tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47807649596566967192024-03-05T00:06:28.871-08:00J. M. OdellMusings on creative writing in fantasy and science fiction, and whatever else occurs to meJMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-12640291834703487122014-01-11T04:36:00.000-08:002014-01-11T04:36:02.722-08:00Hell freezes overI plan to post some more reviews of the stories in the Lucky or Unlucky Anthology. I'm somewhat later than I planned in getting to them. But I will.<br />
<br />
In the interim, I just had to post this.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytSXZgRqKnzi2ujmCCaIwQRaA-R7MAHggZJbRpuiJssgci-44NaadvL84dGS0E__Vcv5MBan0Xfh3vOVguvZCAn_PjcSrXraX6nCdB1avnjZKKSf5g_-ZFw2djxPNnJbYqbnvoHcUKQs/s1600/Hell+freezes+over.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytSXZgRqKnzi2ujmCCaIwQRaA-R7MAHggZJbRpuiJssgci-44NaadvL84dGS0E__Vcv5MBan0Xfh3vOVguvZCAn_PjcSrXraX6nCdB1avnjZKKSf5g_-ZFw2djxPNnJbYqbnvoHcUKQs/s1600/Hell+freezes+over.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
Yes, Hell has frozen over. It's Hell, Michigan, and this image is now on Hell's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/gotohellmichigan?ref=stream" target="_blank">Facebook </a>page. <br />
<br />
It's been a crazy winter already. Just before Christmas, we lost power for three days due to the ice storm that blanketed the whole region. And since then, we've been hearing frost quakes. I'd never heard of a frost quake, not until this year. Now, I've been startled by quite a few. The sharp crack sounds like the house is splitting.<br />
<br />
We've just gotten through a polar vortex, we have more snow than usual, and today it's supposed to go well above freezing. So, I guess flooding is next. <br />
<br />
I wonder when the locusts are due to arrive.JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-26905778703159729862013-12-13T10:14:00.002-08:002013-12-13T10:14:51.349-08:00Anthology Announcement: Lucky or Unlucky? 13 Stories of FateIt's been a while since I've been back to the blog. December is well, December. <br />
<br />
I'm pleased to announce my story, "Getting Lucky," in the "Lucky or Unlucky" anthology.<br />
<br />
It's available at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GDVLDDS" target="_blank">Amazon</a> and <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/373623" target="_blank">Smashwords</a>, and reviews can be posted at <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/373623" target="_blank">GoodReads</a>. <br />
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I enjoyed reading all the contributions, but I think my favorite is "Fold" by Charlotte Ashley. The fast-paced, fun story is an inventive take on the number thirteeen.<br />
<br />
You can also check out:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wilsongeiger.com/" target="_blank"> Good Luck, Bad Luck, What's the Difference? </a><br />
<a href="http://lucky13anthology.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"> Tis the Season of Giving</a><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "inherit","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt;"><a href="http://nilaewhite.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Can you believe my luck?</a></span><br />
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JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-23922601774727077742013-10-08T12:33:00.000-07:002013-10-08T12:33:06.657-07:00More on the TV seasonMaybe it's because the last few seasons have had some solid successes in the Fantasy and SF genres. I'd expected more as others learn from their example.<br />
<br />
I've knocked more timers off my PVR now, and all, it seems, for the same reason. Everyone seems to have gone to the same school, but I'm not sure who's teaching. Whoever it is, I'd like to assure them that jumping around like a frog on a hot plate is not a good way to claim my interest. I don't pretend that my tastes are universal, or even in the majority, but I can say that no one in my family had any objection to saying goodbye to several new shows.<br />
<br />
The "Witches of East End" was our latest casualty. After watching the first episode jump around between sisters, friends of sisters, mother of sisters, sister of mother, and other incarnations of both mother and sisters, I paused to see just how long the episode was. When I discovered I was only twenty-five minutes in, less than halfway, I deleted it. Then I took out the timer. JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-75998177668329019022013-09-18T11:13:00.000-07:002013-09-18T11:13:29.484-07:00The new TV season has startedEvery fall, my PVR is kept busy recording the season's new shows. And every year, after the first episode or so, most of those timers are deleted.<br />
<br />
It appears that Sleepy Hollow will be the first casualty of this season. It's a shame--I had high hopes for it. Unfortunately, the plot is like swiss cheese and the pace of the first episode could only be described as frenetic.<br />
<br />
The result came across as disjointed, with too many characters and subplots, and no time to get more than a drive-by past any of them. We found parts of it hilarious, but not in a good way.<br />
<br />
I love that TV has finally discovered the world of spec fiction and is exploiting it for all it's worth. But I wish they'd learn the lessons taught by the successful productions. The lower echelon has been siphoned off into the world of reality shows. The rest of us want intelligent, well-written plots with strong characters, rich back story and depth in the presentation. We don't want stuff chucked at us as if it was on steroids. <br />
<br />
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<br />JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-23715811541901460602013-04-22T06:30:00.000-07:002013-04-22T06:30:13.475-07:00Finally broke down - and watched The HobbitI procrastinated, I put if off, I told myself I'd wait until the DVD was out. And then I put it off a little longer.<br />
<br />
Why? Because I'd heard not-so-positive reviews. And while I take such things with a grain of salt--I want to form my own opinions--it wasn't encouraging news.<br />
<br />
The remember the first time I read The Hobbit. I was a child, maybe eight or nine. I'm not sure of my exact age. But I do remember that I loved it. It quickly became one of my favorite books. In fact, it took me about a year before I could get into Lord of the Rings. Initially, I was disappointed, because it wasn't about Bilbo.<br />
<br />
When I heard that they'd turned the Hobbit into three movies, I hoped they'd done similar things as they had with the extended versions of LOTR, which I find less choppier than the shorter versions.<br />
<br />
My daughter suggested there would be a lot of epic walking.<br />
<br />
Well, I guess someone else was concerned about that. It looked to me like they tried to address the problem, but didn't really understand their audience. <br />
<br />
They did some things really well. Where they expanded on existing back story, it worked. <br />
<br />
And for the most part, they handled the dwarfs with taste and dignity, making them characters, not caricatures. But then they failed to capitalize on what they'd built.<br />
<br />
They had a great opportunity to explore these characters, to make us really care about Bilbo and his new friends. Instead, we got too much unsupported action, with an unnecessary villain, a fight between mountains inserted where it really didn't make sense, and endless scenes of CGI-fueled conflict. <br />
<br />
It was as if someone had taken one of those dreadful, car-chase-and-blow-everything-up movies, and transported it to a fantasy setting. <br />
<br />
I was disappointed, enough that I don't know if I'll even bother with the next installment. <br />JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-76485389983538909762013-01-16T08:33:00.000-08:002013-01-16T08:33:16.311-08:00The World Didn't End - But all is not lost!If you're already missing the heady thrill of having the world come to an end, the bad news is, it's just the beginning of another Mayan age.<br />
<br />
The good news is, you can get your fix for free. My friend Nila White has released her first anthology, <a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/263577" target="_blank">The End--Visions of Apocalypse. </a>JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-12353230920835716212012-12-24T04:58:00.002-08:002012-12-24T04:58:52.019-08:00Writing Prompts ConsolidatedFor convenience, I've consolidated last year's writing prompts into two lists. <br />
<br />
Here is the first one. Merry Christmas!<br />
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<br />
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Your
heroine is exhausted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On top of her
demanding job, she’s juggling the additional demands of three overexcited
children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s been up to midnight
many nights in a row, finishing costumes, making cookies for bake sales,
fielding the demands of relatives, planning holiday menus, and wrapping
gifts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, with only a few days to
go to Christmas, she’s running a fever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s time to resort to desperate measures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulls out the small vial her
grandmother gave her, of fairy dust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her grandmothers’ last words were, “It’s powerful stuff, dear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Use it only in great need, and only one
grain at a time.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your heroine
opens the lid, and sneezes …<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Your
hero has met the girl of his dreams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This will be their first Christmas together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wants to impress her, but he doesn’t
have a lot of money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s been
through the malls and the specialty stores, but nothing has caught his
eye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then, a small fellow with
a white beard, wearing a green felt suit, offers him …<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></li>
</ol>
<ol start="3" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Your
heroine, a busy professional, has decided to make her life easier by hiring
a buyer to handle her Christmas list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She goes to the meeting prepared with all the information she
thinks the buyer will need-- ages, sizes, genders, hobbies, and interests,
for her family and friends. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
buyer doesn’t even look at the information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All she wants is a photograph of each of
the intended recipients.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your
heroine is shocked when …</li>
</ol>
<ol start="4" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Your
hero walks to the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has a
bottle of wine in one hand, and some gifts in the other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His friends have invited him to share
their celebration, but no one answers his knock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He tries the door and finds it
open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Inside, the oven is still on,
and pots are boiling over, but no one is around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something has spilled on the kitchen
floor, something brown and syrupy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
are tracks in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They look like
the prints of a giant bird claw …</li>
</ol>
<ol start="5" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Your
heroine is a solitary soul, with no close friends or family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Christmas is a difficult time for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For many years now, she’s spent the
holiday alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She owns a family
heirloom, a large snow globe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
so big she needs both hands to lift it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There’s a whole village inside that globe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the sun goes down on Christmas eve,
something magical happens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then,
and only then, she can enter the world of the snow globe, where she can
stay for twenty-four hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
year …</li>
</ol>
<ol start="6" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">Your
hero is single.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has a good job,
but lives on the other side of the country from his family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the past several years, he’s flown
home for Christmas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This year, he
decided to take the train instead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He’s enjoying the trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
seems like a civilized way to travel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He’s relaxed, with a drink in hand, and he’s enjoying the
scenery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The train enters a long
tunnel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It seems to go on, and
on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the train finally comes
out into the light ...</li>
</ol>
<ol start="7" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;">It’s
Christmas eve, and on the rooftop, there arose such a clatter, your hero
sprang from his bed to see what was the matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He put on his boots and a coat, and he
ran outside into the snow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What he finds
is supernatural, but it isn’t a jolly, old elf with a sleigh …</li>
</ol>
JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-25406023028270321282012-12-21T02:28:00.002-08:002012-12-21T02:29:02.591-08:00Here We Are!Well, we've got here, to the totally ridiculous, made for the credulous, end of the world.<br />
<br />
The obvious thing to do is to have a party. So, I thought I'd scoop a link to a band that got its start at kitchen parties, and their very appropriate <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-5oGnvfUEU" target="_blank">song </a>for the day. Thank you, Great Big Sea!JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-7598332999585487962012-12-17T07:19:00.001-08:002012-12-17T07:31:22.701-08:00Four Days to the End of the World--Or is it?You've got to love it. World leaders are making speeches to reassure the populace. <br />
<br />
And people are buying bottled water and candles.<br />
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Personally, if I believed the world was ending, I would not be going for bottled water and beeswax.<br />
<br />
I'd be making reservations at the most exclusive place in town. And I'd charge dinner to my credit card. JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-18620574039624617822012-12-04T11:24:00.002-08:002012-12-04T11:24:22.249-08:00And it's the end of the world!Alternatively, of course, it might just be where the Mayans ran out of wall space.<br />
<br />
Well, it might not be the end of the world, but it's the end of my 2012 challenge. As of this post, I'll have completed a year's worth of writing prompts on silly ways for the world to end.<br />
<br />
I've tried several approaches, including serial silliness, piggybacking on the silliness of others, and using news stories to inspire my silliness.<br />
<br />
For December, I decided to go with fiction to inspire my prompt that might inspire more fiction. <br />
<br />
You may have seen reports that the new 48 fps movie format is nauseating some viewers. <br />
<br />
That story inspired this, my last silly, world-ending writing prompt:<br />
<br />
All over the world, movie-goers find that, after watching one of the new format movies, they leave the theatre nauseated. The feeling doesn't go away. In fact, it gradually gets worse, until it becomes life-threatening. And it spreads, fast, even to those who haven't been to the movies.<br />
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Your hero has to mobilize forces and coordinate internationally, both to protect those not yet affected and to figure out how to stop the spread.<br />
<br />
Happy December, everyone.<br />
<br />
Last year's <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4780764959656696719#editor/target=post;postID=7721158366080432059" target="_blank">Christmas writing prompts</a> are available here.<br />
<br />
<br />JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-1911302479874630022012-11-09T11:32:00.001-08:002012-11-09T11:32:25.870-08:00Big Fracking Disaster I'm close to the wire, but once again, I found myself short of inspiration. <br />
<br />
I was rescued by a <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/09/06/bc-fracking-earthquakes.html" target="_blank">news story</a> and a report on hydraulic fracturing. This technique for extracting oil and gas is more commonly known as fracking. <br />
<br />
I thought it would be perfect for November's silly disaster. It's time to go big. (As if I had an alternative.)<br />
<br />
Anyway, here's the writing prompt:<br />
<br />
One frack too many, and all of a sudden, the earth is facing a series of earthquakes, both big and little. Not only are they growing in frequency, they're cascading, as the movement in one area exposes frack-induced weaknesses in another. If our hero, a scientist, and his/her team can't find a way to stop this, the entire planet may soon become uninhabitable.<br />
<br />
Is it scientifically feasible? Well, beats me. But I thought it sounded good.JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-22816047441003666202012-10-03T05:54:00.000-07:002012-10-03T05:54:04.194-07:00October's Silly DisasterWell, here I am in the home stretch, but with no inspiration to guide me. Drat. <br />
<br />
Perhaps the biggest benefit of this blog, from my perspective, has been in the research I would otherwise not have done. <br />
<br />
For October, I turned to <a href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22314-silk-holds-the-key-to-devices-that-dissolve-after-use.html" target="_blank">New Scientist</a>. It didn't let me down.<br />
<br />
Here's the prompt:<br />
In this month's silly disaster, organized crime has created a new initiative. Using sophisticated technology that dissolves in the body after use, they're killing public figures who refuse to play ball and replacing them with those who will. Your hero has only a limited window in which to figure out who's behind it, how they're doing it, and how to stop them.JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-26500204367490377202012-09-24T07:38:00.000-07:002012-09-24T07:38:54.459-07:00A phenomenal rideI just had to share this. <br />
<br />
This young woman is deaf and mute. According to the person who passed it on to me, she doesn't own the horse; she's been training it for a client, and has only had twenty days with it at the time of the ride. The ride itself is a tribute to her deceased father. Make sure your sound is on when you watch. <br />
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<div>
<div class="ecxyiv656486199ecxMsoNormal">
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div class="ecxyiv656486199ecxMsoNormal">
<span>Note that
she rides
without a
saddle or
halter and bit
and
(obviously)
without voice
commands. She
is using the
method used by
American
Indians. Even non-riders will recognize the difficulty level and the magnitude of her accomplishment. She truly is an inspiration.</span></div>
</div>
<span> </span><br />
<br />
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<br />JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-17549164754505280232012-09-01T13:19:00.003-07:002012-09-01T13:19:47.253-07:00September's Silly DisasterOkay, I'll soon be into the home stretch. After this month, I have only the last quarter to deal with--three more silly disasters to round out 2012's collection.<br />
<br />
Am I running out of ideas, getting desperate, piggybacking off earlier stuff? Oh, yeah. That's old news--it happened months ago. Here, I'm using something similar to July's idea, with a slightly different twist.<br />
<br />
Here's my inspiration:<br />
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2095571/Natural-tilts-earths-axis-alter-temperature-cause-ice-ages-says-Harvard-scientist.html<br />
<br />
And here's the prompt:<br />
<br />
The earth's tilt is changing . Not only is it causing deglaciation, but a lot of other problems. This is a true disaster, with no hope of saving the majority. Your hero has to make a decision over who can be saved, and where that can best be accomplished.<br />
<br />
Unlike a certain disaster movie, our hero realizes that, if his goal is to preserve humanity, concentrating his efforts on saving a bunch of old men is probably not his best option. And in practice, that means he can't count on the support of the politicians.JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-57541406586927447532012-08-07T08:19:00.002-07:002012-08-07T08:19:26.236-07:00August's Silly DisasterFor this month's material, I received a stroke of good fortune. I can't claim good planning or brilliance, just dumb luck. And I'll take it.<br />
<br />
I was looking at another topic on Wired Science, and happened to notice this post:<br />
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/07/chicken-farm-vaccine-virus/<br />
<br />
The gist of it is, it appears that two chicken vaccines, two benign entities that work to keep chickens healthy, have combined into something new, something that's killing chickens. It scary to think that it might not only be possible, it's real. <br />
<br />
Well, for the purposes of my August silly disaster, it could hardly be more obvious, right? This is practically cheating. I didn't have to even come up with an idea. I just had to lift it from the pages of current science. <br />
<br />
So, you already know what this month's prompt is:<br />
<br />
Two vaccines have mutated and combined to produce a virus that's both deadly to humans and highly contagious. Our hero has to combat both the disease, and the ensuing panic.JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-31748621120750975712012-07-10T11:30:00.002-07:002012-07-10T11:30:44.739-07:00July's Silly DisasterWell, it's double-digit time in July, and I have to come up with another silly disaster idea. I tell myself, I've gotten through the first half of the year. Now, I'm in the home stretch. Right. Five more months to go. <br />
<br />
One unforeseen consequence of this situation is that I have to recall what other silly disasters I've come up with, in order not to repeat myself. <br />
<br />
Well, this one looks safe enough. The inspiration for it comes from the idea that the poles of the earth have reserved themselves in the past, and may do so again. What might the impact of something like that be? So many of the creatures in our world depend on the magnetic fields of the earth.<br />
<br />
So that's my silly disaster for July. The poles are reversing, or have reserved. And somehow, to stave off disaster, your hero has to come up with a way to mitigate the effects. JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-18696837540576964762012-06-13T11:29:00.001-07:002012-06-13T11:29:24.121-07:00June's Writing Prompt and Make-Believe DisasterWell, I don't mind admitting, I was getting a wee bit nervous about June. Mid-month was approaching, and I was still stuck for this month's way for the world to end. <br />
<br />
Finally, I won't say fortunately, because this prompt is inspired by a sad news story, I have something. <br />
<br />
Here's the prompt:<br />
<br />
A mysterious rash of suicides assails a small town. It starts with teens, but soon spreads. Within weeks, another town is affected, and another. There is no pattern that anyone can discern, except this one. The spread follows a spiral, moving outward from the first town, the point of origin. <br />
<br />
Our hero, a young police detective, must discern the cause and rally the resources to find a cure. And he faces an additional challenge. Despite their precautions, some of those doing the investigating are also affected.JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-29116079235179019652012-05-10T09:08:00.000-07:002012-05-10T09:08:52.768-07:00May's Silly DisasterWell, here I am, trying to get back on track. <br />
<br />
It's month five, with seven more to go in the annals of silly disasterdom, and the grand inspiration isn't coming. I'm still scrambling along, one month at a time, or at best, two. <br />
<br />
Perhaps it's time for a little refresher. In honor of the supposed ending of the world, my personal challenge was/is to create a new way for the world to end for every month of 2012. <br />
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For inspiration, I checked out Youtube again. This time, I did a general search on disaster and prophecy. <br />
<br />
There, I discovered that I am a rank amateur in the world of disaster silliness. I have to admit, though, I was impressed. There's no way I could have done even a minute of some of that stuff with a straight face. And several of those guys went on for hours. I'll admit I didn't watch more than a bit of any of them.<br />
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I did find my inspiration for May. Here's the writing prompt:<br />
<br />
A charismatic cult leader has suffered a few embarrassments. He's been calling for the world to end, and it hasn't been cooperating. Now, he's planning to take matters into his own hands. Using his existing network of followers, he's been recruiting. The new members don't realize they're part of a cult. Using strong drugs to influence them, they're been shaped into tools. At a specific time, all around the world, they're going to poison water supplies. <br />
<br />
Our hero gets wind of the plot. He has some resources to call upon, but he's going to need to mobilize more, and to coordinate a massive effort, if this is to be stopped. <br />
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<br />JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-57743010261462036982012-04-30T14:24:00.000-07:002012-04-30T14:24:00.780-07:00April (Just under the wire)Well, it's been a horrendous April, and I'm glad it's gone. <br />
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I still have work to do on the blog, but it will have to wait. <br />
<br />
Here, however, is April's disaster. It's piggybacking off the March cause.<br />
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With the organics and big particles gone, the soil becomes made of of small particles. Combined with the additional rainfall and higher water levels attributed to global warming, huge pockets of soil become supersaturated. In essence, building, entire cities, become built on quicksand.<br />
<br />
If a solution can't be found, millions may die, and will certainly be left homeless.JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-45971729561979065352012-03-08T09:22:00.003-08:002012-03-08T09:22:44.425-08:00March DisasterWhere I live, March is one of the those months you just have to get through. It's usually cold, grey, and blustery, with the kind of wind that frosts your skin and makes your eyes tear up. So far, this one is a far cry from most. Of course, it's still early. Mother Nature may just be waiting for me to take off my snow tires.<br />
<br />
This time of year, seeing new shoots of crocus, daffodil and tulip poke their noses, either through frozen earth or though snow, is welcome. As is the daylight that's now arriving earlier and sticking around longer. <br />
<br />
Accordingly, it seems appropriate that this month's silly way for the world to end should involve the soil.<br />
<br />
This premise is a big complicated, probably too complex for one short story. So, I'm going to break it into more than one. (And yes, this is also a marvelous way for me to cheat, piggybacking more than one disaster off the same cause.)<br />
<br />
So, anyway, here's my base:<br />
<br />
With global warming, the great ice sheets of the Antarctic are melting. Among other things, ancient creatures are being set free. Microbes, and perhaps other things, have survived. <br />
<br />
The depletion of the ozone layer means that these microbes are now being subjected to more radiation. Some of them mutate. When combined with warm soil and water, they reproduce rapidly.<br />
<br />
And here's March's disaster:<br />
<br />
These microbes are depleting the soil of nutrients, making them unavailable for plant and animal life alike. Food production drops. If our scientist hero can't find a way to tame this rogue microbe population, the entire planet may starve to death. <br />
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<br />JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-60770177100699413162012-03-01T13:07:00.002-08:002012-03-02T08:47:57.647-08:00Carl Sagan's Amazing Perspective on our WorldMy silly way for the world to end, March entry, will be along in a week or so. Unlike the earlier editions, I actually have one ready. (Shocking, yes).<br />
<br />
I just happened upon this video. There are other versions out there, but I like the visuals on this one. It is on topic, sort of. Anyway, I just had to share it.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://en.video.sympatico.ca/tech-autos/science-and-space/watch/carl-sagans-pale-blue-dot/1454948489001/"><b>http://en.video.sympatico.ca/tech-autos/science-and-space/watch/carl-sagans-pale-blue-dot/1454948489001/</b></a>JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-49649105118508438272012-02-15T05:46:00.000-08:002012-02-15T05:46:11.643-08:00February's PostWell, it's mid-February, and it appears that Europe has absconded with our winter. Not that I'm complaining about the ease of getting around, or the reduced heating bill. And I do have a great deal of sympathy for those poor people who aren't equipped to cope with winter conditions. This seems a particularly nasty trick to play on those who've endured some blisteringly hot summers. <br />
<br />
Still, by this time of year, we've usually had several good weekends of cross-country skiing. It's hard to do on dormant grass. <br />
<br />
It does, however, provide the fodder for my February installment of silly ways for the world to end, as inspired by the misinterpretation of the Mayan calendar. <br />
<br />
Here's the writing prompt:<br />
<br />
The deep freeze in Europe causes both huge economic losses and increased spending. It's the straw that breaks the camel, spiraling the entire world into deep depression. If your hero, one of the world's leading bankers, can't find a brilliant solution that will reverse the trend, the entire world will be plunged into another dark age. <br />
<br />
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<br />JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-69797023228952774132012-01-22T12:12:00.000-08:002012-01-23T13:23:49.328-08:00Doom and DestructionHere goes, the first scenario for the end of the world, as inspired by the popular misrepresentation of the Mayan calendar for 2012.<br />
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January's entry is courtesy of the "weird sounds heard around the world" videos on youtube. <br />
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Some folk believe these strange sounds are courtesy of <a href="http://www.haarp.alaska.edu/" target="_blank">HAARP</a>, or one of the similar programs. <br />
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Some don't.<br />
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<br />
So, here's January's silly end-of-the-world writing prompt:<br />
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A atmospheric sound test goes awry. It creates a harmonic that sets off a series of earthquakes all around the world. Continents are ripped apart. Some sink, pushing oceanic levels up, and leaving only the highest altitudes habitable. Your character must decide who will survive, and how. <br />
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<br />JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-90331685134879969032012-01-19T06:29:00.000-08:002012-01-19T14:15:17.238-08:00Just Another Pretty Picture?Ok, it's confession time. One silly way per month for the world to end is probably my limit. In fact, it may be more than I can manage. I haven't come up with even one, yet.<br />
<br />
My first criterion is, I can't draw on any of the normal disaster-movie fodder. And, it also has to be something that will happen fast enough to meet my Dec 21 deadline. I still hope I'll come up with something for January. Maybe the first will be the toughest. (Though I suspect not.)<br />
<br />
In the meantime, I thought I'd share another photo. <br />
<br />
It was taken on the east coast of Newfoundland. This iceberg was reputed to be one of the last of the season that year. Thanks to the assistance of some friendly locals, we found it in time to watch it break apart. The picture was taken midway through the process. <br />
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<br />JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4780764959656696719.post-78537090417547412202012-01-08T07:41:00.000-08:002012-01-08T07:46:58.268-08:00Small Blessings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
I decided, if I was going to spend time imagining ways for the world
to end (albeit not serious ways, I think I've used up all my serious
ideas), I should balance it out, by recording some of the small
blessings in my life. <br />
<br />
Here's the first - sunrise. We all get one. One of the advantages of living in a northern clime is that it arrives at a
sensible hour, at least in winter. <br />
<br />
For this shot, I hastily donned my coat over pyjamas,
pulled on my boots, and shoved my digital camera into my pocket, so it
would stay warm enough to work. It was worth it.<br />
<br />JMOdellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01193653568747633463noreply@blogger.com2