What happens when you’re filled with ideas, then sit down at the keyboard to write and…simply don’t? What happens when you just don’t wanna? Sometimes it’s an environmental issue, easily fixed. The TV’s too loud in the other room, the storm outside has you worried as the power flickers, or if that nasally woman in the coffeeshop laughs like a drunken hyena one more time, you won’t be responsi— ahem. *breathes deeply* Or maybe it’s too quiet. I hear that’s a thing.
Other times, it’s something else. Great concept, but not a clue where to start? Cue the craft reading rabbit hole rather than hands on keyboard. Stuck on how to hook a reader into a chapter and wind up noodling a different scene that’s cut because it’s wildly inappropriate for the story you meant to write? (Don’t delete it, save it!) Characters leading you astray because oops, they’re not who you wanted them to be, and now the first half doesn’t make sense? The sheer size of a slow-to-open file both daunting and taunting?
For all those days, for whatever reason—of course it’s not you (who could ignore those pleading mews and tiny paws upon the knee, begging for attention? you’re not a monster)—there are prompts. Email yours to oddprompts@gmail.com for a trade, and put “spare” in the subject line if you don’t want a direct trade; otherwise, it’s give one, get one.
| Prompter | Prompt | Promptee |
| Fiona Grey | The villains’ newsletter was a closely guarded secret. | Leigh Kimmel |
| AC Young | The Curse of Wagner: Any valkyrie who hears the strains of the “Ride of the Valkyries” is required to adopt her warrior form. | Fiona Grey |
| Becky Jones | Starting to get interesting around here! | AC Young |
| Leigh Kimmel | Will the last person to leave the park please turn off the trees | Becky Jones |
| Padre | When your nose is deep in a book, you miss everything going on around you. | nother Mike |
| nother Mike | The jukebox was playing an old song, Down, down, down in a burning ring of fire… | Padre |
And here are your spares. Mix one in, if you’d like!
| Spare | There were entrails everywhere |
| Spare | Piranhas with wings |
| Spare | The bushes were candy-sweet, sickeningly overpowering. |
| Spare | A rain of blood filled the drains… |
| Spare | On Día de los Muertos, bring out your colorful calaveras and calacas to dance in the streets! |
| Spare | Last person in the universe, don’t forget to fire off the big bang! |
See you in the comments – although since WordPress doesn’t like images (you’ll need a link for those), it’d be far more accurate to say “see your words in the comments.” Not as catchy.
Header image & MidJourney render by Fiona Grey
More Odds Than Ends 
Becky Jones provided my challenge for this week: Starting to get interesting around here!
I went back to Atlas IV, and a scientist too interested in his data to realise where its coming from.
—
The Vulcanology Department of Atlantis University, Atlas IV’s first, and so far only, university was very young. But then so was the study of the plate tectonics of Atlas IV.
Having reviewed the various maps of the land surface obtained from orbit, the vulcanologists had identified the Lambert Range, the mountain range running down the western coast of Themis, as the closest range likely to have volcanoes.
So an expedition had been sent out to Themis. It had spent the last couple of months working its way south, putting sensors on and around all mountains that looked as if they might be dormant volcanoes.
The expedition had built a base on the eastern side of the Lamberts, and as each mountain was sensored, the sensor readings were plugged in to the central observation and recording station at the base. Via a satellite connection the readings were also being sent to the Department back at Atlantis.
Today the sensor team was returning from laying sensors on a mountain to the south of the base. The team flew in, and then with an efficiency born of much practice, set about linking the new sensors to the observation and recording systems.
As the sensor team worked, the leader of the expedition, one Dr Draco, started to get interested in the sensor readings. “Fascinating.”
The sensor team finished their work, and turned their attention to what had attracted Dr Draco’s interest.
“This is interesting, very interesting indeed,” mused the good doctor. “I think we’re recording the start of an eruption. This is fascinating, and the data will be extremely important. We can compare this against data from Earth and other settled planets. This could be important enough to earn a professorship and perhaps a few doctorates.”
The sensor team took one look at where the fascinating readings were coming from, and Reb Smith, team leader, promptly sent the rest of the team out to prepare the base for evacuation.
“Dr Draco?”
“Reb.” The doctor didn’t turn around. “Have you seen this? It’s really interesting. The first recorded volcanic eruption on Atlas IV post-colonisation.”
Reb gave up on getting anywhere with Dr Draco by conversing with him. She walked to the nearest wall, and flicked on the emergency system. The emergency buzzer sounded.
“What?”
“Dr Draco, that volcano is only a short distance west of here. We’re within the danger zone, so we need to evacuate. Now!”
“But the sensor readings! These are vital. The most important readings the planet has ever seen!”
“Those readings are being recorded! Here and at Atlantis. There won’t be an interruption in the signal unless this place is covered by lava!”
“But any delay in analysis could permit others to jump us to the paper!”
“We can’t write a paper if we’re dead! We need to evacuate. Now!”
“Evacuate? Why didn’t you say so earlier?”
‘I did! You weren’t listening!’ thought Reb. But Dr Draco was finally heading for the exit, so she followed.
The various members of the expedition managed to get into the pair of helicopters within half an hour of the alarm being given. The helicopters lifted off and set off on the long trip back to Theia.
Assuming the base was untouched by the eruption that looked to be about to happen, they would be back.
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Padre and I traded prompts this week. He gifted me with…
When your nose is deep in a book, you miss everything going on around you.
[Who, me? Did you say something to me? Sorry, I was reading and missed it…]
The transparent mode for Ebooks was an interesting concept, except what the programmers didn’t really get was that people weren’t really looking for what was in front of them, they just wanted to take that trip to another place that the books promised. But, then they decided that what we really needed was all-around-view, so now the background of your ebook ripples and rolls, with highlights and other guides to catch your eyes. The book? Well… to be honest, many of us manage to read the words and dive into the book anyway. So, you know, for some of us, when your nose is in a book, you miss everything going on around you. And we wouldn’t have it any other way, even if you do insist on making the background kind of wild. Words! It’s what we read for!
[now, doesn’t that sound like fun!]
Oho! Some people say, “When your nose is deep in a book, you miss everything going on around you.” Clearly, these people are not familiar with the range of genres available nowadays. I mean, when your xxx is deep in a male adventure, you miss everything going on around you. Or perhaps, when your xyxy is deep in a romance, you miss everything going on around you. Even when your magical persona is deep in an urban fantasy, you miss everything going on around you! Let’s face it, with genres, it’s so much more than just your nose that gets stuck in that book…
[naughty, naughty…]
I was reading when it happened. I know, back in the days of dead tree books, people said, “When your nose is deep in a book, you miss everything going on around you.” But with the latest mixed reality readers, well, you can be reading along, and then they combine what’s happening around you with the text or animations or even audible version that you happen to be enjoying, and… suddenly you are chasing that clue through the park outside your house, where your dog is running wild. Or maybe enjoying your breakfast that your mother just cooked, but you’re eating at the top of the mountain, enjoying the view? Whatever, the new tech combines bits and pieces from your real life with that story you are enjoying, so… maybe you take a bath with the hero? Whoa! It can be fun, but it ca;also be confusing when people ask you what happened, and you aren’t quite sure which was your life, and which was the story.
Anyway, when I was reading, suddenly there was a change in the text, and my mom got added into the mix. She was trying to get me ready for school! What a drag. Just when we were about to capture the pirate that had been ruining things…
[that’s kind of confusing…]
Hesper was reading when the Five-Minute War roared around the world, destroying civilization. However, when he finished that chapter, there was such a cliff-hanger, that he couldn’t put the book aside to see what all the commotion was about, he just had to read a little bit more. And then…
Hours later, when Hesper finally set the book aside, with a sigh because it was so good, and he didn’t know when the author would write a sequel, well… he blinked, and looked around. WOW! Everything had changed while he was reading. Why didn’t anybody tell him to get his nose out of the book… oh. They probably tried, but…
[that’s kind of grim]
[Now, where was I? Oh, that’s right, she’s about to find out…]
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I’ll be late this week…in other news, the basement is no longer flooded. Huzzah!
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And now mine is up on my LiveJournal at https://starshipcat.livejournal.com/1347142.html. Not one of my better efforts, but last week was busy and this one isn’t looking any better.
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[…] Finally done, a few days late, after some house hiccups. Thanks, A.C. Young! I weaponized your Wagner inspiration. Leigh Kimmel got my prompt about the villains’ newsletter last week. And onto this week! […]
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Always respect a valkyrie. Things can go very wrong if you don’t…
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Very late this week, as it was a busy weekend of cleaning out the gaming closet at La Casa de Padre.
‘nother Mike and I traded prompts this week. He offered up “The jukebox was playing an old song, Down, down, down in a burning ring of fire…”
“Are you sure it will work?”
“With this kind of thing, one can never be sure.”
Mr. Johnson looked around the bar and shook his head. It was dingy, the lights were dim, but they had the place to themselves. The jukebox was playing a selection of old country songs; not his normal choice of music, but this wasn’t his normal venue either. Currently, the machine had the old Johnny Cash hit spun up, “Down, down, down in a burning ring of fire.”
He sighed to himself. One did what one had to in the pursuit of power. He looked at the man he was meeting, and sighed again.
“Alright, it’s a deal.” He slid an envelope across the table to the man and took the folder that lay between them.
The man smiled a slight smile that didn’t reach his dark eyes and nodded. “It’s a pleasure doing business with you.” He slid the envelope into inner pocket of his suitcoat, then got up and walked out of the bar at a measured pace.
Mr. Johnson picked up the folder and flipped it open and began to read.
The procedure seemed simple enough. Draw a pentagram using goat’s blood, chant some words in Latin, and the demon should appear in the middle of the pentagram in a flash of fire and brimstone.
He wondered why it was so difficult to get ahold of this information. The procedure seemed easy enough. He shrugged. It didn’t matter to him why the beings on the other side made it so difficult to track down the ways of contacting them. As long as he was able to do so and they were willing to bargain with him, it would all work out. Now. Where could to get the goats blood.
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[…] from Leigh Kimmel: Will the last person to leave the park please turn off the trees. Head over to More Odds Than Ends for more prompt responses. They will change your […]
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