J = Juxtaposition

Juxtaposition – comparing two items side by side in an effort to point out the ridiculousness or power of one of those things.

I once had a professor tell our class that if we ever used this word, then we didn’t really understand what it meant. No offense to that professor, but I believe society understands this term very well, we just don’t use the term in our every day vocabulary.

The truth is that beauty and ugliness coexist in every setting. The constant contrast gives each one more power than it would have alone.

Authors use this in their writing when they want to heighten the tension, or bring special attention to a scene or character.

Examples:

   1)      In dialogue - “I hate loving you,” or “I love to hate him.”

   2)   Novels, movies, plays, and even comics often feature characters with opposite attributes or personalities in order to create interesting conflict - Betty and Veronica, Felix Unger and Oscar Madison, Beauty and the Beast, Carl Fredricksen and Russell, Buzz and Woody, as well as so many others.

   3) Opposing forces of good versus evil - even within the same character is another popular choice.
   4) Setting and circumstances can be opposites as well.

I  In "WIN" I used human fascination with technology, and contrasted it with a groups inability to access that technology. How might those people be different? Which would be better for society - more or less technology? 

The Parallels anthology explores these aspects through ten different tales. We hope you’ll dive in and share your thoughts with the authors. How did our use of juxtaposition help or hinder the stories?

What are some of your favorite examples of juxtaposition in other books and movies?

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

I is for Invisibility

Hello everyone, Mel here.

 

Invisibility

Of all the paranormal traits I’d love to have, this is probably the one. Imagine it; imagine all you could see and hear when no one knew you were there.

And there’s more.

You could seriously freak someone out. Is there anything scarier than thinking you’re alone only to find out you’re not? Some of the best horror stories written  come from nothing less: The sudden door closing, the light flicked on, the breath on the back of your neck.

The possibilities are endless.

How about you? What trait would you like best? What would you do if you could be invisible? Would you use it for good, or some serious freaking out?

 

My contribution to Parallels: Felix was here is Haunted and, as you can imagine, invisibility plays a large role.  Here is an excerpt:

 

“It doesn’t matter,” she breathed, shaking her head. “Nothing does.”

John pulled back to look into his wife’s face. “Are you sure you’re okay—do we need to call your doctor?”

“The only doctor I have is an ob-gyn, and I don’t think she’ll be able to do anything about this.”

John shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe it’s a hormone thing.”

Andy raised her eyebrows. “Do you really want to go there?”

“Hormones are powerful things, Andy. They can make you do all sorts of weird shit.”

“Like dream your husband’s dead?” There is was; she’d said it.

His face softened. “Is that it—is that what happened?”

Andy looked past him to the sky beyond. His hands cupped her face and brought her focus back to him. “I’m not leaving you, ever. Even if I die, I promise to haunt you.”

Andy frowned. “Don’t say that.”

“What? It’s true. You can’t get rid of me; face it.”

Andy shuddered; she didn’t know why.

 

 

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.

G = Gore

G IS FOR PRESIDENT AL GORE

The alternate history affecting the story, Ever-Ton, in the IWSG Anthology Parallels: Felix Was Here, was the election of Al Gore for President in the year 2000.

The setting is the year 2050. The world has changed and the inhabitants are leaving. 

Photo Copyright

Ever-Ton

Yolanda RenÉe

Excerpt:

The line seemed to stretch on forever but moved fast. Several people in wheelchairs, children with disabilities, and worried parents talked in hushed tones as the line moved forward. A lovely woman in a wheelchair pointed to the picture of former President Al Gore on the wall behind the counter. "I wonder if he knows how many people he saved."

I smiled, and said, "I believe he does. I really do."

She nodded. "I do, too."

In the 1970s, scientists had warned of the dangers of global warming, but nothing happened until the year 2000. President Al Gore couldn't get the legislation passed that would curb the dangers caused by fossil fuel, but he found the funding for the New World Aeronautical Organization - NWAO. They began the search for a New Earth.

Terrifying storms, devastating droughts, and unimaginable diseases took the earth to the levels of an apocalypse that no one foresaw, not even President Gore. The building of survival units in the highest mountains became a top priority.

Now, in 2050, the world's atmosphere had grown toxic. The city of Ever-Ton, meaning Everlasting Mountain, sat high in the Himalayas. We were the largest and last community of survivors trying to leave earth.

***

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A-Z: F is for Frozen

Frozen:  rigid; immobilized:

The child was frozen with fear.

Dictionary.com

 “Run! Run!”

I swiveled in time to see a young boy that looked to be my sister’s age trotting toward me, indigo gunk running off his face in rivulets. Behind him a tall young man waved a rifle. He yelled again.  “Run.”

I stood frozen in place. Run from what? Run where?

The child neared, almost on me. In slow motion, the man raised his rifle…and fired. The boy staggered and fell, blood spurting from his chest. His tail between his legs, the pup scampered away. Someone screamed. It took me a moment to realize it was me.

The young man came running toward me. “Are you all right? Did you get splattered with any rain?”

Did I get splattered with any rain?

I shook so badly I could barely move, my teeth clicking like castanets. Maybe the child survived. I forced my feet in the direction of the body. Blank eyes stared at the sky. Indigo mucus rolled out of them washed away almost immediately by the deluge.

I stiffened my spine and bent down to feel for a pulse.

The pyscho grabbed me by the collar and pulled me roughly away. I should have run when I had the chance, but I couldn’t have lived with myself if there was any way I could have saved the child.  I flailed at the monster who’d killed a young boy.

He ducked easily. “What are you doing, you idiot? That’s a Rainer.”

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.

D is for Deceit

Hello, friends! Hart Johnson here... We are each going into a theme of our story or a speculative theme with our letters...

In the case of The Seventeen,

Deceit is what creates and exacerbates the problem.

The premise behind The Seventeen is that the series of patient protection acts had never been enacted, and the vast majority of those acts are about protecting patients and research participants by FULLY INFORMING THEM what is going to happen so they can make an informed decision. So by removing those protections, we open the door to deceit.

So who is being deceived? In my story, there is a long history of deceiving research participants, but the stakes go up... the more reasonable question is about to be who ISN'T being deceived?

As for who is DOING the deceiving, you will have to come back for the letter P.

So what is your favorite book about deceit? Any main characters you love particularly good at it? Or tragically subjected to it?

Now why don't you go check out some other A to Z participants!?