipmunk.
My Pillow Crooned (unofficial entry): Also alternatively entitled “Why You Don’t Want Your Pillow to be the Reincarnation of Ray Charles”
The Spell : A heart-breaking love story (I’m not saying what supernatural creature is involved because it’s part of the fun.)
The Virgin, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6: A couple of demons – an Incubus and a Succubus – argue over the virgin they both want to snatch.

The final process for linking to your story will be announced on February 1st but, in the meantime, start thinking about your story (ies) and share the invitation!

List – A Drabble

Reclaiming a trampoline:
1) Borrow the neighbor’s dorky catapult.
2) Wait for the construction break.
3) Text Rianna about Tommy kissing Beth.
4) Line upright wood planks halfway around the house.
5) Wait for Ginny to go answer Rianna’s panicked call.
6) Place the first plank on the rake.
7) Tie a rope to its handle.
8) Thread it up and around the trampoline’s frame.
9) Tie it under the bounce mat.
10) Place the catapult’s lever by the last plank.
11) Aim at the roofers’ bucket of tar.
12) Load.
13) Hide.
14) Wait.
15) Don’t laugh.
16) Laugh.

This story was written based on this prompt.

Drabble Day – List

Hello!

I’ve been obsessively listing stuff these past few days in an attempt to organize several aspects of my life. Namely, my &$(#)% creativity that won’t let me rest nor concentrate on a single project.
Now it’s your turn to think about lists.

 Remember how it works?

• Read the prompt and find your angle.
• Write a drabble (100 words story, give or take five words).
• Post a direct link to your drabble in the comments (or, if you don’t have a blog, just go ahead and post your drabble in the comments).
• In the post on your blog, make sure to link back to this post.

Today’s prompt is: List!
Super special challenge for those who need it: your story must take the form of a list.

I’ll post my drabble tomorrow.

Awesome writerly week to all of you!

Six Sentence Sunday – Vexx

Hello!

Here is this week’s Six Sentence Sunday which, as the name indicates, consists in posting any six sentence of a project on Sunday morning.

I’m sharing an excerpt from a new story with you today. These six sentences are the first ones of Strings of Retaliation, the cyberpunk serialized novel I’m set to start posting here in February. It is the sequel of last year’s project Killing Time OST.

Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

These days, I couldn’t stop pacing back and forth in what used to be our war room. Gabriel had staved off my worry with a never-ending To Do list for most of Lorelei’s absence and I was grateful for it. But the expiration date on her muscles was less than a week away and we still had to hear a peep so no amount of service to my country could keep my mind off the ticking clock.
Would it have killed her to show a sign of life at any point during the past six months?
I sat and tried to busy up my brain with the programming of a particularly complex virus. I didn’t plan to use it – those days were behind me – but it necessitated more concentration than Sudoku.

Relief – A Drabble

Watching schoolmates walk through prisoners was unnerving but it didn’t compare to the shiver running down my spine when a new ghostly inmate smiled to me. Freaking me out was the most fun they’d had in years.
This had to stop.
“Can I go to the bathroom?” I asked my teacher. I had no intention to pee while ghosts peeped but in the intimacy of the stall, I could concentrate like my mother taught me.
Open Limbo’s door and let the spirits soar.
The hum of the afterlife opening up to swallow them convinced the inmates to leave me alone.

This story was written based on this prompt. It is the third of a three part story I’m writing to catch up on the other drabble prompts. I guess that means I’m cheating. XD

First part here.

Second part here.