Food for Thought

by Adam Huddleston

This week, I wanted to pose to you a simple question: What are the benefits (if any) of traditional paper-based literature over electronic?

You thought I was gonna blog about food, didn’t you?

Now, coming from a life-long lover of books, I can tell you what I prefer. To me, there is just something warm and inviting about actual paper. Paper books (both new and used) have their own scent. I would venture to guess that most book-a-holics can recall cuddling up in a comfortable chair and opening the pages of their newly found treasure. The smooth texture of the paper and its sound as the pages turn brings back memories. Also, you never have to worry about the battery dying on your traditionally formatted tomes.

I will admit though that electronic books (or e-books) do have some benefits. The most obvious is the amount of data that can be stored in a very limited space. A library that once used to fill an entire room can now be downloaded onto a device the size of a postcard (which is another antiquity the young folk may not be familiar with).   E-books also allow access to your library quicker. A few finger-swipes and you can purchase literature that you used to have to travel to a store to buy.

What do you think? Paper vs. Virtual? The debate will rage on…for a while at least.

More Flash Fiction

by Adam Huddleston

Last week, I revisited my authorial roots and presented a very elementary flash fiction story. This week I thought, Why not try it again? If you’re interested, you can play along. The mandatory words are: galactic, vase, intrepid, morose, and final.

Although Terrell’s galactic ship was fast, the flight from Morris-1 to the icy moon of Gatak long. During the wait, the pilot and his saucy wife had plenty of time to argue.

“If you hadn’t stopped for a drink two planets back, we would have been there by now!”

Terrell looked down morosely at the floor between his boots and sighed. Even intrepid explorers like Terrell Gaines were subject to ridicule. He glanced at a vase perched on a nearby table. This was the final straw.

One more complaint and he’d turn that from an ornament to an urn.

Wow, that turned out darker than I expected, but, that’s how writing goes sometimes.

Have a Happy New Year!

Example of Flash Fiction

by Adam Huddleston

Years ago, I was a moderator for a flash fiction website. That site was deactivated some time back but there is still a warm place in my heart for that story style. We participated in a monthly competition where a set of words were given that had to be used in the tale. The catch was that the story could be no longer than one-hundred words, but should contain a beginning, middle, and ending. Here is a very quick and basic example:

1. Cat
2. House
3. Dog
4. Mouse
5. Kill

A warm sun crested the horizon, waking Serenity, the Harrison family’s cat. His first mission was to traverse the house for his food bowl, taking care to avoid the moronic dog. Once his belly was full, he partook in another lengthy nap. When he felt sufficiently rested, the tabby began his quest for his true arch-nemesis; the dreaded field mouse. After an exhaustive search, Serenity rounded a corner and spotted the fiend. It was now that the cat contradicted his given name, and pounced for the kill. As the sun set, Serenity nestled into his bed, belly full.

In Media Res

by Adam Huddleston

The literary term this week is: in media res. It is a phrase referring to the usage of beginning a story in the middle of a sequence of events. Many tales utilize this, as it puts the reader right into the action. An often used bit of advice is to start your scene as close to the high-point as possible then get out quick. In media res takes this philosophy and applies it to the entire plot. “The Odyssey” and “The Iliad” both use this device.

Although I have yet to utilize this technique to a great extent in my writing, I feel confident in stating that when using it, the writer should be sure to provide a background that engages the reader and drives the story forward. Hope this helps!

Happy writing and have a Merry Christmas!

Robot

by Adam Huddleston

During a slow period at work the other day, I was perusing a website of writing prompts and came across an interesting one. I jotted down this flash fiction story in a matter of minutes. It has no beneficial theme or deep message.

I like that in a story.

The thump from my son’s bedroom woke me from a light slumber. Sleep is always light when you have a newborn whose feeding schedule mirrors that of a hummingbird. Once I deduced that the baby was fine, I hopped (as nimbly as a near 40-year old can) out of bed and stumbled to Jason’s room.

“Everything ok-,” I began, but stopped short when I first felt, then saw the giant shadow in the corner. It seemed to suck up what little light was being cast by my five-year old’s Star Wars nightlight and squash it into oblivion.

Before I could move, I caught a streak of brown out of the corner of my eye and flinched backwards. My jaw dropped to see Jason’s stuffed teddy bear “Robot” (who knows), executing a flying sidekick. Its termination point was the bridge of some massive creature’s nose. I heard the bones snap and the being let out an other-worldly bellow. That sound will most assuredly remain with me for the rest of my life.

Without skipping a beat, Robot drove his small, furry fist into the beast’s chest and pulled out a pulsing, black heart. My son’s new hero gave out a triumphant yaw and held the organ aloft. That was when our eyes met.

A sheepish grin crossed his little face and he trotted across the tan carpet of my son’s bedroom floor.

“Robot?”

“Yes, Dan?”

“Is this really happening?”

The bear stood in silence for a minute, brow creased.

“Tonight it is, Dan. Tomorrow may be peaceful. The days and weeks following may as well. But some day, some day…”

I looked over to the corner of the room where an evil creature lay dead then back to my son’s sleeping buddy.

“Oh. Okay. Uh, thanks…Robot?”

“You’re quite welcome, Dan; you and Jason both. I swore to protect his precious life the day you brought me home, and I plan on keeping that promise for as long as I am able.”

I nodded at the dead beast.

“What are you gonna do with that?”

“Don’t worry about the Gorthok. It’ll be disposed of before you son wakes. Oh, and he whispered to me that he wants toaster pastries in the morning.”

“Uh, toaster pastries. Got it.”

I turned toward the hallway, had a thought, and turned back. The room was as it always was. Jason was tucked in sweetly under his comforter. All four bedroom corners were empty. Robot was sitting still in the little red rocking chair my grandfather had built for my son when he was born.

That thought returned to me once more.

No more Italian food after eleven.

Favorite Games

by Adam Huddleston

Hello all! This week I thought I’d do something a little different. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that a lot of writers enjoy the strategy and competition in gaming. These games may vary from simple word puzzles to high-tech video games. Here are just a few of my favorites.

Chess: the game of kings. I’ve been playing since I was a youngster and love the strategy involved in attempting to overpower your opponent and capture that elusive king. At its finest (which I have never come close to), this great game becomes art.

Scene-It: Being a movie buff helps greatly in this game. It doesn’t matter if it is the original, Disney, or 80’s version, I love trying to beat my opponent to the answer. Some have accused me of having no childhood…

Crossword puzzles: An oldie but a goodie. The simple crossword puzzle combines competition (though it is against yourself) with healthy brain development. A lot of newspapers include a puzzle in each issue so there is rarely an absence of one in our house.

The Legend of Zelda: A classic video game with a long-running series of sequels and prequels. These games combine adventure, puzzle solving, and hand-eye coordination. Even after all of these years, the combination of soundtrack and gameplay keeps bringing me back for more.

This is by no means and exhaustive list. What are some of your favorite games to pass the time?

Hamartia

by Adam Huddleston

This week’s literary term is: hamartia. It is also referred to as a “tragic flaw.” A hamartia is an aspect of the protagonist which can hinder their progress or possibly bring about their downfall. This “tragic flaw” can be external, but more often than not, it is an internal characteristic. For example, hubris (ego or pride) is one of the more commonly seen problems with characters. This inflated sense of oneself may lead to unwise decisions.

One of the positive results of utilizing a character’s hamartia, is that they are more relatable. Readers like to see a hero that suffers from the same issues that they do. This can increase suspense for the reader because they may realize that the protagonist could ultimately fail due to their flaws.

Hopefully, the use of hamartia in your writing will help flesh out your characters and make the story more enjoyable. Happy writing!

Atmosphere and Mood

by Adam Huddleston

This week’s literary term(s) are atmosphere and mood. They more or less equate to the same thing with subtle differences. Atmosphere is the overall feeling or mood in a story. This can be affected by a good description of objects or the environment. For example, gothic horror leaned upon the trope of dark, rainy nights and old, dusty castles. The imagery helps the reader to understand that the story has a scary or depressive feel.

Mood is similar but may change throughout the plot. Also, this aspect is more closely related to characters than to location. For example, a protagonist’s mood may begin as happy, progress through stages of fear, and return again if he triumphs over the antagonist. This variation can occur even if the surrounding atmosphere remains constant.

When emphasizing atmosphere and mood, take care to use familiar (but not stereotypical) wording, so as not to confuse or bore your reader. When fully developed, these parts of your story will draw the audience in and leave them satisfied.

Happy writing!

Prologue

by Adam Huddleston

This week’s literary term is: prologue. The prologue to a story is the opening scene (or scenes), that usually introduce the reader to the theme of the tale. They are told from a character’s point of view as opposed to that of the author. The prologue may play a key role in the plot of the story, or it may simply be used to familiarize the reader with one or more of the characters or setting.

An effective prologue should also grab the audience’s attention. Remember, this is the first thing they will encounter (sometimes as they’re standing in the book store deciding whether or not to make the purchase), and if it is dull, you run the risk of having them place the book back on the shelf and moving on.

Notable (but brief), prologues include: “Once upon a time” and “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.”

Happy writing!