Blogging: A to Z Challenge

Hey everyone, Mel here. Today I wanted to focus on blogging, and for me nothing was bigger in the blogging world than A to Z. For those of you who don't know about April's A to Z challenge, it's a blog hop created by Arlee Bird. During this challenge, you post daily (except on Sunday) and your daily post corresponds with a letter of the alphabet. April first is A, second is B, etc. I've participated in the challenge for years. I'd usually start preparing mid-February, because I learned early on that the last thing you want to be doing in April is writing posts. No April is for visiting. And I plan to do that again this year, although I'm not participating myself. For those of you who are, there have been a few changes, the biggest being that there is no list. Instead, you're going to link your daily post to a comment on the A to Z Blog. There are some things I like about this and some things I don't. As a former co-host, I get it. There were a lot of people who signed up and didn't post. The bummer is that I loved that list. I used it all the time, long after the challenge was over. It gave me an easy way to find blogs I normally wouldn't know anything about. It helped me branch out, which is what blogging is all about.
 
Are you participating in A to Z this year? And if so, do you have a theme?
Do you like the changes?

Until next time-

X is for . . .

X-Files! This is one of the most successful speculative fiction, or science fiction, TV and movie franchises ever.

The X-Files debuted on September 10, 1993 and would run for nine seasons, spawn two major motion pictures, and make a comeback to television in 2016 with a six-episode season.

Created by Chris Carter, the show starred David Duchovny as true believer Agent Fox Mulder, a man haunted by the abduction of his sister under extremely odd circumstances. He’s relegated to the bowels of the FBI, investigating cases involving paranormal phenomena.

But Mulder’s plain brilliant, so the powers that be send in no-nonsense, skeptic and M.D. holding, Dana Scully, played by Gillian Anderson, to debunk Mulder’s nonsense and get him back to “real” cases.

Despite being quite attractive, the pair somehow manages to make it through several seasons before becoming romantically involved. Good thing because love between a show's stars can destroy a series quicker than an alien ray gun. (Anyone remember Moonlighting?)

The X-Files kept audiences coming back for more with a continuing conspiracy involving an alien takeover of Earth and the evil Smoking Man in addition to stand-alone Monster-of-the-Week episodes.

One such episode, Season Four’s Home, was so disturbing that the FOX Network did not rerun it. Ever.

Are you an X-Files fan? Have a favorite Monster-of-the-Week Episode?

If you'd like to learn about the science behind The X-Files, please visit my other blog: www.tamaranarayan.com.

W = War

War has served as a major plot device in several works of alternative history. As the catalyst behind the branch into alternative timelines in many of those works, it has driven some of our most interesting takes on our past, present and future

Ground Zero is set roughly 30 years after a Third World War. In it the Cold War between the US and USSR had escalated into a brief but deadly exchange of nuclear firearms. The soviet nation was all but obliterated as a result, while the city of New York was destroyed by a salted bomb that also transformed much of the American east coast into an irradiated wasteland.

The story explores the aftermath of the war, and how it had shaped the lives of the survivors living just outside Ground Zero. Theirs is a world that must be explored through the safety of hazmat suits, but it is ultimately one that is quite familiar, although hauntingly so.

Ground Zero is just one of the 10 stories featured in the IWSG Anthology, and I sincerely hope you enjoy reading them all, when the anthology launches next week.

T = Tippecanoe and Terror

Cherie Reich and Sandra Cox are here today and are sharing excerpts from their stories "Folds in Life and Death" and "Rainers," respectively, in the forthcoming Parallels: Felix Was Here anthology.

The Curse of Tippecanoe, also known as Tecumseh's curse, is a historical curse placed upon the presidency, starting with President Harrison and seemingly ending with President Kennedy, although both President Reagan and President Bush (George W.) survive assassination attempts. In "Folds in Life and Death," I pondered what if Reagan hadn't survived and what that would mean with the new President elected in 2000. Here is an excerpt from "Folds in Life and Death" by Cherie Reich.

T is for Tippecanoe

“Thank you, Sarah.” John Kelly stood not far from the White House. A gust of wind blew his suit jacket against his lean frame. Behind him, dark smoke trailed from the destruction. Other TV crews crowded along a police barrier. “As you can see, smoke billows from the remains of the West Wing. Paperists search for souls. According to sources, a drone slipped under the radar and plummeted toward the White House. The explosion occurred after one o’clock. We await word on whether or not President Moore and his family survived. Until further notice, the FAA has grounded all aircraft except official military ones.”

Allyson jumped to her feet and headed to the foyer to grab her coat, keys, and purse. As a Paperist, she could help locate souls. As the President’s sister, she needed to be in Washington, DC.

The Curse of Tippecanoe struck again. She warned her brother Charlie not to run for the 2000 Presidency. Since 1840, every President elected every twenty years had died in office. The most recent victim of the curse occurred in 1981 with the assassination of President Reagan. Was her brother dead? Did Tecumseh and his brother, Tenskwatawa, kill another President?

Her hand touched the doorknob, but she didn’t turn it. Should she go to Washington, DC? If she didn’t run into any traffic along the way, a car trip would take her four hours. Alive or not, Charlie wouldn’t want to see her.

AND

Terror~Intense, sharp, overmastering fear. An instance or cause of intense fear or anxiety. (dictionary.com). Here is an excerpt from Sandra Cox's "Rainers."

T is for Terror

Grrr. Two pair of glowing eyes stared at me in the dark. 

My blood crystallized in my veins, the only thing flowing through them…terror.     

Backing up, my shoulder blades hit the jagged edges of the cavern wall. My vision adjusted enough to make out a gray wolf and her pup a few feet away, her lips drawn back in a snarl.

She growled again, then crouched. 

My hands on the rough interior surface, I inched backward along the wall, going deeper into the cavern.

Grrr. She sprang.

I took off into the darkness, racing for all I was worth, my heart pounding so hard I was afraid it would burst loose from my body.

She’s gaining on me. Fear screamed through me. Up ahead a shaft of light flickered from an indention in the cavern wall. The air wheezing out of my lungs, I lunged for it, stretching out my aching legs as far as they would go. Pushing for one last burst of speed, I jumped into the narrow cleft. 

***

Every comment gives you a chance to win one of ten copies of Parallels: Felix Was Here.

Don't forget to visit the other participants in the A-Z Challenge.

Q = Quelled the Queasiness

Those pesky emotions when people you love have died is striking Allyson Moore again in this excerpt from "Folds in Life and Death" by Cherie Reich.

Q is for Quelled the Queasiness

Peterson paused at an elevator and pushed the button. The doors slid open, and he placed his hand against the side to keep them from closing. “The children are two floors down, ma’am.”

“Down?” She entered the elevator.

“Yes, ma’am.” Peterson stepped inside and scanned a card. “They constructed this building to withstand a nuclear explosion. Several key government officials will remain here until the threat level lowers.”

The elevator went down, and her stomach flipped. Was the new President here? She looked toward the lieutenant. “Has someone informed the children that their parents… you know?”

She couldn’t say were dead without crying again.

“No, ma’am.” He focused straight ahead. “We thought a family member should be here.”

“Okay.” How could she break the news? Her stomach flopped again, and several deep breaths quelled the queasiness.

***

Every comment gives you a chance to win one of ten copies of Parallels: Felix Was Here.

Click here for the other blogs participating in the A-Z Challenge.

L is for Lily: Meet Lily Reynolds from Scrying the Plane

Image Source: Luna Jubilee / !bang poses

LilyCrazyCrafter: Hey. Anyone out there?

AZVizTor: ??

LilyCrazyCrafter: Don't be a shy sheep. I'm stuck in my room right now. No one to chat with. My parents are so ticked off at me, and don't even get me started on my sister. Ruiner of homework, destroyer of my best Minecraft house. Never mind. Pretty soon I'm out of here. Got a party to crash, if you can dig it.

AZVizTor: Party?

LilyCrazyCrafter: Sorry, I can't invite you. You could be on the other side of the planet, and I'm not an idiot. It's not like I'm going to tell some stranger where I live. But yeah, this party is going to be intense. Dude running it has VRP access. You been on the VRP?

AZVizTor: No.

LilyCrazyCrafter: Me neither. It's so bogus they won't let anyone under 21 hook in. What's the big deal? 

AZVizTor: What is VRP?

We all get sucked in - Self portrait by MattysFlicks

LilyCrazyCrafter: Dude, are you from this planet? How can you not know about the Virtual Reality Plane? Interactive Internet? You just need some Sleep Ease and a converter box, not to mention someone to attach the leads to your temple chip. Do you even have a temple chip?

AZVizTor: No.

LilyCrazyCrafter: Well that explains a lot. Guess your parents are super religious, huh?

AZVizTor: ?

Minecraft wolf from Pierre Gorissen

LilyCrazyCrafter: Sorry, didn't mean to pry. But maybe you could get a chip implanted on your own someday. It can't be that bad if they put them in two-year-olds. I can't remember. But man, I can't wait to check out the VRP, especially Minecraft. I'm going to run from zombies, tame a wolf, or ride a trolley. It'll be mega! Hope I don't end up brain-dead or anything--haha.

AZVizTor: Brain-dead?

LilyCrazyCrafter: Well, gotta go. Wish me luck! I'm meeting a friend and...I'd better not say anything more. You could be a narc for all I know! Toodles.

K = King

Stephen King is one of the most prolific speculative fiction writers of our time. He has more than 50 novels under his belt, many of which have been successfully adapted into movies, miniseries and even comic books. Although he is primarily known for his horror books, he also dabbles into other speculative fiction genres, like in his alternative-reality book series, The Dark Tower.

Originally published as a serial in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, the first book in the series, The Gunslinger, has been described as a cross between high fantasy and spaghetti westerns. It tells the story of a lone gunslinger in pursuit of the "Man in Black" and the titular "Dark Tower." The story would eventually morph in an eight-book series, with a long-awaited movie currently in the works.

Stephen King is also well-known in writing circles for his 2000 Memoir, On Writing, in which he shares some tried-and-tested advice on the subject matter.

H = Horror

Do you love that rush of adrenaline when facing something truly terrifying?

Horror is at the heart of any good story, but especially speculative fiction. Today we (Hart Johnson and Crystal Collier) invite you to vote for the more horrifying monster in the comments for your chance to win Parallels: Felix Was Here.

HART'S HORROR 

Or rather Cecily's, in The Seventeen.

The Seventeen is not a story of monsters, but the horror Cecily feels is real. It is the horror of lack of control. She is a peon-level employee for a large pharmaceutical company and while she can protest if something isn't right, in the end she just has to do what she is told. I don't want to give too much of the story away, but let's just say there is a point at which Cecily feels truly horrified at what is happening, and more specifically, at her lack of power to do anything about it.

I like horror you can't see, but of the creatures, Cthulu is the one.

CRYSTAL'S HORROR

My favorite horror creatures is the banshee. (So much so that I based a character in another novel off her.) This version of the banshee may not appear too intimidating, but the true horror is psychological, for to hear a banshee crying means you will die within 24 hours. You spend those last 24 hours watching for death and never knowing how it will take you.

True horror to me is the anticipation of something horrible, something beneath the surface and sinister--like Jak's mirror image in The Mirror People. He lives on the reverse side of the mirror and is tied to a serial killer. If Jak doesn't mimic his mirror self completely, which means killing people, he will cease to exist.

Of these creatures, which do you find more terrifying? Cthulu from the deep, or Banshee, herald of your demise?

Don't forget, every comment you leave is a chance you have to win one of ten copies of Parallels: Felix Was Here.

E = Emotions

My story "Folds in Life and Death" deals with the emotions involved in learning about a loved one's death. When two army officials arrive at Allyson Moore's door, she knows the worst has happened in this excerpt.

E is for Emotions

“Our news contains information about President Charles Moore.” Peterson stood at ease before her. “He’s your brother, correct?”

She nodded, not trusting her voice at the moment.

“We regret to inform you President Charles Moore passed away in today’s bombing.” Peterson bowed his head. “I’m sorry for your loss, ma’am.”

The news didn’t surprise Allyson. As soon as she heard about the bombing at the White House, she feared the worst, but she’d clung to delicate hope. Her eyes watered, and she held her breath to keep from crying. Her brother. Charlie. She pressed her hands over her mouth in an attempt to contain the surging emotions.

***

Don't forget every comment gives you a chance to win one of ten copies of Parallels: Felix Was Here.

Click here for the other blogs participating in the A-Z Challenge.