The 2017-2018 Sekrit Solstice Sci-Fi Fantasy Story Swap

I'm in to give and receive.

Giving: I mostly write tech-ish fantasy (Steampunk, Magicpunk, New Weird, Urban Fantasy, Post-apocalyptic, Weird West), but also some SF. Horror sometimes creeps in. I'm fine with writing violence, sex or language of pretty much any stripe, and it's rare to not have some sort of relationship in anything I produce.

Receive: Someone is throwing a surprise party (could be a birthday, wedding announcement, got a new job, whatever) and something has gone wrong with the cake. Would prefer that no one dies. I'm okay with pretty much any genre. As always, bonus points for families, diversity, strong female characters.

Wow! Wow! Wow! So many sign ups already!

I had so much fun last year, I want to do it again!

I'm in for giving and receiving.

To receive: What I want for this year: A fantasy, with a nice little M/M romance (explicit only if the story calls for it). The MC is the son of a baron, and his parents want him to marry the son of the neighbouring duke. The MC doesn’t want to, but can’t give his parents a clear reason why not. The son of the duke is nice enough, but the MC has a secret. He’s been carrying on a discreet relationship with someone else and he really wants to marry that guy, but so far the guy hasn’t shown any interest in marriage. With the yule season approaching, the pressure on the MC is increasing to agree to the engagement. Will the secret love just let the MC go, or will the secret lover step up to the plate and stake his claim for all to see? And just who is the MC’s secret lover? Thief, pirate, prince? I will leave that in my dear gifter’s capable hands. Words to include if possible: green, knit, snowstorm, peanut. Please, no vampires, zombies, or werewolves or stuff like that. Anything else... I'm game.

What I can give: – sci-fi/fantasy/a bit of paranormal, maybe horror, but no gore. No hard SF. I am not fabulous at UF, and have never done steampunk, but I'd be willing to have a bash at it. What I can’t do, no vampires, zombies, werewolves, or shapechangers of any kind… unless they’re dragons. I can do romance, but no smexy times. I can do violins, but it won't be gore. I DO tend to write stuff with a bit of humour, and at least one character would be a swearer, so if you don't want that, best to say so. I CAN control myself, but I need to know if I have to.

*clears social calendar and sits by the computer, waiting for my prompt so I can start writing*

Hi, everyone! This is my first time participating but sounds like it's a lot of fun! I'm in for giving and receiving!

Giving: I've written a lot of soft-scifi, military-scifi and general fantasy. Hard-Scifi is not my forte but I'm willing to give a shot at it! I generally go for lighthearted, comedic pieces with a touch of horror in them but I can go darker if the prompt calls for it. No gore or NSFW please.

Receiving: I want a sci-fi story where humans aren't the biggest weaklings in the universe. They possess a certain quality that causes other aliens to be intimidated by them. This quality can be anything you like--and it be as silly or as serious as you want it to be. Bonus points if humans are completely unaware of why aliens are afraid of them. Please no NSFW or gore.

Hiya, Kate879. Welcome to AW and to our annual Sisyphus Madness.

Thank you, Cobra, for the awesome.

Giving: I really should write this down somewhere since I say basically the same thing each year... I can do any subgenre - I'm even willing to try hard sf, but I warn you my 'science' may hurt your heart. Can do light, dark, violence, romance, puppies.

Receiving: Something happy. It's been so hot I wanted something cool; now the real weather has given me that, but I still want a water world of some description. Fantasy water world or sf water world. I've been playing Subnautica recently and that's the kind of thing I'm thinking. I was going to google some images if people wanted for inspiration, but all the pictures online seem to lack fish . This is a random picture of the Safe Shallows, but in game it is filled with so many fishies. This is an abandoned sea base in the Deep Grand Reef. The crabsquid in the second picture is scary and dangerous. I'm all for creepy abandoned bases and dangerous monsters just as long as the overall tone is happy. What happens in the water world is entirely up to you. Fine with romance. Don't hurt anyone's eyes.

Please sign me up for giving and receiving and (what the hey?!) betaing (<utilize at your own discretion.)

Receive:
A huge plot twist. Blindside me in the best of ways. Please make it a nice-ish surprise (can't stomach gore/horror/erotica). Bonus points for including the word "bubbles".

Give:
Can't stomach gore/horror/erotica.

Let's do this!! *Sets out cookies and milk for Cobra*

I'm In!

So I'll be giving and receiving (and giving again if the occasion warrants it.)

What I write is (soft) SF/F/Horror, not big on humor and I'm horrible at smexy times (usually do a fade to black.) If anything in those categories fits your prompt, I'm your gal.

What I'd like to see is: Your character finds themselves in a unique situation that may or may not be of their making. They have to do the opposite of their nature to solve it. Any setting but I'd like to see some of the following prompts: key, letters, knife, and books.


And thank you Cobra for the huge job of putting this on.

I'm in for both giving and receiving!

GIVE: I want to write a sci-fi story this year. I can do hard SF if needed (I have a working knowledge of physics and evolutionary theory), but any form of SF should be fine. I have 2 restrictions, though. 1) I reserve the right to write in a death metal or cybergoth vibe. That is, I don't need the story to be about music, and I don't even need metal/goth characters - just that general vibe. 2) I also reserve the right to end the story in whatever way makes the most sense to the story. That is, a prompt that specifically asks for a happy ending is not the right prompt for me. Sorry.

RECEIVE: I want to read about the end of the world. Again, 2 restrictions. 1) It must be Earth-based. Whether this comes in the form of urban fantasy, sci-fi, horror, whatever - I'm fine with any subgenre provided it's Earth-based. And 2) The end of the world must be unique. Get creative! What this means is, no zombie apocalypse, no alien invasion, no nuclear war. Try for something fresh. All that said, I'll extend the same freedom-of-ending rights to whoever gets this prompt. Does the world actually end, or is it saved at the last moment? It's entirely up to you (and the story).

I'm fine with writing or reading sex, violence, a little gore, grimdark, humourous, foul language - whatever, really. Although I'd prefer to not read psychological horror.

I’ll be joining the fray, both giving and receiving.

Give: I’ll write anything but erotica. This is for mine and your own self-good.

Receive: I’d like something that pits two (or more!) different genres against each other. Not something that combines two genres (e.g. Star Wars is science fiction and fantasy), but where the factions representing each genre are in conflict (e.g. Dragons vs. Giant Mech Robots, or I’m in Love With an Eldritch Abomination that Wants to Consume the World). Otherwise anything goes.

My internet is back and I can now JOIN!!! *hyperventilates*

GIVE and RECEIVE, please.

Give: I can write Fantasy, have finished one Fairy Tale retelling, and last year’s story ended up being Sci-fi which I would be willing to try again if necessary. I could probably also do Historical Fic and clean boy/girl Romantical things (and/or a combination of these genres) if needed. I’m willing to write violence, but not graphic/gory, or sexual violence, and I don’t write smexy times, grimdark, or foul language. I prefer writing happy endings over sad. I also don’t write vampires, zombies, or werewolves, smexy, emo, or otherwise.

Receive: Picture prompt! This time there are two pictures!






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I would like a story that somehow connects what is happening in these two pictures. Doesn't matter how you connect them, just let your imagination run free! (P.S. While the dragon image does imply an evil dragon, feel free to decide for yourself if the dragon is good or evil. I'll be fine with it either way! Maybe the people chasing it are the evil ones, hmm? *eyebrow wiggle* But that is also only a suggestion. Interpret both pictures however you please!)

Anything goes EXCEPT erotica, grimdark, or creepy paranormal, all of which I do not like. While violence is allowed, this sensitive individual does not want graphic/gory, or sexual violence. I also do not want smexy times (clean, sweet, boy/girl romance is acceptable, but not a must), and I do not want vampires, zombies, werewolves, depressing depressingness, or horror in any form. Happy ending please.

That's all! I am slightly nervous, but mostly excited!!! Thanks, Cobra, for running this for us! <3

I will try this for the first time. I’m in to give and receive.

I write primarily in sci-fi/fantasy, but willing to give anything a try. After all I’ve had a broad range of experience.

Receive: dreams are a powerful thing and for one young person, they mean visiting the realm of their birth. Is he crazy or is this real? And can he reach this realm through a physical portal?

Kate879 said:

Hi, everyone! This is my first time participating but sounds like it's a lot of fun! I'm in for giving and receiving!

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Oh hey Kate, glad to see you made it over! Most excellent!

Signing up for both giving and receiving.

GIVE: SFF (any degree of hard to soft) preferred, although I'll try to blend in other genres to push myself. I prefer to have the freedom to set my story in far out and fantastical settings as opposed to being limited to Earth. I'm not great at cute, cuddly, warm, fluffy, or funny - intentionally. I aim to put my characters through hell. Sometimes it gets pretty dark. Usually I'll try for a positive arc, which can mean things change for the better, but which doesn't necessarily mean the MC will come out alive. I'm willing to try my hand at any subject type this year, including grimdark if requested, except erotica. I use foul language and it can get dark, but I'm willing to keep it clean if requested. I usually avoid vampires, werewolves, zombies, etc., but if requested, please be warned I will...get creative.

RECEIVE: I want a story with a "magical" bard with telepathic or empathic powers who can do "magic" with their music. Magical is in quotes because the ability can work however you want - it can be as fantastical or straight up hard science fiction as you want. The telepathy and musical magic can be The same thing or different abilities. Whatever works. The characters can be as alien or as human as you want although I prefer at least a humanoid MC. I prefer a far out and fantastical setting as opposed to Earth. A romance would be nice but is not required.

I don't mind foul language, darkness, grimdark, etc. I am not easily offended. You have the same freedom with an arc as above - I prefer an arc where things on the whole change for the positive, but you are not constrained to an HEA, keeping the mc alive, etc. Feel free to end it in whatever way works best whether it's HEA or rocks fall everyone dies, and to make it as dark and depressing as you want, or as twinkly and happy and funny as you want. It doesn't matter to me whether you put your characters through hell and go to town with that moral ambiguity, or have clear cut light and dark sides.

Bonus points if the bard's music is metal, but this is not required.

Edit: Please no creepy bugs or parasites. Shudder.

*high fives J.A. for being obviously on the same wavelength as me*

And hey, bonus points: given that there's 2 of us with the same general vibe to our give/receive details, it'll make it harder for people to guess us in the guessinating thread! Win-win!

Back again for another year, and once again I'm signing up to both GIVE and RECEIVE.

Receive: I've received some very good stories as a result of it, so I'm going with my usual prompt: add goats! I'd also like some kind of weird setting.

Give: I write softer SF and/or contemporary(ish) fantasy, with occasional horror elements and a focus on the characters' psychological changes. I also like to include giant glowing things and assorted random silliness. Not so good with the heat/smexytimes, but the emotional side of romance is okay. You can expect my characters to get hurt a lot and (probably figuratively) dragged through hell, but they'll triumph in the end. Medical/surgical procedures likely, because I have to get the characters through the story somehow...

Also, I'm likely to be a third possibility for author of the story that has a metal/goth vibe.

*three-way high five*

This will be the sixth time I've done this, so here I am again.

Give: I will try most things, SF, fantasy or horror and places in between and outside. I do tend to be dark/slipstreamy and more likely set in this world (not necessarily in the present day) than in another one. That said, I have written an other-world fantasy for a past Sisyphus, but don't expect too much in the way of trad fantasy or very hard SF. I can't really do out-and-out comedy but can do humour in otherwise serious pieces. I don't have any taboos as regards language or content.

Receive: I'd like a story that makes use of a saying or proverb, either a real one or one you made up. The story can illustrate the proverb in some way, subvert it, or otherwise comment on it, but it should relate to the story in some way (as an epigraph, if you like). Otherwise, any flavour of SF or fantasy you like, and as above no taboos.

I did once get a 6000-word story done from prompt to end of first draft by the evening of New Year's Eve, so if I do that again (no promises) that will count as one of this year's stories for me!

*Arik, I apologize, I think I spelled your name wrong in my e-mail.

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That's okay Cobra. It's not my real name anyway

Wheeee!

Give: Everything bar torture and horror. I am good with smexy times, and pretty much everything else. I like character pieces and complicated world building.

Receive: Something with the old-fashioned fae (the kidnapping, otherworldly under the hill type that sometimes killed people), and some inclusion of this quote about writing "propaganda, aimed at the self". No horror or super dark for me, pretty please (to clarify - I'm fine with dark characters, but I like some comfort with my hurt and don't like pain and suffering for the sake of it). Make the story as smexy or as non-smexy as you want it to be

Also I would very much like to see if I can fulfil more than one prompt. Would I be able to give out extra stories at all, Cobra?

Sian - I'll leave it to our Elf Commander in Chief for final say, but giving multiple stories is allowed in the rules under Giving, so I think it would be okay under Giving and Receiving too. Also, I'm pretty sure it's been done unofficially in the past. XD

Also Cobra, as ever, thanks for organizing this event! I realize there's a huge overhead, so if you need a volunteer story elf, let me know!

Holy rat patooties, this is full of so many good prompts already. *rubs hands and cackles* (And no, no my prompt does not involve rat patooties. Please do not give me rat patooties.)

So, I'm up for giving and receiving, as per usual.

Giving: I'm fine with stretching my skills, so am willing to try my hand at most anything. Except the following (same caveat as last year): I don't write hard SF or MG, and I don't want to write erotica, historical, or anything about aliens (let's put it this way: the only aliens story I've written thus far involved glitter and a graduate thesis, so...yeah. You probably don't want me writing aliens.). Otherwise, I love writing fantasy, romance, PNR, urban fantasy, humor, fairytale retellings, touches of horror and darkness and anything in between. And zombies (boo to all you zombie haters).

Receiving: Riv did such a cool job last year when I threw out a song prompt, so I've decided to do it again! I've had my ear tuned for potential gorgeous prompts, and I think I've found some good ones. I would love a story inspired by one or more of the following: MIIA - Dynasty; Fleurie - Hurricane; or Olafur Arnalds - Take My Leave of You. Go wherever these take you, as long as that doesn't involve splish-splash gore or pink fluffy kittens or rat patooties. Take one, take all, totally up to you - if you connect them, I will be seriously impressed. Or you can just tell me you did and I will still be impressed.

As always, bonus points if you make me cry. Whether those are tears of joy or sadness, that's entirely up to you

Ari Meermans said:

Hiya, Kate879. Welcome to AW and to our annual Sisyphus Madness.

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Thank you!

J. A. Rama said:

Oh hey Kate, glad to see you made it over! Most excellent!

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Haha thank you for sharing about this event with me!

Also, I'm confused. What exactly is a "rep"? Is it short for reply? How does it work?

I had such a blast taking part in this last year (my first time) that I'd love to do it all again

GIVE: I will try my hand at anything. Generally I write dark fiction, often a mix of horror and Sci-fi, often including violence and sex, but romance isn't beyond me. Sadly, when I write comedy I'm usually the only one who finds it funny.

RECEIVE: I want a festive tale of alien children performing a 'nativity play' relevant to their belief system in an otherworldly setting but, with a sting in the tail. The darker the sting the better.

Kate879 said:

Thank you!

Haha thank you for sharing about this event with me!

Also, I'm confused. What exactly is a "rep"? Is it short for reply? How does it work?

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At the bottom of each post on the left hand side is a little star. If you click on it you can leave a "reputation" point (a short comment really) for the individual who made the post.